Fashion Tale F/W 2014: Mimi spotted a mini trend at the runway shows for Fall 2014: surrealism and/or trompe l’oeil
Man Ray, Painted Hands, 1935.
Butterfly Patterns in Fashion; The butterfly theme started at the Jean Paul Gaultier Couture Show for Spring 2014. All outfits had something to do with the little, colorful insect. Hats, prints, shapes you name it, Mr Gaultier had turned it into a butterfly. At Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli also used the butterfly as an inspiration source, well into the Pre-Fall season of 2014. At the Fall 2014 shows the butterfly was seen at Valentino, Givenchy and Les Copains
(images via style.com/ from JPG Couture Spring 2014 via fabsugar)
About the butterfly: “A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly’s life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea). All the many other families within the Lepidoptera are referred to as moths. The earliest known butterfly fossils date to the mid Eocene epoch, 40–50 million years ago. Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some, like the Monarch, will migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Some species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage domestic crops or trees; however, some species are agents of pollination of some plants, and caterpillars of a few butterflies (e.g., Harvesters) eat harmful insects. Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.” and in fashion…(via)
View Mimi Berlin’s review on the Spring Couture 2014 shows HERE on this blog
More animals (birds) for Fall 2014 Ready to wear on this blog
Fashion Fall 2014: Postmodern Prints. Alchemia and Memphis are back in fashion-land at Chloé and Kenzo’s runway shows for Fall 2014. At Kenzo the combination of prints definitely shows the influence of the Italian interior designs of the eighties, done very tastefully and modern (NOW). Chloé’s designer Claire Waight Keller made use of the same squiggly-macaroni-abstract-little-postmodern-shapes, both in full-color an bi-color for allover prints. Less clear at Michael van der Ham’s show but we can see some post modern influences for sure, with thanks to the cuts at the hemline of the skirt! It’s just what we, at Mimi Berlin noticed, and amongst all the other loud grafitti-bomber-zipper-eighties retro fashion on the runways, we find these translations of the 1980s to be like a breath of fresh air. (if we could stay clear of our daily smokes that is)
Fashion Fairy Tales: Little Red Riding Hood. Yes! it’s time for dreams again at the Fashion Shows for Winter 2014. Little Red Riding Hood is stomping through the woods, not only wearing her cape. No, this season she owns more than just a cape, she’s wearing the killed bloody wolf on her shoulders as well! Coats and dresses made of red fur sure make do as really fancy showstoppers! Prints and patches of wolves, squirrels, birds, forests and the actual Little Red Riding Hood story are placed on her wardrobe as well.
On the catwalk at Miu Miu Little Red Riding Hood was portrayed in a more modern way. Teenage girls on the road, could be in a forest, could be elsewhere, but this fierce girl is not going home! She is on a mission or otherwise just walkin’ the streets. (We picked out the red outfits amongst the other primary colors and pastels to give our story more credibility. See the complete show HERE on style.com)
As for the color red: We suggest to the people in the industry to stick with accessories in red fur, knit and jersey or a little dress. (assuming you want to $ell)
Fall 2014 Menswear shows: New-York, London, Paris, Miiano. After watching all the shows for Fall 2014 for men on style.com, we noticed that there is actually only 1 item not to be missed: The Sweater. Almost every designer showed this key item and used it as a statement piece; The Sweater tells the story behind the collection, with a print or with fabric. (Bonus: the customer can show if he is: funny, religious, a Trekkie an animal lover or a traditionalist.) We, at Mimi Berlin do love a sweater and a print so we gathered and categorized them for you: Take your pick from: Animals/Fur/Faces/Flowers/Text/Patchwork/Fun/Romantic/The usual suspects. We hear you say: Well that’s nothing new, this “Sweater Thing” started at Givenchy, Balmain, Kenzo etc. a couple of season’s ago. No it isn’t, we reply, but if your label doesn’t carry a signature sweater by now you are really missing out on $$
Scarves: In addition of the first part of our story: We were glad to notice that there is actually another, more fashionable, key item: The Scarf. The sweater was, almost, absent at the Burberry Prorsum show, instead the models wore fishnet vests. AND tada: A Scarf, a large piece of cloth with every single look! The Sweater was also absent at the Prada show, but not so much The Scarf. Prada’s scarves ranged from what looked like, at first site, ill fitting ties to the larger snugglier fur kind. At Missoni the models wore knitted scarves the size of blankets; homely comfort taken to the street, what a nice concept. Walter van Beirendonk already designed blanket-like coats. The Floor-Lenght-Scarf was the third kind to be found at several designers.
Lanvin fall-winter 2013. Lets concentrate on a new wardrobe for this winter and start with one of our favorite shows, by Lanvin. So much to see here. The use of flowers, insects and butterflies translated into fluttering blouses, prints and sturdy jewelry, they give this rather dark and severe collection it’s light hearted touch. SO Much FUN to watch…and wear!
