musings on fashion, style, & pop culture

2009-02-24T16:32:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a fireman. And then a doctor, a marine biologist who could swim with dolphins, a senator, then a concert pianist, even a circus acrobat. When I got a little older, around the ripe old age of five, I realized I loved clothes. I didn't know it then, but what I really loved was a little thing called fashion, and I was hooked. I loved the way my mother would choose her heels to match her bag, the way she wore her pearls to go to church, and the very special way I felt when she made me a dress.

There was one dress in particular. It was a crisp cotton the color of earth, printed with little red flowers and green leaves. At recess, the first day that I ever wore that dress to school, I twirled and twirled around in it on the playground. That was entertainment enough for me that day, as I looked up at the dizzying sky, thinking that nothing could be better than the way that dress made me feel.

When I got even just a little older still, around the age of twelve, writing became my second love. Fashion couldn't answer all the questions I had in my head, the multitudinous ones about growing up Asian in a little town where everyone else was either black or white. Or maybe, now that I look back, those questions were just about plain growing up, Asian or otherwise.

Older still, in college, I wrote. Sad short stories. Personal essays. Even diary entries or angstful poetry. Our newly bequeathed White House poet, Elizabeth Alexander? She was my poetry professor during a semester when I wrote volumes and volumes of verse, mostly of damaged love, or love lost, or love unrequited. What did I know back then of those things when I was too young to know one from the other?

After college, and before a planned life of pursuing a doctorate and entering into academia, I decided to go to traipse across the Atlantic to the City of Light, Paris. With my pathetic high school French and not much more than two hundred dollars in my pocket, I went to write. But the writing that ensued in the nearly 7 years I lived in Europe, wasn't the kind of writing I had imagined. I wrote about European politics and policy, macro-economics, micro-economics, antitrust, agricultural commodities, and even the occasional restaurant or cinema review.

I tell this story often, and it's true. I woke up one morning and literally knew. I had to return to the states and study fashion. Since then, I've been immersed in that world, the pop culture tv reality version of it, as well as the gritty real life version of it. All the while, a little voice occasionally speaks up to inquire softly, what about the writing?

This blog satisfied that craving I have for words in a round-about-way which, for me, is a funny thing, since I've never thought myself a round-about kind of gal. Aside from my 7-year side step to Europe, that is. And so, now's the time to put this blog aside, and tackle the problem head-on. I've always thought that I'd get back to writing once I actually had something to say. Now the problem is, that I wouldn't know nearly where to begin. But at least I know that the time to begin is now.

2009-02-24T04:28:00.000-08:00

I have to fess up, but I usually skip the London shows altogether. And that's saying a lot, since seeing them, for me, and if I were to be honest, scads of buyers and stylists who go straight to Milan from New York, usually means nothing more than clicking away on style.com.

So I don't know why I did, but I took a look through Julien MacDonald's show. Maybe it was because Stella Tennant walked his first look, or maybe it was because the cut of that first look was pretty darn gorge. And then, I actually had to think back and second guess myself. Was this that Julien MacDonald, Mr. Sex and Satin? And yeah, turns out it was.

So the Balmain references were obvious, a little too obvious, but they have been for many a designer this season, and I'm sure they will be for many more to come. But, gee, who wouldn't kill for a strong shoulder and the women brave enough to wear them? It had me thinking, I could get used to this JM girl. Strong and seductive, but not in your face in that outright sex kitten kind of way that I always associated JM's designs to be, at least in the past.

After reading my WWD, it all comes to light. With a new backer, new factories in Italy, and very soon, a new studio, JM's upped the ante. Who cares if most of his business has been built in Russia, motherland of all that is bling and brass? If he can get them to dress like this, there will be some pretty rockin' babushkas in Moscow this fall.

2009-02-23T05:50:00.001-08:00

When Christopher Kane's debut collection a couple of seasons back garnered so much critical and commercial praise, and then he was swept up by Versace to consult for the megabrand, I could see why. His frocks were slinky and sexy, and the girl wearing them was a version of a Versace customer, the thinking fashion forward one.

But this new girl Kane is designing for now? She's far sexier and--this isn't a contradiction--far smarter than she ever has been before. For example, she knows it's fall, and may need a cardi or two to throw over her diaphanous numbers. But when she's out for the night, well, those dresses can speak for themselves. The first thing they'd probably say is that they don't need to be micro minis to be sexy. And that sexy can be sartorial, evidenced in the beautiful construction of those dresses.

The most important message of all? That Christopher Kane has lived up to his next big thing title, and with this collection, is already now a pretty darn big thing in my book.

2009-02-18T06:33:00.000-08:00

If you were to ask me which shows I look forward to seeing in New York, the name Rodarte would be rolling easily off my lips. And for the past couple of seasons, my jaw has literally dropped open in stunned awe as I scroll through the pictures, and that's only a very slight exaggeration.

Not that I was always a fan. It took me a couple of season to warm up to them, though I understood why these girls were lauded so. Who wears their dresses, aside from a very fashion forward few who can brave them on the red carpet? But then again, who really cares? As long as as these girls keep on doing what they're doing, making beautiful clothing which could supply art museums across the globe and ages, no one has to wear them really.

But apparently, a lot of the talk surrounding their show has focused on the fact that some LVMH suits showed up to have a look-see. Okay, so they've proven that they deserve resources out the wazoo, hefty titles, and a padded salaries. And even though it'd be glorious to actually see their creations on celebutantes and cash strapped fashionistas around the world, it would be a big trade off if they had to do give up what they're doing now.

2009-02-17T06:19:00.001-08:00

Nothing beats a good sense of humor. And that's likely one of the top reasons on everybody's list for loving Marc Jacobs so. Despite his tabloid antics, or perhaps because of them, he's always having a bit of a laugh, and what better approach in such trying times?

There seem to be two schools of thought among designers on how to approach the current economy. Go for classic, quality cuts that women can't live without, or go crazy. Happily, Marc has taken the second approach. After scaling down on what's normally a pow wow of a biannual fashion show, he focused the party on the girls. (Is that Snejana with that crazy red flame of hair?)

And oh, what a clever trick. Because if even for a fleeting 15 minutes or so, those lucky spectators inside the Armory probably forgot about everything else going on outside in the blustery cold.

2009-02-16T04:29:00.000-08:00

Fashion Week is fully upon us, and I can't help but to wonder how this one in particular is a little bit different. With all the shuffling and changes, big names and tried and true veterans of this crazy elitist sport dropping off the face of the map, or at least the fashion calendar, there is a huge advantage for some of the newcomers.

Not that Ohne Titel is new, since they've been showcasing their conceptual designs at Bumble & Bumble for the past couple of seasons. But what a time to turn up their creative juices and show a tight, but nonetheless stellar collection.

Living and designing in New York is a tricky thing. Though we New Yorkers think ourselves to be some of the most fashion forward citizens of the world, we are Americans, after all. We are, at the end of the day, the best at commercialism, mass market, and ready to wear. Avant garde, fashion forward, conceptual just doesn't get a fair shake here, while it's embraced across the Atlantic in the Tuileries. So, the trick has always been to straddle that divide between fashion forward and wearability.

The designing duo behind the label without a name, which is the literal translation of the German Ohne Titel, Alexa Adams and Flora Gill, seem to have conquered this dilemma, and beautifully at that. The best part about this creative tag team? For me, that they're two girls holding their own in an industry that is teeming with superstar boys.

2009-02-13T05:27:00.000-08:00

I've never been a Peter Som girl, largely because I don't live in the proper zip code to wear his ladylike creations. But I can understand that girl, and probably would hang out with her for coffee, though probably not on a girls night out.

And so, with all the chaos at Bill Blass, and then his funding being pulled from him, I felt pained that a designer with talent, any designer really, would have to deal with so much at once. But good things come out of adversity, and Som is living that half full mantra.

Though his appointment only Fall 2009 collection is probably the smallest he's ever done since his student days, it's probably one of his best. It's focused, relevant, and shows why he got to where he did. And hopefully, it will have enough wow factor for buyers to want to buy his clothes, and girls to want to wear them.

2009-02-12T05:06:00.000-08:00

Grazia.com has the scoop on the new Chanel ads with Jerry Hall. I've loved this larger than life model ever since I saw a video of her walking the final look of a Thierry Mugler show back in the 80s, the one inspired by bees. Her waist was cinched in, almost contorted, in inhuman proportions. Well, it was inspired by bees, so you can just imagine how other worldly she looked.

And I'm lovin' even still this comeback of all the old gals, or ahem, the gals that are closer to me in age than the fresh ones coming out today. Okay, so granted that a lot of the aura about her probably has to do with the fact that she was Mrs. Jagger for a while. But like me, you can surely see why.

Honestly, she must be the most glamorous Texan to have graced a magazine cover, much less an ad campaign of one of the most luxurious brands out there today.

2009-02-11T04:19:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, during times of doom & gloom--especially, as we now know, after a Geithner non-press conference--you need a little Karl to lift your spirits. Or, in my case, to pick you up off the floor after you've fallen, reeling from bouts of uncontrollable laughter. British Vogue has put together a nice little compilation of Karls' one-liner wonders. And so, to lighten everyone's hearts, I give you the best of the very best:

1978 - On his early start:
"When I was four I asked my mother for a valet for my birthday."

1984 - On his feelings following a fashion show:
"I’m a kind of fashion nymphomaniac who never gets an orgasm."

1989 - On Ines de la Fressange, his ex-muse:
"I wish her all the luck in the world, just so long as I don’t have to see her anymore or hear her spoken about."

2006 - On staying healthy:
"Vanity is the healthiest thing in life."

2007 - On being labeled a squanderer:
"If you throw money out of the window throw it out with joy. Don’t say 'one shouldn’t do that' - that is bourgeois."

2007 - On furnishing a home:
"The most important piece in the house is the garbage can."

2009 - His thoughts on the recession:
"Bling is over. Red carpetry covered with rhinestones is out. I call it the new modesty."

2009-02-10T05:31:00.001-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was comparing notes with a friend on the best concerts we had ever seen. A triple header tour back in the 80s by New Order, Public Image Limited, and Bjork's old group The Sugarcubes will probably always rank right up there for me. But MIA rapping along right there with the big boys--and on her due date-- at the Grammys a couple of days ago, well, that singular performance has got to top all lists.

Plus, she had the fashion acumen and bravado to do it while wearing a revealing Henry Holland cutout dress. One that was worn previously by skinny Minnie Agyness Deyn. So triple kudos to MIA for wearing it while preggers. What a pretty stellar welcome to the world for that baby. I haven't read so far whether she's given birth, but I don't blame the kid for wanting to stay close to a chick as cool as her.

2009-02-09T05:20:00.000-08:00

When I saw the cover of Purple's next issue, I had to do a double take. DVF doesn't just look good for a woman in her 60s, she just looks good.

I know a lot of young women look up to her, and for just cause. While she has always married fabulously rich, rather than sit back in her stilettos, she's found it to be precisely the reason to launch a career. Most women would probably consider doing the opposite.

Take for example the two women decked out in head to toe fur at my local grocery store last Friday. I happened to be taking the day off to run errands, somewhat comatose from finishing my Fall preview the night before. They were in their late 20s, leisurely checking out the produce in the middle of the day, there with each other to keep company because they obviously didn't have a need for a 9 to 5 like most of us working girls.

Not that I begrudge them their leisurely existence, but I'd like to think that even if I had that option, like Diane, I'd be doing exactly the same thing that I'm doing now, working at something I happen to love. And all that running around, albeit in a frenetic craze? Well, it obviously has its perks. Just check out DVF's fabulous legs.

2009-02-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

Last night, I presented a preview of my Fall 09 collection, so I thought it might be nice to give a blog out to some of the folks who made everything come together.

I was hosted by got2b, which is launching a new hair care line called Guardian Angel. The whole concept of the line is kind of amazing. The product was designed specifically to protect your hair from heat styling, and to protect it up to a temperature of 425 degrees! You'd think that your hair would have a melting point far lower than that, but not with this stuff.

What's kind of amazing is that there are companies out there still launching new lines in this economy. I spoke at length about this to Kathy Alaama, VP of marketing for got2b, when we were on Fox News' live streaming segment The Strategy Room yesterday to promote our event. The topics were wide varied, as we were there along with a financial advisor, a security management expert, and a bartender from Hooters...yes, that Hooters.

So while the economy has been a downer of late, there is an upside. It's been forcing a lot of people to be more creative about their approach to business. And for someone who's already in a creative field, well that puts on the pressure, or the heat in this case. Hence my partnership with got2b last night, which afforded me an opportunity to show my line, when I would not have otherwise had the funding to do so.

