Prada’s dapper designs managed to overshadow the presentations—thanks in added part to the slew of celebrities featured both off and on the catwalk. Actors Jamie Bell, Willem Dafoe, Tim Roth, Adrien Brody and Gary Oldman modeled ‘30s-style long coats with wide fur lapels and double-breasted cummerbunds with brooch accents. The combination of these iconic male figures and designs lent a timeless glamour and masculinity to the overall collection.

At Burberry Prosum, Christopher Baily’s collection had all the excitement of a British period drama—right down to the accessories. Tweed caps and striped umbrellas with silver dogs head handles accented the quintessentially anglo collection, which featured updates on the corduroy suit as well as polka-dot shirts and ties, cropped quilted jackets and cow-neck knit jumpers. Jil Sander was also inspired by animals, albeit of the more outlandish variety. Amid the professional suits and black leather, Sander’s collection included dinosaurs and whales on a few knits.

Nothing short of opulent, Giorgio Armani’s collection was lavished with velvet jackets, lush snoods and theatrical hats reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance. Similar in its approach to luxury, Dolce & Gabbana’s catwalk collection featured a series of wool suits adorned with thick capes and silk bowties, then slowly progressed into ensembles fit for royalty (silk pajamas made in the signature D&G print, dinner jackets embroidered with gold details).

Designers upstaged this season’s fine fabrics with new textiles and prints. Etro featured layered feathered jumpers with Native American printed blazers, while Missoni showed similar designs that merged the classic Missoni pattern with ethnic weaves. Missoni also included brown and red plaid trousers for a/w ’12, which was a trend also seen in DSquared2’s blue plaid scarves and button-down shirts. Denim also proved to be a popular textile, as seen at DSquared2 and, most strikingly, in a denim jacket at Valentino.

Making his menswear debut, Jonathan Saunders set out to distinguish himself from the fierce competition by using a fall/winter palette eclipsed by pastels and intricate pale prints on stunning two-piece suits. His collection was a mix of tailored pieces in baby blue, soft red and yellow knitwear as well as the occasional plum red or navy separate. At Moschino, Bill Shapiro showed equal enthusiasm for color with his orange brick print three-piece look, while Marc Jacobs opted for bright lime and yellow in a skater-inspired jacket with matching trousers and Trussardi designed retro houndstooth suits and suede blazers in rich blues and orange.

Whisking our imaginations to lofty new levels, a fantastical narrative permeated many of the runway shows. Thom Browne, whose presentations are already notorious spectacles, used a surreal 1920s tableau of an all-girl social gathering to underpin his presentation of whimsical, menswear-inspired outfits. Similarly, Marc Jacobs, who showed on the last slot of fashion week, showed off his boundless creativity with hyper-realistic embellishments like shards of colorful plastics as trims, metallic surfaces as panels and cellophane-like encasings on skirts. While Jacobs was drawn to the superficial, other labels like The Row, Ralph Lauren, Gregory Parkinson and even Bebe (with Emanuel Ungaro vet Charles Benton as design consultant) seemed enamored by the ethereality of white.

Although white once again reigned as the season’s most prominent color statement (or subtle lack thereof), some designers reacted against the trend with intense look-at-me  hues. Marc by Marc Jacobs lined up a parade of strong colors, opening the show with an eye-catching orange shift that affirmed the citrus shade’s prominence throughout the week. Orange also set the tone for Ohne Titel’s graphic outing, proved a fantastic complement to Thakoon’s use of turquoise and was used in its faintest iteration at Calvin Klein. Mark Fast’s Faster line gave his signature seductively taut dresses an even racier appeal with pink, while Vera Wang’s use of highlighter yellow and Yves Klein blue made her uptown take on dressing seem younger and Peter Som displayed exuberantly warm shades of yellow, pink and orange in his flowery leggings.

