fashionologie

Donatella Brings that Versace Glamour to the Whitney Museum Art Gala

fashionologie — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:35:06 -0700

>> For the second year running, the Whitney Art Musem Gala was Donatella Versace's party. Editors - Olivier Zahm, Lauren Santo Domingo, Glenda Bailey - commingled with designers - Peter Som, Moises de la Renta, Ruffian's Claude Morais and Brian Wolk - and a smattering of models like Chanel Iman and Hana Soukupova. Christopher Kane's Versus designs even made an appearance - the Fall 2009 crystal shoes were on Byrdie Bell's feet, and Taylor Momsen - who seems to be close with the Versaces, particularly Allegra, changed into a black Spring 2010 Versus frock for the Studio Party post-Gala Dinner.

Donatella was fashionably late to the party - two hours in, she was nowhere to be found; perhaps she was still upstairs tending to VIPs - as was Lindsay Lohan, who swept in, all blonde hair and gold dress - earning comparisons to Donatella's trademark look. Lohan said she came "for Donatella" before beelining to Brian Atwood for a chat. Keeping with the "art chic" theme, the walls of one whole room at the party downstairs was covered in paper for guests to scribble on.

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.

fashionologie — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:05:04 -0700

>> Don't Be Surprised if Christopher Kane Has a TV-Inspired Collection -Christopher Kane prefers not to do his designing at his 4,000 square foot east London studio, but rather at home in front of the TV: “Television’s brilliant.” His sister, Tammy Kane, who is instrumental to the business, agrees: “It relaxes you, doesn’t it?” The two do everything together, even vacationing with their boyfriends (Christopher's been seeing Declan Tomany, a lawyer, for four years), but they're currently disagreeing - Tammy wants to bring in a designer to help with the workload: “I know he doesn’t want it. He hates anything that’s not his.” Christopher's response? “I’ll just ignore him,” says Christopher, flicking his hair in mock annoyance. [Times UK]

First Look: Christopher Kane for Topshop

fashionologie — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:33:23 -0700

>> Topshop was being super secretive about the highly-anticipated, raved-about Christopher Kane for Topshop collection, but Lucky was finally able to snap three pictures; the collection looks to be full of black, grommets, leather fringe, lace, and tulle. It sounds like the 39-piece collection - which includes shoes and accessories like this $300 grommeted leather bucket bag - will be in stores in October instead of September as previously reported, with prices running in the $80-$300 range.

UPDATE: Apologies, it sounds like the photo embargo wasn't lifted and won't be until September, so the images had to be taken down.

Christopher Kane Debuts Nuclear First Cruise Collection for 2010

fashionologie — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:38:26 -0700

>> Christopher Kane was just shooting the lookbook for his first ever pre-collection with Alla Kostromicheva last week, and now it's available for the looking. The sparkly chokers he had on set didn't make the final cut, but no matter - the dresses stand alone. Their mushroom cloud prints were derived from nuclear test images Christopher found on the UK Ministry of Defense's website: "I'm so fed up with florals . . . I like the crazy-bright chemical colors [of the images]. The way they're sinister - but beautiful." The dresses will sell, but the shoes aren't up for grabs: "We didn't have any shoes, so we cobbled them together ourselves with gaffer tape and whatnot in the studio."

Topshop is Being Hush Hush about Upcoming Christopher Kane Line

fashionologie — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:07:37 -0700

>> Christopher Kane teased his upcoming collection for Topshop a month ago as "nothing like any other work I've done in the past." Today, the designer held the press preview at the St Martin's Lane hotel in London, and while he watched nervously, Grazia reports, "The fashion pack were so bowled over we left hearing numerous conversations about which pieces they'd be snapping up . . . in September!"

Unfortunately, Topshop has forbidden the posting of any descriptions or pictures, so all we've got to go on is that there are 39 pieces with shoes and bags, the prices run £40-£160, and it will be available in New York. Style Bubble skirts around specific details with: "All the Kane type touches you would want and not at all watered down in quality . . . I defy people NOT to find something they like." Grazia adds: "Think classic Christopher Kane - edgy, fierce but also supremely wearable. The designer . . . wasn't telling lies when he said there would be ‘embellishment' - or that the girls would go crazy for it."

fashionologie — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:28:41 -0700

>> IN PRODUCTION -The newest designers pulling up to the collaboration station: Anna Sui, who is following Alexander McQueen as the second designer in Target's Designer Collaboration series starting Sept. 13 with a Gossip Girl-inspired collection; Christopher Kane, who is doing his biggest line ever - "it's more than a capsule collection with bags, shoes, knitwear and dresses. It's nothing like any other work I've done in the past" - for Topshop, tentatively expected sometime in late August; and Lizzie Fortunato Jewels, who are taking their arts and crafts jewelry to Urban Outfitters under the label Hope Marian this July. [WWD, Grazia, Refinery29]
*image: source

Topshop Has Arrived in New York

fashionologie — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:24:19 -0700

>> It's officially happened - the first US Topshop is open (view inside), and frenzy was just as expected - funnily enough, the women at the front of the line this morning were from England, and flew in expressly for the store opening. Christopher Kane was inside, even though he doesn't currently have a line for the store, and Marc Jacobs showed up with Lorenzo Martone last night, answering yesterday's question of his whereabouts.

Right at 11 am, when Kate Moss was supposed to make her appearance, employees encouraged the crowd to chant "Kate, Kate," and apparently she came out with Sir Philip Green, stood on a box as confetti fell, and did her catwalk around the box, all in about ten seconds before the doors were opened, she did a little dance (video), and disappeared - she's already been spotted at Pastis since. But she has been doing quite the publicity blitz, revealing her list of loves to Style.com, and doing video interviews with the Telegraph and Teen Vogue.

Sir Philip Green is certainly coasting on the hype - two parties the past two nights, a VIP shopping event marked by Anna Wintour and Bee Shaffer appearances, and another party tonight - but will Topshop's cachet remain now that it's more accessible? Jezebel's reporting that they're keeping the store empty and the line long to create hype, so we'll have to see if it works.
*image: source, source

fashionologie — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:01:32 -0700

>> INSIDER WIRE -Steven Meisel isn't the only one currently obsessed with the It Brits - Grazia is shooting today with a number of London designers, and apparently Jonathan Saunders wanted Pixie Geldof to model for Pollini, but it didn't happen because her father wanted her to concentrate on her exams, instead. Christopher Kane was also at the shoot and revealed he's a "massive" Gossip Girl and The City fan, and "does an amazing American accent." [Grazia Twitter, Grazia Twitter, Grazia Twitter]
*image: source

fashionologie — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:34:25 -0700

>> INSIDER WIRE -The recent partnership between Donatella Versace and Christopher Kane for Versus was logical, since he's widely considered her protege, but according to Versace, it goes further than that: "Christopher reminds me of my brother Gianni when he was young. He has the same energy. That is why I asked him to work on Versus. It was the first collection that my brother Gianni let me work on, on my own, so it's very precious to me." [British Vogue]
*image: source