The Paris Fashion Round Up

By Paige McKirahan

 

Bonjour encore, TalkingFashion tourists! Following our coverage in Italy prior to Milan Fashion Week, we felt it was only appropriate to dive deep into Paris’ high-profile industry as haute heels (or chunky dad shoes) hit the sidewalks in France for the next six days for PFW. As one of the most iconic fashion capitals in the world, Paris never disappoints when it comes to high-fashion with even higher standards. There is truly no other place in the world with a style quite like the “Parisian chic” seen all over capital’s streets, so it is no surprise that their blogging landscape is one of the most active, flourishing influencer scenes that the industry has to offer. Whether it be their classic, minimalist Parisian style or a wilder approach to the chic stereotype, these French influencers have a certain je ne sais quoi that is sure to inspire your spring wardrobe haul!

 

Leiasfez

 

This creative mind has been quite the jetsetter this fashion month as she traveled to London for a fashion week and Dior exhibit fix. Her classic wardrobe featuring muted color palettes and clean tailoring provides content for her perfectly curated feed of style inspiration, making it easy to see why she has garnered over a quarter of a million followers and a spot in a Glossier campaign. 

 

Syanalaniyan

 

 

 

This Youtube-based influencer has proved that you don’t need hundreds of thousands of followers to make your mark on the industry; through her success with her Youtube channel and her “it” girl style shown on Instagram, she has formed partnerships with Marc Jacobs Beauty and Asos to create beautiful paid posts for her social media feeds.

 

Miss Pandora

 

 

 

Louise Ebel is the Parisian fashionista behind this stand-out blog, Miss Pandora. Rather than falling into the classic style guidelines set up by her chic predecessors, Ebel aims to explore new fashionable combinations whether they be unusual silhouette pairings or wild color combinations.

 

Mango and Salt

 

 

 

Victoria, the creator of Mango and Salt, uses her blog to showcase both her minimalist style aesthetic and sustainable lifestyle practices. She prides herself on being authentic and natural, so if you are looking for some style inspiration with a side of cultural commentary, Mango and Salt is the perfect blog for you! 

 

Frannfyne

 

 

 

This lifestyle and fashion blogger is one of our favorites from this list on account of her uber-cool street style looks. No two of her outfits look the same and she uses pieces from shops like Zara and Mango to create dimensional looks that are totally achievable for even the most fashion inept of her followers.

For more great Parisian bloggers that are on our must-follow list this spring, check out this article by Frenchly! 

Switching the conversation from bloggers to brands, there are just as many French accessory labels on our radar that make us thankful its tax return season! While you’re waiting on that direct deposit to hit, give these brands a follow and check out all of the beauty that they have to offer!

 

Balaboosté

 

One of the most fun and eclectic labels on this list, this 20-year-old brand is eccentric and colorful in all the right ways. Though some may struggle to create bold pieces with a chic feel, this is no problem for Balabooste as their ‘90s inspired statement pieces are made to be Instagram ready!

 

Lou.Yetu

 

 

This brand, which is named after a classic French children’s song, takes this playful element and seamlessly fuses it together with its clean aesthetics to create timeless pieces with a classic French twist. Their delicate necklaces, rings, and bracelets are made to be layered and will compliment all of your chicest looks.

 

Gerard Darel

 

 

 

This seemingly lowkey clothing and accessories brand has slowly established itself as a provider of quality basics both in France and around the world. Their reach is so wide that their simple bags have been in the hands of many of the media’s favorites, including Angelina Jolie!

 

Satellite Paris

 

 

Playing upon the industry’s love of boho-chic aesthetics, this brand boasts expertly crafted jewelry that can be found in six storefronts across Paris, along with a multitude of department stores. Started by a former ethnologist, Satellite’s pieces are delicately crafted and jewel encrusted with an art deco design inspiration to match.

 

Nouvel Amour

 

 

Popular for its simple, gold ID bracelets, rings, and necklaces, this Parisian brand offers a new way to remember your travels to the fashion capital. The versatility of their pieces paired with the ability to customize every design makes these romantic accessories a fashion round-up favorite!

Since Paris Fashion Week is already underway, make sure to give all of these French fashion finds a follow to see how they are participating in the industry fun! Be sure to stay tuned for more roundups and join us on our journey to Ireland to discover more creators worth following prior to our Saint Patrick's Day celebrations in March!

