fashionologie

Heidi Klum's Music Video, Peter Dundas's Morning Commute, and Georgia May Jagger's New Job

Justin Fenner — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:42:35 PDT

Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

Heidi Klum is the star of a music video made for Hunger magazine, in which she sings a song called "Turn Up the Night." [Stylelist]
Pucci's Peter Dundas spilled his daily routine in a recent interview. Among the tidbits divulged? He generally flies to his office in Florence from his apartment in Paris. "It's an hour-and-a-half flight," he said. "Really, I am in an airplane four or five times a week." [Harper's Bazaar]
At the launch party for his book Advanced Style - which, like the blog, is dedicated to fashionable older folks such as Iris Apfel and model Mimi Weddell - Ari Seth Cohen screened a trailer for the documentary he's working on featuring the same subjects. "If people don't like what I'm wearing well, I don't give a sh*t," one of the subjects proclaims. [Nowness]
Georgia May Jagger has been named the face of Madonna's clothing line, Material Girl. Jagger is also currently the face of Hudson Jeans and Rimmel London. [Fashion Etc.]
Christian Louboutin has released an app for the iPhone and iPad through which users can see the brand's videos, see new products, and even locate the nearest store. [Christian Louboutin]

Christian Louboutin Steps Into Beauty

Justin Fenner — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:09:49 PDT

Christian Louboutin's first major brand expansion is a luxury beauty line set for worldwide release in late 2013.

The new venture, Christian Louboutin Beauté, is still in its infancy, and Louboutin has been reticent about which product categories he plans to explore. He will work with New York-based beauty licensee Batallure to bring the collection of products - billed as a high-end, global brand - to market. In the past, Batallure has produced fragrances for Abercrombie & Fitch and Express, among other clients.

Louboutin told WWD that his beauty assortment "has to mirror the quality of the shoes" he's been making for the past 20 years.

"Beauty products also have to do with empowering women," he said. "That's very much the job of the shoes I'm designing."

Manolo Blahnik Won't Collaborate With J.Crew, Nowness Translates to Chinese, and Christian Louboutin's Cinderella Shoe

Justin Fenner — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:21:08 PDT

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

Turns out that much-rumored collaboration between Manolo Blahnik and J.Crew isn't going to happen - or at least not this Fall. "Although we were looking forward to the potential collaboration between our two brands, we both came to the conclusion that fall wasn't the right time," a rep for Manolo Blahnik said in an email. "We hope to do something together in the future." [Elle]
Nowness, the online fashion and culture showcase owned by LVMH, debuted a Chinese version yesterday. In a statement, the site's editors said they made the move to capitalize "on China's significant position as a growing luxury market and the importance of digital and social media in the region." [The Wall Street Journal]
Heidi Klum partnered with Babies "R" Us on a line of baby products called Truly Scrumptious. The line includes infant-sized clothing and accessories, but it also extends to furniture, home decor, and bedding for the under-5 set. [LilSugar]
Christian Louboutin will collaborate with Disney when he creates a real-life version of Cinderella's famous glass slippers this Summer, commemorating the release of Cinderella on DVD this Fall. "I have been so lucky to have crossed paths with Cinderella, an icon who is so emblematic to the shoe world as well as the dream world," Louboutin said. [The Huffington Post]
Calvin Klein's on-and-off boyfriend Nick Gruber reportedly left his New York penthouse for a stint at an undisclosed rehabilitation clinic on Wednesday. Sources saw Gruber, who was arrested for cocaine possession earlier this week, leaving his apartment with a wheelie suitcase and overheard him talking about the trip. [The Cut]
Photo: Models wearing Manolo Blahnik shoes during J.Crew's Fall 2012 presentation.

Christian Louboutin Says He Invented Chanel's Iconic Ballet Flats

fashionologie — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:01:15 PDT

>> Christian Louboutin says he deserves credit for Chanel's iconic quilted ballet flats - and that Coco Chanel had nothing to do with them.

Louboutin - who celebrated the 20th anniversary of his eponymous shoe label last year - told The Daily Telegraph that he came up with the idea for the quilted shoe during his brief stint as a footwear designer for Chanel.

"Everyone thinks it's part of Coco's DNA, that shoe," he said. "But it hadn't been done before I got there."

The perception that the Cambon flat is an archival Chanel shoe is not surprising; after all, it's named for Rue Cambon, the Paris street where Coco Chanel opened her first store. What's more, its quilted material points back to the Chanel 2.55 handbag, which was introduced in 1955.

Louboutin also worked as a designer for Charles Jourdan, Maud Frizon, and Yves Saint Laurent before opening his own line in 1991.

Gucci vs. Guess, Charlize Theron's Model Walk, and Chris Benz's Presidential Barbie

fashionologie — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:20:45 PDT

Christian Louboutin's Straratata at left; Jessica Simpson's Evangel at right.

