The Ultimate Fall 2013 Edit

Here's the thing. We love fashion, and we go positively bonkers when Fashion Week descends on the world. But how many of us have the career or the time that allows for us to sift through hundreds of slideshow images, show after show after show. That's why we buy fashion mags anyway right? 

But fashion mags like to tease us, feeding us one trend at a time, when all we really want, is to have the entire season's trends in one place. Lo and Behold, I bring you the Ultimate Fall 2013 Edit. 

Now ladies, let's try to keep those undergarments dry...

Rounded Sleeves:

Marco de Vincenzo, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Altuzarra, Antonio Berardi, Anthony Vaccarello, BCBG Max Azria, Belstaff, Balenciaga, Rochas, Rue de Mail, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Donna Karan.

Polo-Necks

Marco de Vincenzo, Missoni, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Altuzarra, Antonio Berardi, Anthony Vaccarello, Balenciaga, Akris, Andrew Gn.

Textures:

Embroidery/Applique/Embellished:

Alberta Ferretti, Antonio Berardi, Belstaff, Bottega Veneta, Rue de Mail, Lanvin, Andrew Gn, Collette Dinnigan, Dior, Christopher Kane.

Satin:

Salvatore Ferragamo, Belstaff, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Rue de Mail, Lanvin, Akris, Dior, Donna Karan.

Velvet:

Missoni, Alberta Ferretti, Rochas, Rue de Mail, Lanvin, Akris, Andrew Gn, Christopher Kane, Donna Karan.

Pleats:

Belstaff, Bottega Veneta, Rochas, Lanvin.

Mesh Inserts:

Salvatore Ferragamo, Missoni, Altuzarra, Antonio Berardi, Bottega Veneta, Akris, Givenchy, Andrew Gn, Donna Karan.

Embossed:

3.1 Phillip Lim, Balenciaga, Andrew Gn.

Glitter and Shine:

Marco de Vincenzo, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alberta Ferretti, Antonio Berardi, Anthony Vaccarello, Band of Outsiders, Belstaff, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Rue de Mail, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Givenchy, Collette Dinnigan.

Double Breasted:

Marco de Vincenzo, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Altuzarra, Anthony Vaccarello, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Akris, Dior, Altuzarra.

Capes:

Marco de Vincenzo, Genny, Anna Sui, Antonio Berardi, Band of Outsiders, Chloe, Donna Karan.

Colours:

Red:

 

Alberta Ferretti, Anna Sui, Antonio Berardi, Belstaff, Bottega Veneta, Dior.

Blue:

 

Alberta Ferretti, Emporio Armani, Antonio Berardi, Andrew Gn, Dior.

Green:

 

Missoni, Emporio Armani, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alberta Ferretti, Altuzarra, Anna Sui, Antonio Berardi.

White/Monochrome:

Alberta Ferretti, Altuzarra, Anthony Vaccarello, BCBG Max Azria, Balenciaga, Andrew Gn, Dior.

Purple 

Alberta Ferretti, Anna Sui, Band of Outsiders, Christopher Kane

Prints:

Optical Illusions:

Marco de Vincenzo, Anna Sui, Rue de Mail.

Pinstripes:

Genny

3.1 Phillip Lim

Plaid:

Dolce & Gabbana, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alberta Ferretti, Belstaff, Rochas, Lanvin, Givenchy, Celine.

Galactic:

Felipe Oliveira Baptista

John Galliano

all images courtesy of style.com 

The Newly Refined Man

A lot can happen in the space of a year, and in an environment as fast paced and volatile as the fashion industry, 365 days leaves room for intense change. We've seen designers change places and we've seen designers take places, but as fashion observers, the evolution we've come to appreciate the most is that of the fashionable male. 

Not long ago, the eligible man was the toned, tanned bloke in a 3-piece suit with far too much money, and far too little grit or ambition, but by the end of 2011, the idea of the refined man began to change. 

On the fashion stage, it all started with the Balmain and Balenciaga shows, and The Rise of Journo Fashion, a concept of men who were men with and without the frills, street-wise gentlemen, just as comfy in 2-pleat pants as they are chic in khaki desert boots. 

Balmain Spring 2012

The street has made its appearance on the runway (or in the front row) on a number of occasions, but with the likes of Kanye West's design prowess and Alexander Wang's menswear showcases (with the likes of diplo, A$AP Rocky & Penn Badgely), we're looking at an era where the hustle is sexy, and for the first time since the Great Gatsby, the hustler is more eligible than the old-money-large-mansion pricks we've all grown to hate. 

Alexander Wang's Fall 2012 Menswear Showcase

Sapiosexualism has taken over, and the fashion industry has embraced it in the purest sense, keeping tabs on the men who work hard, think hard, and stunt hard, showing them off to the world, making the nerds appealing and the jocks mediocre. Making money with your mind and art is encouraged, and is the new dragon to chase. 

Kendrick Lamar for Complex Magazine 

Diplo for Alexander Wang

Men look up to them for their ability to progress, the fact that they can play ball on any day and the way the new-age gentleman carries himself. Women adore them for their refinement, the equality they strive for and the fact that they know their Gucci from their Prada all while being perfectly composed, maybe even chauvinistically comedic. 

 Kanye West's Rosewood Movement

 A$AP Rocky for Alexander Wang

Penn Badgely for GQ

And what's not to love when your suit is sharp, but your mindset is sharper?

Out With The 'Old'

Earlier this year was the Galliano coup, we've seen Raf Simon move, Lagerfeld's achievements for Chanel, so as a fashion community, should we really be that worried about a brand? After all, they say change is good.

The debacle at hand is between laying our loyalty with Nicholas Ghesquiere who has brought a substantial amount of attention to Balenciaga, not to mention an increase in sales. Ghesquiere took a brand on the edge of failure per se, stamped it with his own flavour and cemented the integrity of the brand and more importantly, its aesthetic. Will Alexander Wang be able to fill the desert boots? 

Nicholas Ghesquiere started by designing for the Balenciaga Asian market before heading the house at the gobsmacking age of 25. Both Ghesquiere and Wang are both familiar with building a brand from the ground up and both share certain traits which makes me one of the more optimistic people with regards to Wang's appointment at Balenciaga. 

Power Dressing Designs

Ghesquiere and Wang are wizards at accentuating the female form, and all the while, making their ensembles edgy.

Both designers focused on cut-outs for Spring, ensuring that their designs showcased the best parts of a woman's body without being trashy. 

Alexander Wang

Balenciaga

More similarity can be found in Wang's more recent collections, where some of his designs have had the distinctly Balenciaga-esque billowing sleeve.

The Balenciaga Sleeve as seen at the Spring 2013 Runway Show

Alexander Wang's uncannily Balenciaga-esque sleeve for Spring 2013

Street Goes Haute

If there was one thing I had to choose that these designers have in common, it would without a doubt be their love and leaning toward street style, sporty vibes, and creating garments which work well off the runway.

Balenciaga's sci-fi tees that rocked the blogosphere

Alexander Wangs's Duffel loved by celebs and civilians alike

Grunge Chic

Ghesquiere leans toward creating rebellious designs rooted in LSD colours, and this may clash somewhat with Wang's love for anti-colour. Regardless of their palettes though, both designers have a love for the grunge-chic look and have created street-style masterpieces in the process. 

Celeb Backing

Ghesquiere has become the designer behind Kristen Stewart's better fashion encounters and Wang has a cult-like following of celebs, even in menswear (YouTube his Fall 2012 campaign video with the likes of Diplo, Penn Badgely and A$AP Rocky)

Rihanna for Alexander Wang

Kristen Stewart for Nicholas Ghesquiere