Badgley Mischka Fall 2020

This is the week of romance for NY Fashion Week. The Badgley Mischka Fall 2020 collection was exactly what I wanted to see ahead of Valentine's Day. There were my favorite fabrics of velvet and silks. There were tons and tons of opulent embroidery on long sweeping gowns. Big pouf sleeves are all over the runways I have shot so far and continued here. Most of the silhouettes were very curvy, with a mermaid or trumpet silhouettes. The shapes were generally slim, with no giant ballgowns. 

Look at this elaborate embellishment. I am drooling. There were big chunky jewels used. Also, fabric flower appliques, handmade, cut, torn, and then stitched. In the world of fast fashion, it is decoration like the pieces in this collection that separate luxury from the masses. 

Do you see this beautiful headpiece? This was the signature accessory of the Badgley Mischka fall 2020 collection. There were several variations of this jeweled, beaded vine-like headpiece that wrapped around the back of the head to frame the pulled back topknot hairstyles.
The designer duo is clearly gunning for the red carpet and gala crowd here. They deserve it.
Which is your favorite look?

Also on Ms. Fabulous:

The Blonds Present the Mummy

Naeem Khan's Human Family

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#NYFW: Naeem Khan Spring 2015

Casual royals? Naeem Khan ' s spring 2015 collection was beautiful,  ornate as usual. However, he also seemed to be tapping into the sporty chic direction many other designers are going for in his own way.

The show started off with shorter dresses, tops that resembled a tshirt and tunic. This is Naeem Khan though, so the deceptively simple pieces were elaborately embellished with gorgeous embroidery. Lots of beads and lots of jewels encrusted 'casual' garments. I guess this is meant for the celebrity or socialite who walks red carpets in daytime?

Then there were the show stopping spring ballgowns. Long, sweeping silk gowns that looked like they were masterfully painted with blooming flowers. Funny how these formal silhouettes did not have embellishments beyond the print.

The color palette was graphic back and white, bold tropical colors or monochromatic metallic when it came to the embroidery.  The closer you look at the beadwork or threadwork, the more intricate it seems. 

The models were styled very simply. Loose, natural hair and makeup so the clothing is the star. The Naeem Khan spring 2015 collection is definitely one of art that needs to be appreciated in person!

Photos by Mariana Leung

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Artisan Embroidery at Naeem Khan Spring 2014

 Latin love was the aesthetic inspiration for Naeem Khan's gorgeous collection at NY Fashion Week.  The rose floral embroidery was a nod to the peasant blouses of Mexico, but embellished with a bit of luxury crystals and beads.  The jungle motifs from South America were also alluded to in the bright palette of the painted stripe dresses and wild leafy embroidered sequin dresses.

Naeem Khan is still Naeem Khan though, so the sweeping gowns, red carpet stunners and elegant sheaths that dress royalty are still the key silhouettes of this runway.  They just happen to be interpreted with some Latin flavor in the most luxurious way possible.  One of the most striking embellished groups were the ones with black base fabric and then embellished with fur, beads and crystal which vaguely resemble the aristocratic tribal looks of Mayan culture.  The jacket and built up shoulders just looked so rich and indulgent.

The braided hairstyles were a perfect blend of elegant updo with a respectful reference to the traditional braided hair of Mexican women in ethnic garb.  I would love to imagine that Frida Kahlo's most elegant dreams would be dressed from this collection.

original photos by David TW Leung

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Carolina Herrera Spring 2014

original photos by Mariana Leung

It's amazing how effective good old optical illusions can be.  The simple techniques of Carolina Herrera's Spring 2014 collection wowed the guests and photographer's  pit at NY Fashion Week.  The effect was layering graphic prints on sheer fabrics on top of each other so that the patterns looked like they were moving as the models walked down the catwalk.

The geometric patterns and graphic lines looked very high-tech but it was such a great, easy look.  The designer also used embroidery design sparingly.  There were cut circles and flat jewels that just added a dimensional effect to complement the existing patterns.  There was one neckline of built up floral and jewel embroidery that was more classic Herrera to please the red carpet queens.  Otherwise, these great moving stripes might be a problem on television, despite how nice they look in person.

A few looks carried huge, long statement necklaces that had a row of pendants.  They featured unrefined stones for an artsy ethnic vibe.  Shoes were two-toned satin stilettos that complemented the colors of the fabrics.

The dresses of this show were delightfully unexpected.  Now I am inspired to go out and find my childhood brainteaser books to see what else can be designed this way...

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Embellished Badgley Mischka Spring 2014

Anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows that I love good embroidery.  Some of the prettiest embellishments on the spring 2014 runways came from longtime design duo Badgley Mischka.  Their NY Fashion Week show was a parade of ruffled chiffon and vintage crystal beading that looked at home right in the sets of Downton Abbey or the Great Gatsby.  The jeweled motifs looked rich and intricate.  I love the engineered placement of the beaded fringe on one particular skirt (rather than the cliche rows of flapper fringe).   

Dainty hard frame clutches carried a more contemporary diamond motif along with bigger, modern carryall handbags.  My favorite shoes were two-toned strappy heels.  Jewelry was delicate and had an emphasis on cuffs and dangling bracelets with pearls and stones. The pale pastel manicure was the mani of choice for the models along with finger wave curls for the hair.

Which celebrity do you think would look best in one of these gowns on the red carpet?

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Badgley Mischka Spring 2013

A Midsummer's Nights Dream inspired Badgley's Mischka's spring 2013 collection at New York Fashion Week.  Not Shakespeare particularly, but the 1935 film (the one with James Cagney and an almost naked Mickey Rooney as Puck).

