Since moving to London several years ago (too many to mention now) I have attended various events at Proud Galleries in Camden and Central London. I have yet to leave an event put on by Alex Proud without having first put a fashion note in my pocket.  And the opening of his new club in the City of London, Proud Cabaret, was no exception. Although it was apparent that a disturbing trend is finding its feet once again with the younger generation - grunge!

Who will forget the early 90s when flannel and ripped clothing was all the rage. The more you looked like you just crawled out from under a rock the more in style you were.  Could this trend once again be taking the cities by storm?  Will Ralph Lauren flannel force Dolce and Gabbana corsets into the back of the closet?

I guess we aren't quite there yet.  But the celebrities found at Proud Cabaret were showing that our wardrobes might be headed in that direction. Both Alice Dellal and Helena Christensen (both pictured above) were sporting a look that is both relaxed yet incredibly time consuming. This is grunge. You work for hours to look like you just crawled out of bed. Go figure.

That being said, the women at Proud Cabaret would have all the men in London lining the streets waiting to get in. The corset is definitely an idea that is not lost on the performers or on several women in attendance for that matter.

This place is worth a visit, not only for the excellent cocktails, shows, food and decor but also for the wonderful fashion displayed by those in attendance. Young, urban and chic very rarely place their finally manicured feet incorrectly.

More party news later...     

She is perhaps the "super-est" of all supermodels today. Cindy Crawford is a legend and considered a great beauty by both men and women.

Women dream of looking like her and men dream of what they would look like walking into a room with her.

Last week Cindy created a media frenzy when an interview she'd given to a German celebrity magazine was released into the public domain. In the interview she was quoted as saying the following:

"I would not have become a supermodel in 2009. I look too healthy."

"A body like mine with big breasts, normal thighs and toned upper arms is no longer what the industry is looking for."

She went on to stress how happy and relaxed she was in her body now at 40. And really who wouldn't be - have you seen her lately? She looks just as gorgeous as she did at 20.  We should all hope to age as well!

Cindy has been criticized by several media outlets for appearing to have low self esteem because of this article. The critics that wrote these pieces obviously didn't read the article but merely "quote grabbed".  Cindy was not criticizing herself, she was criticizing what the industry has become, and rightfully so.

She speaks the truth. If she walked into any of the leading agencies in NYC, London, Paris or Milan they would all show her the door and tell her not to come back until she has lost at least 40 lbs, which of course is ridiculous. This certainly wasn't the case of 20 years ago.

Since Cindy was discovered at the age of 16 she has graced the covers of various magazines over 400 times. She constantly tops 'most beautiful' lists. She's also managed to find the time to host a TV show, star in fitness videos and raise two beautiful children.  This is a woman that has made a name, and a fortune, for herself from her stellar face and body.

Cindy was not only a supermodel, she was a universal sex symbol.  Hardly any of the women we see modelling fashion in Vogue today are attractive to men. How do I know this? Well I asked every man I could find to flip through last month's issue and point out one woman they liked. 

There was not one page (bar the advertisements of celebrities or articles on celebrities) that warranted a second glance. The men said "they look scary", "I'd feed them a steak on the first sitting", "I'd take her out just to save her from starving and then immediately rush her to a rehab clinic", "She'd break in two." I could go on forever but there weren't very nice things said, that is for sure. 

I then displayed some images I had on my blackberry of supermodel legends Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Christie Brinkley, Elle Macpherson and Claudia Schieffer. Talk about some gaga eyes and drool. And to think that these women were all size eight when modeling, which is incidentally twice the size, sometimes four times the size of today's fashion model.

Cindy Crawford simpy raised awareness of a growing problem with the fashion world today. At what point do we stop asking women to shrink and just start using actual clothes hangers to run clothes down a catwalk.  It's not physically possible for any of these girls to get any smaller! Bring back the Cindys, Claudias, and Christies.

 

That's right! You read that correctly. Target announced yesterday that the legendary Jean Paul Gaultier, the man behind the current success of Hermes, will be the latest to design a line of clothing for the cheap chic store Target, in America.  I have goose bumps all over. I must know more....when, how, what?! As soon as I know, you will too! Stay tuned!

Short history of Jean Paul Gaultier:

Instead of marching down the traditional route of schooling to become an expert in the trade, Gaultier was a natural from birth with designing and expressing his ideas through sketching. He sent his sketches to couture designers in Paris and was taken in by the great Pierre Cardin as an assistant....what a break! It wasn't long before Gaultier broke out on his own and in 1976 he launched his own collection onto the scene. He was perhaps best known in the Eighties, for the clothing he designed for Madonna (think back to the cone-boob bustier). 

His style has always stood out from the rest with its funky street wear influence and playful nature.  I have always felt that his clothing was a great reflection of his personality. Jean Paul has always appeared happy and good natured and ready to tackle any obstacle put in his way with his cheery disposition - something that is not often found in the fashion world these days. His optimistic nature is highlighted even more so when you consider his share of misfortunes over the years, such as the loss of his partner to AIDS which was a devastating blow to the designer.  

Since 2003 Gaultier has not only continued to design for his own named brand but also been the Creative Director at Hermes where we have seen his skill of merging tradition and modernity on the catwalk. All one has to do is take a look at his latest effort from Paris to understand the clear obsession every true fashionista has with this fantastically brilliant designer! He is also, I think, the first to put a pregnant supermodel on the catwalk - remember Jourdan Dunn and her nice little belly cover from last month? Brilliant I tell you, Brilliant!

