Disco Mania with model Martin Snaric dancing, center, Studio 54, September 12, 1977. All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

For many, this is the summer of discontent: hate and divisiveness are at an all-time high, everyday costs and financial stress weigh heavily on many households, and the weather sucks. Parts of North America are experiencing a historically warm summer alongside notable localized heavy rainfall and flooding events.

Fashion, too, feels less inspired. The industry has swapped joyful self-expression for algorithmic exhaustion, and today’s fashion weeks are hyper-curated events dominated by wall-to-wall paparazzi and influencer marketing. The shows have lost their luster because instant digital access and social media have stripped away traditional exclusivity and mystique.

In a recent Substack post featuring Eugene Rabkin’s new book, “Torn: Fashion and Postmodernism,” out September 1st, Amy Odell posed the question, “Is Fashion in the Throes of a Total Creative Collapse?”

Andy Warhol, Candice Bergen, and Salvador Dali at a private dinner at the Metropolitan Club. March 17 1976. All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

The 1920s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s are widely considered fashion’s most creative decades. New York-based photographer Jade Albert, best known as a leading commercial children’s photographer (earning her the nickname “the baby whisperer”), started her career in the 70s, a period of liberation and feel-good freedom when fashion, high society, and pop culture blended in new ways.

Jade Albert, 1970s: All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

From 1975 to 1983, Albert was invited to photograph more galas, fashion events, and parties than she can remember, including New York and international fashion weeks. Jade was an insider for all of it and always inside the ropes. The core and career-launching focal point of Jade Albert’s photo archives—showcased in her collection titled “Beyond the Ropes”—is her intimate chronicle of 1970s and 1980s New York City pop culture.

The Smokers: Jack Nicholson, Angelica Huston, hairstylist Ara Gallant, Catherine Deneuve. All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

Jade’s recording of fashion and nightlife in New York offers an intimate, unvarnished look at the city’s pre-digital pop culture. Albert’s images perfectly embody the gradual convergence of high society, disco-era nightlife, and avant-garde art before the era of smartphones, modern paparazzi, and curated social media. Through her lens, Jade recorded a time when events like the Met Gala had no restrictive dress codes or media barricades, allowing a genuine record of creative luminaries mingling freely. It reminds the industry of a time when fashion was deeply organic and integrated with art and nightlife.

Regine and Andre Leon Talley, Regine’s, New York 1977 All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

Her work for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Andy Warhol’s Interview (where she was listed on the masthead) captured designers, high-profile models, and social figures in every walk of life, in intimate, candid settings rather than sanitized press photos, and featured rare documentation of the Met Galas under Diana Vreeland, decades before it became a massive global red carpet spectacle.

Coty Awards 1976: Pierre Scherman, Ralph Lauren, Ricky Lauren, Donna Karan Mark Karan, Louis Dell’Olio. All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

As Fashion Month begins, Jade Albert’s photo archives serve as a vital historical blueprint for the industry. This archive documents the golden era of 1970s and 1980s American sportswear and high fashion, highlighting foundational runway moments and the backstage culture of legendary designers who shaped modern style.

Pat Cleveland and Sterling St. Jacques, 1970’s All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

A key focus of Jade’s archive are her exceptional photos of celebrated Black designers (Stephen Burrows, Scott Barrie, Willie Smith, Jeffrey Banks) and Black fashion icons like Bethann Hardisonn, Audrey Smaltz, Andre Leon Talley, Beverly Johnson, the first Black model to grace Vogue’s cover, Sterling Saint Jacques, the first Black male supermodel, Billie Blair, Pat Cleveland, Alva Chinn and more

Joe Eula, China Machado, and Halston at Roseland 1976. All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

Long before designers became global corporate figures, Albert had front-row and behind-the-scenes access to the pioneers who defined modern American style. Jade frequently documented legendary designer Geoffrey Beene, often called a designer’s designer and the architect of American clothing, and the early, explosive eras of designers like Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Halston as they transitioned from atelier dwellers to mainstream celebrities.

Jade’s famous 1977 photograph of Ralph and Ricky Lauren embracing at the finale of his Fall runway show at the St. Regis roof captured the raw, emotional triumph of American sportswear. All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

Carrie Donovan presenting the Coty Award to Stephen Burrows in 1976. All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

Like many of us (myself included), Jade owes Carrie Donovan a debt of gratitude for her support and encouragement early in her career. She met Carrie in 1973 when she arrived in the art department of Harper’s Bazaar, and Carrie was the fashion director. That’s when I first met Jade, and our paths would cross through the years.

Bianca Jagger with paparazzi as she enters the 1977 Met Gala, December 12, 1977. All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

When Carrie became fashion editor of The New York Times Magazine, she continued to assign Jade, including the Met Gala in 1977, when Jackie Kennedy was chairwoman. On December 12, 1977, Jade attended the Met Ball themed “Vanity Fair: Treasure Trove.” She photographed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in her Valentino gown, Bianca Jagger in gold lamé designed by her escort Halston, and Vreeland herself arriving with Bill Blass, dressed in Givenchy, among others.

Geoffrey Beene All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

Grace Mirabella, who served as Vogue’s editor in chief from 1971-1988, was another pivotal figure in Jade’s burgeoning career. Grace gave Jade access to high-profile fashion events and included her in her global adventures. Jade was especially honored when Grace invited her to accompany her as they shopped for Nancy Kissinger’s history-making trip to China with her husband, Henry, in June 1979, and to record it for the magazine, observing and capturing Geoffrey Beene’s marvelous creative process in action.

Perry Ellis Spanish Collection Fall 1982 All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

After admiring Perry Ellis’s work from afar, Jade had the chance to photograph his collection for The New York Times Sunday Magazine, assigned by Carrie Donovan, who was known for her sharp eye in discovering new talent and also for Vogue, assigned by Grace Mirabella and Polly Mellon.

Perry and his models, fall 1981 All photos: © 1975- 2026 Jade Albert Studio, Inc

Reflecting on her photography archive, Jade said that in the late 1970s and early 1980s, she “fell victim to the very contagious Perry Ellis vibe,” alongside many others in the fashion world. I still smile when I look at images of Perry’s famously joyful shows, which were bona fide happenings.

Ellis redefined American sportswear with casual, humorous elegance and injected it with theatrical whimsy, vibrant colors, relaxed oversized layers, and a deep philosophy: fashion should feel like fun rather than a solemn duty.

You can view Jade Albert’s photo archive online at the official Jade Albert Archive website, jadealbertarchive.com, and on her Instagram, @jadealbertfotos, where Jade provides wonderful, detailed descriptions. Jade’s limited-edition prints are available for purchase and viewing via incollect.com.

LATEST COMMENTS:

1. 

   FROM: American fashion designer Ralph Rucci: A major home run! How extraordinary this young lady is, and along with her…

2. 

   test comment

The post Jade Albert’s 70’s and 80s “Beyond the Ropes” Archives appeared first on lookonline.

Paul Morelli Boutique – Photos Ernest Shmatolla

Madison Avenue’s annual event celebrating the return to fall fashion and shopping – is back with a new initiative, “Step Up For Fashion On Madison.” Organized by the Madison Avenue B.I.D., the Saturday, Sept. 21 edition, 10 percent of sales from 30 participating stores on Madison Avenue between East 57th and East 86th Street will benefit the CFDA Scholarship Fund. This event promotes local businesses and helps support future fashion designers’ education.

Model on platform

“Step Up For Fashion On Madison” offers a diverse range of experiences. Some retailers sponsored a “platform style show,” replete with models standing on small outdoor platforms previewing the fall offerings and in-store shopping events.

