Dressful

At Sonia Rykiel's Fall/Winter 2012/2013 show in Paris, I experienced the ugly side of the fashion industry for the first time.

I was supposed to attend the Maison Martin Margiela show in the 8th district before Rykiel, but I hadn't received the invitation and the PR people didn't find me on the list either. They told me to wait and once everyone has been let in, they would check again with someone else, but I was afraid that if I stayed, I'd miss Rykiel – for which I did have the invitation – so I decided not to waste time and head directly to the Tuileries by metro.

The show was running standardly late; in the meantime, a giant group of photographers gathered on the side of the venue near the entrance, snapping photos of celebrity attendees, front row, the usual fashion week distractions (do you remember when the press actually focused on, you know, clothes?). The surprise that left a bad taste in my mouth was that in the midst of this superficial paparazzi chaos, Sonia Rykiel's arrival went literally unnoticed. Emerging from backstage, two men supported her as she walked; once she sat down in front row, it was as if she wasn't Sonia Rykiel, one of Paris's most legendary designers, but a completely anonymous woman. Her entrance got approximately as much attention as mine. Nobody bat an eyelash. Nobody took her picture. Nobody interviewed her on camera. Flashes kept flashing and cameras clicking on the other side of the venue, undisturbed by the presence of the woman who had founded the house whose show we were there to see. Some people came to say hi to Rykiel after a few minutes, but you could see they were old friends who have known her forever.

Though Sonia Rykiel has quit designing (last March was when her daughter Nathalie took her bow alone for the first time after the show), this naive ignorance was very bad manners. In fashion, I've been lucky to have been surprised with mostly good things so far. This, however, is the other side that many fashion insiders are happy to keep secret. Why? Because it doesn't make everyone look saintly and appearances are everything.

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The Sonia Rykiel Fall/Winter 2012/2013 collection by Nathalie Rykiel and creative director April Crichton was a big step away from Rykiel's signature playful, bright and sexy Rive Gauche chic towards a mature look that seemed more "global" than "Paris" (even headbands looked serious). This change of vision has been apparent for longer than one season, but it also goes hand in hand with the Rykiel family having recently sold 80 per cent of the label to Hong Kong-based investment company Fung Brands.

It will be interesting to observe how this move will affect the upcoming collections. The new investors are planning Rykiel's expansion to the US and China, therefore it is likely they will encourage further globalization of the label so that new customers worldwide will be able to relate to it (and spend money on it), not only existing Rykiel enthusiasts. If the aesthetic of the label changes majorly, though, the loss of the label's essence will alienate precisely these enthusiasts who have sworn by Sonia Rykiel for years. Much is at stake here, but I do hope Rykiel's identity will be preserved despite the increasing need to sell more, more, more.

Yohji Yamamoto Fall/Winter 2012/2013 show.
March 2, 2012.
Lycée Carnot, Paris 17e.

Attending Yohji Yamamoto's show at Paris fashion week was an experience so out of this world that I took a few days off to process it and collect my thoughts before writing a review. To illustrate just how important it was for me – if you asked me at the beginning of the season, "If you could attend any show at any fashion week, which one would you choose?", I'd have answered Yamamoto without hesitation. While I refuse to have a favorite designer – I think it's not good manners to cultivate such subjectiveness when you work in fashion – Yohji Yamamoto is my most important designer. Discovering his work when I was 15 was the foundation for everything I've done in fashion since then. Without Yamamoto sparking my interest in what I call "fashion beyond the surface", I would have never started blogging. He showed me that women and garments can be beautiful in a much more mature and intelligent way than what is perpetually being pitched to us by the majority of fashion magazines, beauty ideals and clothing conventions.

Apart from extraordinary shapes, cuts and deconstruction, Yohji Yamamoto's garments possess such elegance that I remained not only intrigued, but in love.

By your third season attending fashion weeks, you learn not to take unapproved show requests personally. Still, dining in a small brasserie overlooking the Arc de Triomphe on Thursday, I was suddenly consumed by a pulsating, anxious thought that Yohji Yamamoto's Fall/Winter 2012/2013 show was to take place the next day – not only in the same city, but also in the same district, only 20 minutes away from my hotel – and that I wasn't going to be there. It ached. It ached, though I know by now that shows are never larger than life; I couldn't go to Yamamoto last October either and I was able to shake it off. This uncanny, overwhelming feeling really was my sixth sense telling me it was time to make an exception and consider abolishing my only fashion week rule: not trying to get into shows without invitation.

