Sun, 09/13/09 — 10:09:29 PM
>> Alexander Wang may have changed up his collection's look for Spring 2010, but he's not about to lose his street cred. He partnered with Katie Grand and LOVE, rented out a Mobil gas station last night, and brought a crowd — which included Trish Goff, Daphne Guinness, L'Wren Scott, Erin Wasson, Vanessa Traina, plus fellow designers Esteban Cortazar and Gareth Pugh.
Despite the fact that the station's gas tanks were drained yesterday afternoon and the venue drenched with nonflammable suds, cigarettes were verboten; nicotine-dependent guests were constantly reminded with "Please stop smoking!" announcements. To take their minds off those forbidden cigarette, there were performances by both Courtney Love, who told the audience she received (ironically) a carton of cigarettes and a pair of shoes to play, and Santigold; plus guests had a free run of anything in the station's convenience store: Bee Shaffer took advantage of the candy aisle.
Alexander, for his part, seemed to be enjoying himself — he chatted up Lily Donaldson and Frankie Rayder, got down with Hanne Gaby Odiele (below), and jumped onstage and into Courtney Love's arms during her performance.
Mon, 08/31/09 — 11:11:52 AM
>> Daphne Guinness Likens Topshop to Gucci —Style.com has an interview with Daphne Guinness coming out on Friday. Among the tidbits: "People think I'm Miss Couture but I know how to do it. I kid you not, I once did a shoot with just rubbish bags." On Topshop: "It's so great. I buy stuff there that you'd find in Gucci." And on her iconic black and white-streaked hair: "There's no way I can get rid of it unless I shave my head and dye it black." [Meenal Mistry Twitter, Meenal Mistry Twitter, Meenal Mistry Twitter]
Thu, 08/13/09 — 05:17:53 PM
>> Daphne Guinness spent some time last month being photographed by Steven Klein for an upcoming issue of Vogue Italia, but she also spent ten days out of July in Maui on a shoot with i-D and Vogue Italia photographer David LaChapelle. She blogged today of the experience:
"We’ve been shooting for 10 days straight. Sometimes twenty hour shoots in a day, from the deepest jungle to the volcanic cliffs, moving sets and equipment constantly. Working directly with the elements, the downpours, changing height and distances and moving the equipment has all been a challenge. The results are completely remarkable."
So what's with the bathtub? »
Wed, 08/05/09 — 02:28:42 PM
>> Steven Meisel seems to have temporarily moved on from his usual just-signed-model cover fare for Vogue Italia to women with a little more life experience — 42-year-old Kristen McMenamy was on the cover and heavily featured in the July 2009 issue, and now, for the August 2009, it's all about 44-year-old Linda Evangelista, whose image is juxtaposed on the cover with the phrase "refined style."
We've only got clues — no names — about who will be the September multiple cover stars — but the tradition will be carried on in that issue by 41-year-old Daphne Guinness, who was photographed by Steven Klein in July for a 20-plus-page editorial based on a 60's cult French film that she promises will be "darker and moodier. A new side of me.”
Thu, 06/04/09 — 11:34:28 AM
>> Fifty guests pulled up to a long white table at Harvey Nichol's Fifth Floor restaurant for a private dinner co-hosted by Rodarte's Laura and Kate Mulleavy and Kate Bosworth. Daphne Guinness flitted in, spritzing at least one guest with her yet-to-be-released perfume, frequent Rodarte collaborator Nicholas Kirkwood also appeared — his shoes were represented on at least one guest's feet, Kate Bosworth — and told Grazia of his work with the designers: "We didn't even meet the first few seasons that we worked together. Everything was over the phone and email. It was so great when we finally met. We get on so well and are on the same wave length. They always want to do something different — we've even made shoes out of electrical wire!"
Attendees Plum Sykes, Bella Freud, Trish Goff, and Lula's Leith Clark, who was seated next to Laura, were served nettle soup and trifle, and around midnight, when all headed home, the Mulleavys, Kate Bosworth, and Nicholas Kirkwood "headed out and onto another club."
Fri, 05/01/09 — 01:32:38 PM
>> INSIDER WIRE —The attention-grabbing platform shoes that were part of Olivier Theyskens's Fall 2009 Nina Ricci sendoff weren't put into production, but at the birthday party she threw for Steven Klein last night, Daphne Guinness showed up wearing a pair along with a gown from the same collection. Before the party was supposed to start, she already admitted to falling once. [Style File]
*image: source
Wed, 03/18/09 — 02:00:14 PM
>> Last night, Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti were in New York to fete the opening of Valentino: The Last Emperor — arguably their biggest Manhattan party ever, between the screening and the dinner for 200 of fashion's finest (including Anna Wintour, Anja Rubik, Jason Wu, and Chanel Iman) at the Plaza's Oak Room. The designer's six pugs Molly, Milton, Monty, Margot, Maude, and Maggie, who director Matt Tyrnauer has dubbed "the costars of the film," weren't present — according to Valentino, "they're getting some time away from me in Italy" — but maybe that's a good thing: Karolina Kurkova admitted, “they’re really not nice to everybody” and Gwyneth Paltrow agreed, calling the pugs "kind of mean."
