Frederic Fekkai for Marchesa Fall Winter 2010 Presentation

Wednesday February 17th, 2010 – Chelsea Art Museum

With all the focus on the clothes, bags and shoes this New York Fashion Week, most people often overlook two key accessories that can leave editors either loving or hating a collection: hair and makeup. But with the fashion bar set so high at the latest Marchesa Fall Winter 2010 show, it would take legendary coiffeur Frédéric Fekkai to deliver the “cirque chic” style that Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig had in mind when they created their latest collection.

Backstage at the Marchesa show, we met up with Lead HairStylist Renato Campora from the Fekkai group and watched as he and his team worked on teasing, brushing and dry shampoing a bevy of models. By the 7th day of fashion week, many of these models‘ don’t even remember what their original hair looked like much less be able to tame it after all the abuse it’s gone through. But little by little, we watched Renato Campora as he took some of the most disheveled sets of hair we’ve seen and transform it into an effortlessly tousled, bouclé, and courtesan coiffure.

As he explained it to us, the technique is somewhat simple but the result is pure glamour. He first used the Frederic Fekkai Coiff Extra Control Styling Gel to restore manageability to the model’s hair, which he then followed with a simple wash and blow dry process. Then he added the secret ingredient necessary to get that hay-like, matte feel to the hair -  Frederic Fekkai Au Naturel Dry Shampoo.

Now I know that you’re probably thinking to yourself “I don’t want to seem stupid here but what the heck is dry shampoo and how do you even use it?” Well, that’s at least what I thought at first, until I saw it being used on the model and understood what it can do. Using the Frederic Fekkai Au Naturel Dry Shampoo, Renato peppered the model’s hair, brushing it into the strands, helping to build hair volume but yet give it a matte finish as well. He then teased the hair, wrapped back the middle strands around pencil-shaped tin foils that were later bent to hold everything in place. He then repeated this process 4-5 times around the entire head, checking to see that everything looked semi-symmetrical. His assistant then took to using a flat iron on the curls, for 30 seconds each, to give it that final curly dimension.

After adding the Frederic Fekkai Sheer Hold Hairspray to the top ensemble, a loose back braid was created & tied with a black bow to compliment the Marchesa look. But the Fekkai hair styling technique wouldn’t be complete without final attention to the proportion of the hair to the face. Renato looked at the model’s faces from every which way to make sure the hair was ‘just right’, sometimes even redoing 30 minutes worth of curls just to make sure it was balanced.

If you just stepped into the backstage room right before show time, you’d think the building was on fire and the exits were all sealed. But amidst the chaos, you saw two camps take strands of hair and thread to form one cohesive oeuvre d’art. Curious to see the result?Check below for images on how the looks turned out (and you’re curious and have no plans this weekend, well…you now have something to try out).

Get the Look – Hair: All products by Frederic Fekkai. Renato Campora used Frederic Fekkai Au Naturel Dry Shampoo to make hair full and dry, and add texture. He also used Frederic Fekkai Coiff Extra Control Styling Gel for hold. Then Renato used the Frederic Fekkai Sheer Hold Hairspray to the top ensemble, a loose back braid was created & tied with a black bow

Get the Look – Makeup: All products by Le Métier de Beauté. On lips, Talia Shobrook used Miami Lipstick under Bali-Or-Kona lipstick, which was blotted in the center. On eyes, she used a bluish-green shadow called Blue Steel and then mixed it with a new product called Magic, which was used all over the face.

Find exclusive Frederic Fekkai Hair Care Collection via Fekkai.com, via Nordstrom.com, and via Bloomingdales.com

See our pictures below:

Tommy Hilfiger Fall Winter 2010 Collection

Thursday February 18th, 2010 – Bryant Park – The Tent

The Tommy Hilfiger Fall Winter 2010 Fashion Show was the last collection shown at the Tents, graciously closing the Bryant Park legacy once and for all. The look for Hilfiger’s latest collection was “Preppy with a Pop”. While each piece is intrinsic to Hilfiger’s brand, they all seemed to have been altered just enough to excite us with something fresh and chic. It was as if the Tommy Boy/Girl left their Ivy League dorms and moved into a Prince Street loft. Tommy’s collection flirts between American glamour and sportswear luxe while redefining classic textures and silhouettes. The Tommy girl of tomorrow wears a modern sleeveless trenchcoat with removable double collar, an oversized wool collar sweater and a romantic puffed tulle skirt.