Sneaking into shows past security is considered the most impolite thing you can do at fashion week, and I certainly wouldn't want anyone to remember me for that. Instead, I decided to ask Yamamoto's PR ladies if I could go in though I didn't have the invitation; if they said no, I would respect it and not be disappointed because I did try. I was encouraged by the maneuvers I saw at Barbara Bui earlier that day. They let in everyone who had asked after having seated guests with invitations, a refreshing change from the usual show uptightness and elitism. Somehow, I knew that because I feel so connected to Yamamoto and the brand is not like the others, they would probably understand me.

Though going against my invitation rule made me slightly uncomfortable at first, I realized that maybe the best way to show Yamamoto's PR team how much attending the show means to me might just be to go and tell them.

The show was scheduled for 7:30, which meant it wasn't going to start until eight. I decided to walk to to Lycée Carnot because it was near, but of course, I got lost along the way (with a map in hand). At one point, I wanted to go back because I was late, I thought I'd miss the show and I had no idea where I was, but luckily I knew better than that and kept on walking. When I finally found the street, I rushed to the entrance. There was no queue any more, only two PR ladies, security and a few photographers waiting for people to come out of the show.

The following was the most magical conversation I've ever had with anyone at fashion week, and I will remember it forever:

"I don't have the invitation, but I'd love to see the show. Can I please go to standing room?"
- "Because you asked very formally and you have a nice international accent, I say yes."

That was it. No fuss. She understood immediately.

As indicated by the lack of queue, the show was just about to start, so I ran in as fast as I could, shouting back "Thank you so much!".

When I got inside, I found myself in a standing room space right by the second row. Essentially, I've never had a better view at a show before. I couldn't believe my luck. I was at the show I wanted to attend the most and I could see everything perfectly, even take photos! Though I was overwhelmed because I had made it, I relaxed completely when the show started. While shows are usually pure adrenaline – rush, heat, no space to breathe, music pumped up to the max – this one felt like total zen. Just calm sounds and beautiful garments. So Yohji.

I saw the collection as an exploration of the different meanings of red, most notably love and danger/aggression, the two polar opposites (though are they really?). In some looks, red felt warm, inviting, gentle and poetic; the peak of this was the soft, voluminous, almost-pink coat. In other looks, red was high voltage. This was not the only play of contrasts. It's signature for Yamamoto's garments not to reveal too much of the body, however skin was exposed here and not where you'd expect it (some people deemed this "Yamamoto's sexy collection"). There was a long white turtleneck sweater rendering the body silhouette invisible, but this sweater had an open back. The electric blue and red streaks in models' hair looked like an extension of the garment from afar, especially when the garment was in the same color, a brilliant visual effect.

It was indescribable to see how these complexly structured garments moved as the models walked, as well as how the outfits looked from the back and from the side. Photos where you can only see the front of the look don't do Yamamoto's collection any justice. I strongly believe that seeing clothes in motion is the only way to comprehend the beauty and technical perfection of their construction.

Though I said that shows are never larger than life, I was a little perplexed that the world didn't stop after this one, that people stood up from their seats just like that and left, rushing wherever they were supposed to show up next while I temporarily got stuck in a Yamamoto time capsule. So many times at fashion weeks, the only thing I can do after attending a show or presentation that really spoke to me is wander aimlessly around the city in attempt to process it before I can go back to my hotel and translate what I experienced into words.

Though I returned from Paris to my quotidian worries in Ljubljana in the meantime, this inexplicable and romantic post-show dizziness is lasting longer than usual. I don't mind it. It's like being in love. To think that a single show has the power to send me to such beautiful and mysterious places ... Who said fashion was frivolous again?

