fashionologie

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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Which British Designers Say They're Not Doing Kate Middleton's Wedding Gown?

fashionologie — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:16:40 PDT

>> Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton (and McQueen CEO Jonathan Akeroyd and a spokesperson from the label) have all categorically denied any involvement with Kate Middleton's wedding gown, although many still seem skeptical about believing them.

But McQueen aside, which other British or London-based designers have taken their names off the list of potentials? Marchesa, for one. “I’m excited to see what [Middleton]’s going to be wearing,” Keren Craig said. “I think she’s a very stylish woman, and I think she’ll probably choose something beautiful and classic. I don’t think she’s going to go for anything too trend-based or crazy edgy. She’ll look like a princess!”

Don't expect to see Middleton donning London labels Erdem or Vivienne Westwood, either - spokespeople from each label denied any involvement. And although wedding gown favorite Alice Temperley is making no comment on the matter, WWD cites sources saying that she's not doing Middleton's dress.

So who's remaining mum on whether they involved? Former favorite in the race, old school London couturier Bruce Oldfield; Issa's Danielle Helayel, who is a Middleton favorite (but Helayel is Brazilian and doesn't have much experience with gowns - honeymoon garb seems much more likely); and Catherine Walker, a brand which specializes in wedding gowns and made Princess Diana's burial gown.

Marchesa's Polished Designer Georgina Chapman Is Secretly Messy

fashionologie — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:56:57 PDT

>> Marchesa's Georgina Chapman is known for her polished look - and her frothy gowns: "More is more! That's the Marchesa motto," she wisecracks - but, she warns: "I look much more civilized than I actually am. I'm actually an incredibly disorganized, messy person. My mother says I'm like a disease that can walk into a room and get it infected. I can destroy things in seconds." Marchesa cofounder Keren Craig corroborates with a story from college: "We were in Thailand, [and] a lot of people's huts got raided by thieves, but we kept all of our clothes on the floor, so I think if anyone tried to ransack us, it looked like someone had beat them to it. I thought I was messy until I met Georgina!" [Harper's Bazaar]

Fashion in 50 Seconds 8/18/10 Love's New Cover Girls, New Accessories Bazaar to Display Spring 2011 Collections

coutorture — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:04:37 PDT

Love's new girls.

New Accessories Bazaar will display Spring 2011 shoes, bags, and jewelry collections so you can actually see them during Fashion Week.

Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig will answer your red carpet glamour questions in InStyle.

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld's new gigs: face of Lancome, Mark Fast consultant.

September fashion mags earn praise for skewing older this year.

fashionologie — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:31:00 PST

>> It Was Isabella Blow Who Told Marchesa to Stick to Eveningwear -If there's one fact that's inarguable, it's that Isabella Blow had quite the sphere of influence over designers and their success. When Marchesa started in 2004, Georgina Chapman says, she and Keren Craig had nothing really to sell and definitely no business model. They did have an invite to a "smart party," however, and wore their own designs. Chapman's backless sari dress caught the eye of Isabella Blow, who asked if she could borrow the dress for Paris Fashion Week. Blow also is the one who told Chapman and Craig to focus on eveningwear. [Huffington Post]

Sophie Theallet Takes Home 2009 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Win

fashionologie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:48:45 PST

>> 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.

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At Marchesa Fall 2009, Beauty Is Pain

fashionologie — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:38:10 PST

>> Marchesa's bread and butter is gowns, so even when some designers are shying away from them this season, Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig have to go ahead full-force. The inspiration for Fall 2009? A whimsical fairy tale involving girls walking through the woods in ballgowns, resulting in a tulle-d, lace-d, sequined, and beribboned collection - sometimes overwrought, but always red carpet-ready - the shredded candy pink cocktail dress and two sparkly black tulle dresses, as well as the navy one-shouldered dress with cut-out waist, if turned into a gown, will do swimmingly. The real problem was how much the high-heeled toe shoes caused discomfort for the models - one's feet were going purple, another had to sit down, and some were leaning against the wall. Brings the fairy tale back to reality, no?
*image: source

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Georgina Chapman Moves Outside the Marchesa Realm

fashionologie — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:32:41 PDT

>> Now that Georgina Chapman has officially realigned herself as the designer of Marchesa, leaving Keren Craig, former co-designer, to the more business side of things, she's branching out beyond Marchesa.

Garrard, the British jewelry brand that supplied Princess Diana's engagement ring, is seeking a creative director since Jade Jagger left the post in 2007, and in the meantime, they've asked Georgina to be a guest designer. The Georgina Chapman for Garrard collection is to be unveiled next September during New York Fashion Week - no doubt accessorizing the Spring 2010 Marchesa collection - and prices are expected to run in the $10,000 to $15,000 range.

It's interesting that the collection is called "Georgina Chapman for Garrard" rather than "Marchesa for Garrard," don't you think? Especially when the company is looking for a new creative director and Garrard's CEO says Georgina's line is expected to be "a significant part of the Garrard business." Not that Georgina would leave Marchesa behind for jewelry - but it does seem like she's trying to do things more on her own without Keren.
*image: source

What's Going on at Marchesa?

fashionologie — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:20:19 PDT

>> Along with the annual International Best-Dressed List, the September 2008 Vanity Fair features a spread dubbed "America's New Fashion Guard," featuring up-and-coming designers, including a few designing duos like Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte, Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock of Vena Cava.

Marchesa was also spotlighted, but as Chic Report so astutely pointed out, only one half of the brand's designing duo is pictured: Georgina Chapman, with no Keren Craig in sight.

Interesting, in light of the rumors back in May suggesting that Keren was being phased out as a co-designer; the photographic evidence here definitely lends credence to that possibility. Or maybe, as Chic Report suggested, Keren was just on her honeymoon when the picture was taken.
*image: source

fashionologie — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:55:00 PDT

>> INSIDER WIRE —Georgina Chapman may have opted for a blowout wedding bash when she married Harvey Weinstein late last year, but her Marchesa counterpart Keren Craig chose to go the opposite route. She just recently got married to Pierce North in a "very quiet" ceremony in North Wales. [FWD]