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.

Jason Wu Expanding Full-Steam Ahead for Spring 2010; Cathy Horyn Unsure About All the Buzz

fashionologie — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:44:05 -0700

>> In January, Jason Wu went from buzzy among the fashion community to internationally known, thanks to one Michelle Obama, and his Spring 2010 reflects the sudden change in pace: he's trying to go a little sexier, and little more modern to have an all-around broader ready-to-wear reach. He added knitwear, outwear, and daywear, launched four styles of sunglasses, and hopes someday soon to get into handbags and accessories.

Ymre Stiekema made her New York Fashion Week debut at the show, and Yulia Kharlaponova slipped and fell on recently-Windexed mirrored runway, but that wasn't the only slip-up in the collection, according to Cathy Horyn, who wrote in her review:

"Have you ever become completely irritated by a box of chocolate? You know the kind: concept chocolate, artfully arranged in a just-so box, flavors exotic and trying. I’m afraid that was my overall reaction to Jason Wu’s collection on Friday at the St. Regis Hotel . . . He should try a little less hard is the answer. Not everything in life is a spotless decorator interior or a magazine spread. He should loosen up a bit. And why the uniformly short hemlines, six inches above the knee? That in itself is the sign of a fairly conformist outlook."

fashionologie — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:54:25 -0700

>> Jason Wu, Daisy Lowe Collaborate on Jewelry with Swarovski -Every season, Swarovski sponsors a handful of shows, and they're currently exhibiting some of the crystal-encrusted designs by Rodarte, Jason Wu, Julian Louie, threeASFOUR, Jeremy Laing, and Costello Tagliapietra at the New York store on 499 Broadway. This season, Wu is unveiling his jewelry for Atelier Swarovski (peek at left), based on the "concept of sculpting with everyday objects, so I'm using fabric and crystals and making sculptures in that spirit." And Daisy Lowe is also working on a 4-piece line (a necklace, bracelet, ring, and a set of earrings), which comes out in January: "They're kind of magical in a dark romantic way. I've incorporated black and white, star and moon crystals and multiple strands of chains." [Style.com, W Editor's Blog]

The September Issue Premiere: All About Anna Wintour

fashionologie — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:57:50 -0700

>> Last night, Anna Wintour hosted a premiere of The September Issue (which opens Aug. 28 in NYC, Sept. 11 nationwide), and no one dared be late. Arrivals were scheduled to start at 7 pm, but Anna appeared and was joined (despite all the digs about her appearance she receives in the film) by September 2007 cover girl Sienna Miller promptly at 6:45 pm. Even Sean Combs and entourage, when realizing they were late, "sprinted across the lobby," the New York Observer reports.

Despite the general consensus that the film's true star is Grace Coddington, last night was all about Anna. Grace and Andre Leon Talley both avoided being photographed on the red carpet, and it appears that Vogue staffers were required to wear t-shirts for Fashion's Night Out (Anna's pro-shopping pet project) to the event. Grace did comment on her portrayal in the film, however:

I hate to say it, but true to life! A very annoying person. But it’s not really bickering. It’s a process you have to go through for the job we do and it just makes everything stronger. Whatever gets through is then very valid and very strong. I think they focused on me in the movie because I’m a bit more outspoken and because I don’t care about the cameras, I’ll say whatever I want to say and I won’t hold back.

Bee Shaffer, who attended in Proenza Schouler and reminded her mother to put on her sunglasses while on the red carpet (which Anna duly did), thought her own scene in the film was "so embarassing":

It’s funny because that was two years ago and I wanted to go to law school then and that’s basically all I’m talking about and now I don’t want to go to law school at all so . . . [I] still don’t want to work in fashion, that was never a possibility. Now I’d like to work in theater.

Marc Jacobs, who was apparently speaking with a French accent, had his own Anna tribute to share. "She’s a risk-taker unafraid of taking chances. She doesn’t suck up,” he said. “And she’s been very good to me on a personal level as well. When I was having some personal problems, Anna was always there for me. She’s very maternal and caring to people she cares about."

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]

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

CFDA Swarovski Nominees Pair with Editors and Stylist for Short Films

fashionologie — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:13:00 -0700

>> All 21 designers nominated for the 2009 CFDA Awards have been photographed by Craig McDean for the CFDA Journal, but the nine who are Swarovski emerging designer nominees will also be featured in individual short films, along with an editor or stylist of their choice, to be shown at the June 15 ceremony.

The shorts, directed by Michael Palmieri and still photographed by Jennifer Livingston, feature designers Thakoon Panichgul, Jason Wu (who partnered with T fashion director Anne Christensen, left), Alexander Wang, Justin Giunta (who picked Harper's Bazaar accessories director Ana Maria Pimentel), Alejandro Ingelmo, Albertus Swanepoel, Patrick Ervell (who shot with V fashion editor Jay Massacret), Tim Hamilton and Robert Geller. The films also feature editors Anne Slowey, Brian Coats, Brian Molloy, Kate Lanphear, Camilla Nickerson and Melanie Ward.

Anna Wintour Left Jason Wu's Show to Go Watch Roger Federer Play

fashionologie — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:40:54 -0700

>> Yesterday, Anna Wintour arrived to take in Jason Wu's Cruise 2010 show at the Greenwich Hotel in New York, but took a phone call and left four minutes before the show started, leaving Wu's publicist confused. A Vogue staffer told Fashion Week Daily: “She had a plane to catch. But she saw Jason’s entire collection earlier and really liked what she was looking at.” Today, she showed up in Paris with boyfriend Shelby Bryan to watch her favorite athlete Roger Federer try to win the elusive French Open. Maybe she'll be meeting Bee Shaffer, who was in Venice yesterday, at some point?

Marc Jacobs Gets Bunny Ears, Jason Wu Wears a Dress for 2009 CFDA Journal

fashionologie — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:07:21 -0700

>> This year's CFDA Awards are coming up on June 15, and for the accompanying CFDA Journal, which is handed out at the ceremony and showcases all the nominees, Craig McDean and Karl Templer enlisted all 21 designers to model their own work (last year, Raquel Zimmermann did the honors).

Womenswear Designer of the Year nominees Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte go rosy-cheeked, International Award winner for Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, sports a pair of the bunny ears from his latest show, Accessory Designer of the Year nominees Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez wear their handbags like boxing gloves - perhaps a cheeky nod to recent events - and Swarovski Womenswear Designer nominee Jason Wu layered one of his evening gowns over a suit, playing on the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers duality of himself and his designs.

While the Journal won't be available for public consumption, the CFDA has introduced a Popular Vote Award this year, so that anyone can nominate their favorite designer to win until June 9.

Jason Wu to Show Cruise 2010 Collection; Yves Saint Laurent Brings Out Color for Own Cruise 2010 Line

fashionologie — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:38:09 -0700

>> Chanel had a big production in Venice, Oscar de la Renta is gearing up for his Cruise 2010 show in a few days time, and Jason Wu just announced he's joining the big leagues by putting on his own Cruise 2010 runway show, inspired by Iris Apfel, June 4 at the Greenwich Hotel.

But Stefano Pilati, known for his ascetic approach to Yves Saint Laurent in recent seasons, has decided to continue that thought, opting to go without a Cruise 2010 show. As for the clothes, he veered away from his recent obsession with black, white, and shades of gray, infusing color and even a print into the Loulou de la Falaise-inspired mix.