Goodbyee goodbyee goodbyee

Hello blogosphere,

Don't you hate Real Life? At present, I am not a fan: it's all council tax, limited space and pain. For reasons hardly compelling to the internet, my heart is broken. Real Life and its capitalisation can f the h off.

However, Fab Frocks isn't at home to Mr Emo so let's all join hands and indulge in a little fashion-themed therapy. It's a little (and very appropos) feature I like to call:

The Quality Goodbye

Friends, I have a little fetish. I love seeing what the designers wear when they come out to greet the adoring crowd at the end of fashion shows. Then I love judging it. Now, I know the internet has been veritably abuzz with analysis of Marc Jacobs and his bold skort choices. Myself, I'm not impressed. I'm wearing a skirt right now. Frankly, if you tone your calves with the crazed gym-bunny rigour employed by MJ, it'd be a crime not to show off the gams. Incidentally - the white shirt, the sandals, the bossy side pleating. Does this look read assertive lesbian P.E. teacher to anyone else?

Let's look at some of the less celebrated looks....

NEW YORK

New York Fashion Week is a strange animal. It's very sleek, respectable and, usually, very safe. There are two ways designer farewells can go: you can be Brand-You (which is to say identical in dress/tone no matter what season it is) like Duchess Michael Kors and Tor's beloved Betsey Johnson or, you can be Downtown (six hours away from hobo). Both looks have their advantages....

Look: King of Brand-You. Project Runway has made the Michael Kors uniform (black jacket and t-shirt, dark jeans) a celebrity in its own right. It's as least as famous as "That crotch is insaaane" though of course not nearly as fun to say.
Embodiment of collection Dude, he did classic Americana. Just like, um, every other season ever ever ever. In these terrible times, though isn't the Duchess and his sartorial sameness a comfort? Repetitiveness is next to godliness when the world's going to hell. Plus, I like his shiny head. All of this applies to the Betsey Johnson institution too. Just switch up conservative for quirk, et voila.

Betsey Johnson's reliably sparkly mutton puts a genuine song in my heart.

Costello Tagliapietra

Look: Old fashioned Bears - plaid, beards and big black boots. This is a whole other fetish of mine and one that will have to be dealt with in a different post in a vastly different blog. Sufficed to say that they be lumberjacks and they're o-kaay.
Embodiment of collection:

Agyness Deane opened the show as a Satin-based Leather Daddy. That's a big ol' check next to brand perpetuation, right?

The Pretty Boys
Oh Zack! Oh Matthew! I just wish my computer had smell-0-vision because I bet the two of you just emanate some glorious (yet manly!) concoction of gardenias and purity.

Zac Posen and his pocket square.


Matthew Williamson and his golden belt.

LONDON
Despite London Fashion Week's relative marginalisation, I have no compunction in stating: friends, we have the best looking designers in the world. Seriously. Hot hot boxes right here. It's just a shame that female designers are so shy. I'm trawling the web and am I finding finale pictures of Luella, Ann-Sofie Back or Danielle Schutt? Nosir, I am not. The ladies aren't stepping out. Perhaps it's quite easy to marginalise yourself when you're a woman surrounded by flawless models in an industry that runs on aesthetic. Still, this is unacceptable. I demand that come A/W 2009, the ladies take their place in the sun.

Still, look at Marios Schwab. Look at his face.

Oh Marios. You have laser-cut your way into my heart.

Embodiment of collection: Not so much. But it was my least favourite of his collections so far anyway, so I'm just enjoying the grey-marl hoodie with its thoughtful white shirt cuffs. Love him. Love him tenderly.

Abdul Koroma and Andrew Jones of Modernist

Look: Unimpeachable. A buddy-cop combo waiting to happen. Cardigans and cravats.

Embodiment of collection: Well, the collection was equally unimpeachable and one of my favourites this season. I think there's a strangeness and a refinement to both the designers and their designs, don't you? Am I reaching? I don't care. This is the best fencing outfit I've ever seen.

Erdem Moralioglu. Also the cutest, don't you think? He and Peter Jensen would make the most adorable myopic babies. I can never say no to a side parting on a man. Nor can many others - ask Germany.

Embodiment of collection: You would not credit such a litany of softness coming from such a man, but there it is. The contrast is part of the pleasure in this case, at least.

Yes, model. Lower your eyes and sigh.

Ahh. This kind of beauty is the way to end a post. I'll be back tomorrow with Milan and Paris. The women show their faces there. I'm looking forward to it.

Love,
Becky