Fur realz - Fall/Winter 2011/2012

The European Fall/Winter 2011/2012 menswear season is off and running in Milan. After a day of shows, what are the early trends? Military detailing, velvet, drop-crotch trousers and a surprising amount of colour for a winter season. Of note, Burberry's tangerine and cyclamen pink pea coats, duffle and puffa jackets and Jil Sander's skinny knits, parkas and colour-blocked suiting in an eye-popping palette, which creative director Raf Simons looks to have carried over from his womens' spring 2011 show. Not to mention fur. This time last year we noted a preponderance of shaggy glam rock mens' coats in various fabrications. And although this season, Dolce e Gabbana used faux fur and Roberto Cavalli's patchwork fur coat had almost a vintage vibe, the luxury ante was definitely upped by Burberry, which showed a number of rabbit, lambskin and patchwork Finnish mink jackets, including one spectacular two-tone mink for a cool US$27,000. 

From Social-Lites to Urbanomics: Eleven "crucial" consumer trends for 2011

vanessa jackman

The just-published list of 11 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2011 by consumer analyst Trendwatching is an interesting read. More than one trend, not surprisingly, was borne of the social media revolution. Of particular note for the fashion business is #4: "Made for China (if not BRIC)". This flags the flurry of Western fashion and luxury brands to launch either limited edition products specifically tailored to, or else completely new brands in, the rapidly-developing BRIC economies (Brazil, Russia India, China). Goldman Sachs, which coined the term in 2001, reports that the BRICs have contributed over a third of world GDP growth over the past decade, growing from one sixth to nearly one quarter of the world economy. By 2050, predicts Goldman Sachs, their combined economies could eclipse those of the current richest countries of the world. This year's bespoke BRIC product includes Levi’s Denizen jeans brand for Asians; a 12-unit collection of Christian Dior Lady Blue Shanghai products, including a phone, that was only released in Shanghai; the new Hermès brand Shang Xia and Chloé's limited edition Marcie handbag, launched exclusively in Shanghai stores this month. Here is Trendwatching's 2011 list, complete with a dizzying array of buzzwords. Get with the program.

Juliette Hogan's morning attire

Beehives, cats' eyes, pussy bow blouses, floral shirtwaisters and tweed Princess coats...there was a definite Sixties vibe to Juliette Hogan's 'The Morning After The Night Before' show at New Zealand Fashion Week. See frockwriter's Posterous for more photos. 

Living in the Seventies - Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2011

all images: getty via daylfe

Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall and Marie Helvin didn’t ride out on white horses from behind the circular Richard Serra-lookalike set (most likely signed by Marc Jacobs’ go-to stage designer Stefan Beckman), but with their frizzed-out Sarah Moon hair and bleached-out Aladdin Sane eyebrows, Jacobs’ Spring/Summer 2011 models sure looked like Studio 54 refugees. When decked out in gold lamé or Brady Bunch stripe knit hotpants, skinny rib sweaters, bandeau “boob tubes” and floppy sun hats, with more than a little Iris from Taxi Driver thrown in for good measure – the child prostitute played by Jodie Foster in Martin Scorsese’s 1976 film. Another key reference for this collection appears to have been Yves Saint Laurent’s influential Ballets Russes collection, also, coincidentally, from 1976. There were voluminous off-the-shoulder peasant dresses and tops, often in the signature YSL colours of violet and red, with oversized safari jackets over maxi skirts echoing an earlier YSL collection. With flowers in their hair and at least one palm tree emblazoned on a top, this collection felt a little more Resort than Spring/Summer. But this has been a very safe season in New York so far, with the GFC still impacting on US retail, as it continues to bite elsewhere. There were some beautiful, commercial, chevron-striped chiffon dresses and sweet crochet swimwear, but it's the hugely-flattering, high-waisted bellbottom trousers which may well Fly Robin Fly out the door.

