Archive for February 2011
Armani Privé Wins!
I don’t blog a lot about the red carpet, but I suppose I should mention how terrific Céline Dion looked at last night’s Academy Awards. For a woman who is often accused of having one of the worst red-carpet moments in Oscar history, Dion topped my best-dressed list, looking better than I’ve ever seen her look.
Of course, she was wearing a gorgeous Armani Privé gown that reflected the flashes from the cameras as if it was lit from within. Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lawrence may have hit upon the new minimalist trends in tried-and-true Calvin Klein, but both Dion and Oscar host Anne Hathaway shined in Armani. Of all the gowns Hathaway wore onstage, nothing impressed this old bird more than her liquid blue Armani Privé column.
I’ve been singing the praises of Mr. Armani’s atelier for a few seasons now. Not only is it a fabulous red carpet resource, but I also believe that it’s been a major source of many of the trends that have trickled down to the ready-to-wear market. Don’t believe me? Then check out the groundbreaking 2009 S/S show which I viewed as a foray into the future rather than a trip to the far east. Perhaps the rest of you don’t recognize it, but that’s your problem. You can talk about Marc Jacobs‘ “strict” silhouettes until you’re blue in the face. I saw them here first, and don’t you forget it.
Happy Birthday, Bernadette Peters
Happy birthday, Bernadette Peters. I’ve been looking everywhere for your cast recording of “Babalu.” Why is it so hard to find?
Happy Birthday, Josh Groban
Happy birthday, Josh Groban. I was so excited when I learned of your upcoming duet with Pee-wee Herman. Did I type “duet”? I meant wedding . . .
The Trouble with Wearing Tribbles
Most of my regular readers already know that I’m a big “Star Trek” fan. I don’t believe I’ve missed an episode of the show in any of its various incarnations. I even went out of my way to visit “The Star Trek Experience” in Las Vegas before it closed down. While I was there, I purchased some tribbles in the gift shop. Tribbles, if you don’t already know, are fictional space creatures that are known for their ability to procreate quickly, multiplying at a menacing rate.
Bad fashion trends also seem to be able to multiply menacingly. One day you’ve never even heard of the trend, and the next day it’s everywhere. Take this season’s tribble-like coats, skirts and dresses, for example.
I adored the Versace show, but I saw this dress made of fluffy young tribbles at a dozen shows already . . .
including Giles, where the look was a little hairier, using the hides of more mature tribbles . . .
and at Gucci, where rare, longer-haired tribbles were skinned, dyed and made into coats . . .
and most notably at Dennis Basso, where especially luxurious, silken-haired tribbles were crafted into this fetching number.
While I don’t believe that there’s anything wrong with any of these looks in principal, I have to say that when a single trend is seen on so many runways (these are just a few examples), it’s destined to become a cliché even before it’s been knocked off by Forever 21. For the sake of fashion, do yourself a favor and avoid it altogether. And if you can’t do it for fashion, think of the tribbles. The poor, poor tribbles . . .
Auntie Fashion 