PFW F/W2018. We’ll Always Have Paris.

Posted on March 13, 2018March 23, 2018 by Katerina Stamatopoulou

February 27, 2018

Christian Dior
First, it was the “We should all be feminists” T-shirt, now the “C’est non, non, non et non!” sweater. It’s been 50 years since the student riots in May 1968, and Maria Grazia Chiuri decided to make another social-political statement. Inspired by the tumultuous protesters of 1968 and Diane Vreeland’s “youthquake”, Chiuri wanted to target younger customers but retain Dior’s high-fashion aesthetic and legacy. A wardrobe that is revolutionary but also highly creative.

February 28, 2018

Maison Margiela
Décortiqué. John Galliano loves to name his collections with French adjectives. In this collection, he stripped down the garments to their essence and just kept their skeletal structure. Unconscious glamour was the collection’s name, but it looked more like ‘Rushed Dressing’ glamour. Coats worn before dresses, blazers before sweaters, holographic coats and a lot of deconstructing garments all over the catwalk. Galliano loves the pair-if-you-dare game of fabrics.

March 3, 2018

Comme des Garçons
Rei Kawakubo always loves to deconstruct the shape of the clothes and create theatrical figures inspired the history, even if she has stated that she doesn’t like to look back. For this season, CAMP was the name of her collection. She referred to Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay “Notes on Camp”. “I think camp can express something deeper, and give birth to progress,” Kawakubo wrote in her show notes. The progress of thinking and feeling the world around us.

How To Recover From Fashion Month

Posted on March 8, 2018March 26, 2018 by AJR250

DRINK WATER!: Between all the flying and cold temperatures during fashion month, it is easy to get dehydrated. Since your body is 50-60% water, drinking water will give you an overall recovery. Avoid caffeine and alcohol for a little while as they increase dehydration.
EAT FOODS RICH WITH PROTEIN AND CALCIUM: Such as meat, fish, eggs, almonds, and tofu. Not only do these foods boost your energy and metabolism, but they also give you vibrant skin and strong nails and hair.
BIOTIN: If you can't consume enough nutrients in your food, take a biotin supplement. It contains Vitamin B which helps strengthen your hair, nails, and skin. CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE TAKING ANY SUPPLEMENTS. Nature's Bounty Super Potency Biotin ($13.49 Walgreens.com)
INCREASE YOUR VITAMIN C & ZINC INTAKE: They have multiple health benefits, but the one that is most important after all the travel and long hours is their ability to strengthen your immune system. Foods to include in your diet are; citrus fruits, pumpkin seeds, oatmeal, almond milk, broccoli, red and green bell peppers, cabbage and chickpeas.

LEAVE THE MAKEUP ALONE: With a month of makeup artists painting your face at least 2 or 3 times a day, let your skin breathe! Avoid wearing makeup - unless you have a job or modeling appointment that requires it. This will keep your pores clean and also minimize dryness. Plus, you may notice that your eyelashes and eyebrows will grow back!
EXFOLIATE: It's not only makeup, and the dullness from late nights, that you are removing, but also bacteria from the recycled air in airplanes. Exfoliate a couple times a week, or better yet - go get a facial! We love Lush Ocean Salt Scrub. ($21.95 Lushusa.com)
FACE MASKS: Cold weather, copious amounts of makeup application and air travel wreak havoc on the skin. Rehydrate it with a face mask or two. We recommend GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD® Clearing Treatment. ($59 Sephora)
FACE BALMS AND OILS: Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! It's the keyword post-fashion month. Continue repairing dry skin with a face oil or balm. We absolutely love Epicuren's Soothe Dermal Repair Balm. ($68.50 Epicuren.com)
WEAR SPF: While you are in the repair phase, you will need to protect your healing skin from the sun's rays. But, no matter what the weather, always apply sunscreen! Try Avène Antirougeurs Day Redness Relief Soothing Cream SPF 25.($37.00 Aveneusa.com)

PREVENT ADDITIONAL HAIR LOSS AND BREAKAGE: If you have suffered hair loss due to the hours of teasing, combing, crazy updos and blowdrying, avoid pulling your hair back into tight ponytails or buns. Instead, use small hair claws to keep a few strands back along the temples or do a low loose chignon, bun or pony if you need to pull it all back. We love No Slip Grip Tortoise Shell Hair Claws ($5.99 Claires.com)
SKIP A DAY OR TWO OF HAIR WASHING: Shampooing your hair on a daily basis strips its natural oils which will increase dryness and breakage. Try washing your hair every other day or better yet, every three days - unless of course, you have bookings or castings! Don't forget to add a deep cleansing shampoo and rich moisturizing conditioner that contain natural products, like Aveeno® Active Naturals® Pure Renewal™ Shampoo. ($5.99 Target.com)
NO BRUSHING OR TOWEL DRYING WET HAIR: Use your fingers or a large tooth comb to detangle your locks. If you need to dry your hair, gently pat with a towel. Being too rough will cause more breakage, and knots that you will have to try and comb through.Try Mason Pearson Rake Comb ($35 Neimanmarcus.com)
AVOID HEAT DAMAGE: Unless your job requires it, put down the hair dryer, curler and straightener. Heated appliances will cause more damage to your hair. If you really have to use them, apply some heat protector beforehand. Also, keep the temperature of the appliance on its lowest level. We like Insta Natural Argan Oil Thermal Protector Spray ($9.97 Instanatural.com)