An army of Abbey Lee Kershaw clones at Preen? Spring/Summer 2011

 

On Thursday frockwriter reported that some Australian hair salons are seeing an influx of customers wanting the “choppy long bob”, aka the Kob or Chanel Bob, worn by Australian model Abbey Lee Kershaw – which we revealed was cut by Chanel’s hair stylist for the brand’s Fall 2010 advertising campaign. On Friday, we reported that Kershaw died her hair platinum blonde on the eve of New York Fashion Week. And yesterday, we wondered if the decision could in any way be proving problematic with her work options at the event. Surely not, given her stature in the industry by this time, but even some of Kershaw’s fans over at The Fashion Spot are asking the same question. Overnight Kershaw walked in two more shows, Derek Lam and Preen, bringing her total New York Fashion Week show tally thus far to five (Jason Wu, Alexander Wang, Derek Lam, Preen and Rag & Bone – which she closed). But while Wu put Kershaw in a turban and Wang plastered all of his models’ hair with white clay, both Lam and Preen left Kershaw’s bold new do down. And dang if Preen’s other models didn’t look like ALK clones - notably those with the shorter hair. According to makeup director James Kaliados (below), the beauty look was inspired by Catherine Denueve in the 1964 film The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, which would of course match the 60s vibe of Preen's structured white shift dresses - white being another major early trend on the SS11 runways. Preen's hair stylist Luke Hersheshon put clip-on bangs in every (other) model's hair. Only problem with the Deneuve reference: she didn’t have bangs in that particular film.

Alexander Wang's artistic license - Spring/Summer 2011

For anyone who missed the Alexander Wang live stream earlier this morning on style.com, here is a video of the complete show, below. A pretty collection from Wang, delivered entirely in a white, ecru and pastel palette. The edgy sportswear hinged on layering and super-wide trousers – both major early trends in this Spring/Summer 2011 season, seen across several shows – as well as a barely-there digital print used in loose tunics and asymmetric shift dresses that looked a little like it was cut from the gouache-splodged white sheet off the floor of a painter’s studio. Not surprisingly, Jean-Michel Basquiat was an inspiration. Wang’s deconstructed trenches, overalls and paint-splattered bombers had a definite 1980s vibe, when Basquiat was at his peak. Grungy metallic accents included an aquamarine foil hoodie, embellished turn-down belts, jagged metallic stripes on pants - as if the outside seams had been duct-taped closed - and nose rings on all the models. It was hard not to be reminded a little of the Spring/Summer 2007 collection of Marc Jacobs (with whom Wang once interned), which played a key role in the popularisation of the still-current harem pant trend. 

Kate Sylvester's charming summer

The collection was called ‘This Charming Man’, but there was no sign of Morrissey the muso (or the Australian designer for that matter, who has nevertheless been flitting in and out of shows for the past two days). Auckland’s Kate Sylvester did however deliver yet another charming collection of her signature discreet chic. If you had tapped leather as an emerging trend of this antipodian summer season, you are not wrong. Several collections have included leather, among them yesterday’s hot newcomer Flannel and Sylvester one hour ago. Her caramel leather series included a mid calf length A-line skirt, bomber jacket and matching bustier and knickers. Also of note, soft Liberty-like florals on sweet pinafore dresses and roomy trousers – another emerging trend in Sydney – and her knit twin sets, swapping a cable knit bodysuit for a regular sweater with one pair. A little more subdued than usual - the autumn/winter 2010 collection shown in Auckland had much more attitude - but there is more than enough to keep Sylvester’s cult fan base happy. Click here to see frockwriter's Posterous pic gallery of the show. And keep up to date with our real-time coverage of RAFW via Twitter and Facebook.

Zimmermann's 'Vanishing Point'

A little futurism from Zimmermann, the Sydney fashion brand that had never done swimwear before the birth of Australian Fashion Week in May 1996, but which launched a capsule swimwear collection there specifically with an eye on the export market. In the 15 year interim, Zimmermann has established itself as one of the world's most fashion-forward swim brands. Unlike many swim brands however, fashion is at the heart of Zimmermann. The collection, entitled 'Vanishing Point', featured a collision of linear graphics and soft florals in a romantic futuristic vision, that was ably assisted by some spectacular silver neckpieces, courtesy Sydney jewellery brand MANIAMANIA. An easy summer wardrobe of sheer, fluid trousers, jumpsuits and maxi dresses, many of them featuring geometric cutout panelling. The best maillots had wrapped bodices with cutout detailing. The showstoppers: a series of fringed tops and dresses in eye-popping turquoise. Click here for frockwriter's Posterous gallery of photos.

