Fashion Week Notes Archives - lookonline

“Hail, Hail, The Gang’s All Here”

Marilyn Kirschner — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 10:01:00 +0000

Honoree Carolina Herrera and Couture Council Chair Yaz Hernandez

FIT’s Couture Council Luncheon, in celebration of their annual Artistry in Fashion Award, was held yesterday at the David Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center. Its official: the summer is over, and the fall season (and the spring collections), is now underway. Looking around at all the familiar fashion faces, (Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, Anna Wintour, James La Force, Steven Kolb, Robbie Myers, Linda Wells, Ken Downing, Linda Fargo, etc.) made me break out in an impromptu rendition of “Hail, hail, the gang’s all here” (which I sang to myself, under my breath, of course). It didn’t hurt that it was a gorgeous late summer day, but for those showing up to pay tribute to Carolina Herrera, this year’s recipient, it meant having to figure out what to wear that would be both appropriate for the occasion and the weather; and heaven forbid anyone incur the fashion wrath of the Best Dressed Hall of Famer, Carolina.

Amy Fine Collins

Coincidentally, it had been reported in The New York Post’s Page Six on Monday, that she told Haute Living: “ New Yorkers have horrendous taste”, and she’s “sick of seeing all those bare midriffs and shower shoes!” Fortunately, I did not spot any guests with (heaven forbid) bare midriffs, or shower shoes (I guess she means rubber thongs); although while, by and large, it was a well-dressed crowd, there certainly were some missteps (they shall remain nameless). On the flip side of that coin, I also did not see anybody rushing the seasons wearing inappropriately heavy fall or winter like clothing, which in my opinion, is almost as bad (case in point: last year Jean Shafiroff attended the event honoring Michael Kors wearing the designer’s hounds tooth mink stole on a day that was similarly balmy and summer like).

Julie Macklowe

Unsurprisingly, many paid tribute to the award winning designer by wearing her designs (and more often than not it was a dress, or skirt, often printed). Included in that group was Anna Wintour, FIT President Dr. Joyce Brown, Couture Council Chair Yaz Hernandez, FIT Board Chair Liz Peek, Vanity Fair Special Correspondent Amy Fine Collins (who arrived with Carolina’s husband Reinaldo), Fe Fendi, Chiu- Ti Jansen, Alexandra Lebenthal, Ivanka Trump, Renee Zellweger, and last but not least, Julie Macklowe, a luncheon Co-Chair. I say least, because she did not look like anyone else and stood out (and I don’t necessarily mean that in a positive way). Wearing a printed skirt from Carolina’s CH2 line, she accessorized with a neon green cross body bag and bright blue sneakers, she looked as though she were going off to her first day of school- kindergarten (yesterday was actually was the first day of school for many kids and it actually felt like the first day of ‘fashion’ show for us grown-ups!) Even though I theoretically love the idea of wearing sneakers (I just did a blog about flats and comfortable athletic inspired footwear), you have to know how to wear them, and when to wear them; if not, the results can backfire. Giving credit where credit is due, Julie embraced the sneaker trend long before Karl Lagerfeld showed them from day to evening on his fall 2014 runway, and she has been spotted and photographed around town this past year, wearing them day and night as well. When I asked her if she knew how many pairs she owned, she said she did not (this is a girl who I once spotted teetering around on heels so high during fashion week, she could barely walk).

By the way, I myself opted for a crisp white cotton shirt and printed skirt. While they did not bear the label of Carolina Herrera, since she is known for love her white shirts, I felt it was in keeping with her mood (the outfit met with Carolina’s ‘approval’). Carolina herself was flawless in a short sleeved white dress. I saw a few others wearing crisp white cotton shirts, including one very well dressed male, and was surprised that I did not see more, since for me, that is a perfect no fail, summer to fall, transitional piece.

