It's SissyBear's turn and oh, kittens. Are we ever in TROUBLE.
Now, why are we in trouble? Well, we fear you're going to come after us with torches and pitchforks. See, a great many of you swooned over this collection and some of you even went so far as to opine that his could have won the whole ballgame, but we...didn't like it at all.
He says his was a Sweeney Todd-inspired, goth collection and we're not sold on that as being the best inspiration to start from. He employed rich fabrics in deep colors, but the overall effect was too heavy and too dark. On the other hand, he styled his models beautifully, took real risks with his materials, and each piece was flawlessly constructed.
Let's start the show.
A beautiful, dramatic dress. It's not reinventing the wheel but it's definitely a look that will get you noticed. Not to point out the obvious or anything, but it's the silkscreen image that makes this look. Without it, this is just a simple gown with a halter neckline.
This is okay. Not great, but okay. That Mildred Pierce silhouette is more than a little dated, though. We kindasorta like the detail on the skirt, but the fabric's so heavy, it might just be too much for one look.
And let's get this over with: we hate the hair trim. Not because it's hair but because of the way he used it. Peeking out of sleeves and running across the yoke of a jacket, it just gave each girl a slightly werewolf look to her and what woman wants that?
We just don't like all the heavy velvets he used in the collection. They dragged everything down, in our opinion. Overembellishing so many of the looks served to make them even heavier. Frankly, there's nothing we like about this look. It looks like a velvet bathrobe and pajama set.
This on the other hand, is very pretty. Beautiful color. And we love the detail on the back.
Again, it's looking like a very dated Mildred Pierce/'90s powersuit silhouette to us. Beautifully accessorized, but all that heavy velvet looks old and dreary.
This is one of the few looks that seemed fresh and youthful to us. We love the way he used the lace and we really love the way he accessorized, but we can't get past that bizarre hem. It's distracting and terribly unflattering.
I'll check my pitchfork at the door, I promise, but I do still like this collection very much. Given the prevalence of heavy, dark looks in so many collections shown this spring, I can't fault Chris for it. In fact, I just found the pix from PRC's Lucian Matis and Carlie Wong at Toronto's just-ended Fashion Week, and it's the same dark, heavy looks from them. I really do think it's a reflection of the times, and how many people are feeling about the economy, the political climate, etc.
I think there are a lot of elements, if not the exact looks, from Chris's collection that translate well. I lurve the minidress and that necklace is to die for! The hair trim still doesn't bother me (I don't know why: maybe it's time for therapy?). And you're right -- the styling is fabulous.
All things considered, I think Roberto Cavalli was spot-on when he envisioned a haute couture future for Chris: His instincts are not RTW, but I can see many elements of his ideas filtering down to RTW.
Yes, the market for this is defintely Goth Girl Grows Up.
And I can see the same woman wearing all of it. Perhaps Mrs. Kerry King of Slayer.
Plus there's an odd and interesting theme running through this collection of pieces of the human body.
The first piece is a face. There's a red dress with a hand. The little red minidress is a heart, which is why the pointed hemline. The 12th look was a spine. One of the red dresses is splashed with red, probably blood, and then there's all the hair.
I haven't got the rest of it figured out, but it's definitely there.
I don't like the bathrobe dress or the velvet suit, but I like the rest of it very much, and it is certainly a cohesive show.
I'm in agreement. Each of these looks like it was spawned in his friend's heavy, oppressive, overly ornate apartment.
I didn't like the hair either, for the same reason as you. I'm not fond of anything that draws the eye away from what it's supposed to be looking at.
With Chris I was looking forward to some type of over-the-top light hearted, very-large-really-out-there lalapalooza type of collection, so this was a real surprise. And not in a good way.
The back of that red gown may have been the most stunning thing I've seen all season, and that's saying a lot. I love this sort of detailing.
The short red dress with the black lace was lovely! I know you guys hate any hem that isn't perfectly horizontal, and that's okay. As TG says, "it's a matter of taste." You are, however, wrong. ;-))
"Too dark"? At least he didn't have a collection that was almost entirely "black, blacker, blackest"!
No, I don't see this as a winner either. Some of the looks are highly wearable and very nicely done. The hair trim is too gimmicky, though. I think he could have used fake fur just as effectivley. Although I have seen the hair and make-up before, it still looks good (and I love it). 1. This one reminds me of Sylvia Haskel's work in the 90's. 2. Nice color. 3. Too much. Lounge wear in a 1930's escapist drama. 4. This one is my favorite look from the collection. I will order one in red and one in green for my holiday entertaining. 5. Very similar to #2. 6. I like this one too. The jewelrey is a bit dated, but it works with this dress.
Someone already said that Chris's strength lies in costume and translates to couture (which is what he wants to do). And it should since that is what he designs. I can definitely see how most pieces can be translated into ready to wear (minus hair), and I can see how some pieces are ready to wear already.
He's got a vision that goes beyond puffy sleeves and skinny jeans and lets face it that man can CONSTRUCT the hell out of everything!
I love how he sees curves on a woman's body and makes his clothes to show off those curves rather than hide them or suck them into tight fabric. The wrap jackets are an example of that.
I think Chris should have won the whole gambit simply because he is NOT pigeonholed into ready to wear. Although with Bluefly sponsoring this season they did need to find someone that was.
I would love to see more of Chris's designs in the future. Perhaps one day we'll see him in haute couture in Paris.
Anonymous at 10:53 am, very interesting analysis of the "body" theme in the collection, you might be onto something. and thanks because I also saw a hand in the one-shoulder red dress, but I wasn't sure about it.
I don't agree with TLO this time. I like many looks in Chris's collection, maybe because I don't dislike velvet so much. And I liked a lot the look of the hair trims (hopefully it won't mean there's something wrong with me ;-) The long red dress is gorgeous, especially the detail on the back. The thing I agree with TLO is the styling, I LOVE!!! the hair and make-up!!! I don't think he should have won though, and I agree with others here noting that for dark looks you have also Christian's collection. Maybe what made it even darker for TLO or others is the velvet, that makes the dark colors even more "dense".
Oooh, another America's Next Top Model alum, Bianca, in the blue screen print dress! She wasn't even a first runner up! I don't know why it makes me so happy to see contestants from that show getting work, but it does.
I am in agreement with you T Lo. There are a few kind of pretty looks in here, but overall I hate the heaviness and that ugly hair!
Um...I'd hate to say this, but I think I agree. It' was just too costume-y! Yes it's beautiful, but, what woman would want to wear that except when going to a masquerade ball? Ah well. Chris is still very talented.
I was surprised at the goth stuff coming from Chris, but really it's a collection in those 12 looks, and not repetitive as Christian's was. And I love those deep blues and fab reds, so i was coveting even the short dress that I could never wear. The back of the red gown is stunning.
Velvet probably wouldn't make its way to RTW but I agree with those who say he's more in the couture area here, where you take elements and bring them down a notch for RTW.
Puzzled by your comment about the little red dress, though. There's nothing at all wrong with that hem, it's cute as a button. And flattering, absolutely. The v-shape de-accentuates the hips, much in the way a high-rise leg on a swimsuit does.
Yes, shiver72876, Bianca from ANTM is getting work, which is good to see - I feel the same way, you see these young women and wonder what happens. She is quite beautiful but I hope she's learned some more manners, she had such a stank attitude on TV!
Yeah, I don't really get the hair hate. Hello! Most of us have hair on our heads and its not like it was dirty or anything. People need to get over that, I think it was cool.
Plus there's an odd and interesting theme running through this collection of pieces of the human body.
The first piece is a face. There's a red dress with a hand. The little red minidress is a heart, which is why the pointed hemline. The 12th look was a spine. One of the red dresses is splashed with red, probably blood, and then there's all the hair.
I must agree, TLO, the collection was way too velvety.Sure, it's a seasonal choice, but I think 2-3 looks would have been the wiser choice. Just enough to whet the old appetite.
Loved the deep crimson velvet, one shoulder, asymmetrical dress. I'd die if I were to see it in real life. Absolutely gorg!
Perhaps if Chris had said that his collection was mostly inspired by Hollywood's classic cinema wardrobes (i.e. Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson, and other film sirens, etc.) then his work would not have drawn as much harsh criticism as it has received. But, we're all entitled tou opinions and it's an interesting body of work to discuss.
