Fall 2008 - Shouldering the Load

So many looks for fall have amped up the shoulder detail. Sometimes this is done successfully with a beautiful balance to the overall ensemble, drawing the eyes upward in the silhouette. Thinking back to the obvious precedents of the 1980s shoulder pads, and further to the strong shoulders of the 1940s and the Joan Crawford era, one realizes this is a difficult design style to do well. Of course, when it works, it's really something to see!

Christian Lacroix Giambattista ValliValentino

I like these first three because the forms created are unusual and different. They push the concept of shoulder volume in a sort-of strange way, but the looks are still wearable.

Marni Missoni Celine

These take things more structured and origami-esque, but the focus is still light and lovely. The detail enhances the overall design rather than becoming distracting. 

Alessandro Dell'Acqua ValentinoElie Saab

Once again, less is more with this design focus. I love how the Valentino look is tone-on-tone, light and airy. It's the same with Elie Saab - a bit of flou makes it feminine and eye-catching. A touch of texture and interest pulls it all together.

Celine Giorgio Armani Nathan Jenden

Now this is when things get a bit heavy-handed. Some careful editing would have really helped these three looks reach their full potential. I love the architecture of this Nathan Jenden dress, but the huge shoulder ruffles do nothing but compete with the wearer. The heavy knit loops on the Celine coat just look clunky, while the Armani ruffles are weighty and depressing.

Etro Iceberg Pollini Bottega Veneta

Giambattista Valli Giambattista Valli

File these under "hot mess"... Someone at Etro thinks that shoulder spikes are sexy on a cocktail dress, while the rest of us girls could have told them that was a bad idea. That dress looks like something a porcupine with super-powers would wear as a disguise. The Iceberg and Pollini looks are somewhere between Big Bird and boring, while the Bottega Veneta coat could be gorgeous but for the fact that I just want to brush away all the scrap fabric that somehow landed on the shoulders. Meanwhile, these two looks from Giambattista Valli are intriguing; part of me is totally enthralled by the structure and workmanship of these shoulder wraps, while the other part of me thinks that they look like a live bacteria that's eating the model alive. Or maybe it's a chunk of coral and the model is the rock? Not likely. And not likely to be worn by many either...