Anna Wintour & Oscar de la Renta

Before and after a wonderful lunch that included black beluga lentils, asparagus vichyssoise, and lobster salad, there were welcoming remarks and brief (very brief) speeches. Julie Macklowe observed that “nobody deserves this award more than Carolina Herrera”. Dr. Joyce Brown noted that “Carolina is proof that life begins at 40. That’s when she reinvented herself as a fashion designer known for creating clothes with a timeless sense of style. Her designs and her life inspired our students. She’s spent countless hours mentoring our students and our students adore her. Fashion as you know, plays a dynamic role in our culture. In September 1944 100 students walked in and today, we have 10,000 students. FIT is a living laboratory”.

Renee Zellweger, Seth Meyers, Alexi Ashe

Next up was THE surprise guest host: Seth Myers, who was more than up to the task, even if you may not necessarily associate him with fashion. He began by saying that “fashion is personal” and went on explain the personal connection between him and the designer: she made his wife Lexi’s wedding dress (they are now celebrating their 1st anniversary) and he considers her to be his “wedding day fairy godmother”.He went on to regale the audience with the story of how Alexi fell sick with food poisoning the night before the wedding. When he saw her the morning of the wedding, she was on a gurney attached to an IV (while that is hardly a laughing matter, he somehow made it hilarious). “This is not the way you want to see your wife on the morning of your wedding” he quipped. “I know Carolina doesn’t make hospital gowns, but maybe she should plan to get into that.” “I looked great by the way. Lexi looked horrible. Nothing is worse than the groom “killing it”. The good news is that Lexi made it to the wedding and “looked amazing” thanks to Carolina Herrera and that beautiful dress. “The great thing about fashion is that it can make us feel better than the way we really look or feel”. “Because we are so in debt to Carolina (she literally MADE the wedding), we are naming our first child Carolina, regardless of whether it’s a girl or boy”.

By the way, I am a huge fan of Seth Meyers and, in my opinion, he can do no wrong. He is always funny, smart, clever, and never insulting or inappropriate, and he always nails it as he did yesterday. Personally, I think he would make a great host for the Oscars and I’m sure that is in his future. The last person to speak was Carolina herself, and she made what has to be the shortest acceptance speech in history. I think it was all of two sentences. She noted that “fashion is a dream that becomes reality” and then thanked the Couture Council of FIT for the honor. Brevity is great but I think maybe she could have added a few more sentences. FYI, when I asked Neiman Marcus’s Ken Downing how he would describe the appeal of Carolina Herrera to his customers, he quickly answered: “Her clothes are exquisitely elegant, perfectly appropriate, and fresh and the morning dew; just like Carolina herself”.

Speaking of “Hail, hail, the gang’s all here”, many of the aforementioned ‘gang’ (including Ken Downing, Simon Doonan, Stefano Tonchi, and Steven Kolb) crossed the park over to Madison Avenue to attend Lisa Perry’s spring 2015 collection (as usual, she had two back to back presentations on live models). As I left the FIT lunch, I was thinking how, if I had only worn my sneakers, I could have easily hot footed it over to the show (my three inch heels proved a bit uncomfortable for that task and I had sort of wished at that point, that I had followed in Julie’s lead and worn my sneakers).

Lisa Perry red crepe gown with vinyl insets spring 2015
(Photo: Style.com)

When I arrived at Lisa’s chic Madison Avenue store, I looked around at the feet of fellow attendees. There were some sneakers, and flats, and of course, many high high heels, which many women obviously refuse to give up, so it’s still a mixed bag. I sat next to Steven Kolb who was going off to an event later that evening at Gracie Mansion. We talked about the CFDA’s recent purchase of the Fashion Calendar and its legendary founder, Ruth Finley, who is now being given a much needed opportunity to work, or take it easy, as she wishes. The formal transfer of the business will take place on October 1st. (Sitting across from us in the front row, the octogenarian hardly looked like someone ready to take a break or time off).

