fashionologie

Scenes From the 2011 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Fashion Show

fashionologie — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:09:38 PDT

>> The final challenge of this year's CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund competition - a fashion show by all 10 finalists at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles - took place last Thursday. “You’re never really a spectator at your own show, so it’s an amazing experience," said second-time finalist Joseph Altuzarra. "I wasn’t so much looking at the girls as at people’s reactions in the audience.”

Ryan Murphy, Bee Shaffer's current boss - both were in attendance - revealed another project Altuzarra has on his plate: designing some costumes for Murphy’s new movie based on Larry Kramer’s play, The Normal Heart.

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Ryan Murphy, Douglas Keeve, and Possibly Bee Shaffer Working on Upcoming Model TV Series

fashionologie — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:52:52 PDT

>> America's Next Top Model may have Andre Leon Talley as a judge and Vogue Italia as a partner, but it sounds like Model Apartment, Glee creator Ryan Murphy's upcoming reality docuseries, may have an even more high fashion slant.

The series, which is in development at A&E and has Unzipped's Douglas Keeve on board as executive producer, was described in May as: "[A look] inside the world of six models living together for a fly-on-the-wall look at how they live, work, and play."

The cast is reportedly a mix of established models and fresh faces, and The Imagist noted earlier this week: "[The] Ryan Murphy Model TV project is gathering momentum in the form of Vogue Italia cover girls and English indie cover boys. I don't think television has ever seen such a editorial casting in eons."

It's also possible that Anna Wintour's daughter Bee Shaffer is somehow involved - she moved to Los Angeles in May to work for Murphy's production company, reportedly overseeing research for the shows and projects under the company's umbrella.

Scott Sternberg Puts on First Runway Show, Complete With Rappelling Models, for Band of Outsiders’ Fall 2011 Collection

Chi Diem Chau — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 23:04:20 PST

>> Scott Sternberg has a love of elaborate sets and cookies, and his first ever Boy/Band of Outsiders runway show involved both. Meyer lemon cookies were on every seat, thanks to David Chang's Momofuku Milk Bar (the chef was also in attendance, along with Kirsten Dunst - the brand’s latest lookbook model - Bee Shaffer, Kanye West, and Aziz Ansari, who wears the brand on his comedy tours); even Anna Wintour was spotted taking a bite. And then male models started rappelling 30 feet down from the top of the ceiling.

Thick knit sweaters, cropped plaid pants, fur scarves, silk print gowns, and slouchy fur beanies all pointed toward a grungy glamorous ski-inspired feel, while sharper looks, like a thin-wale corduroy suit, injected just the right amount of polish. A striped wool blanket poncho emoted the perfect sense of Winter cozy and semi-sheer maxi dresses were adorned with diminutive floral prints. Stylist Tina Chai topped off the look with chunky heeled hiking boots, pearls from Mikimoto, and pendants from Aesa.

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Prabal Gurung Goes Edgier, Dressier, and Gets Stronger for Fall 2011

fashionologie — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 22:23:15 PST

>> Prabal Gurung had us at look number one - when Karlie Kloss stomped out in a brilliant red dress, sexy in its full party skirt and sleeve nonchalantly slipping off one shoulder. The designer says he was dually inspired by John Singer Sargent’s A Parisian Beggar Girl and Miss Havisham from Great Expectations for Fall 2011, but really, it was about a simple challenge: "Can I do undone? . . . After such a long time of tight, short dresses constantly, I thought that was something so chic.”

Gurung returned to his dressier roots after last season's more sportswear-driven stint - there were textures galore (furs, sequins, intricate appliques and the like, which made for some expensive-looking pieces). But that's not to say that the collection was uber feminine; in fact, with its black leather moto gloves and leather lashings around the waist, it forayed into edgier territory than Gurung has tried in the past. Pink hair streaks (which have also been spotted this week on stylist and WSJ contributor Lauren Goodman and the model Charlotte Free) finished off the look, and evidence that the designer's star keeps rising came in both the caliber of model cast (Kloss, who walked Gurung's show for the first time, Constance Jablonski, Jourdan Dunn, Joan Smalls, Liu Wen) and the number of editor-in-chiefs in the front row (including Robbie Myers, Emmanuelle Alt, and Anna Wintour, who was joined by Bee Shaffer).