Not to go on about the lesson to be learned here, it was great party as well. I could probably devote an entire blog about the superb team at Creative Marketing Media, the publicity pros who made the event happen. They made sure to have boys in little hot pants dancing on the bars & fitted out with angel wings.

Photos of the actual collection will be up soon. But here are some pics to give you an idea of the mood and the gorgeous people there last night, including my favorite model, as well as Grace & Kathy from got2b.

2009-02-05T05:02:00.000-08:00

So I know I should be blogging about my Fall preview presentation later today at Arena during the got2b Guardian Angel line launch, but I'm tickled to learn that editrix Anna Wintour will be styling Adele for Sunday's Grammy Awards ceremony.

I'm even more excited to learn that the collaboration came about following a shoot Adele did for an upcoming Vogue issue. Finally, a buxom non-blonde in Vogue. If only they would hold off on their magical Photoshop fingers enough to show the world that big girls can look good too.

And now that Adele will be styled by none other than Anna, well, she certainly will look good come Sunday.

2009-02-03T05:56:00.000-08:00

It'll be strange not to be able to say Bryant Park when talking of the shows during Fashion Week, but apparently that's how it'll be. Now Lincoln Center seems to have secured those two crazy weeks out of the year, beginning next year, and by the time my lips get used to rolling that name off my tongue, it may just change again.

But at least in the interim, the shows will just be a short walk away in my 'hood. And quite frankly, any reason to get out of the craziness of the garment district, even if it is just a couple dozen blocks away, is welcome.

Now, whether or not the fashion crowd will descend on the diminishing decent cafes left in the neighborhood is another thing. But I simply can't imagine Anna, or Andre, or Grace, ever having a quick bite in the Cafe Upstairs at Fairways.

2009-02-02T05:06:00.000-08:00

Henri Bendel's has been doing it for ages, and now Bloomingdale's is getting in on the action. This Friday, the mass retailer is hosting it's first open-see for aspiring designers with collections to hawk.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, it's a casting call of sorts for the crafty. Having just a pretty face and a winsome smile won't get you by here, though. You'll have to actually bring your some clothes and your toughest sales pitch.

Because believe you me, Bloomingdale buyers have seen it all. And in these economic times, they'll have to see something pretty stellar to want to put it out on their sales floor.

2009-01-30T05:47:00.000-08:00

It's the end of a long week and the beginning of a longer weekend. And sometimes, as a picker-upper, all I need is a good tune.

And what better song when the songstress is a fashion loving diva who has an angelic face reminiscent of Emily Watson framed by an asymmetrical Annie Lennox crop? When the tune makes you want to jump up in your livingroom and dance, well, it couldn't get much better, really.

2009-01-29T05:36:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you don't need a gimmick when the clothes can speak for themselves. But of course, when you have Ines de la Fressange donning your designs, well, that doesn't hurt either.

Style icon strutting down your catwalk or no, there would have been applause at Gaultier's show in any case. Okay, there might have been some missteps here and there, but at least no catastrophic falls. And by and large, the stand out pieces really did stand out.

Which isn't easy for a designer like JPG, who made hard shoulders and corsets his thing in the 80s. Dont get me wrong, those design details were certainly there. But isn't the challenge making them seem new and relevant so that a couture client, and not just Madonna, will want to wear, or more importantly, buy the designs?

2009-01-28T05:36:00.000-08:00

Who says we're in an economic downturn when you're a couture customer? Or a fan of Givenchy, for that matter? Apparently Ricardo Tisci is doing something right, he boosted sales at the house by a whopping 80% last year.

So while the veils at his latest couture show fit right in with the dark Goth image he's crafted at the label, it may also be pleasing his best customer. Apparently most of his sales are made in the Middle East. I guess those petroleum princesses can still dish out thousands of euros, or Saudi riyals, for a frock...and even better if there's enough of lace to cover the face.

2009-01-27T06:20:00.001-08:00

It's a little hard to lament Olivier Theysken's long rumored departure from Nina Ricci when John Galliano is showing. His latest couture collection for Christian Dior could even make you forget about the economy for more than a fashionable second.

With the awards season in full swing, it makes me wonder who, besides Charlize Theron, will be taking one of these frocks straight from runway to red carpet?

2009-01-26T05:55:00.000-08:00

Yes, I've been a big Dolce & Gabbana fan of late, ever since, a couple of seasons back, these Milanese boys marched out half a dozen girls in paint splattered dresses like a vision of walking canvases. But who knew just how charming they were?

Interview Magazine has, well, you guessed it, an interview of the designing duo, dishing enough delectable details about them, from the decor of their offices, to their now semi-separate living arrangements. Here's some of the best of the skinny:

The three of us are talking in a leopard spot–draped salon in the designers’ Milan headquarters. Lunch awaits in the zebra-patterned room next door. There are big, important-looking pictures all over the walls, plus two prints of a Steven Klein portrait of Madonna, signed to each of them by their favorite collaboratrix. “Of course, one each,” Gabbana says archly. “Dolce & Gabbana is not one.”

SG: We are so different. Eighty percent of Domenico loves to go somewhere new, to develop an idea, and the other 20 percent goes back to the roots. I’m the opposite: 80 percent from the roots, 20 percent from the future. So it’s a fight all the time. But I say, “Okay, I love your trip. I agree with you, it’s very new for Dolce & Gabbana.” But I need to do it so it’s recognizable.

Q: So he’s the dreamer, and you’re the realist?

SG: No, no, it’s not like that. He is more projected into the future, and I am more attached to my roots, and the balance is Dolce & Gabbana.

DD: I want to dance. I want to live.

SG: And I say to him, “No. You come here.” And he says to me, “No. You come with me.”

Q: So you’re the man, and he’s the little boy. Is that the way you were in your relationship as well?

SG: Yes.

SG: We start every season with a piece of paper, two lists—“Yes” and “No.” And always it’s “No brocade, no animal prints . . .” It’s too easy to do the brocade. We do the list because we are not young. We are old chickens in the system. We’ve done this job for 24 years, you know.

DD: And we design too much animal print. So, “No animal print,” and “Yes a white shirt with lace,” “Yes a new shoulder,” “No brocade . . .” But finally, maybe I need some brocade.

SG: Or then maybe I need to do it in a corset, and in the end . . .

Q: The whole collection is brocade!

DD: Yes, it’s very funny.

SG: When we came back from the holiday, we thought a jacket would be really nice in duchesse satin, or in silk Mikado, but because the shape was really new for us, we felt we needed something to make people more comfortable. He said, “Brocade.” I said, “No. Fuck brocade.” But he was right.

Q: Do you ever get bored in Milan?

SG: I don’t have the time to be bored. We do 14 collections, including D&G children. Plus all the accessories, sunglasses, D&G jewels, perfume, and now makeup. And Domenico took care of the underwear this morning. I forgot. We split sometimes when there’s not time. But I can’t imagine it without him around. Oh, my God!

2009-01-23T05:19:00.000-08:00

I get distracted now and then, but I eventually get back to my senses. It's all about the clothes, isn't it?

And while McQueen is a master of high volume drama, there's just something about the cut of clothes that's just breath-taking. He's no stranger to staging shows with girls galloping out like horses, impossible corsets crafted of wood or plexi, or theatrics to the nth degree.

But still, under all the lights and pomp, he doesn't sacrifice his craft. If his fall preview is anything to go by for his full fall collection, it'll be yet another stunning performance.

2009-01-22T06:49:00.000-08:00

All the festivities and excitement has forced me to forgo some good tv. And unfortunately, that meant missing the highly anticipated new show on cable with Toni Colette in United States of Tara.

Apparently, I may not have missed much. But I've been a big Toni Colette fan since I first saw her in Muriel's Wedding. I became an even bigger fan after seeing her in Velvet Goldmine, The Hours, About A Boy, and who could forget Little Miss Sunshine?

After all these huge turns and successes, my favorite role will always be the Australian love-torn girl who lip-synced to Abba and dressed up in bridal drag. The best scene in the whole film was probably when she walked down the aisle, grinning ear to ear with a smile like a cat's meow. But this scene must be right up there, too, poly pant suit and all.

2009-01-21T04:53:00.001-08:00

I enjoy a regime change and all the ensuing festivities like any one else. But when all the hooplah means we let some pretty serious news go under the radar, well, that's when I have to turn off the live coverage and get back to my fashion blogs.

A little post, is-mental.blogspot.com, has had the full Alexander McQueen for Target line for days, but we've all been cooing over Michelle's Isabel Toledo ensemble. (Yes, I too am guilty as charged.)

While the collection won't hit stores until March 1st, it'll give me time to reflect on whether I need to bust out and nab yet another special capsule line. My feeling is, yes. I mean, who can beat a trench coat for all of $80. And a studded leather vest for not much more? I don't think I could even find that at Barney's warehouse sale which, by my calculations, is just a couple of weeks away.

2009-01-20T05:46:00.000-08:00

When I'm asked to think about my favorite models, it's always the older girls that come to mind: Linda, Christy, Nadja. And while Gisele is consistently ranked as one of the most successful and certainly wealthiest of models around, in pictures, she just never did it for me.

In person, though, she's another story. I've actually seen her in all 6 feet and some change of flesh, and I have to admit, she's all that and a bag of chips. This new campaign for Dior? Well, it's finally caught the essence of this glamazon. Leave it to John Galliano to give Gisele some mad blunt bangs to bring out the diva we all knew her to be.

2009-01-19T05:35:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that Barack Obama really won me over when he announced his pick for Secretary of State was none other than Hillary Rodham Clinton. After a tenacious battle, he realized that Hill really was the girl for the job, despite some snark and swipes along the campaign trail.

All I could think at the time, was, suck it Tucker Carlson. Let's see if good ole' Hill ever grants you an interview, or even acknowledges your existence from here on out after your very stupid comments about having to cross your legs whenever you see her on television, which simultaneously revealed your small-mindedness and a scary Oedipal complex (shudder). But I believe in kharma and it came as no surprise that Carlson's show was soon canceled. Misogyny just doesn't make good television, or much sense for that matter.

So while everyone is wondering what Michelle Obama will wear come Tuesday (and admittedly, I can't wait to find out either) Oscar de la Renta has spilled the beans that he'll be dressing Hill. And it sounds like a custom creation to die for, in Oscar's own words, "a very, very beautiful dress…pink and grey with this beautiful embroidery.” I write this, of course, while repeatedly pushing my tongue back into my mouth and hoping that my drool doesn't short-circuit my keyboard.

2009-01-16T05:28:00.000-08:00

Solely by the virtue of her talent and discipline, Anna Wintour is an icon of our times. Having achieved this status without a reality tv to catapult her into the spotlight, she is now the subject of a documentary film to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this weekend.

It makes me wonder if the loosely based portrayal of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada gave her a taste of what the big screen has to offer. Of course, there's no question if Anna is going to dip her stiletto clad toe into these waters, she'll do it with style, on the silver screen, as opposed to the small one.

I'm betting this production will rank right up there with Lagerfeld Confidential. And I'm already dying for it to hit the dvd market so I can rewind and replay to my heart's content.

2009-01-15T05:35:00.000-08:00

With the economy having such a huge impact on the face of Fashion Week, companies are getting inventive when it comes to showing. Nicholas K, Sergio Davila and Mara Hoffman are sharing a runway in a bid to defray costs, and in doing so, are sliding into the most coveted of arenas, the Tents at Bryant Park.

It's not the first time that Hoffman will be teaming up with other design talent, having shared space last year with Araks. But now by pooling the resources of 3 designers, well, there's just that much more to go around. It does make me wonder if the designers will be sharing more than just runway space, like models, invites, hair and makeup staff backstage. And that does make this equation a bit tricky since we're talking about variables that can affect creative vision.

But overall, the idea is quite clever really. You cut down exponentially on wait time, which is one of the greatest annoyances of Fashion Week, by seeing 3 shows at once. Of course, I'm sure all the designers will be vying for the last spot in the sequence of shows. And it does also make me wonder if all 6 designers, since 2 of the brands are helmed by duos, will be taking their runway bow together, respective pets in tow?

2009-01-14T05:34:00.000-08:00

There's some humor even in the most serious of matters. If you just so happen to be reading this from that little island bordering the North Sea, then you should beware that you may soon have to curb your fashion whims when it comes to your pooch.

Animal activists in England are pushing to make it illegal for pet owners to overdress their dogs. So no more booties for Butch, or hoodies for Spot. And you can forget the pearls and Halloween costumes. According to a recent report in The Daily Mail, the move is intended to prevent owners from acquiring pets as mere accessories, a trend made popular by certain celebrities and their "handbag pooches". Though no one is named explicitly in the article, you can guess which blond celebutante's mug shot is featured prominently alongside the report.

