PFW A/W2012: Kanye West Relies on Old Ideas for Attention

 [Images via Stereogum]. 

Boots with multiple straps... where have we seen that before?

I'm still not convinced by the whole 'Kanye West, Fashion Designer' thing. Personally I find him to be outspoken and out of touch with reality, and his desire to be cutting edge all the time (and to often rant in CAPITAL LETTERS LIKE HE IS SHOUTING) seems to wear a little thin. It was with trepidation that I researched his latest efforts on the catwalk, and rightfully so. The image above illustrates the kind of pieces that West considers to be ground-breaking, as if he has invented the wheel. Multiple straps on shoes, boots and heels are hardly news to many fashion lovers, especially when they look as clunky as this.

 In which Kanye has just got the memo about the goth/grunge look from last Autumn/Winter

A large part of this show was about old aesthetics and the generic looks that we're all too familiar with, from bondage-tainted leather jackets to smudgy black kohl and high necked pieces which add to the severity of the whole affair. It would have been nice to see individual quirks and influences in the collection, or something that reflected personality rather than recycling of industry standard trends such as the massive fetish moment last time we embraced Autumn/Winter.

This is what the wool from a foetal lamb looks like. Brace yourselves

I have spoken on the blog before about my views on real fur in modern society, but this really takes the biscuit. I don't consider myself to be much of an animal lover, let alone an activist, but it's genuinely horrifying to see what the coat of a foetal lamb looks like when it's been turned into a two-piece. There really isn't an excuse for using this as a fabric, no matter how cool you think it might look (which, incidentally, is not cool at all). Where is the inventiveness in taking an unborn animal and using it for a fashion statement? What's wrong with experimenting and producing digital prints, like Mary Katrantzou or Etro, but using your own ideas? Why not explore the textures of knitwear or faux fur and add your personal touch? How about slogans that mean something to the designer? It really strikes me that this collection is leaning on the use of various animal offcuts to make headlines, and that is both lazy and immature. 

To be honest, I wouldn't have expected anything less from the self promotion machine that is Kanye West, but it's disappointing to see that all his interning and studio time hasn't led to any creative development.

More New York Newness

[All images from Style.com]. Jenny Packham is a firm favourite with celebrities and she's gone stellar since Kate Middleton was spotted in her creations, so it's refreshing to see that she hasn't lost any of her charm. This gown is beautiful in buttery yellow and its low neckline is balanced out by the good draped coverage on the lower body. The ribbon belt adds to the innocence of the whole look.

Here's the naughty little sister of the previous dress: this fiery tomato red shade is incredibly popular at the moment (it was a hit with the cross-season 2011 trend of lurid stripes and clashing pink and red hues). The light ruffling adds interest without being too fussy. I would pair this with blue nail varnish and some burnished gold rings.

Like confetti or falling petals, this design is going to be a winner for women who have the budget to really go to town on an evening dress. It's feminine but not clingy, so if you don't have the curves of Christina Hendricks then you won't feel panic-striken. The pattern emerges from a central point on the waist and it nicely skims the hips. Expect lots of high street adaptations soon.

An excellent red carpet shape (again in tomato red), this is only a good look on the flat-chested or you end up seeming a bit too keen with the cleavage and the split leg detail. I would want a dress with this shape even more if it was dip-dyed at the base a little (I'm thinking of Gwen Stefani's wedding frock as inspiration).

An innovative shape (perhaps not one for Kate Middleton), it would work better in a jewel colour than white, but that single pin-tuck really sets things off.

Cranking up the trend factor a notch, the white lace with the Edwardian top detailing is clashing modern and traditional very nicely. I think the 3/4 sleeves are a great addition, too, because the obvious Edwardian thing is to go for a full sleeve, so this feels more imaginative. And if you need a Jenny Packham factoid, trivia fans, take this: Jenny's brother is the wildlife expert and presenter, Chris Packham. Yes, really.

Onto another ladylike show, this time at Creatures of the Wind. The red and turquoise clash is brilliant (I often mix it up myself) although I have a feeling that non-models would add a waist belt to this ensemble, otherwise you end up looking a bit square.

The freshness of this green print is gorgeous - yes, green and floral is obvious for Spring/Summer, but the bib addition and the darker green socks keep this quirky rather than stuffy. The mid-calf length is a continuation of AW/11's midi skirt trend. This dress would look brilliant underneath a leather jacket, to mess it up a bit.

The very geometric shape is clever and gives a nod to origami. The fabric seems a little heavy for summer, but the tailoring means that this is your smart outfit sorted in one item. You could pair it with loads of different shoes (wedge boots, flat ankle boots, stilettos, kitten heels, brogues) and it would always work.

There's a much younger feel to this image than the previous ones - that drop waist completely hides the hips and gives a nod to the sort of dresses that we all wore as girls. The deconstructed hem is a great addition, whilst the ankle socks and strappy sandals continue the youthful vibe. As soon as I saw this dress it reminded me of so many pieces by COS (H&M's more up-market brand), which always sell quickly, so I know this is going to be a well-copied and well-received style.

All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey...

