Fashion: Duchess Kate hits Topshop. Paris Fashion Week begins.

It is still refreshing when Kate the duchess of Cambridge -- and probable future queen of England -- is spotted shopping in a regular store where regular people go. Like her local Topshop. There she was Monday evening, reportedly buying a teal polka dot skirt, blue boucle jacket and gold-leaf earrings, all for about $170. [People]

Meanwhile, palace officials deny the rumors that Kate is to appear on the cover of U.S. Vogue, shot by famed fashion photographer Mario Testino. [Los Angeles Times]  

 
Paris Fashion Week got off to a low-key start Tuesday, with spring-summer 2012 collections being shown by some relatively lesser-knowns, such as this year's winner of the prestigious ANDAM prize for emerging designers Anthony Vaccarello, above, as well as Commuun, Aganovich and Julien David. There seemed to be a heavy focus on black and white, asymmetrical cuts, sheer fabrics. And some florals. [The Cut]

While Louis Vuitton creative director Marc Jacobs has seemed to be the front-runner to replace John Galliano at Dior, British Vogue comes forth with this idea: LVMH, the luxury overlord that owns both labels (and a slew of others) may want Jacobs to stay put. And Alexander Wang is under consideration, sources say, though it seems rather unlikely. We'll see. [Vogue UK]  

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Christian Louboutin's red-soled, elegant, luxe shoes. To commemorate two decades, Loutoubin is coming out with a coffee-table tome reviewing the world of the shoes. The introduction was written by actor John Malkovich, and some of the photography is by director David Lynch. The volume is being published by Rizzoli in late October. [Telegraph] 

 -- Susan Denley

Photo: Anthony Vaccarello and models on stage at the end of his spring-summer 2012 show as Paris Fashion Week started Tuesday. Pascal Rossignol / Reuters

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Paris Fashion Week: It's win, place and show at Dries Van Noten

Many of the spring and summer 2012 men's collections that hit the runways of Milan and Paris over the last two weeks have referenced the sporting life, from leisure-time pursuits (such as Prada's golf moment) and the upcoming London Olympics (Vivienne Westwood Man, Missoni) to competitive sports of the upper class (Moncler Gamme Bleu's fencing-themed collection).

But according to Dries Van Noten, he didn't start out with the notion of creating a collection that drew inspiration from horse racing and the equestrian arts; that's just where he ended up. "We were doing all these technical things -- garment bonding and taping -- to these light silks and satins and I started thinking about circumstances in which a man might find them appropriate to wear, which lead to the idea of jockey's silks."

That result was a collection that included skinny-legged trousers with an extra-narrow ankle, Color-blocked blousons with deep V-shapes angling in from shoulders to navel, and barley-colored tweed jackets with leather detailing.

There was also a touch of nautical-preppy flair: navy blue blazers; a red-white-and-blue horizontal stripe pattern appearing on trousers, shirts and generously cut Bermuda shorts; parkas and windbreakers in a crumpled blue nylon so lightweight it billowed with every step as if buffeted by a sea breeze; and a narrow, vertical version of the tricolor stripe that was vaguely reminiscent of semaphore signals.

The collection was heavy on the outerwear pieces -- and heavy-handed on the technical details: Thick, black hot-melt adhesive tape (usually used on a garment's interior for waterproofing purposes) framed the exteriors of pockets, accented zippers and appeared as patches; even sandals could be seen sporting strips of the tape across the top of the foot; and garment bonding was used extensively. But it was all balanced out by the simple, crisp, white dress shirts, the one-piece jumpsuits in washed silk and the open-weave knit sweaters.

The result was a collection that managed to meld the elegance of nearly diaphanous luxury fabrics with the advances of technical outerwear, and it puts Van Noten squarely in Paris Fashion Week's winner's circle.

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-- Adam Tschorn in Paris

Photos: Looks from the Dries Van Noten spring-summer 2012 runway collection shown during Paris Fashion Week. Credit: Michel Euler / Associated Press

Paris Fashion Week: Adam Kimmel's runway debut is a dark take on surfers and psychedelia

Adam Kimmel shifted gears this season, choosing to show his menswear collection on the Paris runway instead of in the presentation format he has used in the past.

That made it hard to tell whether his psycho-surfer-themed spring/summer 2012 collection suffered as a result of not being showcased as memorably as some of his collections in recent seasons (a casino full of clowns, a courtyard of of Snoop Dogg-styled gentlemen and their tricked-out cars, or a Pacific Northwest set piece behind glass, to name just a few), or if this was just a rare occasion when Kimmel's collection failed to catch the killer wave and ride it all the way into shore.

