fashionologie

Naomi Campbell's 42nd Birthday, LVMH's Green Week, and Tom Ford's Fragrance Award

Justin Fenner — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:14:23 PDT

Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

Naomi Campbell celebrated her 42nd birthday in the holy city of Bethlehem, where she lit candles at The Church of the Nativity (built on the location of Jesus's birth). "I'm happy to be here," Campbell told a Palestinian television station. "Weapons and war, greed and oil . . . I hope it all stops. I care about health, about good vibrations, not destruction." [The Associated Press]
The best things in life are free, and that extends to fashion-centric iPhone apps. Among the best new ones are a mobile version of the bookmarking site Svpply and a shoppable street style app called Kaleidoscope. [The High Low]
LVMH will "encourage its more than 90,000 employees to adopt state-of-the-art environmental practice" during its first Green Week, an internal initiative designed to make the company friendlier to the Earth. "This year, LVMH is focusing on techniques to reduce its footprint in water-intensive sectors, including vineyards, cosmetics, and perfumes," the company said. [WWD]
Tom Ford's perfume Violet Blonde was named best Luxe Women's scent at the 2012 FiFi Awards, widely considered the Oscars of the fragrance industry. Ford's Jasmin Rouge scent also won in both the men's and women's Nouveau Niche category. [Fashion Etc.]
Kate Moss was overlooked for a spot on the new walk of fame in her hometown of Croydon, England. Instead, residents of the London suburb have nominated actress Peggy Ashcroft, comedian Ronnie Corbett, and composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, among others, to be honored with life-sized portraits in the center of town. Voting ends on June 16, so perhaps there's time for a write-in campaign? [Stylelist]
Vogue Netherlands is sticking to its practice of casting Dutch models for covers: Guinevere Van Seenus stars on the front of the June issue in a portrait shot by Annemarieke van Drimmelen. [The Fashion Spot]

Photo: Naomi Campbell walks during the 20th Life Ball, an annual AIDS charity event, at Vienna's city hall on May 19, 2012.

Tom Ford Sells His Home in London

Justin Fenner — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:33:43 PDT

Tom Ford has sold his home in London's Mayfair neighborhood for an undisclosed price and is reportedly on the hunt for a new residence in England's capital.

The designer bought the 8,222 square Georgian townhouse in 2004 for £5.75 million, or just over $9 million at current exchange. He tried to sell it in 2009 for £45 million - about $71 million in today's money - but took it off the market when he didn't find a buyer.

Now that he's sold his Mayfair residence, he's said to be looking for a house in London's South Kensington area. Until he finds one, he has residences in Paris, New York, and New Mexico where he can stay.

Take a look at one of his other homes in London's Chelsea neighborhood, a 3,700-square-foot home that a subsequent owner listed for £8.5 million (about $13.4 million) in 2009.

View Slideshow ›

Tom Ford Talks Kids, YSL, and Making It in Fashion

Justin Fenner — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:09:37 PDT

From his childhood in the American Southwest to his positions at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, there's never been a point in Tom Ford's life when aesthetics didn't matter - and he said as much during a discussion with Fern Mallis Tuesday night at the 92nd Street Y in New York.

Mallis asked Ford about his entire life and career, allowing plenty of room for witty banter and revealing moments. Ford even mentioned that he's always wanted to have kids. "I think I'd better get busy soon, though, because I'd like to be able to pick them up," he joked. But between designing his next women's collection and the three films he has planned for the future, Ford is already plenty busy. Below, some of his most memorable quotes from the evening.

On getting dressed for school at age 7: "I didn't want to carry a book bag. I thought it looked messy. No, I had a nice little overcoat and I had a briefcase. And it was a real man's briefcase. And when you're 7 years old, a real man’s briefcase is like going to school with luggage."

On his first job with designer Cathy Hardwick: "Of course you would assume if someone is showing you a fashion portfolio that they studied fashion. I didn't. [Ford studied interior design and architecture at Parsons.] The first day she said, 'Draw some circle skirts.' And I'm like, 'Sh*t.' So I went to Bloomingdale's, flipped open the circle skirts, saw where all the seams were, ran back to the office, sketched some circle skirts, and put them on her desk. So I learned a lot on the job."

On feeling accomplished: "You never 'make it.' Especially in an industry where you have to churn out stuff. Things. You're never finished, and you're only as good as your last collection. I mean, in the last year, I've had a comeback, I've been finished, I've come back again. You can't rest. You cannot rest."

On designing Yves Saint Laurent: "Yves was very friendly at first. . . . As things started to go well and as things started to get good reviews and our sales started going up, Yves was no longer my friend. And I actually have some wonderful handwritten letters in very beautiful handwriting in ink: 'In 13 minutes you have destroyed what I worked 40 years to create.' . . . It was tough."

On his first movie, A Single Man: "I wasn't trying to create a big box office hit. I was trying to create something personal that I loved that I didn't compromise on, and it was a very different type of expression."