The interlink between flowers and colors was readily apparent from the week’s earliest shows onward. Along with Som, we previously noted the optimistic motif everywhere from Cynthia Rowley to Karen Walker. Carolina Herrera seemed to exult in the fantasy of a pastoral summer picnic with clean prints against crisp designs. Prints varied from bright yellow and green birds to sharp primary color lines, but the silhouettes possessed a liberated air. Jason Wu had his most elegant outing yet, proving to be the premier designer for ladylike dressing that manages to be simultaneously prim and sexy: high-collared shirts were paired with svelte shorts, subdued grays contrasted with pastel shades of pink and cleanly tailored separates exuded a swingy ease. In his most experimental outing, Prabal Gurung played with everything from sheer fabrics to geometric cutouts in unconventional lines, but tempered these edgy designs with innocent purples and detailed floral prints.

The activewear and sports theme proved to be a big trend this season with classic and unexpected labels alike taking on the American style tradition. Y3 is already a pioneer and master of athletic wear, but the brand injected an air of debonair to its collection. Although models emphasized Y3’s sporty vibe with sneakers and active designs, the collection also featured exaggerated menswear-style vests and grungy plaid prints across both genders. Lacoste introduced a more ready-to-wear interpretation of the genre thanks to new artistic director Felipe Oliveira Baptista’s updated vision for the brand. Though usually more of an elegant, uptown designer, Victoria Beckham managed to make sporty sexy by using the anorak (itself a popular piece this season) to describe her collection. 3.1 Philip Lim’s pastel outing balanced delicate silks and organza with a sporty motif seen in nylon anoraks—proof that there’s such a thing as activewear you can look chic in without having to sweat in. Alexander Wang opened his show with a seemingly all-encompassing mesh fabric overlaying his subtle designs. The hint of color peaking through the holes (and pockets!) made for a peek-a-boo effect that was both playful and dramatic, while blatant zippers, deep pockets and bandanas brought home the power of statement details. Like Wang, Altuzarra knows how to mix sportswear, which he cleverly integrated into classic daywear, as seen in pairings such as ribbed nylon vests with a flouncy skirt.

Above all, NYFW yielded a decidedly wearable array of options for next summer’s fashionistas. M.Patmos kept things simple with reliable knitwear that varied from sweet cardigans to long and loose ponchos and the occasional sheer top. Tim Coppens, a Belgian designer now based in New York, showed meticulously constructed menswear with a sporty touch, which has already won over Barneys New York. Proenza Schouler took a truly eclectic approach with everything from accessible tribal print details and slim-cut jackets to eccentric bondage-style pieces and ’70s retro-inspired shapes. Sophie Theallet somehow adopted both the white and bright color themes of the season with floor-sweeping dresses as well as smart, knee-grazing pieces that could easily transition from day to night. And Brooklyn label Creatures of the Wind presented a charmingly vintage-inspired collection that managed to be nostalgic yet fresh with contrasting prints, bold colors and gem-like hues.

What’s hot right now?
I’m obsessed with street artist and recent TED prize winner JR, as he covers our city with his “Wrinkles of the City” works. Taking things further, MOCA will debut Art In The Streets next month, surveying graffiti and street art. Pop-up restaurants/bars are also huge. Paul Sevigny and Andre Saraiva are doing a pop bar for six months at the former Cinespace called Paul & Andre. Golden State Café recently hosted a pop-up pie event with Crust. And everyone is clamoring to get a seat at these two recently opened restaurants: Playa, by chef/owner John Sedlar, and Son Of A Gun, by the owners of Animal.

What was your favorite show from the a/w ‘11 collections?
Fendi really stood out with its elegant mix of cloth coats, boldly colored baggy tights and sweet mary janes. There was also a quiet and reduced look to Celine and 3.1 Phillip Lim, which screamed urban uniform. Celine’s pointy-toe loafers and turtlenecks with full leg trousers had a subtle sexiness, while Lim’s silk utility coat and jumpsuits were flirty and functional. The editors at Mondette are also a little crazy over Suno. Designers Max Osterweis and Erin Beatty have the wildest prints that somehow work perfectly together and each season they seem to just get better.

