Slimane takes over at YSL. [fashion.]

“The most beautiful clothes a woman can wear are the arms of the man she loves.”

– Yves Saint Laurent

This week, YSL named Hedi Slimane the new creative director, putting an end to rumors and speculation about the direction and future of the French fashion house. Slimane replace Stefano Pilati, who held the position since 2004 and showed his final collection for the house Monday at Paris Fashion Week.

Image of Hedi Slimane from Forbes.com

Slimane was the men’s wear director for YSL from 1996 – 2000. Following his short stint at YSL, Slimane took over as the creative director for menswear at Christian Dior, where his designs launched Dior Homme. In 2007, Slimane returned to his work as a fashion and portrait photographer, which he has focused on ever since.

By bringing Slimane to YSL, the house hopes to completely transform its image and collections for the future. “Hedi Slimane’s exceptional talent and understanding of the spirit of Yves Saint Laurent heralds a promising new chapter in the story of the maison,” said Paul Deneve, Yves Saint Laurent CEO, according to an article on Forbes.com.

Best of luck to Hedi Slimane – I look forward to so many new and great things out of my favorite fashion house in the coming seasons. 

Burton knows best. [fashion.]

I’ll never forget the moment I learned of Alexander McQueen‘s passing. I was studying abroad at the London College of Fashion, and I was sitting in my afternoon Fashion Public Relations class, taught by Beverly Alt. In an out-of-the-ordinary fashion, Beverly picked up her phone and a look of shock and terror instantly spread across her face. “McQueen is dead,” was all she could mutter.

Class let out early and I ran to the nearest tube entrance to pick up a copy of The London Evening Standard, hoping to find out more. While the details were few and far between, it was confirmed and all I could wonder was how the brand could survive without its innovative and literally one-of-a-kind designer and founder.

However in the past two years, not only has the house of Alexander McQueen survived – it has flourished like never before. While no one will ever replace the genius of McQueen, Sarah Burton has embraced her position and brought her own personal take to the label and its creations. And as if she weren’t doing enough, she firmly established herself as a household name last year after designing THE dress for Kate Middleton that designers around the globe sought to have the honor of creating. She has stunned audiences in her recent collections, and this week at Paris Fashion Week was no exception.

The darkness is gone, but the glamour, impact and daring take on high fashion are all still prevalent. This collection in particular takes fashion-lovers into the future with lots of layers and one of the widest varieties of textures you’ve ever seen on a runway at one time.

   

Volume has been one of the season’s biggest stories and Burton was on top of it. Lace, tulle, leather and even pom-poms adorned dresses that look more like pieces of delicate artwork than clothing to be worn for any occasion. Bright colors, bold shapes and big patterns came together for a  whimsical and fantasy driven look.

This collection embraced Sarah Burton wholly. While the brand will always remember and honor Lee McQueen, Burton seems to have finally fully accepted her role in the company and allowed her own inspirations to take over her designs and the brand as a whole. While wearability is still questionable at McQueen, designers, celebrities, editors and all those who adore greatness were in awe of the pieces in the A/W ’12 Alexander McQueen runway collection.

    

*Images are from Graziadaily.co.uk 

Get Outta London. [fashion.]

London Fashion Week is upon us and the trends are just as hot, if not hotter, than the ones we saw coming out of New York last week! Continue to think big, bold and fabulous as Mulberry, Burberry and Erdem show us some of the best so far from LFW A/W ’12.

Mulberry – Where the Wild Things Are – literally. Think femininity in beast mode. With rabbit-trimmed coats and knitted fur pieces, these looks were somehow light and yet still very warm. Textures were also all the rave, with a variety of lacquered wool, brightly colored tweeds and chunky knits.

   

   

Burberry Prorsum – Classic English riding jackets and tweed caps joined with quirky owl appliqués on t-shirts and leather bow cinching belts allowed for a unique take on “country” at Burberry throughout. Jackets and coats were a huge part of this collection, taking the staple-Burberryesque form of the trench coat, as well as cropped puffer jackets with pencil skirts for a chic spin. And don’t be afraid to mix fabrics, colors and patterns that you normally would be afraid of!

   

   

Erdem – Let the clothes speak for themselves. Signature pieces included lace and overlaid florals, as well as bright tweeds. The collection as a whole had a 50s inspiration, mixing optimism and elegance with a modern touch. Florals were fierce and femininity was key, as hard fabrics like leather appeared dainty as opposed to rough.

   

   

All images are from Style.com.