BRANDING AT ITS BEST

via Fashionista.com

I came across this brilliant collection of designer "special items" (like the Jeremy Scott condoms above) at Fashionista. Most of us "real" peeps can't afford a collection piece from, say, Lanvin, but instead of buying that perfect LBD from the French fashion house we'd be more inclined to shell-out for their stamps. The Chanel bicycle, however, would set you back a few grand. Read the article here.

ALBER ELBAZ ON THE FUTURE OF FASHION

via Style.com

"When Alber Elbaz phoned me from Paris, it was 8 p.m. there. The end of a long workday? No, he said, he was planning on spending a couple more hours in the studio after we finished. The word poetic invariably attaches itself to descriptions of the clothes Elbaz designs for Lanvin, but you get the feeling that behind the famous floppy bow tie, there is a hard-won sense of resolve. During our conversation, somewhat condensed here, he spoke frankly about the problems the industry faces, his observations frequently punctuated by bursts of humor."

Read the interview after the jump ...

SHOE (AND BAG) PORN EXTRAVAGANZA!

ALEXANDER WANG

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

BALENCIAGA

BALMAIN

BRUNO FRISONI

CHANEL

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

LANVIN

MARNI

PIERRE HARDY

ROGER VIVIER

SERGIO ROSSI

YVES SAINT LAURENT

F/W 2010-11: PARIS PART DEUX

DIOR HOMME

Kris Van Assche's latest collection for Dior Homme is kind of, er, boring? As a rabid DH fan, I honestly haven't felt the same about the fashion house since Hedi Slimane's departure from the label in 2007. What I do appreciate in this (and most every DH) collection is the very sharp tailoring and classic color pallette (black, gray, white, bone, pewter). I am quite smitten with the oversized overcoat in the photo above, as well as with the beautiful matte gray finish on the leathers:

LANVIN

Lanvin's urban safari story took my breath away! Everything about this collection is smart, elegant and quite original. Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver definitely upped the ante for menswear this season, offering a dramatic mix of cultural references and just the right amount of flash:

This one is straight-up 70's-era Bowie; it's also a nod to the current shrunken sweater trend also seen on Prada's runway.

.

Loving the metallics, the sci-fi camouflage, the spiky bungee-cord bags, even the color-coordinated headbands! A+

ANN DEMEULEMEESTER

Always a personal favorite, Ann Demeulemeester has a formula and she's sticking to it: 80's goth-rock garb for rich kids. She didn't disappoint with this collection; I love the "mixing business with leather" vibe, the "precious" boy who quietly slips out on school nights in search of a little bloody fun. The construction of each look is fantastic (especially in the trousers, from the high-gloss cargo pant to the white and khaki jodhpur-style skinnies), and the knits and accessories are to die for ...

literally.