CLAUDIO CINA

CHRISTIAN DIOR COUTURE - LIFE AFTER GALLIANO

Fashion Illustration by Claudio Cina; Christian Dior Fall Couture 2011

Christian Dior Couture Fall 2011; photos courtesy Elle.com

Katy Perry at the VMA's in Dior Couture looking fab in this outfit!

For his first couture collection after the release of John Galliano from Christian Dior,  Bill Gaytten, who worked for Galliano for decades, took the reigns at Dior..... if only for a moment.  As fate would have it, his first outing proved to be a moment captured beautifully in pictures.  With all the best tools at his fingertips, Stephen Jones with his headpieces, Jeremy Healy on beats, Michael Howells with his set design, Pat McGrath on makeup, Orlando Pita on hair, the collection packed a lot of punch.

My illusrtation today has been inspired by the models that "gave good face" at the show.   Hats off to amazing chemistry of Orlando Pita, Pat McGrath, and Stephen Jones who brought Mr. Gaytten's vision to life beautifully.

 

Free As My Hair...

Or shall I say, chic as my hair!  So inspirtational and fresh are the hairstyles that Julien d'ys did for the Comme Des Garcons Show in 1995.  And of course, all the top girls in them...Linda, Kate.....Christina.   I was relooking at the show today and was itching to capture the texture and color in an illustration .  Each time I look at this show, I am amazed by how the clothes and the hair look perfect.....together.  Genius on every level!

Illustration Claudio Cina; Commes Des Garcons Show 1995; all the amazing hairstyles by Julien d'ys

Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss and Christina Kruse at a Commes Des Garcons Show, 1995

For Fall 2011 Nicholas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga has brought color blocking to another level in the below two looks.  Commes Des Garcons as always clearly ahead of their time.

above two photos courtesy Vogue.com; Balenciaga Fall 2011

Creatures of Prada - Textures Create a Second Skin as Miuccia Prada Celebrates Paillettes and Fur

Androgynous Menswear, Boy George, Star Embroideries, and Sicilian Glamour on the Runway of Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2011

collaged photos courtesy Vogue.com

Stella McCartney Finale Dresses with Sheer Inset Panels for Fall 2011 Reminiscent of Geoffrey Beene

above, photos courtesy Vogue.com; Stella McCartney Fall 2011 Paris Fashion Week as seen on Natasha Poly, Karnen Pedaru, Anja Rubik

photo Jack Deutsch; Geoffrey Beene black silk crepe dress with body-winding point d'esprit inset, Fall 1991

photo Irving Penn, Geoffrey Beene black silk sponge crepe dress with black point d'esprit body inset, Spring 1991

In a very strong collection at Paris fashion week, Stella McCartney's take on point d'esprit body insets could not help but make you think of Mr. Beene. Geoffrey Beene, who passed away in 2004 with complication due to cancer, still lives in the work of others designers.  He was one of the last in his breed of true American innovators and teachers in design. Both Alber Elbaz of Lanvin and Doo Ri Chung, who worked under Beene are now successful fashion designers.

Stella McCartney's finale dresses are amazing and reconfirm her talent in the industry.  She has done a beautiful job of taking this inspiration and reworking it in a sexy modern way.  You can be sure that these will end up on the back of some of her celebrity friends, like Madonna, Gweneth Paltrow, or Kate Moss.

Gucci Goes 'Flora-ucci' - Frida Giannini GaGa for Flowers?

The whole collection harked back to a retro 70's feeling, which started with Marc Jacobs Spring collection last season.  Not that Gucci is not 70's.  The clothes had an updated quality to them, with great color blocking, a trend that is all over the editorials right now. But the best part of the collection..... All of the evening exits, one more beautiful and sexy than the next!!!!  It was a show of skin, chiffon, and flowers.  Take a look. There was not one of them I would edit.

A tad YSL???? Yes, but that is never a bad thing.  The 'couture' touch to the collection comes via the amazing real and colorful silk flowers. The hair and make up is  super sexy and perfect to finish off the look.  Can't wait to see this ad campaign.  I can only imagine.

Dots, Dots, and Did I Say Dots? at Marc Jacobs Fall 2011 Collection

I know it's been a while since the last post!  Things have gotten really hectic lately.  Sorry to be away for so long. Let's talk fashion.

I have been looking at many NY shows as Fashion week is wrapping up in NY, and leave it to Marc Jacobs to totally explore a theme.  This time it was Dots, which showed up on accessories, hats, bags, shoes, hose, and almost every type of fabric you can think of. from sequence, to velvet dot appliques.  Take a look....

The hats were quite witty, but what made them edgy and not overly sophisticated was the head bandage that wrapped around the head and kept the head in place.  Editors will be fighting over these for their editorials!

all photos courtesy Vogue.com

Even if you weren't a big fan of this collection by Marc, you can be sure that it will get people talking.  It was very focused and the fabrications as always are rich and researched. The styling was young, sophisticated, with a sports edge that blended in nicely with a 40's/50's/60's silhouettes. 

Looking forward to this being a pre-cursor of what we are going to see in London, Milan and Paris.  What will he do for Louis Vuitton? Will there be a Dot in sight in Paris.  To be continued.....