mad for menswear: cloaked and moody

DOLCE & GABBANA 2013

"We're giving you the lowdown on the menswear shown at Milan Fashion Week where after-dark dressing, velvet and gilded glamour were key trends. Back in Paris, Japanese designers conquered the runway. Then we head to the Geneva watch fair where the most exciting looks included a 'poetic' watch and a diamond encrusted panther. Finally, which ten-year-old is set to be the new face of Versace?"

s'il vous plaît - enjoy the show.  Mad for Menswear. A 12-minute segment on the latest trends.

Source: France24 is kind of like CNN except en français and way better. Okay, there is also an English-speaking version. Since Fashion is part of French culture, they cover a lot of fashion.

My favorite: Dolce & Gabbana's 2013 Fall/Winter show on their website is wonderfully fabulous. Just listening to the music takes you back to Downton Abbey Italian style. Very nice.

about "pretty different"

gelato and dresses: a final thought: Project Runway Episode 4

Christian Dior Haute Couture 2011

Project Runway is one of my favorite reality TV shows. It's a great showcase for talented people doing something, using their creativity, using their skills, partaking in a traditional centuries-old respected craft. Superfluous backstage drama is kept to a minimum. Yes, it can be entertaining but ultimately, the drama should come from the creations. For the most part, this is the case on Project Runway.

Taking all the limitations the contestants face into consideration (time limits, limited funds and the constraints of the challenges themselves), often one still gets the impression the designers forget what design is: translating dreams and visions into clothes. The gelato challenge presented itself as the ultimate opportunity.

Christian Dior's haute couture dream of a gown is the epitome of pure fantasy. And if translating an ice cream flavor into a dress isn't a dream challenge, I don't know what is. It seems some of the contestants are too wrapped up in their personalized construction of flamboyancy and eccentric behavior at the expense of their craft. The honing of their inner celebrity appears to be getting in the way of truly unforgettable creations. And I'm not talking about re-inventing the entire industry, I just mean being a bit more fanciful.

more on Project Runway All Stars recap Episode 4

about "pretty different"

homemade gelato: April: Project Runway All Stars Episode 4

Poor April was voted off. Her dress looked half-finished. I think she is a cool chick and am definitely rooting for her success in the fashion industry. Too bad she didn't stick with her original sketch of a blueberry gelato-inspired design (not that it looked any better but it looked finished) but instead went with a dress that looked like the victim of road kill. The belt didn't do it any favors either. Plus why did she use black tulle over the blue? Oh dear.

Good luck April.

more recaps on Project Runway All Stars Episode 4

homemade gelato: Austin, Kara, Mondo: Project Runway All Stars Episode 4

Austin's take on Vanilla Madagascar gelato

Austin is pissing me off because he did such a fantastic job on episode two, which he won. Pure Hollywood glamor. Last week, when he tried something different for Miss Piggy, the result was woeful. This week, with the vanilla madagascar swatch in hand, he went into default mode: the one-sided style.  I love Austin because his "On the Road with Austin and Santino" show is funny and sweet. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. A chiffon dress with a cheap looking brown leather clutch and strappy sandals was definitely a doubtful combination.

The last All Star to choose her ice cream flavor was Kara: chocolate and cayenne pepper. Sadly, Kara couldn't see the forest for the trees and went for a very odd ruffle thing. The model looked pregnant - all the judges agreed on that - because the flounces started from below the bosom. If she had made them longer and used the colors to ruffle around the hem, the dress would have been wearable. On the other hand, Kara might have opened her eyes and seen the host, Andrea Lindvall, who was actually wearing a fantastic dress in chocolate brown. Oh well. She still made it to the next episode.

Mondo went kaftan-esque and did an interesting take on cantaloupe gelato. If I had to choose between Michael's pink moo moo and Mondo's, I would have definitely gone with the melon kafka. Diane Von Furstenberg was thrilled.

more recaps on Project Runway All Stars Episode 4

Mondo's melon

Chocolate and Cayenne Pepper: Kara

homemade gelato: Kenley, Anthony, Rami: Project Runway All Stars

Kenley's gelato challenge design

Kenley, the self-described cute, flirty designer, has cornered the market on, well, "cute and flirty." Think Zooey Deschanel so kind of annoying. Kenley should pour some of the annoyance into her designs to make them something other than average. There has to be a different take on "I'm 1950's retro"other than bows and collars. Her gelato was passion fruit. Nothing passionate about the dress. She could have at the very least used softer, flowing fabric.

Rami, who has done some nice work in the past, wasn't inspired by his kiwi gelato. Despite his thoughts on his design as the model walked the runway ("she looks like a rich, beautiful girl"), Rami took "kiwi" too literally. Polka dots? Really? I admit it's hard finding the right accessories for a green outfit. Black shoes are okay if the belt would have been in green (a sash made out of the polka dot fabric) and a clutch in pink for a splash of color would have made this gelato dress somewhat more appetizing.

In retrospect, Anthony's green tea melt wasn't awful. From the front it looks okay. The silhouette isn't flattering though because he has this whole panel thing going i.e. the wearer looks fat. Styling is sleek and simple, which I like.

more recaps on Project Runway All Stars Episode 4

Anthony's green tea design

Rami's kiwi dress