New York Fashion Week 2011

I've been really busy this past month with loads of homework amidst the countless number of tests that i've barely had enough time to squeeze in a post about one of the most amazing experiences i've had this year. I've never been a person that follows fashion trends let alone analyzes them till i heard of New York Fashion Week. I think i've been living under a rock these past few years cos i've never known that such fashion shows were actually available for public viewing. I always had the impression that fashion shows were for celebrities, the high-and-mighty consumers that have money oozing out of their pockets and fashion designers. I guess i never thought that 'regular' people could attend a fashion show or that it was even available online to view. I always pictured it as a closed event for only the best in the fashion industry.


However, through twitter i caught wind of different websites featuring the shows live and also analysis of different designers. So i decided to give it a try and watch a couple shows and read people's opinions. I must say i was captivated by the whole thing. I started wanting to have opinions of my own. I started appreciating the effort put into the whole event, from the lights, to the runway to the music and the pieces. Wow the pieces! I loved so many of the pieces. The gorgeous array of colours, fabrics and textures. Each runway show brought me to a different world, conveyed a different message and put me into a different mood. Fashion is definitely art.


So, i've posted just a few of the pieces that i absolutely fell in love with. Sadly i can't post all the pieces i love otherwise this post would probably take up 10 pages. This being my first try at a season's fashion shows, i tended to like the pieces i could imagine myself wearing or that i would love to buy (if i could afford it!). I know this isn't the best gauge however since i had no prior knowledge in this area, i was naturally attracted to pieces that were 'wearable'. So here goes:

Jill Stuart

(Really like the owl print and metallic/rustic colours) 

BCBG Max Azria 

(Like the ethnic prints and colour-blocked style)

Luca Luca

(Love the use of different shades - mustard!)

Luca Luca

(Simple yet sophisticated)

Bensoni

(Something different for me - the red flower prints)

Bensoni

(Sweet - so wearable!)

Prabal Gurung

Vera Wang

(Like the fact that the dress is longer at the back)

Carolina Herrera

(simple & classy)

DKNY 

(Brit preppy school girl look)

DVF

(Love the use of different shades of blue)

Herve Leger

Michael Kors

(Love the RED and the neck cuff)

Son Jung Wan

(Like the combination of different fabrics - cohesive)

The Lion King (musical)

On Saturday (12th March), i went to watch 'The Lion King' the musical and it was out of this world! I've always liked Disney shows from young and it was nice to see the musical staged by a mainly African cast.

I must say that i was surprised at the layout of the MBS theatre though. The theatre was about the same size as the Esplanade main theatre but the seats were less spread out so it felt quite cramped/ claustrophobic since it was a full house. This affected the quality of the singing at some points as most of the sound was absorbed so the impact of the song wasn't felt. The stage was a little smaller than the Esplanade. This affected the dancing in the opening scene as the dancers didn't have sufficient space and had to control their movements. It lacked that punch.

Even though there were such limitations, the production was professionally done. I reallly loved the colourful costumes. The lions' masks were ingeniously made. They were attached to the actor's neck and hung above the actor such that when the actor bent forward the mask would move in front of him, covering his face. This made the lions movements more distinct and very much like a real lion.

The set was gorgeous! The stage could be inclined and props like mountains were rolled around the stage. The most well done (and saddest!) part of the musical was when Simba was running away from the wildebeests during the stampede. The wildebeests were cut-out pieces of metal and attached to a rotating wheel so that it looked like more and more wildebeests were approaching Simba. Another great illusion was of water drying up during the drought. A blue cloth was laid on the stage which came out from a hole from under the stage. Slowly, someone under the stage pulled the cloth into the hole so that the illusion of the water drying up was created. It's really hard to explain but honestly it really was very very good.

One thing that was unique was the Singapore flavour they added. Believe it or not, they used singlish here and there which sent the audience roaring with laughter. Zazu even sang the song "Rasa Sayang" which was really funny :) To be honest, i would have preferred if they left this out but since the mood was generally causal it did fit in to the whole musical.

My favourite character - Rafiki the baboon. This part was played by a lady who sang tremendously well and was really hilarious. She caught everyone's attention as soon as she belted a note...love her.

On a side note, however, i must say i was surprised at the quality of the MBS theatre especially after all the hype about MBS and stuff. Nevertheless, i totally enjoyed the musical! It was awesome and i would really recommend one to catch it!

Remember, Jesus loves you!