Mulberry fashion a week of new beginnings
Somerset fashion powerhouse Mulberry and designer Alice Temperley will hope to steal the show at London Fashion Week in the coming days, which began with a flash of theatrical fanfare on Friday.
Mulberry will attempt to break from its successful Bayswater and Alexa lines of past years when it debuts a new range tomorrow.
Currently in the process of building a new factory in Bridgwater, Mulberry’s spiritual home is still Chilcompton in Somerset, where the new work of creative director Emma Hill will be pieced together. She hopes Tuesday’s show will freshen up a range that has driven Mulberry to new heights in recent years.
She said: “Mulberry is really starting to find a home in locations worldwide – we have a number of exciting store openings, including a new flagship store opening in Singapore and great locations in the US.
“We’re also expanding our ability to manufacture in the UK by opening a new factory in Somerset next year. This is in addition to the recently completed expansion of our current factory location. We're well and truly gearing up for our next show at London Fashion Week – seeing in another season filled with exciting new product, colour and personality.”
Meanwhile Alice Temperley, brought up at her father Julian’s cider farm near Kingsbury Episcopi, will be hoping to build on the success of the recent launch of her new range, Somerset.
Inspired by the countryside where she grew up, it has quickly become John Lewis’ biggest selling fashion brand in the days since the launch. Her designs will be exhibited at 4pm tomorrow.
Yesterday, the first catwalk show of the event was Antoni & Alison, which saw the design duo showcase their spring/summer 2013 designs.
Antoni Burakowski said he and Alison Roberts had gone back to basics with the collection, made up of floaty dresses with colourful and striking patterns on them.
Roberts summed up their designs as “chic and beautiful and arty”.
The show was introduced with a theatrical fanfare from a brass band, with the 24th Invicta Rifles continuing to play as the models sashayed down the runway.
The event, which runs until Tuesday, will see top designers from Britain and all over the world display their collections.
Highlights today are expected to include Emilia Wickstead, Felder Felder and PPQ, with Burberry, Matthew Williamson and the Vivienne Westwood Red Label to come on later days.
Libby Banks, editor of fashion website mydaily.co.uk, said she expected the success of the Olympics and Paralympics to translate to fashion with British designers becoming bolder and more experimental than ever.
She said: “Britishness is cool again, I think we have got a new confidence.
“After the summer that we’ve had, I expect that designers will channel it into their work, and we’ll see a celebration of Britishness and also a confidence to do something completely different and new.”
British designer Caroline Charles also showed her collection on the Courtyard Show Space catwalk at main venue Somerset House.
Her beachwear designs were a riot of colour with tropical prints and jazzy patterns inspired by Latin America.
They contrasted with white floaty summer dresses and monochrome formal wear which was also shown.
Caroline Rush, chief executive of the British Fashion Council which organises London Fashion Week, said the event had got off to a ``fantastic'' start.
She said: “It’s been a really strong start, it’s always a little bit of a whirlwind on the first day but I think there’s a real buzz out there and a lot of excitement.”
Asked what sets London apart from the other big fashion weeks – Paris, New York and Milan – she said: “We have a real breadth of talent here that the others don’t have.
“We have great brands, we have incredible iconic designers, and we also have this real energy from our young and emerging designers, and it’s that creativity and the innovation that comes out of London that sets us apart.”
Ms Rush said she expected the biggest shows to be Burberry, Mulberry and milliner Philip Treacy, who is returning to London to do a catwalk show after more than a decade away.
Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders, Erdem and Roksanda Ilincic are also likely to be highlights, she said.
She said of them: “They are a real group of strong, young businesses that have got an opportunity to be our brands of the future.
“London Fashion Week provides an incredible platform as we have a global audience, live streaming shows to hundreds of thousands of people.”
Ms Rush said the UK fashion industry provides a £21 billion direct contribution to the economy every year and employs more than 800,000 people.
She added: “I think people look at Fashion Week and they see the glamour and excitement but don’t really put in into the context of driving this huge industry that has a huge impact on the economy.
“The more we put into events like London Fashion Week and the more we put into supporting homegrown design and businesses, the more that’s only going to continue to grow.”
Maria Grachvogel also showed at Somerset House, showcasing her typical sleek, modern look.
The collection was full of dresses and jumpsuits in white, beige and taupe sheer, floaty fabrics, while there was also some brighter colour with green, yellow and pink pieces.
Elsewhere, celebrities including Kelly Brook and Radio 1 presenter Jameela Jamil attended the Zoe Jordan catwalk show at Mercer Street Studios in Covent Garden.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Fashion Police' patrol New York Fashion Week
Fashion Police' patrol New York Fashion Week
No celebrity was safe when Fashion Police hosts Joan Rivers, Kelly Osbourne and George Kotsiopoulos rolled into town for New York Fashion Week. Joined by guest host Kimora Lee Simmons — filling in for new mom Giuliana Rancic – the panel welcomed guests like Naomi Campbell and Adam Lambert, and made the most of the opportunity to roast Heidi Klum, Allison Williams and Victoria Beckham for their sartorial missteps.
EW sat down with the foursome to discuss trends, style advice and pop culture obsessions, and we were actually a little surprised to find out just how seriously they take fashion.
EW: Based on what you’ve seen on the runways here, what are the biggest trends for spring 2013?
Joan: I love the larger prints that are going to continue right through until next spring, that’s beautiful. I love the casual, fresh look, I see a lot of that going on. And color, color, color! I haven’t actually seen a lot of black.
Kelly: Chris Benz was just amazing. His colors and his patterns were just incredible. I have to say the Marc Jacobs show, I loved it. I loved the monochromatic look and the throwback to Edie Sedgewick and the houndstooth. It was an amazing show.
EW: Coco Chanel was known for saying a woman should remove one accessory before she walks out the door, what’s your best fashion advice?
Kelly: Don’t take it too seriously and have fun. If you don’t like wearing it, don’t wear it.
Kimora: I’d probably say, always be comfortable in your own skin. Having said that, I will also say fashion is pain. [It's] a contradiction, but hey!
