There aren't many big waves in Brooklyn, but that don't bother the guys at surf store Mollusk none. The store, whose signature t-shirt line is heavily featured in this month's Paper magazine, is throwing a summertime deck party in honor of visiting Malibu surfer brahs, Chad and Trace Marshall. Taking place this Thursday, July 24, with "cupped beverage service" kicking off at 7.30PM, the open-door party features a screening of George Greenough's newly re-issued 1968 landmark epic, "Innermost Limits of Pure Fun", starting at dusk. (Greenough is a surfing legend known for taking cameras "on-board". He financed the making of "Pure Fun" entirely from the proceeds of his fishing business.) Mollusk, 210 Kent Ave. (corner of Metro and River Street), Brooklyn, New York 11211, Tel: 718-218-7456.
Buy "Innermost Limits of Pure Fun" on DVD here.
Eric Niccoli of Orthodox closed out the ENK Menswear shows, showcasing a series of sleek designs that brought the street to the suit.
Plaid prints, pointy oxfords and layered henleys in muted tones and patterns populated the runway in a short and sweet Spring/Summer 09 show that mixed classic and trendy, combining pieces that can be worn both now and forever. Jeans were updated with slanted oversized pockets and the classic briefcase was upgraded to a square laptop-size shoulder bag in nylon fabric with metallic blue hue.
Overall, the looks toed the line between catwalk and sidewalk, with a fresh look that was both stylish and effortless.
Some people like it dirty—and fashion designer Andrew Buckler of Buckler is one of them.
His Spring/Summer '09 collection, showcased at the ENK Menswear shows at Pier 92 in Manhattan this week, was a daring knight's tale that merged old world influence with street edge.
The models (including "Make Me a Supermodel" Season 1 alum Dominic Prietto) looked like they'd stepped straight out of a medieval joust, and were covered in dirt, grease and tattoos.
Sporting shield-inspired vests, ridged headpieces and slouchy knits in a grey scale color palette, with a few pops of bright orange and blue, Buckler transformed his band of pretty boy rockers in to ready-for-battle heroes.
Doormen—like abused pitbulls and parking inspectors, they wield a level of power that is, all too often, entirely unrelated to their level of intelligence.
You can squeeze inside the tiny mind of the door 'tard in "The Doorman", a new Gigantic Pictures mockumentary based on the life and times of fictional doorman Trevor W., the most powerful clipboard holder and biggest ego in New York. Until he loses his job, that is.
The movie stars the Borat-like Lucas Akoskin, with cameos by Peter Bogdanovitch, nightlife entrepreneur Amy Sacco and "Queer Eye" interior designer Thom Filicia, who sagely reminds the brashly-attired Trevor that "straight guys don't wear turquoise."
The Doorman premieres in New York City on July 18. Here for details.
Problem: You lust after Kat Von D, and dream of getting a Chinese Dragon half sleeve—but you're a Catholic Bishop. How can you possibly indulge your secret tattoo fantasy without being excommunicated? Solution: Easy—visit Scott Campbell's Brooklyn tattoo shop Saved, which is laser etching full back pieces on to Mac laptops. The process costs $200, and you can use one of Campbell's designs or choose one by Mike Giant, Irak and others. You don't have to live in New York to give your Mac a tattoo face lift either. Choose one of the designs from their website and they can ship you a beautifully-etched Mac screen which you can then have (professionally) attached to your keyboard. (They do work with PC's too, but you have to physically bring those in to the store.) And when the Pope asks why your computer looks so divine...tell him it was a miracle. Call the shop for details (718 486 0850) or visit www.mamatried.com.
Giveaway, and cute couple alert: Bishop of Seventh
When Chachi Prasad and his wife Karam Kim launched their premium denim line, they named it Bishop of Seventh, in honor of the place their cut their teeth in the fashion industry—namely New York’s Seventh Avenue. Then they packed their bags for L.A.
“We wanted to be around all the big boys in Los Angeles,” says Prasad, referring to major denim brands—J Brand, Seven for all Mankind, Rock and Republic, Paige Premium and others—which are mainly based in L.A., America’s denim capital.
Prasad and his wife had spent their careers on Seventh Avenue, working as designers for high-fashion brands like Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta, Donna Karan and Michael Kors. Overnight, they found themselves in the wash houses and denim mills of Downtown L.A., coming up with their own, innovative denim treatments in an already competitive jeans market. “We weren’t really denim people before we started out, so it helped that there was a bunch of chemical engineers in my family,” says Prasad. “That gave me some cool ideas.”
They experimented, putting golf balls and pennies in dryers, and coming up with ways to soften their fabrics with minimal use of chemicals. This was around 2005, at the peak of the premium denim game. Prasad went against the grain, favoring raw, tailored denims and clean rinses rather than the embellished, super-distressed looks that were en vogue at the time. “I felt like we were ahead of our time,’ said Prasad, and he’s right—look around today and it’s all about raw denim, tailoring and minimalism.
Sensing that the premium denim explosion was about to plateau, Bishop decided to expand its focus and throw trousers into the mix (Seven For All Mankind, Joe’s Jeans and Paige Premium Denim have since all launched trouser lines). BofS trousers are engineered, with a twisted seam to elongate the leg and a rayon yarn that “wraps around a woman’s body really well,” says Prasad (He sent me a pair and yes, they do add an inch or two to my tiny frame). “Our trousers have a great price point too," points out Prasad, "especially compared with an Armani trouser for example."
Bishop of Seventh donates a portion of all profits to the charity Earth Rights International, which watches over human rights and environmental abuse by major corporations. (Earth Rights is currently pursuing Chevron for apparently hiring paramilitaries in Burma to oust people from their villages to make way for a pipeline). And for extra feel-good factor, their 35th Street Jean was actually blessed by a monk at a Tibetan Temple in Long Beach (where Prasad and his wife were married). “He performed a ceremony that was 30 minutes long, blessing the jeans for health, happiness and prosperity. Then he told us that we have a good, long journey ahead of us with this company. And so we keep going forward.” Bishop of Seventh is gifting one Stylephile reader a pair of its 7th Ave jeans in Carbon Grey, plus a Christopher trouser in Black Gabardine (with a combined retail value of around $420).
To win, tell us what your favorite charity is, and why. Most compelling response wins! Leave your answers in the comments section of the post, being sure to include your email address so we can reach you. Deadline is Wednesday June 25, at 5PM.
Working class aesthetic, bougie prices: denim by Earnest Sewn
For a company that makes no bones about its infatuation with the American working class aesthetic, Earnest Sewn Denim offers some pretty swanky jeans. With custom pairs selling for a few hundred dollars a piece, it’s hard to imagine Midwestern farmers and big-rig truck drivers shelling out a month’s wages for these denim threads, but it’s clear that those aren’t the Americans that Earnest Sewn is catering to. The upscale line offers clients the opportunity to customize nearly every component of their jeans, from the buttons to the cut to the crucial pocket lining.
Patrons of the spacious New York concept store can while the time away dinking espresso from the coffee bar or trying on a new pair of Repetto Zizi’s (the lifelong shoe of choice for French pop auteur Serge Gainsbourg). The store doubles as a work shop and the staff prepares all of the custom jeans in-house.
Though the DIY jeans customization is Earnest Sewn’s bread and butter, the company offers a broad range of pre-designed options for men and women that make it easy for non-New Yorkers to get their denim fix. For men, the slim Iggy fit jean in jet black stands out as one of the better style choices, eschewing the acid-washed, baggy look for a tight fit that’s a bit more sleek and understated than Earnest Sewn’s typical designs. Currently, the store’s website doesn’t allow you to design custom pants online, and phoning in an order can be rather tedious, so customers anxious to indulge in the full Earnest Sewn experience must make the trip out to Gotham.