These platform-style shows were held in front of participating stores at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Shoppers enjoyed refreshments at in-store shopping events and viewed the fall 2024 collections, creating an exciting and engaging atmosphere.

Carolina Herrera boutique – Photo courtesy Madison B.I.D.

It was such a lovely day that I decided to walk down Madison Avenue from 86th Street to 59th Street and see how this “Step Up For Fashion On Madison” worked. After stopping in about half a dozen boutiques and speaking to some models, doorkeepers, and managers, I asked if the models standing outside the boutiques attracted more store traffic and sales.

Bogner Boutique

The answer was pretty much the same everywhere. The “educated guess” of those I asked said store traffic increased 5-10%. One boutique owner said she got one new customer who made her day — while others lamented only sales from established clients.

Delcore Boutique

Some models were more enthusiastic than others standing outside the boutiques. Those ladies who were more friendly to the passing parade attracted more people to go inside, while other models stood unresponsive and bored.

St. John Boutique

While the event successfully raised money for the CFDA Scholarship Fund, it’s important to note that using models on platforms will likely not become a familiar marketing trend. Several managers shared the thought that their regular clients would not be keen on seeing them standing in the doorway.

Thus providing you with some perspective on the event’s impact.

Latest Comments:

1. 

   FROM: American fashion designer Ralph Rucci: A major home run! How extraordinary this young lady is, and along with her…

2. 

   test comment

3. 

   Marilyn, You look absolutely fabulous! And this Elsa Schiaparelli bag !!!! We have met a few times at different events.…

4. 

   An Explosion of stunning and playful creativity inspired by the Glorious BEAUTY of ORCHIDS!!!

5. 

   What a great talent Ruben is …… in addition to being a thoroughly lovely man. And the legacy of his…

6. 

   Hi, I am looking to relaunch my website, with an interactive plateform. Can you recommend someone with the creative and…

7. 

   This is all very sad considering what Klein and Schwartz built and what Costa did to advance the history of…

8. 

   A collection of Random Disasters that disgraces what was Calvin Klein !

9. 

   as always, Marilyn is right on time ….. terrific piece ….. and thank you for the inspiring photos of deRibes,…

10. 

    Our comments section is back online again! We would love to hear from you.

11. 

    Iris Apfel’s 100th birthday looked like the ultimate celebration—so iconic!

The post “Step Up For Fashion On Madison” appeared first on lookonline.

The start of the meeting – All Photos by Lisa Kato

The United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network Annual Meeting, co-convened by the United Nations Office for Partnerships and the Fashion Impact Fund are supported by Calik Denim, Lenzing, The LYCRA Company, and Renewcell.

The June 1 meeting was held from 1:30pm – 6pm at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, followed by an evening reception from 6pm – 8pm.

150 Industry leaders, media and United Nations representatives came together in 12 related panel discussions to highlight actions, solutions, and progress from the fashion and lifestyle sectors to advance sector engagement in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Considering the fashion and lifestyle sector’s significant impact on societies and the environment, this Annual Meeting reviewed how the sectors are mobilizing expertise, innovation, technology, and resources towards achieving a more just and equitable world. Its key objective is to explore how initiatives are fostering transparent, inclusive, and transformative engagement of global stakeholders guided by the Sustainable Development Goals.

Welcome & Opening Remarks:

Kerry Bannigan

Kerry Bannigan, Co-Founder, United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network and Executive Director, Fashion Impact Fund

“To date the Network has over 200 members in 64 countries who have pledged over 1200 commitments to the SDGs. Today’s meeting provides a platform for global leaders, experts and stakeholders to share their insights and experiences towards creating a more equitable and just sector that in turn will transform communities for people and planet.”

Annemarie Hou

Annemarie Hou Executive Director United Nations Office for Partnerships

“The presence of so many powerful voices and influencers gives me huge hope that the industry can become part of the solution.”

Members & Invited Guests:

Industry advocates, changemakers and voices at the annual meeting included Ginger Zee, Chief Meteorologist, ABC News; Steven Kolb, Chief Executive Officer, Council of Fashion Designers of America; Camilla Mellander, Consul General of Sweden in New York; Isabella Marras, Senior Programme Management Officer – Interagency Affairs, United Nations Environment Programme; Beate Andrees, Special Representative to the United Nations and Director, International Labour Organization Office for the United Nations; Ursula Wynhoven, Representative to the United Nations, ITU; Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO, Copenhagen Fashion Week; Saad Amer, Founder and CEO, Justice Environment; and Ngozi Okaro, Executive Director, Custom Collaborative; Madhu Vaishnav, Founder and Director, Saheli Women; Nkwo Onwuka, Founder and Creative Director, NKWO; Omar Salam, Founder, Designer and Creative Director, SUKEINA; Omoyemi Akerele, Founder and CEO, Lagos Fashion Week; Niccolò Sbaraglia, Head of Commercial Development, Polimoda; Laurence Carr, CEO and Creative Director, Laurence Carr, Inc.

Panel: Omar Salam, Founder, SUKEINA, Designer & Creative Director; Carmen Gama, Eileen Fisher, Director of Circular Design

The Panels:

In Conversation: The House of LR&C

Climate Action: Culture Advancing Impact

Responsible Consumption and Production: Scaling Solutions for the Global Community

Partnerships for the Goals: Harnessing Industry Collaborations to Achieve Transformative Action

Industry, Innovation and infrastructure: Designing a Better Future

Reduced Inequalities: Breaking Barriers to Achieve Inclusion for All

Quality Education: Fostering Creativity in the Next Generation of Fashion Leaders

Decent Work and Economic Growth: Redefining Success Across the Value Chain

Spotlight: United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network

Life on Land: The Role of the Lifestyle Sector

Reception:

Outdoor terrace overlooking the East River

The annual meeting reception, supported by Seedlip, included a Solutions Showcase highlighting network members sustainable best practices and innovations from Avocado, Calik Denim, Global Fashion Exchange, Lenzing, Made Trade, Nuba Arts x The Canvas, The House of LR&C and The LYCRA Company.

Contact:

For more information link to: United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network or contact Megan McAstocker [megan@fashionimpactfund.org].

The post United Nations Conscious Fashion & Lifestyle Network Annual Meeting appeared first on lookonline.

Lookonline.com is the first and the longest publishing fashion site on the Internet.

I want to personally thank our many contributors who, over the past 25 years, have helped our site continue to grow. First and foremost my editor-in-chief, Marilyn Kirschner, whose fashion expertise and determination have set the tone for our editorial coverage and the late senior editor of The New York Times Bernadine Morris, who lent her name, expertise and guiding hand to benefit our site.

Diane Clehane for providing us with first-class coverage of major fashion and entertainment events. Lieba Nesis for her high profile event coverage and Laurel Marcus for her wonderfully funny and insightful editorials. Vicky Tiel for her great Paris street fashion reports. A special mention goes to two photographers: Randy Brooke for his beautiful event photos and Bettina Cirone for sharing so many of her historical pictures.

Also, special thanks go to the late Susan Sommers for her naming our site. Adrienne Weinfield-Berg and Rhonda Erb, both good friends of Lookonline, whose special assignment reporting gave our editorial greater depth. Stacy Lomman, Anna Bayle, Isabelle Erb, Countessa Logan Bentley Lessona, and Muriel Geny-Triffaut for their contributions. And finally, Grace Mirabella the former editor-in-chief of Vogue for hosting our first three ‘Master of Fashion Video Interviews’.

And finally, I want to thank my wife Deborah Brumfield the former editor-in-chief of the Fashion Calendar for putting up with me all these years. Without her help and support, the Lookonline would not exist today.

-Ernest Schmatolla, publisher

The post Lookonline Celebrates 25 Years Online appeared first on lookonline.