- cathy -
P.S. Personally, I didn't mind at all the "weave" embellishment. A wild and creative touch that will go down in PR history for sure.
Sorry to double-post, but I just caught this and had to comment.
RE: Anonymous (10:53)
Excellent analysis. Love it. I always wondered why Chris chose to open his collection with the blue "face" piece.
This is a rather simplistic reading or interpretation of the collection, but might the hair extensions as embellishment be the "hair" part of the figurative body?
Actually I enjoyed Chris' collection. Granted that bathrobe number was a bit of a clunker.
The styling for me evoked a vintage movie star feel.
I was not responding to the collection from a wearability factor. I strongly responded to the risktaking he did in general with his collection. There was a challenging and audacious flavor to his work that I simply did not get from the others. The other designers definitely had their merits and strengths but they felt safer to me.
I loved how Allison described in her blog that this collection evoked the aroma of cigarettes and absinthe
And no fear of pitchforks from me.I understand why some people were turned off by Chris' work, but for me they were very exciting to look at. And as Chris noted he wasn't the only one at fashion week to use hair :)
Ah, I love the body references! I didn't pick up on that, and neither did most people, obviously! ;)
I thought that this was a surprising, exciting collection. I liked it best, even though I would not wear human hair. It showed innovation, fearlessness and creativity. I think Cavalli was right, he is the most creative and hopefully, will be doing haute couture in Paris!!
Loved Chris all year - except for that sailor dress. When I saw that, I thought he was going home again!
I had liked a number of the pieces separately, but once I grabbed the overall 'body parts' theme, the whole collection gelled for me and I started to really, really like it as a collection.
After all, what's more Goth than body parts scattered around the room.
Now if I could only make sense of the bathrobe dress. I can't really see the pattern of the blue on black-perhaps that would say something.
Maybe eyelashes on the sleeve ends/hair?
I want to see the details on the second 6 tomorrow. Perhaps it will become clearer to me.
The big hair collar on the black suit is defintely a whole head of hair.
I also have to say, all those models look fabulous in Chris's clothes (with the exception of bathrobe girl), which you can NOT say about any of the other 4 collections.
Much as I love Sissybear, I agree with your take. It was too Joan Crawford for me. I loved the long red dress, but that was about the extent of it. Sissybear rocks, though!
I loved his use of silk screening on the first dress. And this is the first I've seen that back detail on the red dress, and I love that. But...the hair. I cannot get past the hair.
The comparison to Mildred Pierce is interesting, but I cannot help but wonder what kind of fit Ms. Crawford would have pitched over the hair. I can just see her now: forcing poor little Christina to wash and set her cuffs nightly.
And what about the practicalities of wearing hair? Must your cuffs match your carpet? What happens when you go to a cocktail party? Would you want to take an hor d'vor off a tray after someone with those hair cuffs just took one? I can see a lot of loss for caterers over this.
But then again, I would pay to see a pretty young thing, (or a fashion victim), walking down the street in one of those hair coats, on the arm of a man with a bad toupe (or combover).
I think Chris knew from the time he was sent off to do the "compete with Rami" thing that he was set up to be out of the competition. So he went for the way-out-there just to get noticed.
I liked the progression of his color story and thought his collection was very cohesive. I thought several of the pieces were really exciting -- the first look (Bianca in the silkscreened blue dress) and the red wrap dress with the great detail on the back among them.
I thought the red wrap dress was his way of saying, "Up yours, Rami, I can drape beautifully too, AND make it interesting as well."
i love chris, but i hate hate hate hate hate velvet. HATE IT. i think that had these pieces been done in a different fabric, the chic, fashion factor would've shot way up. there is no better way to make an otherwise lovely piece dowdy and frumpy than to render it in velvet, the fabric of ren fairs, "sexy witch" halloween costumes and toddlers' christmas dresses. i actually really like some of chris's collection, but (as i'm sure is obvious by now) i think the choice of fabric sucked all the high fashion out of it. the human hair, on the other hand, was at least interesting, though i would have to imagine it'd itch like hell.
Thank you for not praising this collection like so many people I have talked to. Then again, all I've talked to are costumers and cosplayers. And I have to agree about the fabric, it felt so heavy. It's not like I hated his collection (There were some good items), but I don't think his shouldn't have gotten as much hype as it did.
This was, indeed, a "collection." Whether you like them or they are your personal style, one must admit that all the looks shown so far fit together.
Just when I thought therapy was getting me somethere, that long red dress has got me coveting again.
But can someone who was present (TLo?) explain: was there a technical reason for the models to hold up the hems on those gowns? Such as, one could not actually walk in those dresses without lifting the hem?
Good for you guys! I don't know why this site had an unusually large number of Chris March fans, but most sites seemed to agree that his collection was far from the best...by about three.
while i agree somewhat with tlo's assessment of the heavy fabrics, i really applaud chris' creativity in this collection. i'm not crazy about the human hair for trim (as i've expressed in previous posts), but i really loved some of the pieces. the only real clunker for me was the bathrobe set. LOVED the little red dress with the black lace overlay and the beautiful silk-screened opener.
there was alot more i liked in this collection than in rami's "been there, done that" drapefest and overworked attempts at non-draping. i also thought that chris did alot more variety in his collection than christian. i'm not necessarily on the "chris should have won it all" bandwagon, but i really loved quite a few pieces in the collection, hair notwhithstanding. (and at 50-something i wouldn't be able to wear much of it, but i still appreciate it)
i'm really looking forward to seeing what chris does in the future. i hope that you boys will continue to follow his career.
Please, no woman that I know want to wear velvet anything, let alone with hair attached to it...drag queens on the other hand...would die for any of those pieces.
People love Chris, therefore, they will defend this collection no matter what, but everyone I talked to in the fashion industry HATED this collection. It's costume-y to put it mildly.
" FashionFanatic said... People love Chris, therefore, they will defend this collection no matter what"
Exactamundo. Same goes for SweetP.
Sometimes there are designers that fans either relate too, or project themselves on to; and so they take any criticism of those designers oddly, personally, and come unglued.
Fortunately, this little party offers equal opportunity bitchiness. And that is why we love it.
Given how the whole Goth style is very costume-y, I think it's remarkable how Chris managed to execute a collecton of garments -- NOT costumes, these were definitely garments, even that last one -- in that theme. There was a playfulness, a kick at work here, sort of a counterpoint to the somber preconceptions that come into play when you use Goth as your thematic springboard. Take that short, red dress: there's a lot of spunk worked into that blood-red-with-black palette. (And the hemline works for me on that one.)
The colors are dark and rich, and the fabric is lush, sure. One's opinion of those elements, it seems, is going to be the deciding factor in how this collection goes over. Myself, I love dark/rich/lush, so this was right up my alley. Chris, here's a request I've only made to Larua Bennett so far: Please design for men, and please make it affordable.
Out of the five PRW collections shown, this one feels the most cohesive. The materials, the colors and, yes, the hair (both on the models and on the garments) united it well.
Oh, and the hair. I'm not freaked out over it, and not enthralled, either. So it's human hair; big whoop, I'm okay with it. Chris could, it seems, literally make a hairshirt the height of fashion. The only complaint I have is that the hair seemed unkempt; I think a couple of those dresses could've used bangs. I sense great things if Chris March should ever join forces with Nick Arrojo.
I'm not wielding any pitchforks either. I thought the face dress was a great way to open. It's got that attention-getting wow factor a show should have. When I saw that, I really got my hopes up for Sissybear. And then the rest of it came out. The hair was initially an ick factor for me, but I got over it. What I didn't get over was how distracting the trim was on everything except for the skirt of that lace dress. That was stunning.
I also thought the silhouette on the hair trimmed pieces was an old-fashioned one but might have been saved by different fabric. I love velvet (and I'm not a drag queen) but not with those silhouettes. I did love the back of that red velvet gown (not the front so much) and I loved one of the gowns that's coming in the second half. But I didn't see this as the winning collection either. A surprise, yes, but not a win.
I loved it, loved it, loved it. Those rich, luxurious velvets and the sheer creativity of it makes it stand out and above anything I have seen recently.
I don't get why you would say it is too dark. It is not as dark as Christian's almost all back posh-o-rama. Everyone I know loves this collection and would wear it.
