exshoesme

Modern Maharajah

If we can have modern matajis and Mediterranean maharanis, then why not modern maharajahs?

Burberry menswear for Fall 2010 was about the New Model Army, referencing military traditions from a bygone era.

There were a couple of pieces by Christopher Bailey that echoed the great rulers of the Mughal era and beyond.

The modern-day mogul marches on @ Burberry FW10.

An epaulet of buttons! Ingenious.

Embellishment went beyond the epaulets for the Maharajah of Gondal and H.H. Maharajah Jagatjit Singh and his entourage.

Maharajah Thakore Shri Sir Bhagwant Singhji Sagramji Sahib Bahadur, 1911

H.H. Maharajah Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala, with his courtiers.

Regal rockstar @ Burberry FW10.

The boots say combat at Burberry, but like the uniforms of the regal rulers in the Motherland’s history, the coat is strictly ceremonial.

Shri Sir Nripendra Narayan, Maharaja of Cooch Behar 1902

Like Wonder Woman's power bracelets!

Raja Ravi Varma's painting of Maharajah Syajirao

These clothes are not practical for battle, unless that battle is the 9-5 one in the urban jungle.

We wouldn’t want to get any grime on the gild, now would we?

Burberry photos courtesy of Fashionising. Maharajah pics are from here, here, here and here.

February 5, 2010
Categories: Collections, Fall Winter 2010, Fashion history . Tags: Burberry, Christopher Bailey, exshoesme.com, military attire, modern maharajah, mughal period . Author: Jyotika Malhotra . Comments: 1 Comment

Bloody Mess at Dsquared

At the recent Fall Winter 2010 men’s collections in Milan, the Dsquared twins made a mess of things – a literal, bloody mess.

The collection featured interesting clothes on bloodied models.

Hmmm…was this a reference to skinheads and mods? The combat boots and military jacket might suggest that…

Ignore the blood and bruises and this looks is brillaint. Dsquared FW10.

Black and white and the pant length are all mod. Blood and gore are all wot?

This look made no sense at all.

I never want to see a man in shiny silver trousers but I’d love them for my own closet. Imagine them with a twisted white shirt and black vest from Ann D…but I digress.

And then, the light came via a hockey jersey.

Ohhhhhh – of course – the boys are Canadian. They are making reference to hockey fights.

I wonder if this is the first time we’ve seen hockey jerseys on the Milan runway. Mamma mia!

You can take the boys out of Canada, but you can't take Canada out of the boys.

Oh wait, is that a Jason mask?

Ohhhhh, it’s all about slasher films.

I wasn’t sure I got the bruised boys at all, actually.

And then, Dean and Dan Caten came out to take a bow wearing bloody surgery smocks with a goth angel in black wings.

HUH???

Whatev – at least some of the clothes were nice.

Photos courtesy of Fashionising.

February 4, 2010
Categories: Collections, Fall Winter 2010, Menswear . Tags: Dean and Dan Caten, Dsquared2, exshoesme.com, Menswear . Author: Jyotika Malhotra . Comments: 2 Comments

Uncovering Fashion

Covering fashion is a gruelling job.

You have to figure out what’s in, what’s out…

…and in some cases, what’s on and not on.

Here is the latest round of CK underwear ads.

Hidetoshi Nakata - former Japanese footballer.

Twighligh star Kellan Lutz

Model/actor Mehcad Brooks

Uncovering it, all in the name of fashion!

Guess you could call it uncovering fashion.

Photos courtesy of WWD.

February 3, 2010
Categories: Ad Campaigns . Tags: Calvin Klein underwear, exshoesme, Hidetoshi Nakata, Kellan Lutz, Mehcad Brooks, uncovering fashion . Author: Jyotika Malhotra . Comments: Leave a Comment

Black and White at Scognamiglio

As you suffer through windchill factors and “practical” boots, take comfort in the Spring 2010 campaigns.

They are just around the corner – without a shadow of a doubt (note the date, today).

One of the most striking so far is one for Francesco Scognamiglio.

The black and white photo essay features Scognamiglio’s (try and say that fast a few times) black and white pieces and stars model of the moment, Iris Strubegger.

All photos by Giampaolo Sgura.

February 2, 2010
Categories: Ad Campaigns, Spring Summer 2010 . Tags: Francesco Scognamiglio, Giampaolo Sgura, Iris Strubegger . Author: Jyotika Malhotra . Comments: Leave a Comment

Frugality or Frou?

This past season we were all supposed to be frugal. The economy was not, ahem, in the best of states.

It was all about consumer consciousness, about not going over the top.

Interesting then, to note the frou frou that found itself on many a runway.

There were the intricate ruffles and pleats at Givenchy.

The big shoulder - done slightly differently at Givenchy FW09

Turning my back on frugality. Givenchy FW09

Confidence speaks volumes at Givenchy FW09

And that was not even the couture collection…

Of course, it was present in couture at Chanel.

Hip to be rich at Chanel HC FW09.

The collective pouf reminded me of McQueen from a few years back.

McQueen's fairytale dress from FW06.

Designers in the Motherland – a country known for embellishment – went full on with their frill as well. Archana Kochar showed this gown made of stunning organza flowers.

Archana Kochar FW09. Photo by Manav Manglani

The big skirt was also present at Valentino couture. Liya Kebede looked glorious in Elle Italia.

Liya in Elle Italia. Go big or go home.

The lainga – the original desi ballgown, complete with gilded tassles – was not about red ink at all.

Nikasha Tawadey FW09 lainga. Photo by Manav Manglani.

