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.

Designer Appointments: Swaim Hutson To Generra, Peter Som May Be Heading to Tommy Hilfiger

fashionologie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:50:52 -0700

>> Tommy Hilfiger, who has been searching for a creative director as far back as 2007, may have his eye on Peter Som. Although neither Som nor Hilfiger would comment, WWD cites sources saying that they have been in discussions about Som joining Hilfiger as a creative consultant - a position which could ultimately lead to a wider role, perhaps as that creative director Tommy was looking for. Fashion Week Daily reports that insiders expect an announcement of the partnership after the end of New York Fashion Week on Sept. 17.

Speaking of creative consultants becoming creative directors, Swaim Hutson, who was a consultant on Generra's Spring 2010 collection, has been appointed as the contemporary brand's creative director: "Generra has a chance and a voice to be more directional within the designer contemporary market, and this is exactly what I hope to bring to the brand.” Turns out Swaim - who is not showing the Hutson line he designs with wife Christina Hutson during New York Fashion Week this season - will have his work on a New York catwalk, after all: Generra is presenting its Spring 2010 collection on Sept. 11.

Fashion Week Tidbits: Marchesa Launches Handbags, Alexander Wang Is Thinking "Perv" for Spring 2010

fashionologie — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:26:43 -0700

>> New York Fashion Week is a little more than a week away, and the tidbits are flowing freely - a compilation of the highlights from the past few days:

Launches

Marchesa is launching its first accessories - 28 clutches and evening bags (above); They will retail $995 to $5,000 and are made to coordinate with the mainline dresses. [WWD]

Peter Som is making his way back, Ruffian goes Picasso »

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]

Spring 2010 New York Fashion Week: Ralph Lauren Expands to Three Shows; Two Designers Dare to Overlap with Fashion's Night Out

fashionologie — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:39:01 -0700

>> New York Fashion Week is still over a month away, but Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week just released its official calendar today and the Fashion Calendar - which shows all of the shows not included in the Bryant Park festivities - has appeared online, so we can get an idea of what will be going down in that crazy time period between Sept. 9 and Sept. 17.

Despite the industry's economic doldrums, a few designers are adding an extra show for Spring 2010 - Ralph Lauren is upgrading from two showings to three in his usual morning-of-the-last-day spot; Phillip Lim is following in close friend Richard Chai's footsteps, doing a two separate shows this season, one for men's and one for women's, rather than combining them like he usually does; and Thom Browne, who chose to show his Fall 2009 collection in Florence instead of at New York Fashion Week, is back on the schedule with not one but two shows.

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld is hosting an event again »

The Sartorialist Does Burberry, Disses Peter Som

fashionologie — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:42:02 -0700

>> Scott "The Sartoralist" Schuman has been racking up gigs - an ad campaign for Australia's SABA Denim, teaming with Adidas, not to mention that impending book - which he says "make it possible for me to go to fashion weeks in Milan, Paris, London, New York, Stockholm, Australia - but also to places like Peru, Laos, Tibet." But Schuman, who made a stop in Toronto last Wednesday before an undisclosed "commercial gig" for Burberry on Thursday, had some other wisdom to share with Canada's Globe and Mail.

It's all about the brand.

"When I had my showroom in New York, that's what I was telling guys like Peter Som and James Coviello: 'You have to build your brand' – and they didn't listen. I started The Sartorialist in 2005. By late 2006, I had a serious brand. A brand that meant something."

And his girlfriend, Garance Dore.

"I'm pretty good at the sex. And pretty good at picture taking. That's about it. Garance is pretty happy. And the hotel-room neighbours are pretty pissed. You can write that; that's totally fine with me."

Highlights from Inside the 2009 Costume Institute Gala: Gisele Dumps Galliano for Versace, Carine Roitfeld Showed

fashionologie — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:38:20 -0700

>> Despite all the drama before and after, the Costume Institute Gala itself furnished plenty of notable and quotable moments; for those who were wondering, Carine Roitfeld did attend, even though it was reported that Julia Restoin-Roitfeld would not.

Gisele Bundchen pulled out of John Galliano's table at the last minute, choosing to ride in with the Versace camp instead; it sounds like she might be returning as the label's Fall 2009 face - the New York Times reports that her custom Versace dress "was conceived while she was modeling for [Donatella’s] next ad campaign." Helena Christensen, meanwhile, joked of her Zac Posen dress, which read "Vogue," the V formed by a plunging neckline: “It’s so I can remember whose party I’m at."

And while Kate Moss was on hostess duty (and presumably her best behavior) for Anna Wintour, she still managed to be herself, pulling a big wad of gum out of her mouth when asked about being a muse: “I’m amused. I think it’s quite interesting for somebody to go outside of the box and think that a model actually has had some input into fashion. A lot of the time, the models don’t really get a say.”

But they do have a bathroom fascination »

Anna Wintour Doesn't Think You Should Be Wearing $25,000 Sequined Crop Tops Right Now

fashionologie — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 11:31:17 -0800

>> Although she rarely gives interviews - except for, you know, the lengthy one in The September Issue and that profile she's supposedly doing for 60 Minutes (rumor is their cameras were following her again at the amfAR Gala Thursday night), so maybe she's changed her mind - Anna Wintour sat down with Rachel Dodes of The Wall Street Journal right before New York Fashion Week for a quick fashion state-of-the-union-interview.

But before we get started, a sidenote - the coat she wore Thursday (left) looks to be from Peter Som's Fall 2009 capsule collection, so methinks he will be taken care of just fine. Now, among the interview's highlights:

Now is not the time to look "too Dubai."

I don't think anyone is going to want to look overly flashy, overly glitzy, too Dubai, whatever you want to call it. I just don't think that's the moment. But I do feel an emphasis on quality and longevity and things that really last.

She won't name names, but some designers aren't making clothes that are worth the price tag.

In the [Vogue] Index pages we are looking more rigorously at price and value and asking, 'is something worth that particular price tag?'

A thing that wasn't worth it? Without naming names, we had a little sequined thing that wouldn't come down to here on you [points to chest.] And I said, 'How much is it?' $25,000. I said, 'No. We're not going to photograph that right now.'

What Anna thinks is "fabulous" »

fashionologie — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 22:20:47 -0800

>> INSIDER WIRE -All things aside, Peter Som seems to be enjoying his break from the Fashion Week grind - since he doesn't have to be stressing out and working on his finishing touches like usual, he's been hitting the shows - John Bartlett, Costello Tagliapietra, where he was laughing and chatting front row, and Prabal Gurung, to support his former design director at Bill Blass. Vera Wang, on the other hand? Not so lucky: Today, she was "a little bit crazed . . . because my favorite fabrics haven't even arrived yet. So far we're absolutely nowhere on this collection, I would say we're about 8 days away and nothing is working." [WWD, Style File]
*image: source