Marchesa Bridal Spring 2016

I love that no matter how edgy, how minimal, how avant-garde a designer is, when it comes to bridal, they are unapologetic romantics. Marchesa creates some of the most amazing sculpted gowns that an A-list celebrity could ever hope for on the red carpet. Fittingly, their wedding dresses are the dream-like and cinema-worthy.

The tiered, asymmetrical skirt of the top dress is a fresh take on the traditional ballgown. The skirt looks transparent but high volume with innovative use of horsehair along the edges. Normally, a skirt with this shape needs many layers of fabric and ends up looking like a mountain. The back ruffles also is a new take on a bustle. The 3-dimensional flowers appliqued onto to tulle look like they are popping off the fabric.

Marchesa bridal makes your fantasy princess gown, 2.0. Now what can the groom where that even compares?
Photos provided by Marchesa via FirstVIEW

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Met Gala 2014 - Red Carpet Trends

The Met Gala (or Prom for the fashion set) had a glorious red carpet procession last night.  The invitation's dress code was  “White Tie and Decorations.”  The marquee exhibit for the Metropolitan Museum's ball was Charles James, Beyond Fashion.  I guess Anna Wintour wanted guests to dress in classic glamour for the 2014 Met Ball.

The best looks came from guests paying tribute to Charles James in ball gowns echoing his silhouettes. Sarah Jessica Parker wore a black and white dress that was reminiscent of the black and white clover gown in the exhibit.  Sarah Silverman wore dark red Zac Posen similar to the scarlet creation in the museum.  Karolina Kurkova wore a sculptured work via Marchesa.  Anna Wintour's daughter Bee Schaffer wore a pale blue Alexander McQueen gown that paid tribute to the red and tulle gown by Charles James.

The irony of this event? In high school, the unpopular girls went to prom with their gay best friends.  For the Met Gala, the A-list celebrity girls attend "fashion prom" with their gay designer BFF's.  Yes, for this social event, it is much more likely to see top fashion designers bring their most popular celebrity muse as their date in lieu of their mates.  It's mutually beneficial as the designer secures the celebrity and the celebrity has designer cred.  I would love to see a designer give their date a jeweled corsage.

Worse trends?  Celebrities obviously paid to schill a mass market/high street clothing brand for press (I'm looking at you Topshop and Jenner family...) The other are celebrities dressing up as Disney princesses.  This is an unpopular opinion, at least where my niece is concerned.  She thinks this look is fabulous.  Last (AND least) the grotesque, wannabe streaker in pink mankini and Jersey Shore-worthy gold chain who tried to crash.  I am not even dignifying this clown with a photo.

Photos by Josh Haner/The New York Times, Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images, Kevin Mazur/WireImage

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Emmy Embroidery Red Carpet Stars

 Ah yes, my round-up of the best embroidery design from the Emmys Red Carpet.  My first group are my picks for pure glamour.  Connie Britton wore Naeem Khan's regal silk velvet and gold embroidery from the Fall 2013 collection that I loved from the runway.  She went from Diva to Queen the minute she stepped on the carpet.  Heidi Klum was stunning in Versace's "pomegranate" beaded dress.  The seams, beaded style lines and patterns added even more oomph to her formidable shape than she could possibly need.  Julianne Hough's pastel Jenny Packham dress was very revealing, but the dainty all over embroidery still kept it elegant with a classic Hollywood feel.

This group had the best use of embroidered details.  Amy Poehler's had these great embroidered fringed pockets on her dress by Brian Rennie for Basler.  My girl-crush Mindy Kaling wore a gorgeous plus face framing beaded neckline by Georges Chakra.  Katrina Bowden had a lovely jeweled waist detail on her gown from Badgley Mischka.

I dubbed this group my bride-alternatives.  I'm not saying they look like wedding dresses, but would look great for any bride seeking an unusual, but glam gown for walking down the aisle.  Kerry Washington's Marchesa dress had big, appliqued flowers embroidered in an organic pattern.  Julia Louis-Dreyfuss's beaded column by Monique Lhuillier made her tiny frame look statuesque.  Claire Dane's beaded white dress from Armani Prive was like an icy princess fantasy that was feminine yet modern.

Who wore your favorite Emmys Red Carpet look?
photos from John Shearer/Invision for Academy of Television Arts & Sciences/AP Images

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Marchesa Bridal Spring 2014

 Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig's gowns are always the dresses of dreams.  The red carpet staples look even better going down the aisle.  The Marchesa spring 2014 bridal collection had classic, traditional silhouettes, but the construction or fabrication had a bit of a twist.

What looked like a fishtail strapless gown was actually taffeta twisted and spiraled around the body.  A high/low ballgown shaped dress was actually a detachable taffeta peplum giving the bride multiple options.

Lace was a big feature, delicate, romantic beading on fitted corsets were shown.  An ankle length dress had a circle lace that had dimensional tulle embellishments.

I'm hoping that Hollywood meets the chapel and I'll see some of these dresses on my favorite celeb in the next gossip magazine.  With any luck, it will be a respectable event and sans naked crotch shot.

Photo by George Chinsee

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Marchesa Fall 2011

Every New York Fashion Week, I attend as many shows as humanly possible.  Some designers are past favorites and some are designers new to me.  In all of these cases, I am looking for designs that will excite me and in turn be able to share that excitement with you.  Sometimes the shows are good, sometimes forgettable and sometimes they are true revelations.

