Red Valentino's Renaissance

Art, architecture, fashion, politics, philosophy...everything changed during the Renaissance. It was a time of transition that spanned across centuries and borders, bringing Europe into a modern era as it left the Gothic and Medieval behind.
Portrait of Maria de' Medici by Bronzino 1550s
With Florentine families like the Medici family leading the charge in politics, business and the arts, the Renaissance flourished. Hundreds of years later, their legacy remains for many things, including acting as patrons for great artists like Botticelli and BronzinoRevolutionary changes were made during the Renaissance, so its influence is bound to show up as it did in the Red Valentino Fall 2017 collection. 

Fashion meets Art: Pae White

The space between...the space between here and there. It is often forgotten in our efforts to get to the next destination. Or in the case of physical space, it fades into nothingness as our eyes move from focal point to focal point.
 

Rock Royalty Style

It was the decade of culture wars, the space race and economic crises. It was also the time of bell bottoms, flowing dresses and platform shoes. Messages of peace and love were on everyone’s lips. It was the 1970s.

Dressed for Fall

The season of crisp leaves, cool breezes and pumpkin spice brings with it classic tweeds, warm knits and a rich color palette. Fall is one of my favorite times of year as it ushers in a season of change and the promise of the upcoming holidays.

Thoroughly Modern Milkmaid

Though modern in its designs, the Pre-Fall 2017 collection from Temperley London brings to mind historic imagery from The Netherlands. The combination of colors, embroidery, shapes and lines have a nostalgic spirit of old world milkmaids, walks across the windmill dotted landscape and exploring cobbled streets and pathways.

Fashion meets Art: Anne Ten Donkelaar

A single flower bloom can hold so much meaning. Love, loss, friendship...there is a language of flowers that has the power to extend beyond mere words. Each petal comes together with color, shape and scent to form a thing of beauty and meaning. A blossom can become so much more when paired with other flowers, foliage and found objects. Artist Anne Ten Donkelaar brings together these items to create landscapes, tell stories and inspire curiosity.
Flower Construction #86 (above) and Detail (below)

Byzantine Beauties

Sisterly love is a bond that cannot break as it is born of blood and legacy. In the case of Zoe and Theodora though, it is a bond they attempted to sever through intrigue, lies and strategic alliances. 
Empress Irene in Basilica di Sofia
 Living on the public stage of politics thousands of years ago in the Byzantine era, the story of these sisters played out like a modern-day soap opera set in the Byzantine empire around 1000AD. Their lives began as any royal's would, living in the palace as heirs to titles and fortune. But all this would change when a power hungry uncle sent the girls to live hidden in a monastery so he could keep the throne for himself. 

In the Poppy Field

Buried in the earth for as many as 80 years, the little poppy seed can begin to grow with the touch of sunshine. What was once dormant is suddenly brought to life as the soil gets disturbed and the sun is given access to the seeds.

"Wild Poppies Near Argenteuil" by Claude Monet, 1875 

Walk in the Park

victorian, watercolor, art
What better way to spend a sunny summer afternoon than in the park? The Victorian aristocrats certainly agreed with the notion, treating the park as the perfect leisure destination.
flowers, butterflies, watercolor, victorian
 "Flowers and Butterflies"
ready to wear, women's fashion
Still dressed in proper attire, families would descend upon the park’s open green spaces for quality time, and of course, to see and be seen.

Grand Style

Far from the ocean’s edge, there is a land of dirt, rock and heat. The hills rise to the heavens, rolling across the horizon as far as the eye can see. Centuries of history are hidden in this earth and only revealed with the help of the winding Colorado River that reveals the secrets in layers. This land is the Grand Canyon.

