Spotted - Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney was spotted in her own Fall 2009 designs looking quite rocker chic fabulous. I have to tell you that Stella's collection for me has done a bit of a back and forth thing on my love radar until now. There was a time when you could not catch me even looking at another designer when I need a perfectly cut suit. I still pull out her black tailored, nipped waist, tuxedo influenced suit from about 4 years ago when I really need to feel like a powerful girl. No one could compare when it came to cut and execution. But then she went the other way and delved into the draped, of the moment, fashion editors must wear, look, and her collections for me became a bit of a toss up when it came to choosing a piece. An entire season would sometimes go by without even a lust, never mind purchase.

But for fall 2009 - Stella is back.
I love this collection!

Here is the actual dress she is wearing as it appeared on the runway - it's not one of my must-buy picks, but it's interesting to see how close the one she wears is to this piece - it might even be the same. I also find it interesting to note the sample that makes the celebrity at events rounds, and get photo'd in the magazines, and then look back at them when they actually hit the stores. I subconsciously use it as a bit of a test to see how true a designer sticks to their vision. Its unbelievable how far the runway differs from what lands in the stores sometimes

And here is the money shot- this is the detail shot on those genius, gorgeous, gotta have, thigh high perforated boots she is wearing in the very first picture.
These I must own!
Seriously, Derek, you had better be finding these for me darling, cost be damned!
(Derek is THE guy to hook you up show-wise at Holt Renfrew on Bloor)

And I wanted to share these with you too. We all know the constant fervor on fur and that Stella takes an adamant anti-fur stance. We all saw the big over-sized, Muppet reminiscent attempts made by Prada 2 season ago and to be frank there has just not been a fur substitute coat that I have seen yet that makes me go gaga and not just gag. Now I won't buy a new fur but I sure as hell have ooohed & awwhhed over a few that I have seen. That I will admit to, but I have never until now, got excited over a coat meant to substitute for the real thing.
Until now that it.

In my opinion Stella has hit it on the mark with these pieces

I cannot WAIT to see these in real life and feel them - don't they look like you could just hold them in your hands for hours? They are like some rocked out PC version of the mad Mongolian goat furs we saw all over the media during the fashion weeks this year. I am very impressed.

Thank God these are Fall 2009 and not Spring - gives me some time to start budgeting now

Pelted in Poiret

Over at Vogue UK, blogger Virginia Bates tells of her fur related episode during Paris fashion week. She wore a rare and fabulous fur and lame Poiret coat to the Dior show (pictured) and was set upon by anti-fur demonstrators. Here is what she says:

"Leaving the show I was set upon by a crowd I thought were after my Poiret coat. Having been showered with sand - and shouted at - I realized they were anti-fur demonstrators intent on ruining the Musquash collar on my Twenties coat. Musquash, by the way, is a rodent."

As a vintage fashionista I have to tell you I almost died upon reading this. A Poiret coat is one of the rarest things in the world and the thought of it being pelted with sand almost made me cry. What I love about the story is that she is so immersed in vintage that she truly believes that a crowd of people instantly spotted her coat for what it was and came after her. If only people where that educated about vintage!!

I also had a bit of a giggle over her reference to the fact that Musquash is rodent.
One can almost hear the disdain that rodent fur should be confused as being "real" fur through the written words.