Here is a list of the season’s most wanted. If you can afford it, go ahead and get all your fashion’s desire. If not, update your wardrobe with alternatives. Be creative. Also, look into your closet – you might be keeping past decade’s pieces that are must-haves of the season.
• The best way to update your style is with the key accessory for the season, boots. Versions from low-riders to ankle-length and thigh-high in various colors and leathers rule the runways. Boots make a bold fashion statement. An indulgent purchase is Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche’s knee-high boots with woven ties. The leather boots combine gypsy glamour with classic sophistication.
• Adidas by Yohji Yamamoto is a hit! He presented boxing boots, flat-footed tennis shoes, stretch sneakers with a single rose print to complete his luxe sporty look. The moment fashion stylist Michael Salientes and fashion director Ariel Lozada saw his collection, they told me to make sure to get a pair for them. There was already a waitlist when I went to Joyce Central where they exclusively carry the brand. Last Thursday, I got a call from the store and they told me that the new trainers would be out the next day and gave me a specific time to go. I had no idea what I was in for. That same day, Ariel just arrived from Manila, so I took him along. When we got there, there were already more than one hundred people waiting in the store. We did not know that all of them came for the same purpose. We were given a number each which was used to draw lots. More than a hundred people wanted it but there were only 40 pairs of sneakers! Talk about having the most wanted item for the season! It was just our luck that our numbers were not picked.
• Other hot options are Prada’s updated and square-heeled Mary Janes and Gucci’s satin pumps like ballet slippers. Round or pointy shoes? Take your pick. Both are trendy for the season.
• Another sure winner is YSL Rive Gauche’s thick belt. Tom Ford gives upscale sophistication to this rock star staple. Embroidered touches make this wide, hip-slung leather belt a stylish investment.
• The whimsical Chanel tweed handbag proves that fashion need not always be serious to be elegant. Go and have a little fun. Pearls, a satin bow, and camellias add a personalized touch to Chanel’s classic handbag.
• Diamonds on a sports watch? How much more decadent can you get? TechnoMarine watches have been a craze in Hong Kong since summer. Socialites and movie personalities clamor for this scuba-style watch with diamonds around the bezel with interchangeable gel straps in various gumdrop colors like pink, lime, raspberry, orange, mauve and blue. It is a blend of fun and fashion. In Hollywood, Madonna, Mariah Carey and Sharon Stone have been seen sporting this watch. For the budget conscious, Swatch also carries a number of sports watches with colorful gel straps.
• The season’s look will not be complete without the right branded shades. With the success of summer’s sunglasses in colored lenses, many fashion houses started to launch their own eyewear collection. Prada, Celine, Christian Dior, Fendi, Chloè, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Diesel, Gucci, Kate Spade, Polo Ralph Lauren, Romeo Gigli, Versace and Valentino boast a list of fans from Madonna to Jennifer Lopez, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lenny Kravitz, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Elizabeth Hurley, Kim Cattrall and most models. Never before has the eyewear industry been this happy.
• The essential player this season is romantic, retro styles that recall the feminine charm of ages past. Ruffles, pleats, flounces, tulles, ruches and chiffon veils, drapes and Gypsy-inspired frocks turned up all over the runways. Frilly feminine blouses are coming strong from poufed sleeves to ruffles, lace, chiffon, flower prints and scooped necklines.
• The flirtatious skirt is the fastest way to get the new romantic look.
• It’s a mod, mod world. Mod Sixties references appeared in short capes, perky shift dresses and fitted little suits. Get a baby-doll dress to keep in touch with your feminine side. Prada, Gucci, Karl Lagerfeld for both Fendi and Chanel, Helmut Lang, Marc Jacobs led the way to the latest revival. Yanked-up skirt lengths with ribbon-trimmed layers of ruffles and shimmering sequins, rows of chiffon, and racy lace invaded the catwalk.
• The hourglass shape is hip again. Designers revived the classic feminine style with waist-hugging ensembles. Chic corsets salute the return of the waist.
• The tux is the fashion statement for evening. Move over men! This season, designers transformed the black-tie formality to fit a woman’s needs.
• Denim keeps getting less casual and more dressed up. Hotter than ever, the new denim styles are tailored like the ones from Mui Mui and Marc by Marc Jacobs.
• The equestrian look is hot for the season. A stylish take on the equestrian trend perfectly combines classic looks with modern flair. To achieve this look, get riding pants.
• The updated jackets from bomber to motorcycle, baseball and aviator take a short cut. Add a cropped jacket to your wardrobe for pure urban cool.
• Go for distressed leather. Rough around the edges, ripped rough-cut, sewn-up tears and crackled leather in clothes and accessories is a fashion must!
• Tailored corsets and rock sexy jeans are in. Stella McCartney’s last season for Chloè did not disappoint. Since she began designing for the fashion house, it has established a following from the stylish set. Liv Tyler, Gwyneth Paltrow, Aerin Lauder and Kate Hudson are among her loyal fans. Madonna even chose her to do her wedding gown. Tailored corsets and rock sexy jeans stole the season’s show. Last month, while the end-of-season sale was still on, a few pieces of her fall collection were already in the stores. And, guess what? As soon as the jeans reached the stores, they already sold out!
• Denims and jeans make their Marc. Designer of the moment, Marc Jacobs, had a well-received collection from his second line, Marc, just launched last season. Jacobs mixed Edwardian inspired jackets generously buttoned with multi-tiered skirts. Other models showed rugby shirts, slim cropped varsity, bomber and school blazers. The label is a big seller at Joyce. The store can’t stock enough of the latest tailored faded denim jacket and cuffed jeans.
• Sarah Jessica Parker sets a trend. Italian label Marni has a cult following here in Hong Kong. The brand sold exclusively at Joyce is so hot despite its high price range. Even if the style is Bohemian and offbeat, the Hong Kong women don’t mind spending a piece of their fortune on the latest collection. Also, blame fashion obsessed Manhattan single women in the hit HBO series, Sex and the City. Most of what Sarah Jessica Parker wears become a mega trend. In one episode, she wore a printed Marni coat that further bolstered the brand’s popularity. This season, Consuelo Castiglioni went for delicate prints, lightweight fabrics and delicate femininity.
• Nicolas is hot! Nicolas Ghesquière scored another undisputed hit for Balenciaga. With his early 1900s-inspired collection, Nicolas Ghesquière confirmed his status as one of fashion’s most directional designers. The detail, construction and silhouette of his work are incredible. If only you can get your hands on any of his designs. According to the July 2001 American Bazaar, the brand is so hot that stocks in their Paris store don’t last longer than 24 hours.
• And so is Tom Ford. Tom Ford’s second season for Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche presented a romantic and very grown-up collection. There were sexy mummy-like shirts made of ribbon wrapped around the torso paired with low-slung jean-style skirts in velvet and wool. There were mauve satin dresses with snug elastic quilted waists and wrists. There were long ruched skirts with off-the-shoulder peasant shirts. Even before the Hong Kong store’s August 17 trunk show, people in-the-know were already hoarding the latest pieces. I just happened to pass by the store when they displayed the collection. Men and women did not only buy one item but an entire ensemble. How much hotter can this brand get?