Many years ago, we used to publish editorial cartoons about people and events that were in the news. Below is a selection of our most favorites!

This was our most popular editorial cartoon. It referred to the launch of Talk Magazine by Tina Brown. Tina was prior to Talk the editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair. She was quoted by an insider source telling her employees that starting up a magazine was no easy task. They had to expect working late nights was part of the job. Of course, it was revealed that Tina would often leave early while those beneath her stayed late into the night.

The cartoon got a lot of media play. In fact, Tina’s office called asking if she could buy the cartoon! I responded by saying that Tina “could not buy everything and that the cartoon was not for sale.” The launch of Talk cost somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 million dollars and it closed after two+ years.

Anna Wintour rules at Vogue. An editorial about the Conde Nast cafeteria inspired this cartoon. It is a light hearted look at how some editors and models would follow her around like a gaggle of ducks.

This cartoon was inspired by the complaints editors were making about the long waiting times to get into fashion shows. Others complained of people accessing the shows without credentials. Then, some shows were being held up for important editors who were running late. When Mercedes Benz took over as the primary sponsor of the shows, security was tightened and we laughed at the idea of German efficiency and the strict discipline it implied.

This cartoon was a natural. Here Trump waits to interview models. On his desk are three pictures of John Casablancas, Bill Clinton and Woody Allen all wishing him luck. All three of them with dubious reputations. In this case, the truth turned out stranger than fiction.

As New York fashion week became more and more commercial, we suggested that IMG sell tickets to the shows. Well, it was not long after this cartoon was posted that American Express started offering ticket packages for a few selected show invites, skybox seating, cocktail party and meet & greet with designers for its cardholders.

The post Editorial Cartoons: Look Back At Our Favorites appeared first on lookonline.

For the first time during NYFW, the banner show, Made In Africa 2020, offered a set of eclectic and very pretty runway presentations from a pair of contemporary African designers, each with their own sort of message, at Spring Studios. And, while the groupings on the runway were completely different from the point of view of the designer’s individual viewpoint and statement, each premiere grouping had one common thread; i.e., speaking about/to the African connection between clothing, culture, tradition, aesthetics, et al, as a means of both beautification and body adornment.

“Every African person, every black person, is a king and a queen, and they should look at themselves in that way and never diminish themselves among society,” South African designer Laduma Ngxokolo said of the ‘We Are Kings and Queens’ theme for the Spring, Summer 2020 womenswear and menswear collections, under his label, Maxhosa Africa.Up until this week, Ngxokolo’s kaftans were in Bloomingdale’s (windows and specialty shop devoted to a tight group of African designers) as part of a pop-up inspired by Disney’s live-action remake of The Lion King,

Throughout his new line, which for this editor is truly dandified and exciting, Ngxokolo stayed right on target with the theme, “We Are Kings and Queens” — showcasing a fresh take on his trademark vibrant colors (this time inspired by the colors of the South African flag). On his first NYC runway, the designer sent his models out in a dizzying array of moods and styles, all in the name of melding traditional African prints with a hip, modern/ancient touch. Here, white painted faces, reminiscent of the African tribal culture; wrapped and draped ruanas, capes, shawls; big, bold, gold rings, huge cuffs, bangles; traditional beadwork patterns across wraps and headwear.

Think “Coming To America 2 and Black Panther, since the designer’s work is involved with both films. But, what really puts the entire grouping into orbit are the kinds of different and dizzying; bright, bold, wild, often upside down and mixed-up, zigzags and graphic prints, shapes, silhouettes, etc., which Beyoncé highlighted when she blogged about Maxhosa in 2016.

Just about everything on this runway works, via a super-cool, super jazzy, totally fun, off the beat, fantasmagoric riff, which mostly always takes viewers into a sort of rich, royal, wowser, candy land, made up of varied parts and parcels of Missoni, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Gucci, Hermes… and, well you get the drift here.

Eliana Murargy’s, “Basking in the Osun River” grouping, directs her muse to “experience a re-birth in the sweet waters of West Africa, channel her protective deity, pay homage to the Aje; honor, as the woman who yields cosmic powers and her force of creation and sustainer of life.” Delicate, day to evening clothes feature fine tailoring and refined fit via flowing shapes, detailed silhouettes; hard-edged, soft, nubby fabrications in a myriad of rosé, beige, blue, pink, stark white, black; touches of vivid sparkles, textures, accents.

Highlights across the grouping: Luxurious, pleated gowns, flowy coats; pantsuits; sexy, tight, silver and pleather dresses with a defined inter-galatic quality, rendered in a range of vegan leather, natural cottons, silks and tweeds, bespeak Murargy’s take on a global, lifestyle brand, embracing strong African roots and a strong artisan craft. Everything comes full circle, via the hand-picked group of West African tailors, whose hand-crafting, finishing and details, complete the circle, resulting in a contemporary notion of what feminine beauty signifies for muses of all backgrounds and faces.

While the runway collection had some really good moments, hyped further via some out of the box, ethno-centric models wearing the clothing and accessories – the wrapped turbans, clear shoes, bold jewelry as standouts – the overall show came across as lackluster, tedious, boring, and repetitive. Without the strong editing, which was sorely needed here, there were just too many lookalike garments from one to the next; hard to discern, digest.

Sadly, the “best of the bunch” garments, which did appear from time to time, got lost in the crowd; never really had the chance to star and shine as brightly as they could or should have. And, what was going on with all of the depressing, funeral dirge music, which set such a bizarre tone to this show? Did nobody even realize that some quirky, pumped up, American, African house music could have taken care of business;, in terms of complementing the garments on the runway and giving viewers a fun, upbeat experience; definitely not the case in any which way on this runway.

– By Adrienne Weinfeld-Berg

The post Made In Africa 2020 … The Hip, The Cool, The Beautiful appeared first on lookonline.

Several weeks ago, I received an email informing me that Marilyn Kirschner, my editor-in-chief of Lookonline was “featured” in Bill Cunningham: “On the Street: Five Decades of Iconic Photography” published by Penguin Random House. Bill photographed Marilyn and took more pictures of her longer than anyone else.

I was surprised then to see she was not included in the chapter written by Vanessa Friedman, “Those Who Really Caught His Eye” (“the select few whose regular presence over the many years of Bill’s reporting were singled out as what might be called these days “Supermuses” or “Hall of Fame Muses”).

How do you single out some individuals who Bill may have photographed for only a decade or so (if that), and omit the one person who Bill photographed religiously for almost 50 years? There are two pictures of Marilyn in the book, only one is identified.

Marilyn first caught Bill’s eye in 1972 when she was fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar and Bill worked at WWD. He photographed her in every decade from the 70’s up until June 2016, just weeks before his passing. She appeared in his “On the Street” and “Evening Hours” columns almost 100 times.

In fact, Bill devoted an entire 18 picture column to Marilyn in 2001. It was on Sunday February 11, the first day of New York Fashion Week for fall/winter, and it was called, “The Color of Money (In the Bank)”. There are only a handful of people (Carine Roitfeld, Anna Wintour, Anna Piaggi, Iris Apfel, Patrick McDonald) who have been so honored. They are all included in Vanessa’s list.

However, it wasn’t just the quantity of the photos but the quality. Because appearing in one of Bill’s columns can often mean a thumbnail shot in a crowded layout (“Where’s Waldo?”) or a picture of a shoe. Marilyn was often the featured subject, sometimes appearing twice or three times in the same column.

Bill felt comfortable enough with Marilyn to ask her to pose for him. It was for a portfolio he was working on. He arranged to meet her the next day and he took some pictures outside. Both outfits subsequently appeared in his “To Horse, or Not” spread, December 9th, 2001. Bill emphasized to Marilyn that he never did this kind of thing.