Christopher Esber, Australia's latest fashion star

The revelation of Day 1 however, most definitely had to be Christopher Esber. Now 23 and sewing from the age of eight, Esber cancelled his solo debut at last year's RAFW because of a death in the family. Esber had previously shown his graduation collection in 2008 as part of the NSW TAFW group show. A tightly-edited and perfectly-executed brand statement, it left you wanting so much more. Esber is a disciple of minimalism and to be sure, a legion of legends did it first, from Halston, to Calvin Klein and Helmut Lang. Esber is also not the first hot new Australian talent to launch with this aesthetic bent, two cases in point, Josh Goot and last year's RAFW breakout star, Dion Lee. But his futuristic vision embraces not only sculpted cigarette pants, high-collared shell tops, crisp leather gilets and tailored sheaths, but sweet little whimsies, such as the ice-blue, micropleated skating skirt - which, on closer inspection backstage, was constructed over a bizarre satin foundation garment. Little wonder Australia retailer Belinda Seper ran backstage after this show (as she did with the earlier RTW1 show, specifically to check out Carly Hunter. Here is a quick chat we had backstage). Click here to see frockwriter's Posterous pic gallery of Esber's show. No doubt we will be hearing a lot more about him.

A new day dawns at RAFW

So the first two shows of the first day of the soon-to-be post-Simon Lock era of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week have wrapped. The first, a very pretty collection of draped jersey goddess gowns and digital print blouses and maxi dresses from Fashion Week veteran Lisa Ho. Delivered in a nude colour palette jolted by shots of magenta and lichen green, it was an easy, breezy patio-perfect collection with relaxed lines. The same could be said for Ginger + Smart's 'The Transcendent' collection. Jumpsuits ruled, ditto a knockout series of bodycon dresses, fluid trousers, kimono tops and plissé blouses, the best in a spectacular digital print. Obviously an early SS1011 trend. Click here and here to see frockwriter's Posterous pic galleries of both collections. The relaxed mood of the clothes was in direct contrast to the vibe vis-a-vis the seating arrangements of RAFW founder Simon Lock. Lock usually sits in the very first seat on the right hand side at the beginning of the runway. Sitting in Lock’s spot: IMG Asia Pacific general manager Dan Hill (above). According to Lorraine Lock, Lock has been “banned” by Hill from attending many shows and is “beside himself”. Frockwriter will check with Hill for his side of the story (update: when we approached Hill, he suggested we discuss it at another time. According to an IMG source, Lock had to submit a "list" of show requests that he wanted to attend. Lorraine Lock reports a number of those names were crossed off by IMG). In the interim, it's worth noting that in 14 years, Lock always prided himself on never missing a single show. An interesting start to the week.

Alexander Wang channels Twilight for FW1011

alexander wang fw1011/ap via daylife

Opened and closed by veteran Natalia Vodianova, Alexander Wang's layered, Gothic-inspired show featured one Australian model, Abbey Lee Kershaw, who is already omnipresent at the FW1011 shows, which kicked off officially on Thursday. Streamed live a couple of hours ago, click here to see SHOWstudio's just-posted video.

Fancy a shag?

gianfranco ferre FW1011/getty via daylife

Beyond fashion's rapidly accelerating digital uptake, with four brands streaming their shows live in the first two days of the men's Fall/Winter 2010/2011 runway season, which is currently underway in Milan, a couple of other trends of note. A definite heritage theme, with several houses that are celebrating anniversaries (Ermenegildo Zegna, 100 years; Dolce e Gabbana, 20) delving into their respective roots. The skinny trouser continues to trend, with a firm nod to the spray-on version - aka megging. At Dolce e Gabbana and Emporio Armani, morphing into longjohns. One garment to emerge in multiple collections is the shaggy man's coat or vest. Part glam rock, part Fred Flintsone, it's fashioned from fur, astrakhan, shearling or wool.









Top to bottom:

1. Gianfranco Ferré/Reuters
2. Gucci/Getty
3. Vivienne Westwood/Getty
4. Pringle of Scotland/Getty
5. Burberry/Reuters
6. Costume National/Getty

