Paris Street Style- courtesy of my Grandma

A few weeks ago while talking on the phone with my lovely Grandma Leah, she said she had a special surprise from me. Her good old time family friend Charlie had been in Paris this past January/February, right in the midst of Fall 2012 fashion week. Of course with his camera in tow, he had snapped dozens of photos after he noticed a frenzy of people and went over to catch a closer look. He suddenly found himself in the chaotic crowd of people buzzing with excitement and anxiety as runway rehearsals took place. My grandma flew in from Florida this past Wednesday and handed me a CD. Upon scoping out I detected a few familliar faces- including editors, bloggers, models, photographers and designers. Among the few I instantly knew were  Blake Lively, Anna dello Russo, Bryanboy, and other chic Parisian street-goers. There is something about European fashion that is so distinct and mesmerizing.

I haven't seen our family friend Charlie since I was about 14. When I told him I'd taken French from fifth to eightth grade, he started speaking it to me and I somewhat was able to converse, for about two sentences. Basically, I can't really speak French. But getting this peak of Paris, candid moments and little glimpses of the middle of it all, makes me want to travel there so bad. Studying abroad in Paris is definitely a goal of mine in the future, and you know what? I'm gonna attempt to learn to speak it. 

Decadent embellishments, luxurious fur and chic accessories were donned by the fashion elite, as well as sky-high stillettos. My favorite looks are the gold metallic pants paired with a black sequined blazer, a red and white color blocked ensemble (see below) and that fabulous garcon in the jumble of leopard prints. Enjoy!

Here are the photos from the CD- All of these are my own, please give credit if you end up using any :)

Unarguably the most anticipated show of the season, the entire fashion world has been sitting on the edge of their seats, literally, since John Galliano was bethroned from Dior back last January.

The rumor mill spun like crazy- gasp- who would follow in Gallianos footsteps and save the legacy of Dior?!

After Bill Gayten's brief stint as creative director for the fashion house, Raf Simons was finally named the new successor for the house of Dior. For some, it was a sigh of relief. For others, it raised eyebrows. Just recently Raf was dethrowned from his long-time design job at Jil Sander. You know what they say... when one door closes, another one opens. In this case, from one door... a haute couture door.

With so much anticipation, Raf Simons most certainly had some big shoes to fill- and the fact that Haute Couture was his first debut only added to the immense pressure.

Simons has proven his ability to truly devote himself to a fashion house. He delved deep into the history of Dior, with access to infinite archives and was determined to keep the DNA of Christian Dior, re-inventing the New Look, which was the revolutionary turning point of the 20th century that set the foundation for the entire fashion industry. Raf stated he wants to "change the way people look at couture", and by the looks of it, he may be on to something.

I personally find this collection to be absoloutely exquisite- there is an undeniable essence of Dior's signature aesthetic, but with a subtle futuristic twist. For example, Simons paired peplum cinched cocktail dresses over sleek cigarette pants- the perfect juxtaposition. It was as if the poster woman for Miss Dior literally stepped into a time machine and appeared before our very eyes. Raf confected a perfect fusion of the past and the future, and with his ungodly ability to create a beautiful collection that stayed true to Dior, with just the perfect pinch of Raf's unmistakable minimalistic-chic aesthetic that gained him major kudos in the fashion industry during his years at Jil Sander.

Simons stayed true to the DNA of Dior. Only the fourth to take on the role of head designer at one of the most coveted brands in fashion history, The crowning of Raf Simons is, well, quite a historic moment in history (at least in my world... our world) and I could not be more excited to see what he unleashes with his next collection.