TREND I-SPY

A Decade of Yves Saint Laurent Like everybody else I have been looking back this week and reviewing the major fashion trends of the Millennium. In doing so it occurred to me that you really only need to look at one major label and that is Yves Saint Laurent. the whole history of fashion in this decade can be found there! So see for yourself, the major items and themes of the decade as brought to us by the following designers: S2000-F2000 Alber Elbaz S2001-F2004 Tom Ford S2005-Present Stefano Pilati While all three relied heavily for inspiration on the original designs of the master himself, their modern versions of Peasant looks, Pinstripes, Leather and Snakeskin, The Trench and of course the wonderful Le Smoking were brilliant enough to bring these fashion classics into the new century and look thoroughly up-to-date while doing so. Alber Elbaz has since gone on to prove his worth as one of the best designers of his generation at Lanvin, Tom Ford has evolved into a brand unto himself a...

Ysl F09 Corsetry of the sort Helmut Newton used to favor in his photography, was featured on several Paris runways for Fall 09 and is in stores now. Stefano Pilati showed a strong collection that fully utilized the air of sophisticated eroticism only supple black leather can engender. This included a zippered body suit first shown alone and then styled with a sober pinstripe pencil-skirted suit. To me it looks even sexier peaking out from underneath the jacket than it does when fully revealed. Here is the inimitable Kate Moss wearing a similar outfit in an ad for YSL fragrance Parisienne. Karl Lagerfeld shot a fashion editorial story for Harpers Bazaar this month featuring a similarly styled outfit from his collection for Fendi. Ooh, la la! Harpers Bazaar, November 09 Lady GaGa in January 2010

JPG Suit and Bustier 1990, Blonde Ambition Tour 1990 Sketches of Suit and Bustier by Jean Paul Gaultier 1990 There's a chance that Marc Jacob's Spring 2010 show is also a nod to fashions of the late '80s/early '90s and to Jean Paul Gaultier's iconic cone-cupped bustier. Custom-made for Madonna, she wore it with a pinstriped men's tailored suit during her Blond Ambition tour of 1990. Gaultier himself resurrected the look in HIS 2010 show. There's a striking juxtaposition between the retro-looking satin corsetry and sharply tailored sportswear. He also created a denim version. Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2010