For its menswear, Hilfiger’s preppy boy look was given a more modern and up-to-date makeover, as we saw with a green cashmere cardigan, navy cashmere blazer and fitted pants. This collection reminded us all that true American luxury still exists and reaffirmed that only Tommy Hilfiger can do it justice.
Shop Tommy Hilfiger via tommy.com

See our pictures below:

G-Star Raw Fall Winter 2010 Collection

Wednesday February 17th, 2010 – Hammerstein Ballroom

G-Star Raw surprised the audience at their Fall Winter 2010 New York City Fashion Show. Not only G-Star Raw offered a vibrant and colorful collection but put on a real show featuring 30 models, a three way platform Electro-graphic LED screens and a musical mash up.
G-Star’s designer Pierre Morisset showed his reinterpretation of the denim by mixing and adding bright colors, leather straps and even cashmere to it.

The main inspiration for the collection came from the service uniform worn by 19th century coach drivers. We also saw references to the fisherman’ s clothes with the large yellow over-sized hooded raincoat. Each pieces were surprising by either their shapes or their bright colors without loosing this luxury G-Star Raw denim signature.

G-Star introduces for the Fall 2010 new Metallic denims, a copper and midnight blue tone.  Some of the women-swear skirts and menswear pants were featuring an extra large back pocket, the word at the show was that this pocket has been made for the Apple iPad.

The front row included actress Liv Tyler, model for G-Star’s upcoming Spring/Summer 2010 campaign, Adam Lambert, Adrienne Bailon, Agyness Deyn, Estelle, John Legend, Kelly Osbourne, Keri Hilson, Liv Tyler, Mena Suvari, Miss J. Alexander, Natasha Bedingfield, Nate Parker, Peaches Geldof, Poppy Delevigne, Robert Buckley, Sean Garrett, Shanyna Shaik, Shaun Sipos, Steven Jackson, Terrell Owens, Toby Kebbell, Tyson Beckford, VV Brown and others…

Visit G-Star Raw to see the full Fall Winter 2010 Fashion Show

Shop G-Star Raw via Yoox.com

See our pictures below:

Alexander Wang Fall Winter 2010 Collection

Saturday February 13th, 2010 – Pier 94

In only five years, 26 years old Alexander Wang has become one of the most talked about designer at the New York Fashion Week.

Wang’s show took place for the second season at the “far from Bryant Park” gigantic Pier 94 facing the Hudson River. After having re-interpreted the American Sportwear for its Spring Summer 2010 show, Alexander Wang showed a menswear Wall Street inspired collection and tight to the body tailored clothes. Wang took traditional wall street banker looks deconstructed them to give a dark and sexy line.

It was “about growing up, about progress” Wang said before the show “but it’s the same girl, she is just evolving”.

The jacket men suit becomes a tight beloro, some jacket are sleveless, the smokings are made of velvet covered by Swarovski Crystals. Thick ribbed thigh-high legwarmers are worn over tight pants and covering the shoes . One of the most acclamed accessory was the backpack matching the stripped flannel suit worn by Natalia Vodianova. Suprisingly the most tailored pieces kept this street look for what Alexander Wang is known for.

Alexander Wang has achieved something than no designer done before, which is offering a product that is very avant garde, sought after but at a very attractive price point.

On Saturday February 13th, New Yorkers had the opportunity to watch the Alexander Wang Fall 2010 Show live at Times Square on a giant screen. The show was also live via ShowStudio.com

Alexander wang reports 27 million of dollars for 2009 (12 millions on 2008) and project 40 millions of dollars for the coming year. A NYC Alexander Wang store is set to open in September 2010.

