Posts for March 19th 2009

House of Style May Be the Beginning of a Career Change for Chanel Iman
House of Style May Be the Beginning of a Career Change for Chanel Iman March 19, 2009 6:07 pm >> In anticipation of her television debut on MTV's House of Style this weekend (more details here), we snagged Chanel Iman for a few minutes to chat about how she landed the coveted role of show correspondent (first peek at her in the show, left), her recent coup on the runway at Balenciaga, and about how she might have already landed a date to this year's Costume Institute Gala.  It also sounds like she has a career switch in mind — but Chanel will tell you all about it herself.
March 19, 2009 5:47 pm >> THE ZEITGEIST —Alexandra Shulman recently said that she looks to the recession to bring forward new design talent — last time around we got Alexander McQueen and John Galliano — and today, Cathy Horyn asserted that "the recession could turn out to make designers better designers.  Fashion houses, anticipating reduced orders, cut out the theatrics as they sought to appeal to a relatively new demand in luxury fashion: value.  By the end of the shows, retailers were praising the level of craft and fabric research — and complaining when it was obscured, as at Chanel, by French-maid ruffles.
Brian Atwood, Rene Russo Collaborate On a Little Shoe Fetishism
Brian Atwood, Rene Russo Collaborate On a Little Shoe Fetishism March 19, 2009 5:36 pm >> Designers seem to have a new fixation on pairing mature women with younger men when it comes to advertising their accessories.  First, Karl Lagerfeld paired up 52-year-old Jerry Hall with Baptiste Giabiconi for Chanel handbags, and now, Brian Atwood cast 55-year-old Rene Russo to sex his Spring 2009 footwear up with Jon Kortajarena, Tom Ford-style (Jon is even Tom's campaign model of choice).  The steamy scenes were shot by Tony Duran over a period of two days at Russo's home, and are being collected in a limited-edition book, Role Play Rene, for Atwood to pass out.  Russo and Atwood didn't even meet until the shoot, but celebrated the 1,000 editions last night with a dinner in LA and tonight, will be feting again in New York tonight at a party hosted by Julia Restoin-Roitfeld.
March 19, 2009 4:43 pm >> INSIDER WIRE —Bringing the Karl Lagerfeld iconography to new levels?  A begloved, tuxedoed Karl Lagerfeld Ken doll, which the designer toted around at Colette's opening of the Barbie 50th Anniversary exhibit in Paris.  So far, it looks to be just one-of-a-kind.
You Have a Perfume to Thank for the Return of Rochas
You Have a Perfume to Thank for the Return of Rochas March 19, 2009 3:10 pm >> It was a surprise when Rochas reopened ready-to-wear for Fall 2009, just two years after unceremoniously closing down its fashion brand, leaving only a line of fragrances.  But it turns out those fragrances, moneymakers though they are, are part of the reason the clothes are back — without the fashion, a brand runs the risk of losing relevance.  "Fragrances have only a certain shelf life," says Robert Burke, an investment consultant and former Bergdorf Goodman executive, told The Wall Street Journal.
Coutorture Community Must Reads 03/19/09
Coutorture Community Must Reads 03/19/09 March 19, 2009 2:01 pm Clutch 22 found Ann Demeulemeester-inspired shoes at lower price points.
March 19, 2009 1:36 pm >> INSIDER WIRE —On the same day Marc Jacobs announced his engagement to Lorenzo Martone, he also bought a house to share.  Apparently, the couple has been looking a downtown New York properties for a while, and finally settled on a $13 million, 4,500-square-foot West Village townhouse on Bethune Street — with private garden and roof terrace — designed by Robert A.M.
Melbourne Fashion Week: Wrangler Fall 2009
Melbourne Fashion Week: Wrangler Fall 2009 March 19, 2009 1:30 pm Melbourne 03/18/09.
Melbourne Fashion Week: Alice McCall Fall 2009
Melbourne Fashion Week: Alice McCall Fall 2009 March 19, 2009 12:59 pm Melbourne 03/18/09.
Michael Angel Fall 2009 Look Book
Michael Angel Fall 2009 Look Book March 19, 2009 12:35 pm Australian designer Michael Angel showed his Fall 2009 collection during New York Fashion Week this season.
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