Exotic.. Erotic.. or Idiotic Fashion Accessories?
For me, the word exotic instantly conjures up images of luxurious belts, shoes, and handbags made from the finest python, cobra, stingray, and alligator skins money can buy. The word can also bring to mind images of foreign landscapes with a beautiful sunset is progress, or over tanned girls with brilliant green eyes wearing g-strings as they walk, balancing on six inch platforms! I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that if you are reading this post, you thought of the bags as well. Who can blame you? Exotic accessories seem to be EVERYWHERE. You can't swing a dead cat in New York or Paris without hitting a women carrying a dead animal!
What used to be reserved for a select few has found its way all over the fashion market. Companies from all categories are showing these "Luxury" items made of exotic skins. When we say exotic, we usually mean Alligator. Python is a close second. Like so many other trends in fashion, Americans look to European fashion designers for direction. In France or Italy an exotic Alligator bag has been the ultimate fashion accessory for decades. The strange thing is that by definition, Alligator bags are not, well, exotic in America. You see the most luxurious Alligator skins are from Louisiana. As in the state. In the United States. How foreign and exotic is that? If you are a women living in Paris, then mais oui - it is very exotic. If however you are a women living in Manhasset, NY or Palo Alto, CA then it seems your $20,000.00 bag is pretty, well, local - and usual. Ok, granted its southern which can seem exotic or Foreign to a New Yorker - but that is another story.
I know a woman who lives in northern California. She spent over $100,000.00 on a black Alligator bag from a very famous French fashion house. You know the one. It's bags are named for the actresses who first carried them. Anyway the lady in Norther Cali had hers custom ordered and then.. she pimped her bag!.. DIAMONDS all over the handle! What she doesn't realize is the concept is vulgar. Diamonds on gold are tasteful because diamonds are more luxurious than gold, but diamonds on Alligator is a moot point. It's like they cancel each other out. The worst part about it is now when the women in question goes shopping, all the sales people nudge each other and say, "Here comes the bag." They refer to her as "THE BAG!" how sad is that? So while everyone is buying any bag with a scale on it, just remember - its called an ACCESSORY! Take it easy. Wouldn't six figures be better spent on a great piece of art work? or at least on a 1/16 share of a private plane?
While celebrities are honoring their own at the 
Yves Saint Laurent - Stefano Pilati has had a bumpy road in his first few seasons out of the gate at YSL. Some say he is too much of a departure from the Yves look, and some just want reference to the master. For fall Mr. Pilati was all about less structure and volumous cocoon shapes. The sleek styling brought attention to clean lines free of needless detail - something he has been criticized for in the past. The collection was modern and chic. Wearable, yet editorial - which is no easy task. Its seems Mr. Pilati is finding his groove at the helm of YSL for sure. 
Stella. She has developed a look for herself with chunky knits. They always have an edge with color or print, but look like you could curl up by the fire with a good book - or at least the latest issue of Vogue. While it was her Saville Row tailoring that put her on the map, it is her more athletic designs that have proved to be commercially successful for her. It is her sportiest looks that girls collect season after season. With swing coats, and jackets she gave them something to get in line for this fall. The perfect things to wear over her active collection from Adidas. Season after season the house known for trainers sell out of her high design "gym clothes". Giving the old saying about ADIDAS a twist - All Day I Dream About Stella!! 
Chanel - When Karl Lagerfeld says SEW - the Chanel atelier says "how fast?" - and when Karl said SNOW - Chanel made that happen too! Thats right. It snowed Friday morning in Paris, but only under the glass dome of the Grande Palais. Mr. Lagerfeld showed his Fall RTW collection under a "sky" of giant white tissue clouds. The runway was a large "frozen" lake covered in snow. His ice princess' made their way around the rink in knee high boots in white and black leather. It was the 1870's meets the 1970's as long coats in deep aubergine were cinched with bright white belts and draped with big tweed bags embellished with charms, charms and more charms. Turqoise was all around - from shoes to bags. The gigantic chest plate necklaces made you somehow think African - while the pixie like models with their crimped hair were more Austrian! While Michel Gaubert remixed David Bowie and we heard snippets singing "pressure", it was the girls who looked pressured not to have a wipe out as they tried to make 6 inch stiletto's on "ice" look easy. We even saw one pair of golden ice skates draped over one girls shoulders- knowing Karl, it could have been a new take on an evening clutch! With KL the sky is the limit! Maybe he was also dreaming of that big sky country out west - just at the finale - the paper clouds started to move and the entire room was bathed in little paper snow flakes. It was a beautiful site- and a total fashion moment. After all, what could be more exclusive than having Chanel snow in your hair or on your person as you had lunch afterwards at L'Avenue. The Avenue Montaigne restaurant was the place to be after the show and the snow!
Fashion is beginning to merge itself with social media. Fashion communities are popping up where you can mix and match pieces of clothing with shoes and various accessories and publish your fashion match for others in the network to see. Of course, no fashion site would be complete without telling you who sells the items and enabling you to purchase what you’ve styled (or the styles of others). 
