There are still 2 days left of the Fall 2008 New York fashion week and normally I like to wait till the last catwalk closes before I start writing about the color and style trends for the upcoming season.
But the fact is I’ve spied my favorite color on so many runways already that I’m selfishly prepared to jump the gun a little this time around and joyfully exclaim, “All Orange lovers rejoice! Come next Fall, all shades of this energetic hue from citrus to pomegranate to pumpkin to blood orange and all the juicy shades in between are sure to be in style.
Badgley Mischka, Carolina Herrera
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I think seeing my favorite documentary “Grey Gardens” might have inspired my new obsession for gray accessories. Since, as Edie would say ” I think this is the best costume for the day”.
“Little Edie” Beale, my “gray” fashion icon
While writing this post, my pal Julie gave me the most beautiful gray and black leopard print scarf and glove set - a very happy coincidence!
Although I am dressing vibrantly this winter, I look forward to toting fabulous gray bags and shoes.
Designers have incorporated every shade of gray in their collections, this season. But since my budget does not allow for designer bags and shoes, my primary focus is on budget accessories.
I believe that as trends ‘come and go’ , you can certainly save your money for classic pieces , by spending less on the accouterments. Of course the YSL flannel tote, Balenciaga’s leather tote, Marc Jacobs multi pocket hob0, and Prada’s duffle like satchel are examples of soon - to -be classics. But each will lighten your wallet by $1300- $2400 .
I am truly impressed with Todd Oldham’s late winter collection for Old Navy. I will absolutely buy the gray bolwer bag (canvas with suede trim) and tote for my spring outings. And I must have his suede wedge mary janes in “urban dwelling grey”. Any of these will cost you under $30 - my kind of splurge. I’m going to say a little prayer - “please let them be as cute in person, as they are on the website”. Amen.
Target and Banana Republic have some great grey patent leather styles. This CL by Laundry PVC bag , with great D-ring handles, is under $20 at Target.com and BR wide patent belt is $68. Michael Kors has a pair of patent spectator heels that are perfect for a night out.
I regularly cruise the Anthropologie website , in search of new items and great sale prices. This week I fell in love with a pair of shoes and sheer white tights. The sling backs are called “Smoke and Fire” (grey with coral accents) that list for $340 .The Hue tights are by Tracy Reese ; for $28 these are a more realistic purchase.
But falling in love doesn’t have to be realistic…so I can still dream of these shoes…and a romance with Daniel Craig , while we’re at it !
Speigel groups “hot” trends together in their catalog, which I find quite helpful in my search for something new. This season they have sumptuous suede totes and boots - all for under $90 each. I think the booties and belted bag look very 60s and mod - definitely a classic look.
**Buyers beware…I do not encourage you to pair the suede tote with a mauve lace dress. Yuk!**
If you’re not into the girlie patent leather or polka dots, then you should like these more masculine styles. Newport News catalog (also the home town of many color mavens) offers the cutest gray flannel cap. Armani Exchange has a tailored utilitarian gray canvas bag…perfect for roaming the streets of any city.
I conider make up another accessory essential. I’ve seen gray eyeshadow as the newest addition to YSL Touche Eclat Eyeshadow pens. Magazines are filled with sophisticated models , all with blunt bobs, wearing these delightful shades on their lids.
OPI has a new shade of pale matte gray polish named “Birthday Babe”. This is a welcome addition to salon choices….it’s nice to have a gray shade that isn’t glittery.
It seems that the only thing gray NOT in fashion this season …is gray hair. Guess I need to visit my hairdresser soon.
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Valentino, the designer whose name is as synonymous with the color red as it is with fashion, took his final bow from the catwalk this past week in Paris following his Spring Couture show.
His departure comes in the middle of what could be called the “year of Valentino”. A year that has included a 3 day extravagant 45th anniversary celebration in Rome this past summer, followed by a beautiful retrospective of his work featuring over 300 of his designs, the filming of a hip-indie documentary to be released about him this spring, the planning of yet another retrospective in Paris slated for the summer of 2008, and to top it all off being awarded the Grand Medaille de Vermeil de Ville de Paris just this past week (that’s the medal of honorary Paris citizenship to you and me).
Not a bad way to go out for the 75 year old Italian who has spent the last four and a half decades dressing the world’s most famous women- literally from Jackie O. to J.Lo.
