Milan Fashion Week SS2010: Blumarine


Super clean, bright collection nicely accentuated by the mirrored runway.

Milan Fashion Week SS2010: Ermanno Scervino



Way Backstage at Cavalli: Hanne Gaby


Escaping out of the tent at the Babila venue at the Fiera, Hanne commandeers a forklift while waiting for first looks to start.

Milan Fashion Week SS2010: Just Cavalli


Slightly subdued Just Cavalli, but with lots of fringe.

Milan Fashion Week SS2010: Byblos Backstage



From calm to crazy in about a minute.

Milan Fashion Week SS2010: Antonio Marras


The backdrop to the Antonio Marras runway show was a layer of helium-filled pillows that, before the parade, floated away to reveal the models in their boudoir. In Los Angeles, the audience would immediately begin gulping down the helium; in Milan the pillows were kept as souvenirs.

Milan Fashion Week SS2010: Krizia


Because the podium is so tiny here, I always find somewhere else to shoot from. I'm trying the balcony next season.

Milan Fashion Week SS2010: Blugirl


Really strong presentation of what the Blugirl brand is all about, for Spring Summer 2010.

Paris Couture Week FW 09/10: Alexandre Matthieu Model Exits




End of the work day; models on ave. Montaigne after the Alexandre Mattieu show.

Paris Couture Week FW 09/10: Adeline Andre


Flew from Budapest to Paris BVA airport where the bus ride to Paris is longer than the plane ride in, ran by the hotel and literally slid onto the riser at an art gallery where the Adeline Andre show was just getting under way. But what's this, instead of a runway, assistants string a laundry line laden with sheets of fabric. The model and designer come out, the model takes off what she was wearing and the designer drapes her in the cloth. They're both almost on top of the photographers and its very difficult to get a shot. Normally the photographers would go berserk but it was one model, one dress and charming. It is declasse to boo charming in France.

Russian Fashion Week: Veronika Jeanvie Backstage



Shooting house (backstage) for Ukranian designer Veronika Jeanvie. The finale wedding dress was made from small panels of gossamer fabric screened with a russian poem read at the beginning of the show by a russian actress. Conceptual.

Russian Fashion Week: Borodulin's Backstage


Shooting the Boroduin's show backstage.

Russian Fashion Week: Red Square Detour


RFW shows start around 17.30, so the whole day is available for sightseeing. The quickest, most affordable way of getting around is the Moscow Metro. The Metro also serves as a very simple intelligence test: can you find your way when there is almost no signage and the signs you do see are in Cyrillic? What's cool is the little underground cities built into the passageways to the Metro, which include a begging dog. Got off at the Okhotny Ryad station on the edge of Red Square. The square was almost empty save for the balloon vendor and a motley crew of russian scammers. The first guy drops a pack of russian rubles, you pick it up and hand it to him, he's grateful, then another guy comes up and flashes a badge and asks to see your passport. I tell them, look, the way I would play it is the guy dropping the money is mad you gave it back, that would confuse you, then the guy posing as the cop is the friendly one. As I'm explaining this they unfortunately disperse...And yes I gave money to the dog.

Russian Fashion Week: Slava Zaitsev Backstage and Runway




Slava Zaitsev was the first show of RFW because of his revered status in Russian fashion and his ability to put on an hour long show where he ad libs throughout the show. Phenomenal clothes and quality, although a PETA bad dream.

Paris Fashion Week FW09: Alexander McQueen




The most interesting photo on display, out of thousands, at Photo LA earlier in the year was easily a photo by Hendrik Kerstens. The photo was of a young woman shot in serene, window lit, dutch master style. Although the photograph was large, it took a while to see that the subject was wearing not a scarf but a plastic bag on her head. Alexander McQueen's invitation to his fashion show featured that photograph, almost 16 x 20 once unfolded. The reason he picked that photo was clear when you entered the show and saw a huge mound of garbage, literally steaming. Both the photograph and the show reflect on beauty, timelessness and waste.