Joan: Yves Saint Laurent said that fashion knows no pain and glamour has no alarm clock, but my one rule is just have fun with it! What’s the worst that going to happen? You’re going to look like an idiot and then you go home and the next day you won’t. Don’t take it so seriously! What’s so terrible if something doesn’t work? Laugh about it!
George: Mine would be don’t be a slave to trends, kind of feel out what’s right for your body. And definitely don’t wear all these trends at the same time.
EW: What are your pop culture influences?
Joan: I mean Sex and the City changed everything for young women. It gave them the permission to try all kinds of things.
George: For my personal style it’s James Dean, Steve McQueen, those kinds of people who are always classic. But as a stylist, I need to be aware of the history of fashion and iconic women like Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, because I dress so many different body types.
Kelly: I got my influences from watching old movies and my mom’s old books from when she was a kid. My mom [Sharon Osbourne] has all of these old books from when she was younger and I found a Vadal Sasson book from the ’60s that has every hair style he invented. I went through it and tried every one from the age of like 16.
EW: How does fashion influence pop culture and how does pop culture influence fashion?
Kimora: These days it all goes hand in hand. When you’re a designer creating clothes for the runway you rely on music, you rely on the celebrities, most of whom are music stars or movie stars. Likewise they bring what they do to a higher level by relying on fashion. It’s all connected.
Joan: The ones we look at on this show that we go, ‘Wow, wow, wow!’ Rihanna, Nicki Minaj is just amazing — well she can go too far but, musicians influence fashion much more than actresses do.
George: Fashion is just a reflection of what’s going on in society. That old adage goes, when the stock markets fall, the hemlines drop, and that’s true even with the current zeitgeist. We’ve got retro, Mad Men inspired fashion, or influence from that HBO show Boardwalk Empire. The Great Gatsby is coming up and I’m sure that’s going to influence things too.
EW: How has fashion changed since you began your career?
Joan: Oh it’s changed radically! Women have lost the opportunity to dress up. In my day — and here I go again — we dressed to go to the theater, to go out to dinner. When you dressed up, you knew it was going to be big. I don’t want to see flip-flops and jeans and a T-shirt on a Saturday night at the Metropolitan Opera. I’m sorry, that’s something you get dressed up for.
Kimora: I’ve been on a runway since I was 12 years old and I feel like everything in fashion that happens, and that has happened, repeats itself, only in a different way. There might be things you say ‘that’s a don’t,’ or ‘I wish I hadn’t done that,’ but it’s all cyclical and that’s what I love about it.
George: For me some major things have happened. First of all, when I said I was a stylist 15 years ago, people would be like, ‘Oh, you do hair?’ Now you say you’re a stylist and everyone knows what you are. Also, fashion is accessible at every single price point now. That was not true 15 years ago. You can get a fabulous belt for $29 from Zara.
Kelly: This belt is a Lanvin-inspired piece from there!
George: In the past 20 years, fashion has just been a rehash of the last 90 years. There’s nothing new.
Joan: Fashion is a rehash! Just look, the bustle’s back with the Kardashians.
Watch Joan, George, Kelly and Kimora give their take on New York Fashion Week tonight at 10pm EST on E.
No celebrity was safe when Fashion Police hosts Joan Rivers, Kelly Osbourne and George Kotsiopoulos rolled into town for New York Fashion Week. Joined by guest host Kimora Lee Simmons — filling in for new mom Giuliana Rancic – the panel welcomed guests like Naomi Campbell and Adam Lambert, and made the most of the opportunity to roast Heidi Klum, Allison Williams and Victoria Beckham for their sartorial missteps.
EW sat down with the foursome to discuss trends, style advice and pop culture obsessions, and we were actually a little surprised to find out just how seriously they take fashion.
EW: Based on what you’ve seen on the runways here, what are the biggest trends for spring 2013?
Joan: I love the larger prints that are going to continue right through until next spring, that’s beautiful. I love the casual, fresh look, I see a lot of that going on. And color, color, color! I haven’t actually seen a lot of black.
Kelly: Chris Benz was just amazing. His colors and his patterns were just incredible. I have to say the Marc Jacobs show, I loved it. I loved the monochromatic look and the throwback to Edie Sedgewick and the houndstooth. It was an amazing show.
EW: Coco Chanel was known for saying a woman should remove one accessory before she walks out the door, what’s your best fashion advice?
Kelly: Don’t take it too seriously and have fun. If you don’t like wearing it, don’t wear it.
Kimora: I’d probably say, always be comfortable in your own skin. Having said that, I will also say fashion is pain. [It's] a contradiction, but hey!
Joan: Yves Saint Laurent said that fashion knows no pain and glamour has no alarm clock, but my one rule is just have fun with it! What’s the worst that going to happen? You’re going to look like an idiot and then you go home and the next day you won’t. Don’t take it so seriously! What’s so terrible if something doesn’t work? Laugh about it!
George: Mine would be don’t be a slave to trends, kind of feel out what’s right for your body. And definitely don’t wear all these trends at the same time.
EW: What are your pop culture influences?
Joan: I mean Sex and the City changed everything for young women. It gave them the permission to try all kinds of things.
George: For my personal style it’s James Dean, Steve McQueen, those kinds of people who are always classic. But as a stylist, I need to be aware of the history of fashion and iconic women like Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, because I dress so many different body types.
Kelly: I got my influences from watching old movies and my mom’s old books from when she was a kid. My mom [Sharon Osbourne] has all of these old books from when she was younger and I found a Vadal Sasson book from the ’60s that has every hair style he invented. I went through it and tried every one from the age of like 16.
EW: How does fashion influence pop culture and how does pop culture influence fashion?
Kimora: These days it all goes hand in hand. When you’re a designer creating clothes for the runway you rely on music, you rely on the celebrities, most of whom are music stars or movie stars. Likewise they bring what they do to a higher level by relying on fashion. It’s all connected.
Joan: The ones we look at on this show that we go, ‘Wow, wow, wow!’ Rihanna, Nicki Minaj is just amazing — well she can go too far but, musicians influence fashion much more than actresses do.
