fashionologie

More Details About Who's Wearing What to the Met Gala (Updated!)

Justin Fenner — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:17:54 PDT

Heidi Klum, Karolina Kurkova, and Arizona Muse, among others, have revealed what they'll be wearing to Monday night's Met Gala.

Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing told Style.com that he'll be taking model Joan Smalls as his date. Anthony Vaccarello has confirmed he'll be accompanied by Anja Rubik. Jason Wu will attend with Karlie Kloss, and Haider Ackermann will walk the red carpet with Constance Jablonski.

The site has also confirmed another spate of pairings: Roland Mouret is taking Doutzen Kroes; Rachel Zoe and her husband, Rodger Berman, will attend with Karolina Kurkova; Erdem Moralioglu will dress Arizona Muse; and Thakoon Panichgul is taking actress Christina Ricci.

It has also recently been revealed that Heidi Klum will wear a "very very lacy and very very see-through" one-of-a-kind dress by Escada. Chanel's official attendee will be French actor Gaspard Ulliel, face of the brand's Bleu de Chanel fragrance.

Previously confirmed pairings include Alexander Wang and rapper Azealia Banks, who tweeted that she would perform at the Met Gala last week; Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez with Australian actress Isabel Lucas; and Joseph Altuzarra with Lana Del Rey. Coco Rocha will attend with her husband, James Conran, wearing a vintage dress by Givenchy.

The Met Gala will be live streamed for the first time from 6:30-8:30 p.m. EDT on May 7.

Update: Everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Giovanna Battaglia has decided what they're wearing tonight. Below, a list of everything we know so far:

Kristen Stewart will wear Balenciaga and attend the Gala with Nicola Ghesquiere.
Gwyneth Paltrow will wear Prada. Linda Evangelista will also wear Prada, and will attend as Miuccia Prada's date.
Renee Zellweger will wear Emilio Pucci.
Jessica Stam will wear Dior.
Cameron Diaz will attend with Stella McCartney.
Lauren Santo Domingo will wear Oscar de la Renta.
Kate Upton will attend the gala with Michael Kors, who is also dressing Jessica Alba and Liu Wen.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Lily Cole wil both wear Valentino.
Amy Adams will wear Giambattista Valli Couture.
Scarlett Johansson is wearing custom Dolce & Gabbana, but the house will also dress Bianca Brandolini d'Adda, Andrea Dellal, Giovanna Battaglia, and Marpessa Hennink.
Brooklyn Decker, Liya Kebede, Rashida Jones, and Tory Burch will all wear gowns of Burch's design.
Kristen Bell and Dee Hilfiger will both wear Tommy Hilfiger.
Dree Hemingway will wear Topshop.
Farida Khelfa will wear vintage Schiaparelli.
Emma Stone will wear Lanvin.
Stella Tennant, Poppy Delvigne, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, and Sigrid Agren will wear Chanel.
Claire Danes will attend the gala with her husband Hugh Dancy and Gilles Mendel. She'll wear J. Mendel, and so will Aerin Lauder and actress Christine Taylor. Taylor will attend with her husband Ben Stiller.
Burberry will be dressing Cara Delvigne, Jourdan Dunn, Gabriella Wilde, Vanessa Kirby, Douglas Booth, Mario Testino, Casey Affleck, and Roo Panes.
Prabal Gurung is dressing Greta Gerwig.

Photo: Doutzen Kroes wearing Giambattista Valli to the 2011 Met Gala.

Azealia Banks to Perform at Met Gala Wearing Custom Alexander Wang

Justin Fenner — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:01:37 PDT

Azealia Banks announced today that she'll be performing at this year's Met Gala on May 7, and she'll walk the ball's red carpet on the arm of Alexander Wang.

Banks made the announcement via Twitter Monday, writing, "I've Been invited to Perform for PRADA next week in NYC! Gonna b so lush !! Let's see what new songs I debut there!#metball2012." Last Friday, Banks tweeted, "I can't wait for the MET ball! I'm going as Alexander Wang's date. He custom made my outfit and shoes ! !!!! It's soooo hot !" Both tweets have since been removed from her Twitter profile.

That Banks was tapped to perform at the gala shouldn't be surprising. Since her self-released music video for her single "212" debuted in September, Banks has performed for Karl Lagerfeld and Nicola Formichetti. She's also appeared in Elle's April 2012 feature on women in music.

Banks joins a short list of high-profile women who will accompany designers to the annual gala, which takes place next Monday. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler will be taking Australian actress Isabel Lucas, and Joseph Altuzarra will dress singer Lana Del Rey.

This year's Met Gala celebrates the Costume Institute's exhibit Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations. The exhibit opens to the public on May 8.

Photo: Azealia Banks performing at Coachella earlier this month.

