>> The Kate Moss Effect: She's Still Got It for Cruise 2010 —The gold lame Stephen Jones turban and matching Marc Jacobs dress Kate Moss wore to the Costume Institute Gala in early May is still resonating with designers for resort: Marc Jacobs decided to use the dress in his collection; Roksanda Illincic, Alexander Wang, and Michael Kors threaded gold lame through their collections; and Yigal Azrouel used turbans to top off his looks. [Style File]
Alexander Wang
>> INSIDER WIRE —Marc Jacobs traded his skirt in for pants last night at the CFDA Awards, while Alexander Wang — who says he started wearing shorts a month ago and hasn't switched back to pants — debuted his "suit shorts" from Comme des Garcons: "I always feel awkward in a full get-up. You’ve got to break it up a little.” He may break with tradition, but it sounds like the Swarovski Womenswear winner is being groomed for big things — he was discussed yesterday at the Financial Times Business of Luxury Summit as a good investment opportunity, and rumors are circulating that for his Spring 2010 show, his usual stylist Alastair McKimm has been replaced with "a certain godhead of a stylist" who "deemed" to take the gig. [FWD, Style File, Alexandra Wilson's Twitter, The Imagist]
The 2009 CFDA Awards Are Here! Rodarte, Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler Take Home Wins

>> American designers are trickling in at Alice Tully Hall for tonight's CFDA Awards — CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg was first to arrive, International Award winner Marc Jacobs walked the red carpet arm and arm with fiance Lorenzo Martone, Kirsten Dunst came with Womenwear of the Year nominees Rodarte, presenter Diane Kruger arrived with Swarovski nominee Jason Wu, Doutzen Kroes is resplendent in Zac Posen, and all were greeted on the front steps by a crowd of models in the nominees' creations.
Swarovski nominee Alexander Wang said he's "not nervous at all" — he woke up today and "forgot it was the CFDAs," but we'll have to wait and see if this turns out to be a night to remember for him, after all . . .
The ceremony is now underway, and host Tracy Ullman opened with a Kiefer Sutherland-headbutting joke — Proenza Schouler is an Accessory Designer nominee, and arrived with Daphne Guinness in tow — the CFDA crowd is a notoriously tough crowd, and the joke was met with "weak laughter."
Later on, Tracy, known for her designer impressions on her eponymous TV show, took a crack at impersonating Anna Wintour. Michelle Obama, who wasn't there in body, accepted her Special Tribute Award by video, and Rodarte's Laura and Kate Mulleavy accepted their Womenswear Award saying they watched Midnight Cowboy this afternoon to calm their nerves.
And the winners are . . . (nominees here):
- Accessory Designer of the Year: Proenza Schouler
- Popular Vote Award: Ralph Lauren
- Menswear Designer of the Year: Italo Zucchelli for Calvin Klein and Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders (tie)
- Swarovski Award for Menswear: Tim Hamilton
- Swarovski Award for Womenswear: Alexander Wang
- Swarovski Award for Accessories: Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewelry
- Womenswear Designer of the Year: Rodarte
Are Designers, Editors Finally Ready to Give Up Their Towering Heels?
>> Is fashion finally getting sick of the shoe silhouette that has so pervaded the last few years — the painfully high heel? Carine Roitfeld, notorious for her pro-heel stance, was snapped recently at a luncheon in Cannes wearing flats; Francisco Costa shod all of his Cruise 2010 models in brogues and flat boots, and Vogue's Mark Holgate noted at yesterday's Cruise 2010 Yves Saint Laurent presentation that even "the house that started the platform craze is coming down off them."
Today, Andre Leon Talley dedicated a whole Vogue Daily post to the phenomenon, observing that at a recent Alexander Wang Cruise 2010 appointment, "Meredith Melling Burke . . . walked in off the elevator in a beige 3.1 Phillip Lim chesterfield and beige trousers tucked into an impeccable black pair from Miu Miu — that were completely flat! A sign of things to come?"
CFDA Swarovski Nominees Pair with Editors and Stylist for Short Films
>> All 21 designers nominated for the 2009 CFDA Awards have been photographed by Craig McDean for the CFDA Journal, but the nine who are Swarovski emerging designer nominees will also be featured in individual short films, along with an editor or stylist of their choice, to be shown at the June 15 ceremony.
