fashionologie

Designers Disappointed by CFDA's Impending Relocation

Christina Perez — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:47:54 PST

>> The CFDA has decided to move from its current location in the Garment District to a new residence in downtown Manhattan, leaving some New York designers none too pleased. "We are extremely disappointed by the CFDA's decision to leave the Garment Center," said Nanette LePore, whose husband, Bob Savage, has been a staunch proponent of the Save the Garment Center campaign. "We only hope this does not signal the end of their previous support for New York City manufacturing and emerging American designers."

For its part, the CFDA has stressed that the decision has nothing to do with a lack of support for the Garment District, a neighborhood the CFDA has always championed. "We are not abandoning anything," The CFDA's chief executive officer, Steven Kolb, told WWD. "We considered buildings in the Garment District significantly in our search. The criteria by which we were finding space was ultimately based not on neighborhood, but what the best space for a functioning office for the CFDA was." Kolb went on to say that the Council had outgrown its current space, adding "we are busting out of the seams."

CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg echoed the sentiment: "We needed a very large space so we can have board meetings and clinics there. We found a great space with a great deal, and that's that. We looked for a long time." Von Furstenberg added that she will always think of the CFDA as "the soul of the Garment District."

The CFDA has signed a 10-year lease at its new location at Bleecker Street and Broadway, with plans to move this Summer.
Above: the CFDA's Steven Kolb and Diane von Furstenberg. Getty

New York and London Agree to Fashion Week Date Change

Christina Perez — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:00:52 PST

>> The Spring 2013 Fashion Week date dispute finally seems to be settling down. In order to accommodate Milan's recent push for an earlier schedule, New York and London have agreed to shift the dates of their own Sept. 2012 shows. New York Fashion Week will now take place Sept. 6 through 13, with London following from Sept. 14 to 18.

"We've been back and forth on this. People are anxious and need to know the dates. There's no value for the cities to compete. In the spirit of working together, London and New York are in agreement that we will go in the earlier period, but with the hope that the four cities will come out of this confusion and work together to plan future show weeks. We need to begin to look at the fashion season not as individual fashion weeks, but very much as a global business," The CFDA's Steven Kolb, explained.

Spring 2013 Milan Fashion Week will take place Sept. 18 to 25, with Paris starting Sept. 25 and finishing the season October 2.

Diane von Furstenberg, CFDA Recommend Carding Models for Age; Michael Kors on Models Under 16

fashionologie — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:00:08 PDT

>> Just before last season, CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg encouraged designers to forego hiring models under 16; however, after her show last season, von Furstenberg discovered that she had hired 15-year-old Hailey Clauson to walk, and subsequently issued an apology.

This season, von Furstenberg and the CFDA are taking preventative measures further, recommending that models produce a valid ID on the show day, ensuring that they are a minimum of 16 years old. “The casting agents for the Diane von Furstenberg show will be doing this and we encourage others to do the same,” the letter which von Furstenberg and CFDA CEO Steven Kolb sent out yesterday, stated. It also noted that all top model agencies had pledged not to send models under 16 for shows.

Von Furstenberg is not the only major New York designer who has had issues with model-age confusion. Michael Kors tells Lauren Hutton in the new issue of Interview: "I still think it’s weird when models come in on go-sees. I don’t understand how anyone can think that a model is a mannequin. I like to think of them as just women ... When they come in, I’m always like, 'Where are you from? Tell me about your life.' That’s the first thing I say. We were laughing, though, because two seasons ago, I said, 'You know what? These girls we’re seeing are too young. They are children.' It’s silly ... I said two years ago, 'No models under 16.' Well, of course, right after I said that, we started seeing all of these girls from Eastern Europe, and every girl who’d walk in, you’d say, 'Hi. What’s your name?' And she’d be like, 'I’m Svetlana.' I’m like, 'Svetlana, where are you from?' 'Ukraine.' 'Svetlana, how old are you?' '16.' Next girl walks in - she’s from Eastern Europe and 16. Next one? Eastern European and 16. I was like, 'Was there a bus?' But I still think it’s a tricky thing because no matter how beautiful you might be at 15 or 16, the simple truth is that you haven’t lived enough to really know how to project anything in a photograph. It’s like a kind of blank beauty."

The 2011 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalists Announced

fashionologie — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 12:34:07 PDT

>> The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund judging committee - which this year includes Jack McCollough, Lazaro Hernandez, Vogue's Mark Holgate, Jeffrey Kalinsky of Jeffrey and Nordstrom, CFDA executive director Steven Kolb, Reed Krakoff, Andrew Rosen, Diane von Furstenberg, Jenna Lyons, and Anna Wintour - have determined the 2011 finalists. They are:

AA, Antonio Azzuolo
Altuzarra, Joseph Altuzarra
Carlos Campos, Carlos Campos
Creatures of the Wind, Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters
Cushnie Et Ochs, Michelle Ochs and Carly Cushnie
Finn Jewelry, Soraya Silchenstedt
Fenton/Fallon, Dana Lorenz
Ohne Titel, Alexa Adams and Flora Gill
Pamela Love
Suno, Max Osterweis and Erin Beatty

Joseph Altuzarra and Pamela Love are repeat finalists from last year, and Ohne Titel was a finalist in 2009. The winner and two runners-up will be announced Nov. 14.

