Muse Closet: Shop Talk

WoolRich

WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label

It’s always fun to watch theatrical fashion in magazine editorials and Gaga videos, however the rest of us live in the real world. One of the most wearable collections I saw during New York Fashion week was WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011. Designer, Paula Gerbase, who was born in Brazil and graduated from esteemed fashion school, Central Saint Martin, has blended her topical roots with British functionality. Fall/Winter 2011 WoolRich Black Label collection borrowed from men’s tailoring techniques to produce feminine shapes with soft fabrication.

WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label

Why I am discussing Fall/Winter 2011 fashion when spring is around the corner, simple fact: “sale time people!” Now is the time to grab fall pieces that will carryover to spring, while still picking up some cute warm pieces before New Year’s countdown. Winter can drag itself out, so you still want to look your best.

WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label

Spring/Summer 2012 Collections are full of masculine tailoring with feminine shapes, so you will be on point with your fall/winter carryover. My favorite would be WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011 navy faded print silk Georgette oversized t-shirt dress. This dress is a smart carryover as its timeless and elegant. For spring a great colored belt to cinch the waist for shape is perfect.

WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label

For Christmas dressing, take inspiration from WoolRich’s navy silk twill draped dress, I love the faux fur scarf for style detail. I did this look myself for a red carpet this fall—minus the dress.

WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
Me with fur collar--Red Carpet

Here are some other great looks from WoolRich fall/winter 2011 collection you will want to check for inspiration.

WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
WoolRich Fall/Winter 2011--Black Label
Platform Boot
Platform Boot

Here is a behind the scene studio interview with Designer Paula Gerbase.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSpwSD6DNG4&w=640&h=480

Muse Closet: The Bag

Obsession: The Bag

Bacci's-Celine
Bacci's-Celine

Accessories play a delicate part when creating an ensemble, shoes and jewelry create style cohesion, but what accessory trumps them all—the bag. The iconography of designer culture is encapsulated in the bag; we covet it, we borrow it, we wait list for the bag.

Bacci's-Celine "Doctor Bag"
Bacci's-Celine "Doctor Bag"

No longer a logo driven product to produce brand identity and allegiance; the new bag is shaped in style, personality, and attitude. Always a game changer, Phoebe Philo shifts fashion’s direction once again at Celine. The bag is given new life by Philo’s functional, elegant, and brazen designs.

Phoebe Phio- W magazine
Phoebe Phio- W magazine

One of my favorite stores in Vancouver, where Celine is available, is Bacci’s. With home décor and fashion for both women and men, Bacci’s avant-garde collections deliver unique styleology.

Bacci's-Celine "Cabas Shopper"
Bacci's-Celine "Cabas Shopper"

Don’t worry boys, I haven’t forgotten you.

News Flash–backpack receives update! No longer just for the classroom, backpacks have gained style. The new backpack is ergonomic, stylish, and confident. Stylish tweeds and leather detail have replaced canvas and nylon. These new knapsacks go from jeans to suit with masculine shapes and edge.

Roden Gray-Nanamica
Roden Gray-Nanamica

Where did I get my favourite knapsack–Roden Gray, home to fashionable men and ladies apparel. Indy and establish brands, like Nanamica, share equal space in this two level loft style boutique. I personally love my Nanamica bag because of its utility and shape.

Roden Gray-Nanamica
Roden Gray-Nanamica

Where to find it…

Celine @ Bacci’s

2788 Grandville Street

Vancouver, B.C. Canada

604.733.4933

Nanamica @ Roden Gray

8 Water Street

Vancouver, B.C. Canada

www.rodengray.com

McQueen–Spring 2012 Runway!!

In my Designer 101 post I tipped my hat to my favorite designer, Alexander McQueen. I must say since his death I have found it hard to watch any McQueen show now that he is gone. However, Sarah Burton is doing an okay job, although little commercial for my taste.

Minus McQueen theatrics, her runway presentation was very ladylike and elegant. Where is the McQueen edge?

I am sure the accountants are happy…

Muse Closet: Gastown–Community Boutique

Fashion Community

Community Project
Community Project

The Downtown Eastside—Gastown—is one of the most historical and diverse neighborhoods in Vancouver. Hampered by drugs, prostitution, and crime; the Downtown Eastside has seen some dark days, as most retailers fled the neighborhood for richer grounds. Celebrity socialite, Jackie Cohen has kept her Army and Navy Gastown location as a neighborhood anchor. Today, Gastown is home to hipsters, artist, and fashion boutiques, which have taken this run-down neighborhood overnight. The gentrification has been good for real-estate agents and entrepreneurs, but little has done to include the low-income residents who are being pushed out of this urbanization. Across the street from Army and Navy is a small step in the right direction, Community, a small thrift and vintage boutique that is trying to do its part by including and employing struggling East Side residents.

Gastown Boutique
Community Project

Community is special because it joins fashion, art, and residents into one unified community. The vintage and thrift pieces are a handpicked mélange of histories finest: 1950’s collectibles and 1970’s fashion throwbacks; Community hits all the right fashion buttons. Walls are adorned with independent artist who will fascinate you, while this two level rustic boutique captures the historic atmosphere of Gastown.

Community Inside
Community Inside

Community keeps both men and women stylish with vintage denim, 80’s rocker t-shirts, and distressed leather. Stepping into Community is like a stylist closet of greatest hits, so run down and grab your recycled fur to support a community.

Support for Community has been impressive thus far, as a new location Frock Shoppe will be coming soon… I guess good ideas with heart always prevail.

Vancouver Boutique
Fashion Cares

Community

41 W. Cordova Street

P: 604.682.1024

Website: communitythriftandvintage.ca

Vancouver, BC

Coming Soon…Frock Shoppe

311 Carrall Street

Vancouver, BC

Muse Closet: Rebel in Black–Fall 2011

Rebel in Black

Neo-Goth
Neo-Goth

As leaves fall and glisten in the final moments of the summer sun. Color blocking has spun editors into a tizzy of wild passion. However, while magazine editors and fashion bloggers have pushed every Crayola hue, New York’s indie designers  have given us Neo-Goth for fall/winter 2011; utilitarian clothes made for the city that go against the mainstream fashion set by only showing black.

Neo-Goth is not scary Marilyn Manson Goth, and is more wearable than Haute Goth designers such as Rick Owens, Olivier Theysken, and Yohji Yamamoto whose influences hail from the Victorian era. A new crop of designers seem to be rebelling against the status quo, which has not been seen since the early Punk days of Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, and Vivienne Westwood. Neo-Goth idealism is a new standard for fashionistas who want something beyond label branded marketed clothes. Rad by Rad Hourani was my Neo-Goth highlight, Rad’s collection has taken dark Gothic emotions and twisted them into wearable standards for today’s fashion savvy: black legging, fitted coats, and platform shoes were interchangeable on boys and girls. Rad morphed angular shapes, multiply zippers, and androgyny into sheer street style.

Accessories
Accessories

Rad’s collection is a step towards a future of blurred lines between male and female identification through iconography. Yes, in the nineties Jean Paul Gaultier and Calvin Klein used female and male attire on gender-bending models to generate runway news, but Rad’s collection is what a real men and women will be wearing in reality. Neo-Goth is a way for individuals to take their personal style beyond traditional clothing rules by creating new codes in dress for male and female attire—all you have to do is bring your attitude!

Muse Closet

Runway footage: [wpvideo 06kBhdXE]