Is it just me?

Or is Paris fashion week proving to be brain-dullingly uninspiring? Is there a code for designers in Paris to stick largely to monochrome monontonous-ness? Keep styling and cut relatively straight up and down? Hang on, if someone really followed that asthetic they might come up with a slightly more interesting collection than those I'm trying, and believe me I am trying, to filter through.

OK, so maybe I'm being a little too scathing. I know not everything across the PFW board is like the above. But, I've found it so very disappointing. Bad reviews for some (not mentioning any names...hint...Lindsey Lohan), very ugly looking though more exciting styling at Sonia Rykiel and very odd and pointless knee covers? at Vanessa Bruno (take a look, you won't be able to concentrate on anything else!)... what more can I say? Not alot I've found, hence my sad lack of Paris Fashion Week blogging.

Clear to tell therefore, that I'm finding it a drag. I've lost the 'blog mojo' (a saying I've seen somewhere written across my blogging trails somewhere and to be honest...it is true). When I'm looking across style.com slideshow after slideshow some collections just really excite me. They don't have to be my style, in fact the vast majority aren't and don't even come close, but they get me thinking. Thinking about how I could adapt that for me, how original and interesting the designs are....you get the jist. I do like minimal designs and the purity of white but when it's done with style and encourages some thought provoking. Not when I could go and find it for you in some 'basics' range of a high street store.

However, and there is a hope in that 'however'...today I have come across better.

I loved the newness of the rocker look that could be taken from Costume National. Finally, a movement away from black leather and studs that still looks cool, hard and dare I say, 'fierce'. Not that our spring in Britain is of the kind where we can see ourselves in floaty dresses, spring-till-summer shorts etc...no, we will still be well and truly cocooned in our coats until about late May; But at least we can cocoon in more spring friendly colours, whilst maintaining the grunge cool of Autumn/Winter.

The saviours for me have been some of the big house names, refusing to design for a recession.

Givenchy showed everyone how to do monochrome the right way, with eye-catching, strong black and white prints. There were gorgeous, elaborate ruffles bubbling over the dresses themselves, a maze of prints that made my eyes dizzy before being refreshed with the simplicity of a dusty grey, draped dress. Then, just as the palette started to become a little too calm, quite literally like a burst of hot sunshine on a rainy day, a vibrant injection of yellow alternated it's way down the catwalk. One of my favourite collections so far....

To see how black and white could be done, and probably should be done, look no further than the master of monochrome detailing himself...

Karl Lagerfeld.

Futuristic Ice Queen.

One of my favourite pieces out of every collection

Extra Special

Blogging really can be therapeutic I can now confirm. I thought this was going to turn out as a minor post of stilted, angry, paris-fashion-week-has-greatly-disappointed moans, but it's actually turned into quite an outpour of the greatest pieces I've finally managed to come across, and hurrah for that!!

Please let me know your musings on the Paris offerings, and whether I'm just looking at them through sleep deprived eyes!