And you can't very well show a series of beautiful shoes without presenting handbags to buy alongside. So here are a few I anticipate will be sellouts for the season. 

 

Karl Lagerfeld is today's Renaissance Man.

 

Over the years I have visited upon fashion week after fashion week enjoying shows and observing new trends and every year there is one show that I anticipate more than any other - the Chanel show.  

 

The reasoning behind this? Well, this is a show that is all about fashion and yet is so much more than fashion itself.

 

It's a production and I would hate to see what the bill comes to by the end of each sitting.

 

Chanel is renowned for it's incredible show sets. In the past we've seen merry-go-rounds, vast steel sculptures of organ pipes, larger than life perfume bottles, catwalks in Venice, Italy on the beach, faux Chanel store fronts and models of Chanel jackets the size of small buildings - all displayed as backdrops for Lagerfeld's beauties.

 

Since 2006 Karl has used the Grand Palais in Paris to showcase his designs and enormous sets.  Most in the fashion world have grown accustomed to his stark white set designs which allow the models to pop out from the backdrop in their Chanel designs.

 

 

But he must have woken up one morning and thought it was time for a change. Perhaps it was the newly purchased house in Vermont, on Lake Champlain, that opened his eyes to new frontiers. Or was it a world that seems obsessed with organic farms? Whatever the reason, this year we were presented with a set like none before.  

 

It was one that not only affected perceptions of the fashion on display but also the attitude of those showcasing the clothes. For the first time that I can remember the Chanel models walked with a bit of a swagger.

They had wide smiles and they generally looked they were having a good time - especially the three at the close of the show who were having a little romp in the hay for all the world to see.

 

So what was this grand design?  None other than a great big barnyard with a giant Chanel logo branding the structure! That's right folks. Models paid in six figure sums were trudging out of a haystack through dirt in their fresh-from-the-cobbler Chanel heels. Lily Allen even popped up with a band to serenade them as they walked.

When I first saw the set I thought Karl would be presenting clothes with the same attitude as was seen at Ralph Lauren or Jean Paul Gaultier - one with an urband feel.  What a surprise then to find the usual chic wear presented against such a natural background.  

 

He has once again taken the classic Chanel jacket and given it a redesign.  Tweeds and Ruffles were abundant.  Accessories were displayed that will have women queuing globally. Karl Lagerfeld was perhaps trying to tell us that we can still be ladylike and sophisticated in a green world.  I've never seen so much nude in a show by Lagerfeld but it worked wonders with the classic tweeds rather than just looking like a burlap sack - which could have been the case.  There are easily a dozen suits suitable for any and every occasion.

 

Suzy Menkes of the New York Times summed it up best when she said "not since the banks busted their credit ratings has a runway collection expressed such a fashion joie de vivre and a dizzying desire to buy."

 

The designs were what we have come to expect from the great Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. Coco would be proud.

 

Karl Lagerfeld. His name is a sentence in itself. He is a legend in the fashion world. Becoming a legend can do horrible things to creative types. You are only as good as your latest presentation. Every season I wonder if we have seen the last of Lagerfeld's genius and every season I am presented with a show I can only praise. His creative this time around was displayed on a minimalist level. It was definitely toned down. His cleverness is displayed in wide collars, his love affair with shorts, swirling neck lines and metallic accents on shoulders and bodices of spring dresses. The shapes of some of the dresses did remind me of what Balenciaga was showing us two seasons ago, but then again imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Ah Fendi...another closet staple. Always the go-to dresses for a classic look that also makes a modern statement.  A catwalk of subtle nudes shook the hearts of bystanders. Chunky espadrilles were given another life with six inch glossy platforms and sensuous fabrics that caressed and flattered the ankle. The bags were what we have come to expect from Fendi - fantastic. But really it was the clever dress designs that made me take my hat off to Karl. A great deal of emphasis is still placed on the shoulders this season with glorified footballer's shoulder pads and cleverly draped fabrics.       

That's the motto for spring. It's loose and comfortable and we are seeing it strut down the catwalk with every passing day.  

Etro has always had a mother earth-meets-couture kind of vibe and this season is no exception. Dresses are loose, trousers are slung low and colours are warm. But this is only the start of the show. Veronica Etro switches things up in the middle with the waist dramatically cinched with wide belts. Although the midriff is restricted, fabric flows freely on both the top and the bottom. The body is able to move about with only one area crying out for attention.  Veronica may look dwarfed next to her gigantic runway models but this little lady packs a serious punch. I am already looking forward to spring and have a new motivation to sticking with my running routine...let's just say bras aren't really part of the Etro game plan for next season so I have some work to do!

I think that's a pretty accurate description of what was seen at Dsquared in Milan this weekend....and I loved every inch of it.

Dsquared is known for its outrageous takes on fashion but this is pure and utter genius. A girl in a poofy purple gown, beer bottle in hand and a trucker hat on her head is the highlight for me. It doesn't get much better. It's only heightened by the fact that the clothes are actually phenomenal.

Perhaps that is the point of such unlikely pairings...not even wearing a rag on your head or a hat resembling a beer helmet can detract from these stunning designs.  One more thing before I go...I never imagined in my lifetime I would see a wilderness girl in a black floor length gown with a black leather silver studded rucksack - LOVE IT!