The Exotics of the House of Gucci

After a busy work schedule and working almost seven days a week, I have not been able to find time to update this blog.  However, what I did not realize was that I have constantly been posting on Facebook about my fashion wishlist.  Essentially, my Facebook wall became a mini-blog.  Now with that, I'm going to share with you my thoughts, rants and raves that I share on my social networks.  To start, I will talk about the posh luxuriousness of the House of Gucci!

Today, I visited the Gucci Boutique at South Coast Plaza for a little bit of retail therapy.  Though I did not purchase anything spectacularly grand or, for that matter, pricey, I was able to have a little fun eyeing the menswear, and, in particular, the ready-to-wear made of exotic leather.

Of all the high-end fashion houses that I have been exposed to, Gucci is one of the brands that revel in and offer a variety of items crafted with the luxuriousness of alligator, crocodile, eel, and ostrich leather, the plushness of mink fur, and the raciness of the python and snakeskin leather!  In addition to accessories made of the aforementioned materials, the leather jackets are also made of these unusual materials.

Even though I had no intentions of purchasing ready-to-wear jackets made of exotic skins (functionality, budget, and the important creepiness factor factored considerably in that decision), I figured I might as well see what they were like to have on.  

The first item I tried was this washed leather jacket made of pure ostrich leather worth $11,300.

 

If you look carefully at the jacket, you will see "bumps".  Those characteristic bumps are due to the large feathers of the ostrich.  It felt like I was touching goosebumps.  Wearing it felt like I was wearing any other leather jacket, except what I had on me was worth just as much as a car, a car that would get more mileage than this jacket would if ever I owned it.

When models are hired to wear outfits, it is the models job to not show how terrified they are if they are disturbed by the material of the outfit or what creature they have to pose with.  Although I have a phobia of snakes, I compartmentalized my fear and donned the following:

This is a $12,200 safari jacket made of python skin!  Although, again, it felt like any other leather jacket I've tried, the thought of having a dead snake on me made me feel slimy.  I cringed to my bone.

Despite it all, it was still fun to play model, albeit for ten minutes!

Reviewing the Runway - Jean Paul Gaultier Men's Fall/Winter 2012-13

Label: Jean Paul Gaultier

Designer: Jean Paul Gaultier

Fashion Week: Paris, France

Runway Show: Thursday, January 19

No matter what the medium, in general, two of the best ways to hook the audience is to deliver an in-your-face statement that incites some form of emotion within a person, and to surprise the attendees in some form. Through the first five looks sent down the catwalk, Mr. Jean-Paul Gaultier's mostly tough and edgy street wear balanced by hints of casual tailoring Autumn/Winter 2012-13 menswear collection, managed to do both. He hooked the audience through the use of "statement-inducing" prints and innovative accessories!

After watching the presentation, two moments were memorable and it was not because of the garish prints, but it was due to the unexpected details added to certain accessories. The second look presented was this brick-print sweater in orange-brown hues with a black leather vest and corduroy pants in dark brown accented with a scarf and leather gloves. (All images are screencapped from GQ's website.)

If one looks closely at the photo, it should be noticeable that the model is missing a hand. This is because he his hiding it in a pocket, not on the pants... but in the scarf! Here is a closeup shot:

The scarf has two pockets to place your hands in in case your extremities get extremely cold. It is uncommon to see this feature on a scarf. It is definite attention-grabber!

The surprised was again followed up in the fourth outfit presented.

In this gray-colored brick-printed outfit, the model has a crossbody accessory tucked underneath the model's left arm. As the model posed, he took that piece and started to unfold it...

...to reveal a green raincoat of sorts.

A fun, and undoubtedly functional accessory that can add layers to protect one from the cold winter weather, but not be a bulky carry along. It was an added twist that few saw coming!

Alongside the surprises, as mentioned in a previous post, Mr. Gaultier opened the flood gates and inundated the collection with an eclectic display of prints, not limited to a brick wall (in both tints of orange, and in shades of gray), camouflage, and even Medusa-like prints, as seen in the following:

Therein lies the "statement." With such bold use of graphics, only men with the panache and bravado of a seasoned walker of the concrete, urban jungle can exude the confidence needed to wear the outfit and not have the outfit wear them. These clothes state that the man donning them has a tough personality, and would dare someone to incite an argument with them!

