Paris Spring/Summer Fashion Week 2010: Lanvin and Viktor and Rolf Runway Videos!

Tulle Explosion, Draped Leather: Bonjour Paris!Where's My Drink: Looking serious but fabulous, Lanvin Spring/Summer 2010

More from the European Collections...via my Downtown LA studio (he he!). I scout the web and bring it back to you (see, I'm really nice!). In my last post, I showed you some of the collections from Milan Fashion Week, including Dolce and Gabbana and Versace. Now, we have taken the "imaginary web train" from Milan to Paris. Here two of my favorite collections from Paris Spring/Summer 2010 Fashion Week.
Lanvin:
Draped Leather: A look from Lanvin Spring/Summer 2010

According to Sarah Mower, of Style.com, Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz, blew the runway house down, with this collection. It started off slow, with black (not so Spring/Summer looking) dresses which didn't seem so different than what we have "come to know and love" in regards to the House of Lanvin; in essence, variations of what you can already see at the Lanvin department in Barneys NY. Lanvin Asymmetrical Goddess: A look from Lanvin Spring/Summer 2010

However, as the collection continued, it progressed into a full blown symphony of some of the most glorious looks that Elbaz has created. Lots of incredible asymmetrical drapes, folds and tucks that would make a patternmaker blush with technical joy! Liza With A "Z": A beaded jumpsuit from Lanvin Spring/Summer 2010

There was one black leather dress that was draped and tucked as if it was silk charmeuse! Lanvin ended with an explosion of multi-colored sequins worthy of a Liza Minelli tribute concert (love those beaded jumpsuits!) After watching the runway video, I only wish I was there to witness such a "Fashion Moment".
Click BELOW for Lanvin Spring/Summer 2010 Runway Video:


Viktor and Rolf:
How Will I Sit In My Limo: Viktor and Rolf Spring/Summer 2010

Oh Lordy!!! Speaking of "fashion moments": I just took a look at the latest Spring/Summer Collection from Viktor and Rolf and I had a grin so large that nothing could take it away. I also found myself exclaiming "Go on Viktor and Rolf, WORK IT OUT!!!!!!" loud and by myself, as I watched their runway video. It was, in three words "A Tulle Explosion".
Who Ate The Tulle: Viktor and Rolf Spring Summer 2010

Tulle suits, tulle cocktail dresses and gowns with shirred, chopped up, out of control netting that seemed to defy gravity. Holes were cut out of tulle gowns as if a Haute Couture bullet had gone right through them--or a starving fashionista had taken hold! Other gowns were propped up by inner structures that supported the yards and yards of gathered tulle to create incredible silhouettes. The entire show looked EXPENSIVE--all that fabric, all that beading, the staging, the hiring of Roisin Murphy to sing at their show. I kept thinking how I rarely even see Viktor and Rolf clothing at stores (and I shop A LOT!), so how are they affording to stage such grand events? (I'm jealous!)
Defying Gravity: Viktor and Rolf Spring/Summer 2010

But then, I remembered: The Viktor and Rolf perfume! Oh yes, launching a fragrance can help a lot! I don't know who in the world will wear these frothy concoctions; other than the models in the Spring/Summer magazines we will see on newsstands in three months. But I doubt that is what the designers are concerning themselves with. I'm sure back at the Viktor and Rolf Showroom, and in their boutique, you will see something totally different and much more wearable, as it is always the case. This was a show to inspire and make rich Dubai women and fashion editors squeal with joy.

Click BELOW for the Viktor and Rolf Spring/Summer 2010 Runway Video:

Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010: Balmain and Balenciaga Runway Videos!!

Bullets, Rocker/Biker Chicks and Copying: Paris Fashion Week continues...Where's My Pool Cabana: A Gold Look from Balmain Spring/Summer 2010

The House of Balmain and its designer, Christophe Decarnin, are having their moment in the fashion spotlight. All the "it" girls are wearing his micro-mini studded dresses. I remember about a month ago, shopping at the Beverly Hills Neiman Marcus and seeing one of his studded creations on a mannequin and thinking to myself how chic and modern it was, and how EVERY girl should own one--if they had the $5000!! Then I turned on my telly, and saw both Pink AND Shakira wearing THE SAME Balmain dress at the MTV VMA's--the one I gawked at in Neiman Marcus.Dominique Deveroux 2010: A look from Balmain Spring/Summer 2010

