So, we all know who went home with the CFDA awards last night. Now its time to talk about the fashion worn by attendees. After all, isn’t it all about the clothes and what one is wearing? Which, by definition, takes on a whole new meaning when the subjects are serious fashion pros and fashion insiders. Thankfully, the red carpet for an event such as this is not your average run of the mill red carpet. One expects to see interesting variety and individualism, rather than the usual, boring, and uninspiring parade of long gowns and borrowed jewels which are routinely seen on other red carpets.  Even if, (or should I say, especially if), the results are not so great and beg the question of good taste. Who needs good taste anyway? As Diana Vreeland said: “Bad taste is better than no taste”.

Tuxedo Junction:

Stella Tenant in Joseph Altuzarra (Photo: CFDA)

Kerry Washington in Jason Wu (Photo: CFDA)

It’s been a favored hue worn by many high profile party goers (whether they opt for long or short, or everything in between). Last night, Jessica Stam, Kerry Washington, Michelle Ochs, and Jennifer Meyer, were those who hopped on the yellow bandwagon. FYI, it’s worth noting that this color not only looks good on its own, but used as an accent, and nothing adds more of a punch to black & white (which is another ubiquitous favorite these days).

Cut it Out

Rachel Roy and Jessica Hart (Photo: Randy Brooke)

Sculptural, architectural, body revealing designs, with strategically placed cut outs, are attention grabbers and not for the faint of heart (and should only be worn by those whose bodies are well toned). Fortunately, last night, they were, and seen on the likes of Linda Fargo, Erin Wasson, Rachel Roy, and Jessica Hart.

A league of Their Own

Michelle Harper (Photo: CFDA)

There are those who always stand out and manage to distinguish themselves from the pack: good, bad, or ugly (or all three). Michelle Harper is at the top of my list and she did it again last night. She is very intuitive and always surprises, putting together outfits that defy description. I don’t know exactly what she was wearing last night, but it was black, accessorized with rhinestones, diamonds (or crystals), and she capped it off with a vertiginous headpiece.

Vera Wang (Photo: Randy Brooke)

Others who always ‘look’ like themselves: Vera Wang, who accepted her award wearing a long dress (in her signature mousey gray color), layered over black trousers; Ralph Lauren, (he presented Vera with her award), opted for a formal tuxedo jacket paired offhandedly with well worn jeans and cowboy boots: a style he is known for; and Anna Wintour who marches to her own drummer. Though I personally was not crazy about her choice last evening, you have to hand it to her: she manages to get her signature fur collar in, regardless of the fact that it’s almost summer.

Proud as a Peacock

Michael Kors with Karolina Kurkova & Cody Horn,  both in looks by the designer (Photo: CFDA)

It’s becoming more and more routine to see men actually stand out at events these days. In addition to Thom Browne, who is in a class by himself, and Zang Toi both of whom love to show off their legs apparently), Cameron Silver always makes an individual, unique, and eye catching personal statement.
And once again, Michael Kors proves that a man can make a grand entrance on the red carpet even though he’s a minimalist when it comes to his sartorial choices. This was exemplified last night: he wisely ‘accessorized’ his classic tuxedo and signature dark aviators, with two long stemmed beauties (Karolina Kurkova and Cody Horn) flanking him on each side. Both were wearing Michael Kors, of course, and resembled dazzling bookends.

The Long and Short of It

Rafé Totengco with Mary Alice Stephenson (Photo: CFDA)

Sometimes, a gal doesn’t know whether to go long or short. Which is why it makes perfect sense that one of the more ubiquitous fashion statements around,  is a dress that is both long AND short. Mary Alice Stephenson, clad in Bibhu Mohapatra,  pulled this off with aplomb last evening.

– by Marilyn Kirschner

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Ashley & Mary-Kate Olsen (Photo: Randy Brooke)

The 2012 CFDA Fashion Awards, which marked the organization’s 50th anniversary, took place at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall Monday evening. The Row’s Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen won the 2012 Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Womenswear Designer of the Year award.  The Olsen twins were for the first time included in the list of nominees and beat out Marc Jacobs, Lazaro Hernandez, Jack McCollough and the Proenza Schouler designers.