Although Mr. Gaultier ran the risk of going over-the-top through the unabashed use of prints, it was the mix of bold prints with something plain, neutral, and subdued that prevented the outfits from being a visual clutter. Here are several standout looks that manage to teeter-totter the line of cacophonous mess and wearable street style:

As much as I love designers who use print to add visual interest to clothing, there is a reason why "Less is more" is a style maxim. Too much of any print can quickly be seen as cheap, gaudy, and tacky. The collection benefited with the balance of solid-colored pieces, be it a bright orange,...

...brown,...

...deep, rich burgundy,...

...and shades of black, white, and gray.

And, of course, accents of leather will, when tastefully tailored, add sophistication to any look.

I am not a fan of prints. That does not necessarily preclude that I will hate on anything that is printed. In fact, with this collection, the print was well-incorporated. It was due to the daring use of prints to elicit a "statement," tempered by the innovation of two accessories, and solid-colored pieces, that I was entertained and captivated enough to forgive any misstep that may have gone down the runway...

Well, almost anything.

Though the collection was mostly comprised of prints, it was not the loud expression of print that had me disappointed. It was because of this look:

The model's neck is gone and it looks as if the model is trying his best to keep his head afloat to prevent from being swallowed by the zip sweater. In this look, contrary to the other outfits, it is the clothes that are wearing the model.

So I could not forgive all of the mistakes. One look out of many is still considerable though!

Reviewing the Runway - Rick Owens Fall/Winter 2012-13 Mountain Men

Label: Rick Owens

Designer: Rick Owens

Fashion Week: Paris, France

Runway Show: Thursday, January 19

Not having heard of Rick Owens prior to this year, I was not sure what to expect when viewing his runway collection. However, upon seeing the first look to come marching down the catwalk, I knew I was going to see some unique clothing, for better (left, the first look of the show) or for worse (right) (All pictures were screencapped from www.gq.com.).

The look to the left was a high-waist drop crotch pants paired with a poplin shirt with enclosed buttons and a scarf, bib-like fold of the fabric. High-waist trousers are recently making a comeback, but the drop-crotch look still has yet to take footing. The architectural nature of the shirt is something unique, at least in American menswear. This was a look with an unexpected touch.

However, the look to the right, was just as unexpected in a, "Is that even wearable way?" The look above is, as www.gq.com notes, an "oversized, NASA-esque puffer coat" paired with a skirt with a sheen to it. With the unique proportions of the puffer jacket (proportions that practically swallow the model), paired with a man-skirt (an article of clothing that I never thought existed except as part of a costume or stage performance), that was without a doubt, an eyebrow-raising moment that definitely set the tone for my first contact with the clothes of Mr. Owens.

As the editors at the online retailer Mr. Porter notes, Rick Owens is a "top designer known for his rebellious look." True to the quote, Mr. Owens followed suit by delivering a collection that was a mix of tailored pieces with drapy skirts and dresses in his seemingly signature colors of black, white, and gray. An example of this rebellious look is the vest below.

Instead of being a traditional flat front tailored vest, it is a vest that had ruching, not typically seen in street wear. Even the high-waist pants with a drop-crotch are rebellious in-and-of itself. Only men that emanate a rough and tough, "I don't give a damn!" swagger can successfully wear those pants.

Although some of his pieces are unique, the portion of the show that had me salivating were the leather jackets! This was the first jacket that appeared:

Staying true to form, this jacket is as rebellious as the rest of his aesthetic: the cropped proportions, the asymmetric zipper, the scarf-like detail around the neck! It is unique and most definitely worth the hefty price one could expect to pay.

Here are other standout racer/leather jackets:

For those jackets, it was all about the details. The contrast-colored piping on the jackets added visual dimension, sleekness, and interest. What the two middle jackets lack in piping, they make up for with personality and uniqueness by having what I will call a built-in scarf. This is a detail rarely seen, if at all, in most leather jackets that are currently in retail!

As much as I laud Mr. Owens for being creative, unique, and rebellious, speaking as a shopper, there are several pieces that would make customers only shop for the jackets. When this look came down the runway, my gut reaction was, "undertaker."

The solid black with a faint glimmer of white was too depressing. The skirt did not help as well. Not many men would buy a skirt at a high-end price, unless they were a performer of some sort, or needed a costume. Expecting men to wear a skirt or dress is currently unrealistic, until gender-specific clothing are redefined.

If the objective of a runway presentation is to sell clothes, with these looks, I'm not sold.

One obvious fault with the picture on the left is the skirt. As for the middle and right looks, I am not as sold as a customer when even the model is lost through the coats. A fault that all three looks share, which lost me as a shopper, is the fact that the models walked like penguins when going down the catwalk. It is a pity when even the models themselves cannot walk in the clothes!

