Trend : 2010 Report

Lee Alexander McQueen 1969-2010 ( copyright Anne Deniau, all rights reserved )

 Yes, 2010 is nearly over. Almost unbelievable as this year has been one of the most intense of the first decade of the 21st century. We can't talk of 2010 without mentioning the tragic disappearance of designer Lee Alexander McQueen. His last collection shined like a gift from heaven. It was good to see that Sarah Burton succeeded to the genius, and also that women were finally taking the lead : women designers ( Phoebe Philo for Céline, Hannah MacGibbon for Chloé, Isabel Marant, ... ) and diversity of models ( young, old, curvy, slim, black, white, asian, transsexual, redhead, ... ). But 2010, it is also a volcano which forced us to realize the vacuity of our transport frenzy, a cursed year for couples ( the divorce of Eva Longoria, and now the break up of Zanessa ! ), and the Crisis with a big C, the new cruel goddess who is running our lives. In short, this is a year in full color ... Quick review of 2010's Fashion.


 2010's collections we loved

If creativity is not the strong point of the Cinema Industry, at least, 2010 was greatly inspiring for fashion designers. McQueen and Miu Miu were the great names. Everyone fell in love with the shiny, girly and playful designs of Mucia Prada. Chanel, of course, was perfect as usual. We can also quote Marchesa, Sportmax and Alexis Mabille, the one to follow. In picture, the deliciously elegant collections of Oscar De La Renta, Basil Soda, Balmain which establishes itself as one of the leaders of the Industry with its brilliant and addictive designs, Etro, with its ethnic luxury, Gareth Pugh which is now considered as a great name, Indian-born Naeem Khan and of course, Alexander McQueen.

 2010's collections we hated

You can be a great genius of fashion and deceive your admirers. Many misleaded in the Mad Men's trend and created real monsters. Others take the expression "Less is more" to the letter and created tasteless clothes. There was also the ones who didn't pull their punches in the boyfriend's trend ... They cannot be right all the time, but we have to collar them before they repeat the same mistake. In picture, Cacharel which was really painful to watch this year, Roberto Cavalli who decided to do the opposite of "Less is more" and stunned us with an horrific collection, I don't even mention the ridicule of Louis Vuitton ( who fortunately redeemed himself with his SS 2011 collection ), Chloé and its menswear , Prada and its damage to the modern women, Stella McCartney and the abominable Topshop Unique and its wild child escaped from a SM adaptation of Peter Pan. Ouch, let's forget those things.

2010's best fashion photographies

A short gallery is worth a thousand words, so admire :

David Benoliel

Sølve Sundsbø for Numero

Rafael Stahelin for Korean Vogue

Mert&Marcus for Vogue Paris

Julia Pogodina for Zink Magazine

 2010's worst fashion photographies

I still wonder what they find to Terry Richardson. It is gross, of miserable quality and the guy looks like a freak. As for Meisel's editorial for Vogue Italia, yuk, yuk and yuk !

Terry Richardson for Vogue Paris - Steven Meisel for Vogue Italia

 2010's best promising designers

Oh great ! New names ! Tons of them ! I already told you about Pedro Lourenço, Alexandre Vauthier, Lilly Marthe Ebener and Li-lee ? But this year, they were not the only to make the buzz. In picture, you can also admire a military outfit from Anthony Vacarello, one from the highly desirable collection of J.W. Anderson ( who also does amazing jewellery ), a gorgeous dress of Talbot Runhof and another one from Louise Goldin, with a stunning photography. Can't wait to see them in the next years !

 2010's trends to worship

On the trends' side, 2010 was also rich in good surprise. In beauty, we were finally liberated from the painful sessions at the beautician thanks to the trend of the natural eyebrows. We love it ! At last, a face with personality ! We also love grey nail varnish, great on the long hands. In our wardrobe, we were happy to find the big, warm, gorgeous sweaters back. Thank you D&G ! We also have a crush for turbans ( here made with a Chloé scarf ), bowler hats and leather briefcase, very nerdy-chic ( pictured : Lancaster, but you can also find a great piece by DKNY at net-à-porter ).

