In Spades

Style... in abundance

The One That Got Away

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that this is the time of year when I do most of my shopping.  I’m a designer sale season treasure hunter.  And while there are plenty of treasures I’ve taken home, there is also a fair share of pieces that I’ve left behind.

For today’s Fashion Friday, I wanted to share all of the designer sale season items I decided against (and now regret).

Phoebe Philo Celine Jewelry

Phoebe Philo Celine Cuff

Anytime I’m in NY I carve time out for two things NO MATTER WHAT.  Shopping and eating.  NYC is one of the greatest cities in the world and I’d be a fool not to partake in two of her mastery’s.

In between NYFW shows, I popped into The RealReal in Soho.  This Phoebe Philo Celine cuff and gold choker are so epic.  I passed because I didn’t think it was wise to make such a big purchase in 20 minutes – like I said, in between shows – but boy, was I wrong.

I wish I would have at least purchased the cuff.  It’s so unique.  Ugh.

Silk Jumpsuit

Silk jumpsuit

This was a random, after work shopping trip that yielded plentiful results.  The cut, comfort and level of chic attached to this jumpsuit is otherworldly.  So why the heck did I leave it behind?  I had to drive from LA to San Diego that night and wanted to beat traffic, so I passed because it was final sale.

I ended up calling the store the next day to see if it was still available and it wasn’t.  I spent the better part of 3 months trying to track it down with no luck.

Mugler Leather Jacket

Mugler leather jacket

I have a thing for Mugler leather jackets.  My holy grail is this one.  It slipped through my fingers and I’m not going to lie when I say that if I ever see it in person, it will take every fiber of my being not to snatch it off the back of the wearer.

A close second was this super structured shoulder number I found in NY.  Again, I had less than an hour between NYFW shows and decided against it.  Beyond those kick-ass shoulders was a cropped silhouette with zippered moto sleeves.

Passing on that one?  Amateur hour.

Valentino Dress

Valentino leopard dress

This was probably the biggest blunder of them all because it was from Nordstrom.  With their amazing return policy, I should have taken it home and let it sit in my closet for a few days.

The leopard print.  The jeweled eye.  The 60s cut.  It had everything.  And it was super comfortable and could be worn for a multitude of events.

Like I said.  Ugh.

The History of Fashion: Helmut Lang

Helmut Lang draped jacketHelmut Lang draped jacket

There is a faction of designers I like to call fashion’s lost legends.  Lost, in that despite having a profound impact on the world of fashion, they fell off the grid.  Some exited the industry for other pursuits.  Some left a major fashion house and never landed anywhere new.  And others… well, the world may never know.

What is so fascinating about this group is that none of them are one-trick ponies.  They are all supremely talented.  So talented, in fact, they completely changed the way the world got dressed.

I will be breaking down the full list of these sartorial visionaries, but first, let us start with [arguably] the biggest one… Helmut Lang.

What Helmut Lang Gave the World of Fashion

For the uninitiated, Helmut Lang is an Austrian designer that started his line in 1977 and left the industry in 2005.  His almost 20-year career began at the age of 21, in Vienna.  While in business school, he did a 180 and tried his hand at design.  By 1986 he was showing in Paris.

What makes him so revolutionary is his popularization of minimalism.  He introduced concepts that are copied ad nauseaum in fast fashion and luxury houses alike even to this day.

What you’re wearing right now is very likely because of Helmut Lang.  Not sold?  Here’s a (not complete) list of what he contributed to fashion.

  1. Moto pants and leggings
  2. Designer denim
  3. Flat front pants
  4. 3-button suits
  5. Black-and-white and monochrome aesthetics
  6. Mixing of high and low; luxury and streetwear
  7. Straps and bondage-esque details in clothing
How Helmut Lang Changed the Business of Fashion

If you caught my post 5 Fashion Facts That Shaped The History of Fashion, you know that Helmut Lang is responsible for the Americans showing first on the fashion calendar – something that was never done prior to 1998.  When he left Paris for New York, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan followed suit, creating a mass exodus of American designers that showed before the Europeans.

