Advanced Style Takes Over Fashion Week

Lynn and Linda Fargo
Lynn with my mom!

Yesterday, Advanced Style's resident, "Countess of Glamour", Lynn Dell and I visited Lincoln Center, to check out some shows for fashion week. My parents are in town for the big party I am throwing with Tavi Gevinson at The Ace Hotel, so I wanted to show them all of the excitement going on around town. It was refreshing and inspiring to see crowds of people rush up to Lynn Dell wanting to take her photograph. At 79 years old, she is an inspiration to us all! Lynn ran into another silver haired beauty, Bergdorf's SVP , Linda Fargo, looking as smashing as ever. I'm off to prepare for tomorrow, expect some great pictures from our big event!

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin Winter 2011

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin Winter 2011

From 19 to 22 January, 2011 a large selection of German and international designers will show their latest collections under the umbrella of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin.The four-day presentation of the 2011/2012 winter design objective fashion industry professionals, and is expected to draw around 200,000 visitors to Berlin.

Many recurrent and new designers to build a strong lineup for the season autumn / winter in the 2011th

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin, combines an exciting mix of top international designers and young ambitious new talent. The show will feature brands such as Hugo Boss, Guess Jeans and Berlin designer Michael Michalsky.

The show started on Wednesday with a liquid, ready to wear fashion in the Belgian design duo known as A friend, followed by the incredible collection of the Austrian designer Lena Hoschek.

Models from the collection of Belgian design duo Philip Arickx and An Vandevorst, known as A friend, produced at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin autumn / winter in the 2011th

Models from the collection of Austrian designer Lena Hoschek, produced at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin autumn / winter in the 2011th

The sessions were heavily influenced by 60's and 70's, with a bit of Rock'n Roll flavor. Extra-large pencil skirts, dresses, high waist capris, satin blouses with pussy bows and costumes in Jacky Kenndey style was the highlights of the fashion show. The best of the collections, however, the colors. Fall floral prints and plaids are in color with matching socks, stockings, leggings and tops. Camel, brick red, pine green, navy and mustard yellow dominated playful, ultra-feminine collection.

1. 
   

I Pray to thee Miuccia Prada

AHHHHHleehluiahhhh

allleluuuuuuuuia

Alleluia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You Miuccia 

are

have been

and always will be 

the light of my life

Your collections are too beautiful for this world, we dont even deserve you!

The genius in each garment, accessory....EVERYTHING is just so

ultimately incredible, I really cant handle it!!!

Can we best pals and talk about life?

Each season my life grows more and more complete

I literally want a full room filled with this collection (and others, I wouldnt mind)

I would make it my office and I would be soo much more productive! 

*The baroque prints (they are not just prints but cut outs that lay over cool texture techniques, like a pop up book!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

*the stripes

*the colors!

*the silhouettes!

*The GLASSES!!

*the hair

*the makeup

*the fishtail/tulip bottom needs to come back....now

I LOVE YOU!!

wow I'm a creep

you can look now:

Can you send me this top (see photo below) in a size L Miuccia, please?  I mean I would love the whole ensemble, but I don't want to burden you.

Im serious though...email me ldvnicole@gmail.com  

hahah I wish.....

Ermine

Today we are going to take a waltz through my process:

getting what I want in my little fashion world!

How do I find an item I am obsessed with?

Why the obsession? 

How do I obtain it?  

How do I search for it? 

Should I just make it? 

How the hell do I wear it? 

How can you make it?

Why the obsession?

Every period had found a way to sneek ermine into fashion

but it hasn't been taken seriously as a trend since the 1950s!

Um its the symbol of anything regal....

Well I'm mad about Ermine and I'm bringing it to the 2010!!!!

There's something so crisp and almost graphic about the black and white

While still keeping its elegance in the silky fluff and texture of the black tails

I have found in the first part of my research that

secretly people have kept up a longing for ermine

I imagine this creepy but amazingly eccentric woman who opens her cupboard to get something and all of these ermine capes, collars, coats, hats, and muffs come tumbling out, and she shoves it in with haste before slamming it shut.

I secretly want(need) to be the woman ;)

anyway...

How do I search for it?

I have either been outbid 

or come across a giant text: SOLD flashing before my eyes all over vintage websites

I was about to jump off a bridge while dreaming up layaway possibilities 

to make this cape be mine

I mean come on! Really why the torturous price of $4500 

wwwahhh!!

I just want to touch it please???

Its only a matter of time when a museum or celebrity stylist (Yes Rachel Zoe/ Met museum that means you!) will soon get their grubby hands all over this one

How can you make it?

Very frustrated I started to think about making it....

I found a tutorial that is pretty simple

Which can lessen your frustrations as well

I recommend the "difficult" choice, which isn't so difficult!

side note:  The Elizabethan jewelry tutorials are super magical and I want to try them out myself!

One day I found the perfect 30s scarf

I bid

I won

I conquered!!!

How the hell do I wear it?

search half way over!!!

Why half way you ask?

Well when I'm obsessed 

one piece is not enough for my taste

I need at least a set or better a full ensemble covering me head to toe

So my search went like this

ermine fur cape.....nothing

ermine hat.....nothing

ermine muff.....nothing

ermine shoe clips.....nothing

I then found myself

(going to the source) 

visiting the lovely online shop 

Dorotheas vintage 

side note: you can follow her on face book to get constant updates

..trust me its worth it

And so....

yep you guessed it!

look what I found......

this muff is going to be fantastic!

outfit post will be posted ASAP

Learn a little about the little cuties and my fur views:

They are actually stoats, but during their winter coat period

they are referred to as Ermine

I believe that fur should ONLY be worn if it is vintage or fake.

I personally would never buy anything else, but can understand cow and rabbit fur only if its from the same animal that is eaten..and since it is practically impossible for the two to exist and still be quality I continually stand by not wearing anything else.

There is such a thing as a beautiful fake.  In fact fake fur that has been designed extraordinarily well can be fantastic and precious.  It angers me when people actually set their minds to cheapness when working with the fake fur

EX: On project runway this week Chris actually said "I was looking at all the fake furs and they look soo cheap".  Well I'm sorry but what you came up with when using real fur (you thought you deserved) insulted the animal killed!!!

I feel it is ok to make up for the mistakes of the past.  To simply sweep 1000's of years worth of animals that we slaughtered is simply bad for the environment and disrespectful to the creatures.

Feedback that I would love to hear from you:

1) I'm wide open to a very tired, old, but still interesting, and valid(due to current fur trends) discussion about fur...pro..against..solutions...disgust....anything I want to hear it all

2) Did you like the process of my vintage search...would you like to see more?? I have many more obsessions to explore..trust me hahaha!