When Giancarlo Giammetti was asked about his comment on film that the designer looked too tan, he was quick to explain, "We'd come from the beach, and we were about to show summer suits, and he just . . . it just seemed like too much. But it was one time, and one time only." And as for those rumors that he was back to helping out at Valentino for Fall 2009, Garavani denied having any hand in it, "No, not at all. Very far from the truth. I don’t think about it. I wish my assistants to do the best. It’s a big job, though, and to know my name goes on the designs, I want them to do the best.”
Meanwhile, the film seems to have already inspired at least one person — Zac Posen. "I wouldn't mind being followed around too for two years. It's all about having the right collaborators."
*image: source, source, filmmagic
Tue, 03/03/09 — 02:38:21 PM
>> Even though POP magazine doesn't officially relaunch until September, it's a hot topic these days, especially with the supposed drama of Dasha Zhukova's appointment as the new editor-in-chief and Daphne Guinness's worry over being announced as part of the editorial board. Today, Daphne blogged on the matter, calling the reports "so FUNNY . . . . It was flattering but not true I am afraid. A complete misunderstanding!"
We caught up with POP's editorial director Ashley Heath this morning — he confirms that Daphne has asked not to be on the editorial board, and is instead "working on a very interesting and exciting special project for us." Also on the plate for discussion — POP's logo: to change or not to change, first cover clues, and when the freelance fashion and creative teams will be announced.
What do you think about the reception Dasha's appointment is receiving in Milan?
"The reception from the fashion industry towards Dasha has been universally positive. As soon as she talks to anyone the fact that she is extremely intelligent, cultured, driven and positive becomes obvious. Dasha has a very strong sense of style and a strong point of view on the modern world and on magazines. She is incredible in every meeting. The advertisers are thrilled about her appointment, but then they realise an intelligent international perspective is key now. But I've no idea how the rest of the magazine media responded to the announcement. Editors and journalists aren't exactly known for their universal goodwill are they? But the front row figures I care about all grabbed me and said, 'Wow, this is really interesting, this is actually an exciting prospect.'"
Daphne's "indicated that being a part of the editorial board is not a good idea" »
Mon, 03/02/09 — 03:45:43 PM
>> It's no surprise that Dasha Zhukova's recent appointment as POP editor-in-chief is making waves — she has no editorial experience and is seen by many as just the socialite girlfriend of a Russian billionaire. Plus, there's that whole matter of her taking over from Katie Grand — apparently a number of other potential candidates were reluctant to head up a magazine so imbued with Grand's identity.
Dasha, who has been attending some shows in Milan, feels "like the elephant in the room." And rightly so — Derek Blasberg reports that one British fashion journalist snidely commented to him, “I’m going to be the next queen of England,” while another joked that Kylie Minogue was in line to be the next editor of Vogue. Apparently, Anna Dello Russo pinched Dasha's seat at Jil Sander, the same day that her new POP position was announced.
Even editorial board member Daphne Guinness is distancing herself »
Fri, 02/27/09 — 09:14:07 AM
>> POP has a new editor-in-chief to replace Katie Grand — as rumored, it's 27-year-old Dasha Zhukova, who has no previous editorial experience but is well-known in the fashion and art worlds as designer of Kova & T and founder of Moscow's largest exhibition venue, the Garage Center for Contemporary Culture.
Ashley Heath, who originally conceived and co-launched POP with Katie Grand in 1999-2000, will serve as editorial director, helping Dasha with the reinvention of the magazine, the launch of a new website, a new London office — Katie Grand complained about the old POP offices regularly — as well as fostering an installation space in Berlin and a partnership with The Saatchi Gallery in London.
The magazine — first issue launches Sept. 1 — appears set to be more focused on art in addition to fashion than it was under Katie Grand's direction — according to Zhukova's statement: "We are working hard on a complete revamp of the magazine in order to provide a broader point of view focusing also on art, contemporary culture and the globalisation of all things pop-related."
Apparently "names of old-school editors, creative directors, and even pop stars and fashion designers were thrown around" before Dasha was settled upon, but now the focus is on recruiting a freelance team, which Ashley and Dasha interviewed together. No word on whether Dasha's best friend Olympia Scarry will serve as creative director as rumored, but an editorial board is already in place to provide guidance and inspiration, including Daphne Guinness; art director Julia Restoin-Roitfeld; artist and film director Sam Taylor-Wood; design critic Alice Rawsthorn; artist and art director Peter Saville; Rebecca Wilson, head of development at Saatchi Gallery; and David Davies, managing director of POP.
*image: source
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