The 29 piece show was Lisa at her best: clean, pared down, inspired by sports and athletics (as in the use of clear vinyl, aligning stripes and horizontal stripes), and of course modern art (which is always a reference for this major collector of modern art). In the case of the latter, that came by way of splatter prints and the use of red paint details that appeared on a group of white crepe separates and dresses. The palette was strictly white, black, and red, and I could say Lisa was on fire literally, as the red pieces literally stole the show. Oh, and the shoes were fabulous. Actually, there was only one shoe: a sexy, pointy toed sling back pancake flat with a wide strap across the front, which was shown in black, white, and red patent (Manolo Blahnik). I want them all. As for Lisa, she was wearing all black, and high heels.

Additional photo credits: BFA photographs – Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com Patrick
McMullan Company – Clint Spauding/ Patrick McMullan

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What’s a nice Jewish girl like me,doing in a place like this?

Rhonda Erb — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 09:44:00 +0000

The eve of the Jewish New
Year’s coincided with the first night of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week this year,
creating quite a stir, more than its share of conflicts, and a lot of
controversy. All of which of course, makes for good copy. The subject even made
the cover of The New York Post on Thursday, and they handled it the best, thanks
to their catchy cover lines, “Fash Hashana”, Faith and Fashion Clash. Inside,
their coverage of the “controversy” continued with “The Jewish Guilt Group,
Conflict is He-brewing as Fashion Week falls on Rosh Hashana!” They listed
Jewish designers (such as Yigal Azrouel)who changed their usual timeslot to
accomodate the timing of the holidays, and mentioned fashion professionals and
bloggers (like The Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine) who were skipping the first
few days for religious reasons.

BCBG Max Azria black & white tuxedo jumpsuit

I myself decided to cover a
few shows, including the Max Azria BCBG 10 a.m. show, held at the Tents at
Lincoln Center. It was all about “urban edgy”; “traditional silhouettes and
tailoring techniques deconstructed and reconstructed”; “practical functional
fabrications”; the play of hard and soft, and masculine and feminine. The color
palette was light (lots of white, off white, bone, pale blush, light chambray,
khaki), but it was counterbalanced with plenty of black, and the use of an
artistic abstract watercolor print, and the emphasis was on a relaxed fit and an
eased up, flyaway silhouette. In general, I found myself thinking that the best
pieces were as always, the most simplified. As I sat there, I asked myself,
“What’s a nice Jewish boy like Max Azria,doing in place like this?” Why is
he at Lincoln Center and not at temple? Of course, it’s none of my
business. It’s all personal and one has to do what feels right for them.
(Suffice it to say that if this had been Yom Kippur, the most solemn day on the
Jewish calendar, it would have been a different story for me). A little later,
I bumped into Ellin Saltzman,who admitted that she would not be going to temple
anyway, so why not go to the shows? Makes sense to me.

Speaking of which the fabulously talented fashion illustrator Gladys Perint Palmer, known for her irreverent caricatures, has just come out with a new book, “Adam & Yves”, Highlights of fashion history, which contains 216 pages and 190 illustrations, (http://www.firefallmedia.com/). There was a book signing yesterday afternoon held at the Courtyard at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center, and many people lined up to buy the book, and have it personalized by Gladys herself.

Getting back to religious symbols and symbolism, they have long figured into the vocabulary of fashion and there have been a number of fashion brands whose labels have referenced religion. For example, who can forget the now defunct Imitation of Christ? And nowadays, there’s True Religion, the popular denim brand, which seems to be all over the place. On Sunday, the Avant Garde group Three as Four will be showing their collection, dubbed Mer Ka Ba, (a school of early Jewish mysticism), at the Jewish Museum on upper Fifth Avenue. And through the years, some have even tried to equate great fashion moments with having a religious experience. Let’s just say, I didn’t find religion, nor did I find myself in the middle of a major religious experience yesterday (there’s always tomorrow and hope spring eternal), though there were some nice clothes here and there.

