Karl Is At It Again...

I wonder how he felt before he went on his "must wear Hedi Slimane" wonder diet?

PARIS : German designer Karl Lagerfeld this week shrugged off concerns about the fashion industry's obsession with ultra-thin models, noting countries such as France rather had problems with a rise in overweight people.

Madrid last month sparked a controversy when it banned excessively thin models from its catwalks after accusations their appearance may cause eating disorders in young women. But the runways in Paris this week have been filled by girls with child-like figures and stick-thin legs.

"We don't see anorexic (girls). The girls are skinny. They have skinny bones," Lagerfeld told reporters after his show, which saw models parade out in tiny short dresses, barely covering their almost non-existent behinds.

Asked whether the fashion industry was to blame for eating disorders of many young girls who were starving themselves, the designer said: "No, that is something to sell papers."

The pony-tailed Lagerfeld, who has himself drastically shed weight, is presenting clothes for his Karl Lagerfeld label in Paris, as well as for fashion house Chanel.

The multi-tasking fashion icon edits books and shoots fashion photographs for glossy magazines, and also created a one-off collection for Swedish retailer H&M.

Lagerfeld said the rise in the number of overweight people in many countries was a problem.


"In a country like France, with 18% of girls in the (northern region of) Pas de Calais being too fat - I think they needed more treatment than the zero-point-I-don't-know percent of the too skinny ones," he said.

It was not clear which numbers Lagerfeld was referring to. A recent survey showed almost a third of French people were overweight and 12.4% were obese, while around 5% were underweight.

Models presenting the Karl Lagerfeld collection paraded out in tight uniform style shirts, featuring tie-like lapels, others presented long floating transparent dresses with ruffles, wearing tights with large flowers on their thin legs.

Lagerfeld's comments came after other designers shrugged off fashion's responsibility for the hype to be skinny.

Designer Giorgio Armani has blamed stylists and the media for the fashion industry's obsession with ultra-thin women.

Burberry's designer Christopher Bailey said he was very thin but was able to eat like a horse, noting people had to be conscious and sensible about the issue and use common sense.

Elegant Layering

Layering is the look for right now and its not just for the amazons who wore it down the runways. Anyone can wear this look with flair because haven't we always layered? From throwing a sweater over a blouse on a cold day to the Bohemian look of two summers ago, layering has always been a part of fashion. But how is this look different from what we've done in the past? For starters the current look is a lot less fussy. Its not about wearing six different bracelets or looking like a hobo, gypsy or Mary-Kate Olsen for that matter. Its about playing with volume, proportion and color in a sleek modern way. But how does a girl take this off the runway and into reality?


Layered Looks from Marni's F/W 2006 Runway

Layering Keys
- Chunky wool sweaters, knits will always be in style
- Muted Color Schemes
- Capelets & Capes, in elegant tweeds
- Silk Blouses, for a feminine touch
- Scarves, treat yourself to one from a luxurious house like Hermes or Chanel

Layering Hints

- Keep it simple. The layered look works best when you stick to solid colors and classic textures like silks and tweeds. Mixing patterns and prints can result in an overdone, clashing look. If you absolutely must wear a pattern chose an understated print.

- Embrace neutrals. Layering makes basic colors like black, white, grey and beige interesting again. Use brighter colors as accents to an overall neutral look.

- Say no to monochrome. Often times people think sticking with one color makes them look leaner but monochromatic layering can result in a shapeless look. The best way to emphasize your figure is to use contrasting colors. If you're wearing all dark colors use a light colored belt (as seen on the Marni runway) to draw attention to the waist. If you're wearing light colors mix in a little black underneath via tights or leggings to show off your legs.

- Remember proportion. If you are wearing falls wide leg trousers or bubble skirts wear something a bit form fitting on top. Likewise if you go for a skinnier jean or pencil skirt use volume on the top. Its easy to get lost under yards of fabric with layering so remember to keep things in balance.

- Get creative. Layering is fun because it allows experimentation, try an unexpected combination for a look thats all yours. Long sleeve blouses beneath short sleeved sweaters and knee length dresses over denim are attractive options.

- Accessorize. Its tempting to overdo it with layered accessories going for the more is more look but since this trend is going for a quirkier feel keep the accessories minimal but original. A beautiful scarf or abstract necklace is perfect for the new layering. Don't be afraid to try this seasons dramatic long gloves either as they're quite glamorous.

TFFF Look



Clockwise: Wool Coat - H&M, Cashmere Sweater Dress - Stella McCartney, Wooden Necklace - Marni, Platform Heels - Biba, Distressed Leather Bag - Lanvin

This is a layered look I put together that's simple and practical. First we have the great short sleeved wool coat, a look that we'll be seeing everywhere this fall. Its a fresh take on the everyday black coat we've all got in our closets and works well with layering as it allows us to see the outfit beneath. Next we have a grey sweater dress, an incredibly practical item that can be worn with anything from jeans to tights to leggings or just by itself. Its great to have pieces you can wear in different ways as it creates more options for layering. I've accessorized this outfit with one of Marni's great wooden necklaces, a pair of amazing platforms from Biba and the Lanvin Hero bag. I chose each piece for its uniqueness, its important when doing this look to use pieces that stand out from the crowd. This look is all about individuality and creativity.