No word yet what that could mean for Harrods, which hosts an annual Pet-a-Porter, where dogs take to the dogwalk in a variety of designer duds.

2009-01-13T05:22:00.000-08:00

With so many designers dropping out of Fashion Week, did we have to whittle down the ways in which we could actually see the few shows that are still scheduled? Alas, Full Frontal Fashion, every fashion addict's video source for countless catwalks, won't be seen come February, so we'll all have to resort back to style.com for motionless stills.

In recent seasons, I've consciously overlooked the fact that Carmen Electra, for some unexplainable reason, appeared as host in the tents. It's not as if she actually gave any real commentary on fashion anyway, and instead just rattled off a bunch of lines from a teleprompter, usually to name off the designer we were about to see. The real charm, of course, was in seeing Simon Doonan make an appearance now and then as guest commentator. Oh the lilt of his lovely English accent and his boyish charms always made watching the shows so much fun.

But now, because of some complicated spat between the show's satellite platform, Voom, and Cablevision, Full Frontal will be no more, unless it's picked up by another channel. With less designers, it seems logical that there would be less press coverage too. Which makes me wonder, who-ohwho will be swiping their platinum card to be able to swill champagne in the Amex Skybox come February?

2009-01-12T05:48:00.000-08:00

I know I should be writing about some of the dresses from last night's awards ceremony, like Eva Mendes' gorgeous white Christian Dior or the surprising burst of color from Cameron Diaz in Chanel. But no, the best moment of the entire evening was Mickey Rourke's heartfelt acceptance speech, replete with toned down profanities referring to the male genitalia not once, but twice.

I've always been a bit torn by Mickey Rourke. Though I've been a great admirer of his acting talents since his riveting turn in the controversial 9 1/2 weeks with Kim Basinger, it's always been a bit hard for me to give the guy much of a break. Yeah, it's hard to care much for a guy who's been arrested for beating up on his wife. Remember all those tabloid stories back in the 90s about the tumultuous marriage he had to Carre Otis?

But now, it does seem like the guy has had some tough breaks and is truly repentant about his past bad boy behavior. I've seen him in an interview talk about the time he was eating spaghetti alone in a restaurant when he could hardly pay for his meal, That's when Sylvester Stallone sees him there, and gets him cast in the film Get Carter. Which makes me wonder how shabby the restaurant must have been if Stallone is there too.

2009-01-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

So with the casualty count growing ever longer of the number of designers opting out of showing in the tents at New York Fashion Week, I guess it should come as no surprise that Peter Som is canceling his own show. I mean, Betsey's out, Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, and even DKNY are all downsizing, showing off site, or staging intimate (read cheaper) presentations.

But for some reason, Som's latest catastrophic revelation that Creative Design Studios is pulling out of their partnership with him and taking a good deal of income that would have otherwise gone to a runway show has me, well, in a mild state of shock. Maybe because his name has been bandied about so much recently, especially since Michelle Obama wore one of his dresses. But not that he wasn't already on an upward trajectory ever since his student days when he won a scholarship from the CFDA.

While I've never been a huge fan of his aesthetic, I do understand it. And I understand why buyers dig his dresses, and why women, namely a certain soon-to-be first lady, would want to wear them. And I have to say that his work, while shortlived, at Bill Blass was impressive.

Now, I just find myself asking, who's next? Because trust you me, there will be more before the 2nd week of February rolls around.

2009-01-08T06:23:00.000-08:00

These past couple of nights, I finally flicked my way over to F/X. The first night was just by sheer accident, to find something to watch before getting some shuteye and oh so serendipitously, as most good things happen, I caught Nip/Tuck. Ever since Rosie has raved about this show, and apparently guest-appeared on it, I've always wanted to take a look-see for myself, but just never found the time for it. The recent slew of gorgeous adverts had further peaked my curiosity and the show did not disappoint.

So last night, again, I gave F/X a shot, this time by watching the critically acclaimed Damages. Now, I'm hooked, and wonder what the heck I've been doing wasting my time on boring network shows when good, dirty cable has been there the whole time.

I've always loved Glenn Close, and she looks positively sublime. No one could have played a better freakazoid jilted lover in Fatal Attraction, a role for which she may best be known. But after such a seminal performance, I always wondered whether it was inevitable that her career would take a downward turn, and whether good old Hollywood ageism limited her options, or other older leading ladies like Meryl Streep just won out when up against roles for characters of a certain age. I mean, the other role for which I most frequently associate Close was Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmations.

Now, I'll have the pleasure of seeing her every week, doing bad in the name of good, and doing it oh-so-wonderfully. And this season, though it looks like Ted Danson is being phased out of the plot, I'll see her along with William Hurt who has garnered a place on my top ten list ever since I saw him in that most riveting of films, Kiss of a Spider Woman.

2009-01-07T05:20:00.000-08:00

I had never been a huge Kate Winslet fan. Sure, she's a stellar actor and all, and it's kind of awesome that she has enough acting chops to defy the size 0 standard that most women are held to in Hollywood. (Remember when she came clean about being airbrushed in GQ a while back?)

But, whoa, what is Mrs. Sam Mendes doing lately? I remember seeing shots of her at the New York premiere of The Reader, dressed in a form-fitting Herve Leger dress. She looked drop dead gorgeous, as if the wintry clouds of December had magically parted and light was shining on her golden locks and face.

And now this cover for UK Elle? She looks kind of amazing and I'm dying to know her secret. Apparently, all my sweating and miles of running at the gym is not the way to go. The very winsome Winslet sticks with at-home DVDs of Pilates, and only 20 minutes a day at that.

2009-01-06T05:11:00.000-08:00

With all the running around and family outings during the past couple of holiday weeks, one reservation we had had planned was unexpectedly canceled at the last minute, dinner at the Rainbow Room. Now, it seems the recession has taken its toll on this most venerable of New York institutions and the restaurant has announced it is closing its doors, temporarily at least.

Okay, knowing this now, would we have braved the sub-zero degree weather that evening to shell out a couple of hundred bucks (per person, that is) to be able to dine with a view of the Manhattan skyline? Probably not. The one thing that everyone knows about the Rainbow Room is that it's expensive, and in these trying times, reputation alone won't entice customers through the door like they used to in flush times. Even for a pop culture buff like me, eating mediocre food in a joint that hosted the likes of Marlene Dietrich and Fred Astaire just aint worth the splurge.

One thing that's happening now is a reassessment of the core values and basics. There's still hope that the Ciprianis will revive the restaurant, if they ever come back from exile while their taxes are under investigation here. If not, you can still shell out a smooth $20 for a martini at the bar, which remains open, for now.

2009-01-05T05:09:00.000-08:00

Oh, the new year is come, and I am finally back to blogging. Thank goodness, really, because my wallet needs a break. I know we're in a recession and all, and it's not like I can really afford anything with the way the retail sector is, my sector, that is. But how can a girl-slash-fashion designer resist all these sales?

And not that I'm a massive shopper, either. Hard to believe, I'm sure. But being surrounded by clothes, making clothes, and being stuck with so much inventory when a store or two, or three, or four, doesn't make good on payment...well, I've got enough clothes to last me until my next profession. But even Jean-Georges is offering recession specials and with so much family in town, I finally had the opportunity to indulge, in both haute cuisine as well as high fashion.

And now that one of my favorite online retailers, netaporter.com is finally opening its outlet site, outnet.com, come February, I'm wondering if I'll have anything left over by then? More importantly, will those electric blue Louboutins make it on the site by next summer?

2008-12-22T07:06:00.000-08:00

I knew it wasn't a good idea, but what's a girl to do when she hasn't quite crossed everyone off her holiday gift list the last weekend before the Christmas holidays? Despite the snow, which turned into rain, and the mind-numbing cold, I ventured out in the New York city streets to finish up some shopping.

So, I realize we're in the worst economy since the 30s, but I didn't expect to browse with ease through nearly every major and luxury department store in the upper east side. It almost made shopping somewhat enjoyable, if it hadn't been quite so eery. They say the bad winter weather put a damper on the shopping weekend, but when did bad weather ever stop shoppers before?

I realize not everyone can afford to shop along Madison Avenue, not that I even can, unless I'm enticed by some decent sales. But you don't have to be able to afford it to enjoy what I think is the best part of the whole shopping experience, the windows. Bergdorf's generally tops the list for me, and they did not disappoint this year. If you can't brave the weather or afford to splurge any more than you already have, I hope you can enjoy these photos.

2008-12-19T05:47:00.000-08:00

While the casualty count grows larger and larger for Fashion Weeks around the globe, one that I'll be sure to watch is Phoebe Philo's highly anticipated 1st show for Celine.

If you don't already know about the talented team that she'll be working with, perhaps you should. Simone Shailes has already garnered a lot of buzz on her own, despite having just recently graduated from the prestigious MA program at Central St. Martins. Her graduate show was so stunning, Topshop swiftly offered to produce the line as is in an exclusive collaboration, rather than seek her design services for a simple capsule collection.

Even if her job at Celine will keep her busy for a while, Shailes is sure to shine in years to come.

2008-12-18T05:05:00.000-08:00

Even though it was coming, it's still kind of a shocker to read it in the Times. Bill Blass is finally shuttering its doors, literally, and liquidating all its archives in a quick fire sale in order to recoup some cash. I wonder if their public health mandated Exit signs will find themselves on ebay next to the ones Alessandro dell'Acqua's Madison Avenue retail store hawked just a couple of weeks ago.

Its all kind of sad, isn't it? So what to do for a little picker-upper? Listen to some of David Bowie, of course. Better yet, watch the coolest singer of all time in a video taped during his lithesome youth, not that the guy still doesn't rock my world today.

And check out those dance moves....if he raised his arms at just a slight angle, I'd say he gives Michael Jackson a run for his money with his Thriller zombie walk.

2008-12-17T05:03:00.000-08:00

I am totally gaga in crush, and even though the object of my fascination is as forever unattainable as an Hermes Birkin, at least I have my own little pint size version of him.

Yes, my very own Karl Lagerfelt arrived in the mail yesterday, thanks to a very generous friend who happened to read my blog and purchase a little Lagerfeld to go with little ole' me.

While the finger felt version doesn't churn out entertaining one liners like the real Karl, he is portable. And I am so completely head-over-heels for him, that I've decided to tote the diminutive Deutsch doppelganger around so that we are never far apart.

He's already made one outing to dinner in Williamsburg. There he is reunited with my generous gift giver, so expect to see more of Lagerfelt around town in the weeks to come.

2008-12-16T05:29:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, I happened to catch this documentary on Showtime. It was probably the most riveting 83 minutes I've spent in front of my television screen for a long time.

Did you know that the average age of girls who are sexually exploited and forced into prostitution here in the US is just 13? I still shake my head as I write that figure, and more so as I write that there is only one non-profit center in the entire state of New York helping sexually exploited and trafficked girls.

That center is known as Girls Educational and Mentoring Services, or GEMS, and was started out of an apartment and just $30 by Rachel Lloyd, herself a victim of sexual exploitation. Lloyd counsels some 200 girls every year, helping them to overcome lives of prostitution. These are largely girls who have been arrested for solicitation and are required to attend GEMS as part of their sentencing. The sad part about this all, and let me tell you, there's a lot to be sad about here, that these are just the girls who have been caught in the net of law enforcement. There are countless more out there who go undetected and live out entire lives of unspeakable submission and exploitation.

2008-12-15T05:07:00.000-08:00

Icons come in all shapes and sizes, and not just the prerequisite size 0 standard that we hold them to today. Even as a pinup queen, who was molested as a child and later in life became a bible wielding counselor for the Billy Graham Crusade, Bettie Page is, by anyone's standards, an icon of our times.

She died last week at the age of 85. And while news of her death came as quietly as she chose to live the later years of her life--reported by her agent on her website--she sure did cause a stir in her earlier years. I can't help but to laugh at the irony, that a woman who was photographed more often without clothes than in them could have so influenced the way that we see women in pictures. But sure enough, her looks alone were enough to get her there.

There was something about the cut of her hair, the way she wore her red lipstick, or maybe just the way that she smiled at the camera that made her so endearing. When she was clothed, in bikinis that appear demure to us nowadays, there was something still so sweet in all that seduction. If you haven't seen the biopic of Bettie Page starring an absolutely bewitching Gretchen Mol go out today and rent it as a little homage to the Queen of Pinups.

2008-12-12T05:23:00.001-08:00

I never used to look at Dolce & Gabbana, unless of course some foreigner (generally from an oil-rich country of eastern European provenance) would literally blind me with the bling from his highly studded D&G belt, or the rhinestoned derriere of his companion. No, the line was never really for me.

Until a couple of seasons ago, when the designing duo marched out a couple of girls at the end of their collection, wearing dresses that looked like living canvases. They were hand-painted creations, with nipped-in waists that flowed out into expansive tulle skirts and in a word they were, well, just gorge.

