fashionologie

Chanel Goes Farm Girl, Takes a Roll in Hay for Spring 2010

fashionologie — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:41:08 PDT

>> Inspired by Marie Antoinette's Petit Hameau farm at Versailles and the fact that he spent part of his childhood on a farm - "You hear a lot about the environment these days. I thought it would be interesting to put a fashion twist on it" - Karl Lagerfeld sent his parade of Chanel models stomping through dirt starting at the sound of a rooster's crow.

Guests sat on burlap aged to look mildewed as the high heel-clogged (Lagerfeld called them 5 o'clock clogs), fake tattooed, wicker basket-carrying girls stepped one by one from a giant haystack. The barnyard set took a month and a half of construction beforehand and then a week to assemble at the Grand Palais, where the show was held. Apparently pigs were supposed to be involved, too, but Heidi Mount Twittered that they were too scared to be in the show. Chanel face Lily Allen and mock band popped up through a trap door in the floor - Iekeliene Stange and Charlotte di Calypso provided backup singing - and Freja Beha Erichsen and Baptiste Giabiconi walked the runway four times together.

The last time, they were joined by Lara Stone as bride, and all "fell upon each other in the hay as Karl walked past to bow" - in jeans, no less - while Freja and Lara shared a kiss.

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Derek Lam Brings Back the Color for Spring 2010

fashionologie — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:29:14 PDT

>> You would never guess that Derek Lam has recently had to address rumors of label mismanagement - he gave the Wall Street Journal a lengthy interview that could be seen as his way of responding in detail - because there was no storm in his Spring 2010 collection, only sunny, beachy lightness, an "ode to summer."

For his first time showing at the Tents, Lam decided to switch things up; he told Style.com: "I haven't done full-on color for a while, and it feels like the right moment now." He peppered a star motif throughout, studding wrap belts (one of which, unfortunately for Charlotte di Calypso, popped open halfway down the runway, leaving her to smile embarrassedly and hold her dress together the rest of the way), printed on dresses, centered in Dean Harris's earrings for the collection. And the finale was a set of pinup-style "deckside one pieces," not for swimming. Vogue's Elissa Santisi styled, Caroline Trentini made her season runway debut, and Lily Donaldson accompanied Lam for his bow, the two chatting and holding hands the entire time.

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Chanel's Cruise 2010 Show Lands on the Boardwalk at Sunset in Venice

fashionologie — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:05:33 PDT

>> Yesterday was all fittings and a dinner party - which host Karl Lagerfeld and his entourage were a full two hours late for (blame it on the fittings and Lady Amanda Harlech's mosquito-stung eye) - but the Chanel Cruise 2010 was this evening at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Lido Resort in Venice.

Siri Tollerod, Heidi Mount, Liu Wen, Charlotte di Calypso, and Denisa Dvorakova were all in town to walk, powwowing with Lagerfeld for their fittings yesterday; add to that list Inguna Butane and Snejana Onopka, who sent photographic evidence of their arrival, plus Lara Stone and Tatjana Patitz, who walked the finale with Karl.

Carine Roitfeld and Emmanuelle Alt were spotted lounging in the sun on the Hotel Europa's terrace pre-show, and at the Excelsior Lido, white tents were set up on the beach and the pier lit up. The catwalk was a boardwalk and the front row a line of deck chairs, with editors left to deal with their heels sinking into the sand.

Last night, Lagerfeld hinted that the clothes would be reminiscent of Peggy Guggenheim, the patron whose palazzo now houses Italy’s most important collection of twentieth-century art, and inspired by Venetian high-society of the '30s, with fabrics sourced from "the rich reds of the Renaissance, Fortuny's prints, and the chiaroscuro technique of the great Italian masters."

The show happened at sunset - Karl made everyone wait two hours because he wanted to start then - with the girls wearing Marchesa Casati-inspired wigs and makeup, the opening "sailor girl-inspired cream and navy knits" and a finale of metallic lace cocktail dresses. Guests brought home a Chanel beach towel as souvenir.

More photos of the collection here.