 

Sources:

Designer Spotlight: Christian Dior

 By Paige McKirahan

 

As a household name in both the fashion world and among creatives alike, Christian Dior was the obvious choice for our designer spotlight this week. This French couturier was born on the coast of Normandy in 1905 as one of five children born to a wealthy fertilizer manufacturer. He moved to Paris at the age of 5 and used his artistic inclinations to sell his sketches on the streets for small change. Though his parents hoped that he would become a renowned diplomat, he was adamant about pursuing his art, prompting his father purchased a small art gallery for him to take over after he completed school. The gallery held a variety of artistic works by artists like Pablo Picasso and tiny but mighty gallery saw small success. Despite this,  Christian was forced to close its doors in the wake of the Great Depression in 1929, the deaths of his mother and brother, and the demise of his father’s business. 

 

Christian Dior Art Gallery (source)

 

Following this event, Christian began working with fashion designer Robert Piguet and did so for around 10 years until he was chosen for military service in 1940. He served for two years and then went to work with couturier Lucien LeLong who dressed the wives of Nazi officers and French collaborators in order to preserve the industry’s economic and artistic prosperity. During this time, Christian was the primary designer at LeLong’s fashion house and worked alongside Pierre Balmain which, as you may have guessed, is the founder of the Balmain fashion house created in 1946.

After working with and under some of the industry’s most prevalent names, Christian decided he was going to found his own fashion house; in December 1946, he founded the house of Dior in Paris and was backed by Marcel Boussac, a cotton-fabric Magnate. Many say that the house was not truly open until 1947, which is when Christian debuted his first collection. 

 

New Look design from first Dior Collection (source)

 

This first collection, containing 90 different looks, was considered the pinnacle of the “New Look” as defined by US Harper's Bazaar magazine editor Carmel Snow. His designs were not aligned with the wartime fabric restrictions and featured calf length, full skirts, cinched waists, and fuller busts. The look garnered some criticism on account of its overall opulence, but it was this lavishness that allowed Paris to re-establish itself as a head player in the fashion world. 

His was an immediate success and was overwhelmed with orders from world-famous icons like Rita Hayworth and Margot Fonteyn. The British Royal family even invited Christian to have a private showing of his collection despite the fact that King George V barred young princesses Elizabeth and Margaret from wearing his controversial New Look pieces. After he became an established name in the industry, he established his ready-to-wear house on New York’ 5^th Avenue in 1948 as the first of its kind. His debut perfume line launched in 1948 as well with Miss Dior being his first fragrance, which was named after his sister.

 

 

Christian meeting Princess Margaret (source)

 

Not to be outdone by any of his counterparts, Dior was the first haute couture brand to license the production of its designs beginning in 1949. Christian realized that his New Look pieces worked hand in hand with one another and he along with his business partner Jacques Rouet saw the importance in licensing his name to an array of luxury accessories including furs, hats, stockings, and ties. This decision was met with great criticism as it was said to “cheapened the haute couture industry”. Regardless, his massive success with the endeavor inspired nearly all other couturiers to follow the same model.

In 1955, Dior hired 19-year-old Yves Saint Laurent as his design assistant and almost immediately knew that Laurent would be the one to succeed him at Dior. He told Laurent’s mother this at the age of 52 and she was quite confused about the remark until he suffered from a fatal heart attack in October of 1957 shortly after his meeting with her. His funeral saw over 2,000 attendees that included his staff and multitude of famous clients with the Duchess of Windsor at their head.

In the wake of Christian's death, Rouet appointed 21-year-old Laurent as the house’s artistic director in an effort to counteract the disarray caused by the event. He held the position until he was drafted and was succeed by Marc Bohan who defined a new era and silhouette for Dior that is known as the Slim Look. This modernized, sleek version of Christian’s iconic look proved to be a hit in the industry and he was an artistic director until 1989. Gianfranco Ferre followed him and then was replaced by John Galliano in 1997 as he was said to have a creative talent that aligned perfectly with Christian’s. Ferre and Galliano transformed the designs and Dior’s ready-to-wear lines shot up in popularity. Galliano’s name was plastered on headlines everywhere when fashion and philanthropic icon Princess Diana wore his first couture dress for the brand.

 

 

St. Laurent design for Dior, 1955 (source)

 

Galliano also was a pioneer in using branded logo motifs and he used that design to create his now iconic saddlebags that were in the hands of every it girl of the era. His brilliant work dazzles but also brought controversy, and he was eventually removed from his position after making anti-Semitic statements on film after a wild night out. Raf Simons then was appointed to the role of artistic director and was a great success from 2012 to 2016. After his departure, the decision surrounding who would succeed him was difficult but game-changing; Maria Grazia Chiuri, the former Valentino co-creative director, took over operations at Dior as the first female to hold the position. Her unapologetic approach empowers women and ensures the brands' success for years to come! We may not have any Dior in store, but we do have a great Saint Laurent piece sure to sate your designer appetite!

