models walk the runway at Cynthia Rowley SS2012 collection presentation during MBFW on Sept. 9, 2011 in NYC

Cynthia Rowley

Make up and hair backstage at IMPROVD SS2012 by Valentino Vettori

IMPROVD SS2012 by Valentino Vettori 

IMPROVD SS2012 by Valentino Vettori

Best selling runway photos from Carolina Herrera S/S 2012 runway collection

Best selling runway photographs from the Carolina Herrera S/S 2012 runway collection:

Joan Smalls @ Carolina Herrera S/S 2012

Emily Baker @ Carolina Herrera S/S 2012 

Jac @ Carolina Herrera S/S 2012

Stroll

Stroll

Guests at Chado Ralph Rucci S2012RTW

Bill Cunningham greeted by Rosina Rucci 

Dream team. CHERYLANA Organic Atelier editorial shoot- September 20, 2011, Philadelphia

Here is a peek at CherylAna Organic Atelier editorial starring Shawna, make up by Victoria Roggio, photography by Memamemo. 

Photographer taking photo of guests at Michael Kors Spring/Summer 2012 runway collection presentation in New York, during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week on September 14, 2011

“Gaspar, watch!“ -  quote on the day.  September 14, 2011, waiting in line for Michael Kors runway, standing amongst photographers in the barricade of metal and army style boxes, stools, tripods and monopods, feet numb, watching over the arriving crowd of guests.  The air conditioning this season must not be in agreement with the plans of the event organizers, or perhaps 10AM show is simply too early in the morning on a hot day for the vents to cool off the area.  The multilingual murmur of the riser photographers is the tune of the runways.   Anticipation is high for some, a duty for the others, but the morale is highest as the day did not take its toll yet.   Standing shoulder to shoulder on the riser, sweating, watching the front row photographers struggle to photograph arrivals on the narrow runway, just as the riser shooters will shortly mirror them in the struggle to photograph the runway.

Arrivals at the popular Michael Kors Spring/Summer 2012 runway collection presentation

On the riser, the window of opportunity to take a shot is limited, the equipment must be flawless, and the photographer skills must be that of sniper with a kalashnikov.  And that’s what Gaspar is.  He shoots details and he is a machine.  But even he cannot do  the impossible.  And when in the midst of preparations someone says, “Gaspar, there is a watch” the photo crowd breaks out in laughter.   Someone jeers  - “There is a watch on one hand, and then there is a handbag in the other”, all laugh.   Of course, it's asking for the moon.  Not only there are 30-40 looks to take into consideration, all made of: shoes, handbags, belts, sunglasses, jewelry,  nails, hair, make up, front, back,  one word: “details”, then there is the compositional consideration, you can only shoot certain details when the composition is right when the model turns, which is 2-4 seconds, and then there is also that one watch on one wrist to look out for.  And if you miss that watch, you’ve missed the whole show.  Mission impossible if there is one, and nobody except the photographers knows it.  One thing, when the model with the watch stepped on the runway, a chorus of photographers spoke in unison:  “Gaspar, watch!”

Favorites @ Tommy Hilfiger S/S 2012

Love the runway lighting at Tommy Hilfiger every time.  Large open runway, a beautiful combination of soft diffused light and sufficient direct lighting.  The entire length of the runway is evenly lit for the full height of a standing person, the runway is off-white and is neither flat nor highly reflective, it does not cast an overbearing color spill onto the models and there are no uncomplimentary "black holes" that make it difficult to photograph details. 

 

Zuzanna Bijoch

Got to talk briefly to Zuzanna after the show.  It was such a pleasure to talk to her, find out how her life has changed since she picked up modeling and traveling around the world, and of course after doing the Prada editorial that shot her to the top of the list.  Away-from-the-runway conversations give that sense of reality in all this photo bustle that's hard to grasp otherwise.  Zuzanna has a beautiful spirit and seems above being caught in her own newly found persona and made conversation so enjoyable.  I wish her luck and hope she continues further than a moment of stardom!

New print works!

My favorite look of this collection

Project Runway 9

Сегодняшний сюрприз преподнесли организаторы project runway season 9.  Проснувшись, собравшись, приехав с надеждой, я повстречалась с девушкой, раздававшей отказы на развес.  По неизвестной, умопомрачительной причине, в этот раз пропуск был запрещен всем.   Всем тем, кто не отправили заявок, а заявки не отправил никто, так как такого новшества не ожидалось.  Возможно неудачи прошлых сезонов заставили организаторов изменить подход, не смотрите на меня так упорно сквозь стекло, но, как сказала моя мудрая знакомая, избежание критики улучшений не приносит.