George: Fashion is just a reflection of what’s going on in society. That old adage goes, when the stock markets fall, the hemlines drop, and that’s true even with the current zeitgeist. We’ve got retro, Mad Men inspired fashion, or influence from that HBO show Boardwalk Empire. The Great Gatsby is coming up and I’m sure that’s going to influence things too.
EW: How has fashion changed since you began your career?
Joan: Oh it’s changed radically! Women have lost the opportunity to dress up. In my day — and here I go again — we dressed to go to the theater, to go out to dinner. When you dressed up, you knew it was going to be big. I don’t want to see flip-flops and jeans and a T-shirt on a Saturday night at the Metropolitan Opera. I’m sorry, that’s something you get dressed up for.
Kimora: I’ve been on a runway since I was 12 years old and I feel like everything in fashion that happens, and that has happened, repeats itself, only in a different way. There might be things you say ‘that’s a don’t,’ or ‘I wish I hadn’t done that,’ but it’s all cyclical and that’s what I love about it.
George: For me some major things have happened. First of all, when I said I was a stylist 15 years ago, people would be like, ‘Oh, you do hair?’ Now you say you’re a stylist and everyone knows what you are. Also, fashion is accessible at every single price point now. That was not true 15 years ago. You can get a fabulous belt for $29 from Zara.
Kelly: This belt is a Lanvin-inspired piece from there!
George: In the past 20 years, fashion has just been a rehash of the last 90 years. There’s nothing new.
Joan: Fashion is a rehash! Just look, the bustle’s back with the Kardashians.
Watch Joan, George, Kelly and Kimora give their take on New York Fashion Week tonight at 10pm EST on E.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Fashion Week Goes the Law-School Route
Fashion Week Goes the Law-School Route
It could have had a clever campy name, such as "Fashion Brief" or "Legal Runway," but Fordham University Law School's Fashion Law Institute simply billed its event last week during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week as a fashion presentation. The affair was held at the Box in New York's Lincoln Center to commemorate FLI's second anniversary.
Founded in September 2010, the school offers seven courses, including fashion law and finance, fashion ethics, sustainability and development, and fashion-modeling law. Additionally, seminars, open to anyone interested, are given several times a year with intriguing titles such as "Law of the Fashion Show," "Law and the Little Black Dress" and "Nice Ice: Ethical Alternatives to Conflict Diamonds."
Lawyers and law students can attend an annual weeklong summer boot camp to get a crash course in fashion legalese. Plus, attorneys volunteer to give free advice to rising designers and models at the school's pop-up legal clinics.
The fashion-installation idea came about after a panel discussion at the school earlier this year. "We had met these wonderful designers for whom a show at Fashion Week would not be financially feasible," Susan Scafidi, the institute's academic director and an innovator in the field of fashion law, told The Root. "So why not have our own show?"
It featured hair, makeup and nail sponsors, as well as designs by seven of the designers who used the clinic's services: Dimitry Said Chamy, whose installation was made from recycled milk containers; Emmett McCarthy, a former Project Runway contestant, who showed his breezy EMC2 clothing made of floral fabric; Rachel Dooley, who showed her Gemma Redux mixed-metal and vintage-jewelry designs; Maureen Cahill and Elizabeth Crotty, with their line of Keely Rea bathing suits and resort wear; Kelima K, usually a bridal designer, who featured asymmetrical dresses and one standout voluminous kimono; and Sarah Canner, who showed her Vespertine biking designs -- vests and jackets over white shirtdresses.
Twenty-four paid models from five agencies were acquired through contacts and the lawyers who teach the modeling-law class. Models stood in a row on the platform and periodically rotated en masse while members of the fashion and law communities visited, stared, praised, photographed, mingled, sipped spirits and bopped to a DJ's rhythms.
But the event might not have been possible without Scafidi. She has been able to attract formidable sponsors (including designer Diane von Furstenberg and the Council of Fashion Designers of America) for funding, and seasoned lawyers to help staff the clinics. In addition, Scafidi's attention to detail means that seminar participants often receive cool swag like attractive black shopping totes, and volunteers sport flashy lapel pins with FLI's logo: a gavel formed by a thread spool and needle.
It could have had a clever campy name, such as "Fashion Brief" or "Legal Runway," but Fordham University Law School's Fashion Law Institute simply billed its event last week during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week as a fashion presentation. The affair was held at the Box in New York's Lincoln Center to commemorate FLI's second anniversary.
Founded in September 2010, the school offers seven courses, including fashion law and finance, fashion ethics, sustainability and development, and fashion-modeling law. Additionally, seminars, open to anyone interested, are given several times a year with intriguing titles such as "Law of the Fashion Show," "Law and the Little Black Dress" and "Nice Ice: Ethical Alternatives to Conflict Diamonds."
Lawyers and law students can attend an annual weeklong summer boot camp to get a crash course in fashion legalese. Plus, attorneys volunteer to give free advice to rising designers and models at the school's pop-up legal clinics.
The fashion-installation idea came about after a panel discussion at the school earlier this year. "We had met these wonderful designers for whom a show at Fashion Week would not be financially feasible," Susan Scafidi, the institute's academic director and an innovator in the field of fashion law, told The Root. "So why not have our own show?"
It featured hair, makeup and nail sponsors, as well as designs by seven of the designers who used the clinic's services: Dimitry Said Chamy, whose installation was made from recycled milk containers; Emmett McCarthy, a former Project Runway contestant, who showed his breezy EMC2 clothing made of floral fabric; Rachel Dooley, who showed her Gemma Redux mixed-metal and vintage-jewelry designs; Maureen Cahill and Elizabeth Crotty, with their line of Keely Rea bathing suits and resort wear; Kelima K, usually a bridal designer, who featured asymmetrical dresses and one standout voluminous kimono; and Sarah Canner, who showed her Vespertine biking designs -- vests and jackets over white shirtdresses.
Twenty-four paid models from five agencies were acquired through contacts and the lawyers who teach the modeling-law class. Models stood in a row on the platform and periodically rotated en masse while members of the fashion and law communities visited, stared, praised, photographed, mingled, sipped spirits and bopped to a DJ's rhythms.