As a rule, Bill did not grant interviews. However, he agreed to sit down with Marilyn for Lookonline’s hour long “American Masters of Fashion” Video Interview series. This video interview was back in 2003 and many years before other media sites had the slightest interest. (click here for video). Just before Bill sat down for the interview, he turned to me and said: “Marilyn is one of the very few people who really gets fashion.”

Bill often sent Marilyn highly personal, complementary, handwritten notes scribbled on postcards and photos. Some were photos he took of her praising her and thanking her for inspiring him and “bringing him joy” with her individual style. She shared them with me and I will share a few with you:

“Fashion week is great because I get to see you and your fashion magic in a new image each day. You have a truly special talent and its fun for me to record. – Bill Cunningham

“What a joy to see you last week. Your style is an inspiration. The flyaway mink jacket worn with a sweater and long kid gloves- fabulous. I realize fashion week will be great because of seeing you each day. Thanks for brightening up my day. – Bill Cunningham

“Sending you thoughts for the New Year and much appreciation for cheering me up when I have the joy of photographing you during the year. Your style is so special in our cookie cutter age of sameness. – Bill Cunningham

“You have such magnetic style and I look forward to NYFW and seeing you at the shows. Aren’t we lucky to be in a field of creating beauty?” – Bill Cunningham

It was wonderful for Marilyn to be noticed and appreciated by Bill. It is just as important for credit to be given where credit is due. I believe it was a glaring omission by the editors to not have included Marilyn in the “Hall of Fame Muses”. I know Bill would agree.

Comment, opinion or disagree? We want to hear from you below. You can also reach me at publisher@lookonline.com

• by Ernest Schmatolla, publisher of Lookonline.com

The post Publisher’s Editorial: A Glaring Omission appeared first on lookonline.

It seemed only fitting that Fashion Group International decided to attempt to answer a question that every retailer wants to know at their annual beauty event. The topic of discussion was: who is the new beauty consumer?

One thing is for sure, she’s not who she was five short years ago. She lives online, wants everything to address her very particular tastes and needs and doesn’t want anything reminiscent of her “mother’s legacy” brands.

The event held last Thursday, May 16th at the Roosevelt Hotel was the first without FGI’s longtime leader, Margaret Hayes, at the podium who always kicked things off by admonishing people to take their seats so the program could start on time. Hayes died in February after a long battle with cancer.

FGI is embarking on a new chapter with Maryanne Grisz, managing director events and operations running the day-to-day operations in coordination with FGI’s chairman of the board, James D’Adamo and the rest of the FGI board.

Grisz ably took the lead on this occasion as she welcomed a crowd of beauty, retail and publishing executives which included tables hosted by event sponsors Hearst Magazines and The Estee Lauder Companies as well as ones hosted by board members. LVMH Fragrance Brands and IFF Grisz used the occasion to remind attendees of FGI’s storied history within the beauty industry which includes having industry legends Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein among its prestigious group of founding members.

Grisz acknowledged Hayes by telling the audience the former FGI president “loved this event” because of her decades-long association with the beauty industry as well as her years as a senior executive at Saks Fifth Avenue before joining FGI. “We miss you, Margaret,” Grisz graciously told the crowd before turning the podium over to the event’s co-chairs Karen Young and Caroline Fabrigas.

But the order of the day was looking towards the future of beauty, and Carly Cardellino, the newly appointed beauty brand director of Cosmopolitan magazine, made it very clear in her overview which opened the program that it looks nothing like the past.

Cardellino focused heavily on how digital marketing and messaging is driving the beauty business because that is where ‘Generation Now’ lives. “It’s Gen Z and the millennials,” she told the crowd. Connecting with that consumer on a personal level is key to attracting their interests. But it’s not done in brick and mortar stores, said Cardellino. ‘Likes’ (whether or not you can prove they’ve been able to be monetized) are the new measure of success.

“It’s not like it was with our mother’s legacy brands,” Cardellino said. “It’s legacy vs. niche with brands like Fenty” which are appealing to the very specific tastes and interests of the beauty customer that will succeed. Nothing, she said, is as it was even a decade ago. Cardellino, herself a millennial and young mother, also made a point of throwing in a few swear words into her presentation joking, “I’m supposed to be controversial.” It raised a few eyebrows at the tables where more established (read: older) beauty executives were sitting but did underscore the generational shift that is clearly more than skin deep.

After lunch, moderator Lucie Greene, worldwide director of the innovation group at Wunderman Thompson led a panel discussion with three industry innovators. They were Rinat Aruh, founder of the branding and design agency Aruliden whose clients have included Google, NARS and BVLGARI; Yarden Horwitz, co-founder of Spate, the artificial intelligence trends platform for beauty and food which launched The Google Skin Care Trends Report, and Doug Jensen, vice president, consumer relationship management and corporate marketing analytics for The Estee Lauder Companies.

The post The Fashion Group International’s Annual Beauty Symposium: “The New Beauty Consumer” appeared first on lookonline.

For more information about these and other pictures contact Randy Brooke at fototogo@aol.com

The post Photos of the 2019 Costume Institute Exhibition by Randy Brooke appeared first on lookonline.

2000 Interview With Paul Cavaco – by Adrienne Weinfeld-Berg

Part 1: The Early Years

Some say that Paul Cavaco occupies a very singular place in the history of New York fashion and public relations because he’s made all the right moves. He met, married, had a child with, formed a business with and he says he learned all about fashion from former Vogue editor Kezia Keeble. Other industry pros say he’s just a sharp, lucky guy who’s been in the right place at the right time. He says he’s been influenced by people like Bruce Weber, Steven Meisel, Richard Avedon, Elizabeth Tilberis and Anna Wintour.

So, could it be he’s parlayed just the right mix of talent and moxie to reach and remain at the top of this volatile profession? Here, in this exclusive LookOnLine interview — one of only three he’s ever given to the press up to that time — Cavaco speaks candidly about the yesterdays, today’s and tomorrows of his unusual life in this special two-part story.

LOL: Tell us about your background.

PC: I was born in Manhattan in 1951 at Lenox Hill Hospital. My dad’s parents are from Spain. my mom’s dad is from Spain and her mom is from Cuba. I grew up in the South Bronx, Queens and Manhattan. I went to CCNY where I majored in English Literature. I was the first college graduate in my family. I was always influenced by music. I loved rock, Motown and The Beatles. My favorite television show was The Little Rascals. (Ed.note – You could have been Darla, Cavaco said to this reporter.) As a youngster, I had no idea about fashion; I didn’t know anything at all about it. My mom wasn’t into fashion and my family didn’t have a lot of money.

So, growing up, it really wasn’t about clothes for me. I only thought about clothes during the latter part of the l960’s because of the way rock stars dressed; the bell-bottoms and stuff like that, which I cared about. But, I was a hippie and everybody I knew was a hippie and so we all thought we’d have to go and live on a farm. We thought, who wanted to live in the city and have the life your parents had. But, now we know better. So, I became a Buddhist and I chanted. I packed crafts for The Tribal Arts Gallery. I really haven’t come all that far personally when it comes to fashion today. Basically, I still pretty much wear the same clothes I wore then; jeans, a T-shirt, boots, a coat and that’s the end of it.

KCD stood for the three principal founders: Kezia Keeble, Paul Cavaco & John Duka

LOL: Which person has most influenced your life in fashion?