Joseph Altuzarra & Kate Bosworth (Photo: Randy Brooke)

The Menswear Designer of the Year award went to Billy Reid, while Reed Krakoff picked up the trophy in the Accessory category. The night also honored emerging talents with the Swarovski Award. This year, Joseph Altuzarra won in the Womenswear category; Phillip Lim in Menswear, and Tabitha Simmons in Accessory Design.

Tommy Hilfiger & wife Dee (Photo: Randy  Brooke)

Anna Wintour presented Tommy Hilfiger with the Geoffrey Beene lifetime achievement award (with a performance by the Princeton Footlight singers, dressed in matching Hilfiger varsity outfits); Andrew Rosen took home the Founders Award, in honor of Eleanor Lambert, and the Media Award, in honor of Eugenia Sheppard, went to Scott Schuman and Garance Doré. Rei Kawakubo was honored with the International Award, and Johnny Depp with the Fashion Icon Award. 

Click here for arrival photos

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Here are a few photos from last night’s CFDA Awards. We thank Randy Brooke for providing them for us. Click on images for larger photos. All Photos copyright 2011 Randy Brooke...

 

Lady Gaga

The Red Carpet

Press Check-in

Interior View

Linda Fargo Fashion Director of Bergdorf Goodman

Fern Mallis & Stan Herman

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Sour Grapes or the Grapes of Wrath?

For the first time in 12 years, we are not invited to the CFDA Awards – no photographer or reporter on the red carpet; no Marilyn at the cocktail party. I am not surprised given some of the critical comments I have made these past couple of years about the CFDA under the imperial leadership of Diane von Furstenburg – but I am a little sad how petty they really are. Steven Kolb emailed me saying they did not know who our audience was – this after 12 years of us covering the event – thus they could not justify giving us an invite.  We sent them all the information they needed, and we did not even get back a reply. And, as we reported last week, KCD said since we did not have a reporter last year on the red carpet, we did not need one this year. The reason we did not have a reporter last year was because KCD would not give us a credential for one. It is Catch-22 all over again.

There is a price for being independent and we are willing to pay it. What others will say only off the record, we say on the record. But fashion is not only an incestuous business, it has become more and more exclusionary under the leadership of DVF. Marilyn is obviously upset about not being invited to the cocktail party – she does vote for the awards and certainly deserves an invitation after all of the years she has worked in our industry? Simply a matter of respect. Of course, deserving is never the reason anyone gets invited to these events, and respect is another word for “what can you do for us?”.

So we will continue to speak out more and more – and on the record. After all, what do we have to lose?

-Ernest Schmatolla

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Catch-22!

(Noun: A dilemma from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.)

Now here is one for the book. As everyone who works in fashion news media knows, access to the shows and events are the bread & butter of fashion news coverage. Many of us who work in online media are always butting heads with the pr firms and inhouse publicists to gain access to the shows and events that demand our attention. We have been online for almost 17 years now, and way back in the early years the fashion industry cared little about the Internet, so being ignored was SOP for most publicists.

Of course, everything has changed now. To say that the Internet has revolutionized fashion coverage would hardly be an overstatement. You only have to look at what goes on during NY fashion week with the hundreds of bloggers that inhabit the center pit at the Lincoln Center venue to understand what a  central role online coverage means to this industry.

Now, with hundreds of fashion sites both large and small, access to the major fashion events in NYC can still be “iffy”. Obviously, there is an A-list of major online outlets like Style.com, WWD.com and other online versions of  fashion magazines and newspapers  that enjoy total access. And this is as it should be. I will never forget having Grace Mirabella, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue, at my home to meet the then editor of British Vogue online Abigail Chisman being amazed that people actually had a hard time getting into shows and events!

For the rest of us, there is the continual competition as to who is “perceived” important enough to warrant invites to such events as the CFDA Awards. In the case of the CFDA it is the powerhouse pr firm KCD (Orginally know as Keeble, Cavaco, & Duka) who handles the press.

