Seth Aaron is Full of Win

In case you missed it, this latest season of Project Runway was pretty damn impressive.

All three of the finalists who showed at Fashion Week had collections that were salable, interesting, and (most importantly) actually looked like they belonged on the runways at Bryant Park.

Between them, though, Seth Aaron's was the clear-cut winner, with looks that were undeniably modern while still maintaining a certain degree of classic sophistication.

Plus, he constructed a checkered coat that literally made me gasp, ooh, and ahh.

(Which, granted, I have been known to do whenever my dog cocks his head to the side, but still... The jacket is stunning.)

FYI: He also created the leggings for each look.

Here are some of my favorites:

Beautiful, unique dress. Crazy-cool leggings.

Insanity, in suit-form.

Bold color, impeccable construction.

Love the shiny leather detail, digging the striped leggings.

Flighty rocker-chic. (Looks like it would be a blast to wear.)

Skirting the line between odd and intriguing. Works for me.

Sigh... The coat.

Guh.

Buh.

 

Wuh.

The weaving reminds me of Korto's kimono-jacket from a couple seasons ago...

...That is, if it had somehow gotten into Kate Moss' purse and consumed every pill and dust particle in a single, giant huff.

Absolutely ridiculous and absolutely gorgeous.

Thank you, Seth Aaron, for giving my face an open-palmed slap full of your style... It totally left a (beauty) mark.

I hope these looks tickled your ferocity bone as much as they did mine!

(... Consensually, of course.)

[photos: FirstVIEW.com, bravo]

Chain-Mail Love Letter

Taking a look back at the Spring 2010 collections, there was one "crystal clear" winner as to which look captured my imagination more than any other.

It's gotta be the crystal chain-mail delivered to us from Prada, which was eye-catching, light-capturing, and (above all) sparkle-fantastic:

 

 

It could be opalescent colors of the netted crystals beckoning me to dance inside their elegant rainbows.

It could be the versatility of a look that could literally be draped over almost anything for an (always necessary) boost of sparkly glamour.

But it's probably the fact that as a young boy, I would stare up at the chandelier hanging from my dining room ceiling and dream of ripping down each tear-drop crystal in order to create a garment for myself just like these.

Well, thankfully, Miuccia Prada did just that.

(And I'd like to think of it as a personal favor.)

[photos: coutorture.com, style.com, elle.com]

Oscar de la Renta's Bride

For his recent Bridal Spring 2010 collection, Oscar de la Renta touched on many different bases.

Of course, there were the classically beautiful, albeit boring, looks (as seen above,) but there were also some great, chuckle-inducing dresses that were simply too good to be ignored.

Let's begin the ceremony:

For the bride who believes herself to be a Hollywood starlet on the red carpet. 

(It's her day, so don't you dare tell her otherwise.)

For the bride who wants a readily-available source of tissues for crying relatives.

For the bride who wants to look like she's recycling her mammy's old dress, even though she actually paid the price of a small car for that doily-looking mess.

 For the bride whose husband is about to fall victim to an "unfortunate accident."

(The Black Widow dress, if you will.)

And finally, my personal favorite...

For the bride who... um, is the most amazing person in the world for even daring to pull this shit. 

Seriously, that dress makes me wanna get married just so I can anger everyone at my wedding.

(You know, because the image of me in a wedding dress just wouldn't adequately get the job done... I go big.)

[photos: coutorture]

Chloe at Barneys

Self-proclaimed "gay icon" Chloe Sevigny showed up to the premiere of Derek Blasberg's new book, "Classy," donning a green and blue Proenza Schouler dress.

Homegirl was looking pretty ferocious, and the dress' print was interesting and colorful.

Also, the armor-like treatment of the skirt and shoulders is fashion with a capital "F."

However...

Chloe apparently decided that she was too "alternative" to drive this look over the top with some killer pumps, and instead opted for a pair of boots with black ankle socks... Sigh.

I won't pass judgment, because the overall look still works, but her blah choice of footwear, paired with her wilted-looking hairstyle leaves me slightly disappointed.

Plus, her mugging for the camera was pretty obnoxious:

*Shudder*

Madam Mim-Chic.

(I'm going to hell for that, but I don't care.)

Brown-Bagger

When I first saw this shot from Weider Silveiro's Fall 2010 runway show, my heart went out to this poor model.

I mean, how bad would you feel if you were trying your best to do your job of looking pretty, and a designer basically puts a brown bag (the international symbol of fuggery) over your face?

Would you laugh?

Cry?

Tell yourself that it couldn't possibly get any worse?

... Well, I'm sorry to say, Silveiro really has a knack for humiliation, because this was his closing look:

Turns out, there is something worse than having a bag over your face.

It's called: Having a gaggle of zombie heads making "Ooh, gurl, you ugly" faces over your shoulder.

Remember a little holiday called Halloween, ladies? ... Yeah, you're never gonna want to celebrate it again.

Could You Shut Up?

Andre Lima's Spring 2010 collection was loud.

Loud prints, loud colors, and just generally loud designs.

 (And, of course, my tacky ass is having all of it.)

I love "Hey, Lookit Meee!" designs paired with "No, I Will Not Shut Up" colors.

... After all, who wants to stay quiet these days?

[photos: welovemodels.com]

They Stole My Idea!

These shots from Danilo Costa's Fall 2010 runway show are straight out of my fashion-related idea bank!

 You see, whenever I walk around with my dog Maximus cradled in my arm, I think about just how well the little guy could do for himself on the runway.

These shots are proof that I am a genius.

Sure, he wouldn't have to walk, pose, or accomplish anything close to actual work...

But what he would do is rest in my arm and look aggressively adorable.

As you can see, this is something that he is practiced-and-prepared for:

Compare This:

To That...

There is no comparison.

Homeboy on the runway is looking miserable and plump compared to the elegantly cold and pouty demeanor of my Max.

"Stage Mother Express," I hope you have room in your boxcar, because I'm a-hoppin' on!

[photos: welovemodels.com]

Which Do You Prefer?

Window A: 

The Colorful Shag Carpet Quartet

Window B:

The Paper Manufacturer's Daughters

Seeing how each of these models look about ready to pounce off the runway and ho-check my face, I'm gonna have to choose wisely here...

Rug-burn may be a total bitch, but it's nothing compared to the nerve-splitting hell that is paper-cuts.  

China Fashion Week

"Thierry Mugler and John Galliano had baby... which turned out to be Chinese."

That's the most succinct explanation of Guo Pei's stunning Fall 2010 collection that I could come up with.

Derivative is an ugly word that shouldn't occupy the same space as this beauty, so I'll just say that they're out of control, over-the-top feats of construction reminiscent of other designer's work.

But if you ask me, the real meat of China Fashion Week was to be found on the runway of the Hempel Award Young Fashion Designers contest.

(If you are prone to seizures, you might wanna duck out of this one.)

Whoever this young designer is, I hope he/she won the shit out of that prize.

Now, I think I'm gonna go vomit from the fabulousness... and the dizzying lines.


(So worth it.)