fashionologie

Kirsten Dunst's Birthday, Nicole Phelps on Women's Success in Fashion

Justin Fenner — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:54:53 PDT

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

Today is Kirsten Dunst's 30th birthday, and what better way to celebrate her acting and modeling career - which she started at age 3 in a commercial for Kix cereal - than by taking a look back at her style transformation? [InStyle]
Nick Wooster, who was fired from his position as men's fashion director of Bergdorf Goodman last year, has landed a new job as the creative director of menswear at JC Penney. Wooster was let go two days after GQ published an interview in which he said, "I am just an old midget queen who, you know, had the good fortune to get this job and it's like, 'How did that happen?'" [NYP]
Former Vogue special events director Stephanie Winston Wolkoff is leaving her current position as fashion director at Lincoln Center to start her own agency. With SWW Creative, Wolkoff's goal is to "forge new partnerships in fashion, beauty and entertainment." [WWD]
Victoria Beckham's 9-month-old daughter, Harper, is still in diapers, but she's already received her first modeling offer. In an open letter to the youngest Beckham, baby clothing company My First Year wrote, "Both your parents are fashion icons, and we can see no reason why you shouldn't start your own career in the fashion industry even at your young age . . . You were therefore the immediate first choice for our campaign." Whether Victoria and David sit Harper in front of the camera remains to be seen. [Stylelist]
Is it harder for female designers to succeed in New York fashion than it is for men? In a new column, Nicole Phelps analyzes why many of the woman-oriented industry's most celebrated talents are men. "Part of the story seems to be that male designers strive for art while female designers strive for humanity, and this difference influences, even defines, the success they achieve," she writes. [Style.com]
Photo: Kirsten Dunst at the London premiere of Melancholia

Petra Nemcova Calls Off Her Wedding, Stefano Pilati Headed to Armani?

fashionologie — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:12:10 PDT

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

Supermodel Petra Nemcova and her fiancé, Jamie Belman, announced Wednesday that they will not get married. The couple were engaged last January and had planned to marry in June, and said in a statement that they will "remain close friends." [The Cut]
Former Jimmy Choo CEO Joshua Schulman has been named president of Bergdorf Goodman. Schulman and its founder Tamara Mellon both left the British accessories brand last year when it was acquired by Labelux, which also owns Derek Lam and Solange Azagury-Partridge. Schulman's first day is May 7. [Fashion Etc.]
Rumors that Stefano Pilati will be taking over Armani have resurfaced in the wake of his departure from Yves Saint Laurent. While Pilati has said that he hasn't "planned any move" yet, various sources have said recently that he's set to start working for Giorgio Armani in the near future and will take over creative direction of the house when Armani retires. [The Fashion Spot]
Model Charlotte Free is the new face of Forever21. In the past, 18-year-old Free has walked and posed for Roksanda Ilincic and Marchesa, among others. [Stylelist]

Manolo Blahnik Makes a Comeback, Is Again in Demand

fashionologie — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:29:37 PDT

>> After being overtaken for a few years by Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik is back in the spotlight. Recent deliveries of a particular Manolo pump sold out so fast, Bergdorf Goodman had to institute a waiting list. “Manolo’s shoes are very much in the spirit of this moment’s clothes, pared down, with simple lines, and I hate to say ladylike, but classic,” said Linda Fargo, SVP for women’s fashion at the store.

“We do a very, very strong business in his shoes,” added Jonathan Joselove, SVP and merchandise manager for Neiman Marcus, noting that the stores have difficulty keeping certain Manolos in stock.

As the New York Times points out, Kate Moss wore a classic pair of Manolos for her wedding this past Summer, and Sarah Jessica Parker was shot exclusively in the Blahnik BB pump in the August issue of Vogue. “I walked in [for the shoot] and looked around and saw all these shoes, and then I spotted the Manolos and it was like water in a desert,” Parker explained. “I was just so excited to see a simple black pump.”

Of Louboutin's more embellished shoes and signature red soles, George Malkemus, president of Manolo Blahnik USA, says: “It was a chic idea for a minute. You wore a red sole, and everyone knew you spent $1,200 or $1,400 for your shoes. And I would say there was a period when certain customers abandoned us and moved into that world.” But, as Blahnik himself added last week: “The gimmicky thing I’m not very keen on. I’ve never been tempted to do these hideous furniture shoes.”

Next Up for Rachel Zoe - A Jewelry Collection, and The Rachel Zoe Project Is Back in July

fashionologie — Thu, 26 May 2011 09:51:59 PDT

>> Rachel Zoe has "no idea" what annual sales might be for her new eponymous collection, which hits a long list of stores in July: Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Intermix, Selfridges, Kirna Zabete, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Shopbop.com. But she says she went numb when she heard who had bought the line: “It was this dream that I never thought would be reality because I was petrified - I was. I feel so complete now becoming a designer and having my son. I’m that happiest that I’ve ever been in my life.”