Richard Chai Love white navy black striped cotton nylon patchwork t- shirt

In addition to BCBG, I saw
Richard Chai Love, who proved that there IS still life after the iconic black
motorcycle jacket (which became ubiquitous both on and off the runways
especially after the opening of “Punk: From Chaos to Couture” which is now
closed). His, in collaboration with well known leather manufacturer Andrew Marc,
were shown for both men and women, and he wisely steered away from the
traditional and predictable black, opting instead for versions in white, red,
and ink. They still managed to look appealing, especially when juxtaposed over
long chiffon skirts, or full high waisted trousers that resembled skirts. There
were some graphic, nautical inspired ink and ivory striped knits that looked
cool and fresh, several several interesting prints, and he favors a very full
long pant that resembles a skirt.

Richard Chai Love grenadine cotton and nylon double breasted blazer
and silk shadow stripe trouser skirt

Actually, a grenadine (vibrant red) cotton
nylon double breasted blazer and matching long trouser skirt stood out not only
for the color, but the exaggerated, slouchy proportions that recalled the late
Perry Ellis. He is on my mind as of late because a biography, “Perry Ellis, an
American Original”, written by Jeffrey Banks, Erica Lennard, and Doria de la
Chapelle, with a forward by Marc Jacobs, is set to be released on October
22. I knew Perry, as I was his editor at Harper’s Bazaar, (I actually brought
him to the attention of then fashion director Carrie Donovan), and as such,
was interviewed and asked to contribute my thoughts and recollections. I am
looking forward to reading it

And it’s always interesting
to attend design competitions, such as the sixth annual Supima Design
Competition held yesterday afternoon at The Studio at Lincoln Center, because
they can predict the future of fashion. The work of 8 design students, all of
whom used the “world’s finest cotton” was presented (5 outfits each), and the
winner was announced by Rachel Zoe at the end. It was Morgan Selin from the
Rhode Island School of Design, and her inventive creations, (all in shades of
blue), included a corduroy knee length dress in midnight blue with foiled
fabric; a denim gown with woven blue bodice and silver foil skirt; and a twill
dress in an ombre of slate to midnight with dyed bias strips.

– Marilyn Kirschner

On & Off the Runway

All in Good Fun

Desigual, the casual
clothing company based in Spain, brought its signature brand of contemporary,
colorful style to the New York Fashion Week runways Thursday with their debut
showing at Lincoln Center. In an effort to convey a Mediterranean vibe with
their Spring/Summer 2014 collection, Desigual’s design team, which features the
legendary Christian Lacroix, showed looks ranging from vibrant florals to
geometric black and white prints. The male and female models were lively and
uninhibited on the runway, exemplifying Desigual’s beliefs in “Lust for living
well, feeling free and dressing expressively.” They even provided a little PDA
for the audience, which included actress and model Isabella Rossellini, seated
in he front row.

Opening Night

Fashion icon
Patricia Field served as the host of a benefit evening to kick off New York
Fashion Week on Thursday night at the Empire Hotel. The event was a
collaboration between GBK Productions, a gifting and special events company, and
Fashion Group International, a professional organization for the fashion
industry. The two-hour cocktail party raised thousands of dollars in support of
student scholarships for the LIM Fashion Education Foundation. LIM FEF Board
Member, Michael Palladino said, “I am thankful for the support of our mission to
offer scholarships and educational enhancements to LIM College students as they
pursue their studies and enter the business of fashion.”

Guests at the event included Fashion
Group International members, socialites, and celebrities including Bravo reality
stars Sonja Morgan and Nancy Pearson.