I remember the two red pieces made me let out an admiring "Ooooooooh!". Especially the red gown. Even with the hair pieces, I enjoyed Chris' collection alot for a multitude of reasons and still have the most fondness for it.
Too often "youthful" just means a short slip dress. Chris's silhouettes and colors were just beautiful (and, as collections go, I'm a Christian and Gillian fan).
Well I can't speak for anyone else, but I know my love for Chris' collection had nothing with my personal feeling for the man. I just liked the creations. But if people didn't like them, that's cool. Better a negative response than no response at all :)
I know that the judges while bringing up similar comments about the dark and heaviness of his work, they did have good things to say also. I still love that look on Heidi's face when she was examining the pin skirt.
Personally I always thought Chris should have had Marcia in that Red Dress, it may have tipped the judges in his favor.
i love chris too. i just didnt expect him to be a "goth" kinda guy. being a goth girl at heart, i did like some of the collection. but i hate to admit it that i was a bit disappointed.
i love chris too. i just didnt expect him to be a "goth" kinda guy. being a goth girl at heart, i did like some of the collection. but i hate to admit it that i was a bit disappointed.
The judges treated some of the designers so unfairly this season. They would criticize one for something, but then not saying anything to the other designers for the same thing.
For example, Christian's collection was dark too, most of the pieces were black, but he didn't get criticized like Chris did. Also Rami, got hammered for the draping when Christian repeated the same skinny legged, puffy sleeved outfits, but didn't get a word said. They really were unfair and chose who they wanted and didn't base it on the same criteria.
I kind of have to disagree with the criticism that Chris's collection is costume-y. I can see real women wearing these garments in actual situations. They are all evening/cocktail wear but I can see them at office parties, the theatre, charity events, clubs, and other special occasions. Some of the garments he did for PR were "costume" like the ones with shoulder constructions, but not these. I don't see it as a winning collection, but he did get pigion holed as a costume maker.
Seriously, how can you say this collection isn't dark? It isn't dark in the literal sense of dark colors (Christian's) but in the funeral tone of the crucifixes, velvet, lace, makeup, hair, shoes, creepy human hair...c'mon, how can you not see that?
Anon 2:03 (and others who've said this): I think it'll help if you don't look for fairness or logic.
Maybe they criticized Rami for repeating himself while giving Christian a pass because they thought Christian's look worked and Rami's didn't. Maybe they weren't bothered by all the black in Christian's collection, but thought it was a problem in Chris'. I'm not saying these are my thoughts, necessarily -- only that it's fruitless to look for logic and fairness in something so subjective.
I hadn't noticed the clutch accessorizing the red velvet jacket/black skirt suit. ACK! This pursewhore wants nothing to do with THAT! *runs away in fear*
LOVE the necklaces. I liked the goth styling and now that we hear it was a common theme during Fashion Week in general, apparently on-trend. I've forgotten the other designers who specifically did goth, but it would be an interesting exercise to compare their work with Sissy Bear's.
Agree it's a bit heavy in places, and the hair is somewhat off-putting, but this is a show of whimsy, not a parade of RTW, which is basically what Jillian did. I guess I'm saying while I may not agree with all of it, in the main, I like Sissy's art.
No pitchforks here. But if you look at whats going on in the world and in the world of fashion OUTSIDE of the United States, Chris is spot on! And he STILL toned it down for the U.S. audience!
Mildred Pierce... that was funny; what a great movie.
Personally I liked the collection a lot, some looks more than others. I did not like #3, the weakest of them all. I liked #2, but it would've looked better without the hair. I had no problem with the velvet, it does work.
Can someone please explain to me why Chris's collection is costume but Christians isn't?
I don't think his collection was perfect, but I really LOVED a fwe of his looks which is more than I can say about the other designers. I guess I am not as chic as the christian/Rami/Jillian lovers out there :)
I understand that Chris was trying to make outfits that more, strange pretty if you will, But as soon as the first look hit the runway, it was just a gown that had a face on it, another example of the fabric doing all the work. Oh and the model was one of the models from America's next top, I guess that was a trade off for all the other suck-y models.
No one is going to read this, but I need to get this off my chest anyhow - As weird as his collection is, I actually like it. Its just surprising to like it because Chris never had a consistent thread, aside from the costume-y flair that never seemed ready-to-wear. However, strangely, this collection IS very ready-to-wear. You know, if you had to go to the Power Exchange.
I agree it's not very good. I actually don't mind the velvet -- yes, it's dark but at least it's not black -- but I don't find most of the designs interesting.
I love Chris, but I don't love his collection. I think I agree with TLo on which looks work and which don't. And the hair ... well, I think I have a phobia about hair. Once it's detached from where it grew, I don't want it anywhere near me. Yuck. So I'm not a good one to evaluate the hair trim, because it just grosses me out of existence.
Oh, and just to quibble, Chris isn't a transvestite. He's a drag queen. :-) (I love both, so please don't read any unkindness into that.)
"divinequeen said, Please, no woman that I know want to wear velvet anything"
Well that's just silly. You don't have to get too deep into the racks at Macy's to see about 5,000 jewel-tone velvet blazers. They have been a staple for several seasons now.
Which brings me to my point that, minus the human hair and the safety pins, this collection just wasn't as "out there" as many seem to believe. A lot of basic shapes--which isn't necessarily a negative comment--in a lot of statement-making fabrics and with a lot of unusual trim.
The truth is I liked most of it, even the hair, which I really did think was clever and quite lovely. But I didn't think that, overall, it was innovative enough for the win.
Interesting that no one's mentioned the Christian themes yet (referencing not Siriano but Christ)-- there is a crown of thorns on one silk-screened dress (yet to be shown), St. Theresa on the first dress, a hand from a religious painting on the second silk-screened dress, plus of course several models are wearing crosses. Chris was wearing a jacket with the Sacred Heart embroidered on the back. That plus the fact that Victorians made hair jewelry out of the locks of deceased relatives makes the whole collection a kind of meditation on death and resurrection.
Okay T&Lo - you're entitled to your opinion, but I disagree on numerous issues.
The St. Theresa print dress; yes, it is a simple silhouette but how could you make a print that bold work any other way? Barfing ruffles all over the dress a la Princess Puffysleeves would have been disaster.
I think Sissybear shot himself in the foot with the human hair. It should have been on ONE look if used at all.
So let's see; Princess was criticized for using too much black, Rami's colors were fugly, Sweet P's colors were fuglier and Jillian's collection was all over the map. Hello? Sissybear had the only good color story.
And I am sick to death of 'costume' comments. Yea, okay; were the majority of Princess Puffysleeves looks were any LESS costume? Jillian's hats weren't sheer costume?
If it weren't for two elements - the hair and the 'condom' dress, Sissybear would have deserved the win.
When I saw this on TV my first thought was all of the pain I go through with waxing, plucking, and shaving to remove hair and here is someone putting hair back on to the clothes. But I loved the collection, it was very interesting. How boring is tight pants and a blouse, I'd rather see Chris March collections on the runway.
Except for the one dress that looked like pajamas, I liked all of these. I think they were wonderful. I loved the velvet and I think it is very elegant and very fall.
Whoever said no woman would wear velvet is dead wrong. Maybe not that person, but I would and I know others that would too. Who is the Teresa woman on the dress again?
"stubenville said: And I am sick to death of 'costume' comments."
Completely agree.
I think they decided that when they saw his portfolio, and then he was stuck with it. It was like that complaint that TV actors often have, about a role stereotyping them, and preventing them from getting future roles.
Of course, he didn't help himself live that down when he turned one of the Breck Girls into a coat. But Christian was no less costumey.
I think the judges say that when they really just don't know what else to say. It's the same as when gallery-types just don't like a piece of art, so they say, 'it lacks artistic merit'. All that means is that they don't like it, but are too pretentious to say it.
I loved Chris, and I believe he can make unbelieably beautiful things (and some people believe these were unbelievably beautiful), but I hated this. Too much velvet - why not combine it with other fabrics? Why not a velvet top and pants/skirt made out of some other fabric (I have a black velvet top I love to wear with jeans). Also the hair seemed to be added for no real reason other than to shock. It was placed in such a way as to detract from the garments rather than add to them (or just make them weirder). Its possibly I'm not "high fashion" enough, but ehhhh...blegh...