Neiman Marcus, for one, is launching Zoe's sportswear, handbags, and shoes at all 41 of its doors, plus online and at Bergdorf Goodman; "The rollout across the entire Neiman Marcus Group is a rare endorsement of a fledgling brand," WWD notes. Why the decision? "She is a real talent,” Ken Downing, SVP and fashion director of Neiman Marcus, notes of Zoe. “She understands the customer and she’s brought an effortless chic to the collection. The clothes are going to appeal to women of many ages. And, she’s got an amazing name.”

Next up for Zoe? The fourth season of The Rachel Zoe Project, which will begin airing on Bravo in July; and jewelry for Fall 2012. “I wish it were for spring,” Zoe says. “I am dying to do jewelry. I’m gagging.”

Rachel Zoe on Her Collection Being Inspired by That Vintage Dress; Plus, See the Full Collection Lookbook

fashionologie — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:19:52 PST

>> Rachel Zoe is a little ahead of the fashion schedule in a lot of ways - as everyone is just gearing up to premiere their Fall 2011 collections, she's already debuted her signature collection for Fall, sold it to Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Intermix, finished her Resort 2012 collection, and started on Spring 2012. Some of the exigency could be blamed on her impending baby boy, due in March, who is also preventing her from traveling to Fashion Week this season.

One of the bestsellers for Zoe's Fall 2011 collection, Style.com reports, is a black batwing top with columns of gold sequins (left) - see the full collection for the first time in the gallery. And as for the collection's infamous dress that looks strikingly similar to a vintage frock Zoe styled years back, the designer-cum-stylist says, "I've been subconsciously building this collection in my mind for a long time. There are a million vintage pieces that have inspired me, and every other designer in the world."

But don't expect to see Zoe dress Anne Hathaway in her own collection for the Oscars - Zoe is said to be charging Hathaway an "astronomical" fee for the occasion, and with such a fee comes a certain caliber of dress. "If you're gonna use couture," she tells Style.com, "it should be at the Academy Awards."

View Slideshow ›

Fashion Week Chatter - Abbey Lee Kershaw Skipping New York Shows; A Bryanboy TV Pilot for Bravo?

fashionologie — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:18:41 PST

Joseph Altuzarra has paired with denim duo Current/Elliott for six denim styles, set to debut on his Fall 2011 runway - and Vogue has a preview (left) [Vogue.com]
New Barneys fashion director Amanda Brooks was mum last night on the subject of her new position, saying that it was only her second day, but she has started Twittering for Barneys and says she plans to attend as many New York fashion shows as she can [Harper's Bazaar]
Zac Posen is keeping his Z Spoke collection appointments very low key this season: "Last season was for the media. This one is for the customers and retailers" [@meenalmistry]
Jason Wu is livestreaming his Feb. 11 show on Bergdorf Goodman's website, where some Fall items will be for sale as pre-orders on Feb. 16 [Christina Binkley]
Marc Jacobs is forgoing a Fashion Week party, instead feting the 10th anniversary of Marc by Marc Jacobs with a Valentine's Day "semiformal" [@jimshi809]
Peep Lauren Santo Domingo on the March 2011 cover of Town & Country, attended by the headline: "Meet the next Mrs. Astor" [@jimshi809]
Bryanboy has done videos of his fashion escapades before, but this fashion week, he's doing a 24-hour livestream of himself for Kanon Organic Vodka, which promises to "give viewers a first hand look into what it’s like to rub elbows with fashion’s elite." He's got a video preview up on his site, and it goes live beginning at 9 am on Feb. 16 at kanonvodka.com [Bryanboy]
There are also reports that Bryanboy is shooting a pilot during New York Fashion Week with the producers of America's Next Top Model that "Bravo is supposedly very interested in" [The Cut]
Tumblr is putting 24 bloggers up in a hotel for New York Fashion Week, has secured invites for them to more than a dozen shows - including big shows like Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta - and set up events for them like breakfast with Nina Garcia, a private brunch at Lucky editor Brandon Holley's apartment, and a meeting with Oscar de la Renta prior to his show to talk his new collection [WSJ, The Cut]
Abbey Lee Kershaw is reportedly skipping New York Fashion Week, for a "personal music project" in London with "my band" - Our Mountain, the band of Kershaw's boyfriend, Matthew Hutchinson, which she's performed with before. She is, however, set to head to Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks [Frockwriter]
Alexander Wang cut his front row seats in half this season, thanks to a new seating configuration; he's also hosting an intimate party on Feb. 15 to mark his store's opening [@meenalmistry, @jimshi809]

Interior Designer Kelly Wearstler Forays Into Fashion with New Collection

Chi Diem Chau — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:40:22 PST

>> More than a couple of designers are admitted fans of Kelly Wearstler - but the interior designer is now joining their ranks. “I have been thinking about it for probably five years,” Wearstler told WWD. “So much of my influence in interior design comes from fashion, and everything relating to fashion, from jewelry, which can be reminiscent of sculpture, to the colors and silhouettes that I find in clothing. This feels like a natural evolution." Her debut collection, for Fall 2011, includes clothes, jewelry, clutches, and scarves, and will be sold exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman in a Wearstler-designed space.

