The Slimane and Simons Dynasties

Beginning a reign at two of the most historic and revered French fashion houses is an endeavor that I am not sure I would personally want to take on. Honoring the aesthetic of a line's origins to please the snarkiest of fashion historians while infusing it with a fresh perspective to gain the interest of a new generation of jaded consumers is no easy task. Nevertheless, Hedi Slimane took on the challenge at Yves Saint Laurent and Raf Simons embraced the opportunity at Christian Dior. Both presented solid collections at Paris Fashion Week with some looks we really loved. If there was a point of constructive criticism from us, it would be that Simons may have steered a bit too far away from Dior's origins while Slimane stuck a little too closely to YSL's roots. Nevertheless, we know these are two of the most talented designers out there that can handle carrying on the sartorial torch. A good beginning for Slimane and Simons. We continue to look forward to the future. And while we normally like to share one favorite look from each collection, we thought these two debuts justified full video clips. Take a look and tell us what you think. Did Slimane and Simons meet the challenge at Saint Laurent and Christian Dior? Do you agree with our assessment? More PFW coverage to come.

Slimane's Saint Laurent Spring 2013

Simons's Christian Dior Spring 2013

London and Milan Fashion Week in a Flash

Fashion season has already moved on to Paris and we here at TFG wanted to sum up London and Milan with our favorite looks. We must admit, we were a bit underwhelmed. We will even dare to say that the designers that presented at NYFW outshined those presenting during both LFW and MFW. Perhaps it's our national pride. Or perhaps the fruits of the CFDA's labor are beginning to show itself as it continues to nurture the development of high-caliber designers that can compete with the best of Europe through its Incubator and Vogue Fashion Fund programs. With a roster that includes Proenza Schouler, Altuzarra, Prabal Gurung, Cushnie et Ochs, and Bibhu Mohapatra, we will venture to guess that it's more the later. Nevertheless, Europe is still the center of fashion and we loved many of the looks that came down the runways. Here are our favorites from London and Milan. 

Peter Pilotto

Jil Sander

Tom Ford

Mary Katrantzou

Sass & Bide

Bottega Veneta

Gucci

Marni

Versace

Photos Courtesy of WWD

NYFW: Spring 2013 RTW Collections

NYFW came to an end on Thursday and we are excited to recap the week and share our favorite looks. Bibhu Mohapatra blew us away with a stunning collection full of print and and color. We were particularly drawn to his mastery with lace. Wes Gordon, Narciso Rodriguez, and Proenza Schouler presented collections that epitomized their own distinct aesthetic, but with truly timeless pieces from start to finish. Calvin Klein was true to form with beautiful geometric bodices and crips whites. Donna Karan had a soft energy flowing through the collection while maintaining her modern point of view. J.Mendel mixed his signature ethereal gowns with more tailored pieces and floral prints. Marc Jacobs epitomized what he coined as "brutal simplicity" with a conservative, black-and-white collection that showed brilliant restraint. Marchesa's India-inspired aesthetic manifested itself in a beautiful array of luxe gowns. And Zac Posen's art-deco inspired lines, tulle and satin fabrics and mermaid cuts tugged at our sartorial heartstrings.

Bibhu Mohapatra

Wes Gordon

Narciso Rodriguez

Proenza Schouler

Donna Karan

Donna Karan

J. Mendel

Marc Jacobs

Marchesa

Zac Posen

Photos Courtesy of WWD

NYFW: Spring 2013 RTW Collections

The weekend was even more exciting at NYFW and we here at TFG couldn't get enough of the amazing collections. Alexander Wang's use of clean lines coupled with texture gave each futuristic look a stunning feminine strength. Prabal Gurung produced his best collection yet with white, red, and black as the dominating colors. Altuzarra mastered layering with pieces that had almost a bohemian touch, yet were somehow still polished. Victoria Beckham surprised us with a beautiful collection of body-con dresses. Monique Lhuillier was true to form in her signature use of lace. Edun epitomized effortless style and if you can't get enough of color, be sure to check out Diane von Furstenberg's entire collection. Check out our favorite looks. 

Alexander Wang

Prabal Gurung

Altuzarra

Victoria Beckham

Monique Lhuillier

Edun

Diane Von Furstenberg

Photos Courtesy of WWD

NYFW: Spring 2013 RTW Collections

Thursday and Friday at NYFW brought more sartorial masterpieces our way. Honor proved to us that ethereal can be both casual and accessible with a beautifully soft collection infused with modern touches. Rag and Bone's cool layered ensembles show us that spring doesn't have to be defined by florals. Cushnie et Ochs presented a beautiful collection marked with their signature cut-outs and feminine edge. Infused into their black and white color palette were striking strokes of bright blues and purple that really caught our eye. Most surprising of all was Helmut Lang's use of color. We absolutely loved the collection and their modern take on the spring season. Jason Wu's entire line mastered the art of balancing feminine frills with masculine touches. Like Peter Som, both designers were not afraid to play with texture and juxtapose soft fabrics with edgy leather (another personal favorite). Check out our favorite looks.

Honor

Rag and Bone

Cushnie et Ochs

Helmut Lang

Jason Wu

Peter Som

Photos Courtesy of WWD