What are the most essential pieces that women should have for spring?
When it comes to spring, your closet should be stocked with wide leg
pants. Think long and lean with a seductive ’70s style a la Marc Jacobs and Derek Lam. The white dress is a trend we recently covered for a minimalist and crisp style. The longer the hem, the better. And I would also invest in some cute flatforms. Local designer Kristen Lee (and co-owner of fab fashion boutique TenOverSix) created a funky pair for Vena Cava’s spring collection.

What’s the most stylish part of Los Angeles fashion?
Los Angeles fashion has an understated, effortless coolness about it, with a dash of rock ‘n roll. Local designers like Raquel Allegra, Cerre, Them Atelier, and George Esquivel are creating exciting new looks that go beyond the laid back casual style LA is known for. Plus, you’ll find innovators like Tanya Aguiñiga and Gabriela Artigas blending art and fashion, while Geren Ford, Jenni Kayne and Wren design the perfect party dress.

Retro Beauty
Retro beauty is an inevitable reoccurrence, but every artist’s challenge is to cleverly reformulate and ultimately reinterpret those bygone eras with an appealingly modern aesthetic. The a/w ‘11 runways were no exception to the popularity of retro-inspired beauty, and most notable was a strong ‘60s revival that began at the New York shows and continued throughout the European collections. But beyond mod and flower power inspiration, virtually every other important era was explored: from the glamour of the ‘40s and ‘50s to ‘90s grunge, club-kids and pretty much everything in between.

The standout retro look of the season was Peter Philips’ very polished and controlled look at Jil Sander, which was reminiscent of the prerequisite exquisiteness of Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic leading ladies (Grace Kelly, Kim Novak, Tippi Hedren). Philips masterfully executed this pristine façade via a flawless demi-matte complexion and a cool shade of aqua eyeliner across the eyelid, finished off with perfect lashes and impeccably groomed eyebrows. The look was then punctuated by a deep cinematic shade of red on the lips and perfectly lacquered and coiffed hair by Guido Palau. Other standout retro looks of the season included ‘50s chic at Diane Von Furstenberg, ‘70s twist on ‘40s glamour at Gucci (think metallic doe-eyed lids accentuated by exaggerated lashes and deep burgundy stained lips) as well as what will probably be the most widely imitated of all trends: the updated, softened and sometimes almost slept-in look of ‘60s sex-kitten at Carolina Herrera, Burberry and Dolce & Gabbana.

The Evolution of Bare
The bare/minimal face is one of the more popular trends to have maintained a strong presence both on and off the runway for several seasons. Perhaps not purely for its overall simplicity, convenience and accessibility, this important beauty trend has progressed into a slightly more sculptural movement toward subtle facial contouring, most often with eye-shadows and blush in subtle neutral shades ranging from sheer flesh-tones to warm rich earth tones and in some cases an added hint of grey or metallic. The look is generally complemented by (or at least, extremely well matched with) a strong, almost masculine eyebrow, which is another a feature that is also increasing in popularity.

Although extremely popular throughout the collections, this winning mixture of a minimal face combined with a stronger brow seemed to have much more of a presence in Europe and was particularly visible at the Paris collections. At the forefront of the minimalist movement are Rodarte, Proenza Schouler, Prada, Rochas, Balenciaga, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Nina Ricci and Rick Owens, who broke away from the pack and added a bright red lipstick to an otherwise bare canvas.

Bold Statements, Metallic Eyes, 90’s Club-Kids/Cyber-Punk
There was a lot of emphasis on bold eye statements, which ranged in many forms to add an element of graphic and architectural drama to the face. Although a wide range of colors was used throughout the collections, a cooler palette seemed to be favored overall for the eyes, as were metallic tones, which, in most cases, were defined with intense black liner to elongate or completely alter the eye shape. Eyebrows once again played an important role, and, in these more extreme looks, and were accentuated in a multitude of ways (from lightening or bleaching to being completely covered in gold pigment or exaggerated blackened in shapes).

