Chanel Fall 2010 RTW Collection

Chanel has long been considered the benchmark of fashion for haute couture and ready to wear. Designers and clothing companies around the globe are inspired by the collections that Chanel puts on the runway every season. It may be no surprise that the upcoming fall season will be a reflection of what Chanel showed on the runway. As we know, 90’s minimalism was all over the runways in Paris, Milan and New York. This theme has been reflected in the ready to wear collections hitting the stores for Fall 2010.

The Chanel ready-to-wear collection for Fall 2010 will give any fashionista in the bay area a sense of deja-vu. Chanel’s collection is a sharp nod to the minimalism of the 1990’s. Black was the dominant color for suits, jackets and dresses. Asides from black, there was a large amount of charcoal and grey with a splash of red thrown into the mix. Chanel’s shoe line is almost completely black with one small hint of white trim. The signature camellia garnishes the toe box of Chanel’s flats for Fall. The handbag collection is clearly classic with a full line of 2.55 handbags and classic flap’s in mini, small, medium and jumbo. The classic collection is arriving in black, white, plum and a darker red. The red is actually quite stunning. It has more of a blue undertone as opposed to the brighter reds we have seen in the past few seasons. The contemporary handbags are classic in theme with clean lines and basic colors such as black, white and grey. Chanel is showing varying sizes of totes and shoulder bags that are variations of the classic collection. Anyone interested in a Chanel bag that is considered contemporary cannot go wrong this season. The handbags in this collection will not go out of style. They are true investment pieces. There is also a good mix of lambskin, caviar leather and sparkling patent leather. The patent plum is to die for!

The wonderful part about this upcoming Fall’s collections will be the classic lines and colors that allow bay area fashionistas to buy key wardrobe pieces that will never go out of style. Every fashionista can use a classic black Chanel tweed suit paired with a fabulous red patent leather classic flap handbag. This is the ultimate go-to outfit for any event; especially when the event is short notice! Happy shopping and stay fabulous!!

90’s Minimalism is Back!

The minimalist 1990’s were all over the Fall 2010 runways! After the decadent 1980’s where hair, earrings and shoulders were larger than life, there was a need for a break. In the 1990’s designers focused on subtle colors, softer patterns, clean lines and barely there jewelry. The Fall 2010 runways in Milan, Paris and New York looked strangely familiar. Models strutted down the runway in garments free of fuss. Hair was either neatly pulled back or smooth with waves dangling below the shoulder. Shoes showed cleaner lines with both flat soles and platforms. Handbags were boxy with less hardware than designers have shown in recent years. The one shock on the runway was the noticeable lack of jewelry!

In the 1990’s fashionistas in the bay area wore small hoops, tiny dangles and small post earrings. Necklaces were simple with a small pendant. The only jewelry that took on any life during the decade was the bracelet. There were beaded bracelets in the mid-1990’s and stacked gold bangles as we neared Y2K. The cuff made a few appearances throughout the decade as well as beaded mineral bracelets with healing powers.

There were a few glimpses of jewelry on the runway for Fall 2010. Marni showed a sixteen inch silver and gemstone chocker worn over a camel coat. Marni also previewed an intricate layered necklace look with mixture of gemstones in varying shapes and sizes worn with a simple deep-V frock. Oscar de la Renta put a large, red and bronze medieval necklace over white fur paired with a red leather and crocodile belt. Dolce & Gabbana had a model donning a simple gold heart on a thin eighteen inch chain worn with a simple black blazer and lace camisole.

Since the minimalism of the 90’s has returned for Fall 2010, fashionistas in the bay area have the perfect opportunity to stock up on classic items such as camel coats, black blazers and classic handbags with clean lines. This is also the perfect season to shop your closet! We know there is a little bit of the 90’s in there somewhere  So pull out your little black dress, black pumps and camel coat; because that is all you really need to get started for Fall. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

The New Shoe Look for Fall 2010

Fall 2010 is bringing a new, fresh look to high heel shoes. Over the past decade we have been watching as shoes have gone to inconceivable heights. At times, it appeared as if models on the runway were walking on boxes rather than actual shoes. The soles of shoes became large canvasses for artwork. Platforms boasted multiple colors and patches of fabric or leather. Embellishments have been a mainstay on both the platform portion of the shoe as well as the upper portion adorning our feet. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area fashionistas have embraced the more conservative versions of the platforms seen on the Paris, Milan and New York runways over the past few years. Christian Louboutin has had the most popular platform shoes in the bay area with his soles that raise the toes roughly one inch above the ground and the heel about four inches from the floor. Louboutin’s open toe and closed toe pump styles have been spotted on fashionable feet throughout the bay area in fabrications such as leather, satin and glitter.

The Fall 2001 runways showed much flatter soles than in previous seasons. Chanel showed fur boots with flat soles and clear heels. Prada gave us dazzling patent mary janes with flat soles and four inch heels. Although flat soles may be making a comeback, it does not mean fashionistas will have to move all of their platforms to the back of the closet. Designers such as Balenciaga showed platforms with sky high heels for Fall 2010. This means fashionistas in the bay area will have a choice between platforms or flat soled high heels. How perfect is that! It is always a great fashion season when we do not have to worry about what we wear on our feet. Transitionary periods in fashion allow us to wear the type of shoe we feel like wearing without the worry of seeming outdated.

In this recession, it is always nice to know that fashionistas in the bay area can bring back their beloved Manolo Blahniks from the back of the closet and relive those fabulous high heel days when the pump was a delicate work of art, rather than a five pound weight on our feet. Of course, there will still be days when fashionistas will feel like being taller and funky. Those will be the days we pull out our platforms and make our outfit all about our shoes! Enjoy the Fall 2010 shoe season and stay fabulous!