He was also the first to show menswear and womenswear together, AND the first to eliminate elevated catwalks.  He felt that showing the models walking ground-level gave a better indication of how the clothes mimicked real life.

His 1998 show was the first in history to be shown online.  Guests received a CD-ROM, as well as a link to watch the show on the internet.  Incredibly revolutionary for the time, even though it was done out of necessity (no venue) versus Steve Jobs-like innovation.  He would show online once more, immediately after 9/11.  This set into motion online fashion archives like style.com.

Helmut Lang the Man

Known for marching to his own beat, Lang wasn’t one for the limelight.  He rarely gave interviews, wouldn’t show up for ceremonies in which he was nominated for awards and didn’t enjoy the social side of fashion.

He advertised in unconventional places like National Geographic and on top of taxi cabs in NYC.

His camp argues that he did not popularize minimalism, but essentialism.  I too, agree with this assessment.  Here is one of my favorite Helmut Lang quotes that epitomizes this theory.

When asked what he wants to express through clothing:

Contemporary and visionary possibilities infused with my interests in the human condition with a shot of elegance, romance, and coolness. Experiments with basics and eccentrics, shaken not stirred, and served with a dose of sexuality.

Where it all Went Wrong

In 1999, The Prada Group bought a 51% stake in his company.  While Lang still had full creative control, Prada wanted him to focus on “it” shoes and handbags.  They canceled a licensing agreement with one of his biggest denim manufacturers – the bread and butter of his business.  Within 5 years, the company fell by 60%.

People close to the source said it wasn’t a matter of fault by one side or the other, but rather a misalignment of the merger.  At the time, fashion conglomerates were still forming and find their footing.  No one really knew what would work and what wouldn’t.  While The Prada Group isn’t one of the big conglomerates, they do own a roster of brands.  Unfortunately, owning Helmut Lang was not value-added for either entity.

Lang exited the business in 2005.  His brand is now owned by the group that owns Theory and Uniqlo.

Where is he now?

Helmut Lang is now a part of the fine art world.

Upon retiring, he donated his archives to 18 different museums and non-profits.  An Athens man owns the largest private collection of his pieces in the world.

When a fire consumed part of his studio, Lang made the decision to shred the remains and use it in his art.

You can read more about his fine art here and his collaboration with Saint Lauren here.

Would I Still Wear That?

For today’s Fashion Friday, I wanted to share another Would I Still Wear That?  All of these looks are from Oct, Nov and Dec 2014.

This is such a fun series for me.  Not only am I a sucker for nostalgia, but I love a good laugh too. 😉

Speaking of nostalgia, first up is this Alexander Wang x H&M look.

Alexander Wang x H&M

Alexander Wang x H&M Alexander Wang x H&M

What I love about this one is how anticipated this particular collab was.  In 2014 Alexander Wang was at the height of his career.  He was simultaneously designing for his own label AND Balenciaga.  The minute the lookbook hit the internet I meticulously selected what I wanted and made plans to wake up early to queue up for the opening.

Back in those days, if you showed up at a somewhat reasonable hour, you were pretty much guaranteed to get what you wanted. (I distinctly remember the collection when all that changed – Lanvin for H&M).  Sure enough, I was able to score this dress, number 1 on my wish list.

Wearing it with genuine Alexander Wang platforms and a black bra.  Probably the most revealing look you’ll find on In Spades.

Yes, I’d still wear this.

Pink + Platforms + Pajamas

Pink Coat

Oy vey.  The first thing (that hits me like a freight train) are those shoes.  WHY did we wear platform peep toes?  Eesh.  Coupled with the fact that I’m traipsing around the forest in them – I have no idea what’s going on here.

The only platform pumps I can get behind are the YSL Tribtoo.  The weird bull nose made them an ugly shoe I just had to love.  But these?  Clearly an impulse buy.

The silk pants are actually trousers from Barney’s and resemble a chic pajama vibe.  I think I was ahead of my time here.  I no longer have them (RIP Barney’s) but would absolutely still wear them.

