First Face

Long time, no see! Just popping in briefly to let you know (in case you weren't already aware) that fashiontv has released their First Face Countdown for the Fall/Winter 2011 season, and Caroline finished fourth! I wasn't really expecting her to be on the countdown at all this season, but was pleasantly surprised to see her there. There are a lot of sweet moments here, and it's great to see that she's starting to get a bit more comfortable with being interviewed.

We have two editorials for Vogues in Russia and Japan for May, which I will be reviewing in a timely fashion, as well as one for Numero. Still no news on the campaign front, but hopefully that will change soon!

Louis V

EDIT: Caroline has NOT booked Louis Vuitton. False alarm!

Well, I wasn't expecting this at all! The Brasch has booked the Fall/Winter 2011 Louis Vuitton campaign!

The news broke on tFS about 3 hours ago, and I'm still waiting on official confirmation, but if this is true, I am completely blown away. If you remember, Kate Moss closed the LV show in Paris last month in a very emphatic fashion, and everyone was quite certain that she had the campaign in one of those famed brown bags. But somehow, it seems that Moss is now completely uninvolved with the project.

Word on the net is that Caroline will be featured alongside Vogue Paris favorite, Daphne Groenfeld, as well as Fei Fei Sun, Zuzanna Bijoch, and Anais Pouliot. An interesting cast, not least because the majority of the girls are quite young, and the shoot will likely be on the raunchy side. It is Marc Jacobs though, and he's never been one to shy away from controversy in that area (I don't think I need to remind anyone about his BANG fragrance ad).

Interestingly, Jacobs also got a bit of flak from fans when Caroline was featured in the Spring/Summer 2011 campaign for the designer's eponymous line, in which she wore a transparent camisole that exposed her breasts (this was the same outfit she wore for the show; in fact, the shoot was done backstage at the show itself). As Caroline was sixteen when the ads were shot, this was seen as somewhat tasteless.

Either way, I'm eager to see what the result will be of the Louis Vuitton version of the collaboration, if it is, in fact, true. More on this later!

Paris Part 2

Rolling into week two of Paris, Caroline had one show on Sunday: Kenzo. The collection was a little darker than I remember from previous seasons, but still packed all the punch of it's usual patterns and prints. Patchwork was la modus operandi for Antonio Marras' looks this season, with the primary inspiration being Latin bohemia. Nicole Richie has heard of Kenzo, right?

Monday kicked off at Ungaro, where Caroline had one look. Giles Deacon has been set the task of rebuilding the house after it has seemingly fallen into disrepair (remember La Lohan?), and this seemed like a step in the right direction. The collection screamed "predator!" with a heavy dosage of high collared leather, lace and long scarlet fingernails, but this theme was also to be noted in the stitched wolves and owls on sweaters and a dress, close captioned by Hanne Gabe Odiele. Interestingly, Ungaro was not so far off trend: Givenchy featured similar sweaters in their show just the night prior (Albeit, Tisci's designs were adorned with pinup girls).

Next was Giambattista Valli, who seemed to be, like Alber Elbaz, a little on the modest side this season. We have come to expect a more party-goer aura from the designer, and while there were certainly elements of that, it seemed to be exercised with greater restraint, akin to what we saw at Lanvin. However, unlike Lanvin, where we saw a gradual and then booming release, Valli's collection seemed to weave between minimalist chic and rich colours, textures, and patterns sinusoidally.

Chloe and Celine are my two favorite shows for Caroline in Paris (and perhaps across all cities), and I was deeply disappointed when she didn't show up at Celine on Sunday (Phoebe, we need to have a talk). She was at Chloe, however, which pleased me very much indeed, despite Hannah McGibbon's insistence on the overuse of snakeskin. I really wish that I note had been taken from the books at Giambattista Valli and Lanvin, because restraint seems a necessary observance in the use of animal prints (at least in this case). Julia Nobis' (a.k.a. Julia Attenborough) look was the only one that I looked at and felt it to be a proper illustration of Chloe ft. snakeskin. For most of the looks, the overload was easily avoidable by simply pairing sweaters like Freja's opener with a plainer pair of pants. So the good news is, that the collection is excellent. So long as the styling is on par.

Sophie Albou's collection for Paul & Joe was very playful and colourful. With Black Swan clear at the back of my mind, I found myself reminiscing over Jackie and Donna of That 70s Show, among other (non-fictional) inhabitants of that time period. It was a funner show than we usually see in Paris, though no less serious for the fact: one might also draw connections to vintage Yves Saint Laurent when examining the collection.

