Papillon: September 2006

London Fashion Week: Peter Jenson S/S '07

Confession: I have an severe and incurable case of Angophilia. I am positively fascinated by all things British (especially the fashion!) and at times I fantasize about finding out that my real father is actually a British diplomat whose political career would have been ruined had it been discovered that he had an illigitimate child with an American woman. Hmmm... perhaps I've seen the Amanda Bynes/Colin Firth film "What a Girl Wants" too many times. Ahem. Anyway, I really loved Peter Jenson's S/S '07 collection, which is basically an Englishman's version of the classic American preppy style. The collection was full of wit, charm, and irony: three things near and dear to my heart.

And not to toot my own horn or anything, but:

Kate Moss to Create Line? For Topshop?

"I'd sort of like to be able to say, 'I love this, put it into production,'" said the uber fashionista this summer. Methinks we should anticipate a frenzy the likes of which H&M has never seen...

Read the whole story here.

S/S '07 Trend: Layering Strapless Dresses

I couldn't help but notice that a few designers have taken a creative approach to the layering trend. That is, the layering of strapless dresses over tanks, t-shirts, and blouses. I kind of like it as a way to switch up a strapless dress you may have lying around. However, it takes a special person to pull this off, not to mention the right combination of garments.

Luca Luca

Marc by Marc Jacobs

A La Disposition found out the hard way that this is not the easiest look to get right:

Marc by Marc Jacobs

While not as breathtakingly esoteric or forward-thinking as his main line, many of the looks from the Marc by Marc Jacobs S/S '07 collection are extremely cute and wearable, especially for the intellectual student type. He even introduced some interesting color- such as seafoam green and mustard yellow- for those who want to stand out in the inevitable sea of white this spring.

I absolutely love everything about this jacket. The dark navy color is perfect for rainy spring days when something brighter may not seem appropriate, and I love that even the buttons are the same color. The structure is beautiful, and the cropped sleeves and peter pan collar combination is adorable.

OK, this look is just too adorable. I really like the grey t-shirt that has stripes only at the top. And while I'm not a huge fan of the color purple, something about this plaid skirt is really really cute. The whole outfit just has an intellectual quality; I imagine the girl who wears it as someone who is interested in fashion, but wants to appear above it all at the same time.

Lastly, I love the ease of this drop-waisted dress. I still haven't quite gotten over grey, so naturally I love the color. The pleats, the pockets, the fabric: it's simply a great piece that you can throw on in a hurry and look effortlessly cool. And who doesn't want that?

Love is in the Air

Well...not so much for me. I'm unsure whether it's because I'm not yet over fall or because my life is painfully lacking romance, but I'm really not feeling the flowers, rosettes, and overall romantic atmosphere of the runways at New York Fashion Week (ie, Marchesa). Perusing the runway slides, I kind of felt like I was stuck in one of those romantic comedies. You know, the kind that end with the guy making a bold statement (that is too lame/corny/complicated to work in real life) in an effort to declare his undying love for the cute/loveable/endearingly neurotic heroine. Then the two reconciled lovers engage in a passionate kiss with sweepingly dramatic music in the background and one can only assume that they get married and make 4 perfect babies, get a golden retriever, build a white picket fence, and live happily ever after.

I have never liked those movies. The plotlines are always far too predictable to be taken seriously. Moreover, they cater to women's fantasies about men; fantasies which very few men are actually willing to indulge, therebye leaving millions of women utterly stunned and

disappointed by their romantic life.

Anyway, for those aforementioned reasons, the designers that really stood out for me were those that shunned sugary sweet patterns and kept things stark, metallic, and menswear-inspired. Let's talk Ralph Lauren. This collection was brimming with gorgeous metallics, whether it was a jacket or a trouser. What's not to love about this metallic gold bomber jacket? And when paired with easy white pants? Just so perfect.

Rag & Bone was similarly spot-on for me. Although known for their jeans, I really loved the A-line white mini dress paired with a

trench coat and quirky patent leather bowling shoes. I'm also a huge fan of their menswear-meets-rocker ensemble.

Now, isn't that infinitely nicer than frills and flowers?

