Jersey, the Jewelry Guru weeps over the end of the Cristo fiasco
$23 million for a bunch of orange shower curtains, if that's not inspiration, I dont know what is hahahahahahah
February 2005
February 27, 2005
February 24, 2005
Verdura Maltese Cross Cuffs Inspired by Coco Chanel
We all know accessories are hot, hot, hot right now. And those supa'hot Verdura cuffs -- the ones with the jewel-encrusted Maltese cross -- are everywhere, so I decided it was time to find out more.
Apparently, Verdura (an Italian Duke/playboy) was a crony of Coco Chanel; she had lots of lovers and, consequently, lots of jewelry -- much of which she didn't like. So she had Verdura re-set her tokens o' love & he came up with those cuffs she was always photographed in. She had them in all different colors and materials, and basically wore them day and night.
He then landed on these shores & hung with the likes of Cole Porter, who was one of his backers when he launched his 5th Avenue store.
Today, all Verdura's designs are still based on his original sketches from their extensive archive.
Of course, I want me a matching pair in all different colors & materials, except for one small problem. Each cuff starts (yes starts) @ over 12 $Gs. Yikes.
February 23, 2005
"Designer Living" Host (Fine Living Network) Sheila Bridges Wants Us All To Acknowledge Our Inner Mad Phat Decorating Skills
I talked to interior designer Sheila Bridges today -- she hosts Designer Living on the Fine Living Network. Her book Furnishing Forward: A Practical Guide to Furnishing for a Lifetime is just out in paperback.
I'll be featuring her in the Home Decor section of the next issue of the magazine.
She basically encourages people to buy less, but better quality. Approach your furniture the way you would your wardrobe or a vacation: splurge (invest) in the big pieces (beds, sofas, etc) that you love and that are timeless. Scrimp on fun, new accessories -- everything from candles to dishes -- to keep it fresh.
She also wants us all to channel our inner designer & go for it. Don't be cowed by things like color. Instead, start small (baby steps!) with a room you don't use much like a closet & see how you like it, & then go from there.
As long as you do it confidently, it's all good.
February 22, 2005
Make James Bond Jealous with Sprint's Fancy New MM-5600 Phone
Out next month: the new Sprint MM-5600, a gadget-freak's wet dream.
It's a phone, a 1.3 megapixel Sanyo digital camera, an MP3 player, & an on-demand TV all rolled into one. It features a removable memory card & USB cable so you can print high quality pics without the hassle of downloading them to your PC first or sending them to an online website.
Now it's even easier than ever to capture those fine, impromptu moments when your buddy has one too many & makes an ass of himself hitting on chicks at the club.
Look Lovely Fo' Free with Suave "Can You Tell?" Challenge & Benefit Gilda's Club for Cancer Victims @ Same Time
From February 22-26 only, the Suave "Can You Tell?" team is in Manhattan...on a mission.
Celeb hair guru Harry Josh (Jennifer, Cameron, Reese, Renee, Gisele, Hilary Swank), top NYC derm Francesca Fusco, & a team of stylists & manicurists want to see if you can really tell the difference between Suave and more pricey brands like Matrix, Nexxus & Lubriderm
Head over to the Studio (12 E.42nd St. @ 5th Ave) between 11am to 8pm for product comparisons/demos, as well as FREE hair cuts, stylings, manicures & hand massages. Obviously space is limited, so call for an appointment 1-877-SUAVE05. Rumor has it that Joan & Melissa Rivers will be dropping by for a little pre-Oscar gussying up, as well as Ereka Vetrini (one of The Apprentice minions & The Tony Danza Show).
The best part? It's for a good cause. All the services at the Suave "Can You Tell?" Studio will benefit Gilda's Club Worldwide, a charitable organization that provides emotional and social support to people living with cancer. For the non-Gothamites among us, the Studio will make stops in Chicago & Minneapolis. For every visitor getting an appointment in these cities, Suave will donate $40 to the charity.
Can't make it to the Studio? Log onto http://Canyoutell.com beginning midnight February 22 -- every visit to the site will help Suave donate an additional $10,000 to Gilda's Club Worldwide.
February 21, 2005
Pantone Color Institute Cites Christo & the Gates as Significant Color Influence
I recently chatted with Leatrice Eiseman, the President of the Pantone Color Institute for a piece on color I'm working on for the Pop Culture section of the new issue of the mag.
Apparently the deep, peacock-y teal greens & green/blues that dominated the recent Fall 2005 fashion collections will continue into next year. Orange also has staying power. Interestingly, it only entered the collections a few years back after Apple came out with those fruit colored iMacs. (Eiseman said this was an unusual case because industrial design usually follows fashion rather than the other way around.) The Christo gates currently on display in Central Park -- in a deep paprika'ish orange -- have received so much media attention and visibility, that they created enough interest in orange so that this color will continue to have legs for another few seasons.
And what's new? Metallics. So go forth & blow the rent $$ on that metallic croc bag you've been lusting after.
