Retro Therapy: March 2014

3.11.2014

20s, 30s and 40s in Fall 2014: Carven and Naeem Khan

Yesterday, I talked about Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent's Fall 2014 collections which are inspired by the 60s and 70s. Today, I would like to highlight two other designers who are inspired by the vintage era. Carven by the 30s and 40s and Naeem Khan by 20s and 30s. These eras are my favorites and I was very delighted to see these designers revived such glamorous periods in their collections.

CARVEN

Carven's retro silhouette is very 1930s and 1940s as illustrated by mid-calf fur-collared dresses and coats. Berets and muffs are the main accessories. I can see these outfits being elegantly worn by women in the glamorous days of air/sea/land travels. No doubt, a Carven lady is ladylike in her own right.

NAEEM KHAN

Naeem Khan has been quite enamored with the Art Deco era and is still righteously so for Fall 2014. He is a an expert in creating elegant evening gowns. I can see his gowns being easily worn by the likes of Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford or Jean Harlow. The women who wear his collections command attention and are not afraid of it. His collection embodies not only the spirit of old Hollywood glamorous parties but also casual luxury pajama lounging. Also, this time, Naeem Khan reinterprets the flapper dress. The flapper trend was huge a couple of seasons ago but I am still not ready to part with it yet. After all, who does not like some drop waist, fringe, sequin and maribou?

3.09.2014

60s and 70s in Fall 2014: Lanvin and Saint Laurent

The Fashion Week 2014 concluded last week in Paris. I followed the runway and was pleased to see some designers use vintage in their collections. This time, there were four designers who are favorites of mine. Among them are Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent who are mainly inspired by the 60s and 70s. Keep an eye out for my next post about the other two designers.

LOUIS VUITTON

Louis Vuitton's Fall collections are closer to late 70s. The earthy color palettes are reminiscent of that era, for example dark moss green, clementine and wine burgundy. We see fitted silhouettes with turtlenecks, button up shirt and high waist details. There are hints of psychedelic too. To me, this collection brings "That 70's Show" to life.

SAINT LAURENT

Saint Laurent takes inspiration from its glorious days in the mid to late 60s where Yves Saint Laurent democratized fashion and launched Pret-A-Porter in Paris' Rive Gauche. This was the era where the designer was associated with Parisian Jet Set and enjoyed its peak success. The collection is all about the beatnik fashion as illustrated by Saint Laurent's classic bow tie, plaid details, tailored shift dress and Go-Go boots. Seeing this collection immediately reminds me of French actresses: Catherine Deneuve and Francoise Hardy. It's simply French-chic and nostalgic.

All photos are from style.com

3.04.2014

Vintage Red Carpet

In the spirit of the Oscars, I thought I'd share with you a collage of stars who flaunt their vintage dresses and gowns for the red carpet. These vintage dresses and gowns are timeless, which is one of the many reasons why I love vintage. Although it's unfortunate that noone donned a vintage this year, I hope someone will next year. Here's to vintage.