(On a Gainsbourg-related musical tangent, aficionados should check out the recently issued “Cannabis” soundtrack featuring some wonderful music written by Serge and “Melody Nelson” arranger Jean-Claude Vannier. Though not as revelatory or avant-garde as that 1971 magnum opus, “Cannabis” offers some pleasant, if subdued, classical cues and funky rock instrumentals.) Earnest Sewn, 821 Washington St., New York, NY, 10014. (212) 675 0553
The Oscars of U.S. fashion, the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards is where the hoitiest of the toitiest celebrate emerging and established fashion design. While this year's awards brought few surprises in terms of the winners (Francisco Costa of Calvin Klein in the womenswear category, Tom Ford for menswear, Tory Burch for accessories and Rodarte for best young designers), I did choke on my zero-carb kelp noodles at the sight of so many MC Hammer-style genie pants being worn by the fashionable guests. Ashley Olsen now registers on my pop culture radar after donning this sweet tuxedo-style bolero jacket and high-waisted baggy pants ensemble, perhaps in a nod to the late Yves Saint Laurent, who was famous for his "Le Smoking" tuxedo jacket for women. Ashley's look is simple, brave, and reminds us of waiters we made out with on summer vacations in Greece.
"Vogue" magazine's André Leon Talley showed up looking like Sinbad the Sailor's gay brother, with his sidekick, the night's MC Naomi Campbell, also opting for a very "One Thousand and One Nights" look. Yards away was Maggie Gyllenhaal in sandals and baggy silk pants, looking very "I Dream of Jeannie". No magic carpets or actual oil lamps were sighted.
Another great sale this weekend, on both coasts.
The Opening Ceremony sale begins this Friday, May 30th with 30-60% off selected items by edgy designers we love.
Among them are: Acne, Chloe for Opening Ceremony, Bless, Hussein Chalayan, Alexandre Herchcovitch, Mary Ping, Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, Nakkna, Marios Schwab, Loden Dager, Nom de Guerre, Jeremy Scott, Melissa Shoes, Nike, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, Topshop, Endovanera, Katy Rodriguez, Jasmine Shokrian, Wren, Suh-Tahn, Grey Ant and, of course, Opening Ceremony. Opening Ceremony New York is located at 35 Howard St., New York, NY 10013. Tel 212-219-2688
Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 11-8pm and Sundays 12-7pm
Opening Ceremony Los Angeles is located at 451 North La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90048. Tel 310-652-1120. Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 11-7pm and Sundays 12-7pm
www.openingceremony.us
(image from Proenza Schouler)
Harmony Korine at Creativity Now conference, this weekend
Creativity is a nebulous concept, one which will be thoroughly disseected (in the hippest manner possible) at this weekend's Creativity Now conference. Organized by Tokion, the über-forward style and design mag, the conference features panels like "Fashion: Young Designers" (curated by Alex Hawgood of "T", The New York Times' Style Magazine); "Contemporary Comedy" (moderated by "Arrested Development's" David Cross) and cutting-edge director Harmony Korine in conversation with skater Mark Gonzales. The conference takes place in New York on Saturday May 17 and Sunday May 18. Visit www.tokion.com/creativitynow to purchase tickets and to see the full schedule.
We hear that none other than that Vogue columnist André Leon Talley has purchased the cheeky New York Observer caricature parodying Vogue's controversial April 2008 cover. The original cover, which featured a bellowing LeBron James with model Gisele Bündchen, was branded racist by some. The cartoon, on the other hand, features a somewhat terrifying Anna Wintour and a rather fey-looking Condé Nast owner Si Newhouse in their place. Perhaps Leon Talley plans to gift the drawing to his boss this Christmas?
How Allure's editor-in-chief protects her summertime skin
Allure was the first major publication in America to devote itself solely to beauty, so it comes as no surprise that founding editor Linda Wells has the scoop on every skincare and sun tanning secret you could think of.
First and foremost, she doesn't trust the sun as far as she can throw it—she wears 85 SPF and adds anti-oxidant drops to her glass of Perrier before venturing out at midday. It may sound a little extreme, but she is BFFs with many of America's top dermatologists, and they all tell her the same thing: sun = danger.
I spoke to Wells today and she reminded me that melanoma is the fastest-growing cancer in America. That's right—frolicking on the beach without adequate SPF protection and relaxing in a tanning booth could land you in the radiologist’s office quicker than a daytrip to Chernobyl, if you're not careful. To highlight this sad reality, Allure magazine is hosting an exclusive art auction next week, with nude portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Scarlett Johansson, Gisele Bundchen and Kate Moss donated by some of the biggest photographers working today: Mert and Marcus, Annie Leibovitz, Michael Thompson, Steven Klein, Bert Stern, Reed Krakoff and Eve Arnold among them. The 2nd Annual ‘Most Alluring Bodies’ Exhibit takes place at Skylight in Manhattan, New York on May 7, and all proceeds from the silent auction will benefit NYU’s Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group and kick-off Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Ahead of the big event (which is invitation only), I snagged half an hour on the phone with Wells, and asked her opinion on tanning beds, SPF makeup, the best sunscreen and why so many of us think we're immune to the effects of the sun... Read it and weep, sun worshippers...
So why do you take such a strong interest in skin cancer?
Well, I have the palest skin in the entire United States of America. So I have always been really aware of skin cancer and of my responsibility. The statistics are so terrible—it is the fastest growing form of cancer in America, and the most common.
The statistics are out there...so why do we still like to bask in the sun like baby seals?
Many people feel their healthiest and most alive when they are out in the sun. But it’s also the situation when they are most at risk. And there's the aesthetics of the sun tan. I know I should bite my tongue, but I still think that suntans look good. But I don’t recommend them.
How does a woman’s awareness of sun damage change as she grows older?
Women in their teens and twenties are the ones most likely to marinade their bodies in baby oil while they sit outside during spring break or go in to tanning booths in the winter. They believe they are immune. When women reach their thirties, they realize they have to protect their skin because they don’t want to look older. The cancer connection comes much later.
Tanning beds, once and for all—are they or are they not safe?
I believe there are more tanning booths in the U.S. than there are Starbucks. The tanning companies say it’s safer to use a tanning bed than to go in the sun. It’s not safer. They bombard your body with UV light. You should not be in those things. It's like sitting in the doctor’s office smoking a cigarette. But don’t expect the tanning companies to tell you the dangers, however.
Having a deep Donatella Versace/George Hamilton permatan is tacky anyway, right?
In terms of fashion, I go to the shows in Europe and New York and very few top models have tans. A lot of them are from Eastern Europe and their skin has never been touched by the sun, and they have no visible pores at all. These women have no interest in getting a suntan.
What about SPF makeup...does it really protect us?
Here’s the problem with SPF makeup– you think you're fully covered, but you’re not. You don’t put it on all over your face; you don't put on enough to equal the coverage you would get from a sunscreen. Also, you don’t reapply it all day long. So it really creates a false sense of security. It’s great that makeup has SPF in it, but that’s not always enough. Luckily most self-respecting cosmetics companies have daytime moisturizers that have SPF 30. And when you go to the beach you should put on regular sunscreen of course.
How do you look after your skin?
I just got back from being on a boat in the Bahamas for four days and I took anti oxidant supplements, and I put anti oxidant drops in my water. I reapplied sun screen every hour. The anti oxidants tablets are called Heliocare and contain a fern extract. They really help protect your skin cells against damage from the sun. But I would never rely on those alone.
What about using chemical-free mineral sunscreens. Are they equally effective?
Mineral products are great but I don’t think there’s that much that’s terribly wrong with chemicals. If the natural product can do what the chemical can do, then terrific, but in all likelihood the natural product probably does contain at least some chemicals. Trust me, the disease is worse than the effort to prevent it.
What are the key things to know when you're buying sunscreen?
You want to pick a broad spectrum of sun protection. It’s not just the SPF. SPF protects against UVB rays. You also need to protect against UVA, which cause wrinkling and skin cancer. I love Neutrogena with Heliocare. They make one called "Dry Touch" that doesn’t make your face greasy at all. I was using SPF 85. I wouldn’t touch an SPF 8 or 15. Aveeno makes a really good one too.