In the show notes, Kimmel described his collection as "dark surfing with a psychedelic undertone" and said that his goal was to create clothes that captured the spirt of the surfer without the traditional look. ("I think surfers are always cooler than the clothes they tend to wear," he notes.)

That meant forsaking the loud prints and bright colors for a dialed-down black and olive color palette with a few pops of red. A Hawaiian floral print that appeared on several shorts was muted to shadow status by a black overdye treatment, and the brightest colors in the entire collection came on black T-shirts with a custom psychedelic print that evoked the '60s-era concert poster art of Alton Kelley and Rick Griffin. (If you stared at the print long enough, you could make out the words "Adam Kimmel" in the design.)  

The collection, which included reversible blazers, bomber jackets with detachable collars and sleeves, and resin-coated cotton outerwear --  was full of athletic-inspired touches. Wetsuit-style stitching was used on many of the pieces, mesh knit sweaters sported neoprene elbow pads, and some jacket sleeves had surf-wax pouches.

But the runway format didn't allow for a full appreciation of the functionality of many of the pieces -- a signature of Kimmel's collections. Backstage after the show, I asked Kimmel about his decision to take his collection to the runway.

"I just thought it was time to take that next step," he said.

There's no argument there. Kimmel's clothes deserve to be shown on the Paris runway. I just hope that as he gets ready to catch the killer waves of future seasons, he doesn't forget to show us all that lies beneath the surface.

-- Adam Tschorn, reporting from Paris

Photos: Looks from the Adam Kimmel spring/summer 2012 runway collection shown during Paris Fashion Week. Credit: Patrice Stable

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Your Morning Fashion and Beauty Report: America Ferrera's wedding gown, Julie Benz's engagement ring, Dwyane Wade's watch, Johnny Weir's legs

 

-- Our Adam Tschorn just returned from covering the men's spring 2012 ready-to-wear shows in Milan and Paris. And some of the fashions were -- as usual -- pretty over-the-top. Who would wear that, I sometimes wonder (think of the fringes at Thom Browne's show or the birds of paradise print at Givenchy. Of course, showing mass appeal garments isn't really the point of the shows, but I digress). Well, in real life, Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir and TV reality star stylist Brad Goreski really wore shorts to a formal charity function in New York Monday night. Weir in particular was attention-grabbing in his tuxedo jacket and short-shorts. [The Cut]

-- America Ferrera married beau Ryan Piers Williams Monday evening wearing a strapless gown by Amsale's Christos label and Fred Leighton earrings. The dress hugged her curves to below the hip, then fell to the floor in a cascade of ruffles. Guests included former "Ugly Betty" castmates Vanessa Williams and Rebecca Romjin, and Blake Lively, with whom Ferrera appeared in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." [People]

-- "Dexter" star Julie Benz is sporting a new engagement ring, given to her Sunday by boyfriend Rich Orosco. The Kwiat ring features a handmade platinum and cushion-cut center stone, which sits in a Kwiat signature "floating basket" with a pave diamond frame. [People]

-- Smurfette, the female Smurf, has a new career as a model. The blue babe is featured in the pages of Harper's Bazaar, showing off "the hottest shoes, handbags, hats and jewelry; dancing in Dolce & Gabbana, looking lovely in Marc Jacobs and Lanvin, and prancing in Vuitton," according to Harper's. [Telegraph] [StyleList]

-- Ken Downing, Neiman Marcus Group senior vice president and fashion director, has big plans for new accessories brand Theodora & Callum, which launched this spring at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. The future Downing envisions for the brand, created by Stefani Greenfield and Desiree Gruber, includes exclusive products, prominent placement in Neiman’s catalogue and dedicated e-mails. [WWD]

-- Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat is designing a limited-edition timepiece for Hublot. [WWD] (subscription required)

-- Husband and wife Shiro Gutzie and Shay Todd (the designer) are opening a beachy lifestyle store in West Hollywood that will blend shopping, art, food and pampering. The boutique at 8336 Melrose Avenue is to open next week. A spa will open later in the summer and a cafe in the fall. [PopSugar L.A.]

-- Nicole Richie's House of Harlow 1960 adds handbags to its offerings this fall. The 14 pieces will include clutches, hobos and cross-body bags priced from $150 to $650. They'll be available starting in mid-July at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Shopbop.com. [WWD] 

-- Susan Denley

Top photo: Johnny Weir, left, and Brad Goreski, bare their legs at Trevor Live: An Evening Benefiting the Trevor Project in New York City. Credit:  Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images;

Bottom photo: Smurfette stars in a Harper's Bazaar spread. Credit: Harper's Bazaar

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Paris Fashion Week: Roland Mouret Mr. leads with the shoulder

Roland Mouret's menswear collection (called Roland Mouret Mr.) made its Paris runway debut during fashion week, and it was as strong as the shoulder that was the focus of his safari-flavored journey.

