fashionologie

Maria Cornejo, Costella Tagliapietra, Monique Pean Named Inaugural CFDA/Lexus Eco Fashion Challenge Honorees

fashionologie — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:06:23 PST

>> Last night, Maria Cornejo, Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra of Costello Tagliapietra, and Monique Pean were named the inaugural winners of the CFDA & Lexus Hybrid Living Eco Fashion Challenge.

Each had to demonstrate a commitment to ecologically responsible design, with a minimum of 25 percent of their collection produced in an environmentally-friendly manner: Pean uses recycled gold and sustainable buffalo horn; Costello Tagliapietra creates fabric dyes in an eco-friendly way; and Cornejo employs sustainable manufacturing practices and uses fabric like cupro, which is typically discarded during the production of cotton. In turn, each was awarded $25,000 from Lexus to use toward their Fall 2011 presentation in February.

The other 2010 finalists included Alabama Chanin, Behnaz Sarafpour, Libertine by Johnson Hartig, Marcia Patmos, Organic by John Patrick, Slow and Steady Wins the Race by Mary Ping, and Subversive Jewelry by Justin Giunta.

Francisco Costa Wants to Do Street Casting at Calvin Klein; Maria Cornejo Thinks the Press "Kills Things Before They Happen"

fashionologie — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 08:27:51 PDT

>> Francisco Costa, Maria Cornejo, and Yoehlee Teng touched on everything from model casting to celebrity dressing to eco fashion last Thursday night at the Cooper-Hewitt museum in New York as part of the “Voices in American Fashion” panel, moderated by The Washington Post's Robin Givhan.

Costa, who is known for his unique show casting, voiced one vision for a Calvin Klein show that he hasn't yet fulfilled - street casting. "I wish to be able to just go into the streets and just start going. As a concept, I would love to do that someday."

Cornejo rebutted: "I have to say, the first show I did in New York, I did have all real people, only one model, and it bombed. The editors do not want to see the clothes on real women. It's more exciting for them [to see the clothes on models]. They want to be able to say: 'Oh, I shot her last week.'"

Both designers agree, however, when it comes to using young models »

Michelle Obama's Style: Unfairly Biased by Ikram Goldman?

fashionologie — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:25:10 PST

>> The meteoric rise of Jason Wu - he has tripled his sales appointments for his sold out, yet-to-be-unveiled Fall 2009 collection - shows what an influence Michelle Obama can have on a designer. But Wu doesn't just have Obama to thank - he never actually interacted with the First Lady, but rather with Ikram Goldman, owner of Chicago boutique Ikram, and Obama's gatekeeper to the fashion industry.

In fact, none of the designers who have made clothes for the First Lady have had any direct contact with their White House client - all commissions, measurements, bills, and other directions have been mediated by Ikram, causing something of a controversy; the clothes that Obama has worn recently are predominantly from designers that Cathy Horyn points out, "Ikram sells and ultimately stands to benefit from" - Jason Wu, Isabel Toledo, Narciso Rodriguez, Proenza Schouler, Thakoon, and Mario Cornejo.

Is Obama limiting herself? »

Zero + Maria Cornejo Blends Hand-Knitted Alpaca Knits With Sharp Tailored Looks For Fall 2011

Chi Diem Chau — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:03:03 PST

>> “I am always energized by the inspiring individuals around me, and I realized that the greatest luxury is to have freedom to express one’s own point of view,” said Maria Cornejo. For her Fall 2011 Zero + Maria Cornejo collection, displayed in a stark white studio in Chelsea (complete with a drum-heavy jungle beat mixed by Scott Mou), the designer exemplified her unique point of view through a number of twist and turns. In addition to her signature modern architectural pieces - this time in the form of simple sharp jackets, subtle drape dresses, culottes, and a re-worked China-red cocoon cut coat from her earlier archives - the designer pushed the envelope a bit further, introducing pressed boucle hoods, leather shirts, geometric effect skirts, and metallic jackets. Hand-knitted alpaca “pods,” fur and hair prints, along with a graphic book print dress - inspired by a friend’s house - added a softer, playful feel to her vision.

