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A ‘Jackie’ of All Trades



Jackie Rogers (www.jackierogers.com) has had quite a storied life. She’s been a big band singer, Hollywood starlet (she inspired Fellini to write a part for her in "8 1/2"), model, and design assistant (she not only modeled for Gabrielle Coco Chanel but was eventually hired to work in her atelier in Paris). And she has the legendary designer to thank for, among other things, her appreciation of luxury, modern simplicity, classic elegance, and the foundations of menswear; her desire to enhance, not constrict the body; her belief that it is “style”, not “fashion” that is important; her love affair with black and white, graphic houndsooth patterns, and ethnic Chinese design. All of which were there within the well edited 27 piece collection she presented in her chic Madison Avenue boutique where guests were treated to Mimosas.



It also included the launch of her menswear collection which was all about chic luxe ‘sportif’ elegance (FYI: Ms. Rogers actually began her design career as a menswear designer).



The color palette relied on black, black and white (which looked especially good in oversized hound’s-tooth checks), camel (there were several chic camel coats and tunics which were mixed with gold lame or leopard prints), and brilliant color accents (orange, lime, hot pink) which were a wonderful uplifting surprise. The overriding silhouette was decidedly leggy with short (but not too short), narrow, above the knee skirts, charmeuse dresses, and abbreviated shifts. The models’ legs were always encased in opaque black tights, and black high heeled booties, or pumps, were the order of the day (platforms were on view but they were not as exaggerated as on other runways and the shoes were sexy but elegantly so, rather than ridiculously over the top). And naturally, Ms. Rogers did not forget pants; a number of pant silhouettes appeared throughout: wide legged pants, skinny pants, menswear trousers, tapered ‘harem’ pants, jumpsuits, and there was even one black patent leather short. Fabrics ‘spoke’ to the luxury quotient: cashmere, suede, snakeskin, velvet, gold lame, and leopard printed fur.



As for the Oriental ‘connection’, that came by way of ‘Chinese’ inspired details like floral appliqués and appliquéd shoulder details, ‘Manchurian’ collars (there was one ‘Manchurian’ coat), several tunics (which were mostly short but one dramatic version at the end in black lined in hot pink was floor length), and the abundant use of charmeuse.

By the way, speaking of Chinese, I just thought I’d mention that this is the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese calendar, (which is ironic considering Tiger Woods’s year thus far).

-Marilyn Kirschner

Femme in Bloom


(All photos courtesy Ann Taylor)

Looking to Fall 2010, Ann Taylor is right on the money, particularly in the way the company serves up an abundance of delightful and fun clothing and accessories, all under the “Modern Luxury” headline. Co-mingling with the elegant attitude of the collection, is the company’s seasonal look-book - featuring editorial-style layouts, the British model, Karen Elson, photographed against softly-toned, studio backdrops, and descriptive copy, which portrays the collection, in part, as “inspired by the ideas of mixing European Sophistication with Timeless American Style”.

Hooking into all of this was Ann Taylor’s recent evening press event, held at the equally abundant, delightful and fun, Ace Hotel; a location which appeared to be also right in style and right on point, in order to promote the company’s clothing and accessories brand and message to the masses. Perhaps more interesting is the fact that the recently re-furbished venue, which currently seems to hold the title of boutique hotel du jour, might suggest that the powers that be at Ann Taylor were very smart in choosing this fitting type of hip, of-the-moment, setting, in order to show off its new wares, and its own, au courant image in the bargain.


Models sitting as a group

With a nod to presenting its name and offerings to the best advantage possible, this Ann Taylor event went for more of a casual, style-salon setting, via non-stop cocktails, delicious, finger foods; and of course, lots of beautiful well-groomed and well-dressed models; all having a blast of a time, chatting and laughing with each other (and the invited guests) in an array of live tableaux. For this editor, though, it really was hard to tell the guests from the models, simply because the majority of the crowd looked so pretty and so great, and as such, appeared to just blend in with the models, which perhaps was just what the company had in mind when it originally thought about and conjured up its model casting and guest list.

In the end though, aside from everything else going on here, it was the clothing and accessories that played the starring role, and in this case, mostly everything on show was cool, nouveau chic, breezy and covetable. Themes of old-world glamour and craftsmanship, the richest and socialites and European travel, all mix and mingle across a myriad of wearable coats, jackets, toppers, blouses, skirts, pants and the like.