Who is this new D&G girl, because Dolce & Gabbana have since chased this girl down a most refined path of sophistication. For a label that was once equated to in-your-face sex, they've transformed their muse into a woman who knows that sexy can be conveyed with more than just vavavoom.

2008-12-11T05:03:00.000-08:00

Alber Elbaz's collaboration with denim line Acne couldn't be better timed. With the economy tanking, diffusion (if you can call this diffusion) seems to be on every designer's mind with Zac Posen and Doo.ri both announcing plans to do more affordable collections. But with prices ranging from $550 to $1,500, with accessories priced north of even $1,500, this cute little collaboration will still be steep.

Due to hit stores next week, I wonder if I'll have any Christmas money left over from all my gift shopping to pop in to Barney's or Bergdorf's for at least a little peek and maybe even a try-on and see?

2008-12-10T05:47:00.000-08:00

The Sozzani sisters are stateside, and I wonder what events they have planned for New York, if any, after their jaunt to Miami for Art Basel. Being so far ahead of her time, Franca, who was the visionary behind the all black Vogue Italia, has a Miami themed L'Uomo Vogue already on newsstands. Some stylish sun in these bleak times.

While Franca seems to have garnered all the news lately, her sister Carla is no wall flower. Though sightings of her seem to be less frequent, unless she's chicly shot by The Sartorialist in Comme des Garcons strolling next to her sister in The Tuileries, I'd bet most people would be surprised to learn of her own credentials. Muse to Romeo Gigli, founder of Milanese luxury gallery Corso Como, and even one-time editor of Italian Elle. A paltry three editions were published with Carla at the helm, and even now, people look back on them for their revolutionary vision.

I've often wondered if taste and style is in the blood, and these sisters seem to prove that theory right.

2008-12-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

Now that I'm kicking myself about forgoing last week's Sergio Rossi blowout sale after learning the haute cobbler is closing shop here in the US, I know I should be blogging about how Madison Avenue will be feeling like Woodbury Commons on Black Friday, just a desolate and barren wasteland of emptied storefronts.

So learning that Roisin Murphy will be walking the runways of Paris couture next month seems a little indulgent. But heck, she is pretty rocking. I mean, I know I list all my all time favs all the time, so much so that you're probably started to question the sincerity of my devotion, but really, Roisin is up there. So you can imagine how bummed I was when I couldn't make it to her New York City concert a couple weeks back.

What did she wear then, I wonder? Something as fabulous as the avant-garde costume she's sporting in this video? Which, by they way, she has no compunction to keep on while eating fish and chips, or brushing her teeth and simultaneously going to the loo. Even in times like these, you gotta' love a girl who can bring it down a notch in avant-garde, especially while she's belting out a pretty groovy tune.

2008-12-08T06:24:00.000-08:00

I've never been a huge fan of Katie Holmes. I think that's mostly because I was living outside the country during her ascent to stardom when she was on that television show I can never remember the name of. There's no denying the girl is gorgeous, and people I know who have seen her in person swear she's one of the most naturally beautiful celebrities in person. And apart from some of those red carpet missteps when she's gone out and had her own designs so very badly custom made, well, she does show quite a lot of personal style.

Having said all that, I haven't quite understood the craze over her. Okay, granted being Mrs. Cruise must still carry some weight, and she must have one of the cutest kids on the entire continent. And then I pick up the special Holiday edition of the T Magazine, and I have to admit she is stunning. If this is just a teaser for the Prada campaign, I can just imagine her inking a cosmetics deal some time down the line.

2008-12-05T05:19:00.000-08:00

Alessandro Dell'Acqua is closing its Madison Avenue storefront and pitifully liquidating all their store furnishings down to its public health mandated Exit signs in a quickfire sale in situ this Saturday, right on the heels of Te Casan's shuttering, right on the heels of Linda Dresner sadly closing shop. So what's a girl to do?

Pine for the 80s, I suppose, 1989 to be precise, when the world had recovered from the historic Black Monday 2 years prior, and when it apparently wasn't beneath supermodels to do their own makeup backstage. Imagine that, and check out Linda who, if I had to peg a favorite model of all time, would hold that title second to none.

2008-12-04T05:13:00.001-08:00

Someone once asked me why I seem to be so outrageously obsessed with Karl Lagerfeld. If I had to answer succinctly: his wicked sense of humor. Sometimes his comments literally slay me, so much so that I find myself nearly falling out of my chair from laughing so hard. But beyond that, Karl is probably the one figure in fashion today who is acutely aware of the public persona of a designer, of an iconic designer, really.

Everything he does seems to be to support his art, which has become indistinguishable from his own life. But if I had to speak the truth--his designs? Well, I get them, but even if I had the thousands of euros, or hundreds of thousands of euros to join that elite coterie of women who can afford to don his couture, I don't think I would. Big gasp, I know. Not that we don't need the Karls of this world to keep what few ateliers there are left to churn out such stunning handicraft. It's just a very certain taste and lifestyle, is all.

His latest little pre-fall collection, however, was absolutely stunning. In bleak moments like these, Karl shows just what a gem of a designer he really is, showing luxury to such heights, while tastefully straddling louche. I want every single piece of his Russian themed collection, right down to the astrakhan muffs and crazy headdresses.

2008-12-03T05:08:00.000-08:00

Stefano Pilati must have a thing for older women, and I say older with a loud 'ahem'. Right on Naomi's stilettoed heels, he's perched Claudia in the hills of Hollywood, in front of the actual sign, in fact, for the next YSL ad campaign set to launch early next year.

I'm loving this supermodel comeback, and while I was never a huge Claudia fan before, I'm a big contender for that title now. The woman is as lithe and lynx-like as she was 15 years ago, and I swear I've never seen her in a bad outfit.

Little known fact: Claudia Schiffer holds the record for gracing the most magazine covers, something like 500+. And at the rate that she's going, landing recent contracts with Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, and Chanel, it looks like she'll hold that record for a while.

2008-12-02T05:40:00.000-08:00

I know that with all these sales going on, and me back in New York where the assortment won't let me down, my holiday gift list should be growing ever smaller.

But truth be told, I'm just not into it (small gasp). This, coming from a girl who prides herself in always gifting the right size and right color, and has the longest track record of buying presents that are actually worn.

So what will I be buying instead? Music. And it seems like, lately, everything I've been listening to this year is a tune belted out by some fabulous singing diva hailing from the UK: Beth Ditto, Estelle, Lilly Allen, Kate Nash, and of course, Roisin Murphy.

The best thing about all these girls? They all have great style (and most of them, the curves to flaunt it.)

2008-12-01T05:14:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving holiday was a retail downer for me. (No wonder, then, that I made up for all the disappointment by indulging non-stop in some great home cooking.) Even though I deplore the crowds of Black Friday and generally hate to venture out, I do usually make a light recon mission on the following Saturday in order to make a dent on the obligatory gift list for the upcoming holidays.

So, I wasn't in New York, which may account for the bulk of my disillusionment. But still, Philadelphia does boast one of the largest luxury malls on the east coast (King of Prussia which, by the way, is where our new vice president elect was spotted shopping at Thomas Pink the day before his nomination).

So what did I do? Watch old movies, of course, and consume as much digital entertainment as possible. One of the movies I happened to watch (and not for the first time, or the second, or even the third) was An American in Paris. The music! The dancing! The color! And of course, the clothes! It's all so breathtaking and romantic, which is just the remedy to one of the greatest disappointments a fashion designer can face...bad shopping, that is.

2008-12-01T04:55:00.000-08:00

Today is World Aids Day, which kind of hits home for me since I have known and still know people who are HIV+. One of those people is Jack Mackenroth, whom many of you may recognize.

Jack must be one of just a handful of personalities who is open about being HIV+. And I have to say, all personal bias aside, that that must be one of the most courageous things a person in the public eye can possibly do. Jack's been active in recent months working with a big drug company, trying to promote as much awareness about HIV/AIDS as possible, so I thought I'd give him a blog-out today.

Being a designer, of course he's designed a cute little tee shirt. Click on the below for more info, if only to see more of his handsome mug, and learn what he's been up to yourself.
http://blog.jackmackenroth.com/2008/11/29/hivaids-awareness-t-shirt-i-designed-for-cotamorg/

2008-11-26T05:04:00.000-08:00

Last night as I started pondering the weekend shopping extravaganza ahead for the holidays (I'm an early shopper and like to have everyone crossed off my list come the first week of December), I came across this amazing stocking stuffer.

When I first saw it, my eyes literally bulged out of my head and I was stunned into an ecstatic state of speechlessness (and trust me, that's hard to do.) A Karl puppet finger! I had to have it...immediately...and my goodness, just one simply would not do! I needed ten, lest one deprived finger become jealous of the other!

My, my my, the series of questions that raced through my head when I divined further details. What is this etsy website that's hawking this most coveted of items? And who is mullish muse, the alleged hawker? Then the disappointment hit (formed into yet another question). Why, oh, why, is this item sold out?

The morning after, I still haven't figured out this etsy thing, other than that it seems to be some sort of ebay for crafters. And as for mullish muse? Well he, or she, is importing these little Karls from Mexico! My disappointment dissipated immediately. Without saying, this is a faux Karl and not a genuine thing by any stretch of the imagination since a real Herr Lagerfeld could never be hecho en Mexico.

Mullish muse did get one thing right, though. His size. Apparently felted Karl will only fit "very thin modelesque type fingers, pencils, or pipe cleaners". But the dead giveaway? Little Karl for the digits is wearing a hand-sewn suit with a stylish tie and starched collar, but only "Italian-like". Italian-like? Karl would shudder at the thought in his made to measure tailleur!

2008-11-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

Some things are just a little far fetched to ignore. Not that I'm not dying to write about news that H&M will next be teaming up with Matthew Williamson for their next designer collaboration (which makes perfect sense since Williamson will no longer be making extra cash at the helm of Pucci since he's decided to focus on his own label...though I was disappointed it wasn't Westwood).

But at yesterday's Luxury Briefing Conference in London, a former Morgan Stanley analyst predicts that we'll be seeing a big shift towards African influenced fashion. Why, do you ask? Well, as if it weren't obvious, because of our new US president-elect Barack Obama, of course!

There's a highly technical journalistic expression called silly season. It usually occurs in a lull of news, and is marked by an upsurge of, well, silly stories. And it's not that there isn't a wealth of stories to read now in fashion, but because of the economy, most of them tend to be quite awful and depressing.

Does that explain the seeming craziness of Claire Kent's remark? No. I mean, generally analysts tend to well-informed gatherers of information. And it's not that Obama hasn't already influenced the likes of Franca Sozzani in her pivotal all-black Italian Vogue. But to take it all the way to Africa, well, just because the man happens to born to an African national (forget that his mother was white or that he was born and bred on American territory and has hardly even traveled to Africa)...now that is just absolute silliness.

Which is not to say that we might just see some African influences in fashion cropping up here and there. Look at how beautifully YSL was influenced by it. And as we all know, fashion, like the economy is cyclical. It's been a while since we've seen many tribal prints, which are great for summer. And if my fashion calendar is on target, we're due to see some summer collections in January. But believe you me, I won't be straining to look for any African influences, or wondering whether I should match my blue to the color of Obama's inaugural suit.

2008-11-24T04:48:00.000-08:00

I have to admit my list of favorite people is as varied as the ocean is deep. If you've read this blog before, you must have divined by now that Herr Lagerfeld ranks right up there on the list. His style is impeccable, his intellect sharp, but it really is his sense of humor that makes my heart go pitter-patter every time I read a new one-liner he's uttered.

Maybe that's why I'm such an admirer, no, an outright adorer, of Rosie O'Donnell. When Rosie was on that-daytime-show-that-can-not-be-named, I used to DVR the darn thing religiously, and fast forward to all the parts where she was talking so I could filter out all the other, ahem, "bits" I was loathe to watch.

Why do I love Rosie so? Okay, she's no style maven, that's for sure. But dare I say it, fashion isn't everything. Rosie, to me, has always seemed to possess a sound moral compass, despite protocol or so-called social norms. She's a girl who follows her heart, and that, for me, is a girl after my own heart.

So when I saw the previews for her new variety show, well, my heart did another pitter patter. My Rosie dose won't be daily, but it'll be enough. And you can bet I'll have the popcorn, generously buttered, ready to go this Wednesday at 8.

2008-11-21T06:21:00.000-08:00

So while my list of designers going out of business grows ever longer, it's nice to hear of a comeback or resurrection now and then. Once mammoth retailer Steve & Barry's is finally liquidating (no surprise there), Bill Blass is closing house, (not there either), but veterans Jean de Castelbajac and Romeo Gigli are seeing a revival.