What about self-tanning lotions?
I think self tanning is great. That’s a way of having your cake and eating it too. I do that sometimes, during the summer. If you get a self tan then you’re not going in the sun, but you have to be sure that the self tanner contains sunscreens. There’s new research that says that in the 24 hours after you have treated your skin with tanner, your skin is more vulnerable to sun damage, so people should be aware of that.
What’s the most interesting thing you've learned about sun tanning over the years?
I am always fascinated by the psychology of it, and why we persist in doing something that is unhealthy. It always comes down to that tension between vanity and health. If you can appeal to vanity and take care of health, then you’ve won the game, especially in terms of what we do as a magazine.
You don't need a billion dollars to be a Billion Dollar Babe—quite the contrary. RSVP for the Billion Dollar Babe Spring Sale in NYC this coming weekend, and you'll be set to save up to 80% off on designer threads by the likes of Marcello Toshi, Kate and Kass, Dolce and Gabbana, Tibi, Oliver Peoples eyewear and many more. The sale officially opens Saturday April 26 at 9am, or there's a VIP preview sale the day before. Visit their website to find out how you can get in early!
The sale tales place at The Altman Building, 135 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011.
Face it, Repetto girl—the shelves at Payless are covered in ballet flats yet again, a sure sign it's time to move on to new footwear pastures. But where to go? Jazz, of course! 1940s jazz footwear is popping up in all the right places, and I'm loving these two flat styles by Kelly Clark of NYC label Keller.
(She doesn't make tap shoes just yet, but here's hoping...)
Check out the line here.
Drape it over the softest thing in the world (a Golden Retriever puppy).
What do you get? The cutest, most luxurious thing since Cottonelle ads.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has partnered up with Chopard to create an exclusive line of limited edition watches and pendants, with floating diamond paws incorporated in the designs. The creations will be exclusively available at Chopard’s Fifth Avenue boutique, with a percentage of sales benefitting the ASPCA. Chopard is also sponsoring the ASPCA's 11th Annual Bergh Ball fundraiser on April 17 at The Plaza Hotel in New York, where Isaac Mizrahi will MC and auction off a series of 'experiences', including lunch with Page Six gossip queen Cindy Adams and an exclusive dinner in your home prepared by Jean-Georges.
My tail's already wagging... Buy the collection at Chopard, 709 Madision Avenue, New York, NY 10021, Tel: 212 218 7222.
There's nothing quite as romantic as a candlelit dinner—but a candlelit art show? This weekend's forthcoming Dark Fair, a "subsersive and experimental miniature art fair" will take place in New York, without the use of any natural or electric light. How very Bram Stoker of them.
Eschewing the traditional head-ache inducing strip lighting, all artworks will be ulluminated through the use of candlelight, flashlights, oil lamps, glow in the dark, light sculpture, and batteries only. Dozens of American and international galleries will be represented, including Air de Paris from Paris, Galerie Guido W. Baudach from Berlin, Marianne Boesky Galleryfrom New York, and Karma International from Zurich. "In this cavernous underworld of exchange, visitors will experience art in completely new ways," say the organizers, who are the folks behind the Milwaukee International Art Fair.
Even if you're scared of the dark, you should consider going—fashion designer Benjamin Cho, supermodel Erin Wasson and United Bamboo will also be presenting a fashion show at the event. Runway + models + pitch dark = comedy.
Oh, and don't forget to check out the gramophone DJ. The event takes place at the Swiss Institute / Contemporary Art, 495 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10012. Tel: 212.925.2035. Dark Fair hours are Friday, March 28 from 6pm to 12am, and Saturday March 29 from 12pm to 9pm.
When you hear the word "Acne", many things may spring to mind—overactive sebaceous glands, teenage kicks and cheap cover-up, for starters. But you probably don't think of jeans—unless you're already a fan of Acne Jeans, the Swedish denim brand whose U.S. invasion puts ABBA's to shame. Founded in Stockholm in 1996, Acne started out as a brand consultancy. In 1997 they designed one hundred pairs of jeans and distributed them to friends, family and clients. Soon after, stores and boutiques came knocking, asking to carry their raw denim with its trademark bright-red stitching. The first full Acne Jeans collection was launched in 1998, and they soon became known as the go-to brand for well-made, ultra-skinny denim. (As a Danish boutique owner told me not so long ago, "in northern Europe, skinny jeans were normal long before they became trendy here".) A pair of Acne jeans will set you back around $300, and a t-shirt around $100. In a collaboration with Opening Ceremony, Acne has just opened a store in New York, in the space formerly occupied by Cloak. The address is 10 Greene Street, New York, 10013. Tel: 212.625.2828. Hours are Monday - Saturday 11-7pm, and Sunday 12-7pm.
Oh, the horror: Michael Musto as Lindsay Lohan as Marilyn
Bringing us multiple layers of warpedness, Michael Musto, the Village Voice columnist who reputedly coined the term "celebutard", recreatesLindsay Lohan's "New York" magazine Marilyn Monroe spread—right down to the brassy yellow wig.
The resemblance is...horrifying wouldn't you say?
Linda Rodin, New York fashion stylist and editor, had become so disillusioned with traditional age defying creams (hear, hear!), she created her own personal elixir of youth. Now her RODIN olio lusso, a blend of eleven essential flower and botanical oils, is available for you to try too. We love that it is made from natural ingredients, including jasmine, apricot and rose hip seed. Plus it's good for boys to use as an aftershave.
Apply with a dropper morning and night for youthful, dewy results.
Fierce "Project Runway" giftbags for Stylephile readers
Last night, Project Runway's winning designer Christian Siriano picked up his check for $100,000 at the Project Runway Finale Party, hosted by TRESemmé and Tim Gunn at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York City. After seeing Christian's jawdropping show at New York Fashion Week in February, it was no surprise to me that he won.
I wasn't at the party, but I did convince the lovely folks at Project Runway to set aside ten of the party swagbags for the readers of the Stylephile. I know how much y'all love that show.
The first ten readers to comment to this post (don't forget to tell us your email address) will be sent a bag in the mail! Here's to Season Five!
We hear there's a new trend in home interiors—blessing them. Ceremonial artist and urban shaman Donna Henes has noticed an increase in requests for house and office blessings, and her publicists say it seems to be "the biggest shelter trend since Feng Shui, burying a St. Joseph’s statue, and "The Secret"."
Home sellers, home buyers and home makers are asking Donna, who is based in New York, to conduct ceremonies to welcome in new beginnings and clear the space with positive energy.
Donna’s ceremonies involve drumming circles, candlelight, spoken blessings, bells, sweeping brooms, rock crystals and something called "smudge".
For 18 years, Donna was sponsored by The Port Authority of New York to produce "Celestially Auspicious Occasions", including a Spring Equinox egg-standing ritual. Most recently, she was tapped to lead the
Village Halloween Parade as the official Grand Spirit Marshall. In 1982, she composed the first and only satellite peace message in space: "chants for peace * chance for peace." Henes maintains a ceremonial center, ritual practice and consultancy in Brooklyn called Mama Donna's Tea Garden and Healing Haven.
Even if you're not in New York—clearly, it's time to get blessed.
Rad Hourani, a Montreal-based stylist turned designer, calls himself an “anti-conformist”. Which adds up—he has had no formal fashion training, and works only in a palette of red and black, with the occasional splash of white. He showed his first collection in Paris last year, to some acclaim. And the memory of his New York show on Friday continues to haunt me. I can’t shake the sight of his army of un-dead models (including folk dancing supermodel Coco Rocha), with their deathly complexions and limp, poker straight hair. His designs were stark, industrial, and somewhat relentless, a dark and bloody, military parade of rectangular layered fabrics and leathers, pieced over each other, like futuristic Goth club armor. Most memorable was the jacket whose arms were affixed to the sides of the body—a straight-jacket for the fashion-conscious, if you will?