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

As if its trademark lawsuit against Yves Saint Laurent wasn't enough to worry about, Christian Louboutin now has to deal with the possibility that Jessica Simpson may have copied his Straratata sandal. [The Huffington Post]
Speaking of copyright infringement: Guess CEO Paul Marciano defended his company against accusations that it's been knocking off Gucci. "I truly believe that if this is something Gucci was genuinely concerned with, they would have acted within days, everywhere," Marciano said in court. "Are you telling me today that suddenly you realize what's happened in 1995?" [The Daily Telegraph]
Barbie is running for president, but not without a little help from Chris Benz. The designer created the campaign wardrobe for the new I Can Be President Barbie doll – which consists of a single suit. "She actually doesn’t have a change of clothes, and she’s not allowed to take those clothes off either," Benz explained. "That’s not what she does." [Styleite]
Dior spokeswoman Charlize Theron is on the May cover of Vogue UK. In the accompanying feature story, she reveals that being a model isn't as easy as it looks. "That f***ing walk, so hard to do," she says of the forceful strut she performed in her iconic J'adore Dior commercial. [Fashion Etc.]

Christian Louboutin - and Friends - Fete 20 Years of Shoes with Barneys

fashionologie — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:38:59 PDT

>> Last night, Christian Louboutin joined up with Barneys to fete the launch of his eponymous book - as well as the 20th anniversary of his brand - in New York.

The designer's longtime friends (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen), collaborators (Marchesa's Keren Craig), and design peers (Calvin Klein, who left with an autographed copy of the tome) showed up in support. As did more than a few fans - sporting their Louboutin heels, of course. "I'm wearing my very first pair from 1997," Amanda Brooks told Style.com of her strappy red sandals. "He gave them to me as a thank you because I used to work at the Gagosian Gallery, across from the Carlyle, and he would call me on my lunch break to come over and model the shoes for him."

Blake Lively, who made headlines a year ago for carting 40 pairs of Louboutins away from the designer's sample sale, also stopped by: "My first pair was basic black, and after that, it was love - now I have hundreds." Clearly the feeling is mutual - Louboutin whisked her off her feet and carried her away after the event.

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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.”

19 Eye-Catching Spring 2012 Accessories You Didn't See on the Recent Runways

fashionologie — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:22:37 PDT

>> Curious what Christian Louboutin, Brian Atwood, Eddie Borgo, and Tom Binns showed in their Spring 2012 presentations during the recent Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks? We've got a peek at each - plus looks at Tabitha Simmons's latest collection - and more in the slideshow.

View Slideshow ›

Christian Louboutin Prepared to "Fight Like Hell" Against Yves Saint Laurent, According To His Lawyer

fashionologie — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:54:24 PDT

>> After Christian Louboutin lost a bid to stop Yves Saint Laurent from selling red-soled shoes earlier this week, Louboutin's lawyer Harley Lewin has said he's prepared to “fight like hell to the end.” Lewin continued of the setback: “Deter me? Not at all. It’s early on in the game.”

Manhattan federal judge Victor Marrero also implied in his decision earlier this week that if the case continued, he would move to find for the defendant, Yves Saint Laurent, without a full trial - thus causing Louboutin to lose his red sole trademark, which was granted in 2008.

Marrero has ordered both parties to meet next Friday morning, Aug. 19, during which time Louboutin must “show cause why the record of this action as it now exists should not be converted into a motion for partial summary judgment canceling Louboutin’s trademark.” Louboutin is seeking at least $1 million in damages from Yves Saint Laurent.

Louboutin May Lose Red Sole Trademark After Judge Denies Injunction Against Yves Saint Laurent

fashionologie — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:16:41 PDT

>> While it remains to be seen whether Christian Louboutin will retain its red-sole trademark, a Manhattan federal judge has denied Louboutin's request that Yves Saint Laurent be barred from selling red-soled shoes while the shoemaker's lawsuit against YSL is pending.

The judge concluded that Louboutin wouldn't likely be able to prove that its red soles deserve trademark protection - protection that was originally granted in 2008. "Because in the fashion industry color serves ornamental and aesthetic functions vital to robust competition, the court finds that Louboutin is unlikely to be able to prove that its red outsole brand is entitled to trademark protection, even if it has gained enough public recognition in the market to have acquired secondary meaning," Judge Victor Marrero wrote in his opinion.

“We’re obviously very disappointed,” Harley Lewin, a lawyer for Louboutin, said of the denial. “We think the judge missed it.” Lewin continued: "The court essentially indicated that it does not believe that a single color can be a trademark in the fashion industry. We're disheartened."

‘This just reaffirms that no designer should be allowed to monopolize a primary color for fashion,” David Bernstein, a lawyer for Yves Saint Laurent, said about the ruling today. “This is a trademark registration that never should have been issued and can’t be enforced.”

Marrero said in his ruling that representatives for both YSL and Louboutin must appear in federal court Aug. 17, when Louboutin will have to provide arguments against a motion to cancel the trademark.