De Castelbajac may not be a name that most would recognize, though Katy Perry brought him some hot press when she wore a dress by the designer bearing the sequined visage of our new president elect at the MTV Awards. Having fallen victim to the financial crises months ago, Swedish firm Atlas Design Group has given de Castelbajac a second lifeline, so we'll be seeing more pop-art inspired designs from the Frenchman for at least another season.

Now on to the more interesting news of Gigli's new line: Io Ipse Idem. Since having lost the rights to his name following a dispute with his former backers, Gigli is teaming up with new investors and a former exec of Pucci and will show next season in Paris.

In his heyday, Gigli was often regarded as the soft and romantic counterpoint to Armani's hard shouldered power suits, which ultimately seemed to have won out. It'll be interesting to see if Gigli's woman has been able to change with the times, a progression I often wonder whether Armani's client has been able to make.

2008-11-20T05:35:00.000-08:00

Oh, Saks is bleeding money, Lucky Magazine is throwing a couple of editors to the curb, and Allegra Hicks is filing for bankruptcy in England. But not all of us are hurting in these trying times. Trust Karl (and Prada, if you´ve read about the new Miu Miu store opening here in the city and rumors of Katie Holmes gracing the co´s next ad campaign) to come through for us and offer a shimmer of light at the end of this bleak and seemingly never-ending tunnel.

Since his recent sojourn here in the US, all us Karl fans (of which you can count me numero uno) learned of his love of ipods (along with Pennsylvania Dutch wheat bread and I Can´t Believe It´s Not butter). But how´s a man like Karl to store his digital devices? Not just in style, but in luxury.

According to the Luxist, Karl doesn´t just stuff his mp3 players into his pockets like all us mere mortals, however bespoke his may be. No, he has Louis Vuitton custom make a trunk, crafted of black Taiga leather, brass fittings, and a sleek microfiber interior. The Karlcase not only carries 20 ipods, it also holds a compartment for speakers and a subwoofer. To top it off, KL´s initials are embossed on top, less some knuckle head think that this valise could possibly belong to someone else.

2008-11-19T05:32:00.000-08:00

Last night was a late night out for me celebrating a little someone's birthday. So before going to bed, in order to wind down, we turned on the tube to watch a little Letterman, a big treat for me, since he's on way past my normal bed time.

And what a treat it was. Who did he have on as a guest? Well, none other than the first lady of France, the inimitable Carla Bruni.

Okay, okay, so I have to admit, when she first stepped out on stage, I asked myself, was she traveling without someone to do her hair because I have seen her tresses looking better. But as soon as she opened her mouth and I heard that voice, that voice, I could easily see why the elected leader of la Republique de la France, as well as ther rest of the world, is completely smitten with her.

2008-11-18T07:03:00.000-08:00

Last night's news that Alexander Wang swept the CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund and its $200,000 prize was so expected, it was hardly newsworthy, at least in my blogging book. His career trajectory since launching his eponymous line has only known one direction, and that's been a very fast and vertiginous up.

What's more interesting to me this morning, is news that Pierre Bergé has been keeping himself busy following the loss of his partner, Yves Saint Laurent, some months back. Bergé is planning a ginormous retrospective of the late couturier in Paris, which is slated to take place in none other than the beautiful Petit Palais.

Some 5,000 couture garments will be shown, among a dazzling number of 15,000 accessories, sketches, and sundry objects showcasing YSL's work over the span of his forty-some odd years designing.

Unfortunately, the exhibit won't take place until 2010, which has me wondering if I can even organize my travel plans that far out ahead. Since the euro has been so strong against the dollar these past couple of years, my trips abroad have been cautious anyway. But since economies and forex markets are cyclical, I'm hoping that in two years time, business will be booming, and the dollar will be holding its own, which means a trip to Paris to me, along with some good shopping.

2008-11-17T05:51:00.000-08:00

In case you missed this last week, Cathy Horyn had a shot of Lagerfeld on her blog, from before he had discovered thumb rings and pony tails, and eons before his favorite drink, Pepsi Max, had even been invented.

It's hard to tell by the shot, but apparently mini Karl is wearing lederhosen. If you know your German, that's leather trousers, literally translated, or leather knee britches typically worn by little boys in Germany and Austria.

At that age, Karl was still probably thought to take over the family condensed milk empire. What I can't get over is how simultaneously happy and mischievous he looks.

2008-11-14T05:05:00.000-08:00

I heard this song again yesterday, the first time in a long time since it was released last year. And despite the grey, wet weather outside, it had me tapping my toe as I sat sipping my tea in my old man's tatty sweater.

When I was in college, especially during my first year, to beat the winter blues of Chicago, I used to lock myself up in my room, turn up the tunes, and dance around by myself as if there were no tomorrow. Sorry, no air guitar for me. (Not to offend any air guitar aficionados, but the only people I used to see who pretended like they knew the riffs of a song were always the geeks who stood around at concerts, nodding their heads maniacally to the beat, when they couldn't tell their C chords from their E flats to save their lives.)

Back to the Mitchell Brothers who, incidentally, aren't actually bros but cousins. They're a product of this genre bending new generation of rap, hip-hop and pop, ranking right up their with one of my favorites, the more soulful Unklejam. Which brings me to ponder, since both these groups hail from England, whether or not that little island below the North Sea is a ripe ole petri dish for this kind of stuff.

Is it coincidental that these two guys of African descent are singing about another black guy named Michael Jackson? No, I think not. But race aside, I think it's a pretty universal given that Michael, back in the day, had some pretty rockin' moves. And that his red leather pants and sequined gloves changed the course of fashion for millions of prepubescent kids like myself, and apparently, for The Mitchell Brothers, too.

2008-11-13T06:58:00.000-08:00

With Madge in LVMH, & Daisy Lowe rumored to have scored both Marc by Marc and DKNY, the latest leaked pair-up has got me in a bit of a tizzy...Pamela Anderson in none other than the Queen of Punk, Vivienne Westwood.

I have to admit that since Pammy's cameo appearance as the object of desire in funny film Borat several years back, I had gained a newfound appreciation for the buxom babe. But whereas before, I had had none at all, my new 'tude about her wasn't a ground-moving moment of epiphany by any stretch of the imagination.

The more I think about it, though, she would look gorge in some funky Vivienne Westwood (then again, who wouldn't?). When you scroll through the galleys of Getty and Wire Images, you do see there are quite a few pairings of the odd couple.

As Comme des Garcons hits H&M stores today, the question that keeps popping in my mind is, when, oh when, is Miss Westwood announcing her own deal with the mass retailer?

2008-11-12T05:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, I guess I could write up all the news about Madonna starring in the next Louis Vuitton campaign, ponder about whether Madge and Marc's shared obsession with workouts brought the two of them together, ruminate on whether they dished on each other's highly publicized love lives and break-ups. But no. I came across this Q&A of Jussara Lee in New York Magazine, one of the few publications I actually have a chance to read nowadays, usually on the train, as my New Yorkers pile up shamefully atop a stack of books I bought last Christmas in the corner of my office. It struck a chord with me, maybe because the woman makes all her own clothes, or because of her singular admiration of the fitted shirt (with no darts!), or simply because she's eked out a livelihood in fashion. So to do the woman justice, I've lifted the entirety of the interview, word for word, for you to read.

Brazilian-born designer Jussara Lee is a fashion veteran, having worked in the business for nearly twenty years. The Fashion Institute of Technology graduate launched her first ready-to-wear collection in 1991, participating in the Bryant Park/Seventh Avenue/wholesale scene for ten years (and twenty seasons) before chucking it all in 2001 in favor of a made-to-measure boutique in the meatpacking district that's become a go-to spot for hard-to-find, well-crafted labels like shoes from Sue London, hats from Worth & Worth and Magar Hatworks, Brelli umbrellas, and Eairth jeans. We caught up with Jussara to talk about how fashion has changed, why Sex and the City fashion needs to go away, and more.

You call your look understated elegance. Why?
People have a tendency to infringe their taste on others. It's understated because that is just my opinion: that elegance is desirable and that the clothes I make are the most well balanced.

If you could describe the woman who you want to wear your clothes, what would she be like?
Guilt-free women who can't stand looking like anything but the best.

You've been in the business almost twenty years. How have you seen fashion change?
It has lost its integrity in a way because everyone is into it but they all follow the same path, so that's why the trends — I don't respond to them. Fashion is my profession; it's not entertainment to me. I'm constantly thinking, what's going to make someone look good. I'm not very into the celebrity scene. The whole Sex and the City thing was a huge influence on ordinary people. It looks too done up to me. It's too much hair. Everyone looks like they've spent too much time, too much money, and then in the end everyone looks the same. It's curious that people would go the whole extent to look so the same.

How do you respond to challenging moments in fashion?
I had a moment after September 11 where I thought it was so hard, and I didn't want to do it anymore. But that's when I was celebrating ten years of the Seventh Avenue thing. It was the perfect moment to say "I'm bailing out" — downsizing, forget about wholesale, just do something that I think is good. And if it works, good. And if it doesn't, I'll figure out how. It was a very difficult moment. But if you're passionate about it, it's worth it.

Do you think the economy is affecting your business?
I'm oblivious to what goes on. I haven't really felt it yet. I think it's because the people that come and order clothes, they buy it knowing it's not an excess, it's long-lasting. Who can't use a great black jacket? That's what we convey. They don't think they're splurging if it can last a long time. You just need to be able to afford it, which is a bummer.

What's the first designer item you ever bought? Probably Jean Paul Gaultier. I was attending FIT and he was the shit – just so much fun and very revolutionary to me. It was a jacket, tailored and black. And it had a fun lining. It was over $1,000.

What designers or labels do you actually wear the most?
I'm cheap. I make my own clothes.

Where do you shop?
I only shop for groceries: Yoga Center on 13th Street is the best and any farmer's market.

What's one thing you really want to buy right now?
A snowsuit for my goddaughter.

What's something that every woman should have in her closet?
Fitted shirts but please no darts! Shirts are very pure piece of clothing, an ancient part of wardrobe. If you put darts in it, you are suffocating the whole purity of it, when you can achieve that fitted look without darts if you just cut it right.

What's something you can't leave the house without?
My hairpins — it's all about hairpins.

Jussara Lee, 11 Little W. 12th St., nr. Ninth Ave. (212-242-4128); daily (11–7).

2008-11-11T05:12:00.000-08:00

Business is not precisely booming, so if I were minding my p's and q's, I'd do my virtual window shopping with more than a modicum of restraint. Plus, since I'm waiting for the CdG collection to hit H&M (3 days and counting), my shopping budget for the week is close to its limit right now.

But is it just me, or is there an abundance of things on offer? Window shopping on net-a-porter this morning, there are so many things I would love to have...in...my...closet...right...now!

Then again, maybe the economic woes are hitting more people than just those (like me) whose livelihood is based on the perilous ups and downs of the retail industry. People are shopping less, leaving more goods on the shelves, or web pages, of heretofore recession-proof luxury havens. (Oh yes, times are desperate enough where I'm whipping out my heretofores...hey! watch out....I see an irregardless coming this way!)

Just jiving! Call this an early Christmas list, but here is a visual list of things I'd buy if I had a couple of easy grand lying around the house that didn't have to go towards our mortgage or my production orders.

2008-11-10T06:23:00.000-08:00

Its hard for me to believe that its been 10 years since I first started seeing the Smart Car whipping around Europe, but so it has. And how does the feisty little 4 wheeler decide to celebrate? Well, in style of course, by launching a limited edition designed by none other than luxury maker of all luxury goods, Hermes.

While the car hasn't quite caught on stateside (apparently some man in Texas bought only the 20,000th since the micro car starting selling here), they have become somewhat of a fixture to urban life in Europe. What other car can be parked perpendicularly to the street with ease, a godsend in the winding streets of major European capitals? And while even I have wondered about the safety of such little contraptions in the event of an accident, they are feat of German and Swiss engineering, having been built by the pooled resources of none other than Mercedes Benz and Swatch.

Okay, so the Hermes edition comes with a hefty price tag: 38,000 euros. But considering most of us will never be able to even get on the wait list for a Birkin bag, the car does come equipped with enough Hermes interior leather to make up for that great disappointment in life. Imagine the joys of zipping around the city with thousands of dollars worth of Hermes hide beneath our bums?

Catching up on Rossellini Porn

2008-11-07T06:26:00.000-08:00

Back when I first wrote up this series, I couldn't find Green Porn on my DVR to record, and so only just found it again last night on The Sundance Channel. But since then, a whole slew of episodes have been shown, so we're playing a bit of catch-up time.

To borrow some words made popular again by ALT, my favorite fashion editor of all time, Rossellini really is all that...and a bag of chips.

