stylophile

eat cake!

2008-12-27T06:36:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late at posting Halloween pictures, but better late than never.

at the mermaid parade

2008-06-27T05:23:00.000-07:00

coney island madam

2008-06-21T17:32:00.001-07:00

At the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island.

gucci love

2008-06-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

Isn't this vintage Gucci dress from the 1970's lovely? I couldn't resist and bought it last night on ebay after a final and two blueberry beers. The description makes me swoon: "This Gucci dress features the class horsebit / saddlery icons of Gucci against a navy background. The colours are gold, brown, and a maroon/red. It is such heavy, soft high quality silk and it sits so beautifully on the body. It has a thick tie for the waist, prominent collar that isnt too 'retro' but dates it to the 1970's. It also has a discreet zip front and a pleated skirt." I spent a small fortune on it. Ebay stores charge just as much as overpriced NY vintage boutiques now. The price of gas, the price of food, the price of used clothes--all sky rocketing!

legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent dies at 71

2008-06-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

Catherine Deneuve and Yves Saint-Laurent, 1966

New York Times
By ANNE-MARIE SCHIRO
Published: June 2, 2008

Yves Saint Laurent, who exploded on the fashion scene in 1958 as the boy-wonder successor to Christian Dior and endured as one of the best-known and most influential couturiers of the second half of the 20th century, died on Sunday at his apartment in Paris. He was 71.

His death was confirmed by Dominique Deroche, a spokeswoman for the Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent Foundation.

During a career that ran from 1957 to 2002 he was largely responsible for changing the way modern women dress, putting them into pants both day and night, into peacoats and safari jackets, into “le smoking” (as the French call a man’s tuxedo jacket), and into leopard prints, trench coats and, for a time in the 1970s, peasant-inspired clothing in rich fabrics.

Mr. Saint Laurent often sought inspiration on the streets, bringing the Parisian beatnik style to couture runways and adapting the sailors’ peacoats he found in Army-Navy stores in New York into jackets that found their way into fashionable women’s wardrobes around the world. His glamorous evening clothes were often adorned with appliqués and beadwork inspired by artists like Picasso, Miró and Matisse. Above all, he was a master colorist, able to mix green, blue, rose and yellow in one outfit to achieve an effect that was artistic and never garish.

Among the women of style who wore his clothes were Catherine Deneuve, Paloma Picasso, Nan Kempner, Lauren Bacall, Marella Agnelli and Marie-Hélène de Rothschild.

Mr. Saint Laurent achieved instant fame in 1958 at the age of 21 when he showed his Trapeze collection, his first for Christian Dior following the master’s death. But unlike many overnight sensations, Mr. Saint Laurent managed to remain at the top of his profession as fashion changed from an emphasis on formal, custom-made haute couture to casual sportswear.

For many years after he opened his own couture house, in 1962, his collections were eagerly anticipated by fashion enthusiasts, who considered his the final word on that season’s style. His influence was at its height during the 1960s and ’70s, when it was still normal for couturiers to change silhouettes and hemlines drastically every six months.

Among his greatest successes were his Mondrian collection in 1965, based on the Dutch artist’s gridlike paintings, and the “rich peasant” collection of 1976, which stirred so much interest that the Paris show was restaged in New York for his American admirers. “The clothes incorporated all my dreams,” he said after the show, “all my heroines in the novels, the operas, the paintings. It was my heart — everything I love that I gave to this collection.”

Originally a maverick and a generator of controversy — in 1968, his suggestion that women wear pants as an everyday uniform was considered revolutionary — Mr. Saint Laurent developed into a more conservative designer, a believer in evolution rather than revolution. He often said that all a woman needed to be fashionable was a pair of pants, a sweater and a raincoat.

“My small job as a couturier,” he once said, “is to make clothes that reflect our times. I’m convinced women want to wear pants.”

A Rare Retrospective

By 1983, when he was 47, his work was recognized by fashion scholars as so fundamentally important to women’s dress that a retrospective of his designs was held at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the first time the museum had honored a living designer. Diana Vreeland, the legendary magazine editor and the doyenne of the Costume Institute, who masterminded the exhibition, called him “a living genius” and “the Pied Piper of fashion.”

“Whatever he does,” she said, “women of all ages, from all over the world, follow.” That exhibition was followed by retrospectives in Paris, Beijing, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tokyo and Sydney, Australia.

But the New York exhibition could be considered the peak of Mr. Saint Laurent’s career, for after that he settled into a classical mode of reinterpreting his earlier successes. The boy wonder had turned into the elder statesman. He said in an interview in 1983: “A woman’s wardrobe shouldn’t change every six months. You should be able to use the pieces you already own and add to them. Because they are like timeless classics.”

Yet because so many of his early designs seeped into the public domain of fashion (and into many other designers’ collections), he managed to retain his stellar position in the world of fashion through his retirement in 2002.

Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent came a long way from Oran, Algeria, where he was born on Aug. 1, 1936, to Charles and Lucienne Andrée Mathieu-Saint-Laurent. His father was a lawyer and insurance broker, his mother a woman of great personal style. He grew up in a villa by the Mediterranean with his two younger sisters, Michelle and Brigitte.

His mother and sisters, all of Paris, survive him.
The young Yves was said to be a quiet and retiring child (and as an adult was also often described as quiet and retiring), who avoided all sports except swimming and developed a love for fashion and the theater at an early age. After seeing a play by Molière when he was 11, he recreated the play in miniature, pasting the costumes together. As a teenager, he designed clothes for his mother, who had them whipped up by a local seamstress. (His mother became his greatest fan, sitting in the front row at all his shows and wearing no one else’s designs.)

Although his parents wanted him to study law, Mr. Saint Laurent — lanky and brown-haired, his blue eyes framed by glasses — went to Paris when he was 17 to try his luck in theatrical and fashion design. He briefly studied design at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, leaving because he said he was bored. Shortly thereafter, he won first prize in an International Wool Secretariat design competition for his sketch of a cocktail dress. This led to an interview with Christian Dior, who noted an uncanny resemblance between Mr. Saint Laurent’s cocktail dress and one he himself was working on. Recognizing the young designer’s talent, Dior hired him on the spot as his assistant.

Dior’s Protégé

For three years, Mr. Saint Laurent worked closely with Dior, who called him “my dauphin” and “my right arm.” After Dior died suddenly in 1957, shocking the fashion world, the House of Dior named Mr. Saint Laurent its head designer. At 21, he found himself at the head of a $20-million-a-year fashion empire, succeeding a legend, the man who had radically changed the way women dressed in 1947 with the wasp-waisted New Look.

Mr. Saint Laurent’s first collection in his new position, shown on Jan. 30, 1958, was based on the trapeze, a youthful silhouette that started with narrow shoulders and a raised waistline, then flared out gently to a wide hemline. The collection was received with great enthusiasm, and Mr. Saint Laurent’s name was well on its way to becoming a household word across Europe and America.

He was credited by many with rejuvenating French fashion and securing his country’s pre-eminent position in the world of haute couture. Newsboys shouted his triumph across the streets of Paris while he waved to the crowds below the balcony of the House of Dior on the Avenue Montaigne. The dauphin was crowned king.

His last collection for Dior, in July 1960, was based on a “chic beatnik” look of knitted turtlenecks and black leather jackets. It was less warmly received, though eventually the style became the uniform of the avant-garde.

In September of that year, Mr. Saint Laurent was called up for 27 months of compulsory military service during the war France was then fighting in Algeria. He had previously been given deferments because 2,000 jobs depended on his talent.

About three weeks after his induction, he was hospitalized for a nervous collapse. In October 1960, the House of Dior gave his job to Marc Bohan, his former assistant. In November, Mr. Saint Laurent was discharged from the army and entered a private clinic near Paris. In later years, he suffered from depression and a dependency on alcohol and drugs, a dependency he attributed to the drugs he was given in a military psychiatric hospital. But he almost always recovered in time to take the ritual walk down the runway, however unsteadily, at the finale of his shows.

In January 1961, Mr. Bohan’s collection for Dior was a huge success. Mr. Saint Laurent sued Dior for severance pay and damages after the house refused to reinstate him after his army discharge. He was awarded 680,000 francs by the court, then about $140,000.

In September 1961, Mr. Saint Laurent announced plans to open his own haute couture house in partnership with his lover, Pierre Bergé. Mr. Bergé remained his lifelong business partner and was responsible for the company’s financial success, although they split up as a couple in the early 1980s. The fledgling house was backed by J. Mack Robinson, an Atlanta businessman, who later said his confidence was based on the excitement Mr. Saint Laurent had created when he replaced Dior.

His Own Collection

The first Yves Saint Laurent collection was shown on Jan. 19, 1962. It was the beginning of a success story that led eventually to a ready-to-wear line sold in the designer’s own Rive Gauche boutiques around the world; to hundreds of licenses for scarves, jewelry, furs, shoes, men’s wear, cosmetics and perfumes, and even cigarettes; to set and costume designs for the ballet, theater and movies (most notably, for Catherine Deneuve in “Belle de Jour” in 1967); to a listing on the Paris Bourse, and to a host of awards, including the French Legion of Honor in 1985.

The House of Saint Laurent had various owners over the years, including Lanvin-Charles of the Ritz and Squibb-Beach Nut. In 1993, in a $636 million transaction, it became part of the state-owned French pharmaceuticals conglomerate Elf Sanofi, but 43 percent of the fashion group remained in the hands of Mr. Bergé and Mr. Saint Laurent. In 2000, Gucci Group bought the ready-to-wear and fragrance divisions of the company, while Mr. Bergé and Mr. Saint Laurent retained the haute couture business until the designer’s retirement. Under Gucci, to Mr. Saint Laurent’s vocal displeasure, the YSL ready-to-wear line was designed by the American fashion star Tom Ford.