Standout statements were seen from Tom Pecheux, whose metallic elongated eyes combined with very strong, graphic brows at Phillip Lim 3.1, Diane Kendal’s dark, dramatic eyes with an unexpected pop of metallic gold at Jason Wu as well as Lisa Butler’s elongated eyes in an aqua and turquoise palette. This theme was also most recently notable in Paris at Mugler’s homage to ‘90s tribal club-kid with exaggerated cat- eyes and brows.

Strong Hair Parts, Textured Tresses,  Contrasting Combinations
Like beauty, hairstyles ran the gamut from super sleek to very relaxed bedroom hair. And, like the beauty trends that have already been highlighted, there is a lot that can be adapted and experimented with, particularly the emphasis on strong parts and playful texture.

There was a very concentrated focus on a bold center parting, either in the form of neat styles pulled off the face or in relaxed and combed-through, tousled curls. Oscar de la Renta was one of the many designers to focus on the center part, and enlisted hair master Orlando Pita to create a look that was tremendously complementary to his collection’s hats. Anna Sui, Proenza Schouler and Balmain also played with the centered look, while Anne Valerie Hash showed a sexy side part with one section pulled off the face, allowing a soft and slightly seductive textured wave to fall over one eye.

Braids of all forms were also extremely important, heralding an emerging combination of sleek, shiny sectioned hair with softer drier textures. Rachel Roy most notably played with a look of slightly disheveled neatness in braids, but Gucci explored the textural contrasts in side parts combined with a dry ponytail and Missoni went with a wet and dry combo faux-hawk. Another sleek trend sure to gain momentum was the dominatrix-inspired ponytail at Marc Jacobs. The current obsession with the 90’s also introduced a certain amount of boyish or androgynous hairstyles.

Designers adopted dramatic hemline lengths to dictate a departure from skinny minis, a trend that was echoed on the city streets with skirts ranging from urban romantic (long and languid over sturdy boots) to sweetly feminine (ankle length chiffon). Mandy Coon featured a floor sweeping iteration in black, Gregory Parkinson adorned his in dizzying prints, Y-3 channeled Yohji Yamamoto’s ’80s-era fullness and Thom Browne’s eccentric collection yielded bold skirts in bulbous shapes and graphic, geometric layers. While Browne heavily translated his menswear approach into this womenswear outing, other designers translated the equally androgynous, fashionably disheveled looks of early ’90s grunge. Richard Chai’s contemporary line Love featured long and lean skirts paired with slouchy tops, Jeremy Laing’s floor-length chiffons seemed slightly worn-in and Band of Outsiders layered skirts over additional skirts as well as trousers. Marc Jacobs, who was famously fired from Perry Ellis for promoting the grunge look in the early ’90s, interpreted the long skirt trend with a high-wasted, lean and conservatively cut silhouette.

Dresses also took some cues from this prim approach to skirts, but for the most part cultivated a separate stylistic message. Prabal Gurung’s devil may care take on glamour produced washed silk dresses with worn-in appeal, while Erin Fetherston’s new contemporary line, Erin, is designed to ensure that her sweet dresses are available in more closets. Victoria Beckham, on the other hand, is sticking to her upmakret clientele, which this season will have some beautiful, minimally rendered marigold and red dresses that are perfect for red carpet and cocktail affairs. Kevork Kiledjian also had sexy short frocks with fringes in velvet and leather, while Jason Wu produced polished dresses perfect for conservative formal dinners and red carpet flashbulb glamour.