Well, I liked it. I liked the use of color, I liked the use of velvet, I loved the incorporation of the body part elements (kudos to Anonymous 10:53 for picking up on that), I liked the cohesiveness of the collection. Would I wear it? Hell, no. I'm a southern girl...I like bright colors. :-)
But I admire the risks that Chris took in producing a collection that incorporated the truly unconventional. Bravo, Sissybear!
I wonder if Chris would have received a few less negative reviews if he would have halved the velvets and replaced them with silks, light-weight knits or something lighter... . He could have stayed on track with his cohesiveness and widened his fabric possibilities to please some other viewers/judges.
Me? I don't give a crap what a designer's personality is - I look at the collections from two views:
1. either it's got to be outrageous, innovative and good (i.e. Galliano, McQueen, Westwood, some of the Japanese designers in the '80s, '90s) or
2. it's got to be interesting enough for me to consider for myself (the hell with the resta yas! BWAHAHAHA).
Gillian's stuff was wearable... but not a lot of it by me. Weekend-y winter wear - and sure as hell none of the short girly-girl skirts. Not particularly innovative and not particularly interesting for me, myself and I. Aside from the peekaboo mid-weight sweater, the other stuff looks kinda college-y. But sellable to a mass market. Definitely that.
Christian? Nothing. Not a thing. Not innovative enough to keep my interest, not practical enough to be wearable by anyone over 30 or over a size 6. And black's too easy a choice for colour. The other stuff he did was pure theatre - and I just didn't find it either beautiful enough or innovative enough to make up for the mundane colours and the rediculousness of skinny pants and ruffles galore over and over again.
Until I saw that modified and fantastic dress he made for that modelling TV show (is it still on the sidebar of the blog?). *That* is when I finally thought, "OK. He's got something... ."
Rami - mostly snoozey, sometimes very classically beautiful, always just kinda dull.
Chris - I sat there and immediately either very muchly liked the innovation/ideas of the outfit (i.e. the printed fabric dresses) or looked at the pieces and saw how I could wear them in my everyday, boring life.
Of course, the hair would come off (don't have an ick squirm about it but dangley bits on clothes just drive me nuts) and I'd pair pieces with more mundane wear, but the heavier velvet skirts and jackets would be terrific on a cool day or in a cold office.
And I'm not even Gothically-inclined.
I only wish he'd used a few more silks or satins - something with a lighter weight for the non-dresses.
His collection is also the only one I would have liked to see played with by having other stylists come in and redoing some of the looks. That would have been fun.
The other designers? I just didn't get enough vibes from their collections to care how the clothes would look if restyled.
In the end, I found most of his clothes to be *fun* winterized separates with a twist of intelligence and decent sense of what was trend-on in colours, styles and fabrics for winter wear.
I get it, and I like it. It's fun and creative and slightly mischievious in the use of hair. Sure it hovers on the costume side, but there are times when you just want to make a statement and get noticed.
On the other hand, any one of these would probably turn the soccer mom crowd against you, which isn't necessarily a bad thing!
I agree totally with Agnes Gooch, babies. I covered Lucian's show and I saw Carlie's and Goth and dark and neo-Victorian is a strong trend. I loved Chris's collection and the shortie dress is the only one I would not buy and wear. I thought the hair was blog and innovative but I also think that he could have used a little more restraint and just used it on a couple of the outfits. I loved the lace and the velvet and everything else. Not everyone has a cheery, sunny, Brady Bunch-y aesthetic and with the world as it is, who is that kind of mood? Of all 5 collections this is still the one I liked best and the one in which I saw most potential. I contrasted it to the latest Victor & Rolf collection and the mood is similar. Actually V&R's is MORE theatrical and dark, if you ask me. It was also as noted, extremely cohesive,rich and it looked expensive. I actually love the Mildred Pierce suits and the Hugh Hefner-esque smoking suit pijama thing... As I said, with mild modifications, I would wear everyone of those pieces. I cannot say the same thing about any other of those 5 collections. No pitchforks nor torches though. Just as always, a ton of love and strong opinions. Hugs, Milla
I love Chris, I really do. His spirit is delightful and funny, but I think he became popular more for his personality than his designs. That said, I do not like his clothes. Yes, Christian's was dark too, but this is dark in an entirely different way. Christian's was crisp yet decadent, modern yet old world, fiercely strong yet romantic...it is his ability to build that dichotomy with clothes that is so incredible. Chris' collection is dark, heavy, dated...it's like Transylvania goth crossed with Jackie Collins. It's just not fresh and visionary.
Again, he is obviously a phenomenal person. I adore him. But his clothes...not so much. I'm sure he'd be successful in certain areas of the fashion world, but not high fashion. Not couture.
Speaking as a woman (because I am one), honestly... I would wear, if I could, anything in Chris' collection. I'm not saying this out of Chris!Love (though I do have that in abundance). Honestly, I love the styling. I agree that some of the velvet skirts could have been done in other fabrics for a lighter and more diverse look, but overall? Of the top 5 collections, the ONLY one I can say with a straight face that I would both want to wear and would look good in. The colors are impeccable. The styling is weird but it's hot.
As for the human hair-- oh, seriously, grow UP. If you're not suffering from alopecia totalis, it's growing out of some part of your head. It's a Sweeney Todd reference. And hey, you reacted to it, right? No yawns there. That's what art is supposed to do.
Bravo, Chris, for a fantastic collection. This goth girl loved it.
As an early 40-something professional who works in a business where "to the nines" is the norm, I would wear these clothes more than any other clothes I've ever seen on "PR". I am now in search of a dress to wear to a grand-opening event, and anyone of these looks would be appropriate. I wish he made plus-sizes!!!
I do really like the second look. Definetly Sweeney Todd inspired, and DEFINETLY very werewolfy, but... I dunno. Maybe I'm the odd customer he's looking for.
But yeah, everythings kinda heavy and weird. I think it was a good concept, but I'm not sure he realized quite what to do with some of these things. People looking for this sort of look are very particular about their vamp ideas, and these are so deviant from your typical vampire that it seems that it wouldn't even appeal to them.
As much as I love Chris, I think his final collection was very...Wendy Pepper...
Wendy Pepper? Really?
I don't think there's any comparison between the two. Wendy was an unhappy person and it showed in the lack of focus in her collection. I never got the feeling that she had a very well-developed sense of aesthetics.
Chris is someone who loves what he does, and it's reciprocated in that he's well liked. His collection --while not to the tastes of many, showed a distinct point of view.
"On the other hand, any one of these would probably turn the soccer mom crowd against you, which isn't necessarily a bad thing!"
hey, Kanani -- i'm the quintessential soccer mom (from "the OC" no-less) and i loved chris' collection....so we're not all uptight traditional types -- thanks for the chuckle!!
Call me crazy, but I like the Mildred Pierce looks. The only one I agree with you about is the PJ-ish outfit. Didn't like the pants with the rest. But overall I like everything else.
Don't know if anyone mentioned this, but I think the first girl wearing the silk-screened dress is that crazy bitch Bianca from America's Next Top Model!!!
93 comments:
thank you! i agree too!
especially with the velvet, the third look might as well be a robe because the fabric is just so heavy
Werewolf! LOL. I so agree.
On the other hand, I think these looks are so much more flattering to the figure, than say, PPS's poofy topped, thin-legged messes.
I just don't think he's pulled himself out of his transvestite background enough. Heavy and overworked seems to be the norm in that world.
I'll check my pitchfork at the door, I promise, but I do still like this collection very much. Given the prevalence of heavy, dark looks in so many collections shown this spring, I can't fault Chris for it. In fact, I just found the pix from PRC's Lucian Matis and Carlie Wong at Toronto's just-ended Fashion Week, and it's the same dark, heavy looks from them. I really do think it's a reflection of the times, and how many people are feeling about the economy, the political climate, etc.
I think there are a lot of elements, if not the exact looks, from Chris's collection that translate well. I lurve the minidress and that necklace is to die for! The hair trim still doesn't bother me (I don't know why: maybe it's time for therapy?). And you're right -- the styling is fabulous.
All things considered, I think Roberto Cavalli was spot-on when he envisioned a haute couture future for Chris: His instincts are not RTW, but I can see many elements of his ideas filtering down to RTW.