The shorts, directed by Michael Palmieri and still photographed by Jennifer Livingston, feature designers Thakoon Panichgul, Jason Wu (who partnered with T fashion director Anne Christensen, left), Alexander Wang, Justin Giunta (who picked Harper's Bazaar accessories director Ana Maria Pimentel), Alejandro Ingelmo, Albertus Swanepoel, Patrick Ervell (who shot with V fashion editor Jay Massacret), Tim Hamilton and Robert Geller. The films also feature editors Anne Slowey, Brian Coats, Brian Molloy, Kate Lanphear, Camilla Nickerson and Melanie Ward.
Alexander Wang Takes Away Some of the Edge, Replaces with Lighter Colors for Cruise 2010
>> As Alexander Wang prepares to go head-to-head with Jason Wu and Thakoon Panichgul at the CFDA Awards in a couple of weeks — and maybe have his impression done by the night's host, Tracey Ullman — he took some time to present his Cruise 2010 collection.
There were a few of his greatest hits — the sweatshorts, the denim and black leather jacket — done in lighter colors, plus his take on classic American sportswear. And it seems like he was influenced by working with khaki for his impending collaboration with Gap — the 41 piece collection included a couple of variations on the trench, plus a khaki skirt and pant.
Marc Jacobs Gets Bunny Ears, Jason Wu Wears a Dress for 2009 CFDA Journal
>> This year's CFDA Awards are coming up on June 15, and for the accompanying CFDA Journal, which is handed out at the ceremony and showcases all the nominees, Craig McDean and Karl Templer enlisted all 21 designers to model their own work (last year, Raquel Zimmermann did the honors).
Womenswear Designer of the Year nominees Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte go rosy-cheeked, International Award winner for Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, sports a pair of the bunny ears from his latest show, Accessory Designer of the Year nominees Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez wear their handbags like boxing gloves — perhaps a cheeky nod to recent events — and Swarovski Womenswear Designer nominee Jason Wu layered one of his evening gowns over a suit, playing on the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers duality of himself and his designs.
While the Journal won't be available for public consumption, the CFDA has introduced a Popular Vote Award this year, so that anyone can nominate their favorite designer to win until June 9.
>> IN PRODUCTION —It turns out Alexander Wang isn't the only one doing khaki jackets and chinos for this year's CFDA-Gap collaboration after all: Vena Cava also pitched in a couple of dresses and variations on chinos — Racked got the first looks. No word (although it's likely) on whether more designers are involved. [Racked]
UPDATE: The Alexander Wang-Gap photos have turned up — including one the motorcycle jacket — as well as pictures of a set of hats, which are likely done by milliner Albertus Swanepoel of Albertus Quartus (Wang was the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Award winner, Vena Cava and Albertus Quartus the runners-up). [Racked]
>> IN PRODUCTION —In past couple of years, Gap has teamed up with CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winners and finalists like Phillip Lim, Band of Outsiders, Threeasfour, Philip Crangi, Rodarte, Doo.Ri, and Thakoon to reinterpret their classic white shirt, but this year, Patrick Robinson says it's all about 2008 winner Alexander Wang: "We have Alexander Wang doing the next CFDA collaboration, like what we did with the white shirts last year, only this year it's with khaki. He did this incredible motorcycle jacket in khaki that's going to be under $100. It's coming out on June 16th, so get ready!" [Teen Vogue]
UPDATE: Apparently the collection also features another khaki jacket, plus some chinos. [Grazia Twitter]
*image: source
Coachella Spawns Slimane Sighting, New York Times Fashion Shoot
>> Crowds will always flock to Indio for Coachella, and over the weekend, the fashion flock was well-represented. Agyness Deyn was photographed mid-smooch, confirming speculation that she has moved on from ex-fiance Albert Hammond, Jr. with Phantom Planet's Alex Greenwald and cementing her status as another British model with a thing for musicians.
Henry Holland, in town to pal around with Agy and see the shows, spotted Hedi Slimane "wandering around with a camera in all black." Yesterday morning, Slimane was still in town, scouting and taking breakfast at the newly-opened Ace Hotel in nearby Palm Springs. Also going down at the Ace over the weekend, a New York Times fashion shoot with photographer Sebastian Kim, which must be for an upcoming T magazine.
Alexander Wang, in LA to launch his shop-in-shop for Opening Ceremony that will feature exclusive merchandise involving fur and exotic skins starting in the Fall, hit Coachella in a Land Rover with Zoe Kravitz; Jeremy Scott and Daisy Lowe also made festival appearances.
*image: WENN.com




