Would it ever be a successful week in the world of fashion without a little (or a lot) of drama? A little bit of blood, sweat, and tears?

Fall 11 Fashion Month officially ended last Friday in Paris (with Paris Fashion Week), and it went out with a bang. There was no shortage of drama,  starting with the John Galliano incidents (wow, shocking, I can’t believe it still) to the firing of Hannah McGibbon from Chloé, one of my favorite houses (officially, her contract was up for renegotiation, yet she got terrible reviews). Despite everything, the fashion, of course, was still fabulous.

We’ll start with the infamous Dior show. Just days after Galliano’s firing and the reason why went public (impeccable timing, eh?).  At first I was surprised they show even went on, but then I was reminded of how many people actually work on a collection, it really isn’t just one person.  And it would not be fair to not show that work of that incredible team behind Dior. And so, the show went on.

Karlie Kloss (the face of Dior) opened the show in pure classic Dior drama: in a flowing black cape, leather and velvet, and a great blue hat. Gorg. This picture really says it all.

 

“Christian Dior’s values were those of excellence in all that he undertook, of elegance and of craftsmanship reflecting his unique talent. His mission was not only to make his clients – indeed all women – more beautiful, but also to make them happy, to help them dream. He saw himself as a magician who could give women confidence and make them ever more feminine, more sublime. He believed in the importance of respect and in the capacity of this fundamental value not only to bring out the beauty in women, but also bring out the best in all people.The values that Monsieur Dior taught us are unchanged today. Those values are carried on by the wonderful and diverse group of people within the House of Dior who devote all their talent and energy to achieving the ultimate in artisanship and femininity, respecting traditional skills and incorporating modern techniques. The heart of the House of Dior, which beats unseen, is made up of its teams and studios, of its seamstresses and craftsmen, who work hard day after day, never counting the hours, and carrying on the value and the vision of Monsieur Dior. What you are going to see now is the result of the extraordinary, creative, and marvelous efforts of these loyal, hardworking people.”

– Dior CEO, Sidney Toledano in his speech that opened the Christian Dior Fall 11 show. It closed with the entire artisan team taking the stage after the final look in their white work aprons in lieu of their disgraced former boss.

(update: It was just announced this morning that the Italian Riccardo Tisci, former creative director at Givenchy, will replace Galliano, check out his blog here)

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My other winning standouts of the week:

 

 one of my personal idols, Stella McCartney, and her real girl cool.

(Hey, if you can simultaneously create 2 back-to-back sold-out children’s clothing collections for Baby Gap, show 3 collections a year on the Paris runway, dress Gwyneth Paltrow immaculately on a near daily basis and raise your profits by 18% for the Gucci Group in the past year over last year, you’re pretty much killing it, and I bow down to that). Stella won praises for her wearable, saleable clothing and the “Normalcy” and professionalism she brings to the fashion world, which is oft underrated yet refreshing and not lost on anyone.

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Another of my Style Icons, Pheobe Philo, and her collection for Céline

She described her inspiration for this collection as “the essential-ness of what it’s like when you get inside a beautifully made car, and the power.”

Vogue.com said “Céline is this season’s sleekest manifestation of the collaging of materials we’ve seen as an underlying fall trend.” I pretty much think it’s just beautiful, streamlined chic. And I love the models’ hair.

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Lanvin

I read one review of this show that called it “Faultless Frenchy chic.” At first glance, this is not super traditional French, but it actually kind of is, in a very Alber Elbaz kind of way. Something about the bare legs, the brogues, the structured bags, the buttoned up coats, the statements necklaces and the hats on these 2 girls screams French to me. Because can’t you just see every modern chic French girl from Colette in the 1st Arrondissement to the Marais wearing this flawless look?

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to be continued…