Paco Versus Stacy

I've never hidden my admiration for great designers who've inspired me whether they be new on the scene or from generations past.  Paco Rabanne has been a big influence for me ever since I can remember and most of you know that I looked to his metal creations from the sixties when I started working on my debut collection last year, "Precious Metal" (for Spring 2011).  Even though the great Rabanne is alive and kicking, he hasn't been at the helm for a while and the collection has struggled in recent years (including an unsuccessful attempt by Patrick Robinson).  Still, the label has continued to be an important part of the fashion world and I am always excited to see what the they send down the runway each season.  This year, it looks like Rabanne's new designer, Manish Arora, tapped into Stacy Lomman : New York for some inspiration (IF ONLY!) as some of the similarities are uncanny.  At least I can say I did it first!

molten metal with shoulder detail

(left: Stacy Lomman - Spr. 2011 / right: Paco Rabanne - Spr. 2012)

metal sheath

(left: Stacy Lomman - Spr. 2011 / right: Paco Rabanne - Spr. 2012)

skinny with plunging V

(left: Stacy Lomman - Spr. 2011 / right: Paco Rabanne - Spr. 2012)

icy, short and sweet

(left: Stacy Lomman - Spr. 2011 / right: Paco Rabanne - Spr. 2012)

one shoulder, micro-mini

(left: Stacy Lomman - Spr. 2011 / right: Paco Rabanne - Spr. 2012)

cinched waist and pleats

(left: Stacy Lomman - Spr. 2011 / right: Paco Rabanne - Spr. 2012)

asymmetic, little black dresss

(left: Stacy Lomman - Spr. 2011 / right: Paco Rabanne - Spr. 2012)

Paco & Pierre

Paco Rabanne and Pierre Cardin are two designers who have always inspired me. I like the strength that comes across in their pieces and the way the details are significant be not overdone. For me, metal equals modern and that speaks to my personal style. Nobody did metal better than Paco. Lovely Madeleine (of In New York Paris Tomorrow), put it perfectly in her comment on my last post (about Paco), “So far away and yet classic and futuristic.” This brings me to Mr. Cardin, who was known for his space age designs and futuristic fashions. Cardin studied architecture (like another one of my favs, Ferré), so it follows that he used geometry in his creations. And I bet all the “tweens” have no idea that they have Mr. Cardin to thank for their precious bubble dresses...sort of!

Paco Rabanne, 1967

Pierre Cardin, 1967

I find it such a shame that these two groundbreaking, iconic visionaries are pretty much known today for cologne. Maybe not for those who actually know about fashion, but to the average Joe they are, unfortunately, just another Drakkar Noir.

Inspiration

I'm researching this week and gathering inspiration.  European Preview was great (in NYC last week) and it got the creative wheels turning, but since the show concentrated on Fall/Winter 2011/12, I'm trying not to get too far ahead of myself.

I'm feeling very influenced by Paco Rabanne.  Hmm, come to think of it, I wonder if Rabanne was the inspiration behind Chris Isaak's "mirror ball" suit that he wore when I saw him in 2006?

Paco Rabanne chain mail dresses, circa 1967

Rabanne dress 1966, Photo by Richard Avedon

Pick A Decade

Yesterday's post about costume design got me thinking-- if I had to choose a decade that I would like to have lived and experienced in terms of fashion, which would it be?  Would I prefer the cumbersome, yet ornate dresses of the 18th Century as in Milena Canonero's designs for the film, Marie Antoinette?

18th Century dress at the Metropolitan Museum (left) / me on Halloween as Marie Antoinette

Probably not.  I don't know if I could deal with the corsets!  Maybe I would like to be an independent, modern girl of the 1920s...

dress: Jeanne Lanvin, 1927

Photo Credit: Chicago History Museum

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel in 1926

Photo Credit: guardian.co.uk

Nah, I couldn't handle prohibition!  A girl has the right to enjoy a glass of wine or two, doesn't she?  I think I would prefer the Hollywood glamour of the 1930's and 1940's.  Famous costume designer Adrian could be my personal stylist!

  

Designer, Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1930's

Mainbocher, 1936

Photo Credit: by Man Ray from the book Couture by Caroline Rennolds Milbank

Or, I could get groovy in the 1960's by wearing some Andre Courreges.  Yeah, baby!  Maybe I could even put the "grrrr" in swinger.  Take that Austin Powers!

Pierre Cardin, 1968

Photo Credit: AP/Worldwide Photos

1960's aluminum tunic, Paco Rabanne

Well, I missed all of those time periods and I grew up in the fabulous 80's.  Lucky me!

Thierry Mulger (left) and Claude Montana (right), circa 1987

both pictures from my personal archives (i.e. ripped out of Vogue)