SuperCaliFashionistic

If you looked up glamour in the dictionary, there should be a picture of Donatella Versace. At least, there should be. Today, the meaning of glamour has been interlaced with the romantic era, contaminated with vintage connotations, and topped with a dash of artificial pin-up/retro. But Donatella makes strong, modern, fierce glamour - the type of glamour that is hard to come by and even harder to forget. A barely recognizable Kasia Struss looked positively doll-like with her mannequin poses, blank expression, and blunt platinum locks. But these were no Barbie clothes. A streamlined silhouette prevented the dizzying array of colors, patterns, and materials from becoming too distracting. A gold fleur de lis and brown leopard skirt, paired with cheetah print knee high boots, topped with a double belt and a blue, green, black, and red diamond design top might seem a bit over the top, but together they packed a punch. Try it on less than a 5'10" frame, however, and you might come a little short of artfully glamorous. But don't underestimate Versace; she knows a thing or two about performing well on the retail floor. Take the ensemble apart, and, voila, a showpiece that would work beautifully with basics. There were plenty of standalone knockouts, too - a black liquid stunner with triple-strap heels, a red and blue patterned ivory dress paired with knee-high azure boots. Rocker-esque getups invoked a bit of Burberry with metallic pants, studded leggings, and motorcycle jackets. As for accessories, an ultramodern purse with a graphic circle promised to be the next season's PS1, while oversized cocktail rings added an uber-chic finishing touch. Donatella's latest endeavor incorporated all of her talent, and when the pieces hit the showrooms, her efforts will pay off.

Stella McCartney's latest collection was a refinement of the utilitarianism in her spring showing. Of structured denim shirts and chunky wooden platforms there were none, but the boxy silhouettes prevailed in tweed toppers and unbelted shifts. The textures and fabrics were basic and polished, yet the proportions and tailoring rendered it au courant. Chic nude flats were the perfect finishing touch. It was refreshingly simple, yet infinitely stylish. In other words, trés chic.

Amongst all the sentiments designer wish to inspire, boredom (to the point of tears) is one they usually seek to avoid. Then why was Fendi so darn drab? Of course, it earned rave reviews from every prominent critic. And though it is sometimes possible to understand how others might see beauty where one remarks only the absence of it, Fendi's so-called charm was purely inexplicable. Of quality there was surely plenty, but of true aesthetic genius there was none. Take, for example, overdyed bootcut jeans that stumpified even the extremely svelte legs of a 5'10" model. A couple of boxy jackets seemed awkwardly stiff; the shoulders on a black-and-white dress made its wearer seem like it was caught in the midst of a permanent shrug. The color combos were anything but vivid: fleshy beige, dusty blue, and muddy claret. Despite the brand's reputation for modernity, their latest presentation looked decidedly dated - and not in a vintage-cool way. Alone, perhaps, the pieces might have done well, but together they were uninspiring. The only redeeming factors were the black bandage shoes and a couple of flattering dresses with plunging necklines and cascading pleats. But it wasn't enough to save the collection. Karl Lagerfeld has a tendency to either hit or miss, and this effort placed it firmly in the latter category. If you liked his latest showing, however, you'll find plenty of others in agreement.

For better or worse, Zac Posen is a staunch proponent of the "curvy" silhouette introduced by Marc Jacobs and Miuccia Prada. Take, for example, his choice for the CFDA/Fashion Fund Awards - rather than outfitting the requisite supermodel, he chose Kim Kardashian. A market-savvy step? Perhaps, though it was certainly arguable that Constance Jablonski or Chanel Iman (also present at the gala) might have carried off the yards of fabric with more panache. And his pre-fall lineup featured  plus-size-model-du-jour Crystal Renn and high-fashion-turned-Sports-Illustrated-model Hilary Rhoda. Not to say that Posen rejected the Kate Moss silhouette completely; he also included lithe DJ Leigh Lezark and waifish catwalk queen Ruby Aldridge. But the clothes spotlighted more the hourglass than the ruler - albeit with more contained curves than you might see on, say, Christina Hendricks. Not to say that their less curvy counterparts will have trouble finding pieces from Posen's presentation. On the contrary, attenuated pencil skirts and figure-hugging panelled dresses looked equally (or more - depending on who you ask) fabulous on thinner frames. Rather than isolate one segment of the population (whether skinny, plump, curvy, or straight-up-and-down), Posen sought to integrate variety - and it worked. It's a foolproof marketing strategy when your clothes look good on almost every body type. The same could not be said, however, of the styling and makeup. The models looked washed out, greasy-haired, and slightly hungover. Their awkward, exaggerated posing was almost as painful as their expressions; the uncomfortably pushed-up cleavage and heavy eyeshadow lent a vulgarity to their sickly appearance.