On February 11, 2010 the fashion world lost one of its most elite designers. The genius that is Alexander McQueen took his own life in his home in Green Street, London just days before London’s prestigious fashion week (where we was not scheduled to show). But that’s not what this is about. This is about the Summer 2010 collection of McQueen’s named “Platos Atlantis.” I sat here for a little while trying to even come up with the adjectives to describe Platos Atlantis, (A collection that includes animal prints, such as python and butterfly, and rainforest inspired colors) and what I came up with was primitive mixed with technologic. Every print and pattern is uniquely crafted and designed for each garment causing no 2 pieces in this collection to be the same. The structure and depth of each single piece of clothing has McQueen’s passion for making a woman look beautiful and fascinating written all over it. Not only are the pieces of clothing in this collection extraordinary and unlike anything the fashion world has seen before, but also the shoes are out of this world.

As the models strut down the runway in almost hoof-like heels they resemble aliens from another planet. Weather you believe they are extreme, daring or just plain bizarre these 10-inch sky-high heels and boots are not only incredibly fabulous but theatrical as well. McQueen obviously knows how to make a girl ignore her feet when their crying in pain, but nonetheless the models looked FIERCE.  With Paris Fashion Week coming up and his Summer 2010 collection and final masterpieces come to life we will always remember McQueen as innovative, irreplaceable and one of a kind.

“There is no better designer than nature.” -Alexander McQueen March 17 1969 – February 11 2010

The cover shoot for the March 2010 issue of Numéro Tokyo stars 22-year-old Belarusian model Maryna Linchuk of DNA, who recently appeared in an editorial for Allure by Michael Thompson, shot by David Vasiljevic. Full of flowers, ruffles, and lace, stylist Sarah Ellison shows Maryna in a white geometric-patterned Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci dress with black Christian Louboutin heels, a one-shouldered ruffled cream Electric Feathers dress with pink flowered Viktor&Rolf heels, a black and white Giorgio Armani jumpsuit, a white Dolce & Gabbana lace dress and black M&S Schmalberg bodysuit with black Christian Louboutins, and a one-shouldered cream Lavin dress. My favorite item in this editorial is the pair of Viktor&Rolf heels with pink and purple flowers and pink ruffles.

Kate Moss, the supermodel… just in case she needs that introduction,  has  extended her work with Longchamp and a collection called Kate Moss for Longchamp should be in stores this month.

10-year-old Noah Cyrus, the younger sister of Miley Cyrus, is about to launch a clothing line with her 9-year-old best friend Emily Grace Reaves with the help of Ooh! La, La! on February 14th at the Fred Segal store in Santa Monica, California. The line is called The Emily Grace Collection described as “trendy, sweet, yet edgy” reflecting Emily’s personal style appealing to young girls as well as teens up to size 14. The line features versatile styles of French maid outfits, fishnets, animal prints, and tutus to be worn with ballerina slippers, sneakers, or lace stockings with boots for a rocker look. This young duo better get ready for parents to raise eyebrows at this collection due to its risqué looks that parents may not want their daughters idolizing. If you would like to get a sneak preview of the line, visit their website at OohLaLaCouture.com/index.cfm.

Stylist Lucinda Chambers pulled together several of this season’s most vibrant, intricate, and futuristic pieces to showcase on 22-year-old Danish cover girl Freja Beha Erichsen of IMG, who recently opened for the Chanel couture show during Paris Fashion Week, is featured in an editorial entitled “Cyber Tribe” for the March 2010 issue of Vogue UK shot by photographer Josh Olins. With the spring collections, designers are creating collections that are more comfortable and colorful using sharper lines, masculine designs, and many details. Using a neutral-colored backdrop, Freja is shown in designs by Manish Arora, Giorgio Armani, Swarovski, Carianne Moore, Lucy Hutchings, Emilio Pucci, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, and Versace. My favorite look in this editorial is the Emilio Pucci silk dress with the Swarovski crystallized Manish Arora shoulder pieces and Snakeskin Alexander McQueen boots being quite eccentric and extremely colorful.

The March 2010 issue of Marie Claire UK features a layout starring 27-year-old Canadian True Blood star Anna Paquin, who won an Oscar at age nine being the second youngest actress to receive the award, shot by photographer Frederic Pinet set in a supermarket. Making the supermarket look fashionably chic, Anna is shown in a stretch Viktor & Rolf tulle and sequin dress with Pierre Hardy suede and Swarovski crystal sandals with a full shopping cart in the produce section, a Chanel tweed dress with Gianvito Rossi nylon shoes in front of a mountain of bottled water, Prada Plex Crystal dress and cotton top with a satin and Plex Crystal belt in the candy aisle having a Red Vine in mouth, Lavin blue silk dress under a red silk dress with black Jonathan Kelsey leather shoes holding a bouquet of balloons, a Josh Goot silk dress with Rock and Republic leather shoes leaning against the snack aisle, stunningly poised in an Alexander McQueen silk chiffon and diamante dress in front of the meat freezer, and looking intense in a Salvatore Ferragamo silk dress and Christian Louboutin studded leather shoes next to a tower of Duraflames. I really enjoy this layout of Anna showing her in a ‘normal’ everyday setting in an array of fabulous dresses with Viktor & Rolf tulle and sequin dress being my favorite.

