I'm Rachel. Pretaportre is blog dedicated to the musings of a fashion enthusiast; its primary focus is on street style and editorials with a mix of runway. Pretaportre is a play on the french term "prêt-à-porter" meaning ready-to-wear. 
Jessica Stam escorted by Jason Wu at the 50th anniversary of the CFDA Fashion Awards.
Model Karlie Kloss wearing Jason Wu escorted by Jason Wu to the Met Gala after party.
“Jason Wu has arrived, and the confidence he’s feeling in his emerging success was evident at New York Fashion Week Friday, where his dramatic show featured a collection inspired partly by his Chinese roots.
He tapped into Chinese military uniforms with Mao jackets, grommets, strong shoulders and capes — the best of that look being the green coat with attached cape and black lace that opened the show. A different sort of strength, however, is found in the ornate trappings of the Qing Dynasty and the tassels, embroideries and brocades worn by empresses.
Hollywood went through a period in the 1930s and ’40s that reinterpreted and further glamorized traditional Chinese dress, and Wu said he was a fan of that, too, especially Marlene Dietrich in the old movie “Shanghai Express.”
The lingering look from this collection, though, is likely the finale: a black wool jacket with epaulets and mink trim covered in crystal embroidery paired with a black skirt etched with fabric through a process known as devore.”
“The big question is, ‘What is China?’ ” No kidding. It feels like everyone in fashion is talking about China or opening stores in China or investing in China or trying to figure out what women in China want to wear. For Jason Wu, who was born in Taiwan but has spent most of his life living elsewhere, the question is a little more personal. Because although he’s an Asian-American designer, he’s yet to consciously reference the country in his collection. “I guess it’s just so obvious to me because I grew up with it,” he said a few days before his fall show. But when he returned to Taiwan recently, for the first time in five years, he started thinking about it in relation to his work. Or as he puts it, “How would a Chinese designer do Chinese?” The complete answer won’t be revealed until tomorrow, but here are Wu’s three starting points: Chinese military (so think rigid lines and army green), the Qing Dynasty (elaborate brocades and ornamentation), and movies like 1932’s Shanghai Express, which Wu acknowledges wasn’t very Chinese at all, but he’s interested in how the culture was reflected (or refracted) through Hollywood’s lens.”
Preview of Jason Wu F/W 12.13 in New York via vogue.
Miss Piggy Lands Editorial Spread in November’s InStyle Wearing Prabal Gurung, Jason Wu, and More.
We’ve already examined Miss Piggy’s style evolution, which has definitely entered a new, high-fashion period as she’s on the cusp of opening her first new movie in 12 years. (Well, she’s technically part of an ensemble cast, but Piggy obviously shines and will find a way to the top of the movie poster). While her style tends to run a bit to the drag queen side of the spectrum–which we support and embrace–she’s just landed an eight-page editorial spread in November’s InStyle. (Cont’d)
Within in recent (the last couple of years), there have been a surge in designers do collaboration lines. The newest announced being Jason Wu for Target coming in February. To recent ones at stores being Karl Lagerfeld for Macy’s and Missoni for Target both released this past month. Both lines have had rave reviews and selling out quickly.
Karl Lagerfeld is no stranger to collaboration lines. Back in 2004 he teamed up with H&M to release a limited edition line. He stated that he would not do anymore after that. Well, obviously he did. We don’t blame him; the line sold out in a matter of two days. Did his collaboration line inspire other designers to do the same? He wasn’t the first to do such a thing, but he was the first to create such an impact to motivate other designers to do the same.
However, is an over abundance of collaboration lines in a short period of time going to lose its appeal to consumers? Probably not for most, but maybe for some others. This being because the targeted audience is for those who usually could not afford their primary line, mainstream society. But given the opportunity to own something associated with that specific designer creates a bond with that new consumer.
Others might view it as tainting the designer with cheapening the value of their overall brand when upholding a certain image. As an example: This is why you will never see the house of Chanel with a collaboration line. Chanel has branded itself as a classy, excellent quality, exclusive brand. Their prices in the last three or four years, especially within handbags, have inflated dramatically. This recently due in part to Chanel knock-offs sky rocketing. They are trying to distance themselves from becoming “mainstream” and uphold the image they’ve worked to establish.
What are your thoughts? Are the surges in collaboration lines going to negatively or positively affect the industry? In both short and long term affects. Are you going to lose appeal if collaboration lines continue to happen every few months or will you be ecstatic to get your hands on it?