PC: Kezia Keeble, without a doubt. She was my mentor. She was it. She taught me everything about fashion. When I met Kezia, she had just finished working for Vogue and she was running a jewelry company named Willie Wu with her about-to-be ex-husband. Since Kezia was an editor at Vogue under Mrs. Vreeland, she would tell me all these wonderful fashion stories and that’s how I began to learn about that world.

Kezia had been in Vogue often because she was an interesting editor and was photographed for the editorial pages even though she was never a model. I learned a lot about fashion just by talking to Kezia and I thought at that time fashion was really fun and so very glamorous.

LOL: You’ve obviously worked with some of the ‘greats’ across the fashion industry. Tell us some of the stories about those people who have had an impact on your life.

PC: There’s Bruce Weber, of course. He was a huge influence in my life. I worked with him a lot at the beginning of my career; a lot, a lot, a lot. He’s not only a brilliant photographer, but he’s also one of the most brilliant stylists in the world. So, to that end, he really taught me a lot about how to put clothes together. Plus, he’s an interesting human being. He was great to me because he allowed me to do anything I wanted to do with no barriers. He’d say, “if you don’t like this sweater, put it on as a pair of pants.”

The freedom and the education he gave me were really unique. And, he always had an open mind on the set, no matter what. He’d grab a bunch of clothes and say, “well, what about this?” Then, he’d put together some wild, crazy combination that looked so right.

Steven Meisel was another great influence for me. Like Bruce, Steven’s a good collaborator and a great teacher. And, like Bruce, Steven has such beautiful taste. So, I learned about that, too. I learned how to edit in a very particular way, which is a skill that has served me well through the years.

KCD and its divisions are currently involved in over 140 shows per year during the New York, London, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks and in cities spanning the globe, such as Los Angeles, Beijing, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro

I loved working in my early days with Richard Avedon. He’s obviously one of the greatest photographers, ever. I was just a kid when I worked with him and the experience was incredible. I worked with him in his studio and we did GQ covers and lots of ads. He was like a dad to me; he was really careful and gentle with me. He’d always say to me, “where’s the surprise?”

So, from Richard, I learned that you can’t just dress the person; you have to go much deeper. You have to always delight the eye. You have to give an intelligent and quirky twist to your fashion. So, Avedon was great at that because he needed the surprise and he expected you to give him the surprise. If you didn’t, he was going to come up with that surprise all by himself and that would make you feel really dumb. So, that sort of kept you on your game all the time.

Elizabeth Tilberis was absolutely incredible. What was great for me with Liz was that she just let me be me who I was. She accepted me; never tried to change me at all. If I was petulant one day, she was fine with it. If I was in a good mood, she was fine with that, too. No matter what I was doing, she was fine with it. And, she loved photographs.

So, it was always great to bring her your shooting because she’d love it. She totally understood what it took to get it, so it was wonderful to have the person you’re answering to, easily understand what you went through. So, if a particular shoot wasn’t so good, she understood why it wasn’t the best thing you’d ever done.

What made Liz so special to me was that she allowed her staff to do their individual thing and make their special contributions. She was extremely professional but she was also so human. Every morning, you’d go in and have a cup of coffee with her. That’s how I started my day with her. We’d talk about work, kids, everything; so the humanity factor between us was there all the time. She’d toddle through the office; come sit at your desk and talk to you about everything and anything; it was a joy. The years I worked with Liz were full of joy.

LOL: How did you go about building your fashion career?

PC: In the beginning, Kezia and I were just dating and it was fine. We were living together and I was working as a waiter. I thought I wanted to be a writer. We ended up having a baby and we needed money. Kezia was doing freelance styling and because our daughter, Cayli, was being breastfed, I would bring the baby to Kezia and stay on the set. So, I watched her do the shooting and I began to learn from that. One day she wasn’t available for a job and since we needed the money, she said, “you go do it.” So, I just went out and did it. I got thrown into it and that was that.

KCD has banned Lookonline for over 15 years from any show or event they handle because of a criticism we made about them.

Right around this time; I believe it was during l976, Kezia started working with Bruce Weber for Esquire and Bruce hired me for jobs. He used me as a model for Esquire for college kids and then he told Kezia I was really good. He hired me for more jobs, but I wasn’t really styling. I was simply helping to put the clothes together because I was with Kezia who was now working for Esquire.

To me, I thought I was just helping out. I didn’t get that these were real jobs on real magazines. And, that’s how it all started. Kezia threw me into doing what I was doing just to make money. But, I really liked this crazy, new world and I thought it was so much fun. By now, I was 24. I was working all of the time and loving every minute of it.

LOL: So did Kezia Keeble discover Bruce Weber?

PC: He was already working, I think she was one of his early champions. She so loved working with him and thought he was so brilliant that every time she got a job, she would do it with Bruce. She always wanted to use him. And, when he got a job, he’d use her. So, I think their lives sort of inter-mixed. Everyone assumed that because Kezia was more established, she was the one who actually discovered Bruce. But, probably it was Nan Busch who was responsible for Bruce. Or maybe Bruce is really responsible for Bruce.

LOL: How did Keeble, Cavaco & Duka get started?

PC: That’s a long story. In 1977, Kezia and I formed a freelance styling company under the name Keeble, Cavaco. We just took any job that was given to us. Kezia worked freelance for American Vogue and thus, we also freelanced their menswear sections. I was like a market editor on these projects. When they needed men’s clothes for a particular shoot, they’d tell me what was needed and I’d go out and find everything. I also worked with Bruce Weber for Per Lui, which was a young Italian version of GQ. I worked with him also on Lei magazine, which was like Italian Glamour. I worked with Esquire, too.

Everything Kezia and I did was for the company and we did this successfully for many years. Then, in l984, Kezia and I divorced. Kezia re-married in 1985 to John Duka, who was a well-known journalist. Since we were all friends, we just came up with the idea to do a company together. We decided to focus on fashion advertising and Keeble, Cavaco & Duka was born in 1985.

KCD is staffed with over 100 employees worldwide in its New York, London and Paris offices.

LOL: Who were your clients?

PC: Bergdorf-Goodman was our very first client. We did their ads with either Steven Meisel as the photographer or Motts Gustafson as the illustrator. John did a gossip column to go along with the visuals and it was a really great campaign. Then, we did Trump Towers, which was illustrated by Tim Schaeffer. It was all about these giant, giant cartoons and they were absolutely beautiful. Then, John would go and do some crazy thing about people talking. The result was something totally different. Through the years, we had many, many clients. We had Versace and people like that.

LOL: Some say that Keeble, Cavaco & Duka is the frontrunner to the modern fashion PR agency. Do you agree? How did Keeble, Cavaco & Duka cross over into public relations?

PC: I suppose that because we were probably the first ones to incorporate fashion styling, advertising and then public relations into one agency, we might be looked at that way. But, for us, the development of a full-service PR agency was a long process and something that evolved from one specialty to another to yet another We knew we were doing the right thing for our clients via our advertising campaigns, but we also knew that if we lost a client, we’d lose our shirts.

LOL: What changes do you think have taken place in fashion PR over the past ten years?

PC: I do think KCD is as exacting today as it was when Kezia, John and I were running it. I think that PR firms in general have to be somewhat exacting because the world has become more and more commercial. So, yes, they’d have to be that exacting to keep with their industry and the changing face of their business. I think you see it and feel it when they’re not; for example, like when you go to their shows. I’m speaking personally about that point because I’m only interfacing with the PR agencies now on that level or when I’m getting clothes in for a shoot.

LOL: Which PR firms do you believe are best positioned to take advantage of the internet and its capabilities?

PC: You’re asking the wrong person. I just learned how to do e-mail two weeks ago.

LOL: Now that you’re Allure’s creative director what’s your current relationship with KCD?