Jean Paul Gaultier's Cannes Gig, Alexander Wang's Song, and Lara Stone's Famous Pup

Justin Fenner — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:14:22 PDT

>> Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

Jean Paul Gaultier has been named to the nine-member panel of the Cannes Film Festival, alongside actors Ewan McGregor and Diane Kruger. Gaultier, a longtime film lover, will help the panel select the winner for the Palme d'Or, Cannes's biggest prize. "We have a tradition of inviting people who we know are cinephiles but who are not necessarily in cinema," said Cannes director Thierry Fremaux. [Vogue UK]

Alexander Wang got name-checked in a recent song from South African group Die Antwoord - a fitting thank-you note after Wang cast the group in his T by Alexander Wang Spring 2012 campaign. On the track "Hey Sexy," lead vocalist Ninja raps, "I know how to get da dough, I know how to spend da dough/ Rockin' Alexander Wang from head-to-toe." [The Cut]

Simon Doonan wants to know why people have lost their fascination with accomplishment. In a new column, Doonan compares society's past reverence for people like playwright Arthur Miller with the current verve for Kim Kardashian. "During the last century, consummate skill was HOT!" he writes. "Now it would appear to have become a giant turnoff." [Slate]

Lara Stone's border terrier puppy Bert got his 15 minutes of fame this week when the model tweeted a picture of him wearing Mulberry's Doggy Kagool denim hoodie. "OMG! Mr Bert loves his new jean hoodie!" she wrote. "Thank you so much @Mulberry_Editor #TooCute." Too cute indeed. [Marie Claire UK]

Prada partnered with artist Vahram Muratyan on a series of GIFs that celebrate its Spring 2012 throwback to 1950s Americana. Each of the moving images depicts a stylized version of something in that collection, from shoes with decorative tail lights to colorfully decorated aviator sunglasses. [Trendland]

Alexander Wang Says Sweatshop Lawsuit Plaintiff Was Fired For Being a Bully

fashionologie — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:14:26 PDT

>> Alexander Wang has again denied claims that he operated a sweatshop, and said the former employee suing the company for doing so only orchestrated the lawsuit to get even with the company for firing him.

A spokesman for Wang told WWD that Wenyu Lu, whose suit against Wang and his brother Dennis claims he was forced to work up to 15-hour shifts without breaks, that Lu only made these claims against the company in retaliation. The spokesman said Lu was dismissed for bullying other employees, something that the company refused to tolerate.

"The claims regarding sweatshop conditions are completely untrue," the spokesman said. "In reality, this case was filed by an individual who was let go by the company as a result of serious harassment issues. We stand by our decision to promote a safe workplace environment for all employees regardless of false claims that may be waged against us in retaliation."

The story Lu's lawsuit told claims he was fired because he applied for worker's compensation after sustaining injuries on the job. The spokesman didn't address Flor Duante, another former employee who's suing the company and claims she was fired because she complained about having to work long hours.

Lu's suit was originally filed in Queens Supreme Court, but was refiled in Federal Court on Friday. Lawyers for Alexander Wang now have 20 days to reply to Lu and Duante's allegations in court.

Alexander Wang Store Egged, Zac Posen To Bow Sunglasses, Kate Moss on Ab Fab

fashionologie — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:28:38 PDT

>> Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

Someone was sufficiently disgruntled with designer Alexander Wang to throw eggs against every one of the windows of his flagship store in New York's SoHo neighborhood. We haven't heard whether or not the vandalism is connected to his labor lawsuits, but store employees' first task this morning was cleaning up the yolky mess. [The Cut]
Have you been dying to know when Zac Posen would finally start making sunglasses? Posen has inked a collaboration with eyewear manufacturer Illestva for a limited-edition line of shades that will be available next month at Opening Ceremony, Collete and Illestva.com. All of the shades will sell for $300, and Posen is excited to enter a new category. “As we develop the Zac Posen brand, sunglasses allow me to maintain an aspect of flare and attitude for clothing that transitions into day," he said. [WWD]
Supermodel Kate Moss will make an appearance on an this Friday's episode of Absolutely Fabulous. Her time on-screen might be short, but it's packed with a running joke about her tenure in the business. [Styleite]

Alexander Wang Lawsuit to Refile in Federal Court

fashionologie — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:37:03 PDT

>> The lawsuit accusing Alexander Wang of operating a sweatshop in New York City will soon be discontinued, only to be refiled in federal court in short order.

Wenyu Lu - whose original $50 million suit accused Alexander and his brother Dennis Wang of using exploitative labor practices in their New York workspace - filed a motion to discontinue the suit last Thursday. Lu's lawyer Ming Hai told Page Six that Lu plans to resubmit the suit to federal court, where he'll be represented by another lawyer who has more experience with labor law. Lu's suit claimed that he was forced to work for 25 hours straight without a break. Another former employee, Flor Duarte, filed a suit claiming that she was fired after filing for worker's compensation.