Now see, I like the use of all that velvet. It is a winter collection, after all.
Though I do think he went overboard on the flourishing of the garments.
To me, this was very close to Christian for the most cohesive collection. It actually LOOKS like a collection.
But win the whole thing? Nah, I don't think so. Love the big guy, but this collection definitely crossed the costume line, moreso than Christian.
"Peeking out of sleeves and running across the yoke of a jacket, it just gave each girl a slightly werewolf look to her and what woman wants that?"
Oh, there's definitely a market.
Yes, the market for this is defintely Goth Girl Grows Up.
And I can see the same woman wearing all of it. Perhaps Mrs. Kerry King of Slayer.
Plus there's an odd and interesting theme running through this collection of pieces of the human body.
The first piece is a face. There's a red dress with a hand. The little red minidress is a heart, which is why the pointed hemline. The 12th look was a spine. One of the red dresses is splashed with red, probably blood, and then there's all the hair.
I haven't got the rest of it figured out, but it's definitely there.
I don't like the bathrobe dress or the velvet suit, but I like the rest of it very much, and it is certainly a cohesive show.
I'm in agreement. Each of these looks like it was spawned in his friend's heavy, oppressive, overly ornate apartment.
I didn't like the hair either, for the same reason as you. I'm not fond of anything that draws the eye away from what it's supposed to be looking at.
With Chris I was looking forward to some type of over-the-top light hearted, very-large-really-out-there lalapalooza type of collection, so this was a real surprise. And not in a good way.
Always a Chris fan, though.
The back of that red gown may have been the most stunning thing I've seen all season, and that's saying a lot. I love this sort of detailing.
The short red dress with the black lace was lovely! I know you guys hate any hem that isn't perfectly horizontal, and that's okay. As TG says, "it's a matter of taste." You are, however, wrong. ;-))
"Too dark"? At least he didn't have a collection that was almost entirely "black, blacker, blackest"!
No, I don't see this as a winner either. Some of the looks are highly wearable and very nicely done. The hair trim is too gimmicky, though. I think he could have used fake fur just as effectivley. Although I have seen the hair and make-up before, it still looks good (and I love it).
1. This one reminds me of Sylvia Haskel's work in the 90's.
2. Nice color.
3. Too much. Lounge wear in a 1930's escapist drama.
4. This one is my favorite look from the collection. I will order one in red and one in green for my holiday entertaining.
5. Very similar to #2.
6. I like this one too. The jewelrey is a bit dated, but it works with this dress.
Martha grab the saalt, the witches are out again!
Someone already said that Chris's strength lies in costume and translates to couture (which is what he wants to do). And it should since that is what he designs. I can definitely see how most pieces can be translated into ready to wear (minus hair), and I can see how some pieces are ready to wear already.
He's got a vision that goes beyond puffy sleeves and skinny jeans and lets face it that man can CONSTRUCT the hell out of everything!
I love how he sees curves on a woman's body and makes his clothes to show off those curves rather than hide them or suck them into tight fabric. The wrap jackets are an example of that.
I think Chris should have won the whole gambit simply because he is NOT pigeonholed into ready to wear. Although with Bluefly sponsoring this season they did need to find someone that was.
I would love to see more of Chris's designs in the future. Perhaps one day we'll see him in haute couture in Paris.
Wednesday Addams grew up and moved to NY and got a job at a fashion mag.
I liked the looks very much. Creative and beautiful - if unconventional.
I'm waiting for Chris to do Broadway costumes for a Noel Coward revival or maybe a Kurt Weill piece.
Anonymous at 10:53 am,
very interesting analysis of the "body" theme in the collection, you might be onto something. and thanks because I also saw a hand in the one-shoulder red dress, but I wasn't sure about it.
I don't agree with TLO this time. I like many looks in Chris's collection, maybe because I don't dislike velvet so much. And I liked a lot the look of the hair trims (hopefully it won't mean there's something wrong with me ;-)
The long red dress is gorgeous, especially the detail on the back.
The thing I agree with TLO is the styling, I LOVE!!! the hair and make-up!!!
I don't think he should have won though, and I agree with others here noting that for dark looks you have also Christian's collection. Maybe what made it even darker for TLO or others is the velvet, that makes the dark colors even more "dense".
Oooh, another America's Next Top Model alum, Bianca, in the blue screen print dress! She wasn't even a first runner up! I don't know why it makes me so happy to see contestants from that show getting work, but it does.
I am in agreement with you T Lo. There are a few kind of pretty looks in here, but overall I hate the heaviness and that ugly hair!
Um...I'd hate to say this, but I think I agree. It' was just too costume-y! Yes it's beautiful, but, what woman would want to wear that except when going to a masquerade ball? Ah well. Chris is still very talented.
I guess I wasn't the only one who watched Mildred Pierce last night on the celebration of Joan Crawford's 100th birthday.
I kinda see the Mildred Pierce reference, but not really. She had waaay more shoulder pads that these outfits.
I still like most of this collection, the only one I don't like is the bathrobe looking one.
I was surprised at the goth stuff coming from Chris, but really it's a collection in those 12 looks, and not repetitive as Christian's was. And I love those deep blues and fab reds, so i was coveting even the short dress that I could never wear. The back of the red gown is stunning.
Velvet probably wouldn't make its way to RTW but I agree with those who say he's more in the couture area here, where you take elements and bring them down a notch for RTW.
Hair, schmair. Less annoying to me than ruffles.
No pitchforks. :)
Puzzled by your comment about the little red dress, though. There's nothing at all wrong with that hem, it's cute as a button. And flattering, absolutely. The v-shape de-accentuates the hips, much in the way a high-rise leg on a swimsuit does.
Yes, shiver72876, Bianca from ANTM is getting work, which is good to see - I feel the same way, you see these young women and wonder what happens. She is quite beautiful but I hope she's learned some more manners, she had such a stank attitude on TV!
Yeah, I don't really get the hair hate. Hello! Most of us have hair on our heads and its not like it was dirty or anything. People need to get over that, I think it was cool.
Anonymous said...
Plus there's an odd and interesting theme running through this collection of pieces of the human body.
The first piece is a face. There's a red dress with a hand. The little red minidress is a heart, which is why the pointed hemline. The 12th look was a spine. One of the red dresses is splashed with red, probably blood, and then there's all the hair.
Now *that* is cool!
I must agree, TLO, the collection was way too velvety.Sure, it's a seasonal choice, but I think 2-3 looks would have been the wiser choice. Just enough to whet the old appetite.
Loved the deep crimson velvet, one shoulder, asymmetrical dress. I'd die if I were to see it in real life. Absolutely gorg!
Perhaps if Chris had said that his collection was mostly inspired by Hollywood's classic cinema wardrobes (i.e. Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson, and other film sirens, etc.) then his work would not have drawn as much harsh criticism as it has received.
But, we're all entitled tou opinions and it's an interesting body of work to discuss.
- cathy -
P.S.
Personally, I didn't mind at all the "weave" embellishment. A wild and creative touch that will go down in PR history for sure.
Sorry to double-post, but I just caught this and had to comment.
RE: Anonymous (10:53)
Excellent analysis. Love it. I always wondered why Chris chose to open his collection with the blue "face" piece.
This is a rather simplistic reading or interpretation of the collection, but might the hair extensions as embellishment be the "hair" part of the figurative body?
Good work, ananoymous. Looking forward to more.
- cathy -
Actually I enjoyed Chris' collection. Granted that bathrobe number was a bit of a clunker.
The styling for me evoked a vintage movie star feel.
I was not responding to the collection from a wearability factor. I strongly responded to the risktaking he did in general with his collection. There was a challenging and audacious flavor to his work that I simply did not get from the others. The other designers definitely had their merits and strengths but they felt safer to me.
I loved how Allison described in her blog that this collection evoked the aroma of cigarettes and absinthe
And no fear of pitchforks from me.I understand why some people were turned off by Chris' work, but for me they were very exciting to look at. And as Chris noted he wasn't the only one at fashion week to use hair :)
Frank
Ah, I love the body references! I didn't pick up on that, and neither did most people, obviously! ;)
I thought that this was a surprising, exciting collection. I liked it best, even though I would not wear human hair. It showed innovation, fearlessness and creativity. I think Cavalli was right, he is the most creative and hopefully, will be doing haute couture in Paris!!