It seems apparent that what the company’s design team favors, nearly across the board, are streamlined silhouettes and shapes, in terms of accents such as strong shoulders, feminine, nipped-in waistlines and decorative embellishments of ruffles, ruching, pleating, buttons, laces, and the like. Rounding out the collection are lush fabrics, chunked knits and sharp leathers, along with pointed and blurry prints (some of the best done here are in the company’s iconic, spotted leopard patterns). Notable is the attention to an authentic type of pretty-girl color, which generally comes across as fresh and nice, actually, especially when mixed in with all of the season’s de rigueur, expected tones of black, white, crème and greige.



Accessories certainly seem to have legs of their own, by way of the many European- themed, designer looks, which permeate this category. There are the sparkly jewels, which more often than not, are festooned to the max with Swarovski crystals, pearls, and ribboning. Then, there are all of the rich handbags and complementary footwear; the latter looking extremely strong, in terms of all of the buttery booties; high, riding boots; sporty and dressed-up flats, (many of these pieces showing more than just a hint of vintage sparkle and modern design), alongside an elegant grouping of classically stylized high heels.



Of course, an evening spent with Ann Taylor is always fun, whimsical and memorable. Other than the nifty setting, the food, drink, clothes, accessories, models, et al, there is always a lovely, parting gift. On this night, there was an elegant, black, shopping bag, featuring a fashion sketch of a pretty, long-haired, young thing, all wrapped up in a short, fitted, double-breasted coat, along with the company’s name, done in bold white lettering on the front side; filled inside, with silver wrapping paper, a look-book, the new V.V. Brown CD – “Travelling Like The Light” – and the company’s signature, sparkle estate necklace.

-- Adrienne Weinfeld-Berg

‘Bill’ of Fare

In Bill Cunningham’s Evening Hours column on Sunday, March 28th, entitled ‘Lions of March’, there was coverage of (among other things) a dinner and reception hosted by The Asia Society; the opening of a film, ‘Dancing Across Borders’, by society doyenne Ann Bass; an on stage dinner dance and recital for “The Nose”, held at The Metropolitan Opera; and the March 24th opening night of The Film Society of Lincoln Center and MoMA’s “New Directors/New Films 2010” (www.newdirectors.com). This was accompanied by pictures of Robin Hessman who would present “My Perestroika”, Shirin Meshat, who would present “Women Without Men”, and Babak Jalali, who would present “Frontier Blues”. There was also a shot of Richard Press and Philip Gefter, director and producer respectively of “Bill Cunningham New York”. The name of the documentary (which also kicked off the festival) was notably absent.

Is there anybody who would be in the least bit surprised to see that the title of the documentary which is all about Bill Cunningham, was nowhere to be found and was obviously omitted from the copy? Any one who knows the famously publicity shy photographer also knows how positively uncharacteristic it would be for him to do anything as self serving or self congratulatory, as to turn the spotlight on himself or to direct any attention to him (as Richard Press put it, he is “allergic to attention”). And true to form, Bill did not go inside the theatre to watch the docu-pic. He said he had never intended to do so. Instead, he left quickly (on his bicycle) after the guests filed into the theatre, to make his rounds for the night and cover the numerous events for The New York Times.

included in Bill’s pictorial layout about the opening night of the film festival were images of those friends and fans who showed up to pay homage to the famed shutterbug: Veronica Webb, Carmen Dell’ Orefice, Editta Sherman - Bill’s famed 98 year old longtime neighbor at Carnegie Hall (they’ve both subsequently had to leave and find apartments elsewhere), Kenny Kenny, and Patrick McDonald, a self proclaimed ‘dandy’ and longtime subject of Bill who also appeared in the film.

By the way, according to Fashion Week Daily, the two “unlikely” stars to emerge from the 88 minute documentary (that’s one minute for every one of Bill’s 81 years and 7 thrown in for good measure) were Patrick McDonald and Shail Upadhaya a onetime Nepalese diplomat who is always dressed to the nines in eye popping getups of his own designs. FYI: I don’t mean to take anything away from Shail or downplay his way with attention grabbing wardrobe items, but my definition of a ‘worthy’ style icon is not someone who goes about his day with the idea of being photographed in mind. Shail told me he literally stands around the tents from morning until Bill takes his picture. As they say in France, “Chacun on son gout”.

In the meanwhile, there are undoubtedly many (myself included) who did not get to the premier and would love to see the documentary. I contacted Richard Press last week to see if it might eventually have a wider release, and he said that’s what he is hoping for (no news yet). The director also told me that he has more than enough interesting material about Bill to easily fill up another film (“Bill Cunningham New York, The Sequel”?) At the rate he’s going, I have no doubt the octogenarian will be around, doing his fabulous thing, for at least another 20 years or more. Who knows, by then he may have mellowed to the point of actually wanted to see it.

-Marilyn Kirschner