“The poor guy does what he can,” Mr. Saint Laurent said of his successor.

Mr. Ford, who simultaneously designed the Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent collections with an overtly racy and sexualized aesthetic during those years, left the company in 2003; the Yves Saint Laurent collections have since been designed by one of Mr. Ford’s former assistants, Stefano Pilati.

In January 2002, Mr. Saint Laurent announced his retirement in Paris at a press conference at his couture house at 5 Avenue Marceau, where many fashion editors and teary-eyed friends of the house considered the possibility that Mr. Saint Laurent had felt pressured to resign. He and Mr. Bergé denied that, and a week later announced plans to turn the house into a museum, which has since displayed exhibitions of Mr. Saint Laurent’s tuxedo jackets and the clothes he designed for Ms. Kempner.

‘Opium’ Wars

The designer, of course, managed several times to create controversy during his career with, of all things, his fragrances. In 1971, he appeared nude in an advertisement for his men’s cologne YSL. Then, in 1977, he named one of his women’s perfumes Opium, which led to charges that he was glamorizing drug use and trivializing the 19th-century Opium Wars in China. Its slogan was “Opium, for those who are addicted to Yves Saint Laurent.” In 1992, his plans to call another perfume Champagne prompted a lawsuit by French wine makers (the Saint Laurent company lost).

In another legal battle, Mr. Saint Laurent won a 1994 suit in the French courts against Ralph Lauren, whom he accused of copying the design for his tuxedo dress (a style Mr. Saint Laurent reinterpreted many times over the years).

In 1992, a celebration at the Bastille Opera in Paris of the 30th anniversary of the House of Saint Laurent was attended by 2,750 admirers who applauded as 100 models took to the stage in clothes from the three decades. Writing about the event in The New York Times, Bernadine Morris said, “What was wondrous about these clothes, besides their breathtaking beauty, was that nothing looked dated.”

As befitted his success, Mr. Saint Laurent lived elegantly. All his homes — including famous ones in Deauville, France, and Marrakech, Morocco — which he shared with a succession of French bulldogs, always named Moujik, were lavishly decorated and filled with antiques and artwork by his favorite artists, who included Picasso, Cocteau, Braque and Christian Bérard. He often said that Bérard was one of the greatest influences on his designs, particularly in the use of color.

“Every man needs aesthetic phantoms in order to exist,” Mr. Saint Laurent said at the announcement of his retirement. “I have known fear and the terrors of solitude. I have known those fair-weather friends we call tranquilizers and drugs. I have known the prison of depression and the confinement of hospital. But one day, I was able to come through all of that, dazzled yet sober.”

warmer!

2008-05-28T19:39:00.000-07:00

Sent: Wed, 28 May 2008 4:20 pm
Subject: MARC JACOBS

ALL SHOES ARE NOW 70% OFF.... APOLOGIES FOR THE MASS EMAIL :) WE HAVE SOME NEW FALL BAGS IN AS WELL...

--
Julie
Marc Jacobs
2123431490

(in no order)

2008-05-28T05:15:00.000-07:00

my ebay wishlist is so long.

and now

2008-05-25T07:41:00.000-07:00

In preparation for a school year's close, I vow to stop, notice and appreciate my surroundings. As I perused the internet this morning in a haze of procrastination, I came across my favorite high school poem (that was 10 years ago...eek!), O Taste and See by Denise Levertov:

The world is
not with us enough
O taste and see

the subway Bible poster said,
meaning The Lord, meaning
if anything all that lives
to the imagination’s tongue,

grief, mercy, language,
tangerine, weather, to
breathe them, bite,
savor, chew, swallow, transform

into our flesh our
deaths, crossing the street, plum, quince,
living in the orchard and being

hungry, and plucking
the fruit.

And then, if nostalgic prose was not enough, I came across the story of a painter ignored on a street corner in Paris in Style and the City. We get so many small signals every day that scream "slow down!" The wisest words I've gotten this year came from my undergraduate advisor, "and life is, we must trust, longer than we experience it at any given moment and filled with unexpected possibilities."
And so, for someone who measures her years according to the academic calendar, this one is coming to completion. But I will take time to listen to the music, despite the rush.

mandals!

2008-05-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

"would you wear them?"
"probably not."

i tend to have a one track mind these days

2008-05-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

what does this mean?

2008-05-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

I think this means that Marc Jacobs Spring 2008 at 90% off is just around the corner. Joy!

Sent: Fri, 23 May 2008 11:35 am
Subject: Marc Jacobs

Hello! Sorry for the mass email.. but we just went on sale this morning! 40% off on shoes... collections.. let me know and I can tell you exactly what's on sale or not.. stop in and see me if you have time! Thanks!

--
Julie
Marc Jacobs
2123431490

you walk wrong

2008-05-04T18:46:00.000-07:00

Makeup by John Maurad and Jenai Chin. Photo: Tom Schierlitz

eek!: http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/

murakami madness

2008-04-21T14:29:00.001-07:00

In case you are curious, the Murakami exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum is wonderful. Of course there is a Louis Vuitton shop stuck in the middle of the thing. In addition to the marketable psychedlic mushrooms and bears, there are some controversial surprises that will make the most wanton character blush. Pictures were strictly prohibited so I don't have any of the interesting ones to show.

ooh, take a look: http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=97318d8fc5523d7c512e8daf608b357a884ac908

elfin chic

2008-04-17T06:46:00.001-07:00

Joanna Newsom. It only goes to show that playing with archetypes can have a powerful effect on your appearance. There are so many choices but very few people dress in "costume"--the result here is otherworldliness. Instead of waking up putting together an outfit with a magazine for inspiration, use an illustrated fairytale book instead.

homebody

2008-04-12T17:07:00.000-07:00

In a recent interview with We Make Money Not Art, Kate James described her strained relationship with fashion fed by her love of dance and architecture. She is a second year graduate student in the Visual Arts Program at MIT. She studied dance/kinesthesia and architectural history at Brown University, did a Masters of Architecture at MIT and later transferred into the Visual Arts program.

All of the photos here are atHABITat costumes.

They are about a contemporary vision of the woman in the home, and a need to multi-task and overlap the upkeep habits of the body and the home. They are costumes worn to augment the household maintenance task, transforming it into an iso-kinetic exercise. Each costume records and accentuates the ergonomics of the activity.

In one, resistance band connects the vacuum wand to the wearer, intensifying the sweeping motion of the vacuuming. The 'putting away dishes' costume attaches a similar resistance band between the dishwasher and the wearer's vinyl gloves. In the 'serving food' costume, bands run through an oven mitt corset piece to accentuate the tension in the serving motion.

And, lastly, Kate James on her relationship with fashion:

As an artist, I certainly engage with fashion. By this I mean that I think closely about how the body is clad, and how clothing can inform the body and vice-versa. Fashion becomes a key interface in the investigation of the body in the environment.

In terms of performance and the impact of costuming, fashion offers a fantastic bank of codified aesthetics, which can be drawn from for conceptual and phenomenal meaning.

this is news to me

2008-04-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

photo from egotastic

Color me surprised. Devendra Barnhart's music is wonderful but I can't imagine such a level headed gal (yes, that's Natalie Portman pictured above) being in a relationship with an acid trip (see interview below music video).

the long and the short and the in between of it

2008-04-08T18:11:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, lets not leave out the cropped pants in this whole "hurrah, it's spring, lets shout it from the roof tops and dance in the rain in stiletto sandals" business. The shoes are amazing, please don't think anything less of me for shifting the spotlight a little heaven-ward to the pants that these women are wearing. There is something so fresh, structurally interesting and just plain beautiful about the tulip pants in the photos above. I've seen them in a few shops: a wonderful dark grey pair at anthropologie several months back and a black pair at H&M now. They are just the thing, with a ballet slipper, to put a spring (eh, eh, get it?) in my step on regular days--not the stiletto ones (which are few and far between nowadays).

child's play

2008-03-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

This is cute, frighteningly cute. This kiddie looks more put together than most adults.

gladiator bandwagon

2008-03-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

I am jumping on the gladiator sandal bandwagon only because I have wanted a pair for the past 4 years and only recently started seeing a large enough selection to find some that satisfy me. For those lucky size 9's out there, take a look at the puppies above sold by Clair Incorruptable.
Of course now, Ebay is being hounded by patient fashionistas bidding on vintage sandals. My favorite internet stores have wonderful options for those of us who can afford them. Here are some offerings from Farylrobin, Givenchy and Modern Vintage Shoes.

and now back to our regularly scheduled program

2008-03-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

I am back from my spring vacation in Atlanta, GA. Now I have to muster the motivation to keeping on plugging through.

patrick dougherty at max azria

2008-03-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

Max Azria Melrose Avenue Boutique, Los Angeles, CA. photographer: David Calicchio

I find the work of Patrick Dougherty incredibly beautiful. Here he weaves a beautiful cocoon around the Max Azria boutique in Los Angeles. It reminds me of the painting technique of Van Gogh (think Starry Night).

"Dougherty's works allude to nests, cocoons, hives, and lairs built by animals, as well as the manmade forms of huts, haystacks, and baskets, created by interweaving branches and twigs together. Many of his works look 'found' rather than made, as if they were created by the natural force of a tornado sweeping across the landscape. He intentionally tries for this effortless effect, as if his creations just fell or grew up naturally in their settings."