Barbara Bui Fall/Winter 2012/2013 was my first-ever show at Paris fashion week, despite this being my third season in Paris. I was supposed to attend Nina Ricci last season, but my invitation didn't arrive, which taught me I should never say I'm attending this or that show before I have a hard-copy invitation in my hands. Invitations not arriving (mostly due to sloppy couriers) are as natural as breathing in Paris and Milan – New York is more advanced, almost all fashion houses and PR agencies handle RSVPs electronically (you confirm by email or on Fashion GPS website). This season in Milan, out of three hard-copy invitations they had (apparently) sent me, I received the grand total of zero. When I checked in my Paris hotel yesterday afternoon, however, I discovered that my invitations to Barbara Bui and Sonia Rykiel had arrived before me.

I still have lots to write about Milan Fashion Week, but one thing I should say before I tell you anything about Paris and the Barbara Bui show is that the organization in Milan was a disaster. Waiting to get into shows basically looked like this: first, a humongous group of people amassed in front of the entrance. Then security called in guests with numbered seats. These people started aggressively shoving their way through the crowd (so much about fashion people being elegant). Photographers did the same, only they also carried sturdy camera bags without caring how many people they hit with them. Feeling like livestock on the way to the slaughterhouse instead of a runway show most of the time, I couldn't stop thinking why is it so damn difficult to form three queues (one for guests with numbered seats, the second for photographers and the third for standing room) and make everyone's life easier.

The Barbara Bui show at the Westin yesterday was different, and I can only hope it was not an exception to the Parisian rule. The fashion clique was more relaxed; only the models that had been casted for the show excused their way through the crowd – politely and with grace because after all, they're models.

The fact that so far Paris fashion week has manifested itself in a less neurotic light to me than New York and Milan doesn't mean Parisians take shows any less seriously. Waiting for Barbara Bui, a boy without invitation (and manners, obviously) tried to talk me into saying he was my assistant to security so that he could go in. Ten minutes later one of the security guys was showing me to my seat. When we couldn't find the seat number, we realized it was because someone else had occupied my place. I don't understand why anyone would do this, especially 20 minutes before the show when the venue still has to fill up and it's highly likely security will boot you out.

Barbara Bui's Fall/Winter 2012/2013 collection is an eclectic mix of refined and cutting-edge with Chinese influences. The first part of the show consisted of a dozen classy and wearable looks in white, black and olive green. I loved the two all-white suits and romantic blouses; designers usually incorporate white ensembles in Spring/Summer collections, but white is much more delicate in winter, recalling snowflakes, perhaps the most ephemeral substance in existence … Bui's signature metallic fabrics followed in the second part, creating an almost futuristic atmosphere; you'd think a metallic leopard print would be an aesthetic faux pas by default, but Bui's actually looks dashing and contemporary instead of tacky.

Though the pieces with Chinese traditional motifs and embroidery towards the end of the show stood out the most, I found that part of the collection the weakest. I felt that the Chinese inspiration was taken too literally (you see the same tiger and dragon imagery on wall tapestries in Chinese restaurants), especially compared to the rest of the collection that was sleek and poetic.

Leaving the Westin, I noticed that the street style photographers were predominantly occupied with models, not show attendees. I found that a refreshing change from raising a cult of personality around whoever deliberately dresses the kookiest (Mary Fellowes outlined this superficiality in her brilliant article on instant fashion week street style fame), however I do still think that the real stars of fashion week are the collections.

2011 was an exciting and fruitful year for me as a fashion blogger.

In February I attended my first major runway show, Emporio Armani F/W 11/12 at Milan Fashion Week. Envisioning myself working in fashion before I started blogging, I thought I would have to spend years interning and assisting at magazines before my boss granted me a privilege to attend shows and write about them. I am my own boss at Dressful so nobody showers me with benefits, but thanks to the "democratization of fashion" we bloggers have become regulars at fashion weeks, be it catching street style photographers' attention with eccentric outfits or reporting from shows.

Concept Korea Spring 2012 presentation at New York Fashion Week.

In September I attended New York Fashion Week, which turned out to be a much bigger deal than I had expected. It's the collections shown in Paris and Milan that get the most international attention, but New York is the most blogger-friendly fashion week (Reuters claims that 40% of the press at NYFW are bloggers) and a great place for networking. As opposed to Milan and Paris, all shows take place under one roof in New York, which means you can hang out with people in-between events instead of wasting your time getting stuck in insane traffic jams.

