>> Michael Kors went West for Pre-Spring 2012 — literally, picking up his inspiration while on a trip to Phoenix. Ann Bonfoey Taylor, the American socialite-cum-Olympic skier who served as that inspiration — she was just the subject of an exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum — represented "Nan Kempner on the range" to Kors, the designer explained. Turquoise and crimson pop up amongst the primarily black and white collection, which boasts harness detailing on everything from bags to dress straps.
>> Donna Karan's "Urban Garden"-themed Pre-Fall 2012 DKNY collection incorporates stripes, crochet, colorblocking, and peplums, with a smattering of florals thrown in for good measure.
>> Francois Lesage, acknowledged widely as the greatest couture embroiderer, died today at age 82. He had been ill for a number of years but remained active in his eponymous business until recently.
Maison Lesage was founded by Lesage's father, who collaborated with early 20th-century designers like Vionnet at Elsa Schiaparelli. Lesage took over his father's firm at 20, later joking: "[I was] born on a mound of pearls and glitter. It never occurred to me to do anything else. I still sleep in the bedroom where I was born."
Under Lesage's 60-some-odd years of leadership, the house worked with a diverse group of clients, including Dior, Givenchy, Balenciaga, and Christian Lacroix. The company has been owned by Chanel since 2002. "Our role is to be chameleons," Lesage explained in recent years. "With Karl [Lagerfeld], I am Karl. With Christian, I am Christian . . . We receive a sketch and it is up to us to interpret. The couturier is the architect, we are the decorators."
Maison Lesage will continue under newly appointed artistic director Hubert Barrère. But, as Karl Lagerfeld said at the time of Chanel's purchase of the house in 2002: "There is no couture without embroidery and no embroidery without Lesage."
>> Not that long ago, Karlie Kloss and Chanel Iman were introduced to the industry on the girlish February 2008 cover of Teen Vogue. Fast forward three and a half years, and Iman is renting a private island off Jamaica to ring in her 21st birthday, while Kloss is earning Gisele Bundchen comparisons for her body-baring Vogue Italia December 2011 cover story, "Body by Kloss," shot by Steven Meisel. Appropriately enough, Kloss, who got herself a trainer six months ago, recently named Bundchen her favorite model growing up: "Oh, my God, Gisele, of course! Gisele is the ultimate." See the full NSFW editorial in the slideshow.
