Tag: Paris

Paris Impressions

Post author By Editor
Post date 26/01/2020

Tension

Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture is over. This season, a strange feeling hovered over the French Capital. Numerous strikes have paralysedFrance. President Macron’s reform policies have not gone down well the citizens. I am not familiar with Gaul politics and economy but Paris was a city filled with tension. How many strikes occur in Paris on a weekly basis? I knew this would be a different fashion week when my flight was delayed. When I arrived at Charles De Gaulle airport, the first announcement I heard, “Due to industrial action,,,”. “Welcome!”

Secondly, Paris was really cold and gray. One day the temperature hit -4. Not pleasant weather for running around from show to show or standing outside for an extra 30 or 40 minutes. This fashion week events never start on time.

All shows had extra security on hand. The entire city has been on alert for threats.

Is This Worth It?

My problem with fashion has been the democratization has been haphazard at best. I am beginning to wonder if it is worth attending a fashion week. Standing in lines, Fighting crowds, the expenses, the ROI seems to diminish. Has Instagram and social media has been a blessing or a curse? A lot of invites, a lot of attendees, but why? The agencies cannot keep up with the requests. The crowd control situation is the same as a South American Bus Station. However, strangely, many shows were not at full capacity.

At one show, I saw how exasperated the staff became. All of the sudden there are so many stylists, photographers, and influencers. HUH? I asked a few to show me their work. An Instagram Selfie is now an editorial. Then, there are those who borrow or buy clothes (later returned) for a fashion show appearance. The people who really work during fashion week cannot dress as if their are attending the Red Carpet Met Gala. I can spot them a front row seat away.

Thankfully, I do not have the need to be seen at every fashion show. If I sit five rows back, I ususally say, “send me the pictures”.

GoodBye

The big news from Paris Haute Couture Week, sadly, the last show for Jean Paul Gaultier. Sexual, imaginative, and ahead of the gender curve designer bowed out after 50 years on the scene. Gaultier stopped making Ready to Wear designs years ago, now, no more Couture looks. The star studded show was packed with his friends walking the runway. His classic breton stripes interpretations and ethnic chic influences, his frivolity will be missed.

I am still going over the looks from Haute Couture Week, please stay tuned. A lot of reviews coming soon.

Tags Fashion Design, fashion designer, fashion report, Fashion Week, fashionpost, Haute Couture, luxury fashion, Paris, Paris Fashion Week, PFW, Womenswear

Fashion

A New Concept

Post author By Editor
Post date 14/10/2019

As the shopping experience changes, so must retail reinvent itself to stay relevant. On a recent visit to Paris I decided to pay a visit to the new Galeries Lafayette on Champs Elysee. The great boulevard’s stores have changed. In the 90’s this former Virgin Records Super Store offered every genre of music. I discovered Senegalese Jazz there. I remember popping listening to the new release wall.

In 2019, what is a record store? A question we will ask about department stores. As taste and consumer needs move forward, retailers need to respond. Galeries Lafayette’s new store borrows from the concept store in a bigger setting. The 3 floor layout features new brands as well as established labels. Concessions and inshore interior changes regularly while avoiding the shelf clutter of traditional stores. The obvious focus is to keep the buyer curious with a “What’s New” strategy.

Only in Paris!

Two Cafes and restaurants situated on the first floor and in the basement are designed for being seen as well as attracting the shared space working clientele. I bought a cafe and pastry then took a seat to check my schedule on my tablet.

As I have stayed a few times. Department stores continue to feel like a place where our Grandparents went to buy stocking after World War 2. Galeries Lafayette gets a good mark for bringing mass retail into the 21^stcentury.

Galleries Lafayette is located at 60 Avenue des Champs Elysees, Paris

Tags accessories, canondeutschland, Fashion, fashion designer, Paris, shopping, style report, tourism, we love shopping

Fashion

Paris Fashion Week Couture

Post author By Editor
Post date 09/07/2019

BONJOUR!

Sorry, I have not been posting. A bit busy on this end playing catch up. Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture felt a bit overwhelming. Covering the event for the firs time started from the moment I arrived at the hotel. I dropped the bags at the hotel in the center of Paris then raced off. My first appointment was in the Vendome. HOT! The only word describe the scene, 32 degrees in a city lacking green spaces. Loud? Yes. Big cities are not places for medidating at 11am.

