fashionologie

Sophie Theallet Takes Home 2009 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Win

fashionologie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:48:45 -0800

>> Last night, with the help of keynote speaker Alber Elbaz, who doled out gems on the perils of success - "It's like a bottle of perfume. You smell it, you don't sniff it or drink it" - Alaia veteran and Michelle Obama favorite Sophie Theallet took home the 2009 Vogue/Fashion Fund prize of $200,000 and a year of mentoring. Fellow nominees Patrik Ervell and Monique Pean were named runners-up, and received $50,000 each plus a business mentor.

In her speech, Anna Wintour said that in addition to the US, Italy, and the UK - which just started a similar talent-nurturing program - she just met with the French minister of culture about mirroring the contest there. "And Brazil, India, Russia, and China aren't far behind."

Theallet Tweeted of her win: "my american dream comes true tonight thanks and much love to all of you!xox." Cathy Horyn, too, weighed in on the choice:

"The money and the mentoring will help Ms. Theallet because she needs to be able to offer more range in her collection, as well as expand her production options. She has such a distinctly feminine eye, and the skills, that I’ve often wondered why a big retailer doesn’t ask Ms. Theallet to design some blouses and summer dresses for them, using the store’s resources and manufacturing connections."

Videos of the nominees going through the competition and the awards ceremony last night can be seen here and here, respectively.

fashionologie — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:11:58 -0700

>> Diane von Furstenberg Gets Robbed, Photographs Upcoming Campaign Herself -Just before she jetted off to Madrid and subsequently got robbed "in the street" - "My wallet, cash and all my credit cards!!" - Diane von Furstenberg kicked off Teen Vogue's Fashion University over the weekend, where she reminded the audience that her eyewear collection is out in January. Tom Ford and Karl Lagerfeld have done it, and now DVF: she photographed the entire sunglasses campaign herself. The model is none other than her son Alex's fiancee Ali Kay, who has recently been at the center of a tabloid scandal. [@InsideDVF, Fashionista]

fashionologie — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:28:55 -0700

>> Fashion's Night Out Could Become A Permanent Fashion Week Fixture -If CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg has her say (and Anna Wintour will assuredly support her), Fashion's Night Out won't be a one-off event: “It was a huge success. It was fantastic; it’s just like Hallmark, when they invented Mother’s Day. Every Thursday before Fashion Week, we will have Fashion’s Night Out!” But nothing has officially been decided, and retailers are waiting to examine the residual effects on sales before the possibility is further examined. Simon Doonan says he's unsure about doing it again, because Fashion's Night Out didn't generate big sales for Barneys. [The Cut, The Cut Twitter]

Alexander Wang Evolves With Sportswear-Centric Spring 2010 Collection

fashionologie — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:16:58 -0700

>> Alexander Wang hinted recently that he was ready to evolve, telling W's September 2009 issue: "As soon as people get used to what you’re doing, you have to change direction." And evolve he did for Spring 2010: the look of his last few collections, with their body-clinging shapes and primarily black palettes, was replaced by a generally looser silhouette and all shades of khaki, tan, olive, and gray. He told WWD that Spring 2010 for him "is very much about classic American sportswear," and the idea is visible in pieces like a sweatshirt dress with football pad detailing (below) and all the shinguard-like socks cut out at the back of the calf.

But Wang didn't give up the sexy side of his label - there were plenty of bra tops, crop tops, and and lingerie-style shorts to go around. The house was unsurprisingly packed, with Katie Grand (Wang's after-party co-host), Terry Richardson, Olivier Zahm, Diane von Furstenberg (Alex's CFDA-appointed mentor), Erin Wasson, Devon Aoki, Liya Kebede, and Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin all front row. Frankie Rayder, Angela Lindvall, and Iselin Steiro walked, newcomer Mirte Maas opened, Karl Templer styled, and Wang's three styles of sunglasses debuted.

Andre Leon Talley, Helmut Lang, and Alexander Wang All Love The Golden Girls

fashionologie — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:25:25 -0700

>> Andre Leon Talley, self-professed "big proponent of the man-bag" and owner of a custom-made Diane von Furstenberg caftan, is also a big proponent of shopping high and low, he tells Time Out New York: "You cannot live your life in the elitist world of fashion and not step out or you’re disconnected. You have to realize that fashion is not the endgame. I started wearing Uggs two years ago. It’s a cozy shoe. Also, they’re only $98." In fact, at home, he wears "Juicy Couture shorts, a Ralph Lauren polo shirt and Uggs." But don't expect him to wear Crocs. "I draw the line at Uggs."

He took up horseback riding and tennis after Anna Wintour prompted him to lose weight, but isn't afraid to split a chocolate creme brulee "just for a taste!" When Time Out asked him if he though of the Vogue offices as "a mecca of skinniness," he responded:

The Vogue offices are full of what I call very annnnnnnngular women wearing stilettos, and maybe that’s just the consciousness - that people think that they need this look when they work at Vogue. But Grace Coddington does not fit that mold and she’s elegant. Look at Michelle Obama, she’s the most fashionable woman in America. But she’s not a fashion plate.