On that H&M rumor: "I keep reading that, and I find that amusing. I've never had a conversation with H&M. I'm really happy doing what I do. . . . What excites me now is the very best: the best stitching, the best fabric, the best quality. And unfortunately, or fortunately, that does tend to cost money."

Ford's advice to aspiring designers: "If there's anything else in the world you could be happy doing, do that. I'm serious. This is the hardest industry. . . . If you love it great. You'll have a wonderful life. But I don't think people realize how hard people work in fashion."

Photo: Chanel Iman with Tom Ford at the 2012 Met Gala.

A Karl Lagerfeld Spoof, a Risqué Tom Ford Lookbook, and the Revival of Couture

Justin Fenner — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:33:29 PDT

Our daily news roundup.

Ashton Kutcher plays a Karl Lagerfeld-inspired character in a new ad for Pop Chips. Kutcher wears a white wig, dark sunglasses, and plenty of silver accessories as his character Darl talks about what he looks for in a date. "Money creates taste, and I have lots of both," Darl quips. [Styleite]
Bygone couture label Mainbocher and shoe line Herbert Levine, among other shuttered brands, are set to relaunch in the near future thanks to French investor Arnaud de Lummen. De Lummen is known for restarting Vionnet in 2006 before selling it to Matteo Marzotto and Gianni Castiglioni in 2009. "When you relaunch, you already have a story to tell. After a few years, people completely forget that the brand was dormant," De Lummen said. [Vogue UK]
Tom Ford's Spring 2012 menswear lookbook has been called risqué for featuring images of a near-naked male model - and a female model wearing nothing but a towel on her head. [Fashionista]
Balmain launched its first social medial profiles on Twitter and Facebook on Wednesday. "We have product and pictures and creations to show, and we’re ready to communicate with the followers," said the brand's CEO Emmanuel Diemoz. [WWD]
Speaking of social media, model and blogger Hanneli Mustaparta has been tapped as a contributor to Calvin Klein's new Tumblr page. Mustaparta will write about her behind-the-scenes experiences with the brand. [Calvin Klein]
Aquascutum might be saved from bankruptcy thanks to Chinese firm YGM Trading, which has begun taking steps to buy the label. If the sale goes through, YGM would own Aquascutum entirely - it already owns the brand's intellectual property rights and controls sales of Aquascutum in Asia. [The Cut]

Photo courtesy of Tom Ford

Tom Ford Talks Makeup, Branding, and Sexuality at Vogue Festival

fashionologie — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:36:18 PDT

>> Tom Ford's talk at this weekend's Vogue Festival touched on everything from the designer's sexuality (at one point he said he's "not gay") to why he wears his own cosmetics.

Alexandra Shulman led the conversation with the designer, asking why he posed for ads with so many naked women when he's been openly gay for years. Ford explained that he doesn't believe people "have to put boxes around everything," then asked, "Have you ever slept with a woman, Alex?"

The question prompted laughter from the audience, and a giggling Shulman answered no and pointed to Ford's partner of 25 years, Richard Buckley. Read on to see how he responded and some of the best quotes from the rest of his talk.

On his sexuality: "I hate to use the words gay and straight, and I think we're all on some sort of sliding scale. Of course, I'm at the Richard Buckley end of the scale, but I hate that gay/straight thing."

On why it's important to be in his own ads: "I'm the face of the brand. With Chanel, you feel that Karl Lagerfeld's personality has really melded with Coco's - but not everyone knows yet who I am, so that's why I'm in the pictures. I don't like having my picture taken but it helps people to respond . . . My real life's not like the fantasy Tom Ford world, with naked girls pouring perfume everywhere. It's more staying in and watching Friends on television."

On staging presentations rather than runway shows: "The reason I present in a small, controlled way is that so much of what makes my clothes special is the cut, the stitching, the lining - things that would be lost on the catwalk. On the catwalk you have to exaggerate, almost."

On testing his line of cosmetics: "I put every single thing on - I don't wear it down the street, but I want to see how it covers, how it works. When you put your name on something, you want people to know you believe in it."

Heidi Klum's New Man, Vogue's First Festival, & Costello Tagliapietra's New Line

fashionologie — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:17:56 PDT

>> Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

Heidi Klum has been spotted in public with Thomas Hayo, an advertising executive who's also a judge on Germany's Next Top Model, which Klum hosts. Their public displays of affection have led some to believe Hayo is Klum's first romantic entanglement since splitting up with Seal. Klum and Seal had been married for almost seven years when they separated in January. Klum filed for divorce earlier this month. [The Fashion Spot]
Speaking of Top Model, Tyra Banks let three of ANTM's long-running cast members go this week. Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel, and Miss J. Alexander will not return to the show's 19th season. They've been replaced by Kelly Cutrone, Georgina Chapman, and Cat Deeley. Rumor has it that Bryanboy might make appearances on the next season, too. [Modelinia]
Friday was day one of Vogue UK's inaugural Vogue Festival. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana led one of today's sessions, but tomorrow will include talks with Diane von Furstenberg and Tom Ford, among others. Alexandra Shulman said she created the festival because she wanted to "analyze where fashion intersects with the world we live in." [The Chicago Tribune]
Costello Tagliapietra debuted its new lower-priced line of clothing, called C&T, at Barneys earlier this week. The dresses are all priced around $300, a mere fraction of what the main collection costs. [Racked]
Miranda Kerr turned 29 years old today. Celebrate by taking a look back at her laid-back, ultracool street style. [CelebStyle]

Photo: Heidi Klum with Thomas Hayo during the finale of Germany's Next Top Model in 2011.