2008-11-06T17:43:00.000-08:00

Call me lazy, or off my game. But when I saw Michelle Obama in that stunning red & black number late Tuesday night, I couldn't for the life of me figure out who she was wearing. (And trust me, I can usually call them 9 out of 10.) So patiently, I waited, and late yesterday, the credits started leaking. Narciso Rodriguez Spring 2009.

And then the inferences started shooting off in my head like a circuit board gone haywire. Well, of course, she had to wear designer on one of the most historical occasions this country will see for many generations to come. I mean, considering all the rallying & fundraising spearheaded by Anna Wintour, no big surprise that the dress came from a designer from 7th Avenue. Pretty soon, I'm sure, Narciso will come out with the story of just precisely when and where he met Michelle, and how he & she collaboratively decided she would wear that dress.

The timing couldn't be better for Narciso, who just recently dissolved his partnership with Liz Claiborne. I'm sure it couldn't have been easy for Narciso to part with all that cash, but when you're working with a company whose target clients' tastes run more mass and comfort, than chic and designer, well, I can certainly understand.

As for Michelle color-coordinating the entire family? Normally I'm not a gal that needs to color coordinate anything. In fact, it looks a little cheesy to me and I, more often than not, go to great depths to make sure my shoes never match my bag, or my belt (much less my husband). Maybe I was swept up by the fact that I was witnessing what will perhaps be the single most historic moment of my generation (unless, of course, Hilary can sweat it out a term or so, get back on that campaign trail, and on the party's nomination ticket). But gee, I thought the whole Obama clan looked stunning.

And Michelle? She's no Carla Bruni, but she'll give the French supermodel a pretty good run for her money. I just can't wait for the first official state visit from the Sarkozys to see what the gals will be wearing.

2008-11-05T04:45:00.000-08:00

Oh, happy day. Target confirms the rumors that have been swirling since early this year that Brit bad boy designer Alexander McQueen will launch a capsule collection come next March.

It was only time before McQueen caved in, especially since designer of all designers Rei Kawakubo has let open the floodgates with Comme des Garcons' collaboration with mass retailer H&M.

Okay, so the new project won't draw from McQueen's designer line, but McQ, his diffusion label aimed at a younger, hipper customer. But who cares, really? And his inspiration for the collection? Muse Leila Moss, lead singer of The Duke Spirit, a Brit rock and grunge band that first came to prominence in the late Eighties.

Moss reminds me of a cross between Debbie Harry and Chrissie Hynde. Now, if I could only figure out how H&M will top this once Comme des Garcons flies off the shelves next week. Galliano? Gaultier? Marc?

2008-11-04T05:10:00.000-08:00

I have to say that I've been a big fan of the return of the supermodel. Remember when those girls wouldn't get up in the morning for less than $10,000, and then had the gumption to brag about it? They partied all night, and still looked great. And they were real women. Not that I have anything against some of the girls modeling today, but most of them are prepubescent waifs compared to the supermodels of yesteryear.

So when I turn the pages of a magazine and see Claudia in Chanel, Naomi in YSL, and Linda in Prada, I can't help but to ogle at how divine these women still look. Which makes me all the more puzzled about Cindy's spread in French Vogue. Is it just me, or doesn't it look like her body's been Photoshopped to a disproportionate Barbie size?

This wouldn't be the first time that Vogue and other fashion rags have gone a little crazy with its digital retouching. Or maybe I'm wrong, and Cindy's been working overtime with the Pilates. But the great thing that I remember about her, and the women who put first "super" into model, was that they were real women, with real bodies.

Cindy was never the malnourished waif, she had curves. And at 40 with two kids, you'd expect that after having established a career as a real woman inspiring other women, she finally would have resisted caving into the unrealistic ideals that a fashion editors hold women to today.

2008-11-03T07:41:00.000-08:00

Having traveled to Asia and back in the span of 3 days, perhaps my brain is still in somewhat of a spin. But despite news finally confirming Marco Zanini's move to Rochas, there's still so much I don't understand.

Okay, so my powers of deduction would lead me to believe that there's a lot more going on at Halston than meets the eye. But in my limited experience, that's no anomaly in fashion, where craziness is the norm in most houses. Though Zanini didn't win over the critics with his first two collections there, they sold reasonably well, especially overseas. And in these tough economic times, that has me wondering again about the decision to cut him loose at Halston.

No worries, since he's landed rather quickly at Rochas. But there's another house I wonder about. Perhaps I should be relieved that the brand is under new management, since Gibo Co. SpA inked a global licensing agreement to take over the collection from Proctor & Gamble. P&G, if you remember, shuttered the house in 2006 when wunderkind Olivier Theyskens was designing. Though Theyskens' work won universal critical acclaim, and every young starlet wanted to don his high ticket gowns on the red carpet, you can imagine that sales for such high end goods would be limited. What I've never understood, though, is why the suits at P&G didn't try a bit harder to curb Theyskens' creative energies into a more commercial product, because letting such a talent go must have been the single-most erroneous decision made in this decade.

But then Theyskens landed at Nina Ricci, another house he's turned into creative gold, and Zanini at Rochas. Life goes on, designers come and go, and the boards of such companies will always be at odds with creative.

2008-10-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't had a chance yet to go see this exhibit in Central Park, then go before it's whisked off to London November 9th.

Friends of ours from Europe waited in the cold for an hour and a half in line, and then were shocked to learn that their 12 year old daughter was discouraged from entering, due to graphic nudity in some of the installations. They were warned that they needed to take full reponsability of their child, until one of the docents realized that they were European.

"You're from Europe! You'll be just fine, go on through!" she exclaimed.

As our friends were walking away from the admission desk with tickets in hand, they could hear the elderly docent explain to her colleagues, "The girl will be just fine...They're Europeans you know!"

2008-10-30T04:45:00.000-07:00

Second-hand is usually a great option for girls on a budget, and especially now with the grim economic outlook. But I've never really found that to be the case here in the city, where thrift isn't always rewarded when the dress is considered more vintage archival than just second hand.

So don't expect bargains at Chrystie's special auction this week in London, which will sell off some of the most iconic pieces of fashion in the last fifty years. Curated by owners of pioneer vintage shop Resurrection, some 250 pieces will go under the hammer, and will fetch some pretty steep bids, I'm sure.

Among those items up for sale will be a space-age wedding dress by Paco Rabanne, said to have been commissioned by a Middle Eastern bride, but never worn, the Gianni Versace bondage dress made infamous by Elizabeth Hurley, and even pieces of Marc Jacobs grunge collection.

Now, I wonder, come next auction will we see a dress from Kate Moss' Top Shop collection, or maybe an H&M by Comme des Garcons coat? Perhaps not at Chrystie's, but you can be sure we'll see some pretty fierce bids on ebay for them.

2008-10-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

Last night we went out to dinner to one of my favorite joints in the city. We had friends in town, and we decided, rather at last minute, to make an evening of it with some good food, wine, and of course conversation. While I'm a girl that couldn't be happier with a old movie & a slice of pizza, this place isn't quite like that. The service is impeccable, the decor sublime, and the wait staff leave you alone at the table for as long as you like, rather than push you out to usher in the next set of diners. Of course, you pay for it all, and rather steeply.

And so I shouldn't have been so surprised that I was able to reserve a table for five with such short notice. But I was. It's not that the place wasn't packed to the nines come dinner hour. But in these tough economic times, I guess steep restaurant bills are probably the first thing to get cut out of peoples' budgets.

Shopping at Top Shop, however, still seems to be priority for girls minding their p's and q's, especially considering the frenzy that took place in London yesterday with the launch of Kate's holiday collection. Okay, so the Kate effect is a big factor in the formula for success here, or for any brand that has her plastered all over their campaign ads.

But while most of the stuff is as cute and trendy as Top Shop normally is, I can't say that's true for all of it. The leopard "claw" dress she wore to Vivienne Westwood sold out in minutes, both in the stores and online, which leads me to ask, really?

While retailers are cutting orders by as much as 15%, if not more, I can't help but to question why girls would spend a solid £100 on a knit dress with a cat paw. Or maybe it's jealousy speaking here. If it were that easy, come next spring, you'd see my line chock full of badly printed dresses.

2008-10-28T05:43:00.000-07:00

Remember when Marion Cotillard won the Oscar for "La Vie en Rose" in that gorgeous white Gaultier dress? I remember thinking back then, as I was charmed out of my stilettos by the humor and girlishness of her acceptance speech, how that dress would be talked about for seasons to come.

And now that the French actress has been tapped for a Dior campaign, Cotillard will be stepping out of that dress, and into her own as a style maker. What a coup, especially when you look at the illustrious heels she'll be following: Monica Bellucci, Diane Kruger and Carla Bruni, who right now, is probably the most famous trend setter, not to mention first lady, in all of France.

The best part about the gig? Not just being decked out in head to toe Christian Dior, but spending a day with none other than John Galliano, of course!

2008-10-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

When I first heard about Poster Boy, something about his work struck a chord, though I'm not sure if it hit all the keys. There's something admirable about the obvious social consciousness of his work and the fact that he does it under a mask of anonymity. But just like English grafitti artist Banksy before him, whose work is now fetching some steep British pounds, I guess I find it a bit ironic that it is precisely Poster Boy's desire for anonymity that is garnering him so much attention.

If you've ever ridden in the subway here in New York, perhaps you've seen his work, if you're lucky that is, to have caught sight of it before the MTA cops have. New York Magazine recently did a quick, but thorough profile of the ad mauler, who by all accounts lived the typical life of an underprivileged inner city kid: single parent home, tough breaks & a criminal record that had him headed down all the wrong roads. Except that Poster Boy, who is all of 25 years old, had enough smarts and creativity to clean himself up and enroll in community college, then art school, from which he perfunctorily dropped out.

Apparently, he has some lofty, socially ambitious goals for his work, which has me raising an eyebrow. He wants to inspire others to do the same and start a decentralized art movement, where anyone can pick up an Exacto knife and assume the role of Poster Boy. It's not that his art isn't already doing what so many artists fail to achieve, to promote dialogue and awareness of serious social issues. I mean, here I am blogging about him, and I admit wholeheartedly to being a big fan of his art.

But I guess by the time Poster Boy does become a movement, I wonder if we'll see his work hanging in a gallery. But then it won't be for free and for a few stolen moments. It'll be at a steep price, with a lot of zeroes behind it, you can be sure.

2008-10-24T05:02:00.000-07:00

Last night amid the first cold spell of autumn, I hightailed it over to the far west side of the garment district for the preview of H&M's collaboration with Comme des Garcons. That area used to be too seedy to walk through alone, particularly because of certain overpasses which were used as a spots where working girls could still conduct business with their johns. Now, it's as gentrified as any neighborhood in New York and pretty soon, we'll all be calling it Wogard (west of the garment district) to christian it's new coolness.

But enough of my lamentings of a changing New York, I was there to see Rei Kawakubo's genius up close and personal. Not even the presence of some starlets from Gossip Girls could distract me from my mission, though I have to admit I turned my head when Maggie Gyllenhaal walked in the room.

I know I've blogged about this before, but what a coup for H&M. Apparently, true to artistic form, Rei K insisted on complete creative control over the project. So resultingly, some of the pieces are on the high end of the retail ticket for H&M, but still a fraction of the CdG's normal prices. Recession or no, you can bet I'll be one of those crazed shoppers who will be lining up outside a store come November 13, so I can snatch up as many pieces as I possibly can.

What I kept wondering was, how will they ever top this? And will we have to wait a full year for them to unveil their next designer collaboration? On the one hand, Rei K has such a limited audience, but then on the other, she's the ultimate designer's designer, which should open wide the flood gates for even the biggest names. I think next time, though, to balance things out, H&M will have to go commercial. Alexander McQueen? Prada? YSL? Or dare I imagine...Marc Jacobs?

2008-10-23T05:01:00.001-07:00

If you weren't one of the lucky few who were able to snatch up one of Herr Lagerfeld's limited edition teddy bear at $1500 a pop, replete with sunglasses and mini dominator gloves, then his new cologne, Kapsule, might be more within your reach.

Though the scent seems to be more widely available overseas, it'll be another retail exclusive for Neiman Marcus stateside. But even the launch here is not without Karl's signature humor, with an accompanying press release that explains, "He decides on the weather, then gently blows the trend”.

Here are some more gems I've translated from an interview the Karlmeister granted to French daily L'Express earlier this month, talking about the launch of his first scent in decades:

You're launching a collection of three unisex perfumes, but the first scent with your name was a men's fragance.
KL: That was 30 years ago, in 1978, when I came out with Classic. During the 2 or 3 years that followed, the masculine version sold the most. But by the end of it, because I wore the same perfume myself, I was tired of smelling my own scent on everybody. In any case, you need to constantly change perfume, otherwise, your odor becomes lazy.