I applaud his mission and wondered—how far is he planning on taking this monochrome dirge? All the way to the bank, it seems—his website features new sections for eyewear, jewelry, shoes, bags, and perfume. Anti-conformist or not, Hourani knows the formula.
For women of a certain stature, the Judith Ripka temporary store in the tents at Bryant Park has provided a most agreeable pit-stop in between shows. Tucked in between the DHL mailing center and the LYCRA café, Judith Ripka’s space is dominated by a glass cabinet containing all manner of diamonds, white gold and stones the size of Jamaica. I popped in and said hello to the lovely young lady working there, and she kindly agreed to model some of their pieces for me. Pretty, right?
The Monaco ring is $14,000, the diamond bangle is $14,700, the diamond cuff is $12,500 and the earrings are $65,000.
Which is all in a day’s shopping, for some.
Standing in the check-in line for the Nanette Lepore show, I encountered a very sad-looking Italian security man. I asked him what was wrong. Someone had tossed out his kawfee, he told me. His friend over at the coffee bar had made his cappuccino perfectly, just how he likes it. He put it down on the check-in table for one second--and then it was gone. “I don’t need much,” he said in his heavy Hoboken accent. “I just need my kawfee in the morning.” He had a few pockmarks in his skin, dark hair slicked back and a heavy overcoat.
I saw him giving the evil eye to one of the check-in women. “It was her” he said. “She took my kawfee.” Then he launched into the most colorful list of expletives, explaining that she was on his hit list for the rest of fashion week. You don’t throw out an Italian’s morning coffee and expect not to pay for it. I offered him my Mocha Latte but he shook his head. He was inconsolable.
I was ushered on, where another security guard, older, with slightly thinning slicked-back salt and pepper hair, was keeping an eye on the crowd of guests. He pointed to the cup of Joe in my hand. “No kawfee in the tents, Miss.” Wow – another wise guy! He was stern, no-nonsense and magnificent. I tossed out my cup immediately and remembered Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” video. This guy, I realized, actually was Papa.
Inside the tents I noticed a hub of activity around front row. Around a dozen photographers were taking pictures of a magnificently busted, no-nonsense looking woman. She looked so familiar, and yet I couldn’t place her face. “Who is she?” I asked the paparazza next to me. “No idea,” she said, snapping away. Then the penny dropped—it was Lorraine Bracco. Star of "Goodfellas". Star of "The Sopranos". Mama mia.
I took a picture, sat back down, and savored the flavor of Little Italy.
Backstage, Brazilian fashion designer Alexandre Herchcovitch seemed like a perfectly normal, balanced kind of guy. But if you were to judge him by what he sent down the catwalk—an army of angular jet black looks followed by a series of Technicolor dream coats—you’d think him a raving schizophrenic. More simply put, this show was an experiment in color, rhythm and geometry. Not fashion.
The first segment of the show was where we saw him play with shape. A barrage of shadowy looks, seemingly made from the same sheet of shroud-like, coal-black fabric, showed his variations on the same theme. He’d shift an angle here, bundle the fabric there, slice out a shoulder or add a belt, stretching his creativity, always in a controlled and precise manner. Because the changes were so subtle, it was sometimes difficult to tell the difference between the pieces. Then—gasp—he started sneaking in color, his grim army marching on but giving us flashes of orange and blue in the linings.
And then—Green Tartan. Black Tartan. Green and Black Tartan in pretty, mini hourglass silhouettes. And a series of looks based on the same, Archer’s Target print, the lines of the simple, elliptical design perfectly tracing the contours of the models’ bodies.
I gotta tell you, like Lou Reed’s “Metal Machine Music”, this collection seemed simple enough in concept, but was surprisingly challenging to absorb. That’s because it was largely devoid of emotion. How very un-Brazilian of him. (Interestingly, the opening and closing soundtrack was by Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed's girlfriend).
But I’m sure that’s exactly how Herchcovitch meant it to be, because when he felt like making something appealing, he did. And of course, he nailed it. (This happened once for every four or five looks.)
He ended in the perfect note, transitioning through the color spectrum to peak at a perfect orange, presenting us with a sweet diaphanous mini dress the color of pure sunset. A snow-white ending would have been too obvious for Mr. Herchcovitch, I’m sure.
(PS: One of his models, Geanine Marques, was worryingly thin, with hollowed cheeks, stick thin arms and sunken features. I’m all for non-traditional beauty, but this girl just needs a sandwich. Apparently she’s been modeling for Herchcovitch since he started designing nearly twenty years ago, and is a singer. Listen for yourselves.)
Loden Dager brought new meaning to the term “church suit” when they staged their Fall/Winter show in a seminary on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
There were no hats, gloves or rosaries in the church, but we did see several male models slouching in stained glass windows, looking just how Catholic saints oughtta look—divine.
Loden Dager is a five-person design collective comprising two main designers, Oliver Helden and Paul Marlow, who decided to start the label while working together at Marc by Marc Jacobs. Within 24 hours of a very productive lunch, they found a backer, Melissa Vail, to take care of the business side of Loden Dager. Matthew Sandager takes care of graphic design and photography, and Alexander Galan looks after public relations. The name Loden Dager is a mix of their surnames.
And now, they are officially hot shit.
Winner of the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation award for new talent, they were featured in Paper magazine last month, are putting out a record by music makers The Great Lakes, and, in the ultimate hipster nod—one of the Blonde Redhead guitar twins was at the church party. Praise Jesus! In fact, Loden Dager are so of the moment, they have been guest blogging on “The Moment”, the New York Times' style blog.
Despite all this chatter, the show itself was, perfectly well-spoken. It was, I hear, less queer than their previous “fashion installations”, which have drawn inspiration from the transgender, cross-dressing and dyke communities. But color was still strong (the label uses custom-dyed fabrics only), and Loden Dager continues to provide us with intelligent, practical men’s looks that would fit just as well on a 1960s Parisian student protestor as they would on Al Pacino in “The Panic in Needle Park” (both of which are cited as influencing of the line).
At this moment, Loden Dager’s hot shit continues to steam.
These boots were made for walking—they belonged to original Beat Jack Kerouac, whose diet of red wine, peyote and cross-country road trips have inspired generations of seekers to hit the tar.
The shoes, along with various other Kerouac artifacts, are currently on display at the New York Public Library, as part of an exhibit called “Beatific Soul: Jack Kerouac On The Road”. For anyone with an interest in the Beats, it’s a must-see. (His wistful, scuffed work boots for a start—you can a lot about a person from their shoes, and these have “alcoholic Buddhist-Catholic iconoclast” written all over them.)
The first thing you are met with is a 50 foot long typescript scroll, the manuscript of "On The Road" typed on endless connected sheets of architectural paper, unfurled so that they travel along the length of the hall to create one long, uninterrupted “road” of prose. It is peppered with edits made by Kerouac himself—he substituted the word “fucking” with “balling” on several occasions, because of his publisher’s concerns about profanity. You’ll find original letters written between Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Neal Cassady, Herbert Hunke and Kerouac, in which they discuss the growing Beat revolution. (Herbert Huncke, a bisexual Times Square hustler, reluctant writer, junkie and Kinsey subject, had introduced Kerouac to the notion of “beat” as metaphysical condition in 1946...the photographs of Huncke, jaded, sunken and decayed, are truly moving.)
I love the profile photograph of Kerouac shot by Allen Ginsberg, the displays of Kerouac’s own paintings and sketches, and excerpts from his impassioned writings on Buddhism, which describe why he thought Zen was the Devil’s work. And then there are the candid photographs of Kerouac with his third wife Stella, taken shortly before his death in 1969 a from liver cirrhosis.