But Cornejo’s collection wasn’t all about the looks: the designer used eco-friendly techniques and textiles whenever possible. Leather was colored with vegetable dye, alpaca yarn was left in its natural state, and there was even a fabric made out of recycled cassette tape. Standouts from Cornejo’s accessories collection, made in collaboration with Eileen Shields, included a pair of copper boots, along with horsetail necklaces and a bold straw-embellished cuff designed by Saltalamacchia.

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Zero + Maria Cornejo Does Digital Nature for Spring 2010

fashionologie — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:25:08 PDT

>> A number of designers this past week have been looking to nature and the organic for inspiration - even if just for a earthy, neutral color palette; Maria Cornejo is one of them. "The dynamic relationship we have with our surroundings; the beautiful tension of organic elements pushing through the cement of an urban landscape are what inspired me most. I love the energy of the city but always feel the pull of nature, so I find myself grabbing moments wherever I can."

With Cindy Sherman front row, she sent out four district sets of looks - black and white noise, wood, grass, and water - referring to the print that pervaded the group; the wood, ocean, and grass digitally-based patterns came from photos Cornejo took with her iPhone. For the first time, she added a capsule collection of swimwear, but it's the accessories that really caught attention: stiff curves of bent wood belting half the waist, lying around the neck, cuffing the wrist, and a half-sandal, half-bootie shoe.

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Zero & Maria Cornejo Spring 2009 Spring 2009

coutorture — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:47:06 PDT

New York Fashion Week Dispatches from Lane Crawford Fashion Director Sarah Rutson - Monday and Tuesday

fashionologie — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:14:40 PST

>> You've met Lane Crawford Fashion Director Sarah Rutson and gotten her thoughts on shows like Alexander Wang and Altuzarra from the first part of New York Fashion Week. As the week carries on, find out what she did for Valentine's Day yesterday and her thoughts on Marc Jacobs's show. More in the slideshow - including Sarah's catch-up with Anna Dello Russo!

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Zero + Maria Cornejo Spring 2012

fashionologie — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:27:32 PDT

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Two Ways to Wear Pre-Fall's Favorite Trend - Tunic-Over-Pants

Chi Diem Chau — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:14:02 PST

>> Tunic-over-pants pairings came back with a vengeance for Pre-Fall 2011 thanks to designers like Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, and The Row. No need to wait mid-year to nab the look: peep our two looks, one casual, one dressy, and get inspired for the next wave of throwback cool.

Casually Cunning, left to right: Electric Feathers Kimono Coat ($633), Topshop Stone Square Stud Earrings ($20), Zero + Maria Cornejo Cade Tunic ($695), Free People Super Skinny 5 Pocket Jeans ($78), Diane von Furstenberg Philomena Clutch ($325), Alexander Wang Ines Loafers ($425)

Fancy pants, left to right: Marc Jacobs Leaf Applique Tunic ($1,511, originally $3,022), Hope Hubert Trouser ($218), Lover Harvest Moon Cropped Blazer ($131, originally $435), Ben-Amun Green Double Square Drop Earrings ($80), Michael Antonio Luna Satin Pumps ($60)

Rumors Surface After Balenciaga Brings American PR In-House

fashionologie — Thu, 13 May 2010 08:28:57 PDT

>> Yesterday, Balenciaga announced that after 12 years of partnership with Pierre Rougier's PR Consulting, it is severing all ties and bringing US public relations in-house. The switch is "a normal evolution," according to Lionel Vermeil, communications director for Balenciaga.

WWD cites sources, however, who say otherwise. Some are speculating that tensions between the two rose after a Balenciaga designer left for a job with a New York-based label which PR Consulting represents (the company's stable includes Proenza Schouler, Vera Wang, Narciso Rodriguez, Rag & Bone, L'Wren Scott, and Zero + Maria Cornejo). Others suggested that Balenciaga execs were upset with what they saw as too-close similarities between Nicolas Ghesquiere's designs and those of other PR Consulting clients. The Cut notes that when Carine Roitfeld and the Vogue Paris team were banned from Balenciaga's show in March, similar rumors that Carine had loaned Max Mara a coat, which their design studio copied before sending back, popped up.

Rougier responds »