Tuesday dawned amidst the volcanic ashes of the Grand Palais. Okay, so it didn't actually burn to the ground, but it was certainly another way of saying Karl brought down the house. The Chanel show is always the biggest of all the shows for fashion week, and while we accord this honour to the historical background of the house and it's feminist values, it is hard to see Chanel's modern success as separate from the influence of Karl Lagerfeld. He may not stitch the clothes himself, but the vision of the Kaiser has been instrumental in revamping the house for a more modern, and younger audience. That influence was no less this season, though one can't help but notice that the collection was rather distinctly Freja-esque in it's palette and frequent inclusion of skinny jeans and moto boots. The thing about Lagerfeld's genius though, is that he has a talent for Chanelifying just about anything. Those cropped tweed and hounds tooth jackets so emblematic of the house took on a whole new cool factor when paired over boyfriend blazers, and I don't doubt that the oversized leg warmers drooping about the ankles will be a hot topic come September. Some people have been complaining about how 'masculine' the collection is, but I'm not getting the comparison. Well, I get it, but to me, this is a modernized concept of the same chic, 'masculinized' woman that Chanel has always represented. And before I end, allow me to nominate Jacquelyn Jablonski's look as the most epic outfits of fashion week. Well, except for Karlie's opener at Dior.

Valentino was next up, where Caroline had two looks. I was really hoping for an opening or closing here, but, sadly, it was not to be. Having said that, I was rather taken by the collection. While maintaining all the ladylike elements of the house, Chiuri and Piccioli added a sensuality to the collection by using sheer fabrics and lace strategically. In many ways, the collection was older and more reserved than it's predecessors, but these elements added a subtly coy nature to the clothes, a small wink, hinting that there's more to this demurely clad woman than meets the eye. I cannot, however, wrap my head around the finale dress. It looked limp and shapeless. And something tells me this wasn't solely because of who was wearing it.

The Brasch ended her long and illustrious season with one look at Louis Vuitton's fetishtastic show. Shiny patent leather was all over the place, from dominatrix boots and hot pants to short skirts and loooonnng jackets. In case anyone was wondering, I've changed my mind: Kate Moss takes the spoils for most epic moment this season. Strutting about irreverently on the runway puffing on a cigarette, she cut a striking image. My personal favorite incident was during the finale walk, when she cut clear across the floor, leading a trail of models in her wake. While she was off touring the facility in such a fashion, Natasha Poly picked up the slack and took the correct, but long, way around. Oh Kate Moss.

And so ends another season in fashion for Caroline, who's had an exhaustive run indeed. In Paris, she walked no fewer than 20 shows and 24 looks. I had hoped for more opens and closes in Paris, but in this respect, I was left disappointed. However, when looking at her total for the season, The Brasch has had one of the most impressive showlists of everyone, with a stunning 73 shows. This included 104 looks, 5 opens, and 1 close. As if that wasn't crazy enough, if we take into consideration Berlin and Barcelona fashion weeks as well, Caroline's tally elevates to a dizzying 81 shows, 6 opens, 2 (3?) closes, and 119 looks. (Not to mention, Haute Couture was sandwiched between those, where she walked 4 shows and had 7 looks.)

At only 17, one would imagine the poor girl has been quite run off her feet. But with the sudden appearance of a number of March editorials (I will be getting to these soon, pinky swear!), and the promise of more to come, who knows when she'll have time to rest her weary head. Congratulations on truly fantastic season Caroline, I couldn't be more proud!

(CAROLINE BRASCH! woowoowoowoowoowoowoowoowoowoowoo...)

Photos courtesy of vogue.it

Paris Part 1

Sorry for the wait everyone! I've been very busy, and I was quite out of time when it came to updating The Brasch in Paris. Forgive me?

Things kicked off in Paris with one look at current fashion darling, Hakaan. Not only was the leather-accented minimalist collection fabulous, model watchers everywhere were relieved by the arrival of Freja Beha on the fashion scene, after a much discussed absence from New York and Milan. The show is always notable for bringing out the top models, and didn't falter there this season either, bringing out Natalia, Mariacarla and Karolina in addition to their successors in Natasha, Anja, and Freja. Happy to see Caroline repeating at Hakaan: you get the sense that nabbing even one look in this show is an achievement deserving of hearty applause.

No more shows were to be had on Tuesday, but Wednesday added two more, beginning with a single look at Rochas. It seems that I really was quick to judge the death of minimalism: it popped up magnanimously here as well. Very simplistic the clothes were, and it seemed to me that Marco Zanini was drawing subtly from the Cossacks at some turns. This influence was most obvious in the caps donned by many of the models, but you'll also notice the elasticized cuffs on Caroline's trousers. Patterns on looks walked by Siri Tollerod and Sara Blomqvist also seemed to hearken back to a traditional Russian source. You might almost interpret the collection as a depiction of a culture that have embraced modernity, but still kept close essences of its past.

At Rue du Mail, Caroline had two looks. Early on, the collection made much use of colour blocking, which was all well and good, but I was particularly fascinated by the prints embellishing the second half of the show. It was akin in colour and pattern to the wings of butterflies, especially monarchs (which we might remember, were also a favorite at Alexander McQueen last season.

Thursday saw a prime cut of shows for The Brasch, with the first being at illustrious house of Balenciaga. You can't tell so much from Caroline's one look here, which is quite simple in it's colour palette, but the real draw at Nicholas Ghesquiere's show were the elaborately detailed accessories and shoes. Exotic prints were realized on white skirts and dresses beneath leather jackets, and later appeared on clutches and in the detailing on the shoes as well (I've got my eye on the white and cobalt ones sported by Karmen Pedaru, in particular). I could not be more pleased that Caroline booked Balenciaga's show, it is a wonderfully creative house, and always a staple on my fashion calendar (A few classmates and myself hold Nicholas Ghesquiere entirely responsible for us being late to the Museum of Decorative Arts. Thankfully, our professor was not dismayed by this excuse.).