The collection had dreamy silk organza, chiffon with floral touches in large and small scale to please the most deluded fairy queens.  The silhouettes definitely hinted at 1930's Hollywood glamour.  The muted greys, pinks, purple, silver, ivory and gold made for a gorgeous color palette. The messy up-do hairstyle made the models looks a little more relaxed and romantic, as if they were running through the woods looking for a lost lover than at an uptight cocktail party.  A few pieces that had "angel" like wings looked a little too much like Christian's Siriano's Fall 2012 collection though.

I loved the range of accessories I saw in this collection.  The dainty, constructed clutches were chic with metallic accent.  Embroidered, fingerless tulle gloves were unexpected, but gave an extravagant, edgy option.  Wired and jeweled statement necklaces and structured platform shoes again were modern updates to more formal pieces.

Is it wrong I was a little disappointed that no one wore a big donkey head in the end?

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Trendspotting: Cool Imperial

While the weather cools down for fall, our style sense does as well.  For fall 2012, there was a lot of elegance, aristocratic, baroque looks across all design disciplines.

I found some regal iron rosette adorned old doors imported from India that looked like they could have once belonged on a faraway palace.  The doors paired very well with the aristocratic look fashioned from Kohrani rugs on a model for a Venetian court pose.

The inside of a restaurant bathroom at MPD in the Meatpacking District of NYC held aristocratic delights in the form of a metallic wallpaper, featuring queens from around the world with a photo negative silvery finish.  I paired that with a royal upgrade to an Art Nouveau jacket I had by adding an upcycled collar to it and embroidering jewels and glass bugle beads.

It's time to treat yourself like a queen this season and outfit your life with something cool and beautiful.

Dyson Hot + Cool™ fan heaters use Air Multiplier™ technology to provide the fastest even room heating in winter and smooth cool air in summer for year-round use.  There are no fast-spinning blades or visible heating elements, so it’s safe and easy to clean.  Learn more at www.dyson.com/hot+cool.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Dyson via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Dyson.

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Design Trend - Global Warming

Refreshing your home and wardrobe is healthy. My aesthetic right now revolves around global chic and hot shades of red...Lots of them. My pad is a mix of Asian antiques, I love using Eastern motifs in my design work and fall's hottest colors are crimson and oxblood.

I love textile design and the many tools that go with it, I had to pick up the hand-carved printing blocks from India when I saw them at a market.  International rug company Pavoni gave the most literal example of mixing interior and fashion design with a theatrical runway show using their carpets.

I designed a contemporary felt applique embroidery design using an updated version of chrysanthemum motifs to be used on a coat or cushion...I haven't decided which one yet.  One of my favorite decor pieces is the antique opium pipe my mother gave me which features carved silver inlaid with turquoise and carnelian.

Using ethnic inspiration doesn't have to be literal.  You can create the palette of colors you want to suit your taste.  Make styles your own by changing the fabrication or applying classic motifs in a new way.

What worldly designs inspire you this season?  Chat now at #DysonFallRefresh !


Dyson Hot + Cool™ fan heaters use Air Multiplier™ technology to provide the fastest even room heating in winter and smooth cool air in summer for year-round use.  There are no fast-spinning blades or visible heating elements, so it’s safe and easy to clean.  Learn more at www.dyson.com/hot+cool.
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Dyson via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Dyson.

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DIY Master Class - Fall Statement Necklace

Fall jewelry time!  For this statement necklace, I was inspired by the chunky beaded sleeve of this Prada jacket from their Fall 2012 collection.  I love purple, silver and black so I kept the same color palette but different materials.

Prada used long bugle beads, opaque "cosmic" stones, smaller rosemonte crystals sewn on top of the holes along with round cabochons and ring shaped stones.  The final effect is a chunky, but contemporary organic look.  The fall 2012 collection itself had a futuristic, Blade Runner effect while they projected "digital princesses" on the runway.

My seasonal dinner with the Glam Network is like New Year's Eve for me during NY Fashion Week.  I wanted to make sure I had something fabulous and on trend to wear to look good for my fellow Glam bloggers.  I drew upon my embroidery design and crafting skills to make a necklace that would be on-trend, but totally my own.

Materials :

-large "cosmic" shaped crystal stones in a a black diamond color.  Swarovski Elements are stunning, but if you can't swing it, you can also substitute similar glass versions. (I like Beads World , Harman or Ebay)
-leatherette covered cabochons at M and J trimming
-extra long silver bugle beads in different lengths
-small sew on crystal stones   (I like Beads World or Ebay)
- purple leather (Leather Impact)
-black silk satin
-embroidery frame (Any craft store)
-black grosgrain ribbon (I buy ribbons from Paper Mart)

You can begin by embroidering the basic motifs with your bigger stones on satin.  Start with the large leather cabochon, then the side 'cosmic' stones.  Top the holes of the cosmic stones with the smaller crystal sew-on stones.  Then use your long bugle beads with stones or beads in between.  I like to make things asymmetrical, so I fill in jewels or beads in odd places for a richer, dimensional look.  Freestyle it!

When you are done with the embroidered motifs, trim around them.  Use some fabric and leather glue just to take the beaded pieces onto the leather, then stitch tack them in place as well.  Trim the leather a little bit past the edges of the satin.  Stitch the finished piece to grosgrain ribbon.

Voila!

Prada runway photo by Monica Feudi of feudiguenari.com

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