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Cannes Film Festival 2009: Carine Roitfeld Appearances, Chanel Movie Screenings, and Lily Cole Film Debuts

fashionologie — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:06:13 PDT

>> While fashion types are currently migrating to Venice for tomorrow's Chanel Cruise 2010 show - Karl Lagerfeld arrived Monday with Baptiste Giabiconi and his runway favorites Siri Tollerod, Heidi Mount, Liu Wen, Charlotte di Calypso, and Denisa Dvorakova are all already in town for fittings and the dinner Karl's hosting tonight - many are continuing on to the Cannes Film Festival, which opened today.

In fact, the Chanel theme carries over in Cannes - Jan Kounen’s Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky, starring Anna Mouglalis and Mads Mikkelsen, screens May 24, the closing day. In between now and then, Carine Roitfeld - as well as Donatella Versace and Kenneth Cole - will make her annual appearance at amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS benefit on May 21 at the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, which also features an exhibition by photographer Bruce Weber.

Lily Cole, Laetitia Casta have films debuting »

Phillip Lim Sews Up Another Crowd Pleaser for Spring 2009

fashionologie — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:34:29 PDT

>> Phillip Lim created the mascot skirt of Fashion Week earlier this year - not kidding, I've seen it on at least one person every day this week - and if the attendance to his newest collection's presentation is any indication, Spring 2009 will be smooth sailing for 3.1 Phillip Lim - the Tent was packed to the gills with fans, including friends Richard Chai and Irina Lazareanu, both sitting front row.

Christian Louboutin designed ruffled heels for the collection, eliciting covetousness in many - in fact, the whole Spring 2009 season is about ruffles for Phillip. The treatment in some of the dresses and skirts reminded me of a tamed version of Marc Jacobs's Spring 2007 ruffles, but among the hazy smoke that hovered on the runway, the real standouts emerged - the stiff, open-edged zipper pieces, and the jewelry Eddie Borgo made for the occasion.
*image: source

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Donna Karan Spring 2010: Natural, Neutral, and With a Side of Vivid Coral

fashionologie — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:28:13 PDT

>> Before the finale march, Anna Wintour ducked out at Donna Karan to hightail it to Queens and Roger Federer's guest box for the US Open men's title match. But she stuck around long enough to catch Donna's "urban atmosphere," as the designer put it to WWD, adding that she was "inspired by the power of the elements - the sky, water, wind, sand, earth, and fire" in her show notes. Karan's signature draped jersey was out in full force in all shades of neutrals, and the clothes felt very of the moment - meaning the moment many women are currently feeling to invest in solid, wearable, classic pieces rather than be tempted by those transient, of-the-moment-or-maybe-the-season-if-you're-lucky pieces.

The show was held in Karan's downtown studio space, which ended up packed to the gills, and Milla Jovovich sat front row. Charlotte di Calypso, who's not having good luck with her accessories this week - yesterday her belt popped open at Derek Lam - glided by at one point, adjusting her Stephen Jones hat all the way around her loop, to keep it from falling off her head.

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Scads of Models Come Out for 2009 Whitney Art Party

fashionologie — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:28:56 PDT

>> One big party wasn't enough for the fashion crowd this week: Max and Lubov Azria gathered designers, editors, and models alike for their third consecutive year of sponsorship, simultaneously celebrating twenty years of BCBG, at the Whitney Art Party. "Have you ever seen so much BCBG in one room?" Max mused. "Even I haven't!"

The usual party circuit models - Hilary Rhoda, Dree Hemingway, Hana Soukupova, Sessilee Lopez - who loved her dress - were out in full force, but Jules Mordovets, Diana Farkhullina, Sasha Pivovarova, Arlenis Sosa, Charlotte di Calypso, Constance Jablonski, and Julia Stegner - who was in the market for some wall decorations - were also out to play. Even with the CFDA Awards on Monday, everyone seemed recovered: "It hasn't been that bad," said Jason Wu. "I used last night to recover from the CFDAs." Plus, attendees got to take home an artist-designed print umbrella, useful with all the rain New York has been getting.

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