February 18, 2005
FASHIONWEEK THROUGH A LENS: BABYPHAT
Yet again, I had to lie my way in at this off-site show, way downtown.
The snotty Asian dude with the clipboard wasn't having it, so I decided to try my luck with the head PR chick. I "explained" to her that a mistake had been made, and that, of course, my name should be on the list. (and it damn well should!) For some reason, she assumed that I was from Knight Ridder, and asked if I was Steven. Well, duh, I concurred, and she told me to get a pass from the aforementioned snotty Asian dude, who was much less snotty when issued orders from his boss chick.
The show took forever to start because so many celebs were doing red carpet. The red carpet at the end of the show was madness: it took me 15 minutes to even exit the building. And we're not even talking A-list celebs -- it's more like Shannon Dougherty, Lil Kim, some guy from N'Sync, and Usher.
by Jaxon Hsu
FASHION WEEK THROUGH A LENS: PROJECT RUNWAY
Running directly from the Kenneth Cole to the craziness of the Project Runway show, I had to lie my way in. They were only letting in photographers from major wire services, and looked on the list and asked me if I was so-and-so, so of course, I said "yes".
For us photographers, the biggest thing about this show was that they wanted everyone to stay for two tapings. It never happened. Basically, everyone bolted after the first taping, not to run to another show, but for lunch. But, what was really, really annoying was the crane-mounted camera that kept moving across the runway and interfering with our shots. It was probably the only show -- actually it was the only show -- where TV took priority over photography.
And Heidi Klum -- way more gorgeous in person than you would believe.
by Jaxon Hsu
FASHION WEEK THROUGH A LENS: GETTING A GOOD SPOT
You could tell it was the end of the week because all of the out-of-town photographers had run out of clothes, and were sporting the T-shirts that they’d gotten free with their press kits. Now, in addition to the ladders we schlepped around, we had a uniform to make us look even more like a team of shop-fitters.
Towards the end of the week, there were more and more "hot" shows (in air quotes) and the media pits were getting increasingly crowded. We had to wait in the press holding area to be let into the shows and set up, and the earlier we arrived, the better the chance of nailing a good spot in the media riser.
The Photographer Food Chain: Photographers use duct tape to mark off their "spot." If you see a spot marked "AP", you tend to set yourself up somewhere else. But, if you shoot for Cosmo and you find a better spot marked "Jim Jones", then you set yourself up and Jim can get lost.
by Jaxon Hsu
FASHION WEEK THROUGH A LENS: PARIS HILTON
By the middle of the week, an easy comradery had developed amongst many of the photographers.
Together, we had boo'ed a model for not looking at the riser -- where we were posted at the end of the runway -- enough, cheered and whistled at another for blowing us a kiss, sympathized with a model who’d tripped and fallen coming onto the runway (but snapped hundreds of shots of the her misfortune anyway).
At one show, Paris Hilton was in the audience and one of the shooters joked that they didn’t recognize her with her clothes on, which prompted the rest to scream, “Hey! Take your clothes off!” Of course, security gave us a withering, disapproving look, but hell, there wasn't really much they could do to us other than frown. Ha.
by Jaxon Hsu
FASHION WEEK THROUGH A LENS: SPOTTING THE PHOTOGRAPHER
The primary requirements for a photographer at Fashion Week are: high-end digital cameras with very large telephoto lenses, massive amounts of patience, the ability to stand in small spaces for long lengths of time and work in extremely close proximity to other people. Bonus attributes include large, preferably boney elbows and something portable and obscure to stand on.
Even though the media raiser is designed as a series of steps, most photographers find it necessary to bring something of their own to stand on to give them that ‘extra bit’ of height over the other photographers. Anything goes, from cigar boxes to camera cases to full size ladders. The resulting influence is that we end up looking like mobile handymen because we’re seen lugging a ladder or stool with us everywhere we go (and also because we’re usually the worst dressed people at the event).
by Jaxon Hsu
FASHION WEEK THROUGH A LENS: A PHOTOGRAPHER'S TAKE
So I spent the last week in a tent. No, there were no campfires or marshmallows. There were however, hoardes of gorgeous women and free drinks – such is Bryant Park during the Olympus Fashion Week. My name is Jaxon, a photographer at Fashion Week 2005. I'm South African (originally from Taiwan) and I've never seen anything like this before.
For the first show of the week -- Kenneth Cole -- I found myself standing on the media raiser (aka the pit) at the end of the runway. As the lights dimmed and the music began to cue, I breathed deeply, anticipating the start of this great and distinguished event when a cry of, “uncross your legs!” burst forth from one of the photographers behind me. The outburst was followed by several concurring shouts and cries from photographers telling the people in the front row to get their damned legs and feet off the runway and out of our shots. Startled and nervous, the audience complied and the show was underway. This being my first runway assignment, I was shocked by the aggressive nature of the photographers but by the end of the show, I’d learned that it was a necessity.