For those fashionistas currently in New York, the library (right next to the tents) really is a great place to hang out in between shows. Simply check in your heavy gift bags at the cloakroom (marvelous invention) take a stroll around the Kerouac exhibit, and visit the wonderful bookstore. Then make like you don’t have a Blackberry/iPhone and check your email at one of the computers on the third floor. Refuse the instinct to shun such vulgar communal practices and instead, feel those wood-paneled walls, absorb the learnedness...you’ll be rewarded with far more than your recommended daily dose of inspiration.
Beatific Soul: Jack Kerouac On The Road is at the New York Public Library’s Humanities and Social Sciences Library until February 24, and then again from March 1 – 16.
If Becky Stark was hosting a Rapunzel-themed tea party on the banks of the strawberry river, then she’d do well to pick Erin Fetherston as her stylist. Despite an all-black, dare we say Goth start, Fetherston’s Fall/Winter 08 collection (called “Love Sprung”) packed no further punches because, let’s face it, princesses don’t wear boxing gloves. The remainder of the show was an ethereally pretty, uber-girly haze of flowing floral silks, empire-waisted velvets and shiny satins worn with tights, ballet flats and Alice bands. Hair was long and romantic, adorned with floral headdresses and strategically placed ringlets. After a few minutes in Fetherston’s Femme Fairyland I started longing for some flannel shirts and work boots just to balance things out, but this was a one-way trip down Fetherston’s rabbit hole.
The standout piece was a floral print, empire-waist dress that was short in the front and then flared in to a long train in the back, perfect for wearing when traversing a looking glass.
Anne Hathaway, attired in Fetherston, was seated front row with her Prince Charming. Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe was a pretty little Tinkerbell in a silvery, shimmery one-shouldered Featherston creation.
While this collection probably won’t be remembered as one of her most innovative, everyone who was in Fetherston’s tent that day is sure to smell of roses for weeks to come.
(Fetherston recently launched a limited edition collection for Target)
You could have heard a pin drop during Friday’s Duckie Brown show, which was conducted in funereal silence throughout. It was an interesting move on their part, freeing up the audience’s senses and encouraging us to focus on just one thing—the clothes. Novel idea!
The show featured 21 largely somber, tailored looks in a palette of charcoal, onyx and storm cloud, with splashes of burgundy and green thrown in to lift the recessionary mood a little. This Fall/Winter 08 collection was considerably more muted than their Spring/Summer offerings, which featured floral prints, gaudy golds and canary yellow trench coats.
Despite the depressed mood (we’re at war, remember?), youthful splashes like Duckie Brown’s trademark oversized beanie hats, spangled shirts and reflective nylon windbreakers worn over suits, injected a baggy, collegiate insouciance in to what could have been an overly pessimistic collection.
Seated next to me was Celeste Harwell, an Associate Publisher at TIME Style and Design magazine. We agreed that the silence was golden, and enjoyed the gentle rustle of cameras shuttering as the models made their turns. “I love that sound,” purred Celeste. Being that I’m a New York Fashion Week ingénue, she pointed out who was seated front row. There was iconic fashion photographer (and former milliner) Bill Cunningham, whose “On The Street” column for the New York Times is required reading for anyone with stylish blood running through their veins. (I later spotted L.A.’s queen of celebrity style Rachel Zoe rightfully paying her respects. “I’m such a huge fan,” she gushed.) Seated next to Cunningham was the Washington Post’s fashion commentator Robin Givhan, whose no-nonsense take on politico style (tough beat!) earned her the Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 2006, a first for a fashion writer.
Click here to read Givhan’s take on what the election frontrunners are wearing, and why.
Genius move on the part of Alice + Olivia to locate their flagship boutique a mere stone’s throw from Bryant Park. On the first day of shows, I snuck out of the humid tents, dashed across the street in the pouring rain, and took advantage of their 65% off sale. (For those of you who happen to be in New York at present, the 65% off rack is on your right, as you walk in the store.) The sale assistant told me that during Fashion Week they do generally see an increase in foot traffic, although things had been a little slow “because of the rain”. Amazing how just a few droplets of water can scare the living daylights out of fashionistas and their hair do’s.
It’s their loss, as the black and white store features some fun details, like an enormous carved wooden throne doused in black gloss and huge ebony chandelier. Decorating the inside wall of one of the dressing room is a print of a man taking a pee against a wall. (Which is far less gross than it sounds.) Not to mention the clothes—when Alice + Olivia launched in 2002 at Barneys, the line was an instant success thanks to their super-flattering pants and luxurious cashmere sweaters. And not much has changed.
Alice + Olivia
80 W. 40th St.
New York NY 10018
212 840 0887
New Yorkers, you have until January 28 to check out Helmut Lang's art installation at the "the journal", a gallery in Williamsburg opened by "the journal" magazine.
Lang retired from fashion two years ago after his falling out with the Prada Group and no longer has anything to do with the Helmut Lang label.. Since then he has been working on various art-related projects, including his website hl art. Check out his views on the relationship between art and fashion in "the journal".
The installation, called Next Ever After, features a large cracked mirrored ball, which "like Janus, the Roman god, is able to view the past and future simultaneously, reflecting while simultaneously absorbing its surroundings, creating a sensation both voyeuristic and self-aware,” as explained on the press release.
the journal gallery is located at 168 N. 1st St., Brooklyn, NY 11211.
Karim Rashid is a modern product-design master, a lover of all things curvilinear who wore only white and pink for several years (and he's not even gay). Rashid is holding a special holiday cocktail and shopping party at his store on 137 W. 19th Street in NYC, from 7 - 9.30PM on Tuesday December 17.
Get yourselves down there and be reminded why curvy is good. Call 212 337 8078 for more information.
Want to see—or buy—the velvet zoot suits and diamond-encrusted bling of the late great crooner Luther Vandross?
We suggest you get yourselves to the Vandross estate sale and auction, being held December 2 to December 6 in New York. You'll be able to pick up this diamond-studded watch, and a pair of zebra-print chairs.
The collection also features opulent modern and art deco furnishings, antiques and fine art.
The multi-day extravanganza, called "Elegance on Stage, Elegance in Life", is being put on by auction house Dawson & Nye, with Mrs. Ida Vandross as host.
Vandross, known for his trademark moustache, loved to wear monochrome suits (purple and orange were favorite colors), without a tie. Pieces from his home and wardrobe will be exhibited from Sun, Dec 2nd, with auctions on December 5 and 6.
Click here for more information.
So you love fashion...but do you love it enough to make it your life? The month of December features three educational workshops taking place in New York and LA, each of which could help your Project Runway dreams become reality.
On December 1 at 10a.m. there's"Retail 101: How to Open and Run a Successful Retail Store". Held by Global Purchasing Group, at 1133 Broadway, in New York. Most stores fail before they even get started, so if you want tips on how to get started in retail, or how to expand your existing business, this workshop is for you. Attendees must register and purchase tickets for event: $189.
On December 3 at 7p.m. celebrity hair stylist Philip Carreon (pictured) and Osmo Essence present "The Art of Editorial Styling" at the Park Plaza Hotel, 607 S. Park View Street, Los Angeles. Carreon, owner of the Estilo salon, has styled the tresses of Winona Ryder, Catherine Zeta Jones and Jennifer Aniston, among many others. His one-day workshop costs $150, and will be filmed. Click here for more info.
On December 7, at 10a.m. there's "Fashion 101: How to Start a Fashion Line in Today's Market". Held by Global Purchasing Group, at 1133 Broadway, in New York. Perfect for young designers and manufacturers who want to avoid the problems that often wipe out lines before they get started. Attendees must register for event and tickets are $189.
"Paint it black" seemed to be the sartorial theme at last night's 17th Annual Gotham Awards at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn.
Outfits ranged from inky to charcoal to midnight, with attendees sticking to a Bram Stoker-meets-Siouxsie Sioux dress-code.
All we want to know is...who died?