PC: I remain close and personal with the owners, Julie Mannion and Ed Filipowski. Julie worked with me when she was 21 and just out of college. Ed came to me when he was in his early 20’s. So, you know they both spent a long time with me although I think Kezia was much more like Ed’s and Julie’s mentor than I was.

We worked closely together and we went through two deaths together, so when you do all of that together – you’re trying to run a company and you have two people who are an integral part of your personal and professional life dying – you just bond. And, there’s a child involved, too. Julie and Ed watched Cayli grow up; Julie’s known my daughter since she was 3 years old. So, you’re very, very close to each other.

Basically, they’re like my extended family. So, because all of us had been on the other side as editors and we knew we were probably the first of our kind to be on that side, we thought that we had the inside track when it came to public relations. We knew all of the editors as contemporaries.

We saw ourselves as the younger, newer type of public relations firm; a first of its kind, if you will. Plus, since we’d already been editors, we knew how editors just didn’t want or didn’t have the time to get inundated with a lot of junk. So, we took all of that into consideration and carefully edited out what wasn’t needed and gave the editors just what they wanted in a quick, innovative format.

Plus, we produced shows, as well, even when we were doing our styling. We produced shows for designers like Nicole Miller, Bern Conrad, Willie Smith for Williewear and Adrienne Vittadini. That was the very beginning. Then, we did shows for Chanel in America. We did a couture show for Vogue. We did lots of shows for lots of designers each and every season.

KCD’s seven global partners average 15 plus years of employment and work closely with Co-Chairmen Ed Filipowski and Julie Mannion, who have been with the agency since its founding in 1984

LOL: Who was the driving force behind the agency?

PC: Kezia, absolutely. She was so great because she was so inspired. It amazed me that someone could stay that inspired 24 hours a day. You could give her anything and she would just whip it up into some kind of real inspiration. She wasn’t difficult; she was just extremely exacting. I think because she was a woman and a woman who sat at the top of a well-recognized company over 10 years ago, a lot of people thought they would be able to take advantage of her.

Well, that didn’t happen. She might have had a reputation for being difficult or tough because she simply wanted everything to be perfect. So, if you were not perfect, she just made things perfect.

Now, I may be exacting, but I’m the first to admit that I’m not quite as driven in the same way that Kezia was. And, because she was trained by Mrs. Vreeland, she was used to a certain sort of caliber of work that’s expected of you. I think Kezia expected that of the people who worked for her and also of the people she worked for. She expected them to do great work and she wouldn’t settle for any less.

LOL: Describe your, Kezia’s and John’s role.

PC: I worked on all of the shows. If there were any shootings to be done, I did them. I didn’t do pitch work, but I’d come in if there was a problem. I was the calmest one there and the clients knew that they could vent on me. John was the writer, but he also did a lot of client pitching. Kezia’s role was the mastermind. A client would come to her and we’d say that we couldn’t take them; their clothes are hideous; they’re just not good. Kezia would say, “we’ll take them and we’ll make them good.” Everything and anything was a challenge for her.

LOL: Do you still love her?

PC: I still love her and not only because she’s the mother of my child. She was the most incredible woman and she played a major part in shaping my life.

LOL: What part of the PR business did you like the most?

PC: I liked working on the shows and I liked the many interesting people I met over the years.

LOL: What part of the PR business did you like the least?

PC: I hated most of it. I never liked soliciting people; it was always hard for me to call someone and tell them that they absolutely had to see a certain line. Some of the clients had unrealistic demands for what they wanted for their company. That for me was always the hardest thing to deal with. For example, a client not knowing who they really were with great expectations for what they should be. I always thought that perhaps they should just be what they were and allow us to do our job; to take that concept and promote it without changing or altering it.

Obviously, not every client is Versace; Versace is Versace and that’s brilliant; that’s fine. But, we had other, smaller clients who wanted to be Chanel; Karl Lagerfeld they’re not. You know, that’s a certain category and not everyone is that or can be that. You have to celebrate who you are and we simply tried to do that with our clients.

But, when a client is paying a great deal of money, they want to see a lot of results. You know, you can only do your best. So, I don’t really blame them and their unrealistic expectations. PR can only do so much; the client has to have a product that’s worthy of it in the long run. But, maybe that’s not really true in the broader sense. I guess the whole concept was just something I couldn’t grasp and I guess I wasn’t big enough to grasp it. I still don’t grasp it today and that’s why I wasn’t suited for public relations I understand the value of PR; I’m just not the person to implement it.

LOL: When and why did you leave Keeble, Cavaco & Duka?

PC: I left in 1991. Both Kezia and John had passed away by this time and I decided it was time to move on; to use my creativity in another area. I had a take-over arrangement with Julie Mannion and Ed Filipowski, who had been a significant part of the agency for several years, so I knew the business was going to go forward with knowledgeable people at the helm. When I left, they operated the business as partners under the Keeble, Cavaco & Dukaname. In l994, the agency became known as KCD and functions under that banner today.

LOL: How did you make the transition from Keeble, Cavaco & Duka to your position as a fashion director at Harper’s Bazaar?

PC: Liz Tilberis came to the magazine from British Vogue and I went to her and said, I want to be your fashion director. I’d known Liz for many years. Fabien Baron, who was also a friend of mine, was going to Harper’s Bazaar. He said, “don’t you want to go? It would be great.” I said, yes, and he said, “Liz is going to call you.” Well, she never called me, so I went to see her.

She said, “oh my god, I’ve just offered the job to other people.” Soon after, those other people turned down the job and Liz called me and said, “will you come?” I said yes, right away. It was probably fate; everything is fate, after all, I think. So, in the end, Tonne Goodman and I were the fashion directors and that’s the story.

Kezia Keeble discovers Stephen Sprouse and the agency produces his legendary show at the Ritz Club in 1984

LOL: Which PR firms do you admire today?

PC: Obviously, I still admire KCD. They’re the best in the business now and I think they’re great; I really do. I say this because I know them the best and I know about their integrity, both on a personal and professional level. For example, I think when you go to their shows, you really see that. It’s effortless to get into a KCD show. You just get escorted right in. Perhaps I’m treated this way because it’s my old company and they always recognize me standing there.

But, I only hear good things about KCD from my peers in the industry. People tell me you can just toddle right into a KCD show; it’s quick, it’s easy and there’s no front of house attitude going on. I also think Kevin Krier’s great. Bureau Betak is great. Overall, I think there are a lot of great PR firms out there, but for me, of course, Keeble and KCD are my family. what’s your current relationship with KCD?

PC: I remain close and personal with the owners, Julie Mannion and Ed Filipowski. Julie worked with me when she was 21 and just out of college. Ed came to me when he was in his early 20’s. So, you know they both spent a long time with me although I think Kezia was much more like Ed’s and Julie’s mentor than I was. We worked closely together and we went through two deaths together, so when you do all of that together – you’re trying to run a company and you have two people who are an integral part of your personal and professional life dying – you just bond. And, there’s a child involved, too. Julie and Ed watched Cayli grow up; Julie’s known my daughter since she was 3 years old. So, you’re very, very close to each other. Basically, they’re like my extended family.

LOL: Give us your thoughts on supermodels. How are they different today vs.when you started working with them years back?

PC: God, supermodels … I loved supermodels then and I love them now. I think I love them because I’ve worked with them for 23 years and I’ve seen them come and go. But, I guess that’s exactly what they’re supposed to do. They work for a certain amount of time and then they go off to their next thing. I see models as my collaborators. I couldn’t do my job without them. After all, they’re virtually the most important thing, you know; it’s the photographer and the model.

