On behalf of their director Phoebe Philo, the PR team at Celine says the label’s Pre-Fall 2012 collection is, simply, “a continuation of the Céline wardrobe.” How refreshing!

Now I’m no stranger to being seized with inspiration after taking in an exceptional book, album, or landscape. So I understand when designers are moved to craft entire collections around their muse of the moment. But the whims of the artist-designer along with the industry’s hamster wheel of a trend-driven calendar makes it such that fashionistas are constantly running to keep up with what’s hot.

How many times have you seen some starlet wearing an item that was shown on the runway only days before? The culture is so warped that the “it” thing to do is to wear items two seasons in advance! It’s a complete farce for the average consumer (though effective in keeping the aspirational tone amidst the industry’s so-called democratization).

That’s why I like to see labels producing and promoting continuity, rather than mad dashes and sharp turns with every new collection. Not only is it more genuine, it’s conducive to being able to get your designer gear from the clearance rack with less worry that the -ista gang will snub you for being late… But then, who really cares what that pack thinks, anyway?

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It’s the sweetest time of year: the warmth and fancy-free stance of summertime, with the romance of fall steadily dawning. Pre-fall inspires the sort of nostalgia that makes one want to tour hometown haunts and dig up old Easter clothes from mom’s basement.

Photographed by Leon Dale, www.leondale.com; Styled by Eighty Jane, www.eightyjane.com; Models: Sable Simone, Kelsi Holt, Kola Champagne, and Heidi Hypnotique.

The final Alexander McQueen collection designed by the label’s founder was seen in Paris today. Just sixteen pieces were shown to an intimate guest list in a gilded room at Francois Pinault headquarters. Though the collection was short, the impact was enormous – both because McQueen delivered a stunning couture-like pieces with immaculate embroidery and prints, and because the entire room (the entire world, in fact) knew it was the end of an era. Although his namesake brand will live on, these are the last works of the late Lee Alexander McQueen. According to WWD, the moment and the music (opera) produce tears in the eyes of many of those in attendance.

“It was a very moving experience to take a deep and serious look at his last collection. It showed Lee’s unique talent to create pieces of beauty that touch many of your senses, leaving one enriched,” said Robert Polet, CEO of the Gucci Group. “Although the sense of loss afterwards, I found overwhelming.”
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Unlike the short Fall proper collection (one wonders if that’s was really planned), McQueen’s pre-fall collection was a hulking 55+ pieces. Though still packed with McQueen drama, the collection seems more accessible to the average consumer than the one above. Almost as if this were RTW, while the main presentation were Fall 2010 couture. Hmm…

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Photos: wwd.com & alexandermcqueen.com via ana @tFS

Click to Shop:

Gianvito Rossi SWEET TEAK PLATFORM BOOTS €279, $402, £249

Christian Louboutin BABEL PLATFORM BOOTS € 715, $ 1030, £ 639

Jil Sander LEATHER RUBBER HEELED BOOTS €325, $468, £ 290

Marni SUEDE WEDGE BOOTS €289, $416, £258

L to R: Versace, Rachel Roy, Burberry, Tahari, Just Cavalli

Next year expect the inkling of pastels seen on the 2009 runways to pick up steam. That is, if the handful of designers with the wherewithall to produce the superfluous “pre-fall” collection is any indication of what we’ll see on a broader scale. On the one hand, Donatella turned out her usual skintight minis in jelly bean hues (and in latex, no less (eep)), while the more down to earth Rachel Roy created soft, roomy frocks in a palette that could make even the most hardened cynic feel fresh and girly.

Rachel Roy was a standout favorite. See my picks below:

Frankly, I really don’t understand this pseudo season. Is it just that heavy-hitters (and sartorial climbers) want to show-off that they can produce yet another collection during these dismal economic times? From the looks of it, we can expect the non-season to become as crowded as the once very selective cruise collections.

While most pre-fall presentations has a modest 6 to 10ish pieces to show. Burberry went way ABCD with a collection of over 40 pieces plus menswear. As usual, the house presented an assortment of trenches in the wildest varieties. And dig the Emma Thompson lookalike model. The should have just put the actress on stilts and booked her instead.

See more pre-fall, including looks from M Missoni, Moschino Cheap & Chic, DKNY and more from Tahari, Versace, and Burberry
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photos: WWD.com