The coat is old Banana Republic and I have to say, I’m digging the 60’s vibe.  I still own it but haven’t worn it in ages.

The Duvet Cover 

Cape Sweater Cape Sweater

Haha, another oy vey moment.  I blame Lady Gaga for this sweater.  When I saw it, it immediately made me think of her and something ridiculous she’d wear so I had to have it.  Remarkably it’s from Anthropologie, but it looks like an old duvet cover, carpet or tapestry.

The first photo – when I keep the cape down – isn’t so bad.  But when I place it over my head like a hoodie, it’s a combo of E.T. and Little Red Riding Hood.

I will say it was a fun styling choice at the time.  I was working my wardrobe for the camera.  If you can’t enjoy yourself and take risks on a personal style blog, well, then you’re missing out.

 

5 Fashion Facts That Shaped The History of Fashion

Libertine FW18Last week I shared one of my favorite Fashion Friday’s ever.  It only made it to Instagram (I blame the full moon and Daylight Savings Time), so today I wanted to share it here.

I created a version of Fashion Jeopardy to discuss five key moments in The History of Fashion.

Are you ready?

1. Who won the fashion Battle of Versailles?  The French or the Americans?

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, the fashion Battle of Versailles took place in 1973 as a fundraiser to restore the palace.  Royalty and celebrities alike flocked to the scene to watch 5 French designers and 5 American designers duke it out on the runway.

Actually, it wasn’t meant as a competition.

But the Americans (Bill Blass, Halston, Stephen Burrows, Anne Klein and Oscar de la Renta) served it so hard the news headlines declared them the “winner” of the night.

Why was this event so significant?

Besides beating the crème de la crème of French fashion – Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Givenchy, Ungaro and Pierre Cardin – runway shows prior to this were conducted in complete silence.  No music.  No theatrics.  You were supposed to focus strictly on the clothes.

The Americans brought both music and theatricality to Versailles and it dazzled the audience.  This forever shaped the way runway shows would be presented in the future.

Also of note was that the Americans brought 11 African American models (out of 36 total) with them to walk the runway.  At the time, this was groundbreaking (and awesome).

The level of innovation the Americans brought to the fashion Battle of Versailles was a turning point in how consumers experienced fashion.

2. Which designer is responsible for setting the fashion calendar as we know it?

Answer: Helmut Lang

The current fashion calendar is New York, London, Milan, then Paris.  The old fashion calendar used to have the Americans showing last.

Part of this was due to the fact the Americans copied European designers.  At the time, this was actually accepted by virtue of licensing agreements.  The USA wanted to see what their European counterparts were doing so they could make tweaks to their own collections.

But when Helmut Lang said goodbye to Europe and moved shop to New York, he decided to show first.  This created a trickle-down effect and all the Americans followed suit.  Americans became savvier and were willing to branch out on their own and take more creatives risks.  Helmut Lang instituted Fashion Week as we know it.

Also of note about Helmut Lang is that he is the first designer to stage an online runway show.  He did it in 1998!

It was actually an accident – he wasn’t trying to be innovative.  He canceled his venue 4 weeks before the show and had nowhere to host his runway.  Guests received a CD-ROM of the show in the mail and a link was also posted in their website.

1998 you guys!

3. Which designer had a 17-year career as a Vogue editor before starting her line?

Answer: Vera Wang

What I love about this fact is the message that it’s never too late to pursue something you love.  Vera Wang had a robust career before becoming a designer at the age of 40.  She also had no formal training in the beginning.  Her line started because she was getting married and couldn’t find a dress she liked.  When she decided to just design it herself, a seamstress quoted her $10,000 to make the dress.  She said “forget it” and took matters into her own hands.

So many designers started because they identified a void in the marketplace.  Vera Wang was a key component for shaping the bridal fashion world today.