So once again, we put in our humble request to have our reporter and photographer cover the event – we have been covering the awards since 2000 ( click here for that first article ). In addition, our editor-in-chief Marilyn Kirschner also votes on who is to receive the awards and has even attended the event as a paying guest.

Souri Kim of KCD emailed us yesterday the following after we emailed him our report from last year:

“we can offer a photographer. the link you sent through really isn’t the type of coverage that warrants a red carpet reporter as it was comprised mostly of information from the release (except for the addition you added to the header)”

Last year KCD would not give our writer a red carpet credential so we were forced to use their extensive and well written press release as the basis of our report – with pictures by our photographer Randy Brooke. See our article here. KCD is not credentialing our reporter this year. Why? Because we did not have a reporter present last year! Am I missing something here? Yossarian, where are you when we need you?

If that is not “Catch-22”, I don’t know what is?

– Ernest Schmatolla

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Lookonline editor Marilyn Kirschner dressed for the occasion

As the event was video streamed and widely publicized online and on Facebook and Twitter, there is no point in us reporting on who was nominated for what. That said, Of course Marc Jacobs was again nominated for another award, this time for lifetime achievement. CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg was quick to note that Marc said it was only half a lifetime so far, but DVF reminded the audience that she was much older than him, and that her lifetime award covers a much longer period.

The event was held at the DVF gallery at 450 West 14th Street in a street that was filled with other designer showrooms. Only one small area of the huge gallery was opened to guests who quickly filled the room to way above capacity – it was almost impossible to make one’s way to the bar to get a drink.  I would estimate there were at least 300 people at the event, and we left after the announcements were made as it was almost impossible to move around the room with any grace or style!

The most interesting moments: DVF giving Anna Wintour a big hug in the center of the room while photographers and video crews captured this touching and moving scene; host Nadja Swarovski not showing up because of an “emergency board meeting”, DVF announcing that designers were going to raise money for the Japanese by selling pieces from their collections online; and Steven Kolb literally jumping to attention any time DVF addressed him on the platform.

It was hard to tell who anyone was in that crowded room. We did see Carolina Herrera, Vera Wang, Patty Cohen, Hal Rubenstein, and Anna Wintour of course. Others were to include but we cannot attest to: Joseph Altuzarra, Yigal Azrouel, John Bartlett, Michael Bastian, Amanda Brooks, Tory Burch, Georgina Chapman, Maria Cornejo, Francisco Costa, Keren Craig, Erin Fetherston, Justin Giunta, Kim Hastreiter, Reed Krakoff, Liz Lange, Jenna Lyons, Gilles Mendel, Ashley Olsen, Mary-Kate Olsen, Zac Posen, Narciso Rodriguez, Angel Sanchez, Jill Stuart, Sophie Theallet, Stefano Tonchi, Jason Wu and Italo Zucchelli.

We want to give a special shout out to some of our friends who we did run into: fashion writer Lisa Marsh, FashionGPS founder Ed Mullon and wife Kerri, Steve Eichner our favorite photographer from WWD, former CFDA president Stan Herman, syndicated fashion editor Mary Lou Luther, and of course our own editor – the one-and-only Marilyn Kirschner.

– Ernest Schmatolla

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That the venue for the 2009 CFDA Awards, held last evening, was changed from the New York Public Library where they had been staged for many years (and just steps from where the Bryant Park Tents had been erected for many a season), to Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, could be seen as symbolic, a ‘teaser’ of sorts. Because, beginning in February 2010, IMG New York Fashion Week, will find a new home in Lincoln Center. And from my point of view, it’s not only a perfect fit, but hopefully, it will serve as a harbinger of positive things to come. Not only is the location still convenient (although admittedly not as convenient as 42nd Street), but in the same way that the Tents were a perfect metaphor to symbolize the ‘Big Top’ circus like atmosphere surrounding fashion week, Lincoln Center, the epicenter of the performing arts in New York City, speaks to the drama and theatre (and hopefully, the productive creativity) that is, or rather, should be, inherent in fashion. In addition, the space is also much more open, light, and airy with its high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, and city views, and not as claustrophobic as the New York Public Library, which always seemed overly crowded, and over hot.