Loved the simple suit and ruffled coat at Nikasha Tawadey, too.

Nikasha Tawadey ruffles some feathers. Photo by Manav Manglani.

My favourite frou was at Lanvin – feminine and delicate – and perfect on Rosamund Pike at the BFAs.

Lanvin FW09

Rosamund Pike at the BFAs 2009

So, were designers off their custom made rockers?

Or were they just trying to give us an escape?

Western collection shots courtesy of Style.com. BFA shot courtesy of Glamour magazine. All others, courtesy of Vogue India.

February 1, 2010
Categories: Collections, Fall Winter 2009 . Tags: Alexander McQueen, Archana Kochar, Chanel, frou frou, Givenchy, haute couture, Lanvin, Liya Kebede, Nikasha Tawadey, Rosamund Pike, Valentino . Author: Jyotika Malhotra . Comments: Leave a Comment

Reptile Regalia

Lee McQueen’s Spring 2010 collection was all about bugs and reptiles.

I expected the resulting ad campaign to be dramatic…just not this creepy crawly.

Hope those reptiles were digitally added in after the pic was taken. Hard to tell where one creature starts and another ends…

Relaxing with the reptiles...

January 31, 2010
Categories: Ad Campaigns, Spring Summer 2010 . Tags: Alexander McQueen, exshoesme.com, Spring 2010 ad campaign, Spring Summer 2010 . Author: Jyotika Malhotra . Comments: Leave a Comment

Architects of Community @ Social Media Week Toronto

I also promised you there would be a media event for Social Media Week Toronto. Here are the details…

Friday, February 5 2:00 – 4:00 PM @ The Spoke Club, Toronto

Join three media leaders – Alan Cross, Erica Ehm and Amber MacArthur – in a conversation about building communities through social media.

Erica Ehm is CEO and Publisher of YummyMummyClub.ca, a sexy, playful online magazine that speaks to the woman in every mom. Erica will talk about how she built YummyMummyClub.ca into an online community of over 50,000 women with children and why it continues to grow.

Alan Cross is the curator ExploreMusic, a human-powered music recommendation site, and the host of The Ongoing History of New Music, Canada’s longest-running music documentary radio program. Alan will highlight the re-emergence of edited lists to help people begin to sort through the infinite amount of music on the Internet. Functions and services once provided by the radio DJ have now been taken over by these trusted micro-communities of curators, some powered by humans, others by machines.

Amber MacArthur is the co-founder of new media agency MGImedia.ca where she has been the lead on social media projects with clients ranging from Tony Robbins to Canada Goose to Rogers. She is also the host of various web-oriented programs on TV and online. You can find her at ambermac.com. Amber will discuss how to build an online community with a small team, a smaller budget, and very little time. She will also talk about some of the unspoken rules of social media, which she calls the ABCs: Authenticity, Bravery, and Consistency.

Moderated by moi – Jyotika Malhotra, Editor-in-Chic, exshoesme.com.

The event is free, but registration is required via our online schedule.

January 28, 2010
Categories: Fashionable Events . Tags: Alan Cross, Amber MacArhur, Erica Ehm, exshoesme.com, Social Media Week Toronto . Author: Jyotika Malhotra . Comments: Leave a Comment

Event: Having @Style, Social Media and Seismic Shifts in Fashion

I promised you there would be a fashion event for Social Media Week Toronto. Here are the details…

Friday, February 5 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM @ The Spoke Club, Toronto

Join Lisa Tant, Susan Langdon, Alexandra Palmer and Cherie Federau in an engaging Friday morning fashion conversation on the impacts of social media in the industry.

The conversation will consist of everything from how Twitter and blogs have changed the delivery and consumption of fashion information to how technology has caused major shifts in the fashion landscape.

Lisa Tant, Editor-in-Chief of Flare Magazine, will be speaking about how fashion reporting and consumption have changed from traditional to social media.

Susan Langdon, Executive Director of the Toronto Fashion Incubator, will discuss the Social Media Guide the TFI has just put together for fashion entrepreneurs.

Cherie Federau, owner of Shrimpton Couture, will speak about running a successful online vintage boutique and building her brand through social media.

Alexandra Palmer, Senior Curator of Textiles & Costume at the Royal Ontario Museum, will offer a historical view of the seismic shifts technology has caused in fashion.

Moderated by moi – Jyotika Malhotra, Editor-in-Chic, exshoesme.com.

The event is free, but registration is required via our online schedule.

January 28, 2010
Categories: Fashionable Events . Tags: Alexandra Palmer, Cherie Federau, exshoesme.com, fashion events, Flare Magazine, Lisa Tant, Royal Ontario Museum, Shrimpton Couture, Social Media Week Toronto, Susan Langdon, Toronto Fashion Incubator . Author: Jyotika Malhotra . Comments: Leave a Comment

Bonjour Couture!

Bonjour couture,

J’adore, j’adore…

Immersed in event planning for Social Media Week Toronto and while I am having a ball, the lack of fashion immersion is killing me.

I wore my stilettos for Monsieur Gaultier today. I wasn’t at the show, but I was there in spirit mon amour, couture!

Here’s a fashion snack to tide us over until the next post…

JPG Haute Couture SS10

He’s captured it all – the obsession with balloon pants the past few seasons, the vest (another staple), the big shoulder – exaggerated to drastic proportions here, our love affair with black and white and just a touch of frou frou. And yet, it all seems so new.

The way the skirt edges out of the side of the pants and the button detail is pure, unaltered Gaultier.