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).

click image to begin slideshow

 photos: style.com

Michael Jordan Sues Chinese Brand for Use of Jordan Name



Michael Jordan Covers February 2011 Special Issue of GQ Magazine

 Using Michael Jordan's name and number to sell non-Nike products is also known as simply "Fake Jordans."  We know this.  Nothing new.  However, there hasn't been a case where using his name unofficially has made the amounts of money that the Chinese brand, Quiodan, has made over the last few years.  Quiodan, which is Jordan's namesake in China, is a sports brand who based their brand around Jordan's name and retired number 23.  In a statement, Jordan, who is suing the Chinese brand, expressed "it is deeply disappointing to see a company build a business off my Chinese name without my permission, use the number 23 and even attempt to use the names of my children."

The amount requested in the lawsuit isn't disclosed, but we can bet that the settlement will cover a myriad of retros and other Jordan branded material.  I wonder if they break store windows and murder for "Quiodans" like we do here in the states?  Maybe Quidan sponsors the shoe posts that spam our Facebook pages..

GANT by Michael Bastian Fall 2012 Collection

For Fall 2012, Michael Bastian took us on a journey through his collegiate years in Boston. During the mid-80's, during the MOD revival, the collegiate sense of style was still centered around the preppy principle. Drawing from this inspiration, Bastian took a practical approach in translating the era to fashion. Combining functional winter essentials with tailored seasonal fabrics like tweed and corduroy, GANT by Michael Bastian was a representation of prep versus practical.

 Parkas, hooded anoraks, and shetland cardigans portrayed the harsh winters that Bostonians experience, while the impressive styling of the collection de-localized the inspiration into a testament of what all men want visually. Bastian also modernized classic looks by adjusting the fit; favorably seen with the slim fit cargo pants and herringbone trousers. The color palette was collegiate in general, linking both university prep and Americana together. On trend with the deep purples of Fall 2012, GANT introduces the color in corduroy pants, and in color ways within plaid and striped fabrics. The women's collection stood out just as much as the men's, with sharply tailored blazers and winter performance wear. The leggings with contrasting center stripe were a winner with the styling of the looks, and will definitely be a major seller for the ladies.