Bring on the beehives.

I'm unequivocally in love with Oscar de la Renta at the moment - and I thought I would share some of my highlights from the current Pre Fall collection recently on show in New York.

High waisted pants and ethnic inspired prints/embroidery - this outfit is simple and yet I can see it worn in a work context as well as to formal occasions.

If you're like me and you love a particular ite

m then you will find ways to slip it into your routine. With this outfit I can safely say I am salivating while I imagine wearing this to almost any occasion.

Below right is a striking lipstick coloured ensemble, I've included it as an example of a beautiful hue which I think will be very popular this season (Autumn in Europe/America and Summer in the East).

I hope this colour is picked up over here in Australia, I'm always thrilled to see new colours spicing things up unexpectedly.

The texture of this jacket reminds me if shibori and origami and all things ingenious and Eastern influenced. Kimono. Tokyo. Luscious. Fruits.

Hopefully there will be more to come of my reports from various collections. I intend this to be a trial appetizer to test the waters as it were. If this is interesting and relevant to sartorialists around the internets then I'll keep it up. If not, well I will probably keep reporting my reviews anyway.

Sketch #10

Sketch #9

Sketch #8

Sketch #7

Sketch #6

Sketch #5

Not entirely sure where the chains came from. Just curious I guess. And in light of not finding the fashion blogs as enthralling as emerging Australian writers in Voiceworks I guess I've been reading a bit on fetish and on gender fluidity (more to come on that?).

Sketch #4

After watching the Sex and the City movie I must have had wedding gowns on the brain. I imagine this to be layered and very voluminous. Hand dyed taffeta, perhaps, or raw silk, or maybe muslin. Something light and sheer I think. The wearer should feel she is floating, a bit cliche I know, but girls can dream. Just look at those extreme gowns in Sex and the city.

Sketch #3

A new twist on an Austen favourite. I was inspired by the exhibition Persuasion - Fashion in the age of Jane Austen at the National Gallery of Victoria this year.

Important textiles and fibres

I haven't been blogging on fashion long, so forgive me if this sounds presumptuous. The level of interesting and serious writing to be found online is sadly lacking in my humble opinion. It may be that I haven't found that discerning voice rise above the hype yet. If you think you've heard it feel free to let me know.

In light of this I have decided to include information on what I know is a serious publication concerning all things textile. I am of course speaking of the Textile Fibre Forum (TFF) magazine published by the Australian Forum for Textile Arts (TAFTA).

In this magazine you'll find stories from the textile community in Australia and around.

The aims of the magazine are eclectic, assuming the reader has a passion for textiles in many forms - the historical along with the comtemporary - some curiosity about Australia and New Zealand in particular - empathy with the struggles of others (plus their successes and failures) in the textile journey - and a wish to be informed and entertained.

Subscriptions can be purchased on the TAFTA website here, and your copy posted to you, even over seas.

A valuable insight into another seam of the fashion world. Read about TAFTA here.

Sketch #2

If I were to put this together I imagine using a combination of felt and silk for the dress and leather for the boots.

Sketch #1

I have a fascination with the past, but I didn't set out to draw a 50's pin up tonight, this theme just emerged - the hair was the icing on the cake as it were, a big, blonde cake. Comments welcome. More pictures to come, which, I hope will retain their skin color and not turn as washed out as this.

Ramblings #2

Browsing some online eye candy via style.com I have been salivating over Givenchy's Fall 09 Couture show. Riccardo Tisci has brought Middle-Eastern influences to the collection and some serious gold it has to be said. What got me so interested was the rich colour, see above. In my opinion these pieces also look very wearable, and comfortable, given that it is couture. The quote below details the designer's inspirations.

This season, ideas about Morocco, Berber tribes people, and equestrianism informed both narratives—not that the collection read in any literal ethnographic way. It began with fiercely tailored, padded-shouldered coats molded into the waist and over the hips in black velvet or patinated strips of leather—the riding element—and then moved on into sarouel-influenced pants, hoods, veiled and draped silhouettes, and gold embroidery with a Middle Eastern influence.

I'm still sold on the comfort element. These garments look to me as though they could weather the fierce winds of the Sahara Desert. Well the top one at least. The collection also included soft veils and leather, as described above, adding a distinct adventurous element. And where would we be if these spectacular couture shows did not transport us to another land?

Concept designs

This image is concept art for Mass Effect. The character is a quarian. I'm a huge fan of concept art like this, the character is intriguing and there's something here that goes beyond what you'd find in the average fashion sketch. This design has to be animated and there is a personality to the person/quarian underneath.

Ramblings #1

This image is taken from Elie Tahari's 2007 Autumn collection. Originally I had filed this under 'colour', but I kept coming back to it mainly because of the simplicity, and also because it reminded me of my own wardrobe. Tahari appears to have found each garment and put them together in much the same way I do when dressing. Maybe she began with the red gloves and then went to the black/denim/navi colours.

I do this too. You find something you really want to wear and then find the next thing that goes with it. This ensemble look appropriate for work. It's business-like, but its also very chic.

The simplicity of dress, with loose, straight sleeves, is deceiving. The idea that less is more is well and truly established. Audrey Hepburn was a pioneer in this regard. Here we see the slim black tights and ballet flats which she wore. These have become staples in many wardrobes and I love to see details from the past resurfacing. Though not a tights person myself, I would kill for those gloves. ;)

Value in imagination

These were the words of couturier John Galliano in January this year, when asked "What do you think about the recession?" he replied, "There's a credit crunch, not a creative crunch. Of course, everyone is being more careful with their discretionary purchases. I am. But it's our job to make people dream, and to provide the value in quality, cut, and imagination". (Via www.style.com)

To provide the value in imagination. What, precisely, could this mean?

Is Galliano suggesting that the imagination should be valued more highly in light of the recession?

I don't think so. I would hope that the imagination is valued highly and continuously regardless of a small thing like the economy. I think what Galliano is hinting at is in fact the idea that the designer's role is to expand our imaginations (in the area of fashion) with their creations. They show us something new each season and its thrilling. Just as a designer gives attention to the quality of fabric, and the detail of the cut, they also push the boundaries of our expectations.

Whenever I have sketched a piece of wearable art, or a design, invariably my aim is to show something new, to improve on what I've done before. To see where my pencil will take me. This is where the thrill is for me. Not having the pressures of running a fashion house, I'm sure my aims are well met. I hope to include sketches here in the future.