One label I seek out season after season is Marchesa.  It is hands down THE show that I look forward to every season.  I wrote to them requesting an invite for their presentation, despite not knowing if and when it would occur.  I did not hear back from them and several of my colleagues told me that they didn’t think they were showing this time around.  Then almost last minute, I learned that the presentation WAS taking place at the same venue in Chelsea as last season.  Needless to say, I high tailed it down there on the afternoon of the event, determined not to miss it.  I was relieved to find that my advance request had landed me on the guest list. Lucky me!

Once inside, I was greeted by a collection that was everything I had hoped it would be.  The level at which they consistently produce amazes me and has my utmost respect.  I wandered through the presentation awestruck, my head buzzing with a sensory overload of beauty.  In describing the outfits, I struggle in calling them “gowns” or “dresses”, as these are so much more than that.  Each one is a divine piece of art, taking fashion to it’s highest level and creating wearable masterpieces.  This is truly Haute Couture...

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Oscars Red Carpet Winners

Red and variations thereof ruled over the red carpet for 2011.  A continuation from the Golden Globes.  Anne Hathaway went through numerous gown changes throughout the night, but she made her entrance in a Valentino gown with a poufed train.  She thanked the designer right on the carpet with a kiss.  Natalie Portman looked as gorgeous as a very pregnant woman (and most non-pregnant women) could ever hope to look in a flattering merlot gown by Rodarte.  She showed allegiance to the designers who designed several notable costumes for her winning Oscar film Black Swan.  Last year's Best Actress award winner swept the carpet in a statuesque Vera Wang gown.  Jennifer Hudson rocked her new body in a tomato shade of Atelier Versace.  Penelope Cruz smoldered in a body conscious sequin embroidered L'Wren Scott dress.

Embellished nude and neutrals were a close runner up.  Gwyneth Paltrow split the yay/nay vote with the sequin embroidered sheath by Calvin Klein.  I personally thought she was missing an entourage of Muppets al Grammy Awards.  Halle Berry was a favorite of many critics in an embroidered tulle gown with dramatic train from Marchesa.  Nicole Kidman was stunning as usual in a proper couture embroidered Dior gown.  

Pretty in pink, lilac or lavender.  In a pre-cursor to spring, some of my favorite gowns of the night were (gasp!) pastel.  Hailee Steinfeld wore a crystal embroidered gown with a full tulle skirt that made her look ladylike, but completely appropriate for her age.  Marchesa wins again on this one.  Mila Kunis made her turn down the red carpet with a sexy but feminine frock by Elie Saab.  The strategic georgette draped panels and placement of delicate lace was provocative, but forgiving.  The gorgeous color served to enhance her strong features.  The lilac Haute Couture Givenchy on Cate Blanchett will be controversial among mainstream  critics.  However, all of the designers and industry elite were spanking themselves when the camera panned her gown.  The rigid shoulder and waist cinch framed the soft, shirred bodice and skirt with hand embroidered stones and beads.  The acid yellow spot color of beading around the neck was surprising, keeping the gown from taking itself too seriously.

For anyone who knows me, they know I always root for the fashion underdogs.  I love the rebel and the women who dare to flaunt the unexpected.  Marisa Tomei brought out a legendary designer, mostly forgotten by modern generations.  She wore a refitted Charles James Lily and Cie gown from 1950.  The gown's satin bustier and miles of organza skirt was like a museum piece brought to life.  

Helena Bonham Carter deliberately likes to turn her nose up at the fashion police.  She bypassed the traditional fashion designers and had long-time Tim Burton collaborator (and Oscar winner) Colleen Atwood make her gown.  It was an avant-garde, somewhat Gothic gown of black velvet and satin.  On the red carpet, she pulled up her skirt in a suggestive with with sassy wink to reveal a British flag.  This was her personal support for her film, the King's Speech.  It must have worked, the film took home Best Actor, Director and Film.

Photos from Getty, OK! Magazine

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NY FASHION WEEK: Marchesa Spring 2011

Pure fantasy.  Retailers and media love to sing the praises of wearability (make that $aleability), but that isn't very entertaining.  The Marchesa collection was appropriately displayed at the Chelsea Art Museum Wednesday.  The gown were sculpted works of art.  Innovative embroideries with stones, beading and horsehair stroked the imaginations of the most jaded fashion observer.

The elaborate jewels and beading was carried through into the accessories.  Clutches, headpieces and shoes were encrusted with riches. 

Will you see anyone getting out of the subway with any of these pieces?  Highly unlikely.  Then again, the average subway rider is not Marchesa's prime market.  The target woman here seems to be the Red Carpet starlet (usually from the ranks of  current Weinstein Company films).  Is there anything wrong with that?  Of course not.  I am just happy to see that there are still American designers who can inspire unattainable glamour.

Spotted in the front row Mingling: Harvey Weinstein, Tinsley Mortimer, Jessica Szohr

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WWD at 100 Exhibit

Across the street from Lincoln Center, a quiet fashion presentation is taking place.  Womens Wear Daily has installed an exhibit featuring iconic looks from the last 100 years re-interpreted by today's hottest young designers.  Marilyn Monroe's iconic white subway dress, Bruce Springsteen's denim, Audrey Hepburn just to name a few.

Gilt.com will auction the one-of-a-kind looks at the end of the exhibit.  The exhibit runs until September 16th and is open to the public.

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