Backstage at Milan Fashion Week SS14

Alberta Ferretti had a theme this season and it was rainbows and flowers. Lots and lots of rainbows and flowers. Just Cavalli fully embraces color and hand-painted print fusing together different patterns (stripes, plaid) and prints (florals, animalier). Wide-legged palazzo pants were a trend at Emporio Armani, Gucci and Marni – where they were enormous. Colour and jewelled embellishment can't look better than what was presented at Prada. Skinny straps on slip dresses appeared consistently at Sportmax and on camisoles at Maxmara. And lastly, coins formed the basis of Dolce & Gabbana's show.

Images from Vogue.it

Best of London Fashion Week Spring 2014

In fuzzy feminine florals, girlish pleats, major Harry Styles sightings and yes, digi prints, London Fashion Week has proved its hot-appeal once again. London isn’t New York, so I'm not referring to subtle minimalism. Here's my edit of the best shows this season.

1. Burberry Prorsum





Who doesn't love the warm pastel shades, polka dots and lace pairing here? While sheer pastel lace pencil skirts seem the perfect wardrobe essential this season, consider a floral applique fold-over clutch as a must-have bag this spring.

2. Christopher Kane



This collection is presented in a way that Christopher Kane was describing both flowers and the female body part using blooms as a metaphor. A cross between science, psychedelia and an all-new take on florals, translated in midi length pleated A-line skirts, sophisticated suit jackets as well as ankle grazing slip dresses and spiced up with a couple of slogan sweats, a sprinkling of crystal.

3. Mary Katrantzou



Floral prints, 3D blooms and pretty applique botanicals brought lawn borders to the catwalk this season. Mary Katrantzou's jewel encrusted 3D posies are the best thing ever. The celebrated print master let footwear details incorporate her designs, rendering them in her acclaimed digital prints.

4. Antonio Berardi



Antonio Berardi had a love affair with pink for Spring 2014. He obviously works his slender silhouettes season after season with the same desire for perfection in the cuts, fabrics and detail.

There are plenty of red carpet favorite asymmetric-hemmed dresses, rippling crimson chiffon trains and trouser suits with impeccable tailoring. Clearly asymmetric skirt hems paired with sweaters prove that it can also work for a modern take on cocktail dressing.

5. Osman



He may not be one of today's mainstream designer names that'll ring a bell, but here comes my new favorite designer, Osman Yousefzada. He called his spring/summer 2014 collection “a meeting of nostalgia and modernism” inspired by the “dusty grandeur of Indian palaces”.

He definitely brings out classic but interesting clothes, which I really like. With already draping his designs from the likes of Amber Heard, Emily Watson, Selena Gomez, and Beyoncé – it’s only time until you start seeing and hearing more of Osman on the red carpet.

Images from various sources.

Watch Burberry Prorsum Womenswear S/S14 live

Poisepolish is teaming up with Burberry again this season to livestream the Womenswear Spring 2014 show. Stay tuned for instant updates and and reviews via my twitter (@silviasiantar) during the show that is going live on 2.30PM London time on Monday 16 September or Monday night (9:30PM) Singapore time.

NYFW: Best of Spring 2014

See the best runway looks from New York Fashion Week Spring 2014. My picks, meaning, whatever I see here makes me go bananas!

1. Cushnie et Ochs 



Sleek and slim is nothing new for Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs who said the inspiration this season were hospitals. Mental institutions, to be exact. Karlie Kloss opened the show in a white asymmetrical viscose crepe bandage dress. A well-thought out series of body-con numbers in a palette of white, grey, black, and aubergine comprised the collection.

2. Monique Lhullier



This season is dedicated to "delicately balanced textures, innovative layering and sophisticated ease." Think Palazzo pant rompers, one-shoulder gowns, ballgown skirts paired with cropped bandeaus and plenty of pretty lace, embroidery and iridescent silk.

3. Carolina Herrera



From elegant separates to red-carpet ready gowns. Carolina Herrera this season was all about movement. It was inspired by the Kinetic art movement, embracing the optical effects of motion and perception and applying that sensibility to material and silhouette.

3. DKNY



Urban and sporty sophistication – from speedy sport inspired pieces to sexy bias cut columns that I believe will be copied by all those high street brands in no time.

