Goodbye!

This will be my last post on this website. I have officially transferred my blog, along with some of my favourite posts, over to WordPress.com My blog will still be called Shades of Grey, and the new URL is almost the same as the old one. New posts will probably be up beginning tomorrow.

Click on the link below to follow the new, and hopefully improved, Shades of Grey.
http://www.shadesofgreyfashion.wordpress.com

Lots of love!
Nicky

I'll be back soon!

Hey guys,

In case anyone is wondering, I haven't abandoned my blog. I want to expand it a bit so that I can use it for school, and use it as part of my portfolio when I'm looking for a real job, so I'm moving it over to wordpress.com. It's a bit more complicated, but mostly I'm kind of challenged in the technology department so it's taking me some time to figure out how to get it to look how I want it to. I want to keep up with the fashion industry stuff, and the style/shopping guide part, and I'd like to add food and drink recipes too. I'll post the link here once I'm finished!

xox Nicky

Fashion Week Highlights

Now that fashion week, or rather fashion month, has come to an end, I thought I would do a recap of highlights from New York, London and Paris.

Starting with New York...

Imitation Spring 2011 RTW

Image courtesy of Style.com

After a 5 year hiatus, Imitation of Christ comes back with designer Tara Subkoff. I love the result, the set was a fantastic compliment to the contemporary line's romantic, whimsical line; the grass catwalk, and the twinkle lights combined with Subkoff's dreamy pieces created a kind of fairy wonderland. Well played.

Jeremy Scott Spring 2011 RTW

 Image courtesy of Style.com

Jeremy Scott is a designer who has been known to work with Lady GaGa, so after the pop star's meat dress stunt at the MTV awards last month, this ensemble should come as no surprise. I think GaGa said her motivation behind the MTV dress was to get the message across that she is not a piece of meat.  I wonder if Scott's inspiration behind the dress is the same? At the very least, it's not quite as stomach churning as the original, and PETA won't be able to use argue that the dress will be crawling with maggots.

Over to London Fashion Week...

Vivienne Westwood Spring 2011 RTW

Image courtesy of Style.com

The cartoonish makeup and stylish retro inspired suits make Westwood's spring 2011 RTW line remind me of a cross between french prostitutes in the time of Marie Antoinette, and a kind of 1940s Dick Tracy-esque sleuth in a graphic novel. It's feminine, edgy and quirky and I love it.

Mark Fast Spring 2011 RTW

Image courtesy of Style.com

The King of Knits, Mark Fast states that this season, the story he attempted to sell with his line was a utopia destroyed by acid rain. I was on board at first, the fringe in the piece above, for instance, makes the dress look as though its starting to melt, and all of the black pieces Fast showed at the beginning of the collection kind of fit with the dark story. However, he lost me a little bit with all of the florescents toward the end, it became less acid rain destroyed utopia and more cruise ship entertainment. This was a half-pass for me. Kudos to Fast however, on the use of plus-sized models for the third season in a row, it has made the choice of using more diverse women seem like a natural part of his show rather than a cheap ploy for media attention. Let's see if he keeps it up.

And finally, Paris...

Chloé Spring 2011 RTW

Image courtesy of Style.com

Chloé's Paris show was understated, with the use of simple-yet-beautiful fabrics, and rich neutrals. Particularly noteworthy was the use of flats, not a single pair of heels on the runway. Perhaps the decision was made after the multiple slip-ups the sky high stilettos caused at London's Burberry show.

Balmain Spring 2011 RTW

Image courtesy of Style.com

Anything but understated, the leather and metallic clad models seen at the Balmain show were the image of rock-and-roll. Not exactly a fresh or innovative collection from a fashion-as-art perspective, the line did offer a pleasing aesthetic, with wearable looks that were, judging by the hole-y tights seen on many of the girls, obviously street fashion inspired.

Zac Posen Spring 2011 RTW

Image courtesy of Style.com

Lace, lingerie and goth. Another rock-and-roll collection showing in Paris this season. I love the Interview with the Vampire aesthetic that Posen's line presents. Another bonus was the subtle use of diverse models, for example Crystal Renn. Stunningly beautiful, these girls were used quietly instead of being made a spectacle out of, giving some optimism to a new era of high fashion modelling. 

Alexander McQueen Spring 2011 RTW

Image courtesy of Style.com

After the tragic passing of Lee Alexander McQueen earlier this year, and the Gucci Group's announcement that the McQueen brand would live on, I am sure there was much anticipation for the first post-McQueen Alexander McQueen show.  The good news is that Sarah Burton's first womenswear show as creative director of the label did not disappoint.  It was, as promised, much lighter than what we've seen in the past, it was airy and feminine, and although the line has gone in a very different direction, it has not lost that McQueen spirit we've come to know and love.