There’s New York and London, but nothing beats Fashion Week in Paris. All the lovers of Fashion and the best in the industry came out for the Fall 2008/2009 runway shows from the most exciting designers in the business. Here’s my quick rundown of the most buzzed about shows plus, my personal favorites:
BALENCIAGA
My favorite show this season – Balenciaga. It was sexy yet extremely modern featuring this season’s trend of sculpted clothing. Nicolas Ghesquière never disappoints…
LOUIS VUITTON
One of the most talked about shows because of the crazy high heel shoes models had to endure on the runway. Marc Jacobs is always one to step out the box – with remarkable apparel and great bags (as usual)…
CHANEL
This season, Chanel brought it back to the basics with tweeds and knits the label are known for. Perhaps a yawner for the more modern Chanel fan Karl Lagerfeld has caught but, did you see that set?…
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
Another favorite of mines from Paris, Alexander McQueen brought a stunning dark fantasy for his Fall collection…
VIKTOR & ROLF
One of the most creative shows this season, duo Viktor & Rolf practically made 3-D clothing with words popping out of their clothing. A stretch for ready to wear, but it makes a good fashion show…
MORE CREATIVITY FROM GALLIANNO & VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
John Galliano is quite the character and loves creating a few on the runway. Vivienne Westwood brought a twist of models on tilts in her safari themed show…
ELIE SAAB
Elie Saab – a favorite to many stars bright a swirl of color and fun to their collection, while still remaining elegant. Word is Beyonce, already ordered her bundle…I predict this will be a favorite.
I could go on and on about Paris but, luckily you have style.com and elle.com to do that. Check out more fashion shows there, including more from London and New York that passed.
niceeeee….i want the shoes
that little girl is the cutest
These designers deliberately exclude black models from their shows and adverts. Why are YOU doing what they themselves aren’t willing to do by promoting them to a black audience? Black people wake up.
i loved everything from balenciaga
Hey those looks are nice. Tianna I sent you an email about a coat that I saw Rhianna wearing can you please tell me who designed it cos its HAWT.. Thanks
YOOOOO im really feelin this…. They betta work! I love Balenciaga, Victor & Rolf, and Gallianno and Vivienne Westwood creations….
Whose pasty ass white child is that! Get her some sun and vitamin B immediately!
All I can say is: There is too much gear here!!!!!!! I can’t take it! Everything is Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love the LV tights!! And yeah that little girl is adorable, Starting her off EARLY!!! Lol!
i love how Chanel incorporated the quilted look on their clothing!
Vuitton tights are IT!! and so are their bags…
the shows were great from these photos!
I love Elie Saab. One of my favorites right now next to Versace. Balenciaga is really stepping it up. They need to really take that line back to where it started timeless and pure elegance.
very very nice.
im luvin elie saab.chanel.[&]louis v.
they so rock..!!!!!
the [[CHANEL]] pumps are bangin…and the [[BALENCIAGA]] dresses are sheik … instant hips for the models.
I actually saw models walk for shows that hadn’t had any black models in a very long time! Jourdan Dunn for DKNY, Marc Jocobs, Prada, Louise Vuitton & Valentino, Hermes ect. Georgie Baddiel walk for Marc Jacobs and Louise Vuitton too DVF ect. Chanel Iman for Marc Jacobs, Dior, JPG, Galliano, Hermes ect. Liya Kebede for Givenchy ect. Yordanos Teshager for Giorgio Armani and a few other Milan and NY shows. Its progress but will the runways stay at least a little diverse like it has been this season, add more diversity, or go back to that ~token~ black model who only walks for the majority is the questiont that needs to be asked?
I foget about Vivienne Westwood! I haven’t seen this many black models walk for her shows since the early/mid 90′s.
Choco-Lotta
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 /
“These designers deliberately exclude black models from their shows and adverts. Why are YOU doing what they themselves aren’t willing to do by promoting them to a black audience? Black people wake up.”
First of all, I am in the fashion industry. I know and have seen a lot. It is a pretty big statement when designers do not use Black models. And from what I have learned…basically what they are saying is that we are striking people. A lot of the times when you put your clothes on a washed out cracked out looking model, it puts the audience at the attention of the clothes and not neccessarily the model walking in clothes.
