Valentino's Deep Sea Dance

Photo: Fred Hsu, Monterey Bay Aquarium

I'm not generally a fan of Valentino's overtly gaudy creations, but watching the models float down the runway at his F/W 2010 show was like spending the afternoon at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Each semi-transparent, airy design with rippled, vertical frill glided with fluid movement, reminiscent of the expanding and contracting motions of the majestic sea nettle. These graceful phantom-like creatures are ocean vagabonds, drifting weightlessly with the currents and tides. While structurally simple, they are radially symmetrical with ribbon-like tentacles and lacy, pointed oral arms that spiral out. And, while the sea nettle may be a sight to behold, I can only imagine how a Valentino gown feels to wear. (Probably a lot nicer than floating in one, you think?)

images: flickr.com, coutorture.com

The Destructive Forces of Alexander McQueen

The wings of a Brahmid Moth [link]

I would tell you that I'm tiring of Alexander McQueen's obsession with intricate symmetrical patterns, were it not for the obsessive attention to detail in his Spring 2010 designs. According to Style.com, this latest collection entitled "Plato's Atlantis" was created to cast an apocalyptic forecast of the future ecological meltdown of the world. With humankind made up of creatures that evolved from the sea, McQueen used fashion to demonstrate how man may be heading back to an underwater future as the ice cap dissolves.

Dress from Alexander McQueen's 2010 Spring Collection

To understand what McQueen means, one must first understand the story of the lost continent of Atlantis. It starts in 355 B.C. with the Greek philosopher Plato. As legend goes, 9000 years before the time of Plato, after the people of Atlantis became corrupt and greedy, Plato writes that the gods decided to destroy them. A violent earthquake shook the land, giant waves rolled over the shores, and the island sank into the sea, never to be seen again.

Alexander McQueen shoe vs. moth cocoon (pupa)

Unbeknownst to McQueen, his collection bore an uncanny similarity to another ecologically destructive force: the moth. Sturdy and more resistant to pesticides than mosquitoes and flies, moths are one of the most devastating creatures to our natural forests (destroying a million acres of trees every year.) They have also been known to swarm entire cities, traveling upwards of 100 kilometers a day by hitching a ride on high-altitude winds.

Amazing how something so tiny and beautiful can wreak such havoc, a reaffirmation that none of us are immune to catastrophic disaster. So, is McQueen's collection a modern day work of fiction? Or is it an ancient premonition come to life?

Nicole Miller Is On My Doppler Radar

When asked about the inspiration behind her latest collection, Nicole Miller simply replied, "This season was more about how I dress," (Hey, it's okay to be selfish once in awhile, right?) But fashion is catty, and some are accusing Miller of cheapening the otherwise streamlined Spring 2010 line with additions like opalescent fabrics, sloppy pleats, and metallic embellishments. But to my eye, this sleek, sporty collection was far from rough around the edges -- it was torrential. In fact, the weather channel was picking up tropical storms with a 65% chance of precipitation as the models made their way down the runway.

Nicole Miller, Spring 2010

At first glance, the mottled patterns and blunt edges may emanate a seemingly benign futuristic aesthetic. But when placed side-by-side with weather tracking charts, doppler radar screens, and satellite images of high pressure systems, the collection takes on an entirely new meaning (as if Nicole was lamenting the inevitable consequences of global warming while designing the collection). Do you see what I see? Or do I just have rain on the brain?

I'm a Lubber, Not a Fighter

While print designer Mary Katrantzou's Fall 2009 collection may have been inspired by vintage perfume bottles, I couldn't help but notice it's similarities to the Lubber Grasshopper, the most distinctive grasshopper species in the southeastern United States. Best known for it's unique coloration and markings, this spur-throated grasshopper also shares another unique feature with Katrantzou's collection -- an ornate, ribbed neck covering that offers both visual appeal and evolutionary protection.

Basso & Brooke for Cubo-Futurism

Basso & Brooke, Fall 2009

When Russian-born artist Wladimir Baranoff-Rossiné (1888-1944) set out to perfect Cubo-Futurism (which combines the Cubist usage of forms with the Futurist interest in dynamism), he probably never imagined his creations would find themselves gliding down a London catwalk. Then again, maybe he did. Cubo-Futurism places more emphasis on movement and action then it's predecessor French Cubism (which gives it a perfect segway into fashion). And, while Basso & Brooke claim that an "exploration of Louis XIV's baroque and rococo" was the inspiration behind their Fall 2009 collection, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that they lifted their prints and color palettes directly from Wladimir's timeless masterpieces.

Karl Lagerfeld Says, "Let Them Wear Cake!"

Only Karl Lagerfeld (in all his ooey-gooey goodness) could pull off an entirely white couture collection. And that's exactly what he did on the Chanel Spring '09 runway. Despite mixed reactions to the stark white motif, giant paper flowers, and white laser-cut details, Karl simply shrugged it off as "[starting] with a clean sheet of paper" (which in fashion is code for "I'm the only bitch on the block that could pull off a stunt like this). But, even in all it's washed-out minimalism, the devil was in the details. Every ruffled edge, lacy trim, and braided accent had me hearing wedding bells ringing in the distance. After all, what's more exquisitely detailed in all it's white glory than a towering wedding cake, complete with a floral topper? (Marie Antoinette -- eat your heart out!)