Another stellar creator is Rick Owens, master of the draped leather jacket, and oh so many fashionable hearts. The bright red lip on the models stood out excellently against the notoriously chromatic colours of Owens' collection, and capes, hoods, and elbow-skimming gloves (Which are most certainly trending, by the way. How do we say that on Twitter? #elbow-skimming gloves?). This season was a little edgier than the ethereal deep-sea aliens we saw for spring, but no less wonderful for the fact.

At Nina Ricci, Peter Copping gave us a heavy dose of modern femininity. Baby blues and pretty pinks made the runway touchably soft, while black kept the collection from looking too young by adding a classic feel. Hemlines were variable, allowing the looks to transition smoothly to all occasions and tastes (indeed, trousers were also included, though less often). Caroline had one look in the show, but it was rather unique in the collection. While fostering the romantic aura characteristic of the label, it was also subtly masculine in the loose-fitting trousers and blazer. In particular, the pervasive use of glitter made this look stand out among the other colours mentioned earlier.

Friday was the day the whole fashion world (and indeed many outside of it) was waiting for. The sacking of John Galliano just days prior to the Christian Dior show left many in doubt as to whether the house would even let the collection see the light of day. But in a turn that demonstrated the value of the people behind the scenes, the show went ahead, no holds barred. The collection still held much of Galliano's theatrical influence, but whether it was the pall of a dying (or dead) reputation, or a hint of fact behind rumours that the atelier had completed half of the collection without the designer's instruction, it seemed but a shadow of times long gone and of doubtful return.

Oh my dear dear Monsieur Elbaz... Never does this man set a foot wrong in my eyes, and this season was no exception as Lanvin again brought forth a truly covetable collection. Hollywood is always buzzing about Lanvin ballet flats, which I agree, are excellent, but I find it difficult to understand why the house's clothes are mentioned to a comparably lesser extent. For fall, Elbaz went quite plain, or at least, so he initially tricked us into believing. Early in the show, there was a distinct sense of smooth modesty to the clothes, but as the show progressed, more complex elements began to emerge in the forms of new textures, patterns, and of course jewelery, which has often been a standout part of Lanvin's collections in recent seasons. Towards the end, there was a burst of colour: one almost got the impression that Elbaz was struggling to keep this liveliness hidden within himself until spring, but as the collection grew, so did this inner spark of excitement. It filtered out through the afore mentioned elements, tiny wholes in the ford of the subconscious mind, until the pressure was too great, and the barrier was overcome.

One of the youngest designers on the circuit, Pedro Lourenco is not hesitating to demonstrate his creativity and not-so-small amount of potential. While more ready-to-wear than last season, the designer's fall collection did not lack the edge of it's predecessor, though it was this time shrouded in softer textiles, predominantly wool and, for the first time, fur. Big fan of the geometric nature of the clothes as well, demonstrated through the patterns and structures of various pieces.

On Saturday, Caroline began with one look at Viktor & Rolf. It was a red-faced display by the Dutch designers, but by no means one of embarrassment.  Taking point from knights' armour (I totally called this trend. Totally called it.), the collection was extremely structural and very sharp; indeed, if you didn't cut your hand on Aymeline Valade's cheekbones, the shoulders of Abbey Lee Kershaw's runway contraption would no doubt do the job. It certainly gave a whole new meaning to "power-dressing," that's for sure. And where were these knightesses from anyway? Give the models some horns and a tail, and I'd have no problem with claiming them as the devil's army. But in this notable absence, I'd hazard a guess at bloodstained Crusaders. The red cross featured on Nimue Smit's look set off that radar for me in particular, and the theme of roses was also instrumental. So the real question then becomes: What are Viktor & Rolf fighting for? And the answer? Creativity. Amen to that.

Sonia Rykiel was quite English-looking this season, with argyle and tartan seeming particularly popular. Trademark quilting was also present on the odd overcoat, and the colour palette popped (though perhaps less so than usual), but the real story was with the cozy knits and odd boa. Caroline was the second girl out, and upon realizing this, I became suddenly aware that the girl has yet to open in Paris yet this season. But surely, that would not prove to be the case for the whole week, right? Right?

Loewe was the final show of the day for The Brasch, and she had one look here as well. Always known for it's leather creations, Stuart Vevers' assured us that the tradition of the house was living on unforgotten under his direction, but that it was also to be renewed with his own edgy take on things. Where this is his tenth season at the Spanish house, I wonder what's prompted the necessity of this statement. Elbaz made a similar one prior to his own show, as have a number of designers; more so than usual. I don't doubt that it ties back to the regrettable catastrophe of Galliano, whose comments, said Dior CEO Sidney Toledano, flew in the face of the house's values for the last six decades. It would seem that everyone is intent on demonstrating their loyalty to their house of employment in the face of this.

Photos courtesy of vogue.it