Alexander McQueen Moves Forward

Goodbye Mr. McQueen, hello Ms. Burton. Long live McQueen.

Style.com covered the passing of Alexander McQueen and the showing of the final collection he designed, but something that was equally important this year was the success of Sarah Burtonâ€s first show as the new designer for the McQueen label. The passing of such a genius creative mind was indeed tragic, and the showing of McQueenâ€s last collection was a special moment, but Burtonâ€s signal that the brand can honor McQueenâ€s legacy while moving forward was absolutely stellar.

John Gallianoâ€s Dior Couture Wows

Dior haute couture was in full bloom this year when John Galliano showed his Spring 2011 collection of flower-inspired looks. The imagery and execution of the designs combined with the high, tulip-like hair of the models for a full package display of gorgeousness and perhaps our favorite moment in fashion of 2010.

A British survey recently found that 48 percent of the women surveyed prefer to keep their clothes on during sex, primarily to increase body confidence. {Telegraph} Lady Gaga explained a while back that her song “is about a girl who likes to have sex with the lights off, because she’s embarrassed about her body. She doesn’t want her man to see her naked. She will be free, and she will let her inner animal out, but only when the lights are out.” {MTV} We’re assuming this took place at a time before she decided to go without pants – a look that requires quite a bit of confidence. Lest you think it’s only the ladies, comedian Louis CK recently got Terri Gross’ Fresh Air radio show banned in Mississippi after an exchange where he confessed to keeping his t-shirt on during sex. “I definitely have sex with my T-shirt on, always. I haven’t had sex without a shirt on, God, since I was about 23…I don’t think anyone wants to see me looming over her. I think that’s an upsetting image. And then also, the mother-dog stomach that I get when I’m … you get the point,” he said. {Gawker}

Fashionista had a bit of fun with the findings and suggested everything from shoes and socks to necklaces, but the survey revealed that chemises and bras were actually among the more popular clothing choices. Yes, they’re technically clothing, but not the sweater or winter coat you may have been thinking of. If you prefer to keep a layer or two on for confidence? No judgments here, but we do have a few suggestions for next weekend, or whenever you decide to dance.

If you’re a Yankees fan, then you may not catch their next sponsor every day, but you will see them during every game.

Mark Weber, Chairman and CEO of Donna Karan International says “Donna Karan created DKNY to capture the spirit of New York and the people who live here, including the most successful baseball team in history, the Yankees. This unique sponsorship gives DKNY a direct way to reach the consumer and also provides
enormous visibility among a loyal, passionate audience—the millions of fans who visit Yankee Stadium each year and the many millions more who watch Yankees games on television. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to celebrate the City that inspired our brand and this iconic team.”

DKNY will become the first fashion brand to have a permanent presence at Yankee via a permanent outfield bullpen sign in right centerfield and a DKNY Lounge near 3rd base where high-def televisions will include DKNY branded footage on rotation.

Given the seasonal attendance at games in the thousands, and television viewership in the millions over th course of the season, this is a massive branding partnership. Even with livestreams, runway shows – celebrated as they may be, are considered massive if they reach an audience over 50,000 people. Games at Yankee stadium average attendance of 55,000 people per game, and they’re in their seats a lot longer than the 20 or so minutes typical of your average catwalk showing.

The deep color palates of black, navy and gray are solid themes running throughout, accented by pops of color. Marked by double-breasted suits, vests and slim silhouettes, the most current designer collections walking the runway for men, from DKNY,  Prada {NY Magazine}, Gianfranco Ferre {Coutorture} and Marc Jacobs {GQ} all seem to be taking pages from the same book.

The second scene was lightened by softer tones and pops of color as shades of gray and navy served as the foundation with accents of flourescent orange, blue, olive, burgundy and aubergine shoe laces and skinny ties. Pants suits and striped pullover sweaters were done in contrasting colors and we noted some classic pieces like the trench coat and a surprisingly stunning poncho in this scene (hello Andre Leon Talley).

The last lineup featured the pureDKNY Collection which was the most casual of the three, where rugged really made a statement. Khakis were paired with sweatshirts worn beneath suit jackets and fur-trimmed parkas, bubble vests and corduroy trousers mixed with cotton hoodies and canvas jackets.

Clear themes running through the entire collection included the noticeably slim silhouette, skinny pants tucked into wool socks and chunky hiking/combat boots. Donna Karan describes the Fall Collection saying, “The clothes are built different: innovative fabrics and inventive construction, active sport elements and easy to live with fabrics redefine the lifestyle for the man on the move.”

The overall essence of the line is sleeker and edgier than seen in past collections and the versatility is amazing. The lightweight wools and jerseys stand alone or can be layered or reversed. These highlights cater to the “Buy now, Wear now” aspect of menswear. It is refreshing to see the effort put into the functionality of this collection that maintains the sleek lines and versatile urban elements that have become the signature of DKNY To view the entire collection visit GQ online.