 2010's trends to poke fun at

Every year, it is the same song : unwearable clothes, ridiculous hairdos and beauty tips ... Sometimes, we wonder if the magazines aren't taking us for morons ... Our worst nightmares seem to have been realized in 2010 : the new icon of the teenagers, Kristen Stewart, channelled her inner Joan Jett for a movie ? And bang, the mullet comes back. Seriously, it is the worst thing in the history of hair fashion and I would never have believed it could come back. But it did. Let's hope it would soon disappear. For our own sake.
After Joan Jett, Joan Harris wreaks havoc. Please, forget the years 50s or 60s, or anything which remind us that once women were only good and smily housewifes ... You've easily recognized Louis Vuitton and Prada in the picture. Another trend that we wish will be a temporary fad : flannelette. A dress for Rihanna, sweaters for Dries Van Noten, pants for Isabel Marant. And grey. For me, it is too associated with sweating ...

 2010's faces we liked

They made the year, we love them. Long live Anna Dello Russo and her delicious spark of madness.
This year, the brunettes have taken the lead : Anne Hathaway is definitely the new icon, and this photoshot channeling Audrey Hepburn for Vogue is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G so does her pixie crop ( she is now back to longer hair ). Other brunettes are Charlotte Kemp Muhl, Elisa Sednaoui ( in a shot of Karl Lagerfeld for the Pirelli Calendar ), the misunderstood Isabel Lucas and the adorable and oh-so-fashionable Leighton Meester ( who has got shoes to die for in this shot, see them here : http://justjared.buzznet.com/photo-gallery/2498253/leighton-meester-herbal-madrid-02/ ). Michelle Williams represents the blondes here, and for the redheads, I think that we had our dose this year ( see my article on Christina Hendricks ). As for the men, I have selected the adorkable James Franco and Kanye ... Yes, Kanye. Love him, hate him or totally indifferent, you have to admit that he has guts in his madness.

 2010's faces we liked ( on the catwalks and magazines )

This year was the reign of Constance Jablonski, Jessica Stam, Lara Stone and Ginta Lapina ( what a name ! ) but my selection includes less known names. Eniko Mihalik is one of those rising stars ( gorgeous in red ), along with Jenny Sweeney, beauty Joan Smalls, transsexual Givenchy star Lea T, Liu Wen ( you already know her if you have read my article on her ), the next big thing Tao Okamoto, the Nordic angels Sigrid Agren and Svala Lind and, finally, the doll Charlotte Benson. No male models, as Baptiste Giabiconi is having ( stealing ) the top billing thanks to his special relationship with Karl Lagerfeld.

 2010's faces we are tired to see

This list will definitely be longer. Of course, Justin Bieber tops it. Please, someone, kidnap that brat and keep him very far from a mic, Twitter and any media ... Same request for Mr and Mrs Brand ( no, they are not as sexy as Mr and Mrs Smith ) : I used to like Russell, now he and his Indian-themed wedding with the queen of attention-whores Katy is really getting on my nerves. If I see her idiotic smile again on Ellen, I think I am going to kill someone. And what happened to Marion Cotillard ? She used to be so sweet, so natural ... Now that she is the face of Dior bags and a huge Hollywood movie star, her style is really monstruous ... And pregnancy doesn't excuse everything, dear. I know she has got tons of fans who think that it is great that she is different, but I still can't stand the face of model Lindsey Wixson. It reminds me creepy dolls. Sorry ! Talking of creepy things, I think that 2011 must be the year of the retirement for Madonna. Being that decrepit and hang out with sexy clothes and much younger Adonis is genuinely indecent.
Yes, I've put Sarah Palin in my list : even if I am not American, I was there during her campaign in 2008 and she scared me. Thinking that she is planning a come-back is totally frightening. A special mention for Taylor Momsen and her proud look inspired by the cheap prostitute of Manilla, for Ke$ha who took the eyebrows' trend too seriously, for Nicki Minaj, Robert Pattinson, Jada Pinkett Smith and her terrifying daughter Willow. Put them all in a bus and take them to Alaska so we don't have to endure them in 2011. That is a serious request, really.

2010's best nervous giggles

Of course, Willow Smith is there. Especially for this outfit. She told the world it has been made by her personal stylist Brea Stinson aka Bstar. Ooops. In fact it was stealed to designer Mildred Von Hildegard. Humiliation for the Smiths, good advertising for the steampunk designer : 0-1.
I think the whole look of Nicki Minaj deserves an award for Best Nervous Giggles of 2010. Seriously, everything this gal wore is ridiculous and attention-seeking.
But the queen of queens is unquestionably Lady Gaga. Her style is amazing, audacious and unique. But sometimes, too much of a good thing leads you to something really disturbing. I cherish the memory of the face of Cher when she had to carry Gaga's meat purse during the VMA ... Priceless. It is better to laugh than to puke actually.

We started with sorrow, we end with humour. That's all a year is, and 2010 was not different.