For Spring/Summer 2010, he continued his studded hard-edged Biker Chic look and expanded on it. Lots of padded shoulders a la Joan Collins (yep, the strong shoulder is still very IN kiddies). Lots of leather minis and the skinniest of leather pants. Metallics, golds and liquid jerseys were also abundant. Bullet Belt: A look from Balmain Spring/Summer 2010

Some dresses had what seemed like studded midriff waistbands but then, upon closer inspection, turned out to be BULLETS! I guess in this crazy economic times, with all the wars going on, even fashionable girls must be armed! Beware of the Balmain Girl!
Click BELOW for the Balmain Spring/Summer 2010 Runway Show:


Balenciaga:
Hooded Chic: A Darker Look form Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2010

Nicolas Ghesquiere is still the wunderkid of Paris. And all those edgy French actresses, singers and trust-fund baby girls just adore him and his designs. If you are looking for pretty cocktail dresses, move along because Ghesquiere is not your guy. For Spring/Summer 2010, he's getting back to his rocker-chic hard edge (on the same tone as Balmain). His first exits were tight leather second-skin pants and a hoody. It didn't seem so Spring/Summer... But again, this is Spring/Summer Balenciaga style: She's got to be prepared for a light Paris Summer sprinkle of rain, perhaps.
Ready For My Brie and Escargot: Leather and multi-colored beading at Balenciaga

There were dresses, minis of course, with a strong 80s vibe. Very Darryl Hannah in Blade Runner, if the film was re-made for 2010. Color and fabric blocking--a key Balenciaga aesthetic--was prevalent, as you can see from the dresses here.
Rodarte-ish: A look from Spring/Summer Balanciaga 2010

Tweed, mixed with leather, mixed with silk, mixed with glittery sequins. A couple of the looks reminded me of Rodarte, and how they like to mix the fabrics in unexplainable ways. On the same note, Cathy Horyn of the New York Times also commented on how one of Nicolas Ghesquiere's designs looked very much like a Raf Simons Menswear look he had done recently. Very interesting to say the least.This has not been the first time Ghesquiere has had to fend off the "copying" critiques.
Click BELOW for the Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2010 Runway Video:

Review of Benefit Brows a-go-go

You may have seen this cute little palette in the shops and I always think that things like this are perfect as presents for your mates. It's the Benefit Brows a-go-go palette complete with the usual cute Benefit retro packaging... The palette contains a light brow powder for blondes/redheads (looks alot like MAC Omega), a darker brow powder for brunettes, pigmented brow wax, a small double ended applicator for these, a smokin black pencil eyeliner, pale pink browbone highlighter cream formulation eyebright and mini tweezers. I think this would be a great palette to travel with as it has alot of what you need for your eye makeup in a really compact practical palette. I actually used this palette in my previous post about the Nars foundation. I love that they provide a step-by-step guide on what each product can be used for as not everyone is a makeup expert, including me. I have never used brow wax before and wasn't sure whether you apply it before or after the brow powder. (I accidentally positioned the guide in the pic on the wrong side with foreign writing...don't worry, the other side is in English!).

I followed the guide and used the brow wax first to tidy up and shape my brows, then I filled in any patchy areas with the light brow powder, I followed that by highlighting under my brows with the pale pink slightly shimmery powder and then dabbed the eyebright in the inner corners of my eye. The thing I was confused about at first was the eyebright cream. I have used Benefit Eyebright before in pencil form and that product is applied to the waterline so I was really confused by the cream formulation in this palette. It seems that in this case, it is meant to be applied to the inner and outer corners of the eye to open them up and brighten them. And I must say that it does work.

I found the tweezers worked well too and they would be so handy to travel with. The eyeliner is just a generic black eyeliner pencil really and I would probably prefer to use a MAC pearlglide liner since they are alot softer and smoother to apply. I found this Benefit one a little dry and it dragged my eyelids slightly.

Overall, this is a great little palette with a handy mirror for when you're on the go. It contains 60% of the products you would need for your eye makeup and I will definitely be taking this to ireland with me in 3 weeks time. I have really come around to the whole brow wax/powder idea as I usually just use a pencil and eyebrow gel. However, I found by using wax and powder, it gives you a tidier finish and it also looks more natural. I also found that my brows looked tidy all day and I didn't have to tidy them up later on.

Review of Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

Hey guys, as you know I bought myself Nars Sheer Glow foundation in Barcelona last week and I promised a review on it asap. This is my first ever Nars foundation. So here goes...

