PRADA MAGAZINE COUP?

So I was browsing my tumblr one night and came across yet another magazine featuring an editorial with Prada pieces. This was after I'd just received W magazine's May issue showcasing the S/S '14 Prada socks in the Gilt Trip editorial styled by Jacob K. I'd also previously seen an editorial dedicated entirely to the Prada collection in the March issue of Vogue Italia (featuring Ruby Aldridge and shot by her brother Miles Aldridge). I quickly started to see a pattern so I commenced research on where else Spring Prada was featured and voila, as you can see it's been everywhere from January covers to May editorials. Whoa. I don't think I've ever seen a single designer collection featured so often in fashion magazines across the board. Vogue draped models in the "iconic" digs on at least 10 of their international magazine covers. Who's running whom here? I understand that magazines make the bulk of their money from advertisements and such - is Prada paying for the recognition? Or is it that stylists were thinking that girls around the world would go googly-eyed for anything featuring the collection. We like shiny things, is that the reason? Are they trying to lure in readers with sparkly objects? I am really surprised. Personally, I'm disappointed in Vogue specifically. They're reach is huge and with all the other designers that showed for Spring they could've spread the love. Also, all the editorials are pretty and creative yes, but I feel like overall it's a let down. I don't need to see 50 interpretations of the same collection no matter how different the setting is.

Love you Miuccia Prada.

Vogue Korea April 2014 - Suvi Koponen ph. by Benny Horne

Styled by Ye Young Kim

Vogue Brazil March 2014 - Alessandra Ambrosio ph. by Mariano Vivanco

Styled by Yasmine Sterea

 Vogue Italia March 2014 - Ruby Aldridge ph. by Miles Aldridge

Styled by Cathy Edwards

    Vogue Australia February 2014 - Juliana Schuring ph. by Sebastian Kim 

Styled by Katie Mossman

Clockwise: W magazine Feb. 2014 ph. by Craig Mcdean

W magazine March 2014 ph. by Emma Summerton

W magazine March 2014 ph. by Steven Klein

W magazine's Edward Enniful for Prada's "The Iconoclasts" ph. by Emma Summerton

btw - there were MORE!

Vogue covers clockwise: Vogue Ukraine May, Vogue Korea April, Vogue Taiwan February, Vogue Japan April, Vogue Spain March, Vogue Germany January, Vogue Turkey February, Vogue UK March, Vogue Brazil March, Vogue Russia January

RUNWAY REMIX

I've been a fan of Canadian duo Dean and Dan Caten's work at Dsquared2 since the label first arrived on the scene in 2003.  As you can see from my previous post the early 2000s were everything for me because I was really beginning to effloresce into my fashion conscious teenagedom. A little history - the brothers went to Parson's to study fashion in 1983 but dropped out after a semester. They switched gears and created their own label, DEanDAN three years later. Fast forward two years, the pair became creative directors for Ports International (Ports 1961 now and a much different aesthetic) while simultaneously working on their new lower end endeavor - Tabi International. In 1991 they moved to Italy and worked as designers for the house of Gianna Versace (major!) as well as Italian denim brand Diesel. Finally, they debuted the brand they're currently know for, Dsquared2, with a men's collection in 1994 and a woman's extension in 2003.

RUNWAY REMIX

Roberto Cavalli's show for Spring '14 was cute. I've never really been a fan of the print combinations he uses although I do love leopard print. This collection was different though. The Just Cavalli brand is a diffusion line targeted towards a younger audience and we definitely were clear on that was definitely clear in the collection. The clothes were cool, young, and sexy with an edge. Sidenote: Yesterday I came across a picture of the first black Miss Universe, Miss Trinidad and Tobago Janelle Commissiong. As it turns out Mr. Cavalli judged that same Miss Universe event in 1977! That's major. Also interesting, it was there that Mr. Cavalli met his ex-wife Miss Austria Eva Duringer  - she ended up placing 2nd. What a coincidence, no?

DESIGNER DETAILS: TOM FORD

Tom Ford is everything to me. His collections and ad campaigns have been burned in my mind since my preteen years. The iconic Gucci heel from the Spring 2004 collection had me mesmerized - it is THE epitome of a perfectly curved heel. A little background info, Ford arrived at Gucci in 1994 hired by then creative director Dawn Mello (this lady was bossss - former president and fashion director of Bergdorf Goodman, she credits herself with discovering Michael Kors). I heard that Ford's now husband Richard Buckley put in the good word for him with Ms. Mello but that's neither here nor there.

At the time the company was not the Gucci it is today. It was nearly bankrupt and had a somewhat tarnished image in the luxury market. Ms. Mello made a bold move by bringing in a then virtually unknown Ford, but it was a genius move. He very quickly made the brand a massive force to be reckoned with. With Ford's direction the company went from nearly bankrupt to being valued at $10 billion at the time of his departure. He basically created the Gucci language that we see today and I'm thankful for it.