NAILS IN THE BUFF: If you were given multiple manicures during fashion month that involved acrylics, gels, and rhinestones, your nails are probably paying for it now. Try to keep your nails bare and natural for as long as possible, so they can restore to their natural state. Of course, you can still visit the nail salon and get your manis and pedis, but request that your nails be buffed - not polished.
APPLY CUTICLE OIL: Not only will extensive nail art cause your nails to get brittle and dry but also the cold weather in the fashion capitals. Rehydrate your cuticles with oils or creams. We like CND® Nail & Cuticle Treatment Solar Oil - 0.5 fl oz ($12.49 Target.com)
WEAR GLOVES: Cracked skin and flaking nails are really difficult to treat during the winter months. By wearing gloves, it will keep your hands warmer, therefore locking in moisture. If you are lucky enough to be back in warm weather, you may still want to consider wearing household gloves while doing any chores. They will protect your hands and nails from dryness when over washing hands and handling cleaning products.

STAY OFF THE HEELS: After walking miles and miles in sky-high stilettos, it's time to stay grounded and let your poor feet rest. With the exception of any modeling duties, wear well-supported flats for a couple of weeks.
TREAT BLISTERS: Clean any blisters that you might have and then apply ointment, such as Neosporin, followed with a band-aid. This will help them heal faster and prevent any infection.
SOAK AND EXFOLIATE: Aside from the fact that it feels like heaven to soak your feet in warm water, it also softens them to help remove dead skin. After 20 minutes or so, apply a foot scrub. If you have callouses or a large amount of dry skin, you may want to exfoliate with a pumice stone afterwards. Finally, finish off with some foot cream to lock in the moisture. We love L’Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream. ($29 Sephora.com)
MASSAGE FEET AND CALVES: Yes, a tennis ball! It works like a charm to loosen stiff muscles and tendons in your feet and calves.

Living In The Echo Of Paris Haute Couture Week 2018

Posted on February 9, 2018February 16, 2018 by Katerina Stamatopoulou

New York Fashion Week commenced February 18th, but Paris Haute Couture Spring Summer 2018 still lingers on the minds of everyone in the fashion world. A lot of things happened and once more Paris, La Ville Lumière (The City of Light), has been able to demonstrate that it can draw attention not just for the breath-taking and skillfully designed clothes that are presented in every Paris Fashion Week.

A new exhibition pays tribute to the late fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa, who passed away last November. The 41 dresses that are displayed are a short fashion design journey over time. The “Je suis couturier” exhibition runs until June 10th, 2018 at 18 rue de la Verrerie, 75004 Paris.

Smartphones have ruled the front row of the fashion shows, and so John Galliano took advantage of this ‘reality’ for his latest haute couture collection for Maison Margiela. A special holographic fabric was used in most pieces of the collection. When the viewer took a photo with flash, the fabric transformed from black nylon to a shimmering holographic panel. Enough psychedelic to prove that haute couture can be modern, too.

Ornate hats used to be the hallmark of haute couture several years ago. For this season, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Valentino’s creative director, utilized for the first-time hats that were created by the British hatter, Philip Treacy.

The Latest Departures and Arrivals In the Luxury Fashion Houses

Posted on January 30, 2018February 16, 2018 by Katerina Stamatopoulou

In 2017, two creative directors stopped their long-term partnership: Phoebe Philo, who left Céline after 10 years and Christopher Bailey from Burberry after 17 years.

Now, designer Kim Jones exits Louis Vuitton where he has taken over men’s clothing.
“It has been a huge privilege to work with Kim,” said Michael Burke, CEO of Louis Vuitton. “His ability to set trends is impeccable,” Burke continues. “All of us who have been fortunate to work with Kim wish him continued success in his next venture.”
His collaboration with the French house began in 2011. The Saint Martins graduate’s collections exuded a traveling aesthetic inspired by his travels to Asia and Africa. We could say that Jones has an addiction to travel. But, he is also who brought streetwear to Louis Vuitton after his collaboration with Supreme, the famous New York-based streetwear brand, at the AW2017 show.
Many celebrities from the fashion world attended Jones’ last show under the name of Louis Vuitton. Virgil Abloh, Oliver Rousteing, and the Beckham family were among them.
However, the designer had a surprise for the attendees. Supermodels, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, appeared on the catwalk with whom he walked into the show’s finale.

A few days ago, Hedi Slimane, one of the leading fashion designers joined Céline.
Recently, LVMH announced that Slimane, who previously served Dior Homme and Saint Laurent, takes on his role in February 2018, while his first collection will be shown in September during Paris Fashion Week.
In his new role, Slimane will be the artistic, creative and image director of Céline, while he will introduce a men’s collection and a fragrance.

“I am particularly happy that Hedi is back within the LVMH group and taking the reins of our Céline maison,” said the LVMH chairman and CEO, Bernard Arnault. “He is one of the most talented designers of our