- Linda Johnson, Curator

rick owens' monsters

2008-03-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, The New Yorker publishes a retrospect on a fashion designer that will rival devotional poetry in its complete reverence for the artist. This week's piece on Rick Owens not only succeeded in describing why Owens has established a cult-like following, but also to elevated him to the level of the great conceptual designers such as Rei Kawakubo. Rick Owens' aesthetic has been described as "broken idealism." His elaborately sculptural pieces evoke the sentiment of a seedy crumbling city--perhaps Lima or St. Petersburg. The walls of his own Paris apartment, which he shares with his wife Michele Lamy, are crumbling, shorn of wallpaper, the floors are dusty concrete slabs, the ceilings are a tangle of ducts, wires and pipes. Owens has a similar attitude to clothing--he takes something perfect and fusses it up a bit, whether it be the shape or the fabric. Soft leather jackets are machine washed and dried, semi-transparent organza is layered, t-shirts are long and clingy, dresses are elegant but always asymmetrical: this is glunge (glamour + grunge) at it's finest.

Shown here: jacket, cashmere jersey tube skirt and top from the Lilies collection (2007)

There is a sad romanticism that all of his pieces have which draws me to them. His designs embody the crumbling paint on a cathedral wall. In fact, a large inspiration to Owens are the robes worn in church:

"In Catholic school I always loved that aesthetic of all those robes dragging in those dusty temples, with Jesus and the disciples and all that. It was very exotic and very alluring to me in my very safe little world of small-town California. When I look around here in the studio, I see wanting to re-create those dusty temples and robes and stuff."

At times, I was annoyed with Owens' California-boy-in-Paris life, his conservative parents following him around fashion week and his insistence that he was a "deeply cultured person." All of these trappings of celebrity probably made his personality a bit grating to me from the page but the laudatory style with which the article was written really put Owens in a position of high esteem. Check it out if you get a chance!

chloe sevigny and opening ceremony

2008-03-07T06:08:00.001-08:00

Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony is now being sold at Barneys...and it actually looks good.

natalie portman for te casan

2008-03-06T22:13:00.000-08:00

What do you do if you can't find any vegan footwear you like? If you're Natalie Portman, you design your own.

best in show

2008-03-06T21:55:00.000-08:00

With Spring upon us and day light savings time just a few days away, I would like to recognize the wonderful clothes of winter one last time. These chic ladies were captured by Scott Schulman in February.

jovovich hawk at target

2008-03-03T18:04:00.000-08:00

I took a pilgrimage to Target today to try on a dress from the Jovovich Hawk line. I was hoping to wear it with cowboy boots once the weather improved. The fit was good but the fabric was awkward and stiff, as if it had been starched. It was a disappointment, like most of the designer collaborations with Target have been.

la double vie de veronique

2008-03-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

Last year the team at Rodarte placed DVDs of "The Double Life of Veronique" in gift bags at their winter runway show. This particular scene is so haunting and beautiful, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

barney's madhouse sale

2008-03-01T20:55:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the last day of the Barney's Warehouse Sale. The final weekend of the sale is when shoppers can expect the best discounts, with merchandise an additional 70%-80% off. Needless to say, it was a madhouse. I went to help a friend pick out a few things from the men's department which was much tamer than upstairs in the women's section. It was where I spent most of my time because I couldn't stand being stepped on and elbowed. Despite the initial enthusiasm surrounding Kate Moss' collection for Topshop, all of it was discounted further than any of the other things. The aisle that held the clothes was nearly abandoned. I did find many things that I liked. There was very beautiful detailing on some pieces by Christopher Kane, Phillip Lim and Proenza Schouler (click on those images to see the wonderful close up of the textures). Also, at 75% off of the initial mark down, the Pierre Hardy platforms pictured below were just a little over $60. I tried them on but there were extremely uncomfortable and I couldn't brave the long line. Anyway, I had fun just looking and my friend came out with a lot of goodies.

to market, to market

2008-03-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

It was nice enough to take a long walk, so I strolled Chelsea for what seemed like hours. I ran into an outdoor market that sold designer clothing, cowboy boots, furniture, books, taxidermy animals and jewelry, just to list a few things. The fox was $100 in case you are interested. The man selling it was very gracious with his compliments. He said that it was "a fox for a fox."

thrifting suits

2008-03-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

On my way to the Barney's Warehouse Sale I dropped into a thrift store on 17th street. There were several suits from the early 1990's, obviously donated by the same person because they were the same size and had a similar eclectic style. Although vintage suits are usually awkward fitting, it is always satisfying to find a nice once because you get two things for the price of one. I came out with an Oscar de la Renta navy jersey wool suit with beautiful white buttons on it for a mere $25. The other suits were more expensive and didn't fit very well. I do lament the YSL black tunic with gold buttons that I had to pass up because it wasn't marked down. I get a rush out of seeing vintage designer labels and wondering about the life of the person who donated the pieces. There is so much more substance to clothing that has been lived in.

sweetest invitation

2008-02-29T07:21:00.000-08:00

Khira, March 1st

Ack, Alisa ! I had no idea beforehand, but apparently Colette is the Kremlin ? That is, not only were photos (and suspiciously long judgments of particularly expensive garments) strictly prohibited, the ratio of consumers to nosy, pursuant security felt nearly even. It was an environment fueled by riches and paranoia. So, unfortunately I haven't come away with any photos of the exhibit. But actually, in all honesty, I thought there'd be more to see: there were only six panels, and they were rather pushed off to the side, the Dior and Comme des Garçons spotted around the second floor garnering more (even most of the) attention.

Talk about madhouses.

Psst, psst...guess what...there's cocaine at Colette. Through the end of Paris Fashion Week (March 1st) there is a display by Comenius Roethlisberger featuring luxury brand logos written in cocaine and powdered sugar encased in polyester resin boxes. Khira has graciously agreed to take some photos and give us her impressions, so check back for updates.

withdrawal

2008-02-27T16:31:00.000-08:00

Marc Jacobs Fall 08 Fashion Show (Full)
Uploaded by FBK1976

Yes, this is what drug withdrawal looks like, without a doubt (read below). A testament of MJ's sobriety: bland colors, boring fabric and unflattering proportions. But what explains the 80's jazzercise headbands, mohawk and pirate hats and metallics? An acid flashback perhaps? I do, however, love the end of the show when Marc plants a big kiss on Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth.

open letter to marc jacobs

2008-02-27T11:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Marc,
Listen, I need to have a word with you. I'm glad you're out of rehab and looking happy again. But when you showed us your ready to wear collection for fall 2008, I got a little worried. You must be in withdrawal. Nothing else could explain such an uninspired collection. When the band looks fiercer than the models, you know there is a slight problem. Okay, okay, the band was Sonic Youth. They would win a claim to fierceness against Naomi Campbell holding a cell phone. But, let me continue...

There was a lot of grey--the least flattering color to almost any complexion. It was all loose fitting and thick dull wool fabric. Even the fitted dresses didn't look too hot at awkward lengths and again...the colors were terrible.

I was hopeful looking at the jackets. I love jackets and you make them quirky but wearable. Well, I don't know what you were smoking (or not smoking due to rehab probation), but this low belt is exactly what I always avoid. In fact, every woman avoids it. It is unflattering and cumbersome. You should know this, being a genius designer and all.

And there is just no excuse for this. None.

Marc, instead of making your wares 90% off at the end of the season because no one wants to buy them, why don't you make them more retail-friendly? Although, who am I to complain? I wouldn't be able to afford any of your designs otherwise. Anyway, keep on marching to your own beat and please forgive me the tough love.

XOXO

Photos: Marcio Madeira

child like wonder

2008-02-27T08:51:00.000-08:00

This image, taken by, Scott Schulman, represents all of the wide-eyed wonder I feel whenever I see something that makes my heart flutter. Working in a costume shop for the theater and dance department in college, I would stay up almost all night working on the perfect seam and looking at antique buttons. I have always felt this energy when surrounded by fashion, ever since I was a little girl. Who needs a toy store when there is a pretty dress close by?

style icon: lady in red

2008-02-26T20:20:00.000-08:00

Charlotte Casiraghi, of the blessed Grace Kelly genes, in casual red. She has the face of a modern Raphaelite nymph and at the tender age of 22 she is already a Conde Nast style icon, walking on the arm of Karl Lagerfeld. It must be nice being a princess.

bonjour paris fashion week

2008-02-26T04:58:00.000-08:00

Some hilights from Paris: Rick Owens (photo Christophe Ena/AP), Manish Arora (photo Lucas Dolega/EPA) and Christian Dior (photo Francois Guillot/AFP)

greetings from a cobble stone street

2008-02-25T17:39:00.000-08:00

My cousin takes her birthday present for a stroll on the streets of Israel.

past perfect

2008-02-24T07:45:00.001-08:00

The silent screen siren and Charlie's angel from Facehunter are perfect examples of why it is so important to thrift. Susie did an interview with Make Do & Mend on the importance of shopping in vintage and charity shops. As someone with a high waist that is quite small, I prefer the silhouette that vintage clothing provide me. I cannot stand low waisted pants or skirts. The result is that most new clothing fits too tight around my hips and too loose around my waist. Used clothing from decades ago also has the added bonus of providing new inspiration. That is why all designers--from Abercrombie & Fitch to Fendi--have personal shoppers whose job is to scrounge thrift stores. Put almost any vintage find in a mix with current fashion and the result is timelessness. These two women are exemplary of successful mixing of vintage and modern pieces.

virtual shoe museum

2008-02-22T18:48:00.000-08:00

My guilty pleasure of today, after being snowed in, is looking through The Virtual Shoe Museum. It was initiated by Netherlands native Liza Snook in 2004. Take a look for yourselves. It is a treat.

Designs by Bart Hess and Alexander Fielden.

dries van noten accessories

2008-02-20T06:32:00.000-08:00

How perfect are Dries Van Noten's accessories for spring 2008? I am shuddering just looking at the detail shots. I have one pair of well-loved flats from their Spring 2005 collection with silk yellow birds stitched on the back. They get complimented all of the time. I think that whatever the creative director for accessories at DVN is doing, they should keep on doing it...