It is very planned, if you will, occurence that happens time and time again on the runway. You may see it as discrimination, yet I am Black and I do not see it as such. But once again, I have been in the industry for a very long time now. My thoughts on the subject would be very different from the average person who is just getting into designers like Lavin, and Tulah, and Matthew Williamson, etc. because Kanye West is attending these designers shows in Paris.
yeah thankfully we still have some black models out there. i think what ppl need to understand is that minority models in general are not getting any shine. it’s mostly white models up there and most of ti has to do with not only the requirements for being a model (you have to be tall which means less asian models, you have to be extra thing which means less black/hispanic models) but also the fact that designers want their models to blend in. they want them to look alike so that they are the blank canvas. that’s one of the reasons why there are more chinese or japanese models than indian models; indians are darker and therefore already stand out among the other models while asians can be pale. same with blacks and with hispanics. most of the hispanics you see on the runway could be mistaken for white girls. thank goodness we have our chanel iman(s) to represent and hopefully the fashion industry changes.
btw these fashion posts keep improving. great job
@15 hey we said the same thing lol
sorry for the 3rd post lol but i i meant to say that when it comes to asians, indians are less likely to be sought after models than chinese/japanese models b/c although they are asian too, they are darker so stand out more and negate the whole blank canvas idea
Thank you #3, Also most Americans can’t afford this stuff so I know many AA can’t.
So obssesed w/ fashion and don’t have real wealth in our community. Stop living in a dream world people!
>> alexander and viktor have really nie pieces!!
@15
Very well put! I like that, I like that! That does make sense.
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>> so does ellie but i agree its like by SAYING no viktor ur saying NO COLORED PEOPLE! >>>
>> O THATS NUMBER 3 THAT I aGREE WITH
I read that book INTERCEPTIONS by the chic that dated Roman Phifer before Alexis stole him from her and I don’t think she was writing about her. It didn’t seem like it from the way the book was going and her description…
hmmm. I dont know why people think that-cause it’s fiction anyway…. and I thought Alexis was with that dude After College?
who knows.
Good book though!
Absolutely loooove Balenciaga. Can’t wait til I can afford all that ish. I give myself two more years LOL.
NiCE!!!!
WHAT ABOUT THE BLACK PEOPLE!?
DAmmit. the only black people I see are Kanye ans Alexis..and they werent even wanted in one of the shows!!!
ARG Damn fashion..but its typical
Black people bustin their asses to make money to buy this designer shit adn nobody give a damn
OMGosh I love that Chanel display I had to click to enlarge it and those tights are the bizness!
The white BALENCIAGA boots are so cute thought I could never wear them. I’d just put them up in a glass somewhere on display lol. They were very creative though.
gosh, i want to be a runway model. and i liked the BALENCIAGA line the best from this sample-those 2 dresses are h-o-t….great post!
I like the hand bags that Louis Vutton is advertising
Kanye West is the Kobe Bryant of the entertainment industry: He’s an arrogant asshole.
i’m lovin Elie Saab!!!!
man I would have loved to be there. Just by looking at the pictures I can tell there was so much energy
THAT Chanel set. WOW. Creativity at its finest form.
Some of those pieces are dope.
Ohhh, nice, very nice!
Baby girl in the first pic has good taste already, LOL
When I get my portfolio where I need it to be, then I will waste away bread!! Until then, I will admire this shit from afar!!
That little girl is the exact reason everyone is scared for me to have kids…because that will be my child…in brown of course
Are there any black models that can do Haute Couture or Runway . I thought black models preferred videos and the look back over the shoulder spreadin look…
Please name 4 black models who can do runway and haute couture.
Nice…
If only I could afford it…
@39 – Channel Iman, Jourdan Dunn, Georgie & Lila Kabede.
Balenciaga has not used blk models in the last few seasons( maybe never). I love love love the clothes and handbags but I refuse to buy them because he does not use black models.
Karl Lagerfield fior Channel use to have such a multi cultural runway. I don’t know why he won’t use black models anymore.
John Galliano for Christen Dior also uses about two or three black models per show.
Vivenne West(sp)_ uses black models and one is featured in her latest campaign although there has been talk about the campaign being sterotypical.
Marc Jacobs has been using black models reguarly for some time now(about 2 per show).
Dianne von Furzenburg(sp) uses a lot of black models in her show. So I don’t feel gulity and those buying those wrap dresses.
Someone mentioned that there are no Asian models and that is false. There are a number of Asian models, many who do very well. Most of them booked more shows than the average black models at fashion week.
21.
Ms. Maye
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 /
@15
Very well put! I like that, I like that! That does make sense.
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2#21, thank you, I am glad someone understood what it is I was saying. It is not often that happens, since everyone thinks know something about every subject and that someone else is always wrong for liking what they like. Bottom line I answer to God and myself. WATCH me do me! is what you have to tell some people because they will want to bring you down to their level. Most Black, since I know more Blacks than Whites, can afford these clothes, and yes, I am one that does buy some of these pieces. I pick and choose, and they will be in my closet for years to come.
@Dollface, that little girl in the picture up top will be my daughter to…and in Brown as you put.LOL. I love fashion, I always have. Grace Jones is one of those who of course is not going to be put on blast because she is older now. She is beautiful, and she is a regular at a lot of Paris shows. Designers love and respect her. As the season changes, fashion does as well. I am not saying that there is no racisim in fashion but you have to do your research before you step to a person like me and say “I don’t know why you spend your money on blah, blah, blah, black people will never learn, blah, blah, blah” Because my fashion history is one thing I hip you to.