Wang's camp has repeatedly denied the allegations, telling Page Six, "The claims of sweatshop conditions were completely and utterly untrue in every respect."

Alexander Wang Reportedly Being Sued For $450 Million, Denies Claims (Update)

fashionologie — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:45:48 PST

>> The Internet is ablaze with reports that a $50 million lawsuit has been filed against Alexander Wang for allegedly violating New York State labor laws.

Both The New York Post and The New York Daily News report that Wenyu Lu, a former Wang employee, was forced to work 25 hours straight without a break.

However, the two papers' accounts of the situation diverge. The Post claims that a total of 30 workers have filed a suit against Wang in Queens Supreme Court, while the Daily reports that Lu's lawyer is still hoping to sign other Wang employees on to join Lu in a class-action suit.

Representatives for Alexander Wang have yet to comment, but they did tell the Post that they have not been served with a lawsuit. Several searches conducted by Fashionologie of the New York State Unified Court System failed to produce results indicating that a case involving Wang or Wenyu Lu has been filed.

>> (Update) WWD reports that a spokesperson for Wang has spoken out against the allegations: "The company takes its obligations to comply with the law very seriously, including the relevant wage and hour regulations, the payment of overtime to eligible employees and having a safe working environment for all of our employees. We will vehemently defend any allegations to the contrary."

WWD also confirms that Wang is being sued by approximately 30 of his former workers and that the actual total is $450 million - $50 million for each of the nine charges filed, which include "labor law violations, breach of agreement, and unjust enrichment." The case was filed last month in Queens County Supreme Court, but the fashion brand has yet to be served with legal papers.

Alexander Wang Fall 2012

Christina Perez — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:09:44 PST

>> Alexander Wang presented his Fall 2012 collection to a packed-in house at Pier 94. All the notables were in attendance: Carine Roitfeld, Grace Coddington, Bill Cunningham, Giovanna Battaglia, and Franca Sozzani - just to name a few. Also in the house were notables of a different kind: supermodels Natasha Poly, Karolina Kurkova, Shalom Harlow, Carmen Kass, and Gisele Bundchen - who all walked the show. "He asked me and I'm very happy that I was able to be here," Bundchen told WWD from backstage.

One would think that all this would make for a very exciting, very satisfying runway show. And, it did - at least for those in the audience who could see it. Among those who couldn't? Cathy Horyn. "Each model, along with her outfit, dissolved in the darkness," the New York Times critic said in reference to the poorly lit runway.

But what of the clothing? Well, there was lots of leather. Super-shiny and pitch-black, it appeared on boxy, military-tinged coats, front-slit skirts, and slouchy riding pants. There were also sharp-looking trousers, lacquered tweed jackets, and gauzy, fringe-draped knits. And, for those who love a good Wang boot, this season's were knee-high with buckle straps.

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Alexander Wang's Afterparty, Iris Apfel's Number One Style Tip, and Gisele's Rant

Christina Perez — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:58:31 PST

Those stories and more - here in our daily news roundup.

A video that's making its way around the web shows an angry Gisele cursing after the Patriots' Super Bowl loss to the Giants. The supermodel didn't know she was being filmed. [Huffington Post]

Speaking of the Super Bowl, Vogue didn't charge Madonna to use its logo during her halftime show - in fact, Condé granted the singer permission to use the logo way back in early January. "We're so very grateful to Madonna to have been part of such a spectacular performance," Anna Wintour said. The performance was viewed by over 100 million people. [Styleite]

American Vogue isn't the only Condé glossy embracing the art of musical performance. In honor of the launch of French Vogue's new website, Emmanuelle Alt has filmed a video in which she dances and lip-synchs along to Wham's "Wake Me Up." Models Anja Rubik, Karmen Pedaru, Jasmine Tookes, and Kendra Spears serve as backup dancers. [French Vogue]

Alexander Wang will not be hosting his usual - and infamous - postshow party this Fashion Week. However, according to his publicists, the party will be back on next season. [The Cut]

And, in preparation for Fashion Week, here's a style tip from Iris Apfel: "If your hair is done properly and you're wearing good shoes, you can get away with anything." So true, so true. [Footwear News]

Alexander Wang Pre-Fall 2012

Christina Perez — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:27:48 PST

>> Alexander Wang's playful sportiness and menswear-inspired tailoring are back for Pre-Fall 2012. "We started with the idea of tromp l'oeil, something quite classic but less in a whimsical way and more the idea of deceptive textures and patterns," Wang explains. Thus, the season's pencil skirts, structured jackets, and cropped trousers are punctuated with cleverly tactile details: peekaboo pleats, mesh knits "printed" with geometric burnouts, and fine wools coated with a suede-like metallic. Accessories include a clutch in the form of a jumbo eyeglass case and a miniature version of the Rocco bag called the "Rocky."

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