From top: Uma Thurman, Keri Russel, Roger Ebert, Christine Vachon, Eva Orner, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Luisa Williams, Julia Loketv, and Jennifer Jason Lee.
(Photos: Kambouris/WireImage.com)
Watch out H&M, Britain's low-cost fashion retailer Topshop is bringing its empire to American shores, with a flagship store expected to open next September at 478 Broadway in SoHo. It will, apparently, be modeled after the flagship Topshop in Oxford Street, and will carry the sought-after Kate Moss collection. WWD broke the news, revealing how Topshop bigwig Sir Philip Green is planning "two more Manhattan stores, as well as flagships on the West Coast, and other units in cities including Las Vegas, Miami and Boston".
And it's about time!
(Sadly though, as a native Brit, I now have one less reason to go home...)
Emmy award-winning costume designer Patricia Field is most famous for styling the characters on "Sex and the City", and for turning Carrie Bradshaw into a fashion inspiration for millions of couch-fashionistas across the globe.
Now, in an unabashedly corporate collaboration, Field has teamed up with Barbie-makers Mattel to create a new collection of Barbie-inspired clothing, handbags and jewelry to be sold at her House of Field boutique in New York, at Macy's, and Hot Topic of all places.
Hot Topic is where baby goths and sk8ter girls go to buy their cheap tartan and bondage pants. It came as a surprise to hear that Field was stooping so low on the retail ladder (although she did recently create a pump for Payless...)
Field told Fashion Wire Daily that Mattel had approached her with the Barbie idea, and she jumped aboard "because I'm into big brands, because I'm little. Everyone knows Barbie, more than anyone knows Patricia Field, so I was like, okay, I'll go with Barbie!"
Patricia, what can we say...we appreciate your honesty!
The collection launched last week. It contained some truly heinous graffitti print hoodies (headed straight for Hot Topic, we imagine?).
These were counterbalanced by some prettier items, like a black stretch satin '50s sweetheart dress, a leopard-print capelet and metallic handbags embossed with the Barbie logo.
Field is currently heading up costume design for the "Sex and the City" movie, and for Darren Star's latest TV series "Cashmere Mafia," premiering Nov. 27.
A red-haired Patricia Field Barbie doll is in the works for fall 2008.
If you're considering volunteering this Thanksgiving but haven't figured out a plan yet, you better get on it. Soup kitchens are popular places to be at this time of year, and many volunteer lists are already full.
I plan on servicing my acute bourgeois guilt by showing up at The Echo nightclub in Echo Park on Thursday morning, bearing my famous sweet potato gratin, which will be donated to Gobble Gobble Give.
Food On Foot in Hollywood has six sponsorship postions remaining for its big Thanksgiving Day celebration. Yes, that's right, these days volunteering is so popular, you get to pay to do it. For $150 per person, you get to particpate in their Work for Food awards ceremony, and will distribute food and back packs to over 300 homeless and poor individuals. 110 year old Jessie Fairbanks will be in attendance. The event will be held at 1625 N. Schrader in Hollywood and parking is at the site.
In New York (where the Macy's Thanksgiving Paradewill go on, even though it is scripted, because its writers are not WGA members), there are plenty of ways you can give. Visit the New York Coalition Against Hunger's website, or Volunteer NYC.
For national volunteering opportunities, visit the altruists' dating service, Volunteer Match.
The 7th on Sale black tie gala dinner in New York drew plenty of camera-ready looks from the A-listers who attended. Dita Von Teese wore this spectacular Marchesa Spring '08 gown. Mary Kate Olsen looked like a pristine diaper in Giambattista Valli with patent leather stripper heels, also by Valli. Kate Moss wore items from her eponymous Top Shop line which, while elegant, were nothing to write home about. We enjoyed Elle MacPherson's simple but stunning one-shouldered black satin look. Even more striking was Valentino's day-glo complexion. Singer Eve's coined Marchesa dress worn with black tights was a little too disco for our tastes. Michael Stipe simultaneously charmed and creeped us out with his "Flasher Professor" get-up.
Swiss horologists Chopard opened up their new flagship boutique in NYC, and a high fashion crowd was there to celebrate. 'It' model Agyness Deyn, favorite of renegade designer Jeremy Scott, was there with ubiquitous model Jamie Burke, Sienna Miller's old flame. Maggie Gyllenhaal could do no wrong, as always, in a fitted black satin dress with rather hairy shoulders. Sir Elton John hung out with Chopard co-president Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele. Chopard has issued limited edition Elton John watches to benefit his AIDS foundation.
(Photos: Kambouris/WireImage)
Marc Jacobs, creator of this year's absolutely cuckoo "reverse heel", was named Designer of the Year at the 11th Annual Accessories Council awards in New York this week.
Jacobs, who also designs for Louis Vuitton, is photographed here wearing a rather fetching bow tie, blue-tinted hair and the ultimate accessory--a supermodel.
Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal was the venue for a most unsual runway show this week...one which used holograms instead of models.
Target held what it called "the world's first model-less fashion show" , used a high-definition video projection to show off the latest clothing collections for Target from Isaac Mizrahi, Erin Fetherston, Liz Lange, Mossimo, Keanan Duffty, plus jewelry by Dominique Cohen and shoes by Hollywould.
The virtual show was staged in the terminal's Vanderbilt Hall, where commuters seemed intrigued by the spooky fashion spectacle before them.
Barneys New York knows how to keep both its left and right coast ladies happy.
This Friday and Saturday, Gothamists will be treated with a 3.1 Phillip Lim trunk show, at which the designer himself is expected to drop by.
At the same time, Barneys' Beverly Hills outpost will be holding a Givenchy trunk show, so stylish Angelenas can stock up on well-tailored finery.
Barneys, you spoil us! 3.1 Phillip Lim trunk show at Barneys New York 660 Madison Ave. 7th floor, (212-826-8900, ext. 2648)
Friday November 9 - Saturday November 10
10a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Lim will be there on Nov. 9 from 2p.m. to 4p.m. Givenchy trunk show at Barneys New York 9570 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 2nd floor (310) 276-4400 Friday November 9 - Saturday November 10.
10a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.
(Photo of Phillip Lim by Rabbani Solimene/WireImage)
Just the other day, I was flipping through the pages of House & Garden, reading the feature about Gwyneth Paltrow's home in the Hamptons, and trying not to hate myself for not having her life. *Sigh.*
Such are the extremes of emotion inspired by the magazine. So, it came as a surprise to learn that after 106 years House & Garden will be shut down, with no more issues to be printed after this December.
The news came as a shock to many stylish friends of mine, who worship at the altar of Dominique Browning, H&G editor since 1995. Her predecessor, Vogue's Anna Wintour, had injected a heavy dose of fashion into the magazine during her tenure, causing some to dub it "House and Garment".
In spite of its fabled past, the magazine was simply "not a viable business investment", according to Conde Nast CEOs.
Apparently, H&G only had around 800 advertising pages, rather than the 1,000 it would have needed to be profitable.
And because of that, a little piece of American good taste died.
This is the moment we have been waiting for...Mark Badgley and James Mischka are debuting their glam new watch line this week, with a launch party at Lotus in New York on Tuesday November 6.
The couture designers have created a bejeweled collection of whimsical timepieces--think thick leather cuffs, eye-catching adornments and totally unnecessary baubles. (We, of course, love unnecessary baubles.)
Each piece will range between $350 and $1,200, and while you won't find any in the stores for the holidays (boo hoo), a retail launch will take place in Spring 2008.
Make sure you're on time for that one.
In more olfactory news, we hear that the lovely Ashley Judd is launching another perfume. Called "Beloved", it will debut in March 2008, selling exclusively at Kohl's. Judd, the face of Estee Lauder's American Beauty brand, told journalists her happy news at a lunch held at the Cosmopolitan Club in Manhattan.