Over a thousand shots were fired off by the photographers within the first few minutes of the show, and the satisfying (from a photog point of view because that click-click means it's going well) snaps of shutters continued for the rest of the show.
by Jaxon Hsu
Found New Kickass Jewelry
Had drinks last night with the most amazing jeweler -- she freelances all over the city for everyone from Kenneth Cole to Liz Claiborne (which includes Juicy Couture & a whole host of others) and a certain big deal of a line she's not allowed to mention by name (a certain famous painter's daughter whose line is sold at a certain high end jewelry mecca known for its fab robin's egg blue box.)
Run, don't walk to lay hands on Lorenza's stuff. She makes this stunning ring out of mixed metals -- it's a chunky silver ring about 1/2 inch thick, with gold wire wrapped around the middle & an inch of chain with a pearl dangling off the end. I'm not kidding -- you must own this for spring.
You can email Lorenza at moglyjewel@yahoo.om
Julia Szabo Proves That Pets & People Can Stylishly Shack Up
I interviewed Julia Szabo about her book Animal House Style for the next issue of fashiontribes.com. She writes a "Pets & People" column for the NY Post, and wrote this book as a result of her work at animal shelters & rescue.
Apparently animals get dumped simply because they "ruin" furniture or, even worse, don't match the new decor. I couldn't believe it either. So while it may seem frivolous at first -- a book solely dedicated to having pets & a stylin' pad -- the more serious aim of the book is 1) to keep animals from ending up in shelters for home decor reasons, and 2) to turn design-minded peeps into pet people.
The book is full of cool tips. For instance -- take ultrasuede. It's machine washable, animal hairs can't penetrate it, and it makes wicked looking slipcovers. Also, carpet tiles -- for when Fido makes messes, just remove the that particular section & replace with a new one. (available at http://interfaceflor.com) How cool is that.
Even I may turn into a pet person....
February 17, 2005
West Elm Does a Pad Right Through the Magic of Accessories
I had a long chat this morning by phone with the fab people at West Elm (for the next issue of the mag). Their blend of high design at really reasonable prices makes it easy to trick out yo' pad, and wouldn't you know it, they conveniently have a store right around the corner from the Fashiontribes office in Brooklyn's DUMBO 'hood...for when a Martha moment hits.
What's interesting about West Elm is that they approach their business the way fashion houses do: they send out 6 catalogs a year, and each season, they completely introduce new accessories (pillows, throws, decor). While they always offer a line of "basics" -- blacks, white, an avocado color they call "aloe", chocolate & caramel finishes for the wood -- fun new colors get introduced into the mix. You gotta love any company that encourages accessorizing.
They recently added an expanded line of tabletop items (plates, glasswear, etc) and a lot more lighting. Apparently they're trying to get in on the registry business -- smart thinking if this month's Marie Claire is right about everyone skipping the horror of dating and jumping right to the altar.
It's all about pink for spring at West Elm, http://westelm.com. Sounds good to me.
Highlights of Interview with Fashion Pundit Patrick McDonald
Yesterday, I interviewed NYC fashion maven & dandy Patrick McDonald for the next issue of the magazine (He writes for Mao Mag, Nylon, a Rude, and a host of other hip mags).
His take on the fall collections: lots of opulence, luxe fabrics, embellisment, but nothing really too mindblowing. That pretty much jives with my impression of the NY shows as a whole.
He was also really feelin' Chado Ralph Rucci, and as rising stars, As Four.
Look for the piece about him in the new issue, up on Thursday, 3/24.
February 16, 2005
Chapeaus Mandatory at the Hat Office
Last week, I received an e-vite to attend an event in Soho which involved hats, Swarovski crystals, and benefitted a foundation which brings yoga to underprivileged countries. How could I not attend?
Hat Office, as it turns out, is a small, couture millinary atelier out of Vienna run by two adorable grrls who met in fashion school. Someone who loves hats & does yoga decided they must, simply must-must-must show in NYC & hence the hat/yoga connection.
Their handmade hats are like sculptures, especially the miniature triangles and pillboxes that perch at an angle on the head, sprouting a spray of curled feathers, veils in some cases, clusters of crystals & other embellishment (all of which is attached by hand) in others. Colors were fairly neutral blacks, reds, mauves. They also did fedoras and cute little bucket styles, so pretty much all tribes could find something to their liking from Hat Office.
Don't be put off by the fact that their site is in German - they speak great English, so feel free to email them. http://hatoffice.com
Project Alabama Makes Quilting Positively Hip
I have been sorely remiss & forgot to mention Project Alabama.
The had an all-day trunk show during fashionweek in a suite at the Bryant Park Hotel across from the tents, so we got to fondle the clothes which is always a thrill.
Get this: Project Alabama has something like 100 women, all from Alabama, who sew and quilt all the clothes by hand. How insane is that. The stuff is exquisite, with multiple layers & beautiful -- and I do mean beautiful -- handstitching; about the only place you find that quality these days is in vintage duds and French couture garments.
