A lot of talk has been swirling since Nicolas Ghesquière’s announced his departure from Balenciaga. Who will replace him? Why is he leaving, and where is he going? Some speculate he’s out to start his own company?

Earlier this week WWD officially confirmed that Alexander Wang is the new creative director at Balenciaga! Since Wang hit the scene in 2007, he’s become known for his wearable yet edgy, forward-thinking designs. He might be exactly right to take Ghesquière’s place, after all, Alexander Wang is the bastion of NYC cool. With both commercial and design sense, Alexander Wang was a logical choice to helm the fashion-forward design house and succeed Nicolas Ghesiquiere. Given Wang’s chummy relationship with Anna Wintour and his rock-and-roll rep, the appointment makes sense: the edgier crowd is certainly one Balenciaga caters to enthusiastically and it seems as though Wang will give the brand a refreshing spin. Pushing him as a designer and Balenciaga as a brand in a new direction! Congrats, Alex!

xoxo Amanda

 Refinery 29′s top five color trends to avoid a fashion Fall next Spring: 

O’Natural: From Harvest Gold and Almond to Avocado Green, slightly muted “natural” colors still run the runway!

Damir Doma spring ’12; Thakoon Addition pre-fall ’12; Balenciaga spring ’12; Jenni Kayne pre-fall ’12.

Layered Neutrals: Neutral tones should be worn one on top of the other, for a layered multi-dimensional effect!

Anne Valerie Hash spring ’12; TSE pre-fall ’12; Burberry pre-fall ’12; Thakoon pre-fall ’12.

Pastels: Blush Pink, Mint Green, and Robin’s Egg Blue carry over from fall’s neon trend into the spring!

3.1 Phillip Lim spring ’12; Rachel Roy pre-fall ’12; St. John pre-fall ’12; Reed Krakoff pre-fall ’12.

Graphic Black And White: Pair black and white to break up or emphasis other splashes of color!

DKNY pre-fall ’12; Ports 1961 pre-fall ’12; Chanel pre-fall ’12; Zero + Maria Cornejo pre-fall ’12.

Tangerine Tango: Use this color as an accent to your wardrobe with dresses and coats!

Chloe spring ’12; Jason Wu pre-fall ’12; Cacharel spring ’12; Thakoon Addition pre-fall ’12.

The sixth and last day of London Fashion Week takes it’s final walk till the glass slipper is past on to Milan today.

At the average London Fashion Week, more than a third of the designers showing on the catwalks are trained at London based Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. More importantly, these designers are referred to and are held responsible for the current British fashion’s renaissance. These designers include Giles Deacon, Christopher Kane, Marios Schwab, Todd Lynn, Peter Jensen, Jonathan Saunders, Roksanda Ilincic and Richard Nicoll –All of whom had shows this week at LFW. But what do all these designers have in common besides being Central Saint Martins M.A alumni? -They were all at the mercy and beacon call of Louise Wilson.

Not to be confused with Mary Louise Wilson, the 78 year old American actress, but Louis Wilson the “style dictator” and visionary who trains and develops the best as the notoriously fierce director of CSM Fashion Master’s program. Her course has set the gold standard for international fashion education since all the rising names of London fashion have passed through her textile roll hell. More than 90% of the 20 or so students who graduate from her MA find themselves either starting their own label or employed by the world’s biggest fashion houses, including Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Chloé, Dior, Lanvin, Chanel, Prada, Marni, Gucci, Jil Sander, and more.

Maybe because Wilson’s course is the only graduate curriculum deemed advanced and professional enough to put on a fashion show itself during the LFW schedule, where it has become a must-see for those hoping to spot fashion’s newest stars. Or maybe it’s her fearsome reputation and her OBE for services to the fashion industry and education that has driven her students so far, and so far as group yet individually.

Maybe fashion is a team activity after all. There’s an old African proverb “If you want to go farther, go together. If you want to go quickly, go alone.”

“I teach some talented people who turn out to be good and some tragic ones who turn about to be great”-Louise Wilson

Click here for live streaming of LFW