fashionologie

Sophie Theallet Takes Home 2009 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Win

fashionologie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:48:45 -0800

>> Last night, with the help of keynote speaker Alber Elbaz, who doled out gems on the perils of success - "It's like a bottle of perfume. You smell it, you don't sniff it or drink it" - Alaia veteran and Michelle Obama favorite Sophie Theallet took home the 2009 Vogue/Fashion Fund prize of $200,000 and a year of mentoring. Fellow nominees Patrik Ervell and Monique Pean were named runners-up, and received $50,000 each plus a business mentor.

In her speech, Anna Wintour said that in addition to the US, Italy, and the UK - which just started a similar talent-nurturing program - she just met with the French minister of culture about mirroring the contest there. "And Brazil, India, Russia, and China aren't far behind."

Theallet Tweeted of her win: "my american dream comes true tonight thanks and much love to all of you!xox." Cathy Horyn, too, weighed in on the choice:

"The money and the mentoring will help Ms. Theallet because she needs to be able to offer more range in her collection, as well as expand her production options. She has such a distinctly feminine eye, and the skills, that I’ve often wondered why a big retailer doesn’t ask Ms. Theallet to design some blouses and summer dresses for them, using the store’s resources and manufacturing connections."

Videos of the nominees going through the competition and the awards ceremony last night can be seen here and here, respectively.

fashionologie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:37:49 -0800

>> Wintour Hires Obama Online Campaign Masterminds for Vogue.com -Last week, it came out that Elle pulled ahead of Vogue this year in terms of ad pages - 2,100 to 1,990, respectively - which Vogue SVP and publishing director Tom Florio chalked up to his reluctance to "heavily discount and use our editors to sell ad pages. What we saw happen this year, which we haven’t seen in a while, is the discounts were approaching 70 percent. Some of the deals that were being done were just crazy." This week, meanwhile, Anna Wintour is continuing to beef up Vogue's web presence - a spokesman confirmed that Blue State Digital, which masterminded Barack Obama's online campaign, has been hired to work on Vogue.com business and editorial sides, focusing on reader and subscriber outreach. [WWD, Jezebel]

fashionologie — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:06:27 -0800

>> Anna Wintour, Tom Florio Get New Gigs -Changes are happening all around for Anna Wintour - her fundraising efforts and continual Obama administration support have earned her one of the 25 spots on the new President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. The committee, which also includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Forrest Whitaker, Teresa Heinz Kerry, Yo-Yo Ma, and Bryan Lourd, co-chairman of Creative Artists Agency, will advise the President on how to expand the role of arts in society. She's also getting a new colleague: Vogue and Teen Vogue publisher Tom Florio is becoming SVP and publishing director at Conde Nast, adding Bon Appetit and Conde Nast Traveler to his portfolio, while Susan Plagemann, VP and Marie Claire publisher, will report to him as the new VP and publisher of Vogue starting Jan. 4. [WWD, WWD]

fashionologie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:18:49 -0700

>> Anna Wintour Left Paris Fashion Week Early -Anna Wintour reportedly left Paris days ago - she was last seen at Dior on Friday - presumedly to deal with how she's going to cut Vogue's budget by 25 percent for 2010. Her plan must be completed in the next two days so changes can be implemented quickly - layoffs (if that is how she chooses to rebudget) may be announced as early as Friday. [FWD, FWD]

A Softer Side of Jonathan Saunders for Spring 2010

fashionologie — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:56:21 -0700

>> Pastel seems to be the palette of choice for Spring 2010 in London, and London returner Jonathan Saunders is no exception. With the help of Katie Grand's styling know-how, plus Christian Louboutin gladiators that had spectators in a tizzy, Saunders's models worked the runway in sheer flouncy pink and lavender pieces and rope-trimmed dresses. To break the mold, highlighter yellow also appeared in the large, sparse, and uncomfortably hot room Saunders showed in.