In terms of the look, I would say it's mostly suited for Afro Love tastes, however some of the tops could easily have crossed over into a Downtown Doll or Rock Punk wardrobe, depending on what they were paired with.
Unfortunately, the pics on their website http://www.projectalabama.com don't begin to do these clothes justice, but it's worth a look anyway.
February 14, 2005
Adidas "Superstar" Turns 35 & gets Feted
The Superstar is 35. Yikes.
But at least Adidas is celebrating in style by having Diddy, Missy, Damon Dash & the Chili Peppers design special edition sneakers to mark this momentous fashion occasion.
All 35 of the limited editions of the sneaker will be at the party on Sunday at their store in Soho, and, rumor has it, some will even be for sale.
Hang Out with a Fashion Princess in the West Village
What do bored young fashion thangs do when being a contributing editor to Teen Vogue simply isn't enough?
Cayli Cavaco -- offspring of Allure's Creative Director Paul Cavaco -- plans to open a bar called The Way Inn on her birthday, April 20th, in a former trash truck garage on Washington & Charles in the West Village.
Look for pool tables, Foosball, Miss Pac-man even. Cavaco told WWD, “We really just want it to be someplace where my friends can hang out and feel at home." Awwwww.
Marc Jacobs Apologizes...sort of
This cracked me up - the angry buzz over the mega lateness of the Marc Jacobs Fall show last week is still brewing (fashionistas can be an unforgiving lot when pushed too far...)
Check out www.marcjacobs.com which has a notice up that reads: “The Marc Jacobs spring-summer 2006 collection show will be held Sept. 12th at 9:00 p.m. Please be advised the show is running approximately 1-1/2 hours late. Please check here for monthly updates.”
Company prez Robert Duffy has the right attitude. He told WWD, “We felt bad and are sorry,” he said. “I thought, let’s lighten up a little bit. Everybody was saying, ‘Why didn’t you tell us?’ So we said, ‘Let’s let them know now that we may be late next season.’ It wasn’t being disrespectful or arrogant. We’re sorry, lighten up and let’s move on.”
It's fashion after all, not brain surgery.
February 13, 2005
Some Other Fashion Labels to Keep Yo' Eye On
Ralph, Donna, Calvin, Oscar, Bill, Jil. You're familiar with them, but the trouble is, so are all the wrong people. Stay ahead of the pack with a recent WWD pick of under-the-radar designers:
Luxe & Romance: High end lingerie designed by Lisa Raye, an actor on "All of Us" (which Will Smith & his missus produce) aimed at non-white chicks. 20s Harlem vibe.
Anne Bowen: Her previous line of sexy gear used to show up on Kim Cattrall, Elizabeth Hurley & Destiny's Child. He new line is all about gowns and suits.
Miguel Pena: Ladylike suits and menswear-inspired dressing in high-end suiting fabrics. Run by Pena, the designer, Dan Otero & Frank Skoch, the biz end -- they all met at Parsons.
Jay Godfrey: Former Oscar de la Renta intern, his evening-y looks have a dandyish vibe.
Lost Art by Jordan Betten: A secret of music and editorial stylists, Betten makes leather pants, ponchos, & jackets and often whips up stuff for Anna Sui.
Levi Okunov: Learned to sew from his aunt, an Hasidic bridal designer. Worked for Marc Jacobs. Check out his coats.
A Fresh Crop at the Tallulah Showroom: Aimee G, Mel en Stel (by Gen Art 2003 finalist Belgian Ilse Eriksson), Epperson, Chyby Ryby (means "crazy fishes" in Slovak), Tatiana Lebedev, Nathan Reimer of Destroyed, Exodus International.
Malan: An actor in musicals who learned about design from costumer, deisgner Malan Breton describes his stuff as "eveningwear with a burlesque, Betty Page twist."
Cristobal.Skot: FIT'ites, Scott Stargardt and Christopher Trejo both slaved away designing accessories before delving into womenswear, which is geisha-themed this season.
Julie Haas: Former editor/publisher of Spoon magazine, she does bags and accessories with "a vintage flair, but with humor."
Kai Milla: Former record label art director, Angeleno Milla (married to Stevie Wonder) has until recently dressed celebs almost exclusively, and is now branching out.
And of course Zaldy & Boudicca (see fashionweek posts & podcasts).
February 12, 2005
The Jennifer Lopez Show
A few hours before this show, they started locking down the tents & not letting people in. By the fourth dismayed phone call from someone stranded outside who required me to go out with my press pass & rescue them -- this whole thing started to get old. Security was everywhere, chaos & people -- this is actually meant to be a place where fashion gets shown, not a club opening, & I'm not the only one who wishes they would take this type of thing offsite.
Yikes, what to say about her Sweetface show. It opened with an enormous neon sign which attempted to evoke Westside Story and read "The J. Lo Story". Lots of what looked to me like lederhosen. Bell sleeve chiffon tops with low, low waisted jeans. A belted babydoll or two. And a 'Lil Kim worthy white shortsuit with wide brown belt. An odd plaid jumpsuit with knee length breeches & ribbed cuffs. Some high waisted green knickers, and white garters.