What scent are you wearing nowadays?
KL: I alternate between Iris Nobile, d'Acqua di Parma, and my own mixture, which I make from Shalimar and one of the perfumes of Comme des Garçons.

Do you perfume your hair?
KL: Are you joking? I powder it every day with an entire bottle of dry shampoo by Klorane. I am already a walking meringue, so I don't submit my hair to more torture.

2008-10-22T05:52:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I'm actually a fan of the Olsen, though if you asked me to identify each twin by name, I'd have a pretty rough go of it. Despite going a bit over the top at times with their boho chic--I mean, really, does anyone actually dress like that going into a Starbucks here in NY?--they are style mavens in their own 20-something right.

Besides having what must be a normal, stable family who nurtured the girls into becoming the gazillionaires they now are, their two fashion labels, The Row and Elizabeth & James, are actually pretty tasteful...though I'd be willing to bet my prized pair of Jimmy Choos I that the girls don't really sit behind a drafting table and design.

And as if they weren't already set for life, the girls are taking a manicured stab at interviewing fashion movers and shakers around the globe and have compiled it into a coffee table book that has New York Magazine raving. The best part about this? They've scored a tete-a-tete with none other than the Karlmeister. Here are selected portions of that conversation, which I've conveniently lifted straight from New York Magazine. Thanks NY Mag!

Where we see cupcakes, Karl sees plastic.
AO: What do you do now to stay in shape?
KL: Nothing … I have a doctor who I made a book with that sold five million copies all over the world. Every country bought one, I think, in Russia and Italy and everywhere. But I don't get it — I don't know what Japan is going to do with a European diet book … Since I started my diet, which was like eight years ago, I haven't touched what I'm not supposed to: sugar, cheese, nothing! I don't even look at it. It looks to me like plastic.

He hates tall, chatty models.
KL: [N]owadays you start to model because you're young. Now the girls are sixteen, seventeen, fifteen, and Russian. They are like from another planet
AO: They can look very bizarre!
KL: I hate all these tall women. They are all giants!
MKO: If only I were a little taller — that would make me happy!
KL: You are one meter fifty-one. You are taller than that?
AO: We're five feet and one inch.
KL: Oh, I thought my office told me that you were four-foot eight or something. Not that it matters. What you need is a face. If you have a face you don't need height or a voice. Models know this; that's why the good ones don't need to talk much.

And he hates working with male models.
KL: I like to work with models for a long time. Sometimes the girls change, but some girls I work with for years and years. With male models it is different. I hate working with male models.
AO: Ah, well boys come and go!
KL: And I hate doing castings and things like this. "oh no you're not right" — that's horrible to say to someone. I never do castings. Other people do them, and then I see the result of the casting. It's humiliating for the models.

Nor does he like to hear a man's opinion.
KL: I don't have people I don't like around me ever.
MKO: You don't have to.
KL: …I don't work with many men. I don't want to ask the men about the fashion. Their opinion doesn't interest me.

He gives the girls family-planning advice!
KL: I like more classic [shapes] now. Best thing to do for skinny people to wear tight dresses. Although jeans are becoming too tight.
AO: Ah! Yes, it's becoming a problem. It's the worst.
KL: You can kill yourself in these jeans.
MKO: Ha, I'd rather stay inside with my friends than limp out in tight trousers.
KL: Maybe you'll stay inside with a baby. Do you want to get married? Children? Two perfect mums, yes?
[Mary-Kate and Ashley look at each other]
KL: Ah! Don't worry, you have time. You're young. Don't you want to get married?
MKO: I don't feel the need to get married. But Ashley wants children. I'll be a great aunt or godmother.
AO: To my child.
KL: [To Ashley] Are you planning?
AO: No. I don't even have a boyfriend. You have to plan that first, right? Figure that out first?
KL: If you get a boyfriend it doesn't mean that! Today you can have a baby first. If you want. I never liked the idea of a family at all. If it's a woman — it's more fun for a woman.

Karl sheds light on why he's the face of that road-safety ad in France.
MKO: It can be dangerous when you're driving [in L.A.] particularly, because they follow you in cars and scooters. That's bad. That's not easy.
KL: I had two accidents where I fell asleep — after that I thought it was better that I don't drive. I'll get a driver. I'm a bad driver because I want to look there, there, and up there. I get bored easily — so twice I fall asleep and twice the car is destroyed … I had nothing [wrong] with me — but both cars were destroyed.

2008-10-21T05:39:00.000-07:00

Remember when Kate Moss was caught in that video tape snorting drugs some years back? And then we saw her in just about every single important print ad campaign for every European house imaginable? Except for Burberry, that is. Well, seems like Burberry has dropped new face Rosie Huntington-Whiteley after just one season when shots surfaced in the Daily Mail this summer of the rising mannequin deftly handling a drug pipe.

Okay, not that I'm ragging on Kate. I mean, she is one of the most successful supermodels of all time and a living fashion icon. The girl knows how to put on an outfit in the morning, hangover or no. And I don't mean to question her moral fiber, I mean, what's that saying about casting the first stone, right? So I can completely understand that her friends would gather round her and support her in a time of need. Like Alexander McQueen, who wore a tee-shirt emblazoned with "We love you Kate" following one of his major runway shows.

But I have to admit that I was a little puzzled when the Kate brand seemed to explode tenfold after all that nonsense. I mean, heck, if we calculated how much money she made off that little scandal, I'm sure it would have tallied into the millions of pounds, so times two in greenbacks.

So Rosie being caught with a drug pipe. The girl is all of what, nineteen? What kid doesn't do a bit of experimenting? Then again, this is her first big campaign and she did kind of blow it, didn't she? But why does Burberry seem to be the only label in the vast sea of fashion houses that possesses a semblance of a moral conscience? It's a complex question, I guess, and a complex world.

I mean, when socialites can launch successful careers on the slip of a sex tape, it's a world that is just beyond my depth of comprehension.

Fashion in Korea

2008-10-20T05:30:00.000-07:00

So, I'm back, happily, I must admit. Though I have to say that our trip to Korea exceeded our expectations, it's always nice to come home to New York.

Now, how could I ever condense the experience into a single blog? That'd be tough. What I can say is that Seoul is a city where you could never go hungry. There are so many restaurants and food stalls, where the food is just as much a delicacy as any top end restaurant, that I could write volumes on the cuisine alone.

And how western the country is. If you took a girl from Seoul and placed her in any major city in the world, she would fit right in. I saw lots of short shorts and minis-- the stylistas there seem to love wearing them with tights. Cargo jackets, blazers, eighties style tees and sweaters.

During the conference I attended, there was a bit of fashion as well. Andre Kim, who is undeniably Korea's most famous designer, gave a fashion show during the finale dinner. And what a show it was. While I'm not a huge fan of his particular design aesthetic, he certainly does know how to put on a show. It was seamless, and must have lasted some 40 minutes, twice the duration of the longest of shows.

And the man seems to be a bit of a Korean Karl Lagerfeld. Always dressed in head to toe white, he knows how important it is to maintain a certain image for his brand, and and his role as the country's most revered living Korean designer.

Retrograde

2008-10-09T05:39:00.000-07:00

Apparently Mercury is in retrograde right now. I´m no astrology expert, but I´m told that that often means you go back to a place you´ve known before. Sometimes that can be good, sometimes bad.

Well, it couldn´t be any more true for me now, as I am traveling to Korea this week. I´ve been lucky enough to be invited to speak at the World Knowledge Forum, hosted by the country´s largest economic daily, Maeil Shimbum.

When I saw the list of former and current speakers, I couldn´t quite understand why I would ever be asked to attend, much less speak. Heads of state, CEO´s, established artists, even the venerable former secretary of state Colin Powell, who´s right up there in my book. What´s that saying? Don´t look a gift horse in the mouth?

While I'm there, I'll actually be meeting with some buyers, and hopefully my frocks will be available in Asia in the not so distant future. Not to mention all the shopping and eating I plan on doing. If I weren't traveling for work, this whole trip would be one culinary and commercial binge, restaurant and boutique after restaurant and boutique.

So why am I writing about this? Well, even my insomniac multi-tasking self couldn't get around to writing up on all my blogs to make up for while I am away. I've been just a tad bit busier than usual lately, so if I don't post from abroad, it's just to let you know that I'll be back stateside in 10 days.

2008-10-08T05:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what to think of it, news that Marco Zanini is in talks to take over the reins at a newly revived house of Rochas. That's right, just as the economy seems to be tanking at every corner of the globe, Proctor and Gamble is still set on reviving a luxury brand it so astutely shuttered some years ago. At that time, if you remember, Olivier Theyskens had magically turned it into a much buzzed about label, with every starlet on the red carpet wanting to don a Rochas frock, right before P&G pulled the plug.

Or, does the brevity of Zanini's unemployment signal the potential of his enormous design talent, one recognized only by those in the know? Zanini did helm Versace for many years before his unfortunately brief stint at Halston. And as we all know, fashion is a crazy, crazy business which often flies in the face of logic and sanity. So, being fired from a post almost never reflects a designer's talents.

With Theyskens designing Rochas, critics often explained that the Belgian's focus on ultra-luxe high priced demi-couture put the brand out of reach, narrowing the financial net. But in Theyskens defense...as if that had been his fault, honestly? Isn't that why companies have CEOs and employees with business degrees, to mind the business side of things so that designers can design?

At least Zanini's track record shows that he can pull off the business side of things. Versace must be one of the most commercial brands out there. And admittedly, while I myself tend to shy away from big and bling, just about everyone else from St. Petersburg to Florence is happy to wear the infamous head of Medusa on the back of their bum.

2008-10-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

Looking at the stills from Hannah MacGibbon's first show for Chloe, I couldn't help but to think of that off-beat William Klein film from the 60s, Qui êtes-vous, Polly Maggoo?

Have you ever seen it? The film follows Polly, an American It model and her life in Paris by way of a tv film crew. You learn of her dreams of Prince Charming and the relentless battery of lascivious assaults she must fend off on a daily basis as the coolest girl in France. Everyone wants a piece of her. It makes me wonder: Did Klein know that he was foretelling reality tv as we know it today? Or, was it a just frank portrayal of how elusive yet familiar that cool It girl is to all of us?

We all know who that It girl is. But ironically enough, she's the most difficult girl to design for. And since Phoebe Philo successfully defined the Chloe girl as precisely that, no wonder every designer since has had such a rough time of capturing her again.

While I thought MacGibbon's palette was nearly spot on, with its quirky off-beat colors, there were some major stumbles. Really now, what girl is going to wear a coat with scallops framing the shoulders so that she looks like a crocodile? Fits were unflattering and will undoubtedly be tough sells on real-world girls, but the vibe of Chloe was back. Paolo Melim Andersson, MacGibbon's predecessor had it all wrong when he tried to finesse the Chloe girl into someone who was just a bit too polished.

Seeing the collection, I felt like I heard a collective sigh of fashionistas from around the world who have been waiting for the Chloe girl to return from hiatus. She's back, but now we just have to see if MacGibbon will put her in the right clothes.

2008-10-06T05:21:00.000-07:00

Alber Elbaz sure knows a thing or two about how to cut clothing. Even though his Spring 2009 collection didn't knock me out of my socks, there were still a couple of pieces that just made me salivate, where I almost felt like I had to push my tongue back into my mouth they were that gorgeous.

Not that they were over-the-top show pieces, because I don't think that that's the type of designer he is. But they were all about luxury and craft. I think that's really what defines Elbaz from other designers for me. He really knows how to craft fabric on the form, down to the last pinch of silk and stitch of thread. Nothing is out of place.

And wait, is that a print I see on Sessilee Lopez? Leopard print no less? And a sequined version of it too? If lady-at-lunch isn't your thing, which Lanvin tends to be, then Elbaz seems to be extending an invitation to the hot mama vixen set too. Smart move in such a tight economy, which makes me think I can only end my blog in one way today: Raaaaaawwwwr!

2008-10-03T05:56:00.000-07:00

Sonia Rykiel is a designer after my own heart. While some of her designs may border on the deep side of quirky for my own own personal tastes, I've often seen her girl as a precursor to Marc's, but in that way that only the French seem to know how.

So who knew that the woman has been in the biz for 40 years now? That's a lifetime to most, and in fashion, many lifetimes over. If you've seen some of the spectacular styling in her recent print campaigns, with the girls looking like 70s goddesses, hair curled out in a Sonia-esque do, then you'd agree that the brand has been getting a subtle yet superb face lift recently.