His final show, which took place on the grounds of the Rodin Museum, included all the glamour and femininity one has come to expect from the designer who has always been thought of as the epitome of elegance. His swan’s song-a sea of his iconic red, as 30 beautiful models flooded the runway all wearing the same red gown amidst images of red dresses projected onto the sides of the tent covering the star studded audience.
His spectacular departure from fashion this week got me wanting to know more about him. After all, we are sort of known for being interested in color around here, and I realized I knew very little about Valentino or how his fascination with the color red came to be.
I must first mention that Valentino’s rise to uber-fame came in the 1960’s without an ounce of red fabric in sight. In fact, the designer warned the American buyers in the late 60’s with the quote ” I am a non-color man”. His 1968 collection, which was comprised of only shades of white ( ecru, ivory, pale beige ), was a huge hit amongst jet setters and fashion editors alike- establishing him as a force in fashion.
It wasn’t until the late 1970’s that Valentino would first discover his love of the color red, or rosso valentino, as it is now often referred to.
Here the story gets a little fuzzy… as I found three different scenarios of this “aha” moment. All three have Valentino visiting Barcelona…. the first suggests he was at the circus and spotted the color, the second is that he was at the Opera and was enchanted by a red costumed diva, and the third that it was on this trip that he first meet editor-extraordinaire Diane Vreeland who infected him with her love (and also signature color) of red.
Whatever the events, the color had a strong impact on his aesthetic from there on out.
“Red has guts…. deep, strong, dramatic. A geranium red. A Goya red…. to be used like gold for furnishing a house… for clothes, it is strong, like black and white” he said.
“Women usually prefer to wear black at events because it makes them feel safe, however, if there’s one woman wearing red, she will inevitably be the eye-catcher of the evening. It’s as though the room is suddenly illuminated- simply perfect for a grand-entrance”.
From then on Valentino used red in his collection to symbolize ” the power of femininity”, and in the age of disco and economical distress it all seemed to make sense.
Funny enough as the 80’s rolled in, women wearing red quickly took on another meaning. Remember Nancy Reagan in her red suits, more powerhouse than demure first lady. The culture was changing and women in the workforce took to wearing the color red not so much to symbolize “the power of femininity”, but to shout out “the power of equality” to their male counterparts.
Throughout this Valentino remained steady and never faltered with his visions. His love of a luxurious silhouette survived through the 80’s gender-bending punk trend ( which he basically found beyond distasteful), and as the 90’s were ushered in with the monochromatic pales of Calvin Klein (sound familiar) and the grunge inspired street wear of Marc Jacobs all the rage… his red dress remained.
Now with the return of elegance once again at the height of fashion, Valentino seems to be ending his career very much where he started it, some 45 years earlier.
But does this mark the end of the Valentino “red dress”?
No doubt the label will go on, already Alessandra Facchinetti formally of Gucci, has been named as Valentino’s women’s collection successor.
But will the timeless, elegance forever associated with the label remain?
In a business where constant evolution is seen as good, Valentino always held strong to his simple belief that a women should be dressed elegantly at all times- he was even often heard bashing other designers whose over-the-top designs drew attention, but left the customer with little to wear.
And what about the iconic red dress? The “look” we always knew would show up at some point each season? Will it remain?
Well fashion is a fickle place, and those who drive it are often more interested in creating the next great trend than keeping alive an iconic classic. I suppose we will just have to wait and see… and keep our “rosso valentino” fingertips crossed!
Photo credits:
- Photo of “Valentino Retrospective” Jason Schmidt, New York Times
- Runway photo, getty images
- Vintage Valentino from historyoffashion.com
- Book cover image from amazon.com
- Couture 2008 photo from style.com
- Valentino with red dresses from madeinitaly.com
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I just had to share these fabulously colored eggs with you.
They were dyed and photographed by the very creative John Suler. Visit him on Flickr to see more of his photos.
So, what is the most popular color of Easter egg dye?
Americans love the color purple, according to a survey by Paas, a company that makes egg decorating kits.
Thirty percent of those responding to the survey picked purple as their favorite color for egg dying.
Teal ranked second (17 percent), followed by green (12 percent), and red (11 percent).
An estimated 180 million eggs got a splash of color for Easter this year.
What is your favorite color to dye an Easter egg?
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