Fascinated by Marc Jacobs

It's no secret that, for the past few years atleast, one must look to Marc Jacobs to gauge which direction fashion is headed. It seems that this year will be no different, as Marc has produced a highly conceptual, not to mention esoteric, collection of which I happen to be a huge huge fan. Perhaps my tendency to daydream makes me fond of anything whimsical, and Marc provided plenty of whimsy. His layering of sheer fabric gives his confections a floaty quality, and the models looked positively ethereal. I suspect that come April, after we peel off our very serious grey stockings and black coats, these pieces will be very enticing indeed.

Hello, Lover

In honor of this gorgeous Marni dress I have decided that each Friday I will write about one fantasy item I would buy if I suddenly found out I was sitting on an enormous trust fund.

It was extraordinarily difficult to choose my favorite piece from Marni's collection, but this stunner has me mesmerized. It's made of three contrasting fabrics: the front is gauze, the back is crepe and the tie is silk. Have you ever seen anything more wonderful in your entire life? Really, have you?

I think I'm in love.

Active Endeavors: New and Improved

If someone had told me 2 years ago that I would find that Daryl K smock dress I've been lusting after at Active Endeavors, I probably would have given said person a little smirk, patted them on their delusional little head, and told them to up their medication. However, it seems that the Chicago-based company formerly known as THE destination for sporty outerwear (think Reefs flipflops and North Face fleeces) has undergone a huge makeover. Evidently, the website has been cutting edge for a couple years now, so the store has decided to follow suit. The website has so many products by so many designers that looking through it is downright overwhelming. It's going to take me a few days to give it a thorough looksee, but I did find the exact turtleneck I want for fall...

C&C California Classic Turtleneck $64

I'll take one in every color, please.

On the Bizzare Conformity of Suburban America

I am a firm believer that fashion accurately gauges the state of one's surroundings. Take the intellectual, dark, and gothic themes of this season: these are certainly a reflection of the increasingly precarious political state of the world.
This maxim applies to individual communities as well, including that of suburban America. I am currently residing in suburbia after a three year stint in metropolitan Chicago, and I have noticed some rather peculiar things fashion-wise. It seems that the vast majority of the population here dresses exactly the same. Here, risk taking and individuality is highly discouraged- it is a place where donning anything other than run of the mill jeans and a halter top becomes a point of contention; you are now the weird girl who dresses oh so strange. Even a couple visible tattoos or piercings (mon dieu!) can prompt a quizzical raise o' the eyebrow.
So here I am, awash in a sea of cheap rubber flip flops and I can't help but wonder: Why is suburban America so incredibly stifling to creativity? Why is everyone so desperately trying to look like everyone else?
Well, I have a couple of theories. One is that suburbanites live extremely narrow lives. Politically, they know that there is a war and that Bush is a moron, but that's really about it. They're far too preoccupied with their soccer matches and tennis lessons to get caught up in that silly humanitarian crisis in Darfur. This attitude extends to their fashion- why should they adopt this year's darker (yaaaay grey) styles when everything around them seems bright?
This brings me to my second theory. That is, suburban America was built on the Rockwellian ideals of the perfect family, the perfect house, the perfect life. Although most Americans don't actually experience this, they are nevertheless grasping at those last few straws of innocence. This is why whenever one sees something remotely out of the ordinary, they are shocked and immediately want to suppress it in whatever way they can. Because if something's different, it must be dangerous, right?
You can probably guess that I am floundering in this environment- I really just don't get it. I desperately crave creativity! Inspiration! Fashion!!! I want to stroll down the street and pass a woman in a Pucci coat one minute and a guy with a purple mohawk and twenty peircings the next. And I'm fed up with getting strange looks and comments from people who haven't even heard of Karl Lagerfeld or Phoebe Philo (Quel horreur!).
So, I have made a decision: from now until the moment I plant my suede booties firmly on that heavenly Manhattan pavement I will make clothing decisions based solely upon me and what I'm feeling that day. And should I feel like wearing thigh-high knit stirrups with slingbacks and suspenders, by golly I will! With pride, at that. And at the very least, I will get the satisfaction of knowing that I am not a mindless drone, haphazardly following the rest of the sheep in last year's clothing.
And who knows? I might actually like being the weird girl.