In the end, as much as I love a rebellious and edgy aesthetic, I am also grounded in reality. If I had all the money in the world and I could splurge, I would buy several of the shirts and vests with the ruching from Mr. Owens' collection. However, until that happens, I will stick with the worthwhile investments, the leather and racer jackets.

Reviewing the Runway - Kris Van Assche Men's Fall/Winter 2012-13

Label: Kris Van Assche

Designer: Kris Van Assche

Fashion Week: Paris, France

Runway Show: Friday, January 20

For the Autumn/Winter 2012-13 collection, Mr. Van Assche focused on the theme of "Work." Staying true to his inspiration wall, the collection was filled with traditional "work uniform" pieces for all ranks of society, from the manual laborer to the corporate executive (mostly leaning towards the latter).

This season, Mr. Van Assche channeled the labor wear of a 1940s Eastern European and injected it with hints of punk and industrial elements (dark colors with only accents of color, buckling details, military boots). The result was a collection perfect for academic professionals or educators. There were, as www.gq.com noted, professorial staples like long cardigans (all images are from Kris Van Assche's website)...,

...and suited looks with blazers.

Although these are pieces that one might often see a faculty member on a university campus wear, Mr. Van Assche ensured to add edge to the looks. The long cardigans were belted with leather, not only to give some shape to the wearer, but to toughen the look. Some of the suited looks were paired, not with sleek black pants, but with wide-legged pants in blue or black to give a very relaxed look.

If I was still working as a teacher, hence making enough money to purchase items, I would add several pieces from this collection to my closet. It is not because they are office-appropriate staples, but it is because several of the pieces have details that add uniqueness to the clothes.

I would buy this striped dress shirt:

Although it might seem like any other dress shirt, the built-in tie bar is a functional twist to the piece.

Another piece I would purchase is this blazer:

It is the kimono wrap detail that makes this suit jacket unlike any other jacket! It is a unique way to add an accent of color and show some personality.

I have always been a fan of belted, cinched-waisted looks. This jacket would be worth the price:

What makes this piece edgier than most is that the traditional double-button closures are replaced with double belts. It is a non-conventional modernization to a classic staple.

Although, the collection was overall strong, there was one misstep that could have been edited out of the collection, as exemplified by this look:

In concurrence with the opinion from Women's Wear Daily, the dungaree was over-the-top. Although it is an item common in the blue collar work sphere, it is impractical in the retail world. Considering the prices that Mr. Van Assche's clothing retail for, it is almost unrealistic to sell the dungaree because not only might the price be steep, but it could easily be ruined if used for some form of contracting, construction, or carpentry job. For making a stylish statement in public, I would wear the piece, if it were fitted and tailored. However, in the context of the collection, it stands out.

My general sentiments for the entire collection can be summarized by the following: If the price is relatively right, my closet might have some Kris Van Assche pieces in July when this collection becomes available for purchase. Translation: It is a solid collection with several pieces worth buying!

Reviewing the Runway - Yves Saint Laurent Men's Fall/Winter 2012-13

Label: Yves Saint Laurent

Designer: Stefano Pilati

Fashion Week: Paris, France

Runway Show: Friday, January 20

This was the first look to strut down a walkway of Sarbonne University in Paris.

At first glance, it would seem just like any other well-tailored black suit paired with a black leather shoe with metal strip. However, look closely, especially at the lapel. To the fashionistos and fashionistas, they will notice that the peak lapel is not made of the same material as the rest of the suit. It is leather. This was a very edgy and racy twist that set the tone for what was to follow.

What was to follow was a wide range of tailored looks appropriate for the man with a jetset lifestyle. There were suits - both single and double-breasted, shirts, ties, vests, sweaters vests - for the days he is in the office. There were jackets, straight coats, "casual" shirts for the days that he has to schmooze with the wealthy and powerful in the casinos of the French and Italian Riviera.

However, as with the opening look, Mr. Pilati delivered a collection full of twists and turns, where the good jetsetter has decisively turned bold and bad. The suits were not just plain black suits. Some were trimmed with leather, or incorporated leather patches. The same applies to the pants, as with these looks:

Some had extravagant touches, as with this straight coat with a fur collar:

Other looks amped the level of sexuality to the traditional work wear by having turtlenecks in pure leather, as with this outfit:

Or even adding straps to vests:

The jetsetter has gone truly bad when he has the bravado to walk the streets in head-to-toe leather.

Although some of the all-leather are potentially louche, the sharp and clean tailoring keeps it more luxurious.

All-in-all, this is a perfect collection for those who can afford such extravagance!