When I started going to fashion weeks, I quickly realized there would be no way back, i.e. if I attend, I have to return next season to see more shows, meet more people and do better work. Due to unexpected health problems I didn't create as much content as I wanted to at NYFW in September. I will be attending NYFW again in February and I'm tickled pink to have a chance to improve. I haven't seen wintry New York in three years.

Invitation to the Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2012 show
Celebrating Halloween with a Chanel pumpkin carved by my dad

Dressful has gained many new readers in 2011. I receive charming, encouraging emails from those of you who find it inspiring and I wish such perceptive and intelligent readers will accompany me in 2012 too. Constantly working on ways to reach more fashion enthusiasts, I'm satisfied with the direction Dressful is developing in. I've discovered that in my case, sharing original and quality content is the way to go. People like words and images they won't find elsewhere and I feel good expressing myself in different creative ways.

In 2011 I rejected various proposals that would have brought me money but didn't align with Dressful. I've been hesitant with monetization because I find some methods largely inefficient and because this blog is my personal space where I only recommend what I absolutely love and know well.

I have seen bloggers rush into monetization without thinking it through; in the end, they were not compensated fairly, the brand or product they promoted didn't fit their blog, the banner ads looked out of place … If done wrong, such deals can do more harm than good to the blogger, despite the money they earned. That being said, there are several types of collaborations I am interested in; I will soon create a separate page to outline them more precisely.

Sens(n)ation Maison Martin Margiela exhibition in Ljubljana.

I would like to thank everyone who takes time to comment on my posts; your comments are not of the "nice shoes check out my blog" variety; rather, they contribute valuably to the post and discussion. I truly appreciate it when you share my posts on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms – this is the easiest way to help me reach more people. Next to providing quality content, expanding my audience is my number one goal for 2012.

Though the world is far from perfect, the opportunities I've had in 2011 make me grateful to live here and now. Five years ago it would have been impossible to jumpstart my fashion career with a blog.

The blog is just the beginning.

I wish you happy holidays and lots of health, love, creativity and success in 2012.

I finished this season's fashion week tour tonight in Paris, attending the presentation of the Hogan by Karl Lagerfeld Spring/Summer 2012 capsule collection at Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild. This is Lagerfeld's third collaboration with Hogan (see my photos of Fall/Winter 2011/2012). A mostly black and white collection is accompanied by a book of sketches and photos of models Bianca Balti and Jacquelyn Jablonski by Lagerfeld.

The pieces were presented on an enormous sleek, black construction spanning across five rooms (the event design was a joint effort of Karl Lagerfeld and Hogan's creative teams). Small white candles added the bit of magic that comes more than handy when you're launching a new collection. There has to be beauty with a pinch of drama. The presentation and the well thought-out collection had (have) both - after all, this is fashion!

Hogan and Lagerfeld showed sneakers and patent ballet flats whose main theme is wearability. Sneakers are made of black or white python, two-toned nappa leather and rubber - a juxtaposition of luxurious and ordinary materials. You'll appreciate them if you understand the difficulty of coming across sneakers you don't want to immediately dismiss as a fashion crime.

Black technical nylon trench coats and gorgeous fitted soft leather jackets with zippers meant to be worn as a second skin. There are also zippers on the back of the jackets for a better fit. If unzipped, imagine all the ways you can wear them and the new dimension it adds to your outfit!

I loved the clutches with a bubble pattern (a similar pattern is also used in larger bags and flats). The collection is incredibly consistent; the pieces create a distinctive, uniform-like look paired with one another - a look that ranges from cosmopolitan to tough rockstar glamour, the latter mostly due to super skinny high rise jeans. It's unmistakably Hogan, but it takes a designer of Lagerfeld's skill to give wearable, practical pieces that oh so necessary pinch of drama.

I'm flying back home tomorrow and like half a year ago, I feel sad about leaving Paris so soon, postponing the occasion to have more time for its streets and spirits. It's a beautiful opportunity to come here for fashion week, though, and I wouldn't prefer it any other way. See you next season.