The gaucho club: sass & bide SS10

sass & bide SS10/reuters via daylife


The venue might have been half empty due to a schedule ambush engineered by no less than the British PM – who was staging a fashion reception at Downing Street – but some are hailing sass & bide’s return to London Fashion Week after a six year hiatus, as “totally awesome” and even, the label's "best”. According to the show notes, designers Heidi Middleton and Sarah-Jane Clarke were inspired by both futurism and Argentinian gaucho cowboys, the latter evidenced in a swathe of full-legged harem pants – short versions of which were dubbed “sharems” by one wag. Teamed with the full lower silhouettes: a suite of heavily-embellished tunics, signature harnesses and singlet-like vests with elongated bretelles, as seen in the top of a male dancer’s leotard. Bodycon enjoyed a lookin via a series of embellished microdresses and a knockout pair of embellished tulle leggings. All up, a dazzling collection, and one that was accompanied by accessories from new hire Pip Edwards, including vertiginous pumps and sandals with chopine platform soles. With a new London store on the agenda, and talk of even moving to London, the duo may never return to the runways of New York. Click here for more images on the LFW website.










all images: reuters via daylife

Tracy Grimshaw gets the cold shoulder from Twitter's fashion police

screengrab by kollektor

Well we know the importance of the statement shoulder in fashion right now, but who’d have thought Tracy Grimshaw would be among the first to champion the look on Australian mainstream television? The anchor of the Nine Network’s tabloid current affairs program A Current Affair has recently taken to sporting a series of strong-shouldered jackets. Instead of being applauded for her sartorial bravura however, Grimshaw has been slammed by that insta-barometer of public opinion, social media. Although apparently it is not the first time Grimshaw has worn the look on-air, tonight’s jacket did not go down well with Twitter's fashion police.

Noted Luke Carter:

“Is tracey grimshaw trying out for NFL or what?”

Angexo:

“Tracey Grimshaw looks RIDICULOUS!!!!!”

Dean Worland:

“WTF, Tracy Grimshaw doing the big shoulder on A Current Affair tonight, there's an age limit to fashion forwardedness, buzz cut is needed TG”

whatsonthetube:

“Is it just me or does Tracy Grimshaw look like she has just come from the Star Trek set tonight?”

Defixiones:

“Jesus Tracy Grimshaw ditch the shoulder pads already”

While ziz wondered:

“wonder what gordon ramsey would make of tracey grimshaw's shoulder pads tonight”

With only tinaintassie offering some words of support:

“Let Tracey Grimshaw know she looks great tonight. Love the big shoulders coming back”

Frockwriter is still attempting to ID the brand behind tonight’s two-tone cream and black affair with epaulettes - a Covers '80s redux is apparently one possibility. Update 11.16pm: Since ID'd by a reader as Australian designer Carla Zampatti.


carla zampatti

Meanwhile, we did manage to track down one Australian television industry source - who didn't seem particularly fond of the look either.

“Clearly Tracy is embracing the new shoulder pad big time” said the source.

“The shoulder pad on a bigger woman, you put them on tv, it’s huge. She’s tall – she’d easily be 5’10” in bare feet - and she’s got big shoulders. She can look bigger than she really is and she’s someone who probably doesn’t need a shoulder pad like that. They can look very modern on a young, little thing but once you get to a certain age, it can look a little dangerous”.

The source added: “Noone can change that woman. It’s the bane of the network’s life, her not wanting to take advice. She’s dressing herself”.

Fashion's Nordic horror fetish rocks on

supreme via models.com

Closely following the release of the spooky, Paul Rowland-lensed supplement to V Magazine's issue 61, which showcases models from the New York agencies Supreme and Women by way of "corpse paint" makeup and styling that appear to have been directly inspired by the Norwegian black metal scene, comes Supreme's model showcards for the New York Spring/Summer 2010 runway season. The makeup and styling are equally horrific and coincidentally, the photographer is Scandinavian: Swedish-born Hanna Linden. Horror is a dominant theme in Linden's work, which has depicted nightmarescapes haunted by masked, spectral figures, with titles in one 2006 New York exhibition including "Death Gate", "Death Upon a Black Horse", "Playing Dead" and "Skeleton Creek". Linden, a fan of the Davids Lynch and Cronenberg, described her work to PAPER magazine as "dystopia after a catastrophe".

For sure, the horror film genre has enjoyed a resurgence over the past decade and given its popularity, it is perhaps surprising that it has taken this long to hit fashion.

Could the current economic climate of doom and gloom have anything to do with things? September's W magazine for instance also delivers a Craig McDean spread of a down-on-her-luck Sasha Pivovarova, dressed as a stylish vagrant in shredded luxury shopping bags.

Scandinavia, as it emerges, has quite a vibrant horror film culture.