Golden Girls is "one of the greatest shows ever" »

fashionologie — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:46:22 -0700

>> CFDA Publishes American Fashion Cookbook Full of Designer's Recipes -Food and fashion don't always go hand in hand, but the CFDA is trying to change that this month with the release of American Fashion Cookbook, a compilation of recipes, illustrations, and food-related quotes from over 100 American designers. No word on what foodies like Jason Wu or Peter Som contributed, but Derek Lam went with Yellowtail Crudo, Isaac Mizrahi submitted Mushroom Truffle Spaghetti, and Diane von Furstenberg, who says she's "never been a great cook," added a recipe for Saturday Night Chicken. Publisher Assouline has a preview of the first 30 or so pages. [Stylecaster, Amazon]

Trailer: The Rachel Zoe Project, Season 2

fashionologie — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:19:15 -0700

>> Rachel Zoe has never been known to be anything but busy: her new lifestyle newsletter, The Zoe Report, launches tomorrow, and she's still finishing up filming for the second season of The Rachel Zoe Project, which premieres Aug. 24 at 10 PM on Bravo.

The trailer for the upcoming season has just hit the web, full of her catchphrases, footage from Paris (only New York was highlighted last season), Rachel riding on a Segway, and featuring cameos by Diane von Furstenberg, Karl Lagerfeld, Giambattista Valli, Liv Tyler, and Lorenzo Martone.

And for those who've noticed Zoe's tendency to wear loose dresses and voluminous clothes on the red carpet, it's because when she tries to wear something more form-fitting - like a sequined flapper-style dress in the trailer - her husband and assistant both tell her she can't because of all the bad press about how thin she is.

The video! »

At CFDA Town Hall Meeting, Future of Fashion Week Contemplated

fashionologie — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:36:03 -0700

>> This morning, the CFDA held its first town hall meeting, moderated by CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg, to discuss whether Fashion Week is still relevant. Many attendees agreed with Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough, who voiced his concern: "There seems to be a disconnect. For us, the shows have become a press thing. It’s on blogs; magazines pull straight from the runways; and by the time it’s in stores, it feels sort of old."

Donna Karan, who has long been a proponent of selling and showing clothes in season, also wondered about the timeliness of the shows: "We are in a crisis. There's no question about it . . . We spend so much money on shows, but what is it getting us?”

Anna Wintour suggests something illegal »

Diane von Furstenberg Settles After Copying; Nicolas Ghesquiere Accused of Copying Cruise 2010 Jacket

fashionologie — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:26:26 -0700

>> American designers, under the lead of CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg, are currently pushing for copyright inclusion under the Design Piracy Prohibition Act, but a few recent occurrences may hurt their case.

Just last week, Diane von Furstenberg settled out of court for an undisclosed sum with the Canadian designers of Mercy, who accused DVF of copying their jacket (photo comparison here), which in Diane's version appeared on the March 2009 cover of Elle. When notified, Diane apologized almost immediately, as has since ceased from using the copied design: “While this is an isolated incident for DVF, it is unfortunate that way too many others intentionally build businesses by stealing the work of other designers."

It's doubtful that Diane was talking about Nicolas Ghesquiere at Balenciaga, but some questions are now being raised about a leather jacket from his recent Cruise 2010 collection, especially because he has admitted to copying a garment in the past that appeared in his Spring 2002 Balenciaga collection. The current item of contention is strikingly similar to the "Parrot" jacket by San Francisco-based East West Musical Instruments - picture comparison above - which operated in the '60s through the '80s and sold to Iggy Pop, Janis Joplin, and the like. It's no secret that designers mine vintage pieces for inspiration, and Nicolas is not an American designer, but two examples in such quick succession can't be helping the Design Piracy Prohibition Act fight.

The 2009 CFDA Awards Are Here! Rodarte, Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler Take Home Wins

fashionologie — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:33:28 -0700

>> American designers are trickling in at Alice Tully Hall for tonight's CFDA Awards - CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg was first to arrive, International Award winner Marc Jacobs walked the red carpet arm and arm with fiance Lorenzo Martone, Kirsten Dunst came with Womenwear of the Year nominees Rodarte, presenter Diane Kruger arrived with Swarovski nominee Jason Wu, Doutzen Kroes is resplendent in Zac Posen, and all were greeted on the front steps by a crowd of models in the nominees' creations.

Swarovski nominee Alexander Wang said he's "not nervous at all" - he woke up today and "forgot it was the CFDAs," but we'll have to wait and see if this turns out to be a night to remember for him, after all . . .

The ceremony is now underway, and host Tracy Ullman opened with a Kiefer Sutherland-headbutting joke - Proenza Schouler is an Accessory Designer nominee, and arrived with Daphne Guinness in tow - the CFDA crowd is a notoriously tough crowd, and the joke was met with "weak laughter."

Later on, Tracy, known for her designer impressions on her eponymous TV show, took a crack at impersonating Anna Wintour. Michelle Obama, who wasn't there in body, accepted her Special Tribute Award by video, and Rodarte's Laura and Kate Mulleavy accepted their Womenswear Award saying they watched Midnight Cowboy this afternoon to calm their nerves.

And the winners are . . . (nominees here):

Accessory Designer of the Year: Proenza Schouler
Popular Vote Award: Ralph Lauren
Menswear Designer of the Year: Italo Zucchelli for Calvin Klein and Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders (tie)
Swarovski Award for Menswear: Tim Hamilton
Swarovski Award for Womenswear: Alexander Wang
Swarovski Award for Accessories: Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewelry
Womenswear Designer of the Year: Rodarte