The Daily Bet by Rhonda Erb

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New York Fashion Week Editorial & Notes

Lieba Nesis — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:57:00 +0000

True Style, With A Capitol ‘T’

I spent a good part of Thursday, the first formal day of showings for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, fall 2013, at Lincoln Center, where I attended showings by BCBG Max Azria (it’s all about an urban gypsy, with an emphasis on layers, more volume, and great fur vests), Richard Chai Love (there was a precise military feel, with lots of fatigue green, and some great parka coats and jackets), Timo Weiland (stellar and rugged outerwear, some with oversized shearling collars), and Tadashi Shoji (inspired by St. Petersburg, Russia, it’s all about paisley, cut velvets, and especially, lace).

We all know that runway fashion is only a part of the equation- it’s how it all ultimately translates to real life, and to the streets, that completes the cycle. In the end, regardless of how great a collection is, it’s only a bunch of clothes when all is said and done. It’s up to the wearer to make it her own and give it life. It’s interesting to see what the customer picks and how he or she wears it, and it’s easy to understand why street fashion has become so important; hence, all the street photographers and bloggers who are there to record it all- “the good, the bad, and the ugly”. And boy-oh-boy.talk about the bad and ugly. I know there are exceptions to every rule, and yesterday was just the first day, but my overall impression was that from the look of things, not only ISN’T there a direct correlation between having great personal style, and being in the fashion business, but quite the opposite: it can be a real a detriment. Too many try too hard, are too focused on dizzying trends du jour, trying to look too young (when they’re not), and they miss the boat completely.

The main Tent has had an obvious face lift, or should I say, a makeover: things are laid out a bit differently, it’s a little more welcoming and comfortable, there’s a bit more seating, and there’s the addition of a much needed coffee bar. But while this prestigious location is undeniably the cultural epicenter of Manhattan, for me, it still feels more like the reception area for a big trade show, but with better dressed guests. Though, on second thought, maybe not, as the crowd was rather motley looking, with more than a few laughable eyesores. I know there are exceptions to every rule, and yesterday was just the first day, but my overall impression was that from the look of things, not only ISN’T there a direct correlation between having great personal style, and being in the fashion business, but quite the opposite. It can be a real a detriment. Too many try too hard, are too focused on dizzying trends du jour, and they miss the boat completely.

I was making my mental observations and taking it all in (short sequined dresses more appropriate for evening than daytime, worn with horrible shoes no less; ill fitting clothing; unflattering proportions; see through skirts and raggedy furs; etc.) while leafing through my free reads, which are thankfully handed out all day. I had a stack that included WWD and The Daily Front Row, but was immediately taken by the stark cover of T: The New York Times Style Magazine. The brand new issue and complete redesign, under the tutelage of Deborah Needleman, makes its debut on February 17th and yesterday, in celebration, there was a launch party held at the Grand Central Oyster Bar, hosted by Times chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr.

I have long been a fan of Deborah Needleman’s and have thoroughly enjoyed what she did during her tenure at The Wall Street Journal. Her take on fashion is smart, relevant, and completely modern, and I always learned something new. She told WWD that while the Times represents a “broader magazine” with a “culturally sophisticated and more tolerant audience”, she knew exactly what she wanted to do at the Journal, “which was to bring fashion to a non fashion audience and to make fashion interesting and desirable to that audience.” Well, guess what? She managed to make it interesting to me as well, and I am not part of that non fashion audience. True to form, instead of a young, happening, hip, of the moment celebrity or model for the cover, Ms. Needleman wisely chose 79 year old Lee Radziwill, photographed by Mario Sorrenti, (there’s a corresponding feature on Ms. Radziwill inside with images also taken by the famed photographer), who was dressed simply in black, with the words, “True Elegance” in big letters on the bottom. In describing her choice, she said, “I think we’re sort of post-everything. We’re post-race, post-feminist, but I feel like we’re not quite post-age. And we should be” . “Everything is so chaotic and noisy and bloggy, and she represents a kind of elegance.”