Photos by Don Ashby & Olivier Claisse

trembled blossoms

2008-02-17T21:02:00.000-08:00

From Prada Spring/Summer 2008

one day there was a postcard

2008-02-17T06:59:00.000-08:00

It was from Cambodia. You said it was a picture of Ta Prohm Temple of "Tomb Raider" fame. I barely made out the girl sitting at the roots of the tree amongst the sandstone rubble. She seems happy conspiratorially giggling with a friendly temple spirit. I like getting postcards. I also like looking through my photo archives. And I like old things that smell like mothballs or discontinued perfume. I like this polyester wrap dress that I found at the Spence-Chapin thrift shop; I like this photo you took of me:

I like my grandma's wool Russian scarf. I especially like to tie it around my waist and pretend that I am a flamenco dancer:

I like this Yves St. Laurent dress I bought at the Cancer Care thrift shop. I like the gold buttons and shoulder pads; I like how it makes me feel twenty years older:

fashionable installation art

2008-02-17T05:22:00.002-08:00

I just became aware of the amazingly talented team at Uchu Country through We Make Money Not Art, and now I realize that I was in Paris last year at just the same time that they had an installation at Colette.

Uchu Country is under the direction of Nagi Noda, who is a cult figure in the Kawaii movement (literally translated as cute). The talented team also includes art director Yuni Yoshida and desginer Emi Yamane. They do a lot of creative design (think ad campaigns, windows and even shopping bags) for Laforet, Tokyo's hip incarnation of Colette. Their creative concept, although delving into the visual language used in Kawaii, is very dark. I love that about them.

last year

2008-02-15T18:44:00.000-08:00

I am feeling nostalgic; this time last year I was in Italy. It was a wonderful two weeks full of good food, walking until my feet throbbed, museums and...the Prada outlet in Montevarchi. Here are a few random photos from the trip:

AKA lust

2008-02-15T18:31:00.001-08:00

Now, what I really want is a dress that makes me excited for spring. The flower print AKA dress (all the way to the right) would be perfect, but for $325 I will have to wait until spring sales begin.

purchase pile on

2008-02-15T18:10:00.000-08:00

Nothing too exciting going on here. I am just trying on some winter purchases that I made today. I bought a wonderful balloon sleeved MK2K shirt and Lily leopard print wrap dress from Sweetleaf Boutique on massive discount and I am excited about the last few weeks of winter again. The vest is from Louis of Boston, which I purchased at the Loehman's on Union Square, for $70 marked down from $450. It has the most amazing stitching I have ever seen--it belongs at an old-time tailor's store front window.

v-day = b-day

2008-02-14T20:30:00.000-08:00

photo by Melissa Hom

Happy Valentine's Day to one and all. In New York, Valentine's Day is overshadowed by a very important event--the Barney's Warehouse Sale, of course. Alas, I am too busy studying for finals, which never seem to end. Other lucky and less busy souls had the opportunity to report from the trenches. Here is all the latest Barneys Warehouse Sale news from today, as reported by Kendall Herbst:

There's a big sign advertising an additional 25 percent off Kate Moss for Topshop togs: cropped leather bomber jackets, black cotton sailor pants ("that feel like polyester"), asymmetrical ruffled dresses … but even then, nobody's interested. "It's a ghost town over there," reports our operative.

News you can use: Metallic Jil Sander dresses are marked down from $2,400 to $600; McQueen tees are $100; Miu Miu tops abound as well. There's a lot of marked-down Lanvin merchandise, dresses and coats — it's still going to cost you around $800 to a cool grand, but if you want a genuine deal, it's there. Designer bags: just a lot of Barneys label stuff. Real deals are in the shoes, where you can get Louboutins for $200 (our spy saw some espadrilles that caught her eye that were a mere $150). Other standouts include Miu Miu studded flats, Pierre Hardy wedges, a lot of boots, and your beloved Manolos. Steer clear, however, of the Marc by Marc shoes: They're selling a lot of 'em, sometimes for as much as $250 a pop, which strikes us as a bit ridiculous. Beware!

photos by Melissa Hom

puss in boots

2008-02-07T22:43:00.000-08:00

Carolina Herrera and Phillip Lim 3.1 had a strong showing, obviously inspired by the same thing. Biggest disappointment so far: Zero by Maria Cornejo, usually one of my favorites. I guess you can't win them all.

symmetry

2008-02-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

Interesting shape by both Herve Leger and Chanel couture this season reminds me somewhat of a tulip or scallop shell. Best be careful with those skirts though--wear them a little too short and the world is your gynecologist.

abu ghraib prison collection

2008-02-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

Getty Images

Thank you to A Blind Flaneur for reporting on John Galliano's latest collection, one that is reminiscent of media images from the Abu Ghraib prison tragedy. It is an unfortunate oversight of mine that I do not follow the men's collections more closely. The women's collections are beautiful, they have that going for them. But a designer would be too frightened to do a heavy political commentary lest he lose clients. It's frills and lace over politics and substance. What John Galliano did is beyond street style--it is evocative of the headier days of high fashion--before street style was smarter than designers.

NPR audio clip:

Political Threads
February 01, 2008
Models wearing designs from John Galliano's Fall 2008 Mens collection looked as if they’d stepped out of Abu Ghraib prison and onto Paris runways. Do the designs fetishize torture? RISD professor Kathleen McDermott says Galliano is following in a long tradition of designers who use couture to make shocking political commentary.

pretty in pink

2008-02-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

If you want to make your legs look ultra long, towering beige stilettos provide that grand illusion. I love the idea of a nude shoe, but these pastel pink ones do the same trick with a little more fun. Starting from top: the new Spring offerings from Manolo Blahnik, Miu Miu and Derek Lam.

paper couture

2008-02-02T06:47:00.000-08:00

These images, side by side, make me feel giddy. Details of Armani Prive's Couture show from 2008 and Coersmeier's and Sabin's final projects from WorkWorkWork at University of Pennsylvania's architecture department.

rimmel, finally

2008-01-31T08:01:00.000-08:00

So I have been waiting to put in my two cents on the new (not so new anymore!) Rimmel Underground Light Beam After Dark lip gloss. Phew...try saying that 10 times really fast. I wanted to wait and see how long the battery would last until I wrote to you. Well, I have had two tubes for about 6 months now. One is still going strong, the other, after I left it in my car in below freezing temperature, has fallen by the wayside along with my Ipod. I have been getting so many excited girls coming up to me and asking about my lip gloss when I whip it out and shine the flash that I thought it was finally time to squeal about it to all of you. Yes, it is very exciting indeed. It does not really add color, so I don't know what the hoopla about the different colored tubes is. But they all smell subtly of flower petals or chocolate confections--great for something you put on your lips.

My hair is growing out. I wanted bangs, did I tell you that yet? I guess I've succeeded. I am wearing a Marc Jacobs shirt from the sale, the wonderful silk wool blend in the most amazing fabric I have seen in a long time only cost $96 at 90% off. Anyway, judge for yourselves how much color the lip gloss adds. No color, really. But I like how the sheen isn't overpowering. I don't have very many make up products (most of my purchases come in the form of cleansers and lotions) and what I like, I stick to. I will always keep a tube of Rimmel in my bag, if only for the WOW factor.

revolution in the air

2008-01-30T07:11:00.000-08:00

from the sartorialist and the facehunter.

As an amateur fashion anthropologist, I like to reflect on seasons of years past. Street fashion has traditionally remained uninspired. If you trace the history of fashion design, you will find some designers, like Paul Poiret, who were surprisingly ahead of their time. He predicted avant-garde Japanese designers like Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamato while women were still stuffing themselves into corsets. Nowadays, with information traveling quickly through blogs, podcasts and the like, this is no longer true. Street fashion is on top of it's game, which is why blogs like The Sartorialist are ranked one of the "top 100 design influencers" by mainstream news outlets like Time Magazine. To me, outerwear gives a lot of information on the mood of the season and is therefore a very important piece of fashion history. Because a coat is something you are stuck wearing every day, it is less privy to moods and role playing. You may be feeling pure crap and stay in sweats, but your coat will typically remain standard for at least one year. I have noticed a big change in how people are dressing this winter compared to last, when everyone was military coat crazy. With the war on full force I was not surprised. This time around, there are many more deconstructed, sculptural pieces which evoke a mood of hushed rebellion. Listening to Bush's plummeting approval ratings has me wondering if this change is a national, nay, mutinational, expression of rebellion. Only time will tell. But fashion sure is a good litmus test of social mood, ain't it?

lee miller: le premier muse

2008-01-28T15:35:00.000-08:00

Georges Lepape for Vogue 1927

Her strong bone structure, broad cheek bones and disarmingly wide set eyes have ingrained Lee Miller into the unfaltering image bank that is my memory. Every once in a while, I see something that feels so familiar that I know I have seen it before. Such was the case when I opened up a January issue of The New Yorker to a page with a bare chested woman wearing a net mask. That woman was Lee Miller and I knew I had seen her before. Years ago I saw a Man Ray exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I gazed fervently at all of the photos of Lee Miller. I couldn't take my eyes off the candidness and perfection of her figure in the pictures. There I was staring at a naked Miller, marble-like, akin to the statues lining the hall of Grecian art. We were so different, Miller and I, that I could have sworn we were different species. She human, and I, full of adolescent awkwardness, perhaps a gibbon. It was one of my first tastes of this sort of iconography. I was dazzled by the power that an image can hold over someone. I proffered myself at the altar of beauty, and I don't know if it was seeing Lee Miller that night that spurred me, but it sure didn't help. Sure, there would be countless others. For my 14th or 15th birthday, my mother took me to an Andy Warhol exhibit and I was enamoured with Edie Sedgwick. I was religious about working out to a Claudia Schiffer aerobics tape after those early 90's Guess ads. Hell, I have pictures of Charlotte Gainsbourg taped to my closet as I type this. But if my memory serves me well, I can say that Miller was perhaps the first woman who sold me a fantasy. You know the one I'm talking about--the fantasy that beauty can transform our rinse, lather and repeat existences into something mythical.