"Beloved" adds to her previous fragrances, "Wonderful" and "Wonderful Indulgence" (methinks she doth protest too much?). She also has her name on a budget clothing line for the Goody's chain. As well as smelling nice and selling affordable apparel, Judd is also a YouthAIDS Global Ambassador, raising awareness of the disease. Here she is, photographed in Washington DC at last night's premiere screening of "India's Hidden Plague". In it, Judd and three Bollywood stars explore the the brothels of Mumbai and the truck stops of Jaipur, tracing how HIV travels from high-risk groups to the general population. The film premieres in the US on Friday November 30 at 10PM ET on the National Geographic Channel. (Photo: WireImage/Paul Morigi)
You flat iron it, curl it, blow dry it... lets face it, you have put your hair through a lot. So why not treat your hair this holiday season with a gift from Antonio Prieto Salon. The New York salon is offering a Holiday Hair Package that comes in a chic silver box and includes a hydrating and nourishing treatment followed by a blow-out. In addition, you then get to choose from the Kérastase Résistance, Soliel, Nutritive or Réflection lines for the perfect shampoo and treatment masque combination ($125). So treat yourself or someone else. Your hair will thank you. For more info: www.AntonioPrietoSalon.com. (M. McNiece)
We tackled the problem of dry skin last week but that still leaves us with the oh so troubling problem of dry hair this season. If your hair is starting to look more like the Scarecrow from "The Wizard of Oz" than Dorothy, or for that matter the Cowardly Lion, don't just click your heels together and hope for a miracle, try these:
Kiehl's Rice & Wheat Volumizing Haircare: "The rice and wheat volumizing shampoo and conditioning rinse are great products for the cooler, dryer, months because the rice and wheat proteins give fullness and body without stripping the hair of its nourishing natural lipids, preventing hair from drying out," says Clyde Johnson, Kiehl's Director, Education and Events. "Pure honey adds rich moisture to the hair and offers additional protection from drying and cold-weather elements." Go to www.kiehls.com to find a location near you.
Privé’s Intensive Mask: "When used once a week it helps to nourish and replenish dry and damaged hair by combining jojoba and sesame herbal blends in the form of microbeads that when applied to the follicle expands and burst like a shower of concentrated moisture," says Privé Salons & Ona Spa owner Laurent D. Go to www.priveproducts.com to find a loction near you. (M. McNiece)
Sarah Jessica Parker aka Carrie Bradshaw showed off yet another new look while filming the "Sex and the City" movie over the weekend in New York. What do you think of this one?
Most women don’t actually show up at their lovers’ doors in only trench coats and lingerie. That’s the sort of a male fantasy women cackle about over cocktails. We file it alongside teenage girls wearing teddies to sleepover parties. Still, fresh line The Lake and Stars—whose inaugural collection launched at last Fashion Week—have brought trenches and lingerie together seamlessly. The designers will be revealing Lovebirds and Modesty, their newest collections of edgy, sexy, light lingerie, and taking custom orders for Fall 07 trenches at their Henri Bendel Trunk Show today (4/26) from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. A cocktail party (and free gifts with purchases) kicks in at 5 p.m. Maybe wearing a trench coat and lingerie isn’t so ridiculous after all, especially with clothes in between. $25 and up, Henri Bendel, 712 Fifth Ave., 3rd fl., (212) 247-1100
Certain sample sales have gained notoriety in recent years: Barney’s Warehouse, Billion Dollar Babes and — for those in the know — Michelle Mason. An entire wardrobe can be gleaned from Mason's un-missable bi-annual event. This Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., you’ll pay wholesale prices for the designer’s beautiful frocks, shorts, pants, tops and sweaters (perfect for summer nights). This is a total steal. Hint: The alleyway may seem empty, but you’re in the right place. Wholesale Prices (credit cards accepted for purchases over $300), 2444, East 8th St., (213) 621-9270 Do you have a favorite reoccurring sample sale? Tell us at The Stylephile!
Louboutin flats, Chloe platforms, and Jimmy Choo stilettos are undeniably fabulous. Personally, though, I am loving the emergence of chic, more middle-range lines like Dolce Vita and Madison Harding. The Grand Opening VIP Spring Shopping Party for Studio NYC's new location starts at 6 p.m. tomorrow evening (4/19). Sip mojitos and peruse reasonable lines from Frye to Seychelles, as Frye boots never lose their cool. Already inexpensive shoes are 25%-off with RSVP. Plus, a raffle means free stuff for some lucky duck. It doesn’t get more "reasonable" than that. $40-$350, Studio NYC Shoes, 432 Third Ave., (212) 532-8555, rsvp@stylephousepr.com
You know those basic needs we have like air, water and food? We should probably try to protect those resources, especially since today is World Water Day. 290 NYC restaurants ranging from the BLT eateries to Gramercy Tavern to Katz’s Deli are participating in UNICEF's Tap Project, which urges patrons to donate $1 for their generally free tap water. Socially conscious Hollywooders like Mary Louise Parker and Peter Sarsgaard are suporters of the cause. In fact, UNICEF ambassador Sarah Jessica Parker hosted a launch event for Tap Project last night at Hearst Tower. Proceeds go towards UNICEF’s programs to promote clean drinking water for children around the world. Events across the globe can be found on the World Water Day website. Talk about a dollar and a dream. $1, Participating Restaurants: tapproject.org, worldwaterday.org
A few years ago we fell hook, line, sinker and apple cheeks for makeup artist Rosie Jane Johnston. In fact, her girlier than thou mini-Cheek Gloss compacts in lovely marigold, poppy and rose may have launched a new cosmetic category. Johnston has since created cherry red compacts of butter cup, rain lily and lavender Eye Hints and apple, elderberry and tara Lip Dew. Not only are these charming products now available through her website (instead of exclusively at starlet haunts like Kitson), but now she's introduced Rosie Jane Eye Defines. These smashing eye liners--designed to compliment her popular Eye Hints--naturally come in adorable pink and white packaging and are named for flora and fruit like Beach Tree, Fern and Grapes. Seems like we're falling in love all over again, which explains our Rosie disposition. $15, rosiejanecosmetics.com
Admit it: as a teenager you snuck into your mother’s closet, snagged her favorite Norma Kamali dress and Clergerie shoes (or even a t-shirt if that was her style) and wore her clothes out on the town. Bad idea. For some reason that made her mad. How about delving into a deeper closet with a less angry owner? The Albright Fashion Library boasts a seemingly never-ending collection of vintage and au courant must-have pieces from the highest end designers like Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Chloe and countless more. Accessories also abound from jewelry to bags (drool) to 7000 pairs of shoes—eat your heart out Carrie Bradshaw. Partygoers, stylists, brides and even costume designers pull pieces from this extensive collection at ten percent of each garment’s original price. In fact, the library even brought some key garments west for this year’s Oscars. So you can wear beautiful items to which you might otherwise never have access and keep your mother calm as well. 10% of Garment’s Original Price, By Appointment Only: Albright Fashion Library, 62 Cooper Square, (212) 977-7350
There aren't many big waves in Brooklyn, but that don't bother the guys at surf store 
Eric Niccoli of Orthodox closed out the ENK Menswear shows, showcasing a series of sleek designs that brought the street to the suit. 
Some people like it dirty—and fashion designer Andrew Buckler of 
Doormen—like abused pitbulls and parking inspectors, they wield a level of power that is, all too often, entirely unrelated to their level of intelligence.
When Chachi Prasad and his wife Karam Kim launched their premium denim line, they named it 
n, Oscar de la Renta, Donna Karan and 
Michael Kors. Overnight, they found themselves in the wash houses and denim mills of Downtown L.A., coming up with their own, innovative denim treatments in an already competitive jeans market. “We weren’t really denim people before we started out, so it helped that there was a bunch of chemical engineers in my family,” says Prasad. “That gave me some cool ideas.”