But the event might not have been possible without Scafidi. She has been able to attract formidable sponsors (including designer Diane von Furstenberg and the Council of Fashion Designers of America) for funding, and seasoned lawyers to help staff the clinics. In addition, Scafidi's attention to detail means that seminar participants often receive cool swag like attractive black shopping totes, and volunteers sport flashy lapel pins with FLI's logo: a gavel formed by a thread spool and needle.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Fashion Week NYC: Cyndi Lauper Sings, Adam Lambert Debuts Silver Hair
Fashion Week NYC: Cyndi Lauper Sings, Adam Lambert Debuts Silver Hair
The end of New York Fashion Week is near, and the Tuesday (Sept. 11) shows brought an exciting array of Lady Gaga-worthy fashions and hip '80s pop looks that prove girls still just want to have fun. Read on to see which musicians scoped out the Betsey Johnson show, who debuted a new single at the ELLE and Style 360 show, and which "American Idol" alum dyed his hair silver.
Betsey Johnson
Timeless diva and '80s icon Cyndi Lauper performed her hit girl-powered tracks at the Betsey Johnson runway show Tuesday, rocking a black tulle Johnson creation as she frolicked around a glittery black and pink stage. "I've been a Betsey fan since 1980," Lauper told the crowd before performing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "She Bop." "So this is for you, Betsey!"
The show, a retrospective of Johnson's 40-year career, was also special because the designer was celebrating her 70th birthday! DJ Jon Jon Battles was spinning a mix of hip-hop tunes as Johnson's most flamboyant and creative deigns from the past and present marched down the catwalk. She ended the show with one of her signature cartwheels as 50 Cent's "In da Club" blasted through the tent.
Lil Kim joined in the celebration, looking onto the runway party from the front row. She was wearing a black, blue, purple and green striped Betsey Johnson dress, layered under an electric green corset and paired with blue pumps.
Tory Burch
"King of the Bongo" by Manu Chao set the mood for a relaxed, light and feminine collection at Tory Burch. The radiant spring fashions included sunflower yellow dresses and fitted jackets. A modern take on classic American sportswear, Burch's collection featured unique, tie-dyed patterns created by women in Guinea.
Fashion's favorite hip-hop artist, Theophilus London, sat front row as models took to the runway in Burch's cheerful collection. "I really loved this collection and the ambient sound that played," London told Billboard. The rapper rocked a pair of black trousers with a white lettering print, distressed leather jacket, green cap, shades and a pair of Kanye's Nike Air Yeezy's.
The Blonds
A '60s Barbie-inspired S&M fantasy was created at the Blonds' 2013 spring show. Models clad in Gaga-worthy red and pink graphic jumpers, 3D flower power bustiers, patent leather jackets, and Priscilla Presley-inspired blonde wigs strutted down the catwalk to an ambient pop-infused sound. One of the best looks from the avant-garde line was a glittering white swimsuit with a graphic lipstick print over it. Although a male modeled this, we would love to see Lady Gaga stun in the sparkling bottoms with a black corset and a pair of nude heals!
The end of New York Fashion Week is near, and the Tuesday (Sept. 11) shows brought an exciting array of Lady Gaga-worthy fashions and hip '80s pop looks that prove girls still just want to have fun. Read on to see which musicians scoped out the Betsey Johnson show, who debuted a new single at the ELLE and Style 360 show, and which "American Idol" alum dyed his hair silver.
Betsey Johnson
Timeless diva and '80s icon Cyndi Lauper performed her hit girl-powered tracks at the Betsey Johnson runway show Tuesday, rocking a black tulle Johnson creation as she frolicked around a glittery black and pink stage. "I've been a Betsey fan since 1980," Lauper told the crowd before performing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "She Bop." "So this is for you, Betsey!"
The show, a retrospective of Johnson's 40-year career, was also special because the designer was celebrating her 70th birthday! DJ Jon Jon Battles was spinning a mix of hip-hop tunes as Johnson's most flamboyant and creative deigns from the past and present marched down the catwalk. She ended the show with one of her signature cartwheels as 50 Cent's "In da Club" blasted through the tent.
Lil Kim joined in the celebration, looking onto the runway party from the front row. She was wearing a black, blue, purple and green striped Betsey Johnson dress, layered under an electric green corset and paired with blue pumps.
Tory Burch
"King of the Bongo" by Manu Chao set the mood for a relaxed, light and feminine collection at Tory Burch. The radiant spring fashions included sunflower yellow dresses and fitted jackets. A modern take on classic American sportswear, Burch's collection featured unique, tie-dyed patterns created by women in Guinea.
Fashion's favorite hip-hop artist, Theophilus London, sat front row as models took to the runway in Burch's cheerful collection. "I really loved this collection and the ambient sound that played," London told Billboard. The rapper rocked a pair of black trousers with a white lettering print, distressed leather jacket, green cap, shades and a pair of Kanye's Nike Air Yeezy's.
The Blonds
A '60s Barbie-inspired S&M fantasy was created at the Blonds' 2013 spring show. Models clad in Gaga-worthy red and pink graphic jumpers, 3D flower power bustiers, patent leather jackets, and Priscilla Presley-inspired blonde wigs strutted down the catwalk to an ambient pop-infused sound. One of the best looks from the avant-garde line was a glittering white swimsuit with a graphic lipstick print over it. Although a male modeled this, we would love to see Lady Gaga stun in the sparkling bottoms with a black corset and a pair of nude heals!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Fashion inspired by faraway lands in New York
Fashion inspired by faraway lands in New York
Every so often at Fashion Week, there is a moment when the runway is transported from the bustle of New York to a different time or place.
Who needs a plane ticket to join the jet set? Might as well let your clothes do the globe-trotting.
At Vera Wang on Tuesday, it was an idealised India. Tory Burch’s muse was a preppy American who goes out to see the world. J. Crew had in mind a beach vacation.
