Stylesheet

Scot and I were at Highland Park Village when we came across the most impeccably dressed man talking with friends in front of Hadleigh’s. We had to take his picture! The details of the stitching and immaculate craftsmanship of his sport coat alone were worthy of a hundred photos! Turns out he is the owner of Hadleigh’s and one of the most creatively inspirational people we have come across. He and his wife have given Dallas one of the finest selections of custom suiting and lifestyle clothing that’s only seen in major labels such as Tom Ford or Armani. The storefront is filled with new Spring arrivals in delightful blue hues, pastel ginghams, and chambrays. And who doesn’t want a pair of those novelty slippers after seeing Poppy Delevigne sporting her preppy print loafers around Paris?!

In the midst of watching Dries Van Noten and Anthony Vaccarello from Paris Fashion Week, I couldn’t help but think of the upcoming SMU Fashion Week. This is the university that inspired a daily street style blog dedicated to it’s innovative and cutting edge take on fashion. (RIP Hilltop Glossy.) You can’t discount the worldly influence that is present on campus and the evolving trends that weave in and out of the student body. And due to popular demand, SMU now offers a minor in Fashion Media. I find more wardrobe inspiration on campus than on The Sartorialist or Garance Doré’s blog, which are personal favorites. So don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of the fashion evolution happening right here in Dallas, March 26 – 30.

Diet Pepsi returns to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week with Simon Doonan, of Barneys New York, to showcase four up-and-coming regional designers. Project Runway contestant and Dallas local, Shirin Askari, was one of the four selected for this chance of a lifetime.

What do you hope to gain from this trip to New York Fashion Week?

I hope to gain connections, showoff my collection, and express my design perspective.

Wardrobe staples for Fall 2012?

High-waisted skirts. Transparent and sheer fabrics. Anything that makes you feel good.

Regular fashion reads?

Lucky and In Style because it displays what real women are buying and wearing.

What do you wear when traveling?

I try to travel light. I like to wear Bleu Lab reversible denim because you can pack two pairs but actually have four looks. And I love dark denim with a blazer and tee.

Whose style do you admire?

Victoria Beckham. She’s sleek and very tailored. And Katharine Hepburn.

Plans for the future?

Finishing Spring and Fall collections. Traveling to Milan A/W12 Fashion Week and staying an extra week in Venice. And traveling more for design inspiration.

Hopefully you weren’t one of the few who missed out on the first ever Gypsy Swap and Flea outside the Gypsy Wagon! Not only were there incredible vintage finds, but there were so many cool people, inspiring outfits, adorable puppies, and endless deals. Everything that I had preselected to purchase was gone by the time we were done shooting! You snooze, you lose. Only festival season could have beat the awesome vibe in the air and the beautiful weather!

Between Jean Paul Gaultier and Alpha Chi Couture, we found time to take in the breathtaking view and sip high tea (better known as “tea-quila”) on the terrace, Texas style. Can you believe our beautiful city?

I was skeptical when I heard the Dallas Museum of Art would be showcasing a retrospective of legendary Parisian designer Jean Paul Gaultier before traveling to San Francisco and then to Europe. The couturier has done a masterful job branding himself with An American In Paris motifs, such as french mariner stripes, trench coats, sailor caps and berets, and lace undergarments as outerwear. But what don’t we already know? That his only U.S. boutique on Madison closed in 2005 or that his orders have dropped since the recession.

“A museum can seem dead, the clothes are very old, it’s like a funeral,” Gaultier said. “I wanted something very, very alive!” As he personally guided us through the exhibit, he spoke of a departure from the fantasy world of wealth and exclusivity, an equally diverse world of flesh tones and sizes, a world where men can cry and women can fight, and an artistic reflection of what’s happening on the streets of London and Paris. For a designer who is approaching sixty and has celebrated over 35 years of haute couture and prêt-a-porter, he is very much on the cutting-edge of contemporary fashion.

As we were left to wander alone through the remainder of the exhibit, we came upon Nana, Gaultier’s teddy bear wearing the first conical bra cups, never-before-seen prints from photography greats like David LaChapelle and Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, and talking mannequins with lifelike presence and spontaneous commentary. Gaultier’s unapologetic world of jumbled boundaries and provocative genius left me inspired and still, three days later, thinking of fashion with an incredibly fresh perspective.