Tons of fur though -- really really nice fur at that. And Naomi ended things in a white flamenco inspired jumpsuit with tier upon tier of ruffles and oversized white mink Kentucky Derby type hat, but with two foot brim.
Zaldy Turns It Out
Zaldy makes the kind of clothes that automatically turn you into an "it" girl. Even It model Karen Ellson walked his show, which made Byron very, very sad that he didn't listen to my advice & get his fine self downtown for the show.
The hand-knit marino wool cardigan with bright, grandma-approved splashes of color and matching leggings over heels - yummy. And for any Rock Punk girl with a jones for something more uptown: the blue wool trousers and matching chiffon blouse with oddly looped placket is the way to rock menswear. A bright blue wrap evoked Peruvian chic (except for the dangly silver trim) and the floor-length wool jersey and velvet "oops" gown was anything but.
Color palette: greens (emerald to forest), teal, yellow, pumpkin, and some metallics (gold & bronze). Shoes had an interesting detail with a leather "spat" that had the same feel as if you put a bandanna around your shoe and tied it in front. A bronze earpiece that traced the perimeter of the ear was a fun earring substitute.
The standout: a green wool jersey and lame mini "suspension" dress with gathers and sexy chains in all the right places.
We love Zaldy. Period.
America's Own Couturier Chado Ralph Rucci
To really appreciate Chado Ralph Rucci, you have to get up close and personal. Impeccable craftsmanship is his hallmark -- after all, he's shown in the Paris couture shows.
The fact that he and J.Lo were showing back to back was, to say the least, ironic. Put it this way: Chado focuses on quietly exquisite, timeless pieces without any accompanying which-celebs-are-in-attendance drama. Standouts were the white retro-future-y white knee length dress, taupe & rose pants with a 60s style tunic, the burgundy croc trench, and black laser cut short jacket, slouchy brown fur tunic with burgundy pant
Gustavo Arango Knows For Boho Luxe
If you're Afro Love, Gustavo Arango is your new best friend. For easy glam, you can't go wrong with his interesting layers, color combos and fabrics.
A winter white lace pant with high, high waist was paired with a fuchia chiffon blouse and pumpkin velvet gilet -- (imagine four panels of velvet, 6" wide & 12" long, that are attached at one end & gathered at the other, creating a cropped vest). A bias cut emerald charmeuse dress with drapey cape-like back would look amazing with some oversized emerald earrings & a chunky emerald encrusted choker, and the dark chocolate satin trench with red whip stitching was quite lovely. For the Charlie's Angel in you, his sleek black jumpsuit paired with black fox chubby was just the thing, and for entertaining, the pumpkin velvet caftan with panne design was stunning.
A good red carpet option: the one shoulder green satin sheath, with a hand painted butterfly print.
All Hail Boudicca
This British label, which normally shows in London, finally showed here. And it's about time!
The show was at the Soho Grand Hotel downtown, salon style, so you could really see the clothes up close. Amazing black suit after black suit came out, with sharp pointy shoulders and gathered cap sleeve in one case, black armbands with a trail of ruffles and ribbons, an epaulet created from a fan of knife pleats. Skirts were sexy variations on the pencil, and a cropped balloon pant in one case. The shrug fashioned from stiff black leather had a rockin' armor feel to it. One amazing top that nothing but nothing should stop a sane Rock Punk grrl from laying hands on: a black draped and belted/gathered number, with tight self-fabric binding (about 3 inches wide) just above the elbow, that opened into a puffy balloon of a sleeve.
Shoes were black boots with attached leather "spat" and the cool accessory was a crystal covered eyepatch with crystal encrusted spikes. The first model had smallish spikes which grew progressively longer as each model came out until they had the feel of glitzy demento eyelashes. Patti Wilson's styling & MAC are both genius!
Costello Tagliapietra; Afshin Feiz
Costello Tagliapietra: To quote the inimitable Byron, this collection was "sexy Vicar's wife." Demure little dresses in gray, gray and more gray -- with some cream, rust, and red thrown in for good measure -- they were mostly high necked and long sleeved, but when the models walked back down the runway, you found out they were slit open from neck to waist. Same with one floor length number which was completely slit up the back to reveal flashes of lots of leg -- good for making a great exit. Hair was two chunky braids wrapped around the head Guinivere style, adding to the demure librarian feel. (Downtown Dolls & Afro Love girls take note.) One standout piece: a dark grey, drapey top with long sash tie that started at the shoulder, was fashioned into a bow at the waist and extended past the hemline.
Afshin Feiz: The few dark, rock-type looks they sent out were great. The wideleg pant with one black leg, one white, and then paired with a shiny, necktie blouse was right on, and Rock Punk girls would also look good in the black velvet fitted pant with white chiffon ruffle blouse and tuxedo jacket, and the black short dress with gold rope belt (drapey sexy). Also good: the salmon silk chiffon goddess-y number with long self-fabric panels and strings trailing behind (Global Chic).