Boy, speaking of theatrical and being right on cue, the skies opened up to a first class downpour just minutes before the festivities were to begin. But moments before the first guests arrived, (at 6:30 to be exact) the rain ended, and the sun actually came out. And thank goodness, because otherwise, the models, (wearing a selection of designs from this year’s nominees, and positioned on platformed bleachers right outside the entrance to Alice Tully Hall), would have gotten completely soaked. By the way, it was amusing to hear the comments from puzzled onlookers, as they took in the ‘view’ and tried to guess what was going on.

In addition to the new, slightly more artsy and decidedly more uptown locale…there were other things that were just a little bit different for the CFDA Awards this time around. The ‘Pre Show moment’, a time when the guests left the red carpet to enter the theatre for the awards show, was really edited this year, allowing members of the press only one hour to mingle with guests over a glass of Champagne. In addition, reporters were warned they could not cover both the red carpet and the cocktail hour as they “happen simultaneously”. At precisely 7:30, there was an announcement (well, sort of a musical ‘gong’) to formally announce that the show was to begin. It was also the time when many if not most of the evening’s high profile guests arrived.

Unsurprisingly, while the invitation called for Black Tie, how that is interpreted these days, especially within fashion circles, where people make their own rules, is open for interpretation. Certainly, floor length gowns were completely overshadowed by short dresses – and I mean dangerously SHORT, though there was a smattering of tuxedos and even a few jumpsuits. One standout was EBay’s Constance White, who looked fantastic in a black Ralph Lauren tuxedo jumpsuit, accessorized with Charles Nolan’s oversized pearls. Speaking of which, this year, it seemed it was all about statement making accessories (no surprise there since the category of accessories could not be ‘hotter’ at the moment). Statement making necklaces, jeweled bibs, and golf ball sized pearls were the order of the evening. And when it wasn’t a fabulous accessory, it was a frock that was jeweled and embellished, so that there was no need to add accessories, other than a bag and a pair of great shoes. Actually, come to think of it, with short dresses being the order of the day (or evening, I should say), my vote for the most important accessory would have to be great pair of gams!

AND the winner is…
Board of Director’s Special Tribute
First Lady Michelle Obama

Womenswear Designer of the Year
Rodarte’s Laura and Kate Mulleavy

Menswear Designer of the Year (tie)
Calvin Klein’s Italo Zucchelli
Band of Outsiders’ Scott Sternberg

Accessory Designer of the Year
Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez

Swarovski Award for Womenswear
Alexander Wang

Swarovski Award for Menswear
Tim Hamilton

Swarovski Award for Accessory Design
Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewelry

International Award
Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton

Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award
Anna Sui

Eugenia Sheppard Award
Women’s Wear Daily editor-in-chief Ed Nardoza

Eleanor Lambert Award
GQ’s Jim Moore

-Marilyn Kirschner

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No silly, I’m not referring to Oscar de la Renta’s ego; though the debonair and popular fashion veteran is certainly entitled to feel mighty good about himself after winning the Council of Fashion Designer’s Women’s Wear Designer of the Year Award (in a tie with Proenza Shouler).

What I AM referring to is Oscar’s penchant for full, wide- legged, cuffed, floor sweeping pants at yesterday’s resort show. Most often counterbalanced with something leaner on top (a narrow cotton hand knit or cashmere and silk sweater), they, along with wide legged jumpsuits; wasp waist, petticoated dresses; full skirted cocktail dresses; filmy caftans, were indicative of his love of volume. But since Oscar always wants to give his ladies a variety of choices and options, he also proposed a lean silhouette by way of stretch cotton pencil skirts and abbreviated jackets and narrow stretch silk pleated dresses among other things.

Coincidentally, like last year, the resort show was a formal runway presentation held just hours before the CFDA Awards; not exactly the most convenient situation considering the pouring rain (which probably accounted for the many empty seats- I estimated the venue as 75% full). And many attendees were surely preoccupied with getting themselves home or to a hair salon, in order to get ready for the big event later on.