Loved Chris all year - except for that sailor dress. When I saw that, I thought he was going home again!
to anonymous 10:53:
not seeing the hand, the blood splashes, the spine, the heart-shape (only the hem)
I had liked a number of the pieces separately, but once I grabbed the overall 'body parts' theme, the whole collection gelled for me and I started to really, really like it as a collection.
After all, what's more Goth than body parts scattered around the room.
Now if I could only make sense of the bathrobe dress. I can't really see the pattern of the blue on black-perhaps that would say something.
Maybe eyelashes on the sleeve ends/hair?
I want to see the details on the second 6 tomorrow. Perhaps it will become clearer to me.
The big hair collar on the black suit is defintely a whole head of hair.
I also have to say, all those models look fabulous in Chris's clothes (with the exception of bathrobe girl), which you can NOT say about any of the other 4 collections.
DizzyD
The hand is on the chest on the red dress.
Chris said that his vision of the 12th look (the velvet condom) was actually a spine.
DizzyD
Much as I love Sissybear, I agree with your take. It was too Joan Crawford for me. I loved the long red dress, but that was about the extent of it. Sissybear rocks, though!
Well constructed, but dour, bordering on ugly clothes.
With a couple exceptions of course.
It was a huge risk, but sadly, I just don't think it paid off. I'm sure people will remember him though :)
I loved his use of silk screening on the first dress. And this is the first I've seen that back detail on the red dress, and I love that. But...the hair. I cannot get past the hair.
The comparison to Mildred Pierce is interesting, but I cannot help but wonder what kind of fit Ms. Crawford would have pitched over the hair. I can just see her now: forcing poor little Christina to wash and set her cuffs nightly.
And what about the practicalities of wearing hair? Must your cuffs match your carpet? What happens when you go to a cocktail party? Would you want to take an hor d'vor off a tray after someone with those hair cuffs just took one? I can see a lot of loss for caterers over this.
But then again, I would pay to see a pretty young thing, (or a fashion victim), walking down the street in one of those hair coats, on the arm of a man with a bad toupe (or combover).
--GothamTomato
I think Chris knew from the time he was sent off to do the "compete with Rami" thing that he was set up to be out of the competition. So he went for the way-out-there just to get noticed.
I liked the progression of his color story and thought his collection was very cohesive. I thought several of the pieces were really exciting -- the first look (Bianca in the silkscreened blue dress) and the red wrap dress with the great detail on the back among them.
I thought the red wrap dress was his way of saying, "Up yours, Rami, I can drape beautifully too, AND make it interesting as well."
i love chris, but i hate hate hate hate hate velvet. HATE IT. i think that had these pieces been done in a different fabric, the chic, fashion factor would've shot way up. there is no better way to make an otherwise lovely piece dowdy and frumpy than to render it in velvet, the fabric of ren fairs, "sexy witch" halloween costumes and toddlers' christmas dresses. i actually really like some of chris's collection, but (as i'm sure is obvious by now) i think the choice of fabric sucked all the high fashion out of it. the human hair, on the other hand, was at least interesting, though i would have to imagine it'd itch like hell.
is that mona lisa's face in the blue screen print dress?
Thank you for not praising this collection like so many people I have talked to. Then again, all I've talked to are costumers and cosplayers. And I have to agree about the fabric, it felt so heavy. It's not like I hated his collection (There were some good items), but I don't think his shouldn't have gotten as much hype as it did.
This was, indeed, a "collection." Whether you like them or they are your personal style, one must admit that all the looks shown so far fit together.
Just when I thought therapy was getting me somethere, that long red dress has got me coveting again.
But can someone who was present (TLo?) explain: was there a technical reason for the models to hold up the hems on those gowns? Such as, one could not actually walk in those dresses without lifting the hem?
Oy. The hair. I'm not revisiting that one.
I can see Sweeney Todd in the Helena Bonham Carter hair & make up.
The hair trim doesn't bother me; I'm just not sure it adds anything to already somewhat busy designs.
Love the back of the red gown (I'm almost never a fan of one-shoulder looks, but this is beautiful).
Overall, even if I don't love everything about it, I was impressed and surprised by this collection.
Good for you guys! I don't know why this site had an unusually large number of Chris March fans, but most sites seemed to agree that his collection was far from the best...by about three.
while i agree somewhat with tlo's assessment of the heavy fabrics, i really applaud chris' creativity in this collection. i'm not crazy about the human hair for trim (as i've expressed in previous posts), but i really loved some of the pieces. the only real clunker for me was the bathrobe set. LOVED the little red dress with the black lace overlay and the beautiful silk-screened opener.
there was alot more i liked in this collection than in rami's "been there, done that" drapefest and overworked attempts at non-draping. i also thought that chris did alot more variety in his collection than christian. i'm not necessarily on the "chris should have won it all" bandwagon, but i really loved quite a few pieces in the collection, hair notwhithstanding. (and at 50-something i wouldn't be able to wear much of it, but i still appreciate it)
i'm really looking forward to seeing what chris does in the future. i hope that you boys will continue to follow his career.
Please, no woman that I know want to wear velvet anything, let alone with hair attached to it...drag queens on the other hand...would die for any of those pieces.
People love Chris, therefore, they will defend this collection no matter what, but everyone I talked to in the fashion industry HATED this collection. It's costume-y to put it mildly.
" FashionFanatic said...
People love Chris, therefore, they will defend this collection no matter what"
Exactamundo. Same goes for SweetP.
Sometimes there are designers that fans either relate too, or project themselves on to; and so they take any criticism of those designers oddly, personally, and come unglued.
Fortunately, this little party offers equal opportunity bitchiness. And that is why we love it.
--GothamTomato
Given how the whole Goth style is very costume-y, I think it's remarkable how Chris managed to execute a collecton of garments -- NOT costumes, these were definitely garments, even that last one -- in that theme. There was a playfulness, a kick at work here, sort of a counterpoint to the somber preconceptions that come into play when you use Goth as your thematic springboard. Take that short, red dress: there's a lot of spunk worked into that blood-red-with-black palette. (And the hemline works for me on that one.)
The colors are dark and rich, and the fabric is lush, sure. One's opinion of those elements, it seems, is going to be the deciding factor in how this collection goes over. Myself, I love dark/rich/lush, so this was right up my alley. Chris, here's a request I've only made to Larua Bennett so far: Please design for men, and please make it affordable.
Out of the five PRW collections shown, this one feels the most cohesive. The materials, the colors and, yes, the hair (both on the models and on the garments) united it well.
Oh, and the hair. I'm not freaked out over it, and not enthralled, either. So it's human hair; big whoop, I'm okay with it. Chris could, it seems, literally make a hairshirt the height of fashion. The only complaint I have is that the hair seemed unkempt; I think a couple of those dresses could've used bangs. I sense great things if Chris March should ever join forces with Nick Arrojo.
I'm not wielding any pitchforks either. I thought the face dress was a great way to open. It's got that attention-getting wow factor a show should have. When I saw that, I really got my hopes up for Sissybear. And then the rest of it came out. The hair was initially an ick factor for me, but I got over it. What I didn't get over was how distracting the trim was on everything except for the skirt of that lace dress. That was stunning.
I also thought the silhouette on the hair trimmed pieces was an old-fashioned one but might have been saved by different fabric. I love velvet (and I'm not a drag queen) but not with those silhouettes. I did love the back of that red velvet gown (not the front so much) and I loved one of the gowns that's coming in the second half. But I didn't see this as the winning collection either. A surprise, yes, but not a win.
I loved it, loved it, loved it. Those rich, luxurious velvets and the sheer creativity of it makes it stand out and above anything I have seen recently.
I don't get why you would say it is too dark. It is not as dark as Christian's almost all back posh-o-rama. Everyone I know loves this collection and would wear it.
Jen
I remember the two red pieces made me let out an admiring "Ooooooooh!". Especially the red gown. Even with the hair pieces, I enjoyed Chris' collection alot for a multitude of reasons and still have the most fondness for it.