For years now, high-end fashion has catered to women more than men. In hopes of altering the high-end fashion world, fashion houses Hermès and Coach are the latest to make an effort in shrinking this gender gap.

Earlier this week, French luxury house Hermès International opened its first men’s-only store on Madison Avenue in none other than New York City with visions to open more in the future. Last week, Coach Inc. stated that they will be opening their first men’s boutique in May alongside their women’s boutique in New York’s Greenwich Village. Also, Ralph Lauren is in the works of converting their Rhinelander Mansion in New York into a men’s store to be launched this fall along with Dolce & Gabbana and Salvatore Ferragamo in the near future.

Ferragmo’s Chief Executive Michele Norsa said, “Men don’t like to enter a men’s and women’s store to find their products at the back of the store. In our women’s and men’s stores, the men’s space is often penalized. The women’s collections are wider and tend to steal space from men.”

During these hard economic times, menswear have proven to be more resilient than womenswear due to the fact that men see shopping less indulgent than women do. In October, the American Affluence Research Center surveyed the wealthiest 10% of U.S. households asking if they planned on spending less on designer apparel and fine jewelry and watches. Twenty-three percent of the men said that they had not reduced spending since the recession started compared to fourteen percent of the women have spent less. Along with this statistic, selling to men will assist a luxury brand attempting to enter other markets in China, Russia, etc. Men who have recently come into money tend to splurge on luxury items, such as expensive watches, before they allow their wives to go on a shopping spree.

Earlier this month, Italian luxury house Salvatore Ferragamo was the first label to open a men’s-only store in China where they already have forty boutiques. Ferragamo Chief Executive Michele Norsa also said, “Generally emerging markets is where our men’s categories products are stronger.”

According to Euromonitor International, sales from men’s lines in South Korea have rose 48% between 2004 and 2009 while women’s lines only rose seven percent. Within more established luxury markets, such as in the U.S., Japan, and Western Europe, women have taken the lead leaving men feeling overlooked. 28-year-old Fort Lauderdale, Florida consultant Jesse Stillman said, “It’s an inconvenience to have to traipse through the women’s department or perfumes to get to ‘my’ section of the store.”

More and more men are becoming independent with their shopping instead of relying on a woman to guide them around boutiques. According to Marshal Cohen, Chief Industry Analyst at market researcher NPD Group, about 75% of men shopped for themselves last year compared to 52% of men in 1995 with many of the shoppers being young men who do not have hang-ups about being style-conscious. It will be interesting to see which labels will use this phenomenon to their advantage and how they will market to men.

An editorial entitled “Belle Vue” is featured in the March 2010 issue of Vogue Deutsch shot by photographer Paola Kudacki starring 29-year-old Italian cover girl Mariacarla Boscono of Viva Models, who recently renewed her contract with Givenchy. Utilizing bright contrast, the editorial was shot in Paris, France with none other than the famous Tour Eiffel in the background and Mariacarla in designs by Dolce & Gabbana, Azzedine Alaia, Céline, Akris, and Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci. I really enjoy this editorial from the high contrast to the city of Paris in the back, the black long-sleeve Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci dress is my favorite piece with the sheer plunging v-neckline in the front.

For the March 2010 issue of Vogue Nippon is an 18-page editorial entitled “The Lonesome Highway” starring 19-year-old Russian cover girl Anna Selezneva of Silent Models, who was featured on the cover of Numéro February 2010, shot by photographer Mark Segal. Styled by George Cortina, Anna brings to life the simplicity of rural life in patterned pieces by designers Alexander McQueen, Louis Vuitton, Jeremy Scott, and Chanel with my favorite piece being the pink Jeremy Scott strapless bodysuit looking very young, fresh, and chic.

Presenting her fourth collection last Sunday, February 14th during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, 35-year-old singer-turned-designer Victoria Beckham has received a very positive response for her fall/winter 2010/2011 collection. The collection was focused on dresses and high platform shoes embodying her own personal style.

For a change, Victoria opened the show by greeting the audience, which designers normally only make an appearance on the runway at the end, and continued to comment on the designs as they came down the runway. She said, “I feel the clothes express how my own personal style has evolved, more relaxed, a little more slouchy, but still structured.”

The dresses are classy, chic, and sophisticated ready for any red carpet with the use of draping throughout the backs and necklines. Puffed hemlines were used to enhance the strict silhouettes and long slits were added along the sides to add a sexy touch. The range of dresses were inspired by the comic book detective Dick Tracy using deep reds, blues, greens, nudes, and a dazzling pale gold. With this collection, Victoria feels that the fashion world is finally taking her seriously as a designer and her dream is to open her own boutique within the next five years. As a designer, she says, “But, I’m still learning. I still feel I need to prove myself – all my life I’ve had to prove myself. Each season, I have to better myself. I really want to grow as a designer.”

About Victoria’s collection, WWD said, “The collection Beckham showed for fall … presented none of the neophyte awkwardness one might expect from a four-seasons’ new designer (and not just one with a pop star past).”

Lauren David Peden of British Vogue praised Victoria’s collection saying, “Beckham presented a very beautiful collection that evolved her body-con aesthetic while still leaving room – literally – to breathe, thanks to a new-found focus on draping and fluidity.”

Lisa Armstrong of The Times also said, “These clothes are not being churned out to make a quick buck (leave that to her jeans, perfume and sunglasses) – they’re extremely work intensive. I like the collection a lot, it’s just what I prefer wearing.”