By Victoria Chin

APA turns its eye to Europe for a double dosage of fall fashion. Read about the most exciting and refined collections by Asian designers in London and Paris! Why? Because frankly, the British are coming -- up in the fashion world that is -- and because there are few things sweeter than French dressing.

Following the close of New York Fashion Week in February, fashion fanatics around the world anxiously awaited the Fall 2006 ready-to-wear collections from the European masters. The three fashion weeks in Europe (London, Milan, and Paris) departed as quickly as they came, leaving room to shine for fashion weeks elsewhere, such as Los Angeles, Moscow, Australia, and for the first time, India. As always, the Europeans do things their own way, often disregarding the trends set in New York and establishing their own. These designers seem to have a knack for individually interpreting the seasonal looks and in turn creating timeless classics. The Europeans need not pay homage to the latest fads, because chances are they've been in the business longer than many of their American counterparts and are more than aware of what will work and what won't. APA examines a handful of Asian designers in London and Paris --designers who have proven time and again that it is they, and neither their collections nor the trends they set, who truly drive the fashion industry.

LONDON FASHION WEEK

Ashley Isham

Ashley Isham, a Londonite by way of Singapore, has only been in the business since 2001 but has already established a huge celebrity following and opened two boutiques. His flagship store, Ashley's, boasts a museum-worthy collection of vintage pieces from Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior, not to mention a fabulous selection of his own pieces as well as Lanvin and Roland Mouret's, to name a few.

Isham's fall 2006 collection capitalized on what he does best: eveningwear. Classic floor-length gowns in his signature jersey fabric were delicately draped on the models, with strategically placed portions of silk chiffon and taffeta. The show came in several parts. Isham began with slim pencil skirts and menswear in a somber palette, but transitioned into the next part with brilliant gold sequined and beaded cocktail dresses. In the next portion, models walked down the runway in high-drama eveningwear and tribal makeup as black flower petals rained upon them. Then came another set of evening gowns, but in bright, rich colors inspired by Morocco, and more of the gold stunners that caught our attention before. With a show like this, it's no wonder that Isham was announced the official Womenswear designer for the Orange British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) in 2004.

Gharani Strok

The ladies behind this posh label, Iranian-born Nargess Gharani and Croatian-born Vanya Strok, have carved a place for themselves in British fashion with their eye for unusual fabrics and eclectic prints. However, there was a change of pace for their fall 2006 collection, the first half of which featured a multitude of little black dresses. The LBDs were constructed mostly from form-fitting silk chiffon and jersey, each cut differently and sewn to perfection. Some were embellished with silver metal detailing, while others were worn under black wool peacoats and leather opera gloves. The second half of the collection featured daywear in a subdued palette of blue-green, plum, sand, and brown. Here we saw some adorable mini-dresses, luxurious shearling, and deftly layered blouses under sweaters. Perhaps these are why fashion icons such as Madonna, Kate Moss, and Nicole Kidman have all been spotted in Gharani Strok. And it's ok if you can't afford this line -- they have a more affordable line called GS at British department store Debenhams that's just as pretty.

Sinha-Stanic

Half-Indian and half-British Fiona Sinha and Croatian-born Aleksandar Stanic comprise yet another British design duo that's taking the fashion world by storm. The young pair was nominated for New Designer of the Year at the 2005 British Fashion Awards, and was also a finalist, second place to be exact, for the Fashion Fringe talent search. For the fall, they presented their third collection together, an impressive take on how modern young women should dress for work and play.  There were classic wool coats with updated shapes and cuts, cropped jackets, skinny pants, and miniskirts in career colors and soft fabrics. More memorable were the thigh-grazing party dresses in black and royal purple, with styles including bubble skirts, halters, cinched waists, and Swarovski crystal finishes. Don't be surprised if you spot these fresh yet sophisticated pieces on celebutantes come this fall!

PARIS FASHION WEEK

Andrew Gn

Andrew Gn, a Singapore native, presented a feminine and vintage-styled fall collection that was a perfect fit for ladies of high society. The beautifully cohesive collection featured embellishments galore, luxurious fur collars and trim, leather-cinched waists, and a variety of rich fabrics such as silk chiffon, velvet, and tweeds. Prim cashmere sweaters, classic coats, and knee-length skirts were graced by shiny black baubles reminiscent of 1950s evening glamour. Delicate antique lace and silk cutouts also decorated coats, silk camisoles, and close-fitting skirt-suits for increased drama. The ‘50s style cashmere coats in camel and pink, like the one worn by Chinese model Du Juan (an APA favorite), were the highlights of the night. Their oversized fur collars, A-line skirts, and lace detailing at the hems epitomized old-world elegance. Additionally, Gn's debut line of costume jewelry made a big splash. In a season characterized by restraint and structure, Gn's embellished pieces were a stunning contrast, proving that one doesn't have to follow trends to produce a flawless collection.

Comme des Garcons

Rei Kawakubo's collections have brought fashion to the edge since the early 1980s, and her fall 2006 collection was no exception. The first model, whom we couldn't identify because of the fedora and mask theatrically covering her face, descended the runway in a belted overcoat in the front and a cascading ruffled cape in the back. Kawakubo illustrated both a fusion and separation of gender-bending elements. She combined pieces of masculine wool suits with feminine dresses of floral patterns and Baroque-styled jacquards. Contrast was a theme of the show, which was made obvious by the men's blazers with girly puffed sleeves, or perhaps the models' uniforms of ultra-femme Spanish style hair with a variety of men's footwear. Comme des Garcons is a collection that masterfully defines the avant-garde -- only this time, Kawakubo pleasantly surprised us not only with inimitable, but also very wearable pieces.

Junya Watanabe

At a glance, Watanabe's fall collection looks like a scene straight out of Hellmaster. The foreboding black face masks with metal spikes are certainly not what one would expect from a high-end Japanese designer in Paris. However, he is the protégé of Rei Kawakubo, and with closer examination of the clothing, her influence is obvious. The collection's theme of army green pieces, along with some red, white, and blue crocheted sweaters, made a timely political statement about the current war. Watanabe constructed each piece from patches of army fatigues, camouflage material, and green lace. Models emerged in distinctive jackets decorated with zippers, cargo pockets, metal grommets, and contrasting fabrics. The beautifully shaped coats and skirts had asymmetrical hemlines and strategically placed seams. Watanabe presented us with the most well-dressed troops we'll ever find, and in doing so, brought the deconstructed-chic look to a uniquely wearable level.

Other collections worth your time: LONDON -- Ashish, Manish Arora, Miki Fukai, Michiko Koshino; PARIS -- Yohji Yamamoto, TAO by Tao Kurihara, Undercover by Jun Takahashi, Barbara Bui

Click here for APA coverage of Fall 2006 Fashion Week in New York.

Published: Thursday, April 13, 2006