Too often "youthful" just means a short slip dress. Chris's silhouettes and colors were just beautiful (and, as collections go, I'm a Christian and Gillian fan).
divinequeen said, Please, no woman that I know want to wear velvet anything
Raises hand. I would! Sure, I wouldn't wear a velvet suit to the office, but to the opera and parties and the like? You bet your stilettos!
Well I can't speak for anyone else, but I know my love for Chris' collection had nothing with my personal feeling for the man. I just liked the creations. But if people didn't like them, that's cool. Better a negative response than no response at all :)
I know that the judges while bringing up similar comments about the dark and heaviness of his work, they did have good things to say also. I still love that look on Heidi's face when she was examining the pin skirt.
Personally I always thought Chris should have had Marcia in that Red Dress, it may have tipped the judges in his favor.
Frank
i love chris too. i just didnt expect him to be a "goth" kinda guy. being a goth girl at heart, i did like some of the collection. but i hate to admit it that i was a bit disappointed.
i love chris too. i just didnt expect him to be a "goth" kinda guy. being a goth girl at heart, i did like some of the collection. but i hate to admit it that i was a bit disappointed.
The judges treated some of the designers so unfairly this season. They would criticize one for something, but then not saying anything to the other designers for the same thing.
For example, Christian's collection was dark too, most of the pieces were black, but he didn't get criticized like Chris did. Also Rami, got hammered for the draping when Christian repeated the same skinny legged, puffy sleeved outfits, but didn't get a word said. They really were unfair and chose who they wanted and didn't base it on the same criteria.
I kind of have to disagree with the criticism that Chris's collection is costume-y.
I can see real women wearing these garments in actual situations. They are all evening/cocktail wear but I can see them at office parties, the theatre, charity events, clubs, and other special occasions.
Some of the garments he did for PR were "costume" like the ones with shoulder constructions, but not these. I don't see it as a winning collection, but he did get pigion holed as a costume maker.
Seriously, how can you say this collection isn't dark? It isn't dark in the literal sense of dark colors (Christian's) but in the funeral tone of the crucifixes, velvet, lace, makeup, hair, shoes, creepy human hair...c'mon, how can you not see that?
Anon 2:03 (and others who've said this): I think it'll help if you don't look for fairness or logic.
Maybe they criticized Rami for repeating himself while giving Christian a pass because they thought Christian's look worked and Rami's didn't. Maybe they weren't bothered by all the black in Christian's collection, but thought it was a problem in Chris'. I'm not saying these are my thoughts, necessarily -- only that it's fruitless to look for logic and fairness in something so subjective.
Props to Bitchskanka. She really worked Look #1.
I hadn't noticed the clutch accessorizing the red velvet jacket/black skirt suit. ACK! This pursewhore wants nothing to do with THAT! *runs away in fear*
LOVE the necklaces. I liked the goth styling and now that we hear it was a common theme during Fashion Week in general, apparently on-trend. I've forgotten the other designers who specifically did goth, but it would be an interesting exercise to compare their work with Sissy Bear's.
Agree it's a bit heavy in places, and the hair is somewhat off-putting, but this is a show of whimsy, not a parade of RTW, which is basically what Jillian did. I guess I'm saying while I may not agree with all of it, in the main, I like Sissy's art.
is that mona lisa's face in the blue screen print dress?
Funny. I thought it was George Washington.
I liked Chris based solely on personality, I never loved his designs. I agree with you boys totally about the collection
No pitchforks here. But if you look at whats going on in the world and in the world of fashion OUTSIDE of the United States, Chris is spot on! And he STILL toned it down for the U.S. audience!
RTW is boring. Chris March is NOT.
Yeah, I was in the George Washington camp, too!
But, no, Chris said it's Saint Theresa.
While I appreciated the collection (a lot!) I didn't love it. I wish the tone were ever so slightly lightened up and less heavy-handed.
-- desertwind
Mildred Pierce... that was funny; what a great movie.
Personally I liked the collection a lot, some looks more than others. I did not like #3, the weakest of them all. I liked #2, but it would've looked better without the hair. I had no problem with the velvet, it does work.
Christos
Can someone please explain to me why Chris's collection is costume but Christians isn't?
I don't think his collection was perfect, but I really LOVED a fwe of his looks which is more than I can say about the other designers. I guess I am not as chic as the christian/Rami/Jillian lovers out there :)
I understand that Chris was trying to make outfits that more, strange pretty if you will, But as soon as the first look hit the runway, it was just a gown that had a face on it, another example of the fabric doing all the work. Oh and the model was one of the models from America's next top, I guess that was a trade off for all the other suck-y models.
No one is going to read this, but I need to get this off my chest anyhow -
As weird as his collection is, I actually like it. Its just surprising to like it because Chris never had a consistent thread, aside from the costume-y flair that never seemed ready-to-wear. However, strangely, this collection IS very ready-to-wear. You know, if you had to go to the Power Exchange.
how can one do a show with reference to Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street without hair all over the place?
I agree it's not very good. I actually don't mind the velvet -- yes, it's dark but at least it's not black -- but I don't find most of the designs interesting.
I love Chris, but I don't love his collection. I think I agree with TLo on which looks work and which don't. And the hair ... well, I think I have a phobia about hair. Once it's detached from where it grew, I don't want it anywhere near me. Yuck. So I'm not a good one to evaluate the hair trim, because it just grosses me out of existence.
Oh, and just to quibble, Chris isn't a transvestite. He's a drag queen. :-) (I love both, so please don't read any unkindness into that.)
"divinequeen said, Please, no woman that I know want to wear velvet anything"
Well that's just silly. You don't have to get too deep into the racks at Macy's to see about 5,000 jewel-tone velvet blazers. They have been a staple for several seasons now.
Which brings me to my point that, minus the human hair and the safety pins, this collection just wasn't as "out there" as many seem to believe. A lot of basic shapes--which isn't necessarily a negative comment--in a lot of statement-making fabrics and with a lot of unusual trim.
The truth is I liked most of it, even the hair, which I really did think was clever and quite lovely. But I didn't think that, overall, it was innovative enough for the win.
Interesting that no one's mentioned the Christian themes yet (referencing not Siriano but Christ)-- there is a crown of thorns on one silk-screened dress (yet to be shown), St. Theresa on the first dress, a hand from a religious painting on the second silk-screened dress, plus of course several models are wearing crosses. Chris was wearing a jacket with the Sacred Heart embroidered on the back. That plus the fact that Victorians made hair jewelry out of the locks of deceased relatives makes the whole collection a kind of meditation on death and resurrection.
Disappointing, eh? I rather he hire 12 big fat bears and make them costumes.
Okay T&Lo - you're entitled to your opinion, but I disagree on numerous issues.
The St. Theresa print dress; yes, it is a simple silhouette but how could you make a print that bold work any other way? Barfing ruffles all over the dress a la Princess Puffysleeves would have been disaster.
I think Sissybear shot himself in the foot with the human hair. It should have been on ONE look if used at all.
So let's see; Princess was criticized for using too much black, Rami's colors were fugly, Sweet P's colors were fuglier and Jillian's collection was all over the map. Hello? Sissybear had the only good color story.
And I am sick to death of 'costume' comments. Yea, okay; were the majority of Princess Puffysleeves looks were any LESS costume? Jillian's hats weren't sheer costume?
If it weren't for two elements - the hair and the 'condom' dress, Sissybear would have deserved the win.
When I saw this on TV my first thought was all of the pain I go through with waxing, plucking, and shaving to remove hair and here is someone putting hair back on to the clothes. But I loved the collection, it was very interesting. How boring is tight pants and a blouse, I'd rather see Chris March collections on the runway.
Except for the one dress that looked like pajamas, I liked all of these. I think they were wonderful. I loved the velvet and I think it is very elegant and very fall.
Whoever said no woman would wear velvet is dead wrong. Maybe not that person, but I would and I know others that would too. Who is the Teresa woman on the dress again?
sasha
"stubenville said: And I am sick to death of 'costume' comments."
Completely agree.
I think they decided that when they saw his portfolio, and then he was stuck with it. It was like that complaint that TV actors often have, about a role stereotyping them, and preventing them from getting future roles.
Of course, he didn't help himself live that down when he turned one of the Breck Girls into a coat.
But Christian was no less costumey.
I think the judges say that when they really just don't know what else to say. It's the same as when gallery-types just don't like a piece of art, so they say, 'it lacks artistic merit'. All that means is that they don't like it, but are too pretentious to say it.