Ocean Blues

Dynamic yet calm. Powerful yet gentle. Her qualities are as diverse as the full spectrum of blues we can find her wearing. Not one to stay aloof, she rolls in each day with the high tide, beckoning us to dip our toes into her frothy edges.
Roberto Cavalli
For centuries, people around the world have had a love affair with the ocean. Walking the shores of the beach, she softly roars with each crashing wave, creating a soothing lullaby for any who pause to listen.  
Balmain
Fishermen and sailors have answered the call of the ocean, setting sail across the vast blue waters. Surfers hear her whispered invite each morning laced with the promise of adventure in each wave. Cities are built on her beaches with the goal of capturing a fraction of the beauty and awe she presents each day. 
Using a needle and thread, designers try to communicate the natural movement and grace of the ocean's waters. Ruffles move like rolling waves of the ocean on the Molly Goddard and Badgley Mischka runways. 
"The voice of the sea speaks to the soul." 
-The Awakening
Alice + Olivia
There is a mystery to the ocean that we will likely never solve. Worlds and wonders beneath the depths of the surface are beyond human comprehension. Whether near or far to these great bodies of water, we can find cool blue inspiration from the ocean’s array of colors with designs from the Resort 2018 collections.

The shades of light blue are like the ocean’s surface on a bright sunny day. Cool and calm, there is an ease to wearing this color. 
 Tome
Christian Siriano
With the appearance of storm clouds on the horizon, the ocean takes on a gray hue. The blue borders on gray, blending rain and ocean water.
 
Molly Goddard
“It was the color of ice and honey and sky and rain mixed together into a sheet of flawless glass with broken frothy edges that tickled my feet.”
-The Siren
Reem Acra 
As night falls, the ocean’s waters become dark and mysterious. The bright blues of daytime quickly become deeper and richer shades of navy. The blues nearly border on black with the absence of sunlight. 

Molly Goddard

The navy-blue sequins of Temperley London's dresses shimmer like the moonlight on the ocean’s surface. 

Like designers, authors also find inspiration in the blue waters of the ocean. Kate Chopin’s classic 19th century novel, The Awakening, is a story of discovery and rebirth on the shores of Louisiana. The clear blue Gulf waters featured in the story offer a shimmering reflection that is bright and hopeful like the designs from Tome, Christian Siriano and Balmain.

Tome

Balmain

Christian Siriano

The Siren by Kiera Cass tells the story of a siren and her search for love and life beyond the ocean’s embrace. There are diverse emotions, like the blues and greens often found in the seaside waters and in the fabric of Anna Sui’s dresses.



The ocean's color palette proves that having the blues isn't always a bad thing. No matter the mood, there's a shade of blue to match. This season you can heed the ocean's call and wear your perfect shade.

Runway Photos: Vogue.com

Father of Couture

"Empress Eugenie" by Franz Xavier Winterhalter, 1854
On Father’s Day images of hardware and tool boxes abound as gift ideas for dads. But for the Father of Couture, you would have needed to think twice about the traditional presents since his tool box more likely included a needle and thread instead of a hammer and nail.
Charles Frederick Worth is known as the first couturier not only because of his lavish one-of-a-kind creations, but also because of his ability to self promote the House of Worth. 
"Empress Elisabeth of Austria" by Franz Xavier Winterhalter, 1864
Before the age of the internet and social media, Worth was able to reach ladies far and wide. Instead of a post on Instagram or a starlet wearing his gown on the red carpet, Worth became famous through royal portraits of the lovely ladies he dressed.

She's a Firebird

You’ve likely heard the term, “She’s a firecracker,” but what about “She’s a firebird?”
P. Garst Firebird costume from 1936
The classic ballet, The Firebird, that originally premiered in Paris in 1910 continues to mesmerize audiences with its story of love and triumph. 

Material Girl

Big hair, leggings, sky high shoulder pads…it was the decade of decadence. Wall Street was flying high and so was everyone’s taste for the good life. Consumer culture reached a peak to the tune of Madonna’s “Material Girl.”
Though over 20 years have passed since we said goodbye to the 80s, the style influences continue to infiltrate modern fashion. The spring runway, like that of Ronald van Der Kemp's couture collection, was full of padded shoulders reminiscent of Melanie Griffith in “Working Girl”…the only thing missing were her white sneakers.

Charming Charlie

From the streets of London to the royal palace, hers was the story of rags to riches.
"Nell Gwyn" by Peter Lely, 1675
Nell Gwyn started her career as an orange girl at London’s King’s Theater during the Restoration period of the mid to late 1600s. As she wound her way through the crowds and enticed audience members to indulge in a sweet orange, Nell learned to use her wit and charm to win over the theatre-goers. It wasn’t long before she found herself on the stage and was gaining fans as an actress. Soon to join her fan base was none other than the King of England.