Yes indeed, it’s hard not to notice how chaotic, noisy, and bloggy fashion (particularly during fashion weeks) have become. And conversely, how unfashioney, ungimmicky, and elegant Ms. Radziwill looked, which is in direct opposition to many of the show attendees, who seem to not have a clue as to what is flattering, chic, or appropriate (to the situation, the weather, their bodies, their ages, etc.) Lee and her sister, the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, have always understood the importance of the word ‘appropriate’ as it applies to themselves and to fashion, and they have long embodied the idea of great personal style (past, present, and future).

Whenever I see pictures of Lee out and about these days (whether in New York or Paris), I am always struck by how perfect she looks. She is unapologetically chic, stylish, and utterly fashionable, but is never a fashion victim. She wears the clothes and they don’t wear her. If she’s ‘on’ trend, it’s only because the trend completely suits her, and is in sync with her own personal style. She always chooses wisely, she completely gets it, and always nails it. One could do a lot worse than to follow her lead, which is something to think about as we start yet another fashion cycle.

– Marilyn Kirschner

Are Shoes A Snooze?

Kirkwood’s “Keith Haring” shoe

The press preview for “shoe obsession” was held at the Museum of FIT at West 27th street. I must confess while I enjoy looking at beautiful shoes I was only slightly interested in attending this exhibition because I view shoes as ancillary to the main event, clothing. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the creativity and extravagance of this exhibition along with the meticulous attention involved in the execution of these accessories. The exhibit featured over 150 examples of contemporary footwear and the display of shoes was an exciting feast for the eyes. Shoe construction and design is no trivial matter and some highly artistic designers were available to explain the essence of their footwears design and construction.

Maria Ratsma “skull shoe”

Marieka Ratsma recounted her love for shoes as her great grandfather was a shoemaker. Ratsma’s shoes are modeled on nature and the specific shoe exhibited was a mimicry of the skull of a bird. The complexity of her shoe’s design required her collaboration with an architect who made the technical drawing of the shoe. The shoe’s heel was comprised of porcelain in the the heel enabling the shoe to be both strong and lightweight. A similar complex artistic shoe designer is Masaya Kushino, 30, who has been working in shoe design for six years. The Japan based designer uses antiques, nature and art as his inspiration and frequently spends months designing his couture shoes with the help of Japanese artisans. The displayed shoe, referred to as the wind horse, was triggered by his love of a horse themed opera he viewed in Japan. The heel of this shoe is made from human hair and traditional wood and the entirety of the shoe took four months to complete.

Masaya Kushino

His next shoe, a black shoe inspired by the fictional Japanese animal called Kimara, is a lush combination of various components. Kushino utilizes actual stingray, sheep and deer in the construction of the shoe with a heel based on a lions foot. The totality of the effect is a complete animal. His artistry is manifested in all aspects of his design and his shoes sell in a Japanese furniture store reflective of their intrinsic artistic value in Japanese culture. Upon leaving I noticed a suave Italian gentleman named Gianluca Tamburini, designer of the shoe company conspiracy, who said, “shoes are the most important accessory for a woman.” His shoes are constructed from aluminum and alloy so that the customer can modify and customize the laces and heels of the shoes according to their desires. This malleable material allows him to accommodate his clients by changing the jewels or design of the shoes within five minutes of the request. The utilization of technology and progressive material in shoe construction has revolutionized the shoe industry.

Alexander Birman Resort 2013

The other shoes on display were visually breathtaking. The shoes came in a variety of shocking colors many adorned with sequins and mega heels. The practicality of shoes has been discarded by our society with the advent of the Lady Gaga-McQueen era. This exhibit is a paradigm of the axiom, “beauty at all costs” and will entertain and delight all the Carrie Bradshaws in our society. While I do not share the shoe fetishes and obsessiveness of some fashionistas this exhibit has piqued my dormant interest in shoes and I am slowly clearing a clothing closet to make room for another pivotal accessory, the new holy grail in fashion – the shoe.

– Lieba Nesis

The Daily Bet by Rhonda Erb

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