Contrasting the models of yesterday and today, however, I think there’s much more money involved now. But, are the girls the same? Yes. They’re still young women. They’re still very young. They’re still very beautiful. They still have long necks and long limbs. They’re still very thin. Were they anorexic then and are they anorexic now? No, because you can see that they’re basically healthy girls. Models are just genetically different than we are.

They aren’t your average people; they weren’t then and they aren’t now. And, I think that when people say that all models are anorexic, they’re not really looking. You can tell if someone’s anorexic; you can see it. You can look at these girls and you know that they’re not anorexic. They’re very young and young girls tend to be thin with fast metabolisms. Did they eat then and do they eat now? Yes, absolutely. And, I’ve always thought it was crazy for them to be picked on for their thinness. Do we pick on actresses for their thinness? Well, now we do. But, this is what models have always looked like and that’s how they earn their money and become the big stars.

I also think we’re addressing very different times when we think about supermodels like Dovima, Suzy Parker, Jean Shrimpton, Penelope Tree or Twiggy. We don’t live in as elegant a world anymore. Are the girls of today as elegant as say a Dovima or a Suzy Parker? Yes, I think so. Are girls like Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Kate Moss or Giselle as elegant? Absolutely.

It’s just a different time and a different world. Today’s models represent the art and vision of the world we live in much the same way that Dovima represented the style and fashion of her time and that world.The body types are different and our expectations of beauty are different. You know, the more things change, the more they stay the same. So, I think that the models of today are just as elegant and just as beautiful and just as sophisticated, in their way, as the big models of years ago.

Part 2: “Modern Times”

Paul discusses working on his first issue for Allure, celebrity fashion, Anna Wintour, Tom Ford, James Truman among others…

LOL: Tell us your ideas about celebrities and consumer magazines. How do you feel about the current focus on celebrities in the press? Is Allure taking this position?

PC: Yes, we are. We have a huge, close-up shot of Winona Ryder on the January 2000 cover and a feature inside. I believe that most people are interested in celebrities and the movie star image. People have been impressed with movie stars forever. If you look back at Vogue, you’ll see that they started documenting society women early on. They photographed what these women were wearing, they covered their social events, they chronicled their lives, for the most part. And, the readers loved it because their lives were so different.

Now, society in that form doesn’t exist anymore. So, society to us; American society, really are our movie stars. They’ve always been the American royalty. So, it sort of makes sense that Mrs. Vreeland always used celebrities as models. Cher was a big Vogue model. Barbra Streisand, Julie Christie, Jacqueline Bissett; all big Vogue models. And, like the supermodels of today, these stars were the interesting faces of their time. They simply happened to also be celebrities.

Today’s celebrities are the new faces; they have the lives and the faces we relate to now. So, do I think Gwyneth Paltrow is of that caliber? Yes. Am I interested in Gwyneth? Yes. I’m interested in Calista Flockhart because I think she’s a great actress. Do I think it’s a great face? I think it’s an interesting face. You know, though, I don’t really want to know that much about anybody, in truth. And, I’m sorry that everything’s so de-mystified today.

I’m also sorry that we know so much about celebrities overall. I guess what having them on a magazine does is it glamorizes them instead of de-mystifying them as people totally. So, you at least have the illusion that they’re gorgeous. After all, life is completely an illusion anyway. But, I’m still sorry for the de-mystification of life.

In 2003, KCD begins a 15-year relationship with the CFDA Awards by reinventing the gala with a dinner table two blocks long at The New York Public Library

LOL: Grace Mirabella recently interviewed Geoffrey Beene for The Look On-Line’s Master Series. During the conversation, Mr. Beene stated that he feels clothing is really rather boring and uninspiring these days. What are your comments on this. Where do you think fashion is going? Mr. Beene also said that for him fashion has now become extremely celebrity driven. What do you think?

PC: First of all, I guess I have a very funny view about clothing in general. I think there’s clothing as art and Geoffrey Beene does clothing as art. I think that particular kind of clothing is beautiful, extraordinary and wearable. And, I think that there are just clothes. I like clothes. Do I think it’s uninspiring? Do I really want to see people looking a very certain way all of the time? I sort of like people looking normal. I just like that. Maybe other people don’t but I do because I’m personally very casual.

I prefer simple, easy clothes. I can be just as comfortable with a Gap or Adidas bag as I can with a Gucci. I like that it’s a pair of pants and a sweater. I think it’s chic. I like photographing that because I think you can then deal with the character of the person you’re photographing instead of it being only about the clothing.

But, yes I guess if you look back and see Balenciaga or Saint Laurent at his height, for example; then yes, there were extraordinary clothes. But, we still have that. But, we also have a bigger world right now and I think that’s fine because we also have the casualization of American and the entire world. People used to go to the theater and they got all dressed up. Not now.

On one hand, it’s sad. But, on the other hand, maybe it’s all these cultural things are now just an ordinary part of our lives, so they’re not so special as before. It’s not so elitist, so you know, somewhere that’s nice. Are you going to the theatre only to be dressed up and seen? No, I don’t think so; not anymore. You’re going to the theater to see theater; let that be the main event, the entertainment. It’s funny when I think about where fashion is going.

To me, fashion is always like a pendulum swinging and people are forced in each direction. So, as casual as it gets, your eye gets tired of it and you bounce back into things like beaded clothes, for example. Certain people are now wearing beads in the daytime and that’s something which was formerly completely relegated to the evening. And now, it looks fine; it looks right. But, I don’t think we’ll ever go back to real maximalism.

I think, though, everything is possible today because we have so much access to everything and anything. There’s no time gap anymore. You can get everything you want on the computer, on television and video; you can get any movie from any time period. You can be influenced by anything. You can go to your computer and call up any image you want on the internet.

So, I think that the ability to be influenced all the time by a million and twelve thousand things is now available to us. And, all of this is influencing fashion as we know it. All of this is influencing the world, movies and every visual we see. The world overall is much more of a visual place now; it just is.

Fashion is definitely celebrity driven and I think it is because people want to dream. But, I don’t think we really live our lives wrapped up in a fantasy world. I think that life is real; it’s here and now. You still wake up everyday and you go to your job no matter what. There’s no fantasy there. If you have children, you still have to take care of your kids. But, there is that moment when you want to think that life is prettier than the everydayness that we have. And, I have a great everydayness. I’m not complaining. But, it’s nice to think that there’s more. I think that’s the human condition.

We think we’re not enough, there’s not enough and the fashion/celebrity thing gives you something to dream about. There’s a whole other life out there. There’s a whole glamour thing going on that we personally don’t have access to in our own lives.

So, I think people love to see the movie stars and fashion together. It keeps them going, somehow. But, you know that when you work in glamour, it’s not glamorous. It’s just work. So you don’t really perceive it as glamorous. Would I want to be a pipefitter? Absolutely not. Is my life more glamorous than that? Yes. That’s my everydayness.

KCD Digital founded in 2010, making the agency the first to have a full worldwide division dedicated to online

LOL: Who would say is on of your most important mentors?

PC: I want to say a word about Anna (Wintour). I worked with Anna for three years at Vogue as a fashion director and even though I was way adult, I learned an incredible amount from her. I learned how to edit clothes, which was really surprising because I thought I knew what I was doing already. And, she really taught me to focus. I mean, I’d already been working for 20-odd years.

Obviously, her personality was very different from Liz. Anna’s personality was great with me because she was very precise and very similar in certain aspects to Kezia. I’d go in to Anna and we’d talk about what I had to do and it was handled in minutes. The years I worked with Anna proved to be an incredible learning experience.

Professionally, she was great to me. Personally, she was divine to me. So all of the things – the coldness, for example — I never experienced. She was warm and nice. But, she was tough. Not tough like tough; she was – this is her magazine – and she simply wanted to put the kind of product out that she wanted to put out. And so, you got on board. Or, you didn’t. And, I learned that with Kezia. You may not agree, but you have to align.