Man Ray 'Lee Miller' ca. 1930

I forgot about Lee Miller. Her photographs held more substance, yet they were uninteresting to a teenybopper. Her gaze prevented her from being taken in, there was always a reserve that prevented the same kind of voyeuristic consumption that, say, an Andy Warhol photograph procured. The cold, calculating and sterilized photographs of Man Ray did not match my aesthetic sensibilities, so my affair with Lee Miller would remain short lived.

George Hoyningen Huene 'Lee Miller Wearing Yraide Sailcloth Overalls' 1930

She had an extraordinary personal history. Like Edie Sedgwick, she grew up in a relatively affluent family (although not old American aristocracy) and had a history of sexual abuse under the guise of her father, who took nude photos of her with a stereoscopic camera well into her twenties and another man who raped her when she was seven. Her siblings, like those of Sedgwick's, were extremely troubled: one committed suicide, another cross-dressed. And Miller, in the words of the New Yorker article, was "a promiscuous hellion." She catapaulted her career from a Voguette to a war time correspondent and photographer. Miller had truly amazing knack for seduction and her, ahem, capabilities took her to some amazing places.

Lee Miller 'Self Portrait'

I look at these photographs now and see how influential she was and still is. Miller is like a fashion thoroughbred--a creature who makes everything, for lack of a better word, fabulous.

daily obsession: liberty of london prints

2008-01-27T20:57:00.001-08:00

Liberty of London was founded by Arthur Lazenby Liberty in 1875 as an oriental import emporium. In the 20th century, Liberty fabrics were used by the best known designers of each decade, from Paul Poiret to Yves Saint Laurent, from Cacharel to Jean Muir. Whenever you see a bright flower or paisley print on a vintage dress, you can bet your bottom dollar that it is a Liberty print. After my winning bid for the scarf, I became a little bit Liberty print crazed. I know what I'll be looking for at thrift stores from now on. I am hoping that I can find a short flower print tank dress or skort.

style icon: faye dunaway in bonnie and clyde

2008-01-27T13:16:00.000-08:00

I am madly in love with Faye Dunaway's wardrobe from Bonnie and Clyde. The beret and bandanna around the neck look, like the one found in the third picture, is everywhere right now. Still, with a good plastic gun as a prop, this could be a great halloween costume. I was thinking just that when I ran across the perfect thing on ebay. So deep is my obsession, dear reader, that the third photo is my computer background.

Hopefully in a little over 3 hours, this Liberty silk scarf will be all mine and I can go back to looking for the perfect plastic pistol.

pretty polly

2008-01-26T10:10:00.000-08:00

Emily Bullock is an artist and jeweler who uses feathers from road kill and dead pets to create contemporary wearable art. The death of her parakeets inspired her to make the Budgerigar Brassiere, which won the Mac's Bizarre Bra award at the WorldofWearableArt in 2002. She gives the boys of Proenza Schouler and the countless others who use feathers on the runway a run for their money.

Aack!

workworkwork

2008-01-25T22:57:00.000-08:00

If I could teleport myself anywhere it would be to the University of Pennsylvania's House of Design's opening reception. The collection of work from senior graduate students promises to be spectacular. It contains a dizzying array of experimental work that breaches disciplines and dives into issues of time and space.

I am awed by the connections between architecture and fashion, now and always. How similar the processes of creating a garment and a building are only begins to hint at their connections. Much philosophical gumption has been bestowed on thinking about how people transform space and how architecture is effected and affects. The same can be said for clothes--they both metamorphose and are privy to being molded by the wearer. Couture is especially a wonderful example of the connections between fashion and architecture. Even superficially, the fine and intricate details recall the gentle fold of paper, a beautiful play on light and shadow or natural algorithmically determined shapes.

fire bird

2008-01-25T21:36:00.001-08:00

This will be the first pair for sale. I am very pleased with them and whatever desire I have to keep them is gone because they are too big.

shoe update

2008-01-25T13:27:00.000-08:00

I wasn't thrilled with the color combination before, so here is an updated version which I think i am happier with:

chloe sevigny for opening ceremony

2008-01-25T07:47:00.001-08:00

So the Chloe Sevigny collection will be unveiling in Opening Ceremony on February 4th, exactly 10 days from now.

Here is an interview with Chloe by Refinery29's Lesley Arfin:

"Lesley Arfin: Everyone thinks you're a style genius. What was one of your favorite outfits in high school?
Chloë Sevigny: Gosh, that's tough. Lets say freshmen year since that's what I was drawing on for the collection. It would have been 1989. [I wore] my steel-toe wingtip Doc Martens with thigh-high black tights, and a white smock dress I bought at an outdoor flea market in Manhattan. I had this crazy dragon patch that I sewed to the breast part. I'd wear that with an Alice band and an oversized jean jacket, and maybe a black mock turtleneck if it was cold.

LA: What's the one article of clothing you absolutely can't live without?
CS: A gray cardigan. I like the oversized men's styles, slightly Mr. Rogers, preferably long enough to cover my ass, and with pockets I can shove my hands into when I get nervous in social situations, which is a constant. My close friend Bryce always says, 'What a surprise, you're wearing the ubiquitous cardigan.' I actually have seven.

LA: Is there anything you've coveted for a long time, fashion-wise, that you finally decided to splurge on?
CS: I've always been a frugal yank. Recently, though, I've decided to treat myself to the ultimate fashion splurge, an alligator handbag. I've been researching them and found a company in Texas called Alexander Knight who makes custom order bags with no hardware or labels, you can choose everything right down to the lining, then have your initials embossed or your name engraved on a silver plate and attached to the inside. Nice!

LA: Who are some of your fashion icons?
CS: Women who are outrageous yet effortless. Liz Goldwyn, Cecilia Dean, Angelica Houston, Marlene Dietrich, Debbie Harry, Poison Ivy, Slim Keith, Patti Smith—women who own their looks and themselves. Never looking uncomfortable in your outfit, or skin for that matter is a must.

LA: What is your favorite thing in your new line, Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony?
CS: Probably the shoes. An ankle wedge can go so far—it's limitless.

LA: Who is your ideal customer?
CS: I hope there is something in the line that appeals to any and every kind of girl. Of course, a ripped-tight-wearing girl such as yourself would always hold more of an appeal to my eye.

LA: What music inspired your line?
CS: The Cramps, Johnny Thunders and Patti Palladin, Lizzie Mercier, The Slits, The Shangri La's.

LA: What movie character has the best style?
CS: Little Orphan Annie!!!!!! Christiane F., any character in a Fassbinber movie. Linda Manns in Out of the Blue, Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink, Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club, and Sally Bowles from Cabaret.

LA: What are some of your favorite clothing stores right now?
CS: I still mostly shop second hand. Tokyo 7 is always very reliable when in a bind. And I always like Resurrection, Cherry, Exquisite Costume, and Atomic Passion. As far as new retailers, I'd say Opening Ceremony and Barneys.

LA: If you had a pet kitten, what would you name it?
CS: Sabbath after the little girl in Flannery O'Conner's Wiseblood."

built by wendy

2008-01-25T07:03:00.000-08:00

Built by Wendy is a NYC based line of women's and men's clothing and accessories. Their stuff reminds me of A.P.C.--good basics with a hipster twist. Well, any of you lucky enough to be in Chicago today have good news. The Chicago born Wendy is bringing her goods home...for a sample sale.
P.S.: The online store has lots of discounts too.

pretty little things

2008-01-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

I ran across the jewelry of Hannah-Clark while out shopping. I have my eye on the snake ring and hand necklaces. Her jewelry collections have been based on a range of inspirations, including Japanese Kimono fabrics, devotional art and the animal kingdom.

Hannah studied design with a focus in metals at Parsons School of Design in New York before going on to work for potter Jonathan Adler. She left there to focus full-time on her jewelry line, which started out in Fred Segal in Los Angeles and Collette in Paris. She's a really talented gal!

klimt uncanny

2008-01-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

I am getting so excited about the couture collections. Christian Dior's, in particular, is a walking picture.

mcqueen, the divine

2008-01-20T11:36:00.000-08:00

I know it's a little late to chime in and talk about how glorious McQueen's Spring 2008 collection was. So I won't talk.

one night in bangkok makes a hard man humble

2008-01-18T19:03:00.000-08:00

On my 24th birthday at the end of December, I flew to Bangkok for a two-week tour of Thailand. I spent around four days in Bangkok and went south to experience some amazing beaches. I managed to go to the famed Khao Sok national park--the oldest evergreen rainforest in the world. In Bangkok I was stunned by the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, home to the giant 24k gold plated Buddha. Stepping inside the Grand Palace was like shrinking and walking into a jewelry box.

I am seeing some of this preciousness in Oscar de la Renta's and Dries Van Noten's Spring 2008 collections and I can't quite get over it...