By contrast, American outerwear also received serious attention this season. Alexander Wang worked tough looking jackets into cape-like proportions and placed padded panels into jackets, a technique that was prevalent throughout many collections. Rad Hourani, who has been forging an androgynous look with severe geometry, loosened up his lines to produce delightfully angular coats with wide lapels, while Altuzarra paired utilitarian parkas with floral printed skirts and slip dresses. Moncler Grenoble’s flash mob presentation at Grand Central Station, meanwhile, gave slope-ready apparel a decidedly urban appeal. Elsewhere, Rodarte’s long, quilt-like coats had a quiet elegance, Reed Krakoff modernized the toggle coat, Calvin Klein distended overcoat shapes and 3.1 Phillip Lim featured some cool lapels (one of which looked like a bow).

Rag & Bone’s winterwear begged to be noticed, but the label’s mixture of bright blue and orange into several paneled pieces was the most visually compelling. Similarly, Suno told a high contrast color story with grandma-chic designs in artfully mismatched fabrics that will be utterly irresistible to in-the-know urbanites. Edun’s abstract prints in rich saturated colors exceeded its humble sustainability-based roots, and Thakoon’s use of bright Masai plaids (a big trend this season) in a belted jacket and dresses was a perfect fit for city slickers. Proenza Schouler, however, created digitally rendered Navajo prints to make beautiful patterns that showed up on many of its achingly cool, yet luxe pieces. Preen dabbled in prints too, exploring a cubic theme that proved most winning in knits.

Libertine, which has been on hiatus, is back with tailored suiting that was splashed with shocking, electric hues like blue and pink. By contrast, ever-present Ralph Lauren turned out masculine trousers, suits and pinstripe workwear pieces, which exuded the inherent utility at the heart of American fashion. Narciso Rodriguez, meanwhile, lent his predilection for taut, architectural dresses to mannish jacket and coats.

Marc Jacobs first introduced the grunge aesthetic to the runway with his spring/summer ’93 collection for Perry Ellis’ ready-to-wear womenswear line. While Seattle’s unkempt alternative artists like Nirvana and Pearl Jam became commercially successful, Jacobs translated their anti-fashion in plaids, thermals and loose fitting dresses. Ana Sui also paid homage to the trend’s apparel trifecta with a collection of ’70s print frocks paired alongside army fatigue jackets. At the time, Jacobs and Sui’s vagabond-chic pieces captured the beauty of what might have otherwise seemed like an identity crisis amid Doc Marten-stomping teen culture.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is now taking us back to that bygone era as designers channel a new interpretation of grunge chic. ADAM’s collection featured black lace tees over plaid skirts and prom-esque tulle dresses with chunky socks and high heels, while Thakoon took to the plaid parade with a red and blue puffer bustled and set atop skirts with pants. Joseph Altuzarra found a place for army parkas and dresses to coexist in his Kate Moss-inspired collection of classic bomber jackets and t-shirt dresses sprinkled in fringe and beading.

Neon infused graphic prints were captivating at both Edun and Libertine, while designers like Chris Benz and Daryl K used black mesh, leather and velvet to poke at grunge texture. Y-3 and Rag & Bone walked to the beat of ’70s mod styles with braided hair and utilitarian outerwear like varsity jackets and trenches. Lastly, Alexander Wang and Richard Chai Love mixed grays, blacks and neutrals with layers and tailored jackets over long skirts. All quintessential elements of the ’90s grunge-glam cool of Seattle’s finest fashion.

While many other countries faced slowing sales during the global recession, Brazil remained more or less stable and growing. “Brazil knew how to stay strong during the first quakes of the crisis and, besides that, it counts new niches in the market, like bio fuel,” explains James Zhan, director of the Investments and Enterprises Division of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). As part of the UN organization that analyzes foreign commerce and development, UNCTAD has offered research indicating that Brazil will maintain this position in foreign interest through 2011, placing it as the fourth most attractive country for international investment behind only China, the US and India.

A quick look on the sidewalks and mega malls of Brazil’s big cities instantly reveals the explosion of new boutiques. At Cidade Jardim mall in São Paulo, for instance, a recently opened Hermès boutique has already earned legendary tales of consumption as customers reportedly purchase up to four or five bags at a time. “For a very long time we were planning to open a store in Brazil and we are very happy to bring it in this moment that we see the expansion of the luxury market in the country,” says Christian Blanckaert, senior executive vice president of Hermès International Affairs.

