Jezebel: fw08

Fundamentalist Fashion: Not So Different Than High Design

Jennifer — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT

The question that keeps coming up again and again with regards to the Eldorado, Texas branch of the FLDS isn't "Where are all the men?" or even "Where's Sarah?" but rather, "Have you noticed what the women are wearing?" The media has even dubbed the phenomenon, somewhat crassly, "polygamist fashion", and the stories have multiplied in such a way that we figured we should take a look. What we learned is that there actually isn't anything that odd about the sect's sartorial choices — we've seen weirder on the runways of Gaultier. And speaking of high-minded fashion, a few designers (most notably Marc Jacobs) seem to have anticipated (or rather, copied) the FLDS aesthetic. After the jump, selected looks from various designers whose recent wares look most similar (in modest silhouette and tonal palette) to that of the FLDS females.

L & C: Chris Benz SS08, R: Behnaz Sarafpour SS08

Benz's tone-on-tone palette and long, loose cuts were one of the most championed styles of the season. Behnaz Sarafpour uses the same 1950's shirtdress modelings as that of the FLDS uniforms.

L & C: Behnaz Sarafpour SS08, R: Angel Chang SS08

In trenches and dresses alike, Sarafpour underscores the feminine by obscuring the body. Angel Chang's muted colors and conservative hem and necklines make modesty modern.

L to R: Vera Wang SS08, Abaete SS08, Marc Jacobs FW08.

Vera Wang goes bold in rich jewel tone that is as shocking in its proportion as its shade. Abaete uses the shift and lightened earth tones to allow her model to all but disappear. Marc Jacobs' "Paul Revere" collection was a masterwork in the kind of color and proportion play found in the compound, repeated musings on one central concept.

[Images via Elle.com.]

Polygamists Make Their Own Fashion Statement [MSNBC]

Stella McCartney: No Animals Were Harmed In The Creation Of This Collection

Jennifer — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:30:00 EST

This morning in Paris, Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow BFF Stella McCartney showed her Fall/Winter 2008 collection and, unlike Jean-Paul Gaultier's over-the-top presentation yesterday, there wasn't an animal skin or pelt to be seen. (Stella designs vegan fashion.) The looks, however, were a bit inconsistent, mixing diaphanous mini-dresses with long, heavy, columns of sweater dresses. I am positive, however, that we'll be seeing almost all of it on Serena van der Woodsen when Gossip Girl resumes this fall. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Stella's latest, after the jump.

The Good:
Was Stella peeping in Miuccia Prada's workroom? Her take on the peeping Tom lace theme is less fashion-forward, but certainly wearable, beautiful, and fresh.
Light as a feather, I would style this barely-there dress with black tights and flats.
An unexpected take on both suiting and separates and, if I could afford it, I would be running to wrap myself up in that blanket sweater.
Again, see above. It's cozy and slouchy and cool and could even be great n the summer with flip-flops.

The Bad:
This blanket-whatever is silly and totally impractical. Do not dress yourself in tapestries stolen from museums.
Did Stella steal this from Forever 21? Too big, hate the bubble hem, and it looks cheap.
The material is too heavy for the cut.
Again, I just want the bubble hem to die a swift, yet painful, death. The way the underlay peeps through is nifty, but there's something almost juvenile about the complete look.

The Ugly:
I'm sorry: This is a nightmare.

[Images via AP and Getty.]

Marni aspires to be Prada, but isn't: More...

Jennifer — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:30:00 EST

Marni aspires to be Prada, but isn't: More often than not, it's just referential. Never has this been more apparent that with the label's fall/winter 2008 collection, which was painfully derivative of the Prada fall/winter 2007 collection. (Seriously: Look for yourself.) So if you dig watered-down Prada, go for it. But I think I'll pass. Annotated gallery of selected looks begins below.

Fashion Show

Jennifer — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:20:00 EST

Okay, someone call Interpol: I think something's happened to Roberto Cavalli. The greatest Project Runway guest judge ever showed in Milan today and the collection looked shockingly un-Cavalli like. There were no trampy-looking dresses in clashing colors with plunging necklines. The animal prints were few and far between. And the silhouettes were actually interesting. Not particularly innovative, mind you, but pretty and structured — dare we say that Cavalli's been infused with a touch of class? Annotated gallery of selected looks begins below.

Fashion Show

Jennifer — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:30:00 EST

I've always loved the fresh, young, and decidedly female perspective that 32-year old Frida Giannini brought to the House of Gucci following the masochistic and misogynistic reign of Tom Ford. And though her past collections dazzled with vibrant color palettes, her fall/winter 2008 collection offered a play on the Boho/rocker babe style that seemed a little dated... and not in a hip vintage way. Heavy on the fur, light on the innovation, I can't decide if I love or loathe the fringe-bedecked boots, among other things. Judge for yourself with the annotated gallery of selected designs, which begins below.

This Fall, We'll All Be Futuristic Hippies With A Penchant For Big Coats

Jennifer — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:30:00 EST

Milan Fashion week kicked off over the weekend and one thing is for sure: the Italians are getting sentimental over the Summer of Love. Roberto Cavalli put his favorite animal prints on tights, which were then paired with everything from long and flowing boho dresses to Mia Farrow-esque smocks. Missoni also played with this theme, with a collection that looked straight out of the wardrobe department of The Ice Storm. Burberry made homage to its hometown of London, with gold flared pants that would've made Austin Powers proud, Raf Simmons' collection for Jil Sander seemed to be one of his tightest yet, focusing on architectural coats and a muted, monochromatic color palette, and Gianfranco Ferre had an occasionally mod, occasionally rocker and very disparate collection (the entire creative department was credited, no doubt because head designer Lars Nilsson recently departed.) And then there was Giorgio Armani. Call me Cathy Horyn, but I have no idea what the fuck the guy was thinking. (See above left.) Annotated galleries of selected looks from each designer begin after the jump.

Just Cavalli:

Missoni:

Burberry:

Jil Sander:

Gianfranco Ferre:

Giorgio Armani:

[All images via AP.]