La Dolce (& Gabbana) Vita

Eva Mendes turns the photograph“American Girl in Italy” into reality waltzing through Sicily with designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana on either side, wearing one of their latest creations.  This image, so reminiscent of old world Italy, is equally representative of the Dolce & Gabbana brand.

While Rossellini, The Godfather, and Sophia Loren immortalized the golden age of Sicily on the silver screen, Dolce & Gabbana keep it alive through fashion.  Deeply rooted in local tradition the label spins old world Italian attitudes with a sense of irony and humor. Pinstriped suits worn by voluptuous women give a new face to machismo, while lace and leopard make women as dangerous as they are gorgeous.

The ever present dichotomy of masculine vs. feminine, innocent vs. sensual, is one of the labels most note-worthy calling cards.  This purple dress is a great example of that.  The sweet baby-doll cut and puffy cap sleeve give a sense of girly playfulness. The exposed zipper that runs the entire length of the back of the dress gives it an edge for a fetish-meets-feminine feel.

Intricate fastenings and corsetry are also unmistakable trademarks of the brand. Carrie Bradshaw may have made the exposed bra an essential fashion statement for the Sex in the City Generation, but Domenico and Stefano pioneered the underwear as outerwear trend. With their experience in corsetry and complex lingerie inspired construction it's not surprising Dolce & Gabbana have made a name for themselves as leading tailors in the industry.  Highly complicated patterns are flawlessly pieced together ensuring clean lines and incredible fit. This symphony set to needlepoint shows you just how intricately pieced and fitted each blazer and bustier really is...
  

Their attention to detail through piping, lining, and buttons is another factor that sets them apart.  It also contributes to some pretty astronomical price tags.  A typical blazer from the black label collection will set you back anywhere from $1650 to $2500, a dress $1800, and a pair of pants $650.

I love the details in this Dolce & Gabbana jacket. The unique raspberry color, contrast piping, and the hammered metal buttons make this piece extra special. I also love the detached pockets. It’s a new take on a traditional blazer transforming it into a great fashion piece.

For the basic facts (and a few not so basic) facts on the design duo visit the Fluent in a Flash page.

"When in doubt wear red" ...But make it green



Stella McCartney



I have a hard enough time picking out what I'm going to wear for the day, let alone the perfect first piece for my blog. Then I remembered great American designer Bill Blass- "When in doubt wear red." Or, look to a fellow redhead. I'm doing both. Who better than Stella McCartney to be my first well-versed muse. 


It's easy to throw up in your mouth a little when you see a "coated cotton" label attached to a $1,095 price tag on her coveted Falabella bag.  "Are you kidding?" is the usual response, and I don't blame you.  This is where education plays a key role in your purchase.  While you might feel a little ripped off by the absence of leather, you are actually holding a rare gem in your hands. 



The Falabella: "The Vegan It Bag"

While the price tag may seem less than "stella," (I couldn't resist) there is a lot of green goodness that goes into the greenbacks being doled out for that bag. It's McCartney's stance on ethical and ecologically responsible production that makes her such a rarity in the fashion industry.

Dating back to her tenure at the famed Central Saint Martins school in London, she has consistently held true to her lacto-ovo-vegetarian roots. Stella refuses to use leather or fur in any of her designs, which, can be a challenge when designing shoes and handbags.  Stella has embraced the task at hand however, cultivating numerous techniques that deliver gorgeously ethical products season after season.  The science involved in creating the fibrous blends that look luxurious while remaining environmentally conscious is incredible. Developing these processes can be much more costly than traditional methods. The production techniques are also much more time consuming.  Natural and woven fibers can be painstakingly temperamental when it comes to consistency. Most of the work has to be done by hand. For this reason, a masterfully tailored blazer (one of her signature staples) ballparks around $1,800. A typical dress comes in around $1,000, a pair of pants around $600 and shoes around $500 (except for boots, in which case, as expected, the price sky rockets). Stella McCartney makes it clear that doing things the right way isn't always the cheapest way. She also proves that tree huggers and fashionistas can be friends; ethics and luxury can live in harmony.

One of the greatest things about McCartney is that she makes green transparent. She is admittedly far from perfect, but she clearly tries hard.  The "Green Me" section of her website meticulously documents the company's role in animal rights awareness, their approach to sustainability, and even gives tips to  make your own life a little more green. StellaMcCartney.com has so much more to offer than an overview of the season's latest collection. A glimpse into the life and practices of Stella herself could keep you occupied and inspired for hours.   I highly recommend reading this article on her production processes and techniques, and this interview on "Doing the Right Thing" for the UK magazine Above.

With everything there is to know about Stella it's not surprising that Kate Hudson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna are some of her closest friends and biggest  supporters.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of Stella McCartney. Aside from her unique fabrications and dedication to the environment her silhouettes break the fashion mold.  Her clothing works with the body, not against it.  Luckily for me she works particularly well with curvy bodies.  As much as some of us girls hate it... we have boobs. A lot of  high-end clothing doesn't account for that.  Stella gets what it is to be a woman. Her clothes make you look and feel sexy, powerful, and confident without clinging to every skin cell.

 

This red silk frock of hers that graces my own wardrobe is one of my top ten favorite pieces.  It is a true multi-tasking garment that can be worn a thousand different ways. As a dress, a top, belted,or bowed the arresting red hue is always a show stopper. I love it paired with my Stella McCartney salmon colored silk "Blenny" shorts. The red/coral color combination is one of my favorites these days. It's so unexpected but completely sophisticated. Its a great plus that the low impact dyes used in both garments make me feel as good about them as I do in them.

Need a few more talking points on Stella McCartney? Just want a couple of cool facts for your mental Rolodex? Check out the Fluent in a Flash page.

Do you want to know anything else about Stella McCartney? Have any other interesting bits of information to offer? Feel free to comment or e-mail me.

The Redhead, the Blog, and the Wardrobe

Watching a recent red carpet interview I realized why, when it comes to fashion, the questions never delve deeper than "Who are you wearing?"  Beyond the label, how many of us (myself included) can speak truly knowledgeably about our wardrobe?  To say you chose a Gucci frock worth a couple grand "because it’s purple and sparkly and I love it," sounds incomprehensible to say the least.

Now, I get it.  We all have our vices.  Techies splurge on the latest gadgets, foodies spend hundreds on a single meal, and winos have no problem doling out triple digits for just one bottle of wine. What makes these people different than the average fashion junkie is how well they can explain those purchases to the layman.  Just like any addict, we've all had to defend our fashion choices.  But for those of you that could never quite find the words to justify those $800 Louboutin's, I’m here to help! 

I’ll help you tell the story of why those coveted pieces hanging in your closet are so much more than “pretty” or “flattering.”  I hope they become a collection of gems, each with its own story to tell – and a story that validates its price tag to boot!  As I journey through my wardrobe (and the closets of friends and family), I’ll share what I know about certain designers, textiles, and fashion techniques, so that all of us can have a wardrobe that is as well versed as it is stocked.