Clover Canyon impresses with FW14 collection

Its been reported that active wear apparel has risen 9% this year, leaving ready to wear in it's dust (a measly 1% rise in sales).  Camilo Lyon a managing director for Canaccord Genuity (investment company) has described the four key factors for this ever rising trend.  The availability of better athletic fibers/fabrics, the better design elements or "ever-increasing fashion component" found in activewear, fantastic brand focus and that people are generally gaining more interest in activewear lifestyles.
Here's some of the higher end brands and collaborations that are getting in on the game.

Phillip Lim track pants

Stella McCartney for Addidas

Halston Heritage sweats

Moncler windbreaker 

Jen Kao quilted sweats

M. Patmos

I'm not to big on fur, but won't be getting preachy here since I do wear leather.  It is worth noting that at least M.Patmos is doing some of the more interesting work with fur here.  Nice to see it as a texture element paired with the wool herringbone. 

Dior SP14 Shoes

So busy looking at the clothes, you might have missed this!  Thought these were Miu Miu for sure when I first saw them.

Stella McCartney Pre-Fall '14

The prints and textures soften some of the more modern angles and silhouettes.  The oversized dot pattern is a fun reprieve from the small scale prints that have been popular the last few seasons.

images via: style.com

Necklace

here

Rad Hourani SS14 Couture

Here's a few highlights

Chalayan's Couture Debut

Chalayan's nod to Vionnet's innovation of the bias cut came off as a well rounded, and articulated a modern viewpoint.  While other reviews have panned some of his interpretations as 'flat' the overall collection was a strong opener for Chalayan's first for Vionnet.

Chalayan explained "There are so many brands that are old, that are being revived…, it shouldn't be about revisiting the archives".  Chalayan's concept and approach felt  layered and pragmatic, almost academic, visiting other arena's of influence such as industrial design and architecture.

One can't help but notice the contrast of his first collection with other recent designer's who've been charged with reinvigorating a fashion house.  Too much time and energy is waisted on modernizing the past 'hit silhouette's' of designers, often times the design decisions felt as if they had been made by the board and not the designer.  It was utterly disappointing and predictable when Raf Simmons revisited the 'New Look' when opening his first collection for Dior.  

images via: style.com

Check out a refresher of Raf for Dior below…

Margiella SP14

images via: Dazed and Confused

photo credits to Lea Colombo

Coat

Helmet Lang

Backpack

Beautiful backpack by Shinola, a Detroit based company that does other products such as watches and wallets etc…   I took a look at their website and enjoyed reading about their mission to create a quality product. 

 "Making an investment in skill, at scale. Creating a community that will thrive through excellence of craft and pride of work. Where we will reclaim the making of things that are made well."

Ring

Fool's Gold ring no. 5 made by Jade Mellor.  Black resin and pyrite.

here

Book planter

here

Resin Writing Table- Roel Huisman

Something very attractive about that semi-opaque desk top paired with the natural wood.

here

Shoe Sculptures- Celine SS14

Posts

Etsy

Wish List

I'll take one of each please ;)

Helmet Lang leather puffer

Sessun Coat, here

silky leather trim top, here

Calvin Klein, here

here

Alba Prat

Spanish designer Alba Prat digitalized collection (2011) creates beautifully textured garments.