Rush! Rush! I wore comfortable shoes to get into the rhythm of the French Capital during PFW.

Unlike other fashionweeks Couture week is more exclusive. A smaller crowd of editors, buyers, and clients for one of kind creations.

I got invites from production houses Shout out to Mephistopheles, public relations agencies, and designers. The Couture Jewelry collection presentation events were also scheduled as well as showroom visits. Four full days were on my calendar.

Paris is not only a walking city, but also for running. Seeing fit Frenchmen jogging in skimpy shorts in the Tuileries Garden may seem like a Samantha Jones inspired fantasy but crisscrossing it during the day to make an appointment, well, I could not sit down to admire the sights, too much dust and lack of time.

HOT!

Too Darn Hot!

Did I mention it was HOT in Paris during PFW? The metro was opened for free rides. Thankfully, many shows and presentation were in walking distance or 3 metro stops away.

Wearing Black was the summer look, not for me. This is a mixture of shameless product placement, sponsorship, and fashion practicality. Cividini loaned me a few silk and cotton polo shirts. Breathable materials saved my life.

Expecting brands tomeet a timetable would ask too much but starting 45 minutes to 1 hour late made keeping a timetable impossible. I missed 3 shows. Happily, I arranged for re-see’s.

I cannot wait until the next Couture Week.

Video and images made with Canon Camera. Sponsored by #canondeu

Tags canon deu, Fashion Week, Haute Couture, luxury fashion, ootd, Paris, PFW, Style, womensfashion, womensstyle

Fashion

Bonjour Paris

Post author By Editor
Post date 23/06/2019

Black and Paper countdown to Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture starting June 30^th. The City of Lights is our destination to the fashion week of fashion weeks. Couture is the ultimate in craftsmanship. One of a kind looks created by designers to showcase their skills as technique masters.

An understatement would be the word “Thrilled”. The adjective “Excited” comes in second. This came about because of an email located in our Junk File. The only option available, “yes”, feeling like the lead character Maggie Prescott from the 1957 film “Funny Face”. We may break out singing a Gershwin Song, “S Wonderful”.

Stay Tuned for all the coverage.

Tags Fashion, fashion report, Fashion Week, Haute Couture, luxury fashion, Paris, Style, women clothing, womensfashion

Fashion

LV Collection

Post author By Editor
Post date 21/06/2019

Not Sure But,,,,

As Paris Fashion Week Men continues, labels have been affected by the Let’s See What Works” era. Many are going in new directions. What to make of Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton? My first impression was the Three Stooges short “Slippery Silks” from 1936. Moe, Larry, and Curly inherit a dress shop. The guys are really furniture makers and carpenters. The Stooges put on a fashion show with models wearing designs resembling furniture pieces. I laughed so hard as a kid watching this on television reruns.. Now, I am not a child.

The June 2019 collection from LV Menswear felt like an Ikea collaboration. Yes, the location was made for modern media, a square in Paris. But going over the looks, HUH? Gender free, skirts, structures on the body, rain boots, was there a sale at a local flea market? I had a feeling of discomfort thinking about wearing many looks. The kite or lamp or table over the shoulder came across as a bit over the top. How one wear this without feeling a bit ridiculous is beyond me.

The Louis Vuitton menswear client is a first stage luxury buyer. He wants to show-off his money with the giant LV logo plastered on everything worn. In the Social Media Age this is acceptable wealth display behavior. The #LV attracts a lot of “likes” on Instagram.

Don’t Hate

Personally, I would not buy a single piece from the runway. But Virgil is savvy, established. The saying goes, “Don’t Hate! Appreciate! One cannot guilt the brand or designer for going after the market. Asia is fueling fashion’s growth. LV is a business eyeing big profits. As fashion decides to push boundaries, reject many social conventions, the balancing act is a fine one. Success, ridicule, losing touch, or irrelavance can pop out of the one hat.

Tags fashion review, Fashion Week, louisvuitton, mens fashion review, Mensfashion, Mensstyle, Menswear, ootdmen, Paris, pfwm

Fashion

Cruise

Post author By Editor
Post date 05/05/2019

Chanel unveiled its first post Lagerfeld collection. Virginie Viard takes control of the storied French brand. The setting at the Grand Palais turned into a romantic train station fit the mood. The looks were soft and feminine.

Ms. Viard has the full backing of brand head Bruno Pavlovsky. The company posted profits of $2.7.