“If you see a great dress, you can build a lot around it. If you’re doing a music video, the designer inspiration can even give the idea for the video,” said Ty Hunter, Beyonce’s stylist, who was among the editors, retailers and celebrities gathered at Lincoln Centre on day six of Merdedes-Benz Fashion Week.
Fashion Week continues through Thursday before the fashion crowd heads to London, Milan and Paris.
VERA WANG
Vera Wang’s India-inspired clothes were quiet, delicate and lovely, sometimes requiring a trained eye to notice Wang’s nod to the Nehru collar or choli jacket. They invoked India without ornate trappings or touristy gimmicks.
Wang’s A-list crowd (Stacy Keibler caused a front-row frenzy) could appreciate the soutache embroidery, which looks a bit like braided lace, that decorated a white sleeveless V-neck shift, and the chartreuse brocade peplum top with gold jeweled epaulettes paired with a chantilly hand-pieced lace sheath.
The collarless, sleeveless tailored jackets were a bit more obvious in their reference to India, but not too much so.
“The collection is out of India, but India is just the starting point,” Wang said in a backstage interview. “There is no belly dancing, there are no sarongs, there are no saris. It is about the sort of discipline about Indian men’s clothes like Nehru, against the mystery and sensuality of Indian women — but not literally.”
THE ROW
Here’s how far Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have come with their fashion collection The Row: Sitting at the spring preview, it becomes clear that other designers at New York Fashion Week have been mimicking the layered-yet-airy refined look that is at the heart of this label.
This was the real deal, though, with the Olsens piling on the models long and fluid duster coats, tunics and dresses on Monday, sometimes paired with pajama pants and other times with slouchy skinny-leg silk ones.
The Row did hit on the emerging lingerie trend, although they don’t get credit for starting that one. That seems to be a collective statement coming from fashion insiders as they put next season into focus.
Almost every outfit here was a single colour, head to toe. There was no embellishment so the clothes had to speak for themselves. In their notes, the Olsen twins said the collection “celebrates a spirit of subtle colors and exquisite layering.”
It was another example of the easy elegance that earned them the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s award earlier this year as the top womenswear designers.
BADGLEY-MISCHKA
Mark Badgley and James Mischka seem to like movies a lot. Old movies.
For their Spring 2013 collection, the designer duo picked a 1935 film version of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” — a play that takes place in the spring, after all.
The film starred James Cagney, but the star of the Badgley Mischka collection was their fabrics — “springlike fabrics, but with depth to them,” explained Mischka backstage. Lots of tulle and chiffon, for example.
Among the more interesting fabrics was a “hologram tweed” — a shimmery tweed used both in a casual pant, paired with an ivory organza bustier, and in a jacket, paired with an organza and chiffon skirt.
But though there were a number of separates featured, Badgley and Mischka are known for their eveningwear, loved by celebrities and socialites (the crowd included Kevin Jonas and gymnast Aly Raisman). And there was plenty of that, for example a filmy celadon-coloured tulle and organza gown, and another tulle-and-organza creation in a brilliant coral — the show-closing gown.
TORY BURCH
Imagine this young woman, all preppy and proper. She buys a ticket to Africa, to India and then to Mexico. She’s hooked on exotic lands, and she loves bringing home the treasures she finds there.
That’s the muse who dominated Tory Burch’s runway. Her first look was for departure day: a prim wheat-print silk faille day dress with a suitcase-style handbag in the matching print.
By Look No. 4, she’s loosened up and wearing an eyelet sundress. Halfway through the spring collection, she’s wearing an embellished crocheted jacket, a knit T-shirt and fringed, crocheted raffia skirt. She has a fringed knit poncho with a hood that’s decorated with a floral applique.
Probably to the shock of her friends and family back home, this woman even wears tie-dye.
“This was an experiment in layering, an American remix,” explained Burch. “She’s layering on all the things she’s discovering. She wears an evening gown with Moroccan moccasins.”
THEYSKENS THEORY
The Theyskens Theory line marries edgy-style darling Olivier Theyskens with accessible Theory, but the new spring collection presented a singular vision. It was an all-day wardrobe for the cool urbanite who might be a little more romantic than she thought.
She likes strong shoulders, even when she’s wearing a knit T-shirt dress. She also wears a lot of cropped pleated pants, often leather ones, with high waistbands, and cropped jackets.
When she wears a coat, it’s long like a duster.
While Monday’s preview was for spring, the mostly dark palette suited the hideaway venue in an unused part of a midtown post office. Theyskens, however, did embrace some strikingly light shades of denim.
VICTORIA, VICTORIA BECKHAM
Easy, sporty dresses in sunbleached colours, friendly prints and a bird or two reflect California’s influence on Victoria Beckham and her more affordable Victoria line.
Against bright white walls at Milk Studios, with a sweeping view of the Hudson River downtown, Beckham held her adorable toddler Harper (in a white romper) during the laid-back show, her second in a week and the third for the more casual line.
A dreamy “cloudy moon” print in a sloped-hem sleeveless dress above the knee had a muted white orb on top, fading into a sky of mauve and blue. She used the same pattern in a different silhouette with pleats along a seam at the waist that offered a roomy fit.
There were sheer panels at side seams in several dresses, including one in midnight blue, and patch pockets on others in black and military green, including one with short sleeves worn by Beckham herself. Beckham’s usual attention to construction and detail was apparent.
“This is my fun side,” Beckham said before one of several small seatings offering a more intimate look at the spring collection. “It’s what I wear for the other half of my life. I have four kids. I really do like to have fun.”
ALICE AND OLIVIA
Stacey Bendet, founder and designer of Alice and Olivia, predicts a breath of fresh air this spring.
No gloom and doom for her. The styles she offered up for next season at a preview Monday were unabashedly happy, colorful and made to put a smile on the wearer’s face - no questions asked.
“I started with the whole concept of going back to the American dream,” Bendet said. “I wanted a return to optimism and feeling good.”
Basically, Bendet was looking for an excuse to have a party. Where else would one wear a sparkly red-and-white squiggle-pattern bustier and flared miniskirt, or a silver halter dress with an open back and full skirt?
