Kanye West Fall 2012 Runway Show Review PFW

After an over-ambitious rookie appearance last season, Kanye West is back at it again with another collection for Paris Fashion Week.  This collection has begun an aesthetic that can be identified with Kanye; an aesthetic that seems to have the theme of "bondage" surrounding it.   The contrasts in height and depth of fabrics and cuts are evident across both collections; however, in this collection, West used fabrics that are more appropriate for the season.  Using black as the universal palette was certainly on trend, and his contrasts with colored furs and gold accents brought relevance to his collection.  The textures used in the collection were definitely a highlight; most noted with the shearling coat, and multi-fur jacket. The hem of the skirts, for the sake of constructive criticism, were not as finished as they should have been.  In fact, the fit and finish of all the skirts in the collection seemed to lack a certain level of luxury that Kanye lives and raps by.  The outerwear was the definite win with Kanye's collection; a perfect styling addition to West's sophomore debut in Paris (cue #WTT).

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 photos: style.com

Kenzo Men's Fall 2012 Collection

Kenzo, making its menswear debut from designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, sprinted from the blocks in a burst of colors, prints, and an overall fresh take on classic men's fashion. Mixing suits with sneakers, and pairing basic pleated slacks with bold prints in contrasting fabrics added an effortless element of styling that befits the name Ready-to-Wear. Top looks from the Kenzo Fall 2012 Collection are below:

 

 

Photos: WWD

Lessons From Paris: Fall 2012 Fashion Week Menswear Trends

The Parisian element of style has graced us for another great week in menswear.  Some trends from Milan were also seen in Paris, and there were some unique moments presented that defintiely marked its territory on the Ave.  Here are five lessons learned from menswear fashion trends in Paris.

Lesson #1: Winterize Your Face (l to r; Thom Browne, Adam Kimmel, Boris Bidjen Saberi, Juun.J)

  

Designers found some pretty creative ways to keep your face protected from winter weather; some are a bit more intense than others, especially the spiked masks from Thom Browne.   At least those could double-function as a snow plow if needed.

Lesson #2: High Waists Aren't Just for Urkel (l to r; 3.1 Philip Lim, John Galliano)

The high waste is making its mark as a statement of fashion; no longer just a nerd indicator.
P.S. - Nerds are IN.


Lesson #3: Count on Capes for 2012 Style: (l to r; Yohji Yamamoto, Mugler)

Count von Count from Sesame Street still does this trend the best, but you can be a close second with cloaking yourself in a designer cape.

Lesson #4: Don't Hide from Camouflage; It's Here to Stay.  (l to r; John Paul Gaultier, 3.1Philip Lim)
 
 

Camouflage may have appeared to be exiting out of trend, but Paris brought back the coveted print very strongly, especially in the camo-friendly collection by John Paul Gaultier.


Lesson #5: Speak Up with Prints
(l to r; Christian Lacroix, Louis Vuitton, Dries van Noten, Miharayasuhiro)

  

 From adding printed shirts, to going full out with a full body piece of art, prints add dimension and take away some of the seriousness that sometimes comes with men's fashion.