[Image above and below taken from River Island online]. Here's something to whet your appetite for autumn - the perfect cropped leather jacket, courtesy of River Island. Its boxy shape means that it adds bulk to boyish figures, but it's less easy to pull off if you're big in the chest department (that includes me, but I can dream of owning this all the same). The fringing detail is cool without being too in-your-face, and you could cut off those bits if they annoyed you and still have a decent, genuine leather jacket.

I love the back view - it's the kind of jacket you can imagine picking up in a flea market and wearing to death. It's also very celluloid bad boy, as if it could be worn by a bloke with no morals and a devilish grin (you know the type). At £150 it's not a cheap investment, but you get what you pay for and this should last ages.

I wanted to show you the back view of this gorgeous Warehouse dress first [taken from Warehouse online], because it has one of those vintage twists with the peephole neckline. The print is also lovely - it's traditional without being too prim and proper. Bird motifs always seem to do well on the high street, and this will be no exception.

From the front, you really see the silk fabric at its best. The cut means that it's flattering to a larger stomach because there's a band to nip in your waist and draw attention to that instead. I also like the petal-shaped sleeves, which are a simple but effective addition to this design. It's £65, which nicely fits into that 'special occasion' price range for weddings/corporate events/regular office wear if your dress code goes beyond suits.

[Image taken from Topshop online]. These boots have sold out, which made me incredibly sad, but also determined to track them down in store (please have a size 7, local Topshop!). Ticking dual trend boxes of Chelsea boots and 80s glitterati, they are a bargain at £36 and they might well be a great icebreaker. Yes, they're very 'fashion student', but also quite playful; the wearer probably doesn't take themselves too seriously. What to team them with, if you can find a pair? Definitely not blue denim - you'd look like a member of B*Witched. I'd advise black skinny jeans and an oversized t-shirt, or a long shirt with leggings and minimal make-up, with just one element of the face looking 'done' (eyes, lips or brows). Then sprinkle some stardust and get ready to rock.

New York, Stronger Than Ever

[All images via Style.com]. I don't feel that jumping on the bandwagon of 9/11 tributes would be appropriate for me (or my blog) - ten years ago the world faced a horrible and tragic scene, which we are still shocked and confused by, but I was twelve at the time and I did not know anyone personally connected to the event. I do not feel qualified to write about it, so instead I thought I'd cheer you all up with some New York Fashion Week images, proving just how creative and exciting this city can be. Firstly, the Imitation of Christ catwalk, where a wedding was taking place in a traditional palette of black and nude.

Yeah, it's a real wedding! The bride is Lydia Hearst. Her nuptials formed the basis of this show, where models were guests and everything was covered in rose petals. The crazy thing is that they make it look classy - if we did that in London, it'd be bloody Gavin Henson getting hitched or something.

Imitation of Christ's collection was entirely composed of vintage pieces that had been remade by the designer, Tara Subkoff. Here you can see delicate embroidery and high necklines, with nude shoes elongating leg length. These dresses stand out from the bridal gown because they're simpler and less body-hugging.

Dripping in sequins and Twenties-style bling, these dresses are eyecatching amongst the paler imitations. Sheer but not too racy, they hang beautifully. I also love the caged white heels on the model on the right - they add edge to the formal situation.

A touch of Americana on the left with this fringed black number (not sure about the choice of belt, though), whilst the right sees a blue-grey tinged satin piece presenting a direct contrast. Imitation of Christ's show has given us theatricality, reality and reinvention: a tough act to follow.

And now for something completely different... Prabal Gurung was in a distinctly more colourful mood, with this eye-popping collection. Like Imitation of Christ, sheer fabrics were a big hit (and also satin, below), though Gurung's modernist panelling and mixing of patterns brought things bang up to date.

These skinny satin trousers remind me a lot of high street fashion in the past year - pyjama trousers and masculine cuts with floral patterns were very big for AW/10-11 and SS/11. Clearly Gurung is still channeling this look, but getting more graphic - I see a clear link between his prints and that of the London designer Mary Katrantzou. Meanwhile the aqua satin blazer is sure to be a big mainstream hit.

Chopping and changing, keeping things fresh but decidedly eclectic, this is not a look for the sensible fashionista. Seemingly mixing babydoll chic with marbling and a little dominatrix on the side, this is a confusing but intriguing piece. I'm sure it'll be picked up by Rihanna or Katy Perry. Meanwhile it will probably filter down to the high street in a sheer maxi with ruffled edges and a jacket or shirt with piped 'bondage' detail.

This monochrome dress was another example of the bondage look that Gurung has softened and adapted for his own style. The outsize trailing ribbon is very Viktor & Rolf, giving the impression of the wearer being like a present. It must also be noted, from this image and others, that Gurung had a very diverse range of models walking in his show (here we see Nyasha), including Jourdan Dunn and Liu Wen. If only more designers followed his lead, we'd see a more exciting and representational picture at Fashion Week.

The addition of splattered paint is sure to be big, and the choice of metallics is also likely to play in Gurung's favour - it was very popular in AW/11 shows, so fashion lovers may well lap it up for another season, especially as it's not a full-on metal trouser here.

I love the shape of this dress - so much more inventive than a straight sheathe/shift. The top section looks like a t-shirt, but it then balloons into a handkerchief edge.

Again, a very wearable look from Gurung shows how he can give the New York consumer what she wants - sharpness with flattering colours and luxury fabrics. He is sure to be a commercial success, and a great source of inspiration to high street retailers.