With the help of creative director Gabrielle Greiss, she seems to be reviving the brand, giving yet another life to the Rykiel girl. In her Spring show, what I found fascinating were the last 30 looks, homages to Sonia designed by her elite peers, from Elbaz to Yohji. Could there be a higher form of compliment? And what a tribute: they were all quirky, fun, and memorable, just how I imagine Rykiel to be.

Spa Week

2008-10-02T05:53:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of Spa Week? Well, if your town has Restaurant Week like we do here in New York when you can take advantage of some of the best canteens in town for a fraction of the price, then you might have an idea.

Why do I write about Spa Week? Well, the folks who organize the event have been generous enough to ask me to show my Spring 09 collection there tonight. The evening is going to be packed with on-site spa treatments and Rain Vodka's Organic cocktails. Oh yes, and the whole thing is also sponsored by the bible of beauty tips, Allure Magazine.

So how could a girl like me possibly resist the opportunity? As soon as my own show is over, I'll be getting a much needed manicure and sipping a nice cocktail at the same time.

2008-10-01T05:23:00.000-07:00

Often in interviews I am asked to name designers I admire. Sure, there is that triumverate of designers (Marc Jacob, Alber Elbaz & Nicolas Ghesquiere) to whom I always look to get a read on what's to come. But there are a couple of others who I respect and admire for other reasons. They happen to be women, and they also happen to be two designers who have remained independent and always followed their vision of how to dress women. For that reason, success wasn't quick and easy for them, but I think that that is probably why I admire them all the more. Those two women are Isabel Toledo and Ann Demeulemeester.

Ann Demeulemeester holds a particularly soft spot in my design heart, most likely because of all the visits I used to pay to her store in Antwerp, well before I knew that I was to step into the world of fashion myself. Her women, and clothes, have always been strong, usually brooding, intellectual types with a hard bent for rock and roll.

So to see her Spring 2009 collection, with its use of bold colors and ethnic tones was a surprise for me, a very fantastic and breathtaking surprise. When I saw the stills, do you know what I thought? If, in these grim economic times Ann Demeulemeester's collection can show hope, then I think we all can.

2008-09-30T05:51:00.000-07:00

I always wonder about well-placed leaks in the press, even well before Karl Rove's little tete-a-tetes with Judith Miller (and we all know what happened to her.)

So this latest rumor about Alessandra Facchinetti getting the boot, the very stylish and well-heeled one at least, at Valentino has me wondering. Not that I didn't wonder way back when her appointment was first announced. I mean, coming from Gucci, she wasn't the most obvious fit.

So does it make sense that Giambattista Valli's name is being uttered among those-in-the-know as Facchinetti's replacement? Actually, yes.

Since he's been garnering more of a following in the past few seasons, it does seem to make sense that he should go to Valentino. Valentino's is a house with such history that it needs a designer who has already staked out a name of his own, lest he be swallowed up by the very brand he is trying to helm.

What I'd like to know is, how long has Valli's ascension to Valentino been in the works? Or was it just coincidence that he ended his Spring 2009 collection with a swathe of Valentino-esque red?

2008-09-29T05:58:00.000-07:00

Apparently buyers are not so happy with Olivier Theyskens at Nina Ricci. His high priced red carpet stunners are reportedly tough numbers to sell.

But who cares, really? His Spring 2009 collection was so wildly romantic and breathtaking, a visual and aesthetic delight. It was one of those very few collections that makes you want to say "aha!" out loud, even though there is no one else in the room to hear you.

I once read of him that he used to play dress up as a child. Rather than scolding him, his parents let his imagination roam. Thank goodness for that, because Theyskens' designs have retained a sort of innocence that only a child could posess. They are pure romance, the kind of stuff where you half expect a prince to ride out on horseback and whisk the girl away.

2008-09-26T06:57:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share this website I came across in this economic situation we find ourselves in, with stores doing some crazy things out there in these trying retail times.

If you are an emerging designer like I am, where every account counts, where do you go to to find a bit of background info when your factor tells you that the boutique that's placed a five digit order has politely declined to be set up for factoring? I'll tell you where to start, at least...retaildish.com.

Ok, so there will always be some snarky mean-spirited people out there who will always hash about other people. But the site was set up under a code of honesty and simply asks that whatever you post is as factually accurate as possible. So far, I've posted reviews about every single account I've had, from the very bad, to the very very good. So I'd like to think that while my comments have been honest, others' have been too.

So if you had questions about that store in Washington with susceptible credit, look it up on retaildish.com. And if you find out that they've shafted designers from here to Nova Scotia, then you decide whether to cut those 29 dresses, or walk away and save yourself some cash for your next order.

2008-09-25T05:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel like I live in the center of the universe here in New York. So I usually welcome opportunities to learn how the rest of the world sees, well, not just us New Yorkers, but us Americans, especially when it comes to politics.

Of course when I saw this nicely mapped diagram of fashion editorial royalty in La Repubblica's Velvet Magazine (which, I have to say, seems to be getting better and better), I was a bit perplexed. Aside from the iconic Anna Wintour, Voguettes and Voguesters dominated the page. Granted, they were of varying nationalities, but predominately English speaking. And if you took away the token celebrity stylists and the very high browed fashion critics of broadsheet newspapers, you were left with Michael Roberts of Vanity Fair, Jefferson Hack of Dazed & Confused and Babette Dijan of Numero.

Maybe all the tumult at Elle made it too risky to include a name and title since who knew who was going to stay where by the time this edition came out. But where's Glenda Baily? Ahn Duong? Alex White? Cecilia Dean?

Or maybe, as Velvet's view of the world seems to be suggesting, there is no life outside of Vogue? At least, not a very fashionable life that is.

2008-09-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

I have to say I'm a little stumped. Not that I shouldn't have expected a 180 degree U-turn from Miuccia Prada, because that's the only thing you can rely on from her. But just the precise direction she took.

Primitive and archaic is the direction she says she wanted to go in, and I think in that she succeeded, especially with her use of rumpled textiles. And to give her fair credit, there were a couple of looks which I thought hit the mark, and which any woman with a couple thousand euros to sling around will want to have in her closet. (Witness those I post here.)

While hers is one of the shows I often look to to get a sense of the direction of fashion, this time it did all make me wonder whether Prada is one of those businesses that can really just rest on the massive sales of its shoes and handbags to fuel the rest of the business.

I imagine that could be a very liberating position to be in creatively. But on the flip side, wouldn't you want women to wear the clothes as well?

See Shoes

2008-09-23T04:43:00.000-07:00

This will probably be news of the week for me. See by Chloé is going into shoes for Spring 2009.

I have to 'fess up here and say that I was a little underwhelmed by their recent hand at bags, which hit retailers this fall. But since the diffusion line will retail at prices beginning at a very affordable $120 (and up to $500), I'm sure I'll find something that I'll just have to buy.

If there's anything close to these must-haves in the collection line, I'm sure to be walking in my own affordable pair of Chloé shoes come Spring.

Juliette Pt 2.

2008-09-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Girlfriend can sing! And doesn't she looks divine in that outfit?

2008-09-22T06:11:00.000-07:00

Who knew Juliette Lewis was up to so much? The multi-talented personality walked the runway in Milan for Miss Bikini Luxe while her new single "Hot Kiss" opened the show.

New single, you ask? Yes, new single. One of the reasons Lewis has not been seen on the silver screen of late is because she's been touring the globe with her band, Juliette and the Licks, which is set to release its third album.

Fret not, though, thesbian fans. She's currently filming "Whip It", Drew Barrymore's directorial debut where Lewis will star as a roller skating champ named Dynamite.

Get an entertaining update on what Lewis has been doing in her V-log. Gotta' love a girl who doesn't shy away from breaking out some serious 80s dance moves and showing how messy her house is for all the digital world to see.

2008-09-19T04:56:00.000-07:00

So despite news that Kate Moss sat front row at Vivienne Westwood's, I find it more interesting that LVMH has confirmed Norwegian designer Peter Dundas will take up the reigns at Pucci when Matthew Williamson's contract expires soon.

This isn't headline breaking news, but I guess it does make me wonder about some things. First, how well must Williamson be doing with his own house to refuse the big bucks, or rather, euros, that a huge conglomerate-owned label like Pucci is paying? Pretty darn well, I'd say. Again, not a big surprise there either, since Williamson's is the sort of line starlets will don for the red carpet, and more importantly, women will buy in droves.

And secondly, is Dundas a little nervous at the prospect of having to fill in Williamson well shod shoes? Williamson did do a pretty fabulous job at reviving Pucci, even on the heels of the venerable Christian Lacroix, who headed up the label before him.

Not that Dundas hasn't done this before, follow in the footsteps of great designers that is. I mean, he is currently at Revillon, which Rick Owens put back on the map a couple of years ago. But who can tell if he's doing a great job there, since he only joined the furrier earlier this year?

And even though LVHM is hailing him as "one of the most promising designers of his generation" does anyone remember his work at Emanuel Ungaro, where Dundas designed for a brief 3 seasons? The biggest news about that brand in recent years cropped up when the house named Dundas' successor, the very photogenic but rather inexperienced Esteban Cortazar.

2008-09-18T05:55:00.000-07:00

Right as we gear up for Fashion Week in Paris in a couple of weeks, a new documentary on the Karlmeister will hit the small screen. The 52 minute made for television project will air on France 5 on October 3, with an English subtitled version available later.

Even though "Karl Lagerfeld, Un Roi Seul" (A Lone King) touches on Herr Lagerfeld's battles with drugs, depression, and his falling out with the late Yves Saint Laurent, the preview in Paris had its audience roaring with laughter.

According to WWD, Karl is reported to have said, “I hate to see myself, but it’s part of the job. I had an overdose of me.”

Honestly, now, what could be more endearing than a talented designer with a sense of humour?

2008-09-17T05:14:00.001-07:00

What's to happen to London Fashion Week come next season, since New York has announced it will move back its shows and Milan refuses to accommodate for any changes in schedule? Will designers like one of my favorites Aquascutum, flee to Paris, or try to squeeze into one of the 4 days that are left in London?

To Show or Not To Show

2008-09-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

It's an interesting debate, one that I've had myself: to show or not to show. For an emerging designer, of course the prohibitive costs are the primary variable in the formula of deciding whether and how to show. Especially for a designer of a contemporary label where wearability is more the concern, rather a high end designer who can justify over-the-top show pieces with 5, or even 6, digit price tags.

Which makes it so interesting that Viktor & Rolf has decided not to show. Well, let me clarify, the label has decided to show off-calendar, and rather than stage one of their extravagant numbers with live band performances and 50 models, they'll be showing on-line.

Is it coincidence that this change in format comes following the company's recent buyout by Renzo Rosso? No, probably not. Despite the fact that V&R puts on one of the best conceptual shows in Paris, the deal probably meant that someone has gone through the company's books and determined that another show extravaganza is not in the cards.

And what more interesting solution could the team have come up with than a virtual one? It's a pretty ingenious idea really, though not entirely original. But for such an established brand as theirs, it does bring out this theme of where fashion is headed in the future. I mean, with Vogue's advertising slipping, and Elle's on the rise, there is evidence enough that old schools are necessarily finding ways to embrace new schools.

Vogue is just now trying to get into the game in a more dignified, albeit late, way with its Model Live venture which, though it's virtual as well, is probably more real than any reality tv on real tv. It's a baby step, but I just wish Anna Wintour would see that America, deep America and high society alike, would want nothing more than to watch her every week on national tv.

2008-09-14T17:42:00.001-07:00

Now that Fashion Week is over, and I've taken a look at most of the collections, it's making me wonder if I've missed something here. There was still such a strong 80's vibe going on, from the heavy hitting Proenza Schouler boys to up-and-comer Rag & Bone, from Vogue favorite Thakoon and new designer-to-watch Richard Chai to veteran DKNY, which celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Fall 08 was so entrenched in this decade, with the clean lines and polished looks. It surprised me to see so many peg legs back on the runway, matched with sleeveless jackets, and yes, the retail illusive zouave pants (which I happen to love but have the tendency to look like adult diapers with legs.)

Not that I'm the type that has to feel like I'm always in the middle of the fold to be secure. Because that's kind of the great thing about fashion, and one of the complicated aspects a designer has to juggle: how to dress her girl.

That may sound easy at first, but what girl isn't a little complicated? One day she wakes up feeling sexy, another subdued, the next a coquette, and the next maybe a little bohemian.

Bohemian was how I felt next spring, if you haven't already seen. Not just because it seemed like the obvious progression from the clean lines of Fall, but because of everything that's happening right now. I do try my darnedest to veer away from the political on the blog, but now that everyone from here to Alaska is uttering the word change, maybe it got to me.

Oh trust me, it's not that I still won't be loving 80s come next Spring. Here are some looks from Phi, which I think translated that vibe best.