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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fashionologie — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:27:07 PDT

>> CFDA, New York City Join to Subsidize Fashion Incubator for Emerging Designers -On Monday, New York City's Bloomberg administration announced that it will be subsidizing rent for a 10,000 square foot fashion incubator space; emerging designers will compete for twelve spaces in a showroom building in the garment district, with rent coming in at only $1,500 instead of the current $2,900 market price for a comparable space. The new tenants will be selected through a competition; winners will be announced in December and move-in - with a lease lasting two years - is expected in February. The applicants must be "working designers," according to CFDA executive director Steven Kolb, who have been in the business for a year and a half, employ a staff, and have both media attention and orders from top retailers. The CFDA also plans on giving the selected designers educational and industry support. [NYTimes City Room]

fashionologie — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:08:15 PDT

>> INSIDER WIRE -Late last month, a group of designers, including Narciso Rodriguez, Maria Cornejo, Jason Wu, and Thakoon Panichgul, took a trip to Washington, DC accompanied by CFDA executive director Steven Kolb to lobby for an anti-piracy bill to stop mass retailers from knocking off their ideas. But when Rick Owens was recently asked if he cares that his look is being rampantly copied, his reply? "No-oo. I guess it's a compliment." [Guardian]

Fall 2009 Fashion Week: Baubles, Baubles, Baubles

fashionologie — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:59:33 PST

>> Fall 2009 is jewelry's time to shine, judging by all of the collaborations debuting during Fashion Week. Besides Alexander Wang working with Paris Kain of AbraxasRex on "industrial," "animalistic" pieces, Bensoni commissioned Bing Bang's Anna Sheffield to do candy heart necklaces with pyramid pendants, Jason Wu enlisted Philip Crangi to add a "tough element" to his collection, Gilles Mendel and Subversive's Justin Giunta teamed up for chains and jewels to will appear on and worked into the J.Mendel collection, Eddie Borgo channeled his triangle obsession for Jen Kao, producing a sharp set of baubles - and he also working with Joseph Altuzarra. Not to mention a variety of other partners in jeweldom: Hervé Van der Straeten and Ruffian, Thakoon and Fenton's Dana Lorenz, DanniJo and Trovata, Roxanne Assouline and Brian Reyes . . .

Needless to say, the bijoux will be aplenty this season - especially because those partnerships are a good way to for jewelry designers get pieces out there without spending money - "You'll see a lot of collaborations going on with designers - like Irene Neuwirth is doing jewelry for Richard Chai - so you can see the talent at the same time," says CFDA executive director Steven Kolb.
*image: source, source, source

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CFDA Brings Booth, Hopes to Bring Diversity to the Tents

fashionologie — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:55:00 PDT

>> The CFDA wouldn't support the British Fashion Council requiring models to obtain a health certificate, but they will be putting up a booth in the lobby and backstage of the Bryant Park tents during New York Fashion Week.

In partnership with the Renfrew Center, a residential treatment facility for eating disorders, the booth will offer a clinician on site to answer any questions and provide referrals, information on the CFDA's current health guidelines, and an informational brochure on the signs and symptoms of eating disorders.

Visitors will also be able to sign a proclamation of support for the health guidelines — the list of over 300 signatures already includes Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, Derek Lam, Carolina Herrera, several editors, agents and models.

But health isn't the only issue on the CFDA's mind. Just last week, president Diane von Furstenberg and executive director Steven Kolb sent out a letter to the members, encouraging diversity on the runways:

We remain in full support of bringing more diversity to the runway and urge you to create shows that are truly multicultural. The fashion industry has great power. Together we can influence the vision of beauty so women can be celebrated no matter their size or skin color.

Only one short week and we'll see if either of these methods have any effects — somehow, I don't see the booth having any serious influence.
*image: source

Paris, New York, Milan Force London to Renege on Model Health Certificate Requirement

fashionologie — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:14:48 PDT

>> A lot of attention has been placed lately on increasing model diversity, but what about that other troubled topic — model weight?

Today, the British Fashion Council announced that their initiative to ban "size zero" models from the London catwalks next month has been abandoned after the other three major fashion capitals refused to follow suit.

The plan was to require models to obtain a doctor's certificate proving they were in good health, but the Chambre Syndicale in Paris thought imposing model health certificates lay outside their realm, the Camera Nazionale della Moda in Milan preferred self-regulation, and according to Steven Kolb, executive director of New York's CFDA:

We looked at things like doctor’s certification and body mass index and decided that, for us, it wasn’t the appropriate recommendation. We felt it was wrong to force a girl to have a physical examination, especially because the signs of a problem aren’t always obvious.

After the negative reaction of its peers, London deferred — with fashion week coming up next month, if the city had imposed such strict standards alone, models would likely have skipped the city altogether.
*image: source