Iisli; Custo Barcelona
Iisli: for Downtown Dolls, the knit pieces by husband & wife design team Nelson and Sisi Li were nice. A gray blazer with knit skirt and gray V-neck with paillettes matched with various gray tweeds. Rock Punk chicks would look cute in the blazer with black tee & sequined bling design.
Custo Barcelona: You can't be afraid of color to wear Custo. Apparently a lot of people are not: it was surprising pandemonium & crowds waiting to get in. The wide leg Prince of Wales'ish plaid pant and pale blue jacket - nice. Also a rose pant with bright blue vest, fur chubby & those wide leg pants again in tweed, a cute velvet babydoll with leaf colored cardigan, a silver satin dress with red belt. Hair was very hot rollers & then fluff the bottom until you have wings.
February 11, 2005
Narciso's Noir Allure; Lela Rose; Jeffrey Chow; Wunderkind
Narciso Rodriguez: The Lady isn't a tramp, but man, is she still sexy. Lots of form fitted dresses, with slices of skin showing either above the midriff, or crisscrossed in the back. Black "holster" like bodices. White bomber jackets with black pants. Lipstick red satin dresses. Nice: white, high-high-high waisted wide legged pant. Also pretty: peaking out from under a gray trench, a pewter gray silk suit with teal bandeau top. A racer-back top with attached cape in bright red.
Lela Rose: browns, grays, citrine, black, dusty pink. A cute flirty skirt with bands of mink. A pretty leaf green blouse. Shiny green brocade coat. Quite cute -- a white bonbon of a dress: picture a kneelength, strapless column of white organza cinched in just below the bust with a black ribbon.
Jeffrey Chow: These threads make you want to do nothing but lunch. A black Edwardian style coat trimmed in mink, the "Imelda" jacket with "tarnished" floral sequin embroidery. The beaded corset with a sheer drapey layer over those tarnished sequins looked hot. He also sent out a "dinner"suit with toreador style pants ( yes, with that high waist emphasis ) and a cute gold fox chubby with mushroom skinny pants -- I want, as well as the brown silk bias dress with green & gold sequined bodice & sheer sleeves.
Wunderkind: Back in the day, I liked designer Wolfgang Joop's Joop collection. This time, he showed lots of grays, taupes, reds, black. A champagne bias knee length dress had interesting stitching on the skirt - almost like a cosine wave with gussets. The brown fox chubby over Missoni'ish knit and gray plaid pant was a cute day look, as was the gray jacket with horizontal stripes of what looked like "shredded" fabric (but in a good way) with a pale grey shreddey/texture-y skirt. The gold/bronizish moire sequined babydoll dress with multiple layers be a nice going-out addition to a Downtown Doll wardrobe, as would the knee-length overcoat with slubs of blue, green and gray -- very bling & slouchy at the same time.
Oscar, Bill, Zac, J. Mendel
Oscar de la Renta: his usual crew of admirers won't be disappointed. The blue & brown Cossack inspired coat, a gathered skirt with three horizontal blocks of color: black, blue, and yellow, paired with an embroidered sweater. Hits: A rust skirt paired with a shimmery, silver studded sweater; a chocolate embroidered/encrusted sweater with matching skirt.
Bill Blass: lots of tweeds, suits, lots of gray. A grey top and snakeskin skirt combo was cute. One nice touch: a copper silk obi with skinny purple tie.
J. Mendel: black, white, tweeds, burgundy, rose. The knockout was a rose chiffon grecian number, with same-fabric binding around the knees and trail of chiffon. The red velvet skinny pant suit, brown velvet pencil skirt with inch-wide sequin stripe embroidered vertically on on side, and skinny brown velvet pant paired with a chiffon blouse and earth toned fur chubby -- all great. Also rockin: strapless, fitted black cocktail sheath with deco-style silver adornment over the bust and a sheer lace hem overlayed with a flirty fringe of black feathers that move when you do.
Zac Posen: greys and camels. Grey clamdiggers & pencil skirts, and a nice dove gray ruffled goddess-worth gown. The pale gray silk greek inspired gown with train -- which he also showed in a pale lavender -- sure winners!
Carlos Miele's Brazilian Party
You gotta hand it to the Brazilians. They know how to have fun.
A bunch of guys with drums were at the front of the runway, drumming the entire time. It even got the crowd - this is a NY fashionweek crowd we're talking about here - clapping along at the Carlos Miele show. Take a moment to picture that, especially the sunglasses-indoor types.
Inspired by the headdresses and traditional dyeing techniques of indigenous Brazilian Indians, Miele sent out fun look after fun look of flowy chiffon dresses, sexy shrugs, polka dots, explosions of color, and one fur coat that looked like it was covered in a soft, downy layer of feathers.
