Unless a miracle happens, I have a feeling that Lars Nilsson will soon be out of a job. The disastrous showing of the spring/summer 2003 Bill Blass collection, at the Celeste Bartos Forum, reminded me of Steven Slowik’s inaugural launch…which left front row habitues speechless (and I don’t mean speechless in the good way). Andre Leon Talley, for one, had the look of disbelief on his face, Joan Kaner seemed to be nodding off, and Anna Wintour left the show and headed straight to the Starbucks on the corner of 6th avenue and 42nd street (with two burly bodyguards in tow). I guess she needed a positive JOLT after that one. What were they thinking? Even top models like Erin O’Connor were unrecognizable thanks to the bleak make-up and silly hair styling (the artsy, fartsy interlocking ‘headbands’ were ridiculous!)
Fashion Week continued with a schedule that was truly impossible. Thanks to Catherine Malandrino, who showed at the 79th street Boat Basin Cafe (all the way over on the West Side Highway), Jill Stuart was an hour late, and many did not make it in. And getting over to Marc by Marc Jacobs was almost impossible. As beautiful and serene as Malandrino’s setting was (it was like taking an afternoon vacation…sailboats on the Hudson, the wind and the breeze, and a great steel band accompaniment), it was an exercise in pure ego…it was as if she was saying to the other designers…”I don’t care about you guys, I just want to satisfy myself.”
Backstage at a Fashion Show:
We went backstage this week at the Bill Blass show to document some of the work the makeup artists and others do that go into producing a major New York fashion show. The following photographs by publisher of lookonline.com Ernest Schmatolla are an attempt by him to give you a sense of what it is like backstage before a major show. We thank Bill Blass Ltd. and publicist Ian MacKintosh for giving us access.
Click here for makeup and the media; the table is set; a makeup artist’s tools of the trade; the importance of concentration but don’t forget toes count; and other pressing needs; while fashion icon Elsa listens; and a model wonders what it is all about.