“When you look at the collection, it feels like it could be a few rooms in a house,” says Wearstler, who will present the collection during New York Fashion Week by appointment. “Each delivery has its own little voice, but works very harmoniously with the whole collection.” The jewelry was inspired by Wearstler's travels from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, and prices are set from $205 to $1,395 for clothes; $155 to $995 for jewelry; and $795 to $995 for bags.

Bergdorf SVP Linda Fargo is sold on the collection: “Kelly, more so than a lot of other people who get involved in fashion and didn’t technically come up through the ranks of studying it, is genuinely, in her heart, a free-spirited fashion person. With people who don’t come up through the traditional schooling of fashion, there is always a certain skepticism. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen probably met with a lot of skepticism, but they were able to prove themselves, and they showed a lot of commitment to it. You always worry that this could be just a dalliance for someone, a fascination for a year…a way for them to expand themselves as a brand. Kelly has a track record with us. I would bet on anything that she decided to apply her design sense to.”

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Video Sneak Peeks from CBS's Fashion's Night Out Special, Plus More FNO Fashion Show Details

fashionologie — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:49:52 PDT

>> The rest of the 1,500 general sale tickets to the Fashion's Night Out fashion show sold out yesterday within four hours - although Lincoln Center's ticket office says more may become available before the show, and interested parties should call to inquire. Otherwise, the show is also set to be livestreamed.

A few more details about the fashion show have popped up - Tabitha Simmons and Edward Enninful are handling styling duties, and it will be focused on seven trends: Global Traveler, Rocker Girl, Roaring Twenties, Clean Chic, Fifties Era, and Country Weekend. CBS has also starting posting sneak peeks of the filming for their Fashion's Night Out television special - in one, during a planning meeting for the fashion show, Virginia Smith says, "We wanted to get across this idea of fashion coming from the streets of New York, so every trend is given a geographical location." As she says this, a slide pops up portraying the feathers trend paired with the Bronx Zoo.

Speaking of feathers, Anna Wintour, addressing retail executives at another meeting, poses the question with a smile: "Do feathers sell? Is that why they're back two seasons later?"

That and more, in the video clips »

Victoria Beckham Debuts New Short Film for Collection, To Make Fashion's Night Out Appearance at Bergdorf

fashionologie — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:38:36 PDT

>> Victoria Beckham recently let her Giorgio Armani contract expire so that she could focus more on her beauty and fashion lines; she's said to be showing her Victoria Beckham Collection - which Roland Mouret has assisted her with in the past - at New York Fashion Week again for Spring 2010, but this weekend, she's releasing a short film featuring her Fall 2009 collection (with Mouret's sharply tailored handiwork visible) online.

This is her second foray into the fashion promo film arena - her first effort, for Spring 2009, came out at the end of last year. The new short, "Swings," features eight models, perched on rope swings, moving in unison - plus a cameo by Beckham - and was filmed in a single take in London last month. Matt Jerrett directed and Beckham's (and Mouret's) backer, 19 Entertainment, produced. The film debuts Sunday on BergdorfGoodman.com, to promote Beckham's appearance at the New York store during Fashion's Night Out Sept. 10, and DazedDigital, which has the UK exclusive, is posting the full film Sunday at 3 pm UK time.

UPDATE: The video! »

fashionologie — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:42:30 PDT

>> Stylist Tabitha Simmons's Shoe Collection Find an Exclusive Home at Bergdorf -Stylist and Vogue contributing editor Tabitha Simmons nervously launched her eponymous shoe line during Paris Fashion Week in March, while husband and photographer Craig McDean walked fans like Karen Elson through the collection. Later, she told the New York Times of the line: "I wanted to do styles that were timeless - no crazy heels or platforms that tie them to one season. These are English walking boots, crossed with a Scottish Highland influence. I’ve also done sexy sandals and girly Mary Janes. It’s a little schizophrenic, the line." The collection - of which The Cut has a gallery - arrives exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman next month, and ranges from $795 to $2,200. [The Cut]
*image: Lee Clower