The stunner? Karolina Kurkova came strutting out in this rock 'n roll worthy beige cashmere duster, covered in sparkles, embroidered lace, with a lush feather hem and collar. I have five words: um um UM um um.
Ralph Lauren TNT FREAK & other Bad Things ::PODCAST
Okay, I'm over this weird thing that seems to have kidnapped fashionweek & taken it hostage: turning editors and fashion press away from shows. Wha's up with that?
Of course I'm sure you heard about the BabyPhat debacle: the people handling front-of-house turned away Andre Leon Talley -- I repeat: Andre Leon Tally -- telling him there was no more room, as Usher & his posse showed up, and was -- excuse the lame pun -- ushered right in. Lemme get this straight: this top ranking editor from Vogue magazine has the courtesy of hoofing it downtown to this madhouse of a show, and he gets turned away?!
He was quoted the next day as saying that he's a) never going to another BabyPhat show, and b) the only shows he'll attend after 7 pm are the ones held in the tents (no more of this offsite, downtown nonsense). Rightfully so, Andre.
The buzz on the Marc Jacobs show, held Monday....offsite of course, was that the reason it was almost 2 hours late was that it was being held for Beyonce and Jay Z. Word is, as soon as they sat down, the lights went down. (KCD made up some story about the clothes not having been there. Please.) People apparently boo'ed the celebs, and we also heard that Anna Wintour almost left. I wish she would have -- it would have served them right for treating editors & press so disrespectfully.
Which brings me to Narciso Rodriguez. Same deal, they turned both Byron & yours truly away. And rudely. They gave Byron the "once over look" & shoo'd us out of line. He's never, I mean never, been turned away from a show like that. Hellooooo...we want to give you press?! am I missing something here?
At J. Mendel, a sparsely attended affair with a standing room line of all socialites in their J.Mendel furs, I apparently wasn't "on the list" & was disss-missed. I checked my facts & it looks like A.O. Productions was handling the front of house. They are normally the nicest people. Well if the snotty cow with the clipboard & headset walking around works for them, she needs her ass kicked. (btw - I really, really wanted to hate the show, and couldn't. It rocked.)
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. A fishing rod....better. Give a fashion bitch some power and a headset, and it's just a bad, bad thing.
And now, Ralph Lauren. First, they do these three off-site shows somewhere downtown at 9, 10 & 11 am. Wha's up with that?! When you're in the RL league, why not do the painfully normal thing & hold one show in the main tent. Hello. Then, they were simply turning people away, regardless of whether they were on "the list" or not. Not only did Jaxon, our amazingly resourceful photog get turned away, but so did Vogue Korea's apparently.
Check out our Other Blog!
We have another addition to the Fashiontribes.com blogging team: "Avalon" He's an insider & unafraid to dish. (He also covered shows I couldn't get to). Check his his top 10 list of things people need to stop doing at fashionweek.
And if he hasn't posted the "Get me a dry martini, dahling" story yet, be sure to tell him to.
The Amazing Michael Kors
After the three-piece gray suit with the floor-length humongo fur came out, my jaw started to drop. And it just didn't quit: a belted lipstick red greatcoat, black 50s style dress with pockets, the camel coat with fox collar and herringbone pant, the absolutely stunning red coat with fur collar & all black worn underneath.
I looked at Byron. He did the "I told you so." He was right.
By the time the slouchy black fur came out (in a casual, floor dragging length) over a black sweater and white pants, I was sold-sold-sold. Not to mention the shimmery dove gray pencil skirt with flapper-like feather hem paired with skinny turtleneck, strapless white cocktail number with sparkley bodice and pockets (I love a cute dress with pockets).
For drop dead, try the pampered-woman white sheath, avec sparkles of course, with matching voluminous white fur. Red carpet: lots of Grecian inspired and strapless numbers in black, red and purple.
This collection was stuh-ning. I want one of each. So will Afro Love, Global Chic and Fancy Flirt.
Close Encounters
Ran into these fine folks that we'll introduce you to properly in upcoming issues, or that are in current/past issues of fashiontribes.com:
Patti Wilson -- an amazing stylist. Met her backstage at Heatherette amongst the pre-show madness. Look for an interview with her in an upcoming issue.
Gordon Espinet -- Creative Director for MAC. Check out the interview with him in the current issue.
Andre Leon Talley -- the Vogue editor. A legend, and the reason to read Vogue (besides their food writer Jeffrey Steingarten of course). He's agreed to be interviewed for an upcoming issue, as has....
Carson Kressley (Queer Eye) -- Phillip D. Johnson (editor of www.lucire.com as well as their new print version -- check it out!) introduced us.
Charlie Green -- makeup artist for Victoria's Secret & most of the fashionshows. Her interview is up right now in the Downtown Doll mag.
Constance White -- Style Director for eBay. Ran into her after Michael Kors. A piece on her is also up right now in the Fashion section.