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2010 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalists Head to Los Angeles for a Fashion Show

fashionologie — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:23:36 PDT

>> The Chateau Marmont hosted the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund West Coast runway show and tea yesterday afternoon - part of the competition for fund finalists (Joseph Altuzarra, Pamela Love, Prabal Gurung, Christian Cota, Moss Lipow, Gregory Parkinson, and Eddie Borgo among them); each finalist showed five Spring 2011 looks to an audience that included Rachel Zoe, Erin Wasson, Noot Seear, and Jenna Lyons.

Nerves were high for the designers, with a winner to be announced next month. “I have to tell myself to stop and enjoy the moment,” said Gurung. “But it was hard for us all not to tear up.” And Laura Love, Vogue West Coast editor Lisa Love's daughter, who was reportedly convinced to check out modeling by Anna Wintour and has since signed with Ford Models, walked the runway for Altuzarra.

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Fashion's Night Out's Fashion Show Featured a Dancing Gisele, a Rapping Pharrell, and a Whole Lot of Designer Duds

fashionologie — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:30:24 PDT

>> The audience at tonight's Fashion's Night Out fashion show wasn't limited to the 1,500 ticket-holders - crowds gathered behind police barricades across the street from the Lincoln Center Plaza for a glimpse of New York City's largest fashion show. Those who were lucky enough to nab tickets to the show were treated to a concentric-circled runway setup, with rows no more than two deep. Not only that, but among the audience was a large smattering of designers - Tory Burch, Tommy Hilfiger, Diane von Furstenberg, Jenna Lyons, Michael Kors, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu, Phillip Lim, Vera Wang, Francisco Costa, and Donna Karan among them; models - Lauren Hutton, Bar Rafaeli, Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann; and other industry figures, including Anna Wintour, with favorites Blake Lively and Roger Federer next to her, and Si Newhouse himself. Bee Shaffer arrived 45 minutes early to the event, holding hands with boyfriend Jake Hurwitz.

Anna Wintour's fears that the show, scheduled to start at 7:30 pm, would begin late were unmerited - it started on the dot with Alicia Keys's "Empire State of Mind" playing on the loudspeaker as spotlights searched the audience and the fountain in the center of the setup rose and then fell.

As the audience looked for Gisele Bundchen, set to open the show's 171 looks, a Fashion's Night Out doubledecker bus pulled up next to the Plaza, carrying Bundchen, Angela Lindvall, Karolina Kurkova, Coco Rocha, Lily Donaldson, Lara Stone, Jourdan Dunn, Caroline Trentini, Sasha Pivovarova, Adriana Lima, Chanel Iman, and Karlie Kloss, each dressed in a Fashion's Night Out tee paired with a long ballgown skirt and heels. The twelve models dismounted the bus one by one, forming a line in front of the Plaza steps as the rest of the 150 model cast filled in behind them.

Gisele leading the way, the twelve openers made their way around the fountain, soon followed by groups of models clipping by showcasing "Fifties Flair," "Tartan Twist," "Rock Chic," "Go Global," and "Jazz-Age Cool." Each group wormed their way around the circular runway, the models coming in quick succession, highly choreographed and sometimes stopping and turning. A few were suffering from their heels by the end - Rose Cordero and Heidi Mount among them - and those in the "Weekend Wrap-Up" group, all swathed in capes and jackets, had sweat rolling from their temples after all the parading, thanks to the humid Indian Summer air.

Pharrell Williams popped up on the center fountain to close the extravaganza in a surprise performance, and Gisele and the rest of the openers paraded and danced back to the bus, this time in full-on designer gowns, with Naomi Campbell in the finale spot. As Pharrell joined them, he encouraged the audience - ticketed and not - to shop New York, because after all, that was the whole point of this 15-minute shindig. So will it work?

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The 2010 CFDA Awards Are Here! Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu Take Home Wins

fashionologie — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:07:24 PDT

>> This evening at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, fashion's finest gathered for the 2010 CFDA Awards. Jak & Jil's Tommy Ton snapped photos of the arrivals, J.Crew's Jenna Lyons introduced herself to Isabel Toledo, and the ever-punctual Anna Wintour was later than usual, appearing after the pre-awards cocktails were in full swing.

Wintour put on her signature shades for the ceremony itself, but off they came when International Award winner Christopher Bailey thanked her (along with Tom Ford and Donna Karan) - in fact, she was beaming. Later, she got on stage to present Michael Kors with his Lifetime Achievement Award - he received a standing ovation - and told a story about how she went on a trip to Jamaica with Kors; when Ralph Lauren arrived, Kors got in the ocean and stayed there for hours because he didn't want Lauren to see him in his swimsuit.

