District L

You don’t have to read the site for long to realize that my lifestyle is a far cry from domesticity: I don’t own drinking glasses that aren’t intended for wine, champagne or coffee, my fridge contains nothing more than gin and butter at any given time, and most of my cookware hasn’t been used in the two years I’ve lived in my apartment.

Nevertheless, as I was poking around the ‘Lifestyle’ section of Farfetch.com, I began to ask myself the age-old question: “What is this stuff and why don’t I have it!?”

For example, why haven’t I heard of the Chanel Vintage wine bottle holder yet? Must only vintage bottles be placed in the vintage holder? If a bottle survives the weekend in my apartment without being consumed, surely that makes it vintage, right?

Chanel Vintage bottle holder $2,350

Also, in what situation might I need to use a Squirrel Snuffer by Chehoma? To buzz in the Fresh Direct delivery guy? To torment my roommate’s pet? Regardless, I’ll take three.

Chehoma Squirrel Snuffer $25

Knick-knacks are the epitome of settled-in, domestic life. Buying a knick-knack is like saying, “Hey, I don’t plan on moving ever,” because who the hell wants to pack those things up when you get bored of your apartment and want to move across town? If your significant other starts purchasing useless little trinkets, you better run – and quick. There is nothing more suffocating than a knick-knack gifter.

With this in mind, I stumbled upon a collection of small Lanvin statuettes, completely shattering all of my preconceived notions. Uncharacteristically whimsical and surprisingly irreverent, these particular porcelain figures said something else that I hadn’t anticipated: “Buy me!”

Lanvin Porcelain Statuette $412

I’m sorry, little Lanvin dolls. It’s just that… this is getting a little too serious. It’s not you, it’s me. I’m not ready to throw in the Hermes towel just yet. But, um, maybe I’ll text you sometime…

Post by Amanda LaMela

Maybe it’s just the August impulse – the unwarranted “back-to-school” mentality that takes years to ditch. But it seems as if the recent objects of my fashion attraction are becoming more buttoned-up, buckled down and polished over.

Adding one subtle, yet unexpected element is the key to achieving an appearance of academia without looking like a 7^th grade substitute teacher. Score some easy extra-credit with asymmetrical cinching, faux-contrast collars, or mixed-media paneling.

This isn’t high school -- You are no longer graded on mere “participation.” So shut up, put your hand down, and take a look at our cheat sheet below:

Lanvin Contrast Collar Dress

Halston Heritage Jumpsuit

Reese Hudson Oversize Clutch

Goodone Backless Dress

Lanvin Stacked Heel

Vladimir Karaleev Sleeveless Dress

Proenza Schouler PS1 Shopping Bag

Casadei Metallic Stiletto

Images by Farfetch.com

Post by Amanda LaMela

The A/W 2009 shows will stand out as particularly memorable for years to come, as they really put many designers' integrity and ability to the test given the current climate. We saw some extremely impressive collections, and a lot of experimentation with new concepts and trends. Here are my top 5 picks from among the A/W 2009 runways:

1. Lanvin

Several designers this season, especially in Paris and Milan, experimented with creating tensions between country and urban, nature and industry. Lanvin's Alber Elbaz really stunned us with a compelling story of shape, color, and detail and a polished, dystopian edge.

2. Doo.Ri

District L has followed Doo.Ri Chung for awhile. I really have to say how utterly sublime her Fall 2009 showing was. It really and truly encapsulated the mood and trends of the season in a totally cohesive and fluid collection of looks.

3. Missoni

Like other designers this season, Angela Missoni decided to take the label back to it's roots- knitwear. However, she sculpted a collection that strongly resembled current menswear trends, including bulky silhouettes and rich, full knits. Many collections this season were centered on analyzing dichotomies; Missoni not only effectively and flawlessly communicated this but did so with an air of traditional luxury and opulence.

4. ADAM

Truly wearable sportswear is an absolute cornerstone of fashion, and ADAM designer Adam Lippes really knows how to craft separates that are special but still workable into almost any wardrobe. Versatility and function, balanced with a classically feminine edge, were truly evident in the ADAM A/W 2009 Collection.

5. Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld's superstar status in the fashion industry translates easily into his clothing; like the elite soldiers of his supreme army, Lagerfeld models strut down the runway like towering, broad shouldered titans. His namesake collection this season combined provocative motorcycle chic with military sensibility- again playing with contrasts between soft fabrics and intense sartorial elements.

Photos from Style.com

Lanvin really shined with detail this season; while the silhouettes were on trend, construction impeccable, and fabric choices theme adherent, the irreverently techno-industrial detailing is what really separated them from the competition. Oblong beadwork organized into rigid vertical strips echoed circuit-board rigidity, and oversized brooches mimicked robotic chestplates a'la C3PO. The simultaneous incorporation of fur detailing and exposing sheer accents (i.e. human flesh) into many of these same looks created a pleasing tension.

Analyzing and interpreting dichotomies seems to be the fulcrum off of which many collections have been operating this season- the organic versus manmade world has emerged in the runways of several designers. Lanvin is among the first Paris designers to pick up on this theme that seemingly originated in Milan, with designers turning to more natural roots and creating dichotomies between organic and manmade. Fendi picked up on this with their nature-meets-industry themed collection; Prada turned to the outdoors with a more utilitarian, bare-minimum, survivalist story. Even Nicolas Gheresquiere challenged the balance between fluids and solids, upper body and lower body somewhat with the Balenciaga Fall collection.

What tempered the heavy industrial accents of the collection were the feather headpieces that accompanied many looks. Like a lost raven that stumbled into the factory, the last vestige of the organic earth in world run by machines. Headpieces seem to be emerging as a possible capsule-trend for Fall, with Dolce and Gabbana achieving the same effect in Milan with their mismatched glove headpieces.