Speaking of convenient, just a few days before, the show was wisely moved from a gallery in Chelsea (located in the far reaches of the west side) to a decidedly more elegant uptown space, 583 Park Avenue. The venue was not only more in keeping with Oscar’s unapologetically elegant and uptown design aesthetic, but it was a bit more convenient- not only for his upper east side fans and customers (Aerin Lauder, Alexandra Lind) but for top editors like Anna Wintour (with daughter in tow), and Glenda Bailey (wearing an ivory crochet coat from spring), as well as top retailers (Bergdorf Goodman’s Linda Fargo and Neiman Marcus’s Ken Downing).

By the way, with the soggy downpour courtesy Hurricane Barry, wrecking havoc all morning, the most essential item of clothing was a great raincoat and there were many on view. While Anna opted for a sharp black patent trench, many others decided upon classic or not so classic khaki (like The New York Times’s Anne Christensen who wore Burberry’s short flared sleeved Mac with large buttons).

As for the collection, it was signature, consistent Oscar all the way, and indicative of why he took home the coveted Women’s Wear of the Year Award. The neutral color palette (white, natural, and navy, black) was enlivened with hits of yellow and tangerine- the latter looked especially fresh in the form of a patent leather drawstring jacket worn with a white stretch cotton pencil skirt, natural python Larrabee bag, and tangerine patent flat sandals. Stripes, oversized polka dots (this time embroidered), bold florals, and Ikat prints (what else is new???) provided a respite from the solids.

Getting back to the resort show, ODLR continued his experimentation with sleeves (in terms of volume, length, and silhouette) and is obviously taken with blouses, which were shown with skirts and pants. Noteworthy is his new ‘schizophrenic’ blouse: from the front it appears to be a classic button down shirt but the large bow in back gives it an unexpectedly feminine touch and added volume and dimension.

A selection of bags (from sleek clutches to oversized takeaway totes), belts (like the wide corset like patent leather version), hats (both tailored menswear inspired and whimsically large brimmed), and shoes (either pancake flats or sky high heels) all by Oscar of course, perfectly accessorized each of the 64 outfits in high style.

By the way, Anna Wintour showed up at the CFDA Awards held at the New York Public Library, wearing a knee length black and white embroidered floral dress by Oscar de la Renta. Others going the short route (and choosing Oscar), were wife Annette and her daughter Eliza Reed Bolen (who also works for the designer), both in short black cocktail dresses. They were proof that one need not wear floor length gowns in order to make a grand entrance. In fact, on the contrary. Sorry to say, but Oprah Winfrey’s complicated and voluminous Ralph Lauren gown was unflattering and looked unwieldy. And considering the heat, those who dressed up too much looked hot and bothered (like Allure’s Linda Wells in cumbersome feathers).

But hey, the CFDA Awards are not your typical red carpet event, and there are going to be many different ways to dress and many ways to creatively interpret ‘black tie’. For example, Bruce Weber turned out with a trademark red and white cotton bandana on his forehead; Vogue’s Grace Coddington showed up in her trademark black pantsuit; Zang Toi and his date, Rachel Smith, Miss USA, made a visual statement clad in matching black and white paisleys. Though Zang’s was a shirt and Bermudas, and Ms. Smith’s was a grand ballgown.

Interestingly, even though this was the 25th anniversary of the CFDA, it seems that silver (which signifies the years) was eclipsed by every other color of the rainbow (red, pink, black), and by its metal counterpart gold. Though one woman did pay homage to honoree Ralph Lauren and the anniversary date by accessorizing her floor length white cotton shirtdress (emblazoned with Ralph’s signature polo player) with a silver ‘tie’.

And speaking of shirtdresses, Charles Nolan’s lacquer red short sleeved shirt dress gown, worn on his model date, was an example of taking something simple yet adding drama through color, cut, and fabric. But in a sea of gowns, I have to say that one true standout was Amy Fine Collins’ colorful vintage Geoffrey Beene gown with its abbreviated bolero. Other than this year’s inaugural Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award (which was awarded to Robert Lee Morris), what better way to pay homage to the late great designer!

– Marilyn Kirschner

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