Vivienne Tam, Anna Sui, Carmen Marc Valvo, Marc Bouwer
Vivienne Tam: teals & forest greens, rose, muted reds. Poiret inspired. Velvets & plaids. Highlights: High waisted pants (Toreador style) and skirts. (Face it, those waisted boot cuts you love so much need to be retired soon.) Red velvet overcoat, and suit with a waist-flattering peplum cut. A slouchy ease good for Afro Love or Downtown Dolls.
Anna Sui: Adorable, Adorable, Adorable. Shiny prints & color (duh!). Some cute black & white secretary looks, a really nice strapless black number with a sequined bodice, and the standout was on Naomi: a yellow & black Cossack-meets-babydoll number, styled with a huge fur hat. Downtown Doll all the way.
Sass & Bide: Not much to report, except for the chocolate silk dresses.
Carmen Marc Valvo: Lots of shiny sheaths & gowns -- Oscar/red carpet stuff, his usual, in silk & fur: Browns, eggplant & purple, taupe. The chocolate trench was nice, as was the fisherman sweater-knit duster in cream, with cream pants & top. Global Chic & Fancy Flirt.
Marc Bouwer: Think Oscars. Chocolate satin, bias cut this and that. Some 20s beaded flapper-worthy gear. A fun satin jumpsuit with widelegs -- great for the hostess with the mostest. A nice, and huge, fur overcoate, as well as a taupe bias cut sheath covered in chocolate paillettes. Oh, and Liza Minelli was in the house. Global Chic.
Betsey Johnson's No Bull
She must have gotten lucky in Scotland (it just seems like an odd source of inspiration for a fashion show, to me at least). The front of the runway was covered in tartan fabric, with a neon arch that read "The Bull & Betsey". A DJ in a green plaid kilt was spinning clogging music of some sort before the show (and rockin out by the looks of it), and the A-list sat at the cafe tables that lined each side of the runway, with bottles of Guiness on each table (probably to make the clogging music bearable).
Lots of typical Betsey, pouffy skirts and promdresses, polka dots. Great hosiery though: tartan tights. Must get. Also various plaid getups, gold buttons.
Downtown Dolls: The wool skirt suit with in a green/teal oversize plaid was a knockout, as were the long, heart locket necklaces.
At the end, she bounded out & did her trademark cartwheel. We love Betsey.
Reem Acra's Bronze Age
Lots of bronze, lots of texture, lots of shine. End of review.
Kidding - although bronze was the color & who knew there is an infinite number of way you can apparently wear it. Sequin dusters, a beautiful silk charmeuse tie dye'ish skirt, and a stunning embroidered tulle tunic. Loved the tulle skirt with the band of silver sequins around the hem.
A bronze metallic jacket with a black skirt was a knockout, and well as the floor-length champagne silk sheath with and explosion of tone-on-tone sequins.
For a shiny entrance, everyone except Rock Punk and Global Chic can find things to wear here.
February 10, 2005
Austin Out & Byron Concedes Defeat about Project Runway ::PODCAST
Hmm...well I called it. Austin got cut, and it's down to Wendy, Kara & Jay. Check out the podcast where I now have it on tape that Byron James, Fashion Director of Collage, has agreed to actually wear some Tommy Hilfiger. This I gotta see.
Now that it's down to Kara, Jay & Wendy, I predict Jay will win (he's also the fave at the tents) & Byron thinks it will go to Kara. Either way, we both agreed that should either one win, it's cool.
However if Wendy wins, then I'll probably become an atheist.
February 07, 2005
Club Worth Party Gear from Boy George B-Rude ::PODCAST
Let's just say I went into this show with less than high expectations. And wouldn't you know it, I was pleasantly surprised.
The Boy sent out fun party gear (big surprise!) Lots of white, red, and black, and silkscreened images of Leigh Bowery, peace signs (sequined bien sur), rude words spelled backward, and safety pins (what is it about the Brits and safety pins anyway?)
Ziggy Stardust glitter makeup, pink & orange extensions on the girls that fell almost like a furry collar around the neck. The soundtrack included that snippet from Mommie Dearest about the w-i-r-e HANGERS!!!!
Tightey whiteys with prints and even a glittery skull and crossbones on the crotch of one. Acid wash jeans with screen prints, gold sequin-outlined peace signs on everything, button downs with $$$ symbols. The tracksuits with sequined peace symbols were definitely "gay goombah" chic.
Loved the shirt of nude mesh with the sequined dagger & heart tattoo design on the chest, as well as one that reminded me of a Sex Pistols album cover, and the necktie with a huge image of a safety pin. Also, the flat "fanny packs" chained to the belt loops from behind.
Richie Rich walked the runway; Pat Field was there as well as Debbie Harry. And when he came out to take his bow, BG was classy enough to bring the line's designer with him.
3-for-1 Homerun at Gary Graham ::PODCAST
Check out your fabulous editor canoodling with the designer backstage before the show! (I've always wanted to canoodle, or at the very least be caught canoodling. So how does one canoodle anyway?)
Gary Graham's collection rocked. He actually sent out collections for three ch