If you don’t know, now you know…
*yawn*
i like indie designers better cuz they have more life and color
BALENCIAGA LOVERS:
BALENCIAGA refused to allow KANYE WEST into their fashion week show, stating he was TOO URBAN.
You have not seen black models for BALENCIAGA because they are racist.
Makes sense @ blank canvas! white wash tells the audience to look at my clothing not that beautiful caramel complexcion woman with the curves…. ok I get it…. well someone up above me said it best “get ya portfolio right” then you can afford without looking at your bank statement this stuff until then I too will admire from afar.
If you have to see how much an item is then that means you shouldn’t be purchasing it as far as designer clothing and cars go.
I will add though that these designers could care less if the average person buys thier clothing.. They do not want the average person SAVING up to buy a bag or a dress they would prefer a long standing customer whose money is long and deep.
The fashion posts are getting ALOT better. Great job with this one.
McQueen, Galliano and Westwood are genuiuses. Balenciaga is always good.
I’m not used to LV bags looking so basic. Usually it’s a specticle lol I like how versatile Marc jacobs is. He’s such a great designer.
Elie Saab was more interesting when Halle Berry first started wearing them and they were still really unknown. But that collection is still nice.
Black representation in fashion has always been a struggle. The fashion world is very Euro-centric from the style of the clothes to the look of the models, so change is going to take time. But I have seen more black girls on runways in the last 2 years than I have ever seen.
Sabina Karlsson…Luv her hair!
I would love to go to Paris and attend a haute couture fashion show…..maybe one day. I love this fall collection from Balenciaga ………modern and uber-sexy. Nicolas Ghesquiere is a true style innovator. Chanel well damn you can never go worng with Chanel. Lagerfeld is a genius. I also thought Viktor and Rolf’s collection was very creative. That lil girl is toooooooo adorable with her chanel purse yo go lil ms. thing!!!!
I love Chanel, even if they venture off a bit, it’s never too far, and they are so classicly beautiful.
And i love Ellie Saab and Marc Jacobs.
stilts
BALENCIAGA IS GREATLY KNOWN FOR NOT ALLOWING BLACK MODELS ON HIS RUNWAY BECAUSE THEY TEND TO HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CLOTHING,…THE BLACK MODELS HAVE TO BE AT LEAST A SIZE 0. I READ IT IN SOME FASHION MAG A YEAR AGO,..I WISH I COULD REMEMBER.
i know one of them models fell on the stilts…atleast in practice, these designs r hot
These posts are great, but couture shows speak to such a small percentage of the population, which would probably be a very minute percentage of readers.
What about the American designers or the RTW collections? Those are more relevant in my opinion – I love Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, and Zac Posen.
don’t get me wrong I as a fashionista I like to look but its kinda like posting about Lamborghinis and Bentleys because they are pretty and exist…not sure of the relevance though.
I agree about the black models…these clothes are not made for women of color. The sizes suck, even if you wanted to buy them, and some only go up to 10 and sometimes smaller than that. They do not want our curves or our money!
The only piece that looks classic enough to “invest in” (lol) is the black Balenciaga…beautiful and timeless.
tiana should start posting designers relevant to us rather than chanel, gucci, christian louboutin,balenciaga, herve leger, ellie saab and dsquared, marc jacobs. it is well known that these designers do not use black models and dislike us. where is our baby phat, apple bottoms, phat farm, sean john, coogi, house of dereon, ecko, roca wear, live mechanics, enyce, akademiks. none of us make enough money to wear any of those stupid white designers so stop promoting their SHIT. SHITTTT.
@chic noir a census was taken at fashion week (not sure if it was the new york fashion week or paris) and the percentage of asian models was equal to that of blacks. hispanics had a lower percentage than both. imo there are a good number of hispanic models but they may identify with a specific race so didn’t put hispanic down. idk but these were the stats
tiana should start posting designers relevant to us rather than chanel, gucci, christian louboutin,balenciaga, herve leger, ellie saab and dsquared, marc jacobs. it is well known that these designers do not use black models and dislike us. where is our baby phat, apple bottoms, phat farm, sean john, coogi, house of dereon, ecko, roca wear, live mechanics, enyce, akademiks. none of us make enough money to wear any of those stupid white designers so stop promoting their SHIT. SHITTTT.
Only people who make 300k+ can affford this shit. YUCK. TIANA MAKES ME FUCKING SICK. WHITE BLOGS DON’T POST URBAN CRAP. i wAnTT tO bReeAK mYY fUCkiiNG maCHiiNE.
next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUMP THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
http://www.nydailynews.co...ys_lacked_minorities.html
in case you were wondering where the stats came from. and it was ny fashion week. idk about stats for paris
wow. i have never seen so much hate on concrete in one day. but this shit shows how DUMB the writers of concrete are. My friends and I aren’t going on concrete until they get their act together.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE. BLACK POWER.