You can see that the design influences of Oscar de la Renta and Dries Van Noten are different. Yet, there is this common thread of exotic primitivism and dainty exquisiteness that joins them together. It is much like the architecture in Bangkok, which gets in influences from eastern neighbors like China and western neighbors like India.

oops MJ did it again

2008-01-18T16:40:00.000-08:00

The Marc Jacobs store on Mercer Street had a 90% off sale again. I was a big fan of the Fall 2007 collection and it got such great reviews that I was sure most of it would sell. I guess that was not the case as I called the store last Sunday asking about sales and they told me that it was the last day of 90% off. Only 4 pairs of shoes were left on the floor (selling for $50 a pair, not bad for something that's being sold on net-a-porter discounted at over $400). Although the beautiful coats from the collection were left in larger sizes, there were many dresses, pants, shorts and shirts available in every size. There were also plenty of sterling silver and semiprecious stone brooches and cuff links left. My camera has been acting up, so sorry for the fuzzy picture. I did manage to find some images of the things that I purchased on style.com. The dress, the grey polyester trench and some pearl duck cuff links. The dress was a little over $200 (original over $2,000--you can do the math), the trench was $100 and the cuff links were $16. This is why I just can't get over Marc Jacobs. His PR policy is so strange. His ads are not made to sell anything, he did terribly when he opened grunge for Perry Ellis and he sells things for less than it costs to make them. Is he the Buddha of fashion?

precious soles

2008-01-18T15:17:00.000-08:00

All of my image banking has been from jewelry or jewelry boxes. I don't know why it floats my boat, but the colors seem to just pop when you put them on good canvas. Good news is that I'm going into production! Bad news is that it's not going to help my GPA.

made for walkin'

2008-01-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to starting my project. I wanted to make the one-of-a-kind shoes that I saw when I visited Colette boutique in Paris last spring. Here is the progression:

have yourself a jovovich-hawk holiday

2007-12-17T10:17:00.000-08:00

Last year, it was positively impossible to get your hands on a jovovich-hawk creation in New York unless you were invited to the trunk show. Now the stuff is everywhere, including www.shopbop.com. Even ebay has styles for 1/3 of the price. I couldn't be happier.

Their aesthetic is so close to my own that if I were to design clothes, my creations would just melt into a jovovich-hawkness. If you could populate your closet with only one designer's product, whose would it be? Keep in mind your lifestyle and the clothes you would want to wear daily. What I mean to say is, don't choose soley on who makes a great party dress.

i sure do

2007-09-06T18:16:00.000-07:00

"Admit It. You Love It. It Matters.
Guy Trebay
New York Magazine
September 2, 2007

DEPENDING on who is doing the talking, fashion is bourgeois, girly, unfeminist, conformist, elitist, frivolous, anti-intellectual and a cultural stepchild barely worth the attention paid to even the most minor arts.

WE ARE WHAT WE WEAR Some people forget that we are saying something about ourselves every time we get dressed, whether at home or at a London show, above, in 2006.

With Fashion Week beginning in New York on Tuesday — the start of a twice-yearly, monthlong cycle of designer presentations on two continents and in four cities that will showcase hundreds of individual designers — it is worth asking why fashion remains the most culturally potent force that everyone loves to deride.

“Everyone” is not here intended to imply the deeply initiated, those pixie-dust people for whom the shape of a dress or the cut of a sleeve is a major event. There is certainly a place for those types, whether they are cuckoos like the late fashion editor Diana Vreeland (who once wrote, “I’m told it’s not in good taste to wear blackamoors anymore, but I think I’ll revive them”), or extravagant mythomaniacs like John Galliano, the Dior designer — who plays a pirate one season, a gypsy the next — or even the young celebrity brand pimps who would probably be offering paparazzi a lot more gratuitous crotch shots if designers didn’t provide them with free clothes.

No, everyone means the rest of us, those who scorn fashion outright and those who don’t but who nevertheless have the uneasy sense that this compelling world of surfaces and self-presentation is unworthy of regard.

“There is this suggestion that fashion is not an art form or a cultural form, but a form of vanity and consumerism,” said Elaine Showalter, the feminist literary critic and a professor emeritus at Princeton. And those, Ms. Showalter added, are dimensions of culture that “intelligent and serious” people are expected to scorn.

Particularly in academia, where bodies are just carts for hauling around brains, the thrill and social play and complex masquerade of fashion is “very much denigrated,” Ms. Showalter said. “The academic uniform has some variations,” she said, “but basically is intended to make you look like you’re not paying attention to fashion, and not vain, and not interested in it, God forbid.”

When Valerie Steele, the director of the museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, declared an interest at Yale graduate school in pursuing the history of fashion, colleagues were horror-struck. “I was amazed at how much hostility was directed at me,” Ms. Steele said. “The intellectuals thought it was unspeakable, despicable, everything but vain and sinful,” she added. She might as well have joined a satanic cult.

And that, substantially, is how a person still is looked at who happens to mention in serious company an interest in reading, say, Vogue.

“I hate it,” Miuccia Prada once remarked to me about fashion, in a conversation during which we mutually confessed to unease at being compelled by a subject so patently superficial.

“Of course, I love it also,” Ms. Prada added, and her reason said a lot about why fashion is a subject no one should be ashamed to take seriously. “Even when people don’t have anything,” Ms. Prada said, “they have their bodies and their clothes.”

They have their identities, that is, assembled during the profound daily ritual of clothing oneself; they have, as Colette once remarked, their civilizing masks. And yet, despite its potential as a tool for analyzing culture, history, politics and creative expression; as a form of descriptive shorthand used through all of written history (including the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran); as a social delight, fashion is just as often used as a weapon, a club wielded by those who forget that we are saying something about ourselves every time we get dressed — not infrequently things that fail to convey the whole truth.

Why else was Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign moved to attack the fashion critic of The Washington Post for attempting to read the candidate’s clothes? The editorial blitz that followed Senator Clinton’s outraged response to some blameless observations about a slight show of cleavage on the Senate floor was instructive, as was Mrs. Clinton’s summoning up of feminist cant about the sexism of focusing on what a woman wears to the exclusion of her ideas.

But clothes are ideas; to use a fashionism — Hello! Scholars like the art historian Anne Hollander have spent decades laying out the way that costume serves to billboard the self. One would have thought that few people understand this truth as well as the woman occasionally known as Hairband Hillary, who, after all, assiduously recast her image from that of demure and wifely second-banana to power-suited policy wonk, dressed to go forth and lead the free world.

Politicians are far from the only people who act as though the concerns of fashion are beneath consideration. When the Italian film legend Michelangelo Antonioni died recently, film critics and obituary writers went into raptures about his classic “L’Avventura,” a movie few people outside of cinema studies classes are likely, at this point, to have seen. Some remarked that the Antonioni of that early film had already begun losing his edge by the time he detoured into films like “Blowup,” whose plot revolves around the fashion world.

Never mind that “L’Avventura” is a sharply stylish movie and that in Antonioni’s hands wardrobe does the work dialogue would for more talk-prone directors. Absent plot, clothes are used by Antonioni to frame the mood of upper-class anomie and to make graphically his distaste for the Italian neorealists, who all seemed to have costumed their movies using the same set of Anna Magnani’s hand-me-downs.

Like most Italians then and now, Antonioni had a sympathy for the role clothes play in human theater. And while “Blowup” is set in a fashion (or “mod”) milieu, it is less about fashion, really, than about an accidentally photographed murder and the instability of what is seen and known. Even 40 years on, the film’s surfaces remain so stylishly assured and so cool they automatically arouse intellectual suspicion. Trusting in appearances, Antonioni always seemed to suggest, may be a losing proposition.

But investing in them, as Ms. Steele said, can be far worse.

“In our deeply Puritan culture, to care about appearance is like trying to be better than you really are, morally wrong,” she said.

It is to be driven by the dictates of desires and not needs. And yet the appetite for change so essential to fashion is a more culturally dynamic force than is generally imagined. Luxury, and not necessity, may be the true mother of invention, as the writer Henry Petroski observed. This proposition is an easier sell when the luxury in question is an iPhone, and not a Balenciaga handbag, but the same principles hold.

In places like Silicon Valley the quest for newer and better stuff results in technology patents, a clear measure of economic robustness. Fashion innovations may be harder to patent or track, but it seems obvious that huge sectors of the New York City economy would churn to a halt if all the Project Runway types suddenly stopped migrating here in the belief that the world could be changed by the sort of innovation inherent in how a garment is cut.

“Fashion is so easy to hate,” said Elizabeth Currid, a professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Policy, Planning and Development and the author of “The Warhol Economy: How Fashion, Art and Music Drive New York City” (Princeton University Press).

“Cultural industries like fashion are sometimes seen as something only the skinny girls in high school think about,” said Ms. Currid — and less often as a fascinating field for cultural study and also the bill-payers keeping thousands of seamstresses, cutters, pattern makers, truckers, real estate brokers and publicity hacks employed.

Analyzing Bureau of Labor statistics, Ms. Currid arrived at the not-altogether-startling conclusion that the densest concentration of fashion designers in the United States is in New York. A glance at the roster of foreign designers showing at New York Fashion Week, Sept. 4 through 12 — Russia, Turkey, India and Brazil are represented — suggests a good reason for that.

“Even if, on some level, fashion is fantasy, the concentration of events that go into producing it and the resulting social spillover,” as Ms. Currid said, can result in a huge cumulative economic advantage for a city. While the seasonal shows in the tents in Bryant Park, with their enforced passivity and aura of feminine spectatorship, lend themselves to derision, enforcing the sense that all those fops and dandies and flibbertigibbets, all the socialite geishas and second-rate celebrities and editorial priestesses are little more than idlers and dupes, big business goes on. Odds are that the same journals whose critics score easy points off fashion are economically propped up by the life-support provided by advertising for dresses and bags and shoes.

One of the most startling findings of her research, Ms. Currid said, was how powerful something as superficial, girly, bourgeois, unfeminist, conformist, elitist and frivolous as fashion can be in creating the intangible allure that attracts money, talent, beauty and enterprise to cities.

“How does one place make itself different from another in a world where there’s a Starbucks on every corner?” she asked. “People have to believe that this is the place to be.” Fashion has that effect. "

woodbury commons: the good, the bad and the ugly

2007-08-24T06:23:00.000-07:00

The good, a Prada/Miu Miu outlet that rivals the one in Florence. Everything just about 70% off:
Parrot dress!

Green silky feathers!

Well discounted feather hats!