--GothamTomato
I loved Chris, and I believe he can make unbelieably beautiful things (and some people believe these were unbelievably beautiful), but I hated this. Too much velvet - why not combine it with other fabrics? Why not a velvet top and pants/skirt made out of some other fabric (I have a black velvet top I love to wear with jeans). Also the hair seemed to be added for no real reason other than to shock. It was placed in such a way as to detract from the garments rather than add to them (or just make them weirder). Its possibly I'm not "high fashion" enough, but ehhhh...blegh...
Well, I liked it. I liked the use of color, I liked the use of velvet, I loved the incorporation of the body part elements (kudos to Anonymous 10:53 for picking up on that), I liked the cohesiveness of the collection. Would I wear it? Hell, no. I'm a southern girl...I like bright colors. :-)
But I admire the risks that Chris took in producing a collection that incorporated the truly unconventional. Bravo, Sissybear!
I wonder if Chris would have received a few less negative reviews if he would have halved the velvets and replaced them with silks, light-weight knits or something lighter... . He could have stayed on track with his cohesiveness and widened his fabric possibilities to please some other viewers/judges.
Me? I don't give a crap what a designer's personality is - I look at the collections from two views:
1. either it's got to be outrageous, innovative and good (i.e. Galliano, McQueen, Westwood, some of the Japanese designers in the '80s, '90s) or
2. it's got to be interesting enough for me to consider for myself (the hell with the resta yas! BWAHAHAHA).
Gillian's stuff was wearable... but not a lot of it by me. Weekend-y winter wear - and sure as hell none of the short girly-girl skirts. Not particularly innovative and not particularly interesting for me, myself and I. Aside from the peekaboo mid-weight sweater, the other stuff looks kinda college-y. But sellable to a mass market. Definitely that.
Christian? Nothing. Not a thing. Not innovative enough to keep my interest, not practical enough to be wearable by anyone over 30 or over a size 6. And black's too easy a choice for colour. The other stuff he did was pure theatre - and I just didn't find it either beautiful enough or innovative enough to make up for the mundane colours and the rediculousness of skinny pants and ruffles galore over and over again.
Until I saw that modified and fantastic dress he made for that modelling TV show (is it still on the sidebar of the blog?). *That* is when I finally thought, "OK. He's got something... ."
Rami - mostly snoozey, sometimes very classically beautiful, always just kinda dull.
Chris - I sat there and immediately either very muchly liked the innovation/ideas of the outfit (i.e. the printed fabric dresses) or looked at the pieces and saw how I could wear them in my everyday, boring life.
Of course, the hair would come off (don't have an ick squirm about it but dangley bits on clothes just drive me nuts) and I'd pair pieces with more mundane wear, but the heavier velvet skirts and jackets would be terrific on a cool day or in a cold office.
And I'm not even Gothically-inclined.
I only wish he'd used a few more silks or satins - something with a lighter weight for the non-dresses.
His collection is also the only one I would have liked to see played with by having other stylists come in and redoing some of the looks. That would have been fun.
The other designers? I just didn't get enough vibes from their collections to care how the clothes would look if restyled.
In the end, I found most of his clothes to be *fun* winterized separates with a twist of intelligence and decent sense of what was trend-on in colours, styles and fabrics for winter wear.
I get it, and I like it. It's fun and creative and slightly mischievious in the use of hair. Sure it hovers on the costume side, but there are times when you just want to make a statement and get noticed.
On the other hand, any one of these would probably turn the soccer mom crowd against you, which isn't necessarily a bad thing!
I agree totally with Agnes Gooch, babies. I covered Lucian's show and I saw Carlie's and Goth and dark and neo-Victorian is a strong trend.
I loved Chris's collection and the shortie dress is the only one I would not buy and wear. I thought the hair was blog and innovative but I also think that he could have used a little more restraint and just used it on a couple of the outfits. I loved the lace and the velvet and everything else.
Not everyone has a cheery, sunny, Brady Bunch-y aesthetic and with the world as it is, who is that kind of mood?
Of all 5 collections this is still the one I liked best and the one in which I saw most potential.
I contrasted it to the latest Victor & Rolf collection and the mood is similar. Actually V&R's is MORE theatrical and dark, if you ask me.
It was also as noted, extremely cohesive,rich and it looked expensive.
I actually love the Mildred Pierce suits and the Hugh Hefner-esque smoking suit pijama thing...
As I said, with mild modifications, I would wear everyone of those pieces.
I cannot say the same thing about any other of those 5 collections.
No pitchforks nor torches though.
Just as always, a ton of love and strong opinions.
Hugs,
Milla
I love Chris, I really do. His spirit is delightful and funny, but I think he became popular more for his personality than his designs. That said, I do not like his clothes. Yes, Christian's was dark too, but this is dark in an entirely different way. Christian's was crisp yet decadent, modern yet old world, fiercely strong yet romantic...it is his ability to build that dichotomy with clothes that is so incredible. Chris' collection is dark, heavy, dated...it's like Transylvania goth crossed with Jackie Collins. It's just not fresh and visionary.
Again, he is obviously a phenomenal person. I adore him. But his clothes...not so much. I'm sure he'd be successful in certain areas of the fashion world, but not high fashion. Not couture.
Rae
I know this opinion will make me wildly unpopular, but:
As much as I love Chris, I think his final collection was very...Wendy Pepper...
Okay, bring on the tar and feathers.
Speaking as a woman (because I am one), honestly... I would wear, if I could, anything in Chris' collection. I'm not saying this out of Chris!Love (though I do have that in abundance). Honestly, I love the styling. I agree that some of the velvet skirts could have been done in other fabrics for a lighter and more diverse look, but overall? Of the top 5 collections, the ONLY one I can say with a straight face that I would both want to wear and would look good in. The colors are impeccable. The styling is weird but it's hot.
As for the human hair-- oh, seriously, grow UP. If you're not suffering from alopecia totalis, it's growing out of some part of your head. It's a Sweeney Todd reference. And hey, you reacted to it, right? No yawns there. That's what art is supposed to do.
Bravo, Chris, for a fantastic collection. This goth girl loved it.
As an early 40-something professional who works in a business where "to the nines" is the norm, I would wear these clothes more than any other clothes I've ever seen on "PR". I am now in search of a dress to wear to a grand-opening event, and anyone of these looks would be appropriate. I wish he made plus-sizes!!!
I do really like the second look. Definetly Sweeney Todd inspired, and DEFINETLY very werewolfy, but... I dunno. Maybe I'm the odd customer he's looking for.
But yeah, everythings kinda heavy and weird. I think it was a good concept, but I'm not sure he realized quite what to do with some of these things. People looking for this sort of look are very particular about their vamp ideas, and these are so deviant from your typical vampire that it seems that it wouldn't even appeal to them.
Eeh, one never knows.
As much as I love Chris, I think his final collection was very...Wendy Pepper...
Wendy Pepper? Really?
I don't think there's any comparison between the two.
Wendy was an unhappy person and it showed in the lack of focus in her collection. I never got the feeling that she had a very well-developed sense of aesthetics.
Chris is someone who loves what he does, and it's reciprocated in that he's well liked. His collection --while not to the tastes of many, showed a distinct point of view.
"On the other hand, any one of these would probably turn the soccer mom crowd against you, which isn't necessarily a bad thing!"
hey, Kanani -- i'm the quintessential soccer mom (from "the OC" no-less) and i loved chris' collection....so we're not all uptight traditional types -- thanks for the chuckle!!
I love chris, I was rooting for him when he came back. I was a bit disappointed in his final collection though.
I can see a lot of these outfits sold at Hot Topic, and that's definitely not a good thing.
Call me crazy, but I like the Mildred Pierce looks. The only one I agree with you about is the PJ-ish outfit. Didn't like the pants with the rest. But overall I like everything else.
Heh, the one look that was fresh and young to you looked terribly 90s occult movie to me. (Not that I'd hate revisiting that style set, actually.)
Well...We will respectfully agree to disagree...MIGHTILY !!!
This is the best collection on the runway in a very long time.
Period.
Don't know if anyone mentioned this, but I think the first girl wearing the silk-screened dress is that crazy bitch Bianca from America's Next Top Model!!!
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