4. Which designer served as the Creative Director for the most labels simultaneously?

Answer: Karl Lagerfeld

I’ve talked about this before, but the fact that Karl designed for Chanel, Fendi and his own label for decades until his mid-eighties is downright incredible.  He was the ultimate multi-tasker.

Designing for that many brands means he was creating 16+ collections per year.  Most designers can’t even handle 4.

A noteworthy second is Tom Ford.  He designed for Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent simultaneously.  When he took the lead at Gucci, they were in such a bad spot, their own Creative Director said “no one would dream of wearing Gucci.” 

By 1995 Ford had taken the company to a $4 billion valuation.  He also inherited the lead role at YSL and faced immense scrutiny.  YSL would send him nasty letters and disparage his work to the press.  It was a very unfortunate situation, both for the young designer and an ailing, unstable genius.

5. Which designer was fired from Christian Dior, sued them for wrongful termination, and won?

Most think the answer is John Galliano, but it was actually Yves Saint Laurent.

The craziest part is the reason he was fired.  He created a leather jacket for their couture collection.

At the time, that was so radical, the executives immediately ousted him.  He subsequently sued them and won.

It’s crazy to me to think that a leather jacket – something I absolutely consider a wardrobe staple – could be deemed termination-worthy.

The fashion world has certainly evolved.

Fashion Friday

Welp, last week got the better of me and I’m just now getting around to posting my Fashion Friday. :S  I did, however, manage to film my Fashion Friday in real time for Instagram.  Check it out here.

On to the topic at hand.  Lots to discuss!

Fashion Month S/S21

I wanted to do a Top 10 list of Fashion Month, but when I sat down and really thought about the most impactful collections of the season, there were only three.

I’ve already talked about Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada’s first joint collection.  Hint: I didn’t love it, but enjoyed watching it and their post-show Q&A.

The best show of S/S21 for me was Jeremy Scott for Moschino.  I loved it because it was super innovative and made me smile during a time when we are doing so little smiling.  He took the miniature theme one step further than Dior by partnering with the Jim Henson Co. to create marionette models and stage a runway show.  There were even high profile marionette audience members – “Anna Wintour,” Edward Enninful” and others were in attendance.

Moschino S/S21 Moschino S/S21

On the flip side, the S/S21 collection that had me scratching my head was Givenchy.  This was newly appointed Creative Director Matthew Williams’ debut collection for the brand.  And it was awful.  I honestly don’t know where to begin.  There was no thoughtful reference to the brand’s DNA.  The best I can gather was that he desperately wanted to emulate Daniel Lee at Bottega Veneta.  He tried to create an ugly it-shoe.  But they were just plain ugly.  Nothing “it” about them.  All I kept thinking was that we lost Clare Waight Keller for this?

Givenchy S/S21 Givenchy S/S21

Man Repeller Shuts Down

But perhaps the biggest news of the week is that Man Repeller is shutting down operations.  This is huge for a few reasons.

First, I think it’s a really important message that even the companies we think are successful and doing well financially are actually quite vulnerable in the pandemic.  Now, more than ever, it is IMPERATIVE to support the brands and businesses you align with.  Our mom and pops need us.

Second, I haven’t followed Man Repeller consistently in quite some time, but back in the day when it was just Leandra spouting off in quirky sartorial getups I was a fan.  I remember taking the Man Repeller quiz and feeling so proud that I was on the “full repeller” end of the spectrum.

But more than her voice and sense of style, what Leandra did for fashion blogging is huge.  Along with Bryan Boy, Susie Bubble, Sea of Shoes, Rumi, Chriselle, etc., she opened the door for fashion enthusiasts to take their voice to a larger community.

I wouldn’t have a blog if it weren’t for Leandra, et al.  I would probably still be just a girl who sits in her closet and talks to her shoes.  These pioneers opened the door for the rest of us.  They made it okay, the norm actually, for us to contribute to the larger fashion conversation.  Something we were taught was only reserved for Anna Wintour or someone with Editor in their moniker.

So while I can’t speak to what really went on behind closed door at Man Repeller, I can say one thing.  It’s the end of an era.

Images via IMAXTREE