4. Thakoon



It's all in the details. Thakoon glamorized basic essentials in every women's wardrobe with embellishments and crystal. He experiments with camisoles, cotton shirts and slip dresses in a whole new way you want to be dressed in.

5. Jason Wu



I'd go for Jason Wu for tailored pieces and relaxed proportions. Although it wasn't anything spectacular, I still crave for his take on sophisticated natural beauty.

6. 3.1 Phillip Lim



Elements. Water appeared in wave motifs on the bottom of boxy tops, while fire appeared in the flickery edges of moire leopard print. There were plenty of Lim's sharply cut trousers and moto jackets in the mix, alongside loose shift dresses.

7. Prabal Gurung



The show represented a fresh, new look that was the perfect combination of pastel panels and classy evening wear. Bold color, technical experimentation and ambition, with a baseline of classic 1950s. elegance.

8. Zimmermann



Debuting its first runway show at New York Fashion Week, Zimmermann designers Nicky and Simone Zimmermann focused on creating romantic and feminine pieces for the spring 2014 season. I fell in love with this brand ever since I went to their boutique in Paddington, Sydney. When I heard they are showing in New York, I knew they won't disappoint.

Images from various sources.

NWFW: Victoria Beckham Spring 2014

"I still love a fitted dress, but there is another side of me that wants to feel at ease and relaxed as well as sharp and feminine." Victoria Beckham told Telegraph. At her show yesterday, with husband David and baby daughter Harper at front row, she consistently dictate trends.



Victoria Beckham definitely lightened up this season. There pieces generally appeared more loose and easy, less serious than her previous seasons with knockout desk-to-dinner dress and silk blouses paired with midi skirts.



"Typically she serves the uptown woman, these clothes were definitely for an edgier, downtown type." Harrods' Helen David commented.



She teamed up once again with shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, creating slim-wedged, seam-fronted, pointy mules. One word: Trendy.

Images from Vogue.com

Sebastian Gunawan Modmuse 2014

I had a chance to fly to Jakarta for Sebastian Gunawan Modmuse 2014. I was dressed in Sebastian Red Label embellished blouse which features a delicate beading around the neckline. There were more than 600 guests who came to the show. I heard that a lot of them are clients and socialites who keep going to the show each year to show their never-ending support for the designer.



"Mod Muse identifies women nowadays, who already owned characters, sophistication, self-confidence, aware with their own needs, and original", said Sebastian Gunawan and Christina Panarese, the two designers who presented their annual show at Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta last week.





Modmuse 2014 was inspired from two sophisticated ladies from 50s era, Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo, along with the sparkles and ruffles taken from Madonna's look in her 80s era. Presenting 117 gowns and cocktail dresses, including three wedding gowns from Sebastian Sposa collection, all models were wearing a headpiece designed by Rinaldi A. Yunardi. Beside the magnificent dresses, pointy heels with ankle strap has become the perfect detail to complete the look. 



Guests and interested parties can directly purchase the dresses the next day, at Sebastian Gunawan atelier in Jakarta. Prices start at 20 mln IDR (2,300 SGD).

Sebastian Gunawan is located at:
Jl. Suryopranoto 2
Harmoni Plaza, Blok K No. 1,
Jakarta, Indonesia

Balenciaga FW'13 in-store preview

Sometime last month I was invited to preview Alexander Wang's first collection for Balenciaga F/W 2013. These are some of the pieces flown from Paris just for the night.









The key accessories is the barbed wire bracelet and the bow knot metal hardware embedded in some of the clothes. I also saw some bow knots embroidered on the sleeves on the RTW pieces.





Here are some of the runway pieces on models. Of course the cracked leather sweatshirt was there too. To me, the runway shoes that feature so much cleavage 'you couldn't handle' is everything. You really have to see them worn in real life.









I'm obsessed with Balenciaga's latest mini bags. Obviously there is a strong Céline influence (hint: bag wings) but anyways they look pretty much edgy and fresh at the same time. The price is around SGD1,500 to SGD1,700.





Balenciaga is located at Hilton Hotel
581 Orchard Rd Singapore 238883
+65 6304 1359