District L

It’s been a while since DL has experienced any textual action, but with just a couple days until New York Fashion Week, I’d say it is time for our post-summer revival. The seasonal boat parties have docked and monochromatic-black has returned to the front our closets.

We aren’t the only ones revisiting our origins. Take a flip through any Bible-sized September issue and you’ll see authentic homecomings – Louis Vuitton returns to its subtly monogrammed traveler looks, while Dolce & Gabbana takes it back to the streets of Sicily.

It is time for us to buckle down, button up, and zip into what feels like a momentous season. We have a lot planned for the upcoming Fashion Week – and we promise these fast-typing, manicured fingers will deliver.

Post by Amanda LaMela

But don't blame us afterwards - you are, after all, what you eat. Just you fucking wait and see what happens.

Post by Nicolas Sera-Leyva

All Images from Style.com and Thisiswhyyourefat.com

We don't know what Andre Leon Talley and Joe Zee's job descriptions are either, but if we could guess, the help-wanted listing probably included playing tennis in head-to-toe Louis Vuitton, shouting on TV, and traipsing around Manhattan in a Chanel gorilla costume.

Post by Amanda LaMela

The relationship between fashion and the economy is a running motif of District L's in depth industry analyses - there are few correlations in our society with such a tangible and literally visible impact.

The last few seasons, we were all privy to the effect the downturn had on the industry - classic looks oozing with timeless wearability made an especially spectacular re-emergence. Particularly palpable after the decadent, angular 80's glamfest of F/W 2009 to be certain. With the timely rise of recessionista chic, color and concept quickly began to play second fiddle.

Which is why, this season, we were pleasantly surprised to see designers lose their poker faces and begin to go all in. Chances! Risks! Gambles! A touch of the dearly missed caprice and whim of the industry had returned. This attitude was manifested no better than by the escapist, nostalgic, and in some cases almost fairytale-ish surrealism that many labels embraced for Spring, seen everywhere from Monique Lhuillier's seductive Eden enchantress and Toni Francesc's woodland warriors in New York to Mary Katrantzou's digital dreamscapes in London and Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturini's youthful, evocative collection for Fendi in Milan.

But the fun didn't stop there - check out some of these moments from Spring 2011's Great Escape.

Post by Nicolas Sera-Leyva

Photos from Style.com and Jakandjil.com

This morning, WWD reassured us that Paris Fashion Week remains unaffected by Europe's current terror threat. To the untrained eye, the editors and other members of the fashion elite seem unfazed, but District L will clue you in on the real story:

Anna Wintour: Assistant #3? I've heard murmurs about terror in Paris. Check everyone within 500 yards for red paint... Hello? ...Well, don't just stand there - GO.

Andre Leon Talley: Oh, my dear! It looks like I'll have to change into my Louis Vuitton 'Nonchalance' cape. I'd hate to ruin my purple mink.

Outside the Louvre, smoking a cigarette.

Ines de la Fressange: Karl, darling... Is something bad happening here? Anna's assistant is scouring the Louvre for suspicious activity and Andre is hiding in his Nonchalance cape.

Karl Lagerfeld: Wrong here? Other than this never-ending pregnancy trend, the obesity epidemic, and society's obsession with "love"? Probably.

Ines de la Fressange: Just warn me. I'll just hide inside your collar and -

Karl: Wait! Look!

Ines: What?!

Karl: Are those jogging pants?? I thought I notified the press. Those are the world's stealthiest weapons of ass production.

Post by Amanda LaMela

Karl Lagerfeld is, well, Karl Lagerfeld and his opinion is one of the few that matters. During his fat days in the 80's and early 90's, Karl was seldom seen in public and when he was it was always behind his infamous hand fan.

But ever since Karl magically discovered his own diet and lost a whopping 2000 pounds, he's since ditched the fan in favor of ostentatiously high collars and Hedi Slimane suits by Dior Homme. Presumably, the entire fashion industry took it, fans were dead and buried.

So District L poses a question to you, dear reader: does the fact that Louis Vuitton just...went ahead and unveiled their own line of hand fans at an event in Madrid last Wednesday evening anyway make them okay again?

Spanish actress Rossy de Palma, who was in attendance en force at the event seems to think so.

District L thinks: no.

Tonight, Armani is throwing the party that will be reeling in celebrities and fashion's MVPs. To celebrate the opening of his new Midtown store, Giorgio is opening the doors at 6pm to his 43,000-square foot location on 717 Fifth Avenue. The party, which boasts an RSVP from the Beckhams, only lasts for two hours. Fortunately, this leaves enough time for the attendees to make it downtown for the Faces of Fashion Week reception.

That only leaves one question: Will anyone be showing up to Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld's collaboration with Louis Vuitton?

Post by Amanda LaMela