Shop Alexander Wang via NET-A-PORTER.COM, LuisaViaRoma.com, Shopbop.com and Nordstrom.com

See our pictures below:

Alexander Wang F/W 10
Stylist: Karl Templer
Hair: Guido Palau
Makeup: Diane Kendal
Casting: Anita Bitton for The Establishment

General Idea Fall Winter 2010 Collection

Monday February 15, 2010 – Exit Art

Korean designer Bumsuk Choi presented his General Idea Fall Winter 2010 Collection at Exit Art during New York Fashion Week. We were especially keen on the asymmetrical zippers and chambray mixed with leather. Playing with textures and shapes, the flannel suit gets a makeover and is worn with a pair of shorts on top of wool tight pants. Dark looks are livened up and updated with electric red or blue touches.  One of the more noteworthy pieces were a pair of smokey printed pants and a military admiral jacket with metallic silver sleeves. A succession of well tailored pieces were spiced up with leopard-print shoes, which are predicted to be a hit for the coming fall.

Visit generalidea.eu

See all the pictures below:

Erin Wasson x RVCA Fall Winter 2010 Collection

Friday February 12th, 2010 – ABC Carpet & Home

Shop Erin Wasson x RVCA via shopbop.com

See our pictures below:

Bespoken Fall Winter 2010 Collection

Thursday February 11th, 2010 – Hosfelt Gallery – 531 West 36th Street

Shop Bespoken at Harrods and Bloomingdale’s

See our pictures below:

Jen Kao Fall Winter 2010 Collection

Thursday February 11th, 2010 – Milk Studio

Visit jenkao.com

See our pictures below:

Duckie Brown Fall Winter 2010 Collection

Thursday February 11, 2010 – Bryant Park – The Salon

For Fall Winter 2010 designers Steven Cox and Daniel Silver have chosen bold colors, plaid and even brought up tweed with a 2010 vibe. The pants are cropped and worn with dress high top shoes. Like last season, the Duckie Brown man intents to stay warm with some oversized alpaca turtleneck and matching alpaca gloves. The key piece of the collection was a red overcoat, neon color-block duffels but also this black japanese felted black bomber. Everyhting to bright up our men next Fall Winter.

Visit duckiebrown.com

See our pictures below:

Joseph Altuzarra Spring Summer 2010 Collection

Saturday September 12th, 2009 – Milk Studio

French designer Joseph Altuzarra was on everyone’s lips (the most important ones!) during the Fall 2009 Collections and more recently during the Spring Summer 2010 New York Collections. Joseph has started his carreer in Paris working for Givenchy (after interning for Marc Jacobs and free lancing for Proenza Schouler). Back then at Givenchy, he met the fashion house’s International Public Relation manager, Coline Choay. Coline, who had previously worked in New York at Louis Vuitton’s as Public Relations, was convinced by Joseph’s talent and decided to leave Givenchy to become his business partner at Altuzarra. Not long after, the elitist international press welcomed Joseph Altuzarra with open arms. Even Vogue Paris’ Carine Roitfeld wore a one-week old Altuzarra piece during Paris’ 2009 autumn fashion week, barely a week after it was shown in NY.

There is a sort of charisme that emerge from Joseph Altuzarra that we only find in certain type of designers, this impalpable thing that is captivating. For Spring Summer 2010 Altuzarra showed a collection inspired by the 70’s. We see tan suede, pink powder, cream, beige, khaki green, mixed with english embroidery.

Almost all the looks were featuring suede pieces, the construction of the dresses were symetrical but the fabrics added to it weren’t, such as on Magdalena Frackowiak which wore a Khaki Wool dress with asymetrical insets of caned suede, white pleated tulle, white dotted swiss chiffon and San Gallo lace.

The combination of multiple fabrics didn’t appear as a patchwork but as one piece. Joseph didn’t let go his perfect Fall 2009 drapped technique, as seen Vanessa Traina with her Khaki Suede Drapped Skirt. Even the shoes created with Gianvito Rossi have this drapped Altuzarra signature, a declination of braid sandals, braided bottie, with a turn around suede ribbon covering up to the ankle that are predicted to be Spring Summer hottest shoes.

You can shop Altuzarra Spring Summer 2010 Collection online via LUISAVIAROMA.COM

Altuzarra is sold at Colette in Paris, at The Webster in Miami, ikram in Chicago, at Barneys

For more store location and complete collection visit josephaltuzarra.com

See our video at the top and pictures below:

Next Page »