Colliding Forces

Ladylike, body-conscious, menswear, draping, military, patterns, and neutrals are all catchphrases for pre-fall 2010. While we acknowledge how important it is to focus an outfit and to avoid seeming overdone, we're still into the New York Fashion Week collections that seamlessly integrate a few of these. In particular, the best looks have fused genders not just by borrowing from the opposite sex but by engaging elements of both. For example, the exposed brassiere and underwire, as in Preen at top left, or the body-con bandages and drapes colliding with militaristic colors, as in Jeremy Laing at top right and Rag & Bone at bottom left, and gray or black suiting, as in Doo.Ri at bottom right. The Mafia Materialist especially appreciates this ladylike menswear when characterized by long sleeves, black patent lace-up or industrially embellished footwear, and metal buttons, all laced with bursts of color and prints.

Photos courtesy of style.com

Over-the-Knee Boots?

Let's not and say we did over-the-top instead. Gladiators? We'll admit we don't miss them, but we are looking at the bright side: They left in their violent wake the ballerina version of warrior footwear. Some variation of this style from Fendi, below, wrapped up every ankle in their spring/summer 2010 show.

Photo courtesy of fendi.com

And, look what turned up in the Valentino spring 2010 couture line last week, left, and Vera Wang s/s 2010 RTW, right.

Photos courtesy of style.com and verawangweddings.com/fashion, respectively

Well, that's a wrap...almost. Okay, Mafia Materialist couldn't resist these winners from the Daniele Michetti s/s 2010, below, which share DNA with the Valentino pre-fall 2010 dress, far below, a sure sign all things wrapped up are here to stay. We think a Twelfth-Night-esque sibling reunion is in order:

Photo courtesy of michettidaniele.com

Photo courtesy of style.com

A Horse of a Different Neutral

We've been feeling mixed neutrals for a while, and we saw it all over Berlin's Fashion Week 2010. What we love most is its seasonal versatility: great right now to match the winterscape and great this summer for its breezy quality. It's all over next fall's lines, and we don't see it going anywhere soon. Plus, the mixed tones give personality and depth to an otherwise flat outfit.

Neutrals all over emerging German label Lala Berlin's summer 2010 line, both below, give way to their fall 2010 designs.

Photos courtesy of lalaberlin.com/lala/galerie_en.php

The beauty of this fall 2010 look from Lala Berlin, below, is mixed neutrals all wrapped up in one chic item and its balanced with equally neutral and equally fabulous stilettos. The Mafia Materialist says, "Yes," to year-round neutrals.

Photo courtesy of lexposure.net

Perfectly Simple: Kings of Convenience's "Mrs. Cold"

Aside from our longtime crushes on Kings of Convenience duo Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe, this video strikes a chord, literally and figuratively, for a number of reasons. The beautiful lyrics, of course, are just one of many. We're happy to be impressed by their newest album Declaration of Dependance after all these years, during which the pair has produced great music while remaining true to their style. Both artists experiment with their musical interests by participating in additional bands, Øye in The Whitest Boy Alive and Bøe in Kommode.

Don't forget to note the lovely simplicity of the painters' airy tees and unadorned jeans. The outfits feel like an homage to the coed who occasionally gets lost in feathers and drapes. The Mafia Materialist also loves that Øye has made a trademark for himself with those square-rimmed, plastic frames, which also appear on one of the girls.


Courtesy of françois nemeta

"Hey baby / What is love?"

Found in Translation: Feathers and Draping

Never underestimate the power of evolution. Trends are limiting, but the evolution of fabrics from one season to the next, from one look to another, and from what works on one person to what's right for another can mean the difference between wearing what's now and wearing what's next. For example, fur is cropping up in literally every single pre-fall 2010 line. Personally, the Mafia Materialist thinks fur will come and go, but the truly forward can and will don feathers. We agreed when we saw this pre-fall look from Celine, below, inspired by Manx label Preen by Thornton Bregazzi's 2006 look, further below.

photo courtesy of style.com

photo courtesy of preen.eu

Not for you? What both permeates and transcends looks for spring/summer 2010 and fall 2010 is draping. This look is refreshingly simple and beautiful while ranging in intricacy, which the Mafia Materialist loves because it can dress up or down. See the look from Chloé, below.

photo courtesy of chloe.com

UPDATE: Women's Wear Daily did an article on feathers on January 25, 2010. We're glad to see someone's taking cues from the Mafia Materialist. See it here.