Cushnie et Ochs runway S/S 2012

Cushnie et Ochs

S/S 2012

The only thing missing - Monica Belluci.

Cushnie et Ochs

Designers: Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs

Stylist: Keegan Singh Hair: Danilo Makeup: Charlotte Tilbury 

As a photographer, I'd like to see: a simple runway, lacking the neon light display resembling a fence.  A flood light or spot light from above, not obstructing the background could have created a more pleasing effect 

Constance @ Cushnie et Ochs

Alla @ Cushnie et Ochs

Ali @Cushnie et Ochs

Kristina @ Cushnie et Ochs

Madelen @ Cushnie et Ochs

Showed the looks to a friend last night, her reaction was "beautiful, not original."  I agree, still I liked the collection and model presentation very much.  Girls looked sexy and confident.  Looking back, I also recall seeing a similar look on Siriano's runway last season, pencil skirt, ruffle over-top and similar style was seen in Jason Wu's S/S 2012 collection as well. 

Christian Siriano, FW2011

Britt @ Cushnie et Ochs

Monica Belluci in film Matrix Reloaded

BCBG Max Azria SS2012 Runway

Translation: Spills of detail on the new silks of Max Azria.

The new BCBG collection of abstract geometry was a replica of the previous one infused with new angles and mosaic detail.   

Taking careful steps, designers added a colorful mosaic of detail, print, and fabric treatment to the geometry of silk,  changed right angles to diagonals, further pleating the diagonals into unexpected fabric origami.

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012, pleated diagonals

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012.  New: bold diagonals replace right angles, busy print

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012. New: mosaic details

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012. New: mosaic details

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012.  New: mosaic details

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012. New: mosaic details next to geometric cuts

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012.  New: bold mosaic details

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012.  New: mosaic details, busy texture

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012. New: mosaic print

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012. New: mosaic print

Next, designers took a gamble and combined the many details with abstract asymmetries and pleased the eye with an original aesthetic.

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012. New look! bold asymmetry, mosaic print

BCBG Max Azria, SS2012. New look! asymmetry, mosaic print

Busy prints were offered by many, Anna Sui and Tommy Hilfiger, and the new BCBG collection assembled asymmetry with busy prints in a new and unique way.

@Tommy Hilfiger, FW2011

I personally liked a simple black and orange dress with two side slits in the skirt,the dress was so supple as it moved it was hard to take eyes of it.  When Azrias chose to replace black and orange with gray and turquoise and furthermore add the mosaic detail, they created one more original look.  

BCBG Max Azria SS2012.  Reminiscent of past season: black-orange dress

Model: Arizona Muse. New look! Gray-turquoise dress with mosaic detail

BCBG Max Azria SS2012, opening look

The closing look of the collection was a long ivory dress with a same cut as the first dress in the collection with an asymmetrical design at the neckline, except now the mosaic pattern was added. Perhaps the collection did not introduce grand new breakthroughs, however it elegantly brought us to possibly expect a change.

BCBG Max Azria SS2012, closing look

Детальные россыпи на новых шелках макса азрии. россыпь

Или славянская душа Любовьи так влият на работу ее мужа Макса или это новая тенденция моды - виньетные россыпи деталей по крою.  Новая коллекция абстракной геометрии Макса отличалась от предыдущей новыми углами и мозаичными деталями.  Аккуратными шагами, дизайнер добавил разноцветную мозаику к геометрии шелка, кое где изменил прямые углы на диагонали и собрав ткань равномерными складками превратил диагонали в своеобразные геометрические орегами.  Следующим шагом дизайнер рискнул и добавил ассиметрическую абстракцию к многочиленносте деталей и порадовал глаз оригинальным новшевстом.  Предлагали узорный материл многие, как Ана Суи, и Томми Хилфигер, а в своей коллекции Макс собрал ассиметрию с узорчатыми росписями в новый уникальный букет.  

Мне лично очень понравилось простое двухцвентое платье, с боковыми разрезами, настолько пластичное в движении, что взгляд оторвать было трудно.  А когда же макс попробовал поменять цвета с черного и оранжевого этого покроя, на бирюзововый и серый и добавить мозаичный узор, он создал еще один оригинальный наряд.  Закрыла коллекцию Макс, длинным платье с тем же покроем что и у первого наряда коллекции с ассиметричным горлом, плюс с новым мозаичным узором, возможно этим самым плавно меняя будующий курс.  Возможно коллекция не принесла грандиозных новшевств в этом сезоне, но безусловно элегантно приготовила нас ожидать изменениий.