In the show notes accompanying the runway presentation, Mouret explained his emphasis on the shoulder: "Everything for me comes from the shoulders," he wrote, "as opposed to women's wear, which for me, comes from the waist."

The result was an upscale traveler's wardrobe full of belted twill safari jackets, canvas parkas and bombers all in adventurer-appropriate muted khakis, browns and the occasional bright yellow, balanced by trousers with generously cut legs that nipped in so severely at the waist, some of the deep pleats curved like parentheses. 

It was the simple, unfussy things that were the best parts of Mouret's inaugural men's runway outing -- which is to say just about everything. Some of the standouts were a linen mélange double-breasted jacket, a mint green cashmere cardigan paired with a V-neck cashmere top, and the pair of electric blue basket weave trousers that closed the show.

It was as elegant and balanced a collection as there was to be found on the European men's runways for the spring and summer 2012 season, and my guess is we'll see a lot more from Mr. in the future. 

--  Adam Tschorn, reporting from Paris

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Photos: Looks from the Roland Mouret Mr. spring / summer 2012 runway collection shown during Paris Fashion Week. Credit: Roland Mouret Mr.

Paris Fashion Week: Lanvin takes it from solid as steel to soft as silk

The Lanvin spring and summer 2012 collection was shown under the impressive, soaring iron and glass dome of the Bourse de Commerce and accompanied by music from the soaring score to "The Dark Knight."

The range of the collection from creative director Alber Elbaz and menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver was equally as awe-inspiring.

The show opened with strong-shouldered military-inspired pieces, high-end riffs on the kind of clothes the night watchmen or SWAT officer might feel comfortable in -- on or off the job, including solid-looking pieces of bonded leather, utilitarian webbed belts and trousers bloused into boots.

It ended with soft, almost drooping shoulders, blousy patterned pants and shirts that wouldn't look out of place at a music festival, and more swaths of fabric wrapped diagonally at the waist. 

In between there were clingy knit pullover shirts with artistically folded necklines (maybe it was the music. but they seemed for all the world like they could fold out to accomodate a Batman-like cowled headpiece), technical outerwear pieces that included hooded jackets and a car coat with an extra piece that buttoned tight against the neck when the collar was in the folded-up position.

Overall there was an emphasis on the diagonal -- zippers on the bias, bags with straps from shoelace thin to guitar-strap thick were slung across the chest, the angle of the shoulder and even the cut of the several double-breasted jackets in the collection (one of my favorite formal looks was a purple, double-breasted suit with generously cut trousers).

But there was a unifying element. From the martial to the mellow, everything that came down the catwalk seemed to have a certain strength and structure about it -- not unlike armor, a uniform or even a superhero costume.

So it wasn't surprising when I discovered that the building the show was held in, with its 19th century frescoes and glassed-in iron dome, was considered an architectural achievement for its use of iron and which the European Council of Civil Engineers describes as "one of the first buildings for which the architect and the engineer joined their respective skills." 

Likewise, Lanvin, has wrapped artistic beauty around an iron-strong framework for a collection that is built to last.

-- Adam Tschorn, reporting from Paris

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Top photo: Looks from the Lanvin spring/summer 2012 runway collection shown during Paris Fashion Week. Credit: Jacques Brinon / Associated Press.

Middle photos, from left: Credit: Francois Guillot/Associated Press; Jacques Brinon/Associated Press.

Lower middle photo, from left: Credit: Jacques Brinon/Associated Press. Francois Guillot/Associated Press.

Bottom photo: Francois Guillot/Associated Press.

Paris Fashion Week: Paul Smith goes naval, reserved on the runway

The runways of Milan and Paris were bursting with blues of every hue for the spring-summer 2012 collections, but Paul Smith kept it close to a navy base -- in both senses of the word -- for his slim, trim, pared back collection.

Colorwise the pieces on the runway were grounded primarily in navy blue and black, with some browns grays and tans -- and an eye-catching shade of orange.

It was the orange and blue color combination that evoked the feeling of naval dress uniforms paired with the flight deck vests worn on aircraft carriers (for fall and winter 2011, Mark McNairy's first collection for Woolrich Woolen Mills used a vibrant yellow accent color to create a similar vibe) and the military feeling was only made stronger by ribbed knit sweaters, nylon windbreakers that had a parachute fabric feel and button-front shirts paired with matching neckties as straight and no-nonsense as a nun's ruler.