After the Japanese and South Korean horror waves that delivered film franchises such as The Ring and The Grudge, some horror aficionados are tipping Scandinavian horror as the next big wave. This follows a spate of recent Scandinavian horror releases, including Let The Right One In, Dark Floors and Tommy Wirkola's Dead Snow Nazi zombie spoof, which had its world premier at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

This is not the first time that horror has raised its hand in fashion this year.

Some might recall Steven Klein's "Lara fiction noire" editorial in the February edition of Paris Vogue, for which Klein shot Stone in a horror-inspired, and quite bloody, series of images depicting simulated violence. Although the original series ran on Klein's website, some images were reportedly censored from the magazine.

It's interesting that Supreme believes this is the best way to showcase its models to prospective clients. Of course, the series is bound to stand out amongst the myriad of agency showcards that do the rounds at this time of year, with agencies vigorously competing for a slice of the season's runway action.

But while most shots are clearly in the fantasy realm, a couple look like outtakes from a community service announcement about domestic violence.

Click here to see the full series.

Myer backstage at RSFF

sonny vandevelde

Herewith an exclusive preview of Sonny Vandevelde's backstage portfolio from Myer's SS0910 show last night in Sydney, in which we saw a lot of colour, a lot of dresses, "statement shoulders", as Myer face Jennifer Hawkins referred to the silhouette in our video chat - even if 'the Balenciaga shoulder' is what we called it at RAFW four months ago - and rather a lot of eveningwear. The show commenced with an eveningwear medley from various designers and closed with Aurelio Costarella, the Perth eveningwear specialist who has spent the past few years showing at New York Fashion Week. And who told frockwriter last night that, GFC notwithstanding, there are still plenty of Australian women who think of nothing of spending $2500 on a special dress. Costarella also observed that showing in New York is "less stressful" than showing in Sydney.

Toni Maticevski's new Maticevski Sweethearts line also enjoyed an outing. That's Maticevksi's new bridesmaid-skewed line of dresses that is fully customizable up to a size 24. Did any plus size models get a guernsey in that section? Not a chance. After making such a song and dance about including plus size models in Myer's suburban shows, it seemed like a lost opportunity at last night's high-profile launch event.

The cast included Australian haute couture queen Alexandra Agoston, fresh from the Paris couture shows, ANTM Cycle 5 winner Tahnee Atkinson, Rachel Rutt, Simone Kerr, runway veteran Tanya G and Tallulah Morton.

For more pics from the show head to Sonny Photos.










all photos: sonny vandevelde

A chat with Kelvin Harries

Sydney stylist Kelvin Harries pulls together all the David Jones shows. Here is a quick chat we had backstage after this morning's show, during which we talked trends and models - notably, just how young Australian models are supposed to get any runway experience now that Rosemount Australian Fashion Week has banned under-16s from its event and David Jones will now not use anyone under the age of 18.

Talking Obama's jeans, flood pants and meggings with ABC Local Radio Queensland

getty via daylife



Radio shows often call hoping to throw light on the various fashion stories which pop up in the papers. I thought I might as well start podcasting them, as a kind of archive. Bear in mind these are usually drive time programs with general audiences – as distinct from the hardcore fashion audience that comes to this blog. It’s interesting to segue between the two. First up, last week’s chat with the State-wide Afternoons show on ABC Local Radio Queensland. The subject was the pair of baggy jeans worn by Barack Obama to the All-Star baseball game and which had been the target of quite some media ribbing the world over. The show host was also keen to talk fashion tips for guys over 40 and we moved onto high fashion runway trends from the recent SS10 shows, notably the omnipresent cropped trouser and the male harem pant. Click the player above to hear - and please bear with me as I iron out teething podcast problems.

Sienna Miller werks it for the paps - and Scanlan & Theodore

scanlan & theodore

Sienna Miller kept the paparazzi busy over the weekend in Sydney, while she took time off from promoting Stephen Sommers' Gi Joe: The Rise of the Cobra, in which she plays a character called 'The Baroness'. Miller was spotted lunching at Catalina on Saturday and yesterday, at Bondi Icebergs. But while the paps were spotted crawling around Icebergs, trying to get good angles, according to Sydney gossip columnist Ros Reines Miller was offered the back door of Catalina, however chose to walk out the front instead. "She loves paparazzi" explained Reines on Twitter. In case you had any doubt about the role of the celeb hype factor in artificially boosting fashion trends, Melbourne-based fashion brand Scanlan & Theodore provides a good case in point. Contacted by Miller's Australian stylist, Scanlan & Theodore sent Miller three free items: a wool cashmere coat, a cardigan and a dress. Miller wore the coat yesterday and S&T is already shopping around the pap shots. Punters will obviously have to fork out $650 if they want their own.