She mined the 1950s and its feminine silhouettes and bright colors for inspiration, so the collection has its share of swinging hemlines and bustiers. There were updates, though, including digital floral prints and a peach leather motocross jacket.
Every so often at Fashion Week, there is a moment when the runway is transported from the bustle of New York to a different time or place.
Who needs a plane ticket to join the jet set? Might as well let your clothes do the globe-trotting.
At Vera Wang on Tuesday, it was an idealised India. Tory Burch’s muse was a preppy American who goes out to see the world. J. Crew had in mind a beach vacation.
“If you see a great dress, you can build a lot around it. If you’re doing a music video, the designer inspiration can even give the idea for the video,” said Ty Hunter, Beyonce’s stylist, who was among the editors, retailers and celebrities gathered at Lincoln Centre on day six of Merdedes-Benz Fashion Week.
Fashion Week continues through Thursday before the fashion crowd heads to London, Milan and Paris.
VERA WANG
Vera Wang’s India-inspired clothes were quiet, delicate and lovely, sometimes requiring a trained eye to notice Wang’s nod to the Nehru collar or choli jacket. They invoked India without ornate trappings or touristy gimmicks.
Wang’s A-list crowd (Stacy Keibler caused a front-row frenzy) could appreciate the soutache embroidery, which looks a bit like braided lace, that decorated a white sleeveless V-neck shift, and the chartreuse brocade peplum top with gold jeweled epaulettes paired with a chantilly hand-pieced lace sheath.
The collarless, sleeveless tailored jackets were a bit more obvious in their reference to India, but not too much so.
“The collection is out of India, but India is just the starting point,” Wang said in a backstage interview. “There is no belly dancing, there are no sarongs, there are no saris. It is about the sort of discipline about Indian men’s clothes like Nehru, against the mystery and sensuality of Indian women — but not literally.”
THE ROW
Here’s how far Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have come with their fashion collection The Row: Sitting at the spring preview, it becomes clear that other designers at New York Fashion Week have been mimicking the layered-yet-airy refined look that is at the heart of this label.
This was the real deal, though, with the Olsens piling on the models long and fluid duster coats, tunics and dresses on Monday, sometimes paired with pajama pants and other times with slouchy skinny-leg silk ones.
The Row did hit on the emerging lingerie trend, although they don’t get credit for starting that one. That seems to be a collective statement coming from fashion insiders as they put next season into focus.
Almost every outfit here was a single colour, head to toe. There was no embellishment so the clothes had to speak for themselves. In their notes, the Olsen twins said the collection “celebrates a spirit of subtle colors and exquisite layering.”
It was another example of the easy elegance that earned them the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s award earlier this year as the top womenswear designers.
BADGLEY-MISCHKA
Mark Badgley and James Mischka seem to like movies a lot. Old movies.
For their Spring 2013 collection, the designer duo picked a 1935 film version of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” — a play that takes place in the spring, after all.
The film starred James Cagney, but the star of the Badgley Mischka collection was their fabrics — “springlike fabrics, but with depth to them,” explained Mischka backstage. Lots of tulle and chiffon, for example.
Among the more interesting fabrics was a “hologram tweed” — a shimmery tweed used both in a casual pant, paired with an ivory organza bustier, and in a jacket, paired with an organza and chiffon skirt.
But though there were a number of separates featured, Badgley and Mischka are known for their eveningwear, loved by celebrities and socialites (the crowd included Kevin Jonas and gymnast Aly Raisman). And there was plenty of that, for example a filmy celadon-coloured tulle and organza gown, and another tulle-and-organza creation in a brilliant coral — the show-closing gown.
TORY BURCH
Imagine this young woman, all preppy and proper. She buys a ticket to Africa, to India and then to Mexico. She’s hooked on exotic lands, and she loves bringing home the treasures she finds there.
That’s the muse who dominated Tory Burch’s runway. Her first look was for departure day: a prim wheat-print silk faille day dress with a suitcase-style handbag in the matching print.
By Look No. 4, she’s loosened up and wearing an eyelet sundress. Halfway through the spring collection, she’s wearing an embellished crocheted jacket, a knit T-shirt and fringed, crocheted raffia skirt. She has a fringed knit poncho with a hood that’s decorated with a floral applique.
Probably to the shock of her friends and family back home, this woman even wears tie-dye.
“This was an experiment in layering, an American remix,” explained Burch. “She’s layering on all the things she’s discovering. She wears an evening gown with Moroccan moccasins.”
THEYSKENS THEORY
The Theyskens Theory line marries edgy-style darling Olivier Theyskens with accessible Theory, but the new spring collection presented a singular vision. It was an all-day wardrobe for the cool urbanite who might be a little more romantic than she thought.
She likes strong shoulders, even when she’s wearing a knit T-shirt dress. She also wears a lot of cropped pleated pants, often leather ones, with high waistbands, and cropped jackets.
When she wears a coat, it’s long like a duster.
While Monday’s preview was for spring, the mostly dark palette suited the hideaway venue in an unused part of a midtown post office. Theyskens, however, did embrace some strikingly light shades of denim.
VICTORIA, VICTORIA BECKHAM
Easy, sporty dresses in sunbleached colours, friendly prints and a bird or two reflect California’s influence on Victoria Beckham and her more affordable Victoria line.
Against bright white walls at Milk Studios, with a sweeping view of the Hudson River downtown, Beckham held her adorable toddler Harper (in a white romper) during the laid-back show, her second in a week and the third for the more casual line.
A dreamy “cloudy moon” print in a sloped-hem sleeveless dress above the knee had a muted white orb on top, fading into a sky of mauve and blue. She used the same pattern in a different silhouette with pleats along a seam at the waist that offered a roomy fit.
There were sheer panels at side seams in several dresses, including one in midnight blue, and patch pockets on others in black and military green, including one with short sleeves worn by Beckham herself. Beckham’s usual attention to construction and detail was apparent.
“This is my fun side,” Beckham said before one of several small seatings offering a more intimate look at the spring collection. “It’s what I wear for the other half of my life. I have four kids. I really do like to have fun.”