Rock your inner peacock!

The Bad, a YSL dress at 90% off that still costs $2,000. You do the math for the original price:

The ugly were Chanel and Dior. Woodbury Commons has the only Chanel outlet in the world. It is nothing to write home about. It is full of Chanel wet suits and ski suits, although you can find a cardigan here and there. The Dior outlet was a Russian heiress' dream closet. Not my thing:

Best of Summer

2007-08-21T04:58:00.001-07:00

Chain handbags, white keds, pattern scarves:

Doc Martens, need I say more?:

Nautical with a twist:

Wayfarers everywhere, and more patterned scarves

Handkerchief dress, big sunglasses, and the perfect sandal:

Photos by Peter Miszuk for Elle.com

people upholstery

2007-07-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

I wasn't searching for it, but I came across a dress made up of fabric that is not meant to adorn a person. One look at it and I knew that it belonged on a couch or ottoman. I haven't seen this kind of fabric used in a while. And, in fact, it is made from recycled dresses by "Urban Renewal," a branch of Urban Outfitters that constructs modern shapes out of great vintage fabrics. They are a hit or miss but every once in a while you find a gem. And many of their pieces are on end of summer sale.

a semiprecious summer

2007-07-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

A big hurrah to the sartorialist's recent story "jewels of summer." A certain stylophile has just returned from bridesmaiding at a friend's wedding, jewel-toned dress and all. Rachel Zoe, of Hollywood fame (Nicole Richie's raisin faced ex-stylist), always puts jewel colors on pale girls. The juxtaposition of creamy white skin and jewel colored satin is certainly beguiling...

last 3 images from www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com

take it to the streets

2007-07-21T15:08:00.000-07:00

Recent sighting of SoHo street art

shhhhhhh

2007-07-15T02:54:00.000-07:00

Patient reader, please understand that I am incognito. It has something to do with libraries, books and final papers. Stylophiling takes a back seat when one only has the stacks for inspiration.

villa ooh la la

2007-07-15T01:55:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Valentino decked out Rome for a weekend of pretty girls in pretty dresses celebrating his 45th anniversary.

My favorite girl, Char Casiraghi was there, looking less photogenic than usual.

Actually, who am I kidding, I take that back. My only protest is that she has been looking a bit like the love child of Karl and Carine, but that's not such a bad thing, is it?

Bee was in attendance, with Anna Wintour's less photogenic progeny, Charlie, looking like a Victorian hobbit.

Sienna was there, looking....eh...shinny?

Since I'm being so catty, let me say something nice: the older gentlemen were very well turned out. They should have dropped all of their benefactresses off at the Spanish Steps and had a gladiator contest at the Colieseum, hopefully with lots of costume changes. Although, come to think of it, I don't think the world is ready for a shirtless, armor-clad Karl.

photos: Stefano Guindani, Billy Farrell and Patrick McMullan

nina ricci

2007-05-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

Ever since I layed my eyes on Reese Witherspoon's satin strapless yellow sheath dress, I have really loved Oliver Theyskens' collection for Nina Ricci. It is now available at Neiman Marcus. The whole collection is a jewel. It's really grown up, but the way that the clothing is constructed makes it look like it would sit well on someone with younger proportions. It is all in black, white and yellow. I can't repeat enough times how perfect it is. Take a look for yourselves.

marc jacobs anonymous

2007-05-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

Searching for gainful summer employment, I realized how badly I wanted to be a cool sales girl at a Marc Jacbobs' boutique. So I thought that I would give it a try and I wrote some of their people emails. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

...

Hello, My name is Alisa and I am a Marc Jacobs Addict.

"Welcome, Alisa. Please, go on..."

Yes, it's true. Do you know when an aesthetic gets under your skin so much so that you cannot distinguish it from your own? Well, that is what happened to me in the summer of 2003 when I found the perfect off-white, creamy cropped Marc Jacobs jacket on discount at Century 21. Let me back track a little bit. I was finished with my Sophomore year of college at Amherst, so glad to be back in New York, and recently dumped by my boyfriend. What was a girl to do? The obvious answer is to spend her rent on a jacket. That is just what I did and I have not regretted it for a single day. The jacket has seen me through numerous joys and disappointments. It, too, has stood it's ground through all of Marc's collections; from his luxe grunge to his lady-like sportswear chic, this jacket would fit in to any of those collections without looking like the odd duck out of water. It attests to the timelessness of Marc's vision. While the overall design is young, fresh and casual, the jacket would look just as beautiful hanging on the shoulders of an 18 year-old as an 80 year-old. It hides all of my flaws. When a friend tries it on, it will hide her flaws, although they will be quite different than mine. Slowly, more of Marc's influence made me aware of my addiction. His fragrances make me giddy, his accessories make me drool and his ubber cool life and friends and muses make me jealous. A week before the New York fashion shows Marc won me over for life. He put his merchandise on sale for 90% off (as if 70% off wasn't enough). If this is not charity, than I don't know what is (give me a break, I'm a student, for christ's sake). I can go on, about the burgundy buckle boots with the 4 inch heel that changed my life (and cost $150, thank you Marc). But I won't (not at too much length). Most importantly, owning things that are so beautiful make me feel ready to take on the world.

In my off-white jacket, I designed innovative clothing for dance and theater productions in college. I drapped them with very little experience (only later learning about Poiret's techinques) to astounding results. The Marc Jacob's jacket was constructed so beautifully and so logically that I looked at its seams at night for inspiration. In my burgundy boots, I stood in lines for fashion shows, getting several standing room tickets. I began writing about my experiences in a fashion blog and have an audience from around the world. Marc's clothing and accessories inspire very interesting lives, indeed. I would love to be part of the Marc Jacobs world. Please let me know if there is any need of a sales person in any of the New York boutiques. My passion for the stuff is real and I hope that you will give me a chance to prove myself. I want to make people as happy with their Marc Jacobs purchases as my purchases have made me. If you need any additional information, please feel free to contact me.

Yours Truly

...

Well, as they say, "here goes nothing."

If you had your choice of boutique to work in, which one would you choose and why?

the fashionable himalayas

2007-05-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

This month's American Elle features Nepal in its monthly travel section. Also, the Indian magazine, Verve, had an article about travelling through Sikkim, the small Indian state that borders Nepal and Tibet.

The beautiful Sushama Reddy, in Sikkim, wearing traditional Himalayan Dhaka fabric clothing and 24 K gold jewelry:

extra extra

2007-05-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

Now that the Green movement has really gained some momentum, there are some lovely clothing choices available for even the most hardcore fashionista. What does this mean? Basically that being an environmentalist doesn't mean that you have to parade around in an unshapely hemp sack. Everyone should care about leaving a lighter footprint on the earth. We know that "the simple act of growing and harvesting the one pound of cotton fiber needed to make a T-shirt takes an enormous toll on the earth’s air, water, and soil, and has significant impacts on the health of people in cotton growing areas.".
Well, I am happy to report that the pricey and chic brand Loomstate is being sold at the Filene's Basement in Chelsea at a phenomenal markdown. Jeans made from 100% organic cotton that were $150 are now $35. They have beautiful purple polka-dotted linings and really interesting recycled buttons. My favorite detail? They come with a tag made from recycled paper that has seeds in it. Just put the tag in some dirt and they seeds sprout. Definitely check out Filene's if you are anywhere in New York.

rags and riches

2007-05-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

There are so many beautiful things in Kathmandu juxtaposed with so many destitute people. There are beautiful people, too, of course. My job as an aesthete is to highlight everything that makes me eyes widen in delight. And so, here you have it, a shopping tour of Kathmandu:

1. beads!

2. funky silver jewelry!

3. pashminas!

4. glittery stones!

5. the most vibrant colors and lively patterns your eyes have ever spied!

6. lovely Hindu and Buddhist sculptures!

roof of the world

2007-04-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

From atop my little room on the small square in the old city, Patan, I have pigeons for neighbors. I hear all sorts of sounds at all times of the night and day: dogs fighting, priests chanting, women haggling, crows cawing, bells ringing, cows mooing. My eyes are accosted with fabrics and dyes every two seconds.

Today I picked out a salwar kameez. I have noticed all sorts of styles of pants that the women here wear. Right now it seems that very tight pants that are scrunched on the bottom are in style. They remind me of the way that our skinny jeans tend to sometimes stack on the bottom. The older style of wide-legged pants is also popular. Pashminas and scarves are draped in different ways. I will make sure to record them all. I think it is a little funny that it is improper to show bare arms and wear skirts that reveal the knee but stomach revealing saris are perfectly acceptable.

I am going on a 7-8 day trek to the base camp of Mount Everest tomorrow. I promise to start where I left off when I return. Maybe I will post a few pictures of yaks. I hope I survive.

Dries Van Noten

2007-04-05T14:29:00.000-07:00

A peak inside the Dries Van Noten store on the Left Bank.

After a two night sojourn in Muscat, Oman I am finally in Kathmandu. I am staying in a hotel in Patan Darbar Square. The altitude of my small apartment makes me feel like I am sleeping amongst the gods. Internet is sporadic, so please bear with me.

au revoir paris

2007-04-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

Here is my baby cousin polishing off a steak and potatoes au gratin next to the Dries Van Noten store on the Left Bank. We are both sad to be leaving tomorrow and tired from walked for 10 hours straight yesterday.

high end low end and vice versa

2007-04-04T23:22:00.000-07:00

I never pay much attention to sneakers although I know that there is a serious high end sneaker culture in most of Europe. At Colette I was blown away by the most intricately painted Converses. If I had 250 euros on hand, they would have been gone on the fox and rabbit Converses below or the ones with an oversized meticulously painted grasshopper. So beautiful. I satisfied myself with some technicolor macaroons instead.