Jean Paul Gaultier sponsored by ice creams - New York mag mistakes them for condoms

style.com


Well so far this week at the Paris haute couture shows we have seen Christian Dior downsize its usual big bucks runway spectacle to a low-key presentation in the rooms above the Dior shop – and hack off half the outfits to send models out in their underwear. Christian Lacroix present what may have been his very last collection, after declaring bankruptcy. And now on the closing day of the haute couture schedule, the pièce de GFC résistance: Jean Paul Gaultier's show not only appears to have been sponsored by Streets’ Magnum ice creams, he actually walked down the runway to take his bow holding one. And if that wasn’t absurd enough, then this just-posted report in New York magazine’s The Cut blog, provides the following, hilarious, coda. Evidently Magnum ice creams are not well-known in the US. Because when The Times of London Tweeted that Magnums were being handed out to showgoers – New York magazine assumed The Times was talking about “Magnum condoms".

And didn’t seem to think much of it really. Even though a condom brand sponsoring a presentation of six figure ballgowns isn’t, well, something you see every day. Particularly when it's not your garden variety condom, but a brand of extra-large frangers that are marketed by Trojan.

Things aren’t quite that bad yet but who knows what the Spring/Summer 2010 Ready to Wear season will bring.

Ready-to-wear is one matter. That is, mass-produced, off-the-rack clothes that you can buy in boutiques and department stores.

By the same token however, up until now, you never saw much sponsorship collateral at shows in the big fashion cities - as distinct from RAFW in Sydney and London Fashion Week, where the brands are much smaller. This is because, presumably, the companies behind the big brands a/have the marketing budgets to spend on fashion shows and moreover b/consider that additional sponsorship collateral would only serve to undermine their branding.

Haute couture is a little different.

To begin with, the sample collections are far more expensive to produce. These are hand-crafted, often heavily-embellished garments that will be sold on a made-to-measure basis only. The more elaborate dresses - for example, Erica Packer's Christian Dior haute couture wedding dress - involve hundreds of hours of handwork. Hence the six figure price tags.

With money no object and, theoretically, no practical/commercial restraints on a couturier's imagination, haute couture is supposed to represent the absolute "dream" or essence of French fashion.

Yes, there are super-rich clients who can afford it and who keep the business going (as mentioned on Monday, Chanel reports that 2008 was a record year for its couture division). However haute couture is essentially an image proposition: a glamorous, and terribly expensive, loss leader that is used to promote the more lucrative volume divisions, ie the ready-to-wear, the accessories and of course, the far more accessible fragrances and beauty products.

But while the former president of the ice cream division of Unilever now runs one of the world's biggest luxury conglomerates - Gucci Group's Robert Polet - so far not even Gucci, which is ready-to-wear only, has considered aligning itself with ice creams.

You have to wonder what the very image-conscious Paris shows organising body, the Chambre Syndicale de la haute couture Parisienne, thinks about Gaultier's flagrant Magnum sponsorship - and whether it enhances the image of the struggling haute couture industry, or in fact cheapens it.

Moreover, what does Hermès think about it?

Not only is Gaultier creative director at the French luxury leathergoods brand, last year Hermès increased its stake in Gaultier's own company from 35-45percent. If Gaultier is flush with funds, why did he seek assistance from Streets?

Click here to see the Jean Paul Gaultier collection, which included the week’s omipresent power shoulders, trench coats – including a nifty trench bodysuit – bodycon, fur, Sydney native Alexandra Agoston-O’Connor in a pair of croc overalls and Melbourne native Emily Trimble in a mullet version of the trench. That is, miniskirt at the front, party at the back - a trend also witnessed at Chanel. Given that it means less ultra-expensive, hand-embellished haute couture fabric overall for the dresses in question, perhaps we can also blame this trend on the economic climate.

New York Mag, pls see below for some Magnum comparisons.

A Magnum ice cream:


wikimedia

Not to be confused with a Magnum condom:


allcondoms.com