The Nars website describes it as "A glowing, satin-finish foundation with sheer and buildable coverage. Replete with skincare benefits and the NARS Complexion Brightening Formula, skin is hydrated, more luminous, softer and smoother. Used daily, Sheer Glow Foundation improves skin brightness, radiance and texture. For normal to dry skin types".

I think you know what I'm going to say...Lollipop26 does it again! Every product I have tried after seeing her raving about it on her YT channel or blog, I have loved. I can always rely on her reviews. Usually I am a bit dubious about trying new foundations as I find it difficult to find ones that I like, either they're too sheer or too heavy/opaque. However, I am SO happy I bought this foundation! I would never normally buy a foundation with 'sheer' in the name as I really need a good amount of coverage and sheer ones normally don't cut it for me. But this foundation gives the perfect amount of coverage and the finish is really brightening/luminous, without being shiny or greasy looking. Perfect! It lasted all day and didn't look at all cakey on the skin, it just melts in and blends so easily. One of the things I loved the most about this foundation was the fact that it feels so light on the skin, it is alot more runny in consistency than I'm used to but you really don't need alot to get the coverage you need.

I usually go for medium coverage foundation but this product satisfies all my needs even though it's marketed as a sheer product. My skin looked so natural when I was wearing it and I loved the radiance my skin had. I am also excited to use a foundation which claims to improve the texture/smoothness of your skin as you use it....we do love multi-taskers, don't we! I don't even have a highlighting product on in the pics and my skin still looks glowy. I will definitely be using this product as my new daytime foundation! The only VERY SMALL bugbear is that the open top bottle can get really messy after a while, but I can live with that.

Have you tried this foundation yet,...what did you think of it?

FOTD & review of MUFE concealer/Nars Albatross

I went to a BBQ/Party on Saturday and this is what look I went for...

Face: Loreal Studio Resurfacing Primer, Revlon Colourstay Foundation in True Beige, MUFE Full Cover Extreme Camouflage Concealer in no.8 (Beige), MAC MSF Natural in Medium, Korres Monoi Oil Bronzer in Sunglow all over, Bare Escentuals Faux Tan to contour, Nars Albatross Highlighting Powder on cheekbones.Eyes: MAC Paint Pot in Painterly, 17 eyeshadow in Ivory Coast on browbone, Korres Eyeshadow in White all over lid and in tearduct (it is really a pale silver), MAC Print on outer edges of lid and in crease, MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack along top lashline, MAC Carbon to soften eyeliner and tidy up, Loreal Lash Serum/Cils booster, Maybelline Pulse Perfection Mascara.Lips: YSL Rouge Volupte in Lingerie Pink, Illamasqua Sheer Gloss in Electrify.

I have found my HG undereye concealer...and it's all thanks to the MUFE Full Cover concealer. They're not joking when they say it's extreme camouflage! This stuff is amazing and you'll see from the pics above that it has completely hidden the darkness I normally get under my eyes. I am SO impressed by this product and it totally lives up to all the hype I've heard. I'm so glad I bought this and I can tell it will last for ages as you only need a tiny bit. At first, I thought the colour might be a bit dark as usually I would go a shade lighter than my skintone for an undereye concealer. However, it matched my skintone perfectly and completely camouflaged the area. I think the key with this concealer is getting the right shade for you and I've been lucky enough to strike it lucky from checking swatches on sites like Temptalia and the sephora website. The consistency of this concealer is very thick and as I said before, a little goes a long way. It's also waterproof and although it's thick, it didn't look at all cakey when applied and blended. It lasted all day and didn't budge at all. I absolutely love this stuff and I'm so so happy I finally found something which met my expectations and then some!

I also tried Nars Albatross highlighting powder which has been on my lust list since...well, forever. I have been meaning to try this infamous highlighter for years and the fact that it's taken me this long to get it is just ridiculous. I've heard so much about it and seen countless dupes but this stuff is just amazing for creating a candlelit glow. I adore this product and love the subtle effect it gives, it leaves your skin looking glowy and luminous and I don't know how I got by without it now. It's one of those products that will never fail to look gorgeous. It's obviously finely milled and it's a gorgeous pale yellow colour to give that unique effect it's famous for. I can't rave about this enough, it's subtle and oh so pretty. It's the queen of all highlighters in my opinion!