This was a year of ups and downs in the fashion world, and we
think the departure of Marc Jacobs from Louis Vuitton easily takes the biscuit
as the biggest news of 2013. Marc announced his departure after yet another
inspirational show with his spring 2014 collection for Louis Vuitton. It was a
show dedicated to his many muses with a set that featured a number of his iconic props from his past 16 years at the Maison.
He took the reins in 1997 and has transformed
the high end leather goods label into a major player on the catwalk stage. The
reason behind his departure was a desire to focus on his own label with rumours
of an IPO in the near future. His successor is the Balenciaga Creative Director
Nicolas Ghesquiere, so we will see what 2014 has install for them.
Marc
Jacobs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Fashion Highlights
It’s
all about the Punk. In terms of glamour the Met ball was definitely one of our
favourites. The Metropolitan Museum of Art hosted a new Costume
Institute exhibit, "Punk: Chaos to Culture," celebrating a movement
that embraced anarchy in the 1970s. "Despite its best intentions, punk has
come to symbolize integrity and authenticity," said curator Andrew Bolton.
Punk, Metal Studs were the named styles working their way for
the red carpet and Madonna even pulled off a Pulp Fiction style wig. From
Miley’s spiked look went down a treat as well as Madonna’s tartan-tastic suit, the rebellious
dress code made for a seriously stylish mobocracy.
Kate Middleton made polka dot
and pregnancy fashionable and so was the birth of Prince George.
Max Mumby/Indigo / Getty Images Contributor
Two Tone Style
Two tone this year along with
neon (a come back of the 80’s style) was huge this year. One of the most talked
about Two Tone outfits was worn by Gwyneth Paltrow, when she
appeared at the "Iron Man 3" premiere. She looked great in a dress with sheer mesh panels on the sides with sheer
black and white being on trend this season.
MARIO ANZUONI / Reuters
Gwyneth Paltrow, in a revealing Antonio Berardi gown,
at the premiere of "Iron Man 3" in Hollywood
It’s all about Accessories – Paris Fashion Week
Design Charles Platiau
Stylish shoes,
Chic sunglasses, bright bling, clutch purses, statement jewellery – this was
the year that accessories were all out on the catwalk and made a huge hit at
the Paris Catwalk – making the runways fun, interesting and adding an edge to Paris Fashion Week.
Balance Diversity on the
Catwalk
There is no doubt Iman
and Naomi Campbell are legendary supermodels, but this year they lent
themselves to something different: promoting diversity on the runway. They
controversially named the designers catwalks whose catwalks were almost all white. The women joined forces
with modelling Bethann Hardison in their Balance Diversity campaign. Explaining
their purpose, Iman, now 58, said she was shocked to hear there were fewer
black models on the runway than when she stopped modeling in 1989.
Lesbian Couture
The message was unmistakable: At the Karl Lagerfeld haute couture show in Paris, the designer sent two brides down the runway for the finale where the brides walked hand in hand in their feathery concoctions, a clear vote of support by the designer for France's gay marriage law. The show came only nine days after hundreds of thousands of people marched in Paris in opposition to the law.
The message was unmistakable: At the Karl Lagerfeld haute couture show in Paris, the designer sent two brides down the runway for the finale where the brides walked hand in hand in their feathery concoctions, a clear vote of support by the designer for France's gay marriage law. The show came only nine days after hundreds of thousands of people marched in Paris in opposition to the law.
LOIC VENANCE - Getty Images
Models present
creations for Chanel during the Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2013 collection
shows on Jan.22, 2013 in Paris.
From the runway &
fashion designers to the high street stores they definitely made themselves
heard this past year.