For a company that makes no bones about its infatuation with the American working class aesthetic, 
The Oscars of U.S. fashion, the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards is where the hoitiest of the toitiest celebrate emerging and established fashion design. While this year's awards brought few surprises in terms of the winners (Francisco Costa of Calvin Klein in the womenswear category, Tom Ford for menswear, Tory Burch for accessories and Rodarte for best young designers), I did choke on my zero-carb kelp noodles at the sight of so many MC Hammer-style genie pants being worn by the fashionable guests. Ashley Olsen now registers on my pop culture radar after donning this sweet tuxedo-style bolero jacket and high-waisted baggy pants ensemble, perhaps in a nod to the late Yves Saint Laurent, who was famous for his "Le Smoking" tuxedo jacket for women. Ashley's look is simple, brave, and reminds us of waiters we made out with on summer vacations in Greece. 
Another great sale this weekend, on both coasts. 
Creativity is a nebulous concept, one which will be thoroughly disseected (in the hippest manner possible) at this weekend's Creativity Now conference. Organized by 
We 
Allure
You don't need a billion dollars to be a Billion Dollar Babe—quite the contrary. RSVP for the Billion Dollar Babe Spring Sale in NYC this coming weekend, and you'll be set to save up to 80% off on designer threads by the likes of Marcello Toshi, Kate and Kass, Dolce and Gabbana, Tibi, Oliver Peoples eyewear and many more. The sale officially opens Saturday April 26 at 9am, or there's a VIP preview sale the day before. Visit their 
There's nothing quite as romantic as a candlelit dinner—but a candlelit art show? This weekend's forthcoming 
When you hear the word "Acne", many things may spring to mind—overactive sebaceous glands, teenage kicks and cheap cover-up, for starters. But you probably don't think of jeans—unless you're already a fan of 
Last night, Project Runway's winning designer Christian Siriano picked up his check for $100,000 at the Project Runway Finale Party, hosted by TRESemmé and Tim Gunn at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York City. After seeing Christian's jawdropping show at New York Fashion Week in February, it was no surprise to me that he won.
We hear there's a new trend in home interiors—blessing them. Ceremonial artist and urban shaman 
Rad Hourani, a Montreal-based stylist turned designer, calls himself an “anti-conformist”. Which adds up—he has had no formal fashion training, and works only in a palette of red and black, with the occasional splash of white. He showed his first collection in 
For women of a certain stature, the 
Standing in the check-in line for the Nanette Lepore show, I encountered a very sad-looking Italian security man. I asked him what was wrong. Someone had tossed out his kawfee, he told me. His friend over at the coffee bar had made his cappuccino perfectly, just how he likes it. He put it down on the check-in table for one second--and then it was gone. “I don’t need much,” he said in his heavy Hoboken accent. “I just need my kawfee in the morning.” He had a few pockmarks in his skin, dark hair slicked back and a heavy overcoat.
Backstage, Brazilian fashion designer Alexandre Herchcovitch seemed like a perfectly normal, balanced kind of guy. But if you were to judge him by what he sent down the catwalk—an army of angular jet black looks followed by a series of Technicolor dream coats—you’d think him a raving schizophrenic.
hourglass silhouettes. And a series of looks based on the same, Archer’s Target print, the lines of the simple, elliptical design perfectly tracing the contours of the models’ bodies. 
Loden Dager brought new meaning to the term “church suit” when they staged their Fall/Winter show in a seminary on 
Despite all this chatter, the show itself was, perfectly well-spoken. It was, I hear, less queer than their previous “fashion installations”, which have drawn inspiration from the transgender, cross-dressing and dyke communities. But color was still strong (the label uses custom-dyed fabrics only), and Loden Dager continues to provide us with intelligent, practical men’s looks that would fit just as well on a 1960s Parisian student protestor as they would on Al Pacino in “The Panic in Needle Park” (both of which are cited as influencing of the line).
These boots were made for walking—they belonged to original Beat Jack Kerouac, whose diet of red wine, peyote and cross-country road trips have inspired generations of seekers to hit the tar. 
connected sheets of architectural paper, unfurled so that they travel along the length of the hall to create one long, uninterrupted “road” of prose. It is peppered with edits made by Kerouac himself—he substituted the word “fucking” with “balling” on several occasions, because of his publisher’s concerns about profanity. You’ll find original letters written between Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Neal Cassady, Herbert Hunke and Kerouac, in which they discuss the growing Beat revolution. (Herbert Huncke, a bisexual Times Square hustler, reluctant writer, junkie and Kinsey subject, had introduced Kerouac to the notion of “beat” as metaphysical condition in 1946...the photographs of Huncke, jaded, sunken and decayed, are truly moving.)
from liver cirrhosis.
If Becky Stark was hosting a Rapunzel-themed tea party on the banks of the strawberry river, then she’d do well to pick 
Anne Hathaway, attired in Fetherston, was seated front row with her Prince Charming. Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe was a pretty little Tinkerbell in a silvery, shimmery one-shouldered Featherston creation. 
You could have heard a pin drop during Friday’s Duckie Brown show, which was conducted in funereal silence throughout. It was an interesting move on their part, freeing up the audience’s senses and encouraging us to focus on just one thing—the clothes. Novel idea!
Genius move on the part of 
New Yorkers, you have until January 28 to check out Helmut Lang's art installation at the 
Want to see—or buy—the velvet zoot suits and diamond-encrusted bling of the late great crooner Luther Vandross? 
watch, and a pair of zebra-print chairs.
On December 3 at 7p.m. 
Watch out H&M, Britain's low-cost fashion retailer Topshop is bringing its empire to American shores, with a flagship store expected to open next September at 478 Broadway in SoHo. It will, apparently, be modeled after the flagship Topshop in Oxford Street, and will carry the sought-after Kate Moss collection. WWD broke the news, revealing how Topshop bigwig Sir Philip Green is planning "two more Manhattan stores, as well as flagships on the West Coast, and other units in cities including Las Vegas, Miami and Boston".
Dita Von Teese wore this spectacular Marchesa Spring '08 gown. Mary Kate Olsen looked like a pristine diaper in Giambattista Valli with patent leather stripper heels, also by Valli. Kate Moss wore items from her eponymous Top Shop line which, while elegant, were nothing to write home about. We enjoyed Elle MacPherson's simple but stunning one-shouldered black satin look. Even more striking was Valentino's day-glo complexion. Singer Eve's coined Marchesa dress worn with black tights was a little too disco for our tastes. Michael Stipe simultaneously charmed and creeped us out with his "Flasher Professor" get-up.
Swiss horologists Chopard opened up their new flagship boutique in NYC, and a high fashion crowd was there to celebrate. 'It' model Agyness Deyn, favorite of renegade designer Jeremy Scott, was there with ubiquitous model Jamie Burke, Sienna Miller's old flame. Maggie Gyllenhaal could do no wrong, as always, in a fitted black satin dress with rather hairy shoulders. Sir Elton John hung out with Chopard co-president Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele. Chopard has issued limited edition Elton John watches to benefit his AIDS foundation.
Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal was the venue for a most unsual runway show this week...one which used holograms instead of models.
Just the other day, I was flipping through the pages of 
In 
You flat iron it, curl it, blow dry it... lets face it, you have put your hair through a lot. So why not treat your hair this holiday season with a gift from Antonio Prieto Salon. The New York salon is offering a Holiday Hair Package that comes in a chic silver box and includes a hydrating and nourishing treatment followed by a blow-out. In addition, you then get to choose from the Kérastase Résistance, Soliel, Nutritive or Réflection lines for the perfect shampoo and treatment masque combination ($125). So treat yourself or someone else. Your hair will thank you. For more info: www.AntonioPrietoSalon.com. (M. McNiece)
Sarah Jessica Parker aka Carrie Bradshaw showed off yet another new look while filming the "Sex and the City" movie over the weekend in New York. What do you think of this one?
Sarah Jessica Parker was in full bloom in New York over the weekend as she stepped out as Carrie Bradshaw while filming the "Sex and the City" movie. 
