029. Fresh picks from Nylon!

Go out and buy it. It's Nylon's spring fashion issue. I admit my faith in Nylon had been slipping in recent months, but this has restored it. Insanely good coverage of what's new and perhaps-hot. I'm only halfway through it and it's hella good. Go read it. That's all.

Also of interest: Nylon's official website, with many an extra goody not found in print.

028. TWENTY8TWELVE by s.miller: Worth the wait?

Word has been out everywhere about Sienna and Savannah Miller's new clothing line, TWENTY8TWELVE. I myself am not a huge fan of Sienna and consider her style to be rather blah, but hey, I'm a curious person so I decided to check out their spring collection online.

The style is true to the sisters' fashion sense, and I can't blame them for that - why would you want to create a line that didn't cater to your personal aesthetic - but unfortunately, that means overpriced drab plain garments with seemingly nice tailoring but little else.


Siegfried Jacket in Ebonised, $594
RevolveClothing.com
This thing is the demented lovechild of a dowdy housecoat and a raincoat. The three-quarter length sleeves do not work, and the fabric is abnormally thin. It might have some promise if it were offered in a rich purple or emerald, but the black dulls out the look and makes it look trashy.


Blair Tee in Emulsion 50's, $99
RevolveClothing.com
Okay, am I the only one who thinks this looks like a blatant reference to sadomasochism? Located on a bleeding heart, the S and M are strategically placed on each side of a graphic that could be an ampersand! who knows! Only upon close inspection do you discover that it is a pelvis. Is this some sort of jab about the dead seriousness of the label or do the sisters just think it'd be cool if they catered to the McQueen skull-and-crossbones fan base?


Calandra Jacket in Ebonised, $418
RevolveClothing.com
This jacket is the best of what I've seen so far. It's crisp and polished and quite chic. Again, it's the sort of thing Sienna has been seen wearing millions of times. I'm not trying to harp on her style (much), but if you're going to create your own line, might you at least create something you can't buy from OTHER designers?

I just can't decide if I like the line. The basic pieces and ruffled blouses are useful and fashionable, but I'm just not sure if they're worth the price. For basic, deconstructed pieces, TWENTY8TWELVE is your brand, but I'm too apathetic about the collection to generate any real excitement about the clothes.

027. For aspiring designers (and other interested parties).

I try to include a graphic in every post, but this one has little to do with visuals--it's all about what you create.

Bag Snob recently linked me to Fashion Indie's Ten Best Websites for Fashion Designers. While I'm not a designer and this doesn't technically benefit me, the links they recommend are worth checking look at because they remind you of the intense amount of work that goes into showing a collection and/or producing a line to be sold. I mean, yeah, it's obvious that it takes a TON of work (and luck) to strike it big, but it's so hard to fully grasp the implications of entrepreneurship. No wonder designers are desperate to win Project Runway. It really is a free ride past all many of the troubles one would otherwise have to struggle through.

Unless, of course you're Tory Burch, an heiress who has practically infinite funding to launch her own (and might I add, successful?) line.

026. Reading list: February 2008.

Amazon.com
I just finished reading The Collection by Gioia Diliberto. The book tells the story of a young girl from provincial France who goes to Paris to work as a seamstress for Chanel. It's an easy read (it took me about a day to finish the 266-page book), and it helps acquaint you with both the process of making couture and the famous couturiers of the early twentieth century.

In detail, Diliberto describes the meticulous, challenging, and time-consuming work that goes into creating a couture garment: unlike other couturiers, in Chanel's workshop, every stitch is literally hand sewn. The author also fleshes out the personality of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (or as the narrator refers to her, "Mademoiselle"), painting her as a brilliant but mercurial woman who fires workers when they become too valuable because she doesn't want to become too dependent on anyone.

It isn't a heavy-duty book, but it's definitely worth a read if you don't know much about French couture or the great couturiers of yesteryear. $16.50 at Amazon.com.

025. Fashion Week UPDATE.

I generally try my best to stay away from coverage of spring's Fall Fashion Week for a few months. This isn't because I'm not excited about the clothes, or that I don't want to see them. It's actually due to the fact that I love fall fashion, and it kills me to see the fashion shows and then have to wait seven months at the very least to be able to wear them. All summer I writhe under the sweltering heat, longing for a day when I can wear those gorgeous peacoats I saw on the runway when snow was still on the ground in February!

So you're not going to get endless posts of runway reviews from me. But if you want a recommendation for a good guide to AW08/09, check out Refinery29 Pipeline, which does a fabulous job of covering everything from the fashion shows themselves to the parties that follow to street fashion seen during. And while you're there, check out the main website. This is the best procrastination tool I've found in a while.