Tom Ford's New Outlet Store, Miranda Kerr's Next Cover, and Bottega Veneta's Hotel Suite

fashionologie — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:33:27 PDT

>> These stories - and more - here, in our daily roundup.

Tom Ford, the man who keeps his new collections hidden from public view until they go on sale, will open an outlet store at the Woodbury Commons mall in Central Valley, NY. The store - projected to open July 15 - will be in good company; Balenciaga, Chanel, and Michael Kors all operate outlet stores there. [Lucky]
Miranda Kerr's son Flynn has landed his first magazine cover at the tender age of 15 months. Flynn and Kerr smiled for the cover of Who, an Australian celebrity weekly that chose them both for its list of most beautiful people of 2012. [The Huffington Post]
Over 100 workers at a Cambodian garment factory that reportedly makes Nike products fainted Wednesday after being exposed to harsh fumes from various chemicals in unventilated rooms. This isn't the first time this has happened in Cambodia - last August, nearly 300 workers at a different factory passed out due to poor ventilation. [The Cut]
Add Bottega Veneta to the list of luxury fashion companies getting into the hotel business. The Italian firm recently designed a suite for the Park Hyatt hotel in Chicago. It's called the Lake Suite - because of its views of Lake Michigan -and its 1,400 square feet include one bedroom, two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchenette. [Refinery 29]

Marc Jacobs's Wanted Poster, How Gwyneth Picked Tom Ford For the Oscars

fashionologie — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:10:57 PDT

>> Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

In a tongue-in-cheek reference to the unknown thief (or thieves) who stole his Spring collection samples, Marc Jacobs posted a wanted sign in the window of his Mercer street store. The sign cleverly points out the fact that no one has been able to determine who stole the 46-piece line, but notes that "the thief is still at large and is now considered dressed to kill." It's also been made into a $28 t-shirt. [Racked]
Jean Paul Gaultier doesn't really like technology, and only uses his iPhone for texting. "It's just non-stop. I like to think alone with my brain and not over-communicate," he said. If that's what enables him to focus on creating such beautiful clothing, who are we to judge? [The Cut]
Gwyneth Paltrow's Oscar dress selection process was a labor of love, but she and her stylist Elizabeth Saltzman only picked the dramatic white Tom Ford gown and cape she wore a week before the show. Saltzman was able to make a decision so close to the event because of her tenure in the industry. "The politics, especially when it comes to this event, can be rough if you don't know the players," she said. [Stylelist]

Selita Ebanks Debuts Lingerie Line, Tom Ford's Anti-Bullying Campaign

fashionologie — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:35:45 PDT

>> Get caught up on all today's news in our daily roundup.

Supermodel Selita Ebanks added the title "swimwear designer" to her resume this week when she debuted her new line of bathing suts on BET's Rip The Runway. Ebanks, famous for her stint as a Victoria's Secret Angel and a model for Ralph Lauren and Sports Illustrated, called her collection "very confident, sexy and independent." No word yet on whether a confident, sexy, and independent line of sportswear is in the works too. [Stylelist]
Tom Ford has teamed up with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network - otherwise known as GLSEN - to help create the next PSA for the organization's Think Before You Speak campaign. Ford, who dabbles in film when he's not designing luxurious clothing, has invited budding filmmakers to submit commercials for the campaign. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles for GLSEN's annual Respect Awards later this year, where the commercial will be screened. [The Cut]
Vogue now has an official outpost in The Netherlands. The international edition debuted its first issue this week, with models Romee Strijd, Ymre Stiekema, and Josefien Rodermans posing for the Marc de Groot-shot cover. [The Fashion Spot]

Watch - Tom Ford's Entire Fall 2012 Collection Revealed

fashionologie — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 07:41:48 PDT

>> Tom Ford has made a point of keeping his women's wear collections under wraps for months after he shows them - but today, he's given the world a first look at his Fall 2012 line.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lawrence have worn dresses from the collection on various red carpets, but the video includes images of every dress, coat, and shoe Ford created for Fall. It's ultraluxurious - Ford didn't hesitate to use brightly colored fur or exotic skins. And because of that - and stylistic details like strong pointed shoulders and aggressive metal hardware on bags and dresses – this collection is one of Ford's strongest and most wearable to date. Take a look at the video below.