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This season, that perfectly executed road map has been kicked to the curb. We had a hint of the more voluminous shapes to come last year, but few were expecting Balenciaga's and Comme des Gar?ons' hipwidening pannier-effect coats or Louis Horse charm bracelet fur skirts. While I don't imagine many of us will enthusiastically add another 12 inches around our hips, this new look points to Tiffany Somerset dangle cuff most radical fashion direction I've seen in years. Style is no longer about playing it safe. This fall, it challenges us to think about artistry and creativity, and that means finding unconventional ways to mix materials, layer and accessorize.

I found my best examples of how to wear the new shapes at the Balenciaga exhibit in Paris this past summer. The architectural-inspired coats Heart Band pendant ballooned gowns that Cristobal Balenciaga introduced over the years (the Spaniard opened his Paris house in 1937), which have been updated by the house's current designer, Nicolas Ghesquière, have never looked fresher. Ghesquière's Fall '06 collection rocked Balenciaga's original designs by introducing more Eternal Link Cross pendant into accessories, as well as including helmets and clompy, kinky boots. And it won't stop there. Balenciaga-then and now-tops most fashionistas' to-die-for list.

And that's where FLARE comes in-to help you make sense of it all. The best part about this trend is that it's not a one-shape-for-all philosophy. It comes Frank Gehry Fish pendant to proportion-knowing where to supersize your look and where to slim it down. We've dedicated several features in this issue to inspire you.