A stone's throw away from Montmartre, I wandered through a neighborhood with discounted clothing and shoe stores. There I saw the most audacious hooker shoes, for some very unreal prices.

my humps: gaultier's lessons

2007-04-03T08:17:00.001-07:00

Bonjour mes amis!
I am in Paris, safe and sound after airplane delays and a broken ATM card. Today I happily stumbled upon Jean Paul Gaultier's costume design for Regine Chopinot's performance peice, "Le Defile" at the Musee de la Mode et du Textile. Here are some notes:
1. Alexander McQueen, eat your heart out. Body morphing creations were alive and well in the 80's. And I don't just mean shoulder pads.
2. Tutus can be worn anywhere.
3. Grandmothers are hot. So are babies.
4. Erogenous zones and animals have more in common than you think.
5. Wear your sexuality on your sleeve. Literally.
6. Dance is much better when the costume designer is Gaultier.
7. I'm going to get a crepe and cafe creme. au revoir!

two weeks til kathmandu

2007-03-27T13:42:00.000-07:00

I am trying to deal with the challenge of packing for both Paris and Kathmandu. This outfit doesn't show too much skin and has red in it (red signifies luck in Nepal and many other Asian countries; in fact, Nepali brides wear red saris on their big day), yet it is chic and comfortable. I am trying to incorporate a lot of red into my wardrobe for the next month. I also need to be careful about wearing just white or beige (as these are mourning colors in Nepal and India). I am digging through my closet for everything folky and festive. This skirt is great. It is high waisted wool, has a nice swing to it and is decorated with happy paisley throughout.

spring

2007-03-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

Today is the day! The first day of spring, finally. Here is my favorite image from The Sartorialist to help us get into the swing of things.

la double vie de veronique

2007-03-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

I first heard about "The Double Life of Veronique" through New York Magazine; the Fall 2007 Rodarte gift bag contained a DVD of the 1991 Kieslowski film. I finished watching it last night after moving it to the top of my Netflix queue. I couldn't stop thinking about what a lovely film it was and I became nostalgic for the film classes that I took during my undergraduate days.

The film stars Irene Jacob, winner of the Cannes 1991 Best Actress award for her performance as Veronique and Veronika. Born at the same time 20 years ago in Poland and France; Veronique and Veronika are identical in every way, yet share neither mother nor father. They grow up to lead eerily similar lives and both have the feeling that they are not alone. The movie shows the auteur as voyeur, with Kieslowski at his best, coddling the lovely Irene Jacobs with his camera as she wanders breathlessly and dreamingly through Krakow and Paris. Both Veronique and Veronika are aware of their beauty yet they navigate their respective worlds in a child-like way, removed from the everyday. They are so conscious of it that the world around them molds into an aesthetic ideal. Their presence lends a magical tinge to the most common of situations, as if they are the characters in a story book. Perhaps the movie is similar to "Amelie" in some ways yet more despondent. It has an evanescence and seductiveness and that makes "Amelie" look like the saccharine cute-fest that it is.

If you didn't need more reason to see the movie, here are some stills. Couldn't you just stare at Irene Jacob the whole day?

dreaming on a winter's day

2007-03-18T06:14:00.001-07:00

Two days ago, New York was hit with a blistery snow storm after a week of Spring-like weather. The first day of Spring is on the 21st and I had a hard time reconciling this last bit of wintry unpleasantness. I really couldn't bear the thought of going outside. So yesterday I decided to play dress-up and day dream of warmer times. After trying on my Prada loot, I remembered that I promised to write about the outlet in Montevarchi.
I was too overwhelmed to take pictures near or inside the outlet because I told the cab driver that 1.5 hours would be enough for me. Suffice to say, I was off by about an hour. The outlet was pristine. A machine dispenses a piece of paper with a number on it. This number is used to identify you within the store. It is necessary because you are not allowed to carry around the wares. Instead, once you try something on, a salesperson puts it away for you. The train ride was about 30 minutes from Florence. It is the local train from Florence to Rome. It was only about 8 euros. The cab ride to and from the outlet was 24 euros; there are always cabs waiting outside the station. The outlet sells Prada, Miu Miu, Jil Sander and Driving Shoes. The outlet has clearances, so my Prada ankle length wool and fur coat was 350 euros marked down from 500 euros. I can only guess how much it must have been originally. I bet I found it for about 80% off.

I still haven't had an occassion to wear the coat. I'm afraid it's too light for this weather. And in three weeks the only coat I'll be wearing is my Mountain Hard Wear hiking fleece along with my new boots (that I will be diligently breaking in starting now!)

the new yorker does it up in style

2007-03-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

I always await The New Yorker's Style Issue with bated breath. It offers a refreshing perspective on some of what's going on in fashion. The tone of the articles is quite different than what you find in fashion magazines; there are limited pictures and it is designed for an older and less connected audience . I have not finished the whole issue yet, but three wonderful articles that I got through on my commute today were:

"Dressin' Texan"--A story about what oil money can get you in Neiman Marcus, and the women who have closets ten times bigger than my apartment. A snippet of a conversation between a stylish woman and her personal shopper goes a little like this: "'Can you send it to me? Because I have to keep moving.' The 'it' was a delicate pale-pink linen Andrew Gn A-line coat with silver leather paillettes ($2,700), which would join other 'it's' being speedily dispatched to the woman's house: a Roberto Cavalli top made of paper-thin leather so distressed that is looks like crumpled paper ('Fabulous for the South of France at night, right?'; $3,460), a black Dolce & Gabbana duchess satin coat with a ruffled leopard lining ('How cute for the boat!'; $3,010), and a white Armani shirt with vertical seaming in front and back, because you can never have enough white shirts ('They go to the dry cleaner's three times and it's goodbye'; $450)."

"This Old Thing?"--A retrospect on how Cameron Silver started the vintage craze in Hollywood with his boutique called "Decades" and "Decadestwo." Right now, he senses a big Lacroix moment.

"In The Now"--By far, my favorite...a profile of Kaiser Karl. I still remember the wonderful article that The New Yorker did on Hedi Slimane. Karl Lagerfeld is described a crazed workaholic with little understanding of the outside world except for his forays into Colette's record, book and magazine collection. He goes through assistants like I go through packs of gum, he calls models fat ("I eat next to nothing," he says in his best-seller, "The Karl Lagerfeld Diet"), and he owns mansions that he never visits and suits he never wears. At the same time, he is a prolific designer with his own label, Chanel and Fendi.

"Lagerfeld's devotion to fashion also has an intellectual dimension. He is fascinated by the manner in which clothes reflect the times and attitudes of their wearers. He mentions a project conceived by Albert Kahn, an eccentric banker who lived in Paris at the turn of the twentieth century. Kahn hoped to construct 'Archives of the Planet,' and to that end dispatched photographers and filmmakers around the world to document, essentially, everything. At one point, according to Lagerfeld, Kahn set up a movie camera on a Paris street corner, and every day for ten years filmed people walking by. 'You see the houses, you see the cars--and there were few changes in tens yeras,' says Lagerfeld, who has viewed the footage. 'The cars changed not that much. The architecture changed not at all. But the attitude of the people changed much more, in the way they walked, in the way they dressed. So don't tell me fashion is not important."

mj does rehab

2007-03-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

Marc Jacobs recently checked himself into rehab in Arizona. And we all thought that the recent weight loss was due to a healthy diet and exercise. Nope. MJ took part in the Coke Cleanse, the lesser known version of the Master Cleanse where you replace the concoction of water/cayenne pepper/maple syrup/lemon with large amounts of cocaine. This is merely an opinion and is in no way meant to criticize Marc Jacobs, LVMH or Arizona. I think rehab is becoming the new black.

Pic from Popsugar

rainbow brite

2007-03-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

from left: Pierre Hardy, Fendi, Balenciaga.

All from Candy Pratts Price fall's top picks

kiss me kate

2007-03-07T10:37:00.000-08:00

Photo: Thornton / Baggoo / INFGoff.com

Just...lovely.

According to Laird Borelli of Style.com, Kate will be speaking in the new Rimmel ads. Her line? "Get the London look." Don't mind if I do, Kate. Don't mind if I do.

who's the vain one now?

2007-03-06T10:47:00.000-08:00

I was recently told that "fashion is architecture's vain little sister." Well, perhaps Architecture has been setting the Narcissistic example all along. I was floored by the interior of the Longchamp store in SoHo, designed by Thomas Heatherwick. The store houses a three-story staircase, made from 55 tons of hot-rolled steel with acrylic-like panels based on aerospace windshields hanging from the handrails. Thanks to Wired and Tim McKeough for the information. Photo by David S. Allee.

This almost makes Viktor & Rolf and Balenciaga look tame. Almost.

from Balenciaga's Spring 2007 collection

scarves 'r us

2007-03-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

Why is it that Parisiennes can tie a scarf like no one else? Is it genetic? Do they learn in grade school? And most importantly, can I take an accelerated course in 24 days? I am excited to be going to Paris so soon, but all of the pictures of the ultra-chic denizens buzzing around the shows in Paris are giving me performance anxiety. I think Susie might agree with me.

All photos are from The Sartorialist's time in Paris during the fall collections.

Right after Paris, I am making my way over to Kathmandu, where I imagine there will be pashminas drapped "just so" around the shoulders of many a woman. I can't wait to take some photos. It will be a fun comparison, I think.

intermix sale

2007-03-03T12:06:00.001-08:00

Look at what New York boutique has graced us with their end of season sale. Although I got there on the first day, the deals were just not that great. The hat that I bought from them online was the same price; no further discounts. There was a lot of stock, but another downside was that it felt a little like a cattle ranch. Take a look to see if you agree. I was very disappointed.

The blond saleswoman looked great decked out in the season's red plaid:

There will be more Italy posts to follow, but right now I am reveling in being back in New York.