Peter Pilotto Earns Raves for Spring 2010 Signature Watercolor Prints

fashionologie — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:27:28 -0700

>> In the space behind a record store in London this morning, Anna Wintour stopped by for a preview, and Peter Pilotto and design partner Christopher De Vos sent out their trademark watercolor prints atop sculptured and draped minidresses. The collection inspired quite the impulse gushing from Another Magazine ("Peter Pilotto - show of the week so far."), Vogue UK ("The Pilotto show has been one of our FAVOURITE shows yet") and Los Angeles Times's Booth Moore ("Peter Pilotto is next big thing out of London."). Wintour's bouncers were so energized by the show, they apparently almost knocked Suzy Menkes over as they rushed Anna out.

Marios Schwab Debuts Three-Way Layering for Spring 2010

fashionologie — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:12:27 -0700

>> Even though she arrived on Saturday and London Fashion Week kicked off last Friday, Anna Wintour didn't make her first appearance front row until Marios Schwab this morning; it's her first time attending the London fashion shows since September 2007 and she's been trying to lay low - she turned down television interviews last week "because I feel so overexposed," she told the Telegraph UK.

Marios's invitation - a three part flipbook - provided a clue to his Spring 2010 study in three-layered looks, inspired by Victorian women, Greek goddesses, and flappers. The collection was styled by Marie Chaix, who also styled Proenza Schouler's scuba fantasy last week.

Christopher Kane Sends Out Gingham Girls for Spring 2010

fashionologie — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:23:38 -0700

>> A few days ago, Christopher Kane dropped an image of a doll he did over the summer as a hint at his Spring 2010 collection, adding that he channeled it "not in the literal sense, but more of a feeling." To a front row of Natalia Vodianova with Anna Wintour and Topshop's Sir Philip Green squeezed between Donatella Versace and Allegra Beck Versace, the end product came out all gauzy gingham in black and pastel colors, symmetrical front slits up to there, and Swarovski embellished floral brocade.

Jenny Shimizu walked in a tailored suit apparently made in collaboration with Savile Row tailors Norton & Sons; Lara Stone, who skipped New York Fashion Week altogether, made her first runway appearance of the day - her second was at Jaeger. And Kane, a self-professed fan of television, sent everyone home with a Gossip Girl season two DVD in their gift bags.

The Word on Marc Jacobs Spring 2010

fashionologie — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:59:23 -0700

>> Marc Jacobs's Spring 2010 show is just a little over an hour away - and there's plenty of hints that have been going around. It's all front row again, according to today's The Daily, and Lorenzo Martone told The Cut it will celebrity-free: "I think Marc is really tired of the rock-and-roll thing, so it’s going to be very romantic. So: ruffles and prints and very kind of sweet.” Word a couple of days ago is that Marc was trying to convince some new faces to dye their hair black for the show, and The Imagist told us earlier today that it's supposedly not just black, but blonde, as well. As for whether the show will commence early, on-time, or late, Katie Grand "reliably" told Grazia that the lights will go down start 4 minutes late; that is, presumedly, unless Anna Wintour, who is coming from the US Open, is running late. [The Cut, Grazia Twitter]

Update: Supposedly the show is Geisha-themed. [Nylon Twitter]

The full play-by-play »

fashionologie — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:28:55 -0700

>> Fashion's Night Out Could Become A Permanent Fashion Week Fixture -If CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg has her say (and Anna Wintour will assuredly support her), Fashion's Night Out won't be a one-off event: “It was a huge success. It was fantastic; it’s just like Hallmark, when they invented Mother’s Day. Every Thursday before Fashion Week, we will have Fashion’s Night Out!” But nothing has officially been decided, and retailers are waiting to examine the residual effects on sales before the possibility is further examined. Simon Doonan says he's unsure about doing it again, because Fashion's Night Out didn't generate big sales for Barneys. [The Cut, The Cut Twitter]