So, even though I didn’t always agree with Kezia, she was the head person. So, I had to align. If I couldn’t align, I shouldn’t be there. And, that’s the way it was with Anna. But, I mostly agreed with her because I think she’s an incredible editor. In the end, it was like the biggest learning experience, which is why I went to work for her.

LOL: Who’s is your muse?

PC: I think my 22-year-old daughter’s my biggest muse. I have to say that honestly that she’s probably my muse because I think she loves fashion. She’s stylish. She’s young. She understands clothes. She understands alot. She’s always telling me what’s new; the music that’s new and things like that.

LOL: If your daughter wanted to work in the fashion industry, what advice would you give her?

PC: DON’T! Look, I trust my daughter and I think she’s a very smart kid, so I don’t know if you can really advise anybody. She’s shown an interest to work in the field, but she bats in and out of it. She thinks she wants to. But, she’s genetically pre-disposed, I guess. Of course, I’d be supportive of her, absolutely, if she wanted to work in fashion and this is what she chose to do.

Riccardo Tisci’s unforgettable “Love Letter to NY” 2015 Givenchy Event on Pier 26 in TriBeCa

LOL: Which young designers do you feel have the potential to be great. Give us specific names and tell us why.

PC: Is Tom Ford considered a young designer? He’s been around for a minute, but I think Tom Ford’s a young designer. He’s established; fabulous, but still young. We’ve seen the tip of the iceberg. I think Narciso Rodriguez has great, great, great potential. He came out like gangbusters. He came out and competed immediately with the majors.

So yes, I think great things about Narciso. I think Thiemister is going to be brilliant because I love the clothes. You know when he hits it, he hits it great. Viktor & Rolf? They’re too esoteric. But, I don’t know enough about the work. To me, it’s too esoteric and I’m not so esoteric.

I think Alexander McQueen is really talented. Again, we’re looking at a baby; he’s only in his 20’s, but I think he’ll be great. Someone who’s a baby designer just got thrust into the majors. But, he hadn’t been working all that long and then suddenly gets thrust into the majors and does OK.

Was Calvin Klein Calvin Klein in the beginning? We look at these designers really far into their careers and we say they’re great. But, the beginnings are sort of not quite that. Do I always love everything everyone does? No, but do I take a closer look and think that there is a seed of brilliance there? Yes.

LOL: Talking about promising young designers, do you think Stella McCartney will take over the design role at Gucci?

PC: Don’t know; probably not because she won’t do fur or leather. I’d say no, just based on that, but …

LOL: Now that so many American designers are heading up the Paris houses, what does this say about the future of American designers in this country?

PC: Sort of great, no? I think it’s a good sign. I think when an American is chic, they’re chic. There’s no one chicer. But, that’s coming from an American, so you have to factor that in. But, I do love the ease of the American chic. So, I think it’s a great thing for American designers across the board. We’ve always been sort of a stepchild of fashion; you know, the commercial stepchild. And, the idea that the world is finally recognizing that there is a validity to being an American. I think people are looking here for talent and they’re finding it, obviously. Look at what happened to Gucci; they can’t even keep it in the store. And, that’s Tom Ford, an American.

LOL: Let’s talk for a moment about the future of the internet and the impact it will have on magazines. Take Vogue.com and its coverage of the collections. Do you think sites like this will alter or change the focus of magazine editorial as we know it today? Are you thinking that the internet and sites of this type will force magazines to re-think and re-do what they already do?

PC: I guess Vogue.com, at the moment, just gives you the shows right away. Am I right? But, I think what you want from a magazine is a point of view. We’re all using the same clothes, so yes, on the internet you can see all the collections right away. But, what you’re not getting really is the particular magazine’s viewpoint. What a magazine has always done is taken those clothes and done it for their woman.

The Vogue reader is different than the Mademoiselle reader; different than the Allure reader. It all crosses a little bit, but probably if you go across the United States, not everyone is reading all the magazines anyway. Like in New York, they all do. However, there’s a Vogue reader, there’s a Bazaar reader, there’s an Allure reader, there’s a Mademoiselle reader and what a magazine should do is give it to you in the very particular style of that magazine. The internet just gives you information; that’s it.

I can’t say whether or not the internet will ever replace magazines; the whole world will probably be on the computer sooner than we know. So, it probably will replace, but do I think right now? No, because I think people still want the tactile thing of a magazine right now. Ten years from now? Maybe.

And, even though it takes longer to get the information from magazines, people aren’t getting the same information from the internet. I still think that the information you receive from a magazine is different. You’re getting the same clothes but you’re getting them done in a style that is of that magazine. Maybe at a certain point, people won’t want want that. But, right now, they do.

In 2013, KCD becomes the exclusive fashion agency managing the Met Costume Institute Red Carpet for the Metropolitan Museum and Vogue

LOL: Who’s got the best job in fashion? Who’s got the worst job in fashion?

PC: The best job in fashion? Oh, Lord. I think the person who has the best job can say yes or no. I think James Truman has a great job – superficially. He can go to a magazine and say, “yes, this is working”; “no, this isn’t”. That’s not the truth of it, which is probably you have to consider people’s feelings. It seems like, “oh, that’s a job I’d like; to walk up and say, oh, I like that; I don’t like that.” I don’t think there’s probably any great job, but these are the jobs I always think I want.

The kind of job where you can say,”yes, no, yes, no, yes”. But, the best job would be to be editor-in-chief, although I think it’s probably the hardest and because the pressure level there is so high. Because, again, it’s like you always think, “I’d like to run a business; I’d like to own my own business. But, I’ve already had my own business and really, it’s like a double-edge sword. So, it becomes yes, when it’s working; not good when it’s not working. In the end the worst job in fashion? Probably the same one.

LOL: Where do you want to be in five years, professionally and personally?

PC: Lord. That I don’t know. I mean, I always say I want to retire. I want to take a seat. I always want to sit down for awhile. If I retired, I’d sit. But, I don’t really know what I’d do because I’ve never gotten that far. I’m thinking about that, though. I’ve always been thinking about that. What do you do when you’ve spent your entire life raising a family or going to work, let’s say. So, your life becomes a very focused thing leaving little time to think about what else you’re interested in.

I’ve lived my life; I’ve gone to my job; I’ve done my job and all of that. So, I’m trying to figure out what I’m really interested in other than fashion. I was driven by fashion; obsessed by fashion. I loved fashion. I loved working on photographs.

Would I start another PR company? Never. Would I start my own magazine? Never. Would I want to be a farmer or an actor? Never. Would I want to live on a commune? I don’t know. I mean I really wish I knew. I’d love to say that I want to become a potter and just sit and do ceramics all day long. But, I’d probably go insane. So, I really don’t know. I think it’s the next phase in life. I think it’s like graduating from college and when you reach that point, you suddenly think, “oh, my god. What am I going to do now.”?

LOL: But, don’t you think now you might be at the Doctoral level?

PC: Yes, but I still think it’s the same process. You still have to figure out what it is you really want to do; how much, if anything, you still have or want to learn.

LOL: So, are you still learning?

PC: Always. Every day. Every day, I don’t think so, but I am.

LOL: Do you ever think that your next job might be as a grandfather teaching fashion to your grandchildren?

PC: I hope it’s not my job. I don’t know what it’s going to be next for me. I mean do you know what it’s going to be next for you? Oh, you do? You see, I just haven’t gotten that far yet.

The post KCD: How One of the Most Powerful New York Fashion PR Firms Got Started. The Untold Story… appeared first on lookonline.