The collection was more straightforward and unadorned than Smith's recent collections, eschewing pattern and print (except a brief flash of a jacket lining, ad a few final looks that had shattered-glass designs) for orange and blue color-blocked sweaters and mixed fabrication trousers that paired blue, silk-like trousers with leather pieces at each leg from mid-thigh to mid-calf. 

No word on what inspired the collection (I usually like to catch Smith backstage after the show where he spins some fantastic yarn involving his elbow-rubbing days with rock 'n' rollers), but no matter, it stands at -- and commands -- attention all by itself.

-- Adam Tschorn in Paris

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Photos: Looks from the Paul Smith spring-summer 2012 runway collection shown during Paris Fashion Week. Credit: Thibault Camus / Associated Press

Paris Fashion Week: Thom Browne's flapper and fringe festival

Thom Browne showed his spring and summer 2012 menswear collection in the intimate venue of the famed Maxim's restaurant on Rue Royale, and it kicked off with the clink of Champagne glasses and to the strains of "Willkommen" from Kander and Ebb's "Cabaret."

What followed after that was Browne's usual curio cabinet of tailored pieces, garments that often seem designed more to showcase his skills than to be worn out in the real world -- such as the fringed lampshade bucket hat worn by the first model down the runway, and cape shoulders as square and angular as a chair back. 

Based in a color palette of black and gray with his traditional red-white-and-blue accents,  the collection of suits, jackets, capes, shirt dresses and shorts was heavy on the stripes and nearly as heavy on the
fringe, which seemed to dangle from every garment edge imaginable -- jacket shoulder pads, trousers, the hems of jackets and shirts, the aforementioned lampshade hats, and at least two full-on dresses -- one knee-length number in alternating blue and white striped tiers of flapper fringe, and a tiered flapper fringe dress in black, (worn over a white dinner jacket) and fringe-edged scarves so long they dragged on the ground.

The multitude of stripes, the fringe and the bare arms (many looks -- even the suits -- had dispensed with arms altogether, and either hung like capes or more closely resembled vests), helped elongate the silhouette, as did the strands of pearls that hung loosely from neck to knees, and the black socks held up by garters of red-white-and-blue grosgrain.

What the full-on flapper regalia stole focus from, however, was the fact that Thom Browne's man-boy silhouette is continuing its evolution. The models that sauntered and glowered their way through the dining room looked more "Matrix"  than Maxim's, and even without the padded jackets and vests, clearly had stronger shoulders and more muscular arms than many of the models that have walked his shows in the past.

It's a welcome change. 

-- Adam Tschorn, reporting from Paris

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Paris Fashion Week: Junya Watanabe takes an overall approach

The Junya Watanabe Man show was held outdoors and against the backdrop of giant hedges -- and in the middle of Paris to boot -- but thanks to the bib overalls, duck boots and rubber Wellies, it felt for all the world like a slice of the English countryside.

That is until you noticed that the overalls were done in suiting fabric gray with subtle pink pinstripes, bold blue and white checks or plaids -- or solid shades like sky blue or tuxedo black. 

There were certainly other things worth harvesting from Junya Watanabe's garden party -- patchwork denim blazers, contrast patchwork work shirts, and some nearly winter-weight technical outerwear pieces, but for some reason it was the simple act of taking an upscale approach to that onesie of the workingman that seemed to capture everyone's attention.

Even one of the photographers at the show (and realize that the fashion runway photographers are among the most jaded fashion show attendees you'll likely encounter) mentioned it as we climbed on the shuttle bus to the next show.

"You know, if there was ever anything that would get me to wear a pair of overalls, that'd probably be it," the photographer said to me.

Which sums it up perfectly.

-- Adam Tschorn, reporting from Paris

Photos: Looks from the Junya Watanabe Man spring and summer 2012 runway collection shown on June 24 during Paris men's fashion week. Credit: Michel Euler / Associated Press.

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Paris Fashion Week: Jonathan Adler for Lacoste collection coming in November

Lacoste unveiled at Paris Fashion Week the latest in its holiday collector series -- a collaboration with designer Jonathan Adler, a limited-edition run of shirts that gives the iconic French brand Adler's distinctive "happy chic" twist.

The story behind this collector series "involves a nun," volunteered author Simon Doonan (married to Adler in 2008), who was on hand for the press preview on the portico of Paris' Petit Palais. "No, really it does." 

Doonan wasn't, it turns out, just being his usual wise-cracking self. But any tale that involved Jonathan Adler, crocodile shirts and a nun was worth hearing from the beginning, so Adler obligingly took a minute away from gladhanding visting dignitaries to walk me through the collection.