Similarly showing its hand in what appears to be a long-term strategy last July, LVMH bought 70% of Brazilian cosmetic website Sack’s. With that move, it’s expected that Brazil’s first Sephora stores will open within the next 15 months. Brazilia, with its Shopping Iguatemi, is set to be among the first location for said boutique, besides Rio and São Paulo.

Burberry also opened its first store in Latin America last spring at Shopping Iguatemi in Brazilia’s Lago Norte area. Louis Vuitton, meanwhile, opened another store at the very high end mall, which offers an entire floor of other top international brands, including Missoni, Hugo Boss, Ermenegildo Zegna and Ralph Lauren. The Zegna store itself offers about 230-square-meters, including a VIP room for personalized appointments, mainly for the large concentration of politicians who populate the region. The mall’s décor and architecture evokes the best luxury boulevard in the world.

Multi-brand store 284, meanwhile, has been selling selected pieces from Top Shop, including the special items designed by fashion designers. The company has superb locations at Daslu and Cidade Jardim, and plans to hit all of Brazil’s main capitals while maintaining partnerships with other luxury multi-brand stores. In other words, we can expect to see many more hangers for international brands in Brazil—both at local boutiques and international brand outposts.

Trained at London’s Central St. Martins before moving to Paris to work for Jean-Charles de Castlebajac as well as luminary designers and labels like Jacobs for LV, Tom Ford for Gucci and Christopher Bailey for Burberry, Lewis sought his next challenge by building an iconic footwear line. “A shoe should be about dressing up, feeling something—an emotion, or a reaction—a way of changing a mood or a situation, and mainly about enjoyment and being gorgeous,” Lewis explains of his philosophy.

Signature flourishes and design details include a mitered platform, glossy metallics, inverted roman column heels constructed of hard shiny lacquer and a tongue-in-cheek twist on femininity with hard clear plastic ribbon bow embellishments. The femme fatale runs rampant in his s/s ‘11 collection, slimming down some of his lines for a sleeker but no less slick look. And with celeb fans already including Elle Macpherson, Dannii Minogue, Claudia Schiffer as well as retailers like Harvey Nicks snapping him up in Europe, we look forward to seeing Lewis make his print on the international industry.

As evidenced by the number of brands boasting Facebook pages and Twitter accounts these days, having an online presence beyond e-commerce is, for many, crucial. “I’ve seen a sea change,” Rao explains of the jump in luxury labels flocking to new media, adding: “being in a multi-channel environment is critical.” Granted, what works for someone like Marc Jacobs (say, his Bang You’re It FB app, or Foursquare Fashion Victim badge) might not pan out for someone like Dries van Noten. Corcoran, for one, cautions against jumping on every new platform that comes along, having chronicled countless duds in her time.

One novel marketing technique that did pique Corcoran’s interest, however, came courtesy of  relative unknown Jeff Silverman. A custom shoe designer, Silverman saw the value in allying himself with the online fashion community, turning his “store” into a widget that lives on Facebook and blog pages—anyone who puts the store on their page earns $15 when someone else orders from it. Similarly, burgeoning designers can—and should—take advantage of the web by forgoing a middleman like Barneys and selling directly to consumers. Of course, panelists gave big names high marks too, including Coach, which Corcoran believes did a stellar job of re-inventing itself online. Other standouts include Burberry for taking advantage of the immediacy afforded via straight-from-the-runway sales, and French Connection, which recently launched a stylist-guided YouTube shopping channel, YouTique, while, TechCrunch and Mashable are widely considered industry must-reads.

When it comes to monetizing technology, a platform like Facebook is a “convenient place to communicate with customers…but not necessarily the place where you’re going to sell clothing,” Corcoran concedes. So how does a company like Gilt Groupe do it? By making products scarce, and imposing time constraints. That, and word of mouth. “We think about it as putting on a show every day at noon,” Rao explains. “Our members market our brand.”