Speaking of Lauren, he received the Popular Vote for the second year running - although he wasn't in attendance this evening. Sarah Jessica Parker, dressed in a custom gown by new Alexander McQueen creative director Sarah Burton, presented Lee Alexander McQueen posthumously with the Special Tribute Award, noting that the designer had "the most beautiful hands I've ever seen," before models took the stage in the designer's last works.

Accepting her Fashion Icon Award, Iman thanked her parents for the longest neck on any model at any go-see in the world and joked to husband David Bowie: "Move over. You're not the only icon in the house." And finally, Marc Jacobs scored the Womenwear Award - he thanked bloggers for his win and said to Robert Duffy: "i want to thank [Duffy], without you this dream would never have come true."

And the winners are . . . (nominees here):

Accessory Designer of the Year: Alexis Bittar
Popular Vote Award: Ralph Lauren
Menswear Designer of the Year: Marcus Wainwright and David Neville for Rag & Bone
Swarovski Award for Menswear: Richard Chai
Swarovski Award for Womenswear: Jason Wu
Swarovski Award for Accessories: Alexander Wang
Womenswear Designer of the Year: Marc Jacobs

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Proenza Schouler Fall 2010: Graffiti Pants, Schoolgirl Skirts - And Anna Wintour Watching Without Her Sunglasses On

fashionologie — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:12:21 PST

>> If you didn't get enough late '90s references at Alexander Wang, look to Proenza Schouler to fill your Fall 2010 quota. Newcomer Ann Kenny - who has the most arresting blue eyes - opened the show in high-waisted graffiti pants, made in collaboration with J Brand, and a shrunken navy toggle jacket. All the John Fleuvog-style curved platform heels and sheer thigh highs paired with full pleated school girl-style miniskirts must have caught Anna Wintour's attention - she sat next to Bee Shaffer the entire show, sunglasses-less (a first?), until the final runthrough when she finally put her trademark shades on.

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez had the house packed: benches arranged around the X-shaped runway sat as many as they could possibly fit - with the likes of Pamela Love, Mary-Kate Olsen, Jen Brill, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Carine Roitfeld (in green furry heels), Joseph Altuzarra, Lauren Santo Domingo, Vanessa Traina, Chloe Sevigny, Craig McDean, Terry Richardson, and Olivier Zahm all accounted for. Bass pumped through Milk Studios loud enough to shake the walls, while fuzzy printed flannel dresses and alpine knits evolved into razor-sharp cropped jackets and finally, patterned minidresses with bubble skirts and trapeze shapes.

Marie Chaix styled once again, and if you're a fan of straight-off-the-runway (many front-rowers had their PS 1 clutches handy), for the next 24-odd hours, two of the runway handbags are available for purchase. Post-show, a sight: Hamish Bowles, in his usual dapper suit, but instead of his usual brogues, his trousers stuffed into shiny black wellies. A video of the show can be seen here.

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Prabal Gurung, a Designer Who's Experienced a Rapid Ascent, Appropriately Channels "Warp Speed" for Fall 2010

fashionologie — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:59:42 PST

>> Imagine having Anna Wintour and Bee Shaffer sit in on your first ever runway show; that's just what happened to Prabal Gurung yesterday in Bryant Park. Rachel Zoe, who helped the designer score his first major red carpet dressing moment by putting Demi Moore in one of his dresses, too, was there. As were Prabal's sister and brother-in-law, who flew in from his native Nepal for the occasion.

So could Gurung live up to all the hype that he's been garnering in the past year? His Fall 2010 collection, which was about "warp speed" and the fast-paced modern world (appropriate considering his rapid ascent), started off with a cashmere coat: white in the front, black in the back. The colorblocking effect ran its way through pants with flatteringly curved seams, across the bodice of a dress, and on to highlight the lining of a hooded jacket. Then it was on to dresses: Gurung's specialty. One black and white ruffle-fronted number with a revealing mesh back is sure to get play. Zoe Saldana was front row - perhaps scoping out options for the Oscars? If true, one thing will play in her favor: the collection photographs strikingly.

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Sophie Theallet Takes Home 2009 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Win

fashionologie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:48:45 PST

>> 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.

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