 

Sources:

Bannerman, S. L. (2018, July 19). The History of the House of Dior. Retrieved from https://theculturetrip.com/europe/france/articles/the-history-of-the-house-of-dior/

Sowray, B. (2017, August 23). Christian Dior. Retrieved from https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/christian-dior

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Year Style Resolution

By Paige McKirahan 

 

As 2019 is now underway and everyone is adamantly compiling their list of resolutions for the new year, we invite you to create a style resolution list that will be sure to refresh your closet and reset your fashion outlook from January all the way until December! Our resolution list features something dear to us at talkingfashion, and we hope that you are inspired to add it to your list, too; buying and wearing more accessories and pieces that are sustainable, handmade, and vintage is one of our favorite practices and is an easy way to bring new life into your already fabulous collection! Not only does shopping sustainable and vintage have great benefits to you, the environment, and the designers, it also has a rich history that you can read about here on our blog! 

 

This resolution is one that you can truly commit to and even incorporate into the other goals on your list! Shopping for sustainable fashion items can be done right here on our site as our vintage and bijoux items allow you to be sustainable, unique and chic in one swoop. Whether you want to wear more heels, incorporate varying colors into your wardrobe, or experiment with new accessories, don’t be fearful of change or outsider opinions. Always remember: wear what you love, everyday!

 

Have a fantastic 2019 peeps!

Pop The Cork on New Year’s Eve Fashion!

By Paige McKirahan

 

As the biggest party of the year is looming towards us at a rapid rate, panic surrounding finding the perfect New Years Eve outfit is rising. With a year as fabulous as 2018 coming to a close, it is only appropriate that we look just as fabulous as we bid it goodbye and step into the last year of this decade. Though some people tend to rely on their clothing itself to provide them with their NYE glam, we here at TalkingFashion think that this year’s make or break pieces will lie in one’s accessories. Not only can you completely transform a clothing piece with jewelry and other fun additions, you can also create a complete, cohesive outfit that stuns from head to toe!

 

 

Accessories can emulate more vibes and attitudes than just clothing alone, which makes them an integral part of a party outfit for all types of fashionista! From minimalists to haute couture connoisseurs, accessorizing can elevate a look from basic to Times Square chic.

Are you a fan of the little black dress instead of the disco ball aesthetic for your impending New Years fun? Personalize that classic piece by adding everything from a head scarf to a dazzling bracelet to allow your personality to shine as bright as the Times Square Ball! You’ll be the talk of every party with your expertly curated style; if you are lost on how to create your perfect look, we are here to help! Check out our collections or enlist one of our expert stylists to assist you in making sure you’re walking into 2019 as fashionable as ever!

 

Calling All Columbus Readers!

By Paige McKirahan

 

If you have found yourself in Ohio for the holidays, you may be left wondering how to spend your last week of the year in the Buckeye State. As one of the nation’s top three fashion capitals, Columbus has seemingly crept to the top of this elite list while no one was watching. According to Columbus Monthly, Columbus employs more fashion designers than ANY other city in the United States outside of New York City and Los Angeles. Our state’s capital is chock full of small boutiques working alongside huge fashion giants like Victoria’s Secret, Lane Bryant, Express, Abercrombie & Fitch, and previously Henri Bendel. Other popular, locally-grown shops like Homage are also gaining great visibility and contributing to the area’s reputation as a vibrant, evolving capital. We hope all of our Columbus fans bought some local goods for all of those on your list this season, because we sure do love being a part of this amazing network of fashion innovators!

 

Now that Holiday shopping days are over, though, what else does this amazing city have to offer? Does the cold weather and the holidays have you or your family feeling a little stir crazy this Christmas season? Well, grab you jackets and get ready for a full day of fun at Columbus’ greatest attractions on December 29^th for FREE!

Thanks to The Columbus Foundation, local residents can spend their Saturday exploring central Ohio via free COTA rides all day long. The Wexner Center for the Arts, Ohio History Connection, Franklin Park Conservatory, and COSI are all participating in the free general admission event. The Columbus Museum of Art is also partaking in the winter fun; our CEO and one of our favorite designers, Charles Kleibacker, have both held positions at that venue. Be sure to check out all of the beautiful art they have to offer!

Whatever you spend the rest of your 2018 doing, we here at TalkingFashion want to wish all of our readers a Happy New Year and a FABULOUS New Years Eve! When picking out that perfect outfit for your night on the town, don’t forget to end 2018 wearing what YOU love and continue doing so for all of 2019!

Sources:

We're Number Three: Columbus' flourishing fashion industry. (2016, March 30). Retrieved from http://www.columbusmonthly.com/lifestyle/20160323/were-number-three-columbus-flourishing-fashion-industry

Staff, N. (2018, December 13). Columbus Foundation celebrates 75th anniversary with free COTA rides, other freebies. Retrieved from https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus-foundation-celebrates-75th-anniversary-with-free-cota-rides-other-freebies/1657569111