ALICE AND OLIVIA
Stacey Bendet, founder and designer of Alice and Olivia, predicts a breath of fresh air this spring.
No gloom and doom for her. The styles she offered up for next season at a preview Monday were unabashedly happy, colorful and made to put a smile on the wearer’s face - no questions asked.
“I started with the whole concept of going back to the American dream,” Bendet said. “I wanted a return to optimism and feeling good.”
Basically, Bendet was looking for an excuse to have a party. Where else would one wear a sparkly red-and-white squiggle-pattern bustier and flared miniskirt, or a silver halter dress with an open back and full skirt?
She mined the 1950s and its feminine silhouettes and bright colors for inspiration, so the collection has its share of swinging hemlines and bustiers. There were updates, though, including digital floral prints and a peach leather motocross jacket.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
French fashion tycoon's threat to move shakes Socialist govt's plan to tax super rich
French fashion tycoon's threat to move shakes Socialist govt's plan to tax super rich
PARIS - Bernard Arnault — the richest man in Europe — has ignited an uproar in France over taxes, citizenship, patriotism and what policies the government needs to promote growth.
It's a pretty impressive achievement for one little statement.
Arnault — the CEO of French fashion giant LVMH, owner of houses like Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior — is the symbol of France's treasured luxury fashion industry.
So when the face of "Made in France" confirmed Sunday that he had applied for dual citizenship in Belgium it struck deep chord in France's national pride.
Despite his protests, many thought it was an attempt to dodge the new Socialist government's planned 75 per cent tax on the country's wealthiest.
One French paper's front-page headline called him a "rich jerk" on Monday and French President Francois Hollande questioned Arnault's patriotism.
But beyond the name-calling, the debacle highlighted a very French contradiction: A country that prides itself on producing exorbitantly-priced luxury fashion has tax policies that target the very people rich enough to buy French goods.
Arnault is the world's fourth-richest man, whose personal fortune Forbes magazine estimates at $41 billion.
His application to Belgium comes as Hollande prepares to implement a 75 per cent tax on those that earn more than €1 million ($1.28 million) a year — although it was hinted the plan could be watered down.
"If I was in his shoes I might also think that I don't have a choice and would leave," said 34-year-old Jean-Baptiste Lete, a Paris resident walking in the city Monday.
It wouldn't be the first time that Arnault dodged a Socialist named Francois. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1981 when President Francois Mitterrand swept to power — and returned when the country's tax policies became more conservative.
As a Belgian, Arnault would pay a maximum of 50 per cent on his income. More appealingly, he could take advantage of the cherished tax-free status that Belgians hold in Monaco - provided he renounced his French nationality. French nationals living in Monaco are taxed in France.
Arnault vociferously denied that his decision had anything to do with tax evasion and said he will continue paying French taxes, but his comments convinced few.
"I can't believe it," businessman Bernard Tapie was quoted as saying in the Le Parisien paper. "When you're the citizen of a country, you need to know how to enjoy the good part but also accept the downsides. Symbolically, this is a catastrophe."
The move was being called a public relations disaster that highlights the French economy's lack of competitiveness. The French are still reeling over British Prime Minister David Cameron's vow to "roll out the red carpet" for French firms if Hollande followed through on his plan to raise taxes for the wealthy.
Francois Fillon, France's former Conservative prime minister, directly blamed the Socialist government's tax policy.
"This will spread like wildfire. And all over the planet they'll say that France is the country that doesn't like success," he said.
Others placed the blame firmly on Arnault himself. The Liberation newspaper Monday featured a photo of a smug-looking and immaculately suited Arnault holding a suitcase alongside the headline: "Get lost, rich jerk."
On Monday, LVMH issued a statement saying that Arnault will sue the newspaper for "public insult."
Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici was worried about France's global image.
"He is at the helm of luxury houses whose brands are French symbols," the minister told BFM TV. "He didn't realize how it would be perceived, it was sort of irresponsible."
Some critics say the Socialists had it coming, reminding all that Hollande once famously said: "I dislike the rich."
On the other side of the border, the news was greeted with open arms.
"Welcome, Mr. Arnault" read Monday's editorial headline in the Belgian daily La Libre — which claims the billionaire has been living in a suburb of Brussels for several months already.
PARIS - Bernard Arnault — the richest man in Europe — has ignited an uproar in France over taxes, citizenship, patriotism and what policies the government needs to promote growth.
It's a pretty impressive achievement for one little statement.
Arnault — the CEO of French fashion giant LVMH, owner of houses like Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior — is the symbol of France's treasured luxury fashion industry.
So when the face of "Made in France" confirmed Sunday that he had applied for dual citizenship in Belgium it struck deep chord in France's national pride.
Despite his protests, many thought it was an attempt to dodge the new Socialist government's planned 75 per cent tax on the country's wealthiest.
One French paper's front-page headline called him a "rich jerk" on Monday and French President Francois Hollande questioned Arnault's patriotism.
But beyond the name-calling, the debacle highlighted a very French contradiction: A country that prides itself on producing exorbitantly-priced luxury fashion has tax policies that target the very people rich enough to buy French goods.
Arnault is the world's fourth-richest man, whose personal fortune Forbes magazine estimates at $41 billion.
His application to Belgium comes as Hollande prepares to implement a 75 per cent tax on those that earn more than €1 million ($1.28 million) a year — although it was hinted the plan could be watered down.
"If I was in his shoes I might also think that I don't have a choice and would leave," said 34-year-old Jean-Baptiste Lete, a Paris resident walking in the city Monday.
It wouldn't be the first time that Arnault dodged a Socialist named Francois. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1981 when President Francois Mitterrand swept to power — and returned when the country's tax policies became more conservative.
As a Belgian, Arnault would pay a maximum of 50 per cent on his income. More appealingly, he could take advantage of the cherished tax-free status that Belgians hold in Monaco - provided he renounced his French nationality. French nationals living in Monaco are taxed in France.
Arnault vociferously denied that his decision had anything to do with tax evasion and said he will continue paying French taxes, but his comments convinced few.