Consumers are also apt to take the bait when brands appeal to their self-interest and reward them via discounts, exclusives and even cash, à la Jeff Silverman. Even Corcoran found herself caught up: “I haven’t sent my design yet,” she admitted. “But I’m going to!”

With bright colors seen at many collections, the makeup message was one of inspiring simplicity. At Diane Von Furstenberg, James Kiliardos punctuated the clean complexions of his models with a beautiful fuchsia lip that was inspired by Warhol’s portrait of the label’s namesake designer. Diane Kendal elongated and extended eyes at Jason Wu with abstract colors by utilizing bright hues of purple, green and blue, but softened eyelids with soft vibrant tones of coral at at Carolina Herrera.

Spring ’11s retro-inspired looks were also amazingly fresh and contemporary. Francois Nars for Marc Jacobs created a beautiful “flapper-meets-glam-rock” look, while Petros Petrohelios for M.A.C. created a very fragile ’70s disco doll with soft pink lids and thick flirty lashes at Halston. For Derek Lam, Tom Pecheux created a fresh updated twist on ’60s inspired eyes with orange eyeliner, whereas Charlotte Tilbury was more inspired by Elizabeth Taylor for Victoria Beckham, covering lids in bright shades of purple that were complemented with sharp black eyeliner.

JC Report: How has your childhood influenced your design aesthetic?

Michaela Buerger: My childhood was wonderful, playing a lot in the nature, being outside. To earn a bit of money my mother knitted beautiful traditional landscape cardigans, with little mills, apple trees and people—all very technically demanding work. I was four-years-old when I produced my first scarf, which had a bit of a grunge vibe. At seven I made my first pullover. As a teenager, I wanted to have the same clothes that I saw in high fashion magazines but couldn’t afford them, so I would copy things like the asymmetrical pullover by Yohji Yamamoto—it was very good training. Then I started earning money selling gloves, socks to students and teachers, even the principal at school. I took a knitting break when I left for Vienna to study stage design at the academy of Fine Arts before going on to study with Raf Simons at the University.

RW:How is designing for the stage different from creating a collection?

MB: With the stage, you tell a story using the atmosphere in a theatre. You create a “product” that is seen from a distance, which you develop over months and, during rehearsal weeks, in strong collaboration with the director/choreographer, the dancers and others along the way. In fashion, you wear the product and you look at it very closely and you feel it. What is similar in thinking between ballet/opera/theatre and a fashion collection is that a story must exist behind its creation in order to be successful.

RW: How is designing gloves and accessories for such an esteemed company as Maison Fabre?

MB: It has been very exciting. There is such a history and an archive of glove-making and leather know-how. It is very challenging and a big pleasure to give gloves a breath of a fresh air, which was the goal handed to me by Olivier Fabre.

RW: You once claimed that you want to be the new Sonia Rykiel—how does this goal influence your work?

MB: Sonia began with a few pullovers—a little like my story—which is very encouraging and inspiring for me when you think about where she is now. Of course things are different from 40 years ago when she first began. I’d like to be called “reine de maille” as Sonia is, and, before her, Coco Chanel. I found articles from the ’60s that compared Sonia Rykiel and Coco Chanel saying she was la “nouvelle reine”. I think you have to give yourself big goals and be pleased by each step you reach. I am happy with what I have achieved now, having started with zero budget—I came to Paris with nothing, like really nothing.

RW: Marc Jacobs, who also started with hand-knitted pullovers, said in an interview for Teen Vogue’s Handbook that to make a fashion career you just need one person to believe in you. Do you think this is the case?

MB: This is true: First you need to believe, and then you need a person that believes in what you do, especially nowadays where there is a crowd of young designers emerging every other moment. Valery Demure did this and gave me this chance, also Maria Lemos of Rainbow Wave. Now the next step is to grow simply, in all means. Step by step—or, knit by knit.