I See London, I See Paris...

... and New York and Milan! 

Now that the main fashion weeks are over, I have managed to narrow down my top-two picks from each city. Not an easy task at all! The following (long) post features my favorite looks of  my top collections from New York, London, Milan and Paris.

New York:  

  

There are no words for how much I loved Marc Jacobs’ collection this year. Everything was amazing: from the frizzed up hair to killer shoes, oversized wooden bracelets and cherry-lipped models!  I was in love. And while the wide-legged pants were marvelous, my favorite pieces were his loose fitting, bright dresses and the stripped mid-calf skirt: I Covet!

I know that there were “better” designers than Vicky, but, I choose her collection because her intimate showing is such a brilliant idea. It made the whole collection feel more special . If you have not read this NYT's article on Victoria’s role in the fashion industry I highly recommend it. Plus, say what you will about her, but Victoria knows how to make sexy yet wearable dresses that fit like a globe. Personally, I would like to see her wearing the black gown to a red carpet event.

London:

I must admit I am not as familiar with Christopher Kane as with other designers, but his S/S 2011 collection might just change that! I simply adore the femininity and flirtiness of his dresses and the intricate detailing sets them apart from other summery dresses. I think many celebrities will be sporting them in the coming months. Perhaps Kane’s flowy frocks will be this year’s Herve Leger’s bandage dress (although lets hope not as overdone!)

I am a die-hard Matthew Williamson fan! However, his collection this year took me by surprise, it seemed a little disjointed, no? But the more I look at it the more I like it. There were certainly some hidden gems, such as the beautifully detailed dresses above...and that yellow-fringed-mini: I am dying over it!

Milan:
If there was a winning city this year it had to be Milan! Fashion critics agreed (a great review here) that designers showing in Milan took risks and pushed the city into the forefront of fashion once again...

... and I agree with the rest of the fashion world that Miuccia Prada was the leader of the Italian Renaissance. If anyone had told me before that I would fall for a top shaped like a capette with blue monkeys on it, I would have thought they were insane, but Prada can change anyone’s mind, right? Her use of bold colors and stripes gave the whole collection such a modern and fun vibe. My other favorites were her simple, strappy black dresses; I could see celebrities from Rachel Bilson to Cameron Diaz sporting that look.

 

                                                                     I have what I call a "distant" love affair with Etro. Distant because a lot of their flair, such as very bold and large prints, is not my personal style but love because when I see celebrities wearing, or editorials featuring, Etro I often think they look fantastic. But the S/S collection managed to do loud prints and mix patterns in such a perfect way! The bloomers from the first image look both incredibly comfortable and super lush, and the accesories throughout the collection were right on point: strappy platforms, floppy hats, and long necklaces. And while some of Etro's looks are outside my comfort zone, I would wear the look on the third image from head to toe.

Paris:

 

Picking only three looks from that collection was almost impossible! Anything that’s sailor/ocean inspired is always going to be a hit in my book. When I look at Dior’s collection I can not help but picture different seaside destinations: classic wide-legged trousers for the Hamptons, a colorful dress with flower detailing for St. Barts ….and those funky glasses and tribal inspired platform shoes surely belong at a fun-loving beach in Phuket. Now if only we could be transported to any of these places with such a wonderful wardrobe!

While Dior was all about fun and flirtation, Valentino was pure femininity and elegance. Again, I had the hardest time picking just three looks. The dress with the bow is just so sweet…I would love to see Dakota Fanning or Emma Roberts wearing it to a premiere. I also like that Valentino included some “work” pieces that still kept the femininity of his dresses. The shape and ruffles of the cream jacket are so pretty! Lastly, the sheer-nude dress is the perfect combination of sensuality and charm.

xoxo.

Pilar

(Image credits: all images thanks to nymag.com/ except VB collection from her official site)