"I can't believe it," businessman Bernard Tapie was quoted as saying in the Le Parisien paper. "When you're the citizen of a country, you need to know how to enjoy the good part but also accept the downsides. Symbolically, this is a catastrophe."
The move was being called a public relations disaster that highlights the French economy's lack of competitiveness. The French are still reeling over British Prime Minister David Cameron's vow to "roll out the red carpet" for French firms if Hollande followed through on his plan to raise taxes for the wealthy.
Francois Fillon, France's former Conservative prime minister, directly blamed the Socialist government's tax policy.
"This will spread like wildfire. And all over the planet they'll say that France is the country that doesn't like success," he said.
Others placed the blame firmly on Arnault himself. The Liberation newspaper Monday featured a photo of a smug-looking and immaculately suited Arnault holding a suitcase alongside the headline: "Get lost, rich jerk."
On Monday, LVMH issued a statement saying that Arnault will sue the newspaper for "public insult."
Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici was worried about France's global image.
"He is at the helm of luxury houses whose brands are French symbols," the minister told BFM TV. "He didn't realize how it would be perceived, it was sort of irresponsible."
Some critics say the Socialists had it coming, reminding all that Hollande once famously said: "I dislike the rich."
On the other side of the border, the news was greeted with open arms.
"Welcome, Mr. Arnault" read Monday's editorial headline in the Belgian daily La Libre — which claims the billionaire has been living in a suburb of Brussels for several months already.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Fashion Week NYC: Alicia Keys Wore White to Edun, A$AP Rocky Watched Alexander WangEdun
Fashion Week NYC: Alicia Keys Wore White to Edun, A$AP Rocky Watched Alexander WangEdun
Edun, the label founded by U2 rocker Bono and his wife, stitched together a sweet and sour spring collection Saturday at NYFW. Created in 2005, the hip young label was founded to promote change through a trading relationship with Africa. At first glance, the new spring line appears soft and welcoming, but then stings with a sour bite. Delicate fabrics like silk and chiffon are juxtaposed with dark cargo slacks and structured utility vests.
Sitting front row was Alicia Keys, who jetted over to NYFW after her dazzling performance at the VMAs Thursday night. Keys stayed on trend in oversized round shades, a billowing white blouse and white pants detailed with a black racing stripe. R.E.M. vocalist Michael Stipe was also front row to support Bono, wearing an all-white look. He accented the look with a blue and red checkered shirt and glasses with orange lenses.
Mara Hoffman
What is gray, gold and tight all over? Lil' Kim's outfit at the Mara Hoffman spring 2013 show. The controversial rapper attended the show in clothes that contrasted Hoffman's energetic and bright collection. Kim missed the mark in a gold ankle-length dress and white shirt under a skin tight gray vest. "My outfit is Ralph Lauren & my shoes are Versace today for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week," Lil' Kim tweeted Saturday afternoon. Her fashion blunder was a bit of a let down, especially because Buffalo, N.Y. native Mara Hoffman created such a sweet, tropical, playful look for spring 2013.
Jill Stuart
As DJ Brendan Fallis was spinning a medley of Niki & the Dove, Lykke Li, and Ladyhawke, a feminine spring fantasy blossomed on the runway at Jill Stuart's show. White, peach, nude and teal colors took form on ladylike lace, sequin and silk dresses. Theophilus London sat front row, watching models strut down the runway in Stuart's subtly sexy lingerie-inspired collection. London brought his unique fashion swagger to the runway, rocking a dapper white shirt, red pants, black wide-rimmed fedora and his own design of limited-edition Del Toro slippers.
Alexander Wang
Songs by Baauer, Jay Fay & Ra Cailum, and DJ Sliink played as an unrestricted bondage-tinged collection ruled the catwalk. Alexander Wang threw an S&M rave at his spring 2013 show, where the attire consisted of white boudoir-inspired leather creations decorated with cut-out racing stripes and laser-cut flourishes.
Edun, the label founded by U2 rocker Bono and his wife, stitched together a sweet and sour spring collection Saturday at NYFW. Created in 2005, the hip young label was founded to promote change through a trading relationship with Africa. At first glance, the new spring line appears soft and welcoming, but then stings with a sour bite. Delicate fabrics like silk and chiffon are juxtaposed with dark cargo slacks and structured utility vests.
Sitting front row was Alicia Keys, who jetted over to NYFW after her dazzling performance at the VMAs Thursday night. Keys stayed on trend in oversized round shades, a billowing white blouse and white pants detailed with a black racing stripe. R.E.M. vocalist Michael Stipe was also front row to support Bono, wearing an all-white look. He accented the look with a blue and red checkered shirt and glasses with orange lenses.
Mara Hoffman
What is gray, gold and tight all over? Lil' Kim's outfit at the Mara Hoffman spring 2013 show. The controversial rapper attended the show in clothes that contrasted Hoffman's energetic and bright collection. Kim missed the mark in a gold ankle-length dress and white shirt under a skin tight gray vest. "My outfit is Ralph Lauren & my shoes are Versace today for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week," Lil' Kim tweeted Saturday afternoon. Her fashion blunder was a bit of a let down, especially because Buffalo, N.Y. native Mara Hoffman created such a sweet, tropical, playful look for spring 2013.
Jill Stuart
As DJ Brendan Fallis was spinning a medley of Niki & the Dove, Lykke Li, and Ladyhawke, a feminine spring fantasy blossomed on the runway at Jill Stuart's show. White, peach, nude and teal colors took form on ladylike lace, sequin and silk dresses. Theophilus London sat front row, watching models strut down the runway in Stuart's subtly sexy lingerie-inspired collection. London brought his unique fashion swagger to the runway, rocking a dapper white shirt, red pants, black wide-rimmed fedora and his own design of limited-edition Del Toro slippers.
Alexander Wang
Songs by Baauer, Jay Fay & Ra Cailum, and DJ Sliink played as an unrestricted bondage-tinged collection ruled the catwalk. Alexander Wang threw an S&M rave at his spring 2013 show, where the attire consisted of white boudoir-inspired leather creations decorated with cut-out racing stripes and laser-cut flourishes.
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