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subscribe to style file blog via RSSOn Our Radar: Chance
May 25, 2012
When I was a kid, my mom used to dress me in stripes, and ever since then, I have racked up a growing collection of striped pieces (I still keep the tradition going today with my daughter Gloria). Especially in the summer, cutoffs and a striped top are my go-to weekend outfit, so of course, when I first saw Chance’s California-inspired collection of timeless basics, I was immediately drawn to it. From the boatneck shirts in turquoise, green, and blue to the canvas totes and printed beach towels, it’s all so perfect for summer. (The one-year-old brand’s designer, Julia Leach, knows a thing or two about stripes—she’s the ex-creative director of Kate Spade.) And though it’s just her second collection, filled with a range of long cotton dresses, tanks, and shorts, it’s already exclusively stocked at Barneys. It’s all very basic, super chic, and classic. If you are going away to the beach this weekend, you might want to visit her Web site or stop by Barneys for a quick shopping spree.
Pictured: Boatneck tee, $68; beach towel, $85; and Body of Water tote, $235. All available at Barneys New York and www.chanceco.com.
tags: Barneys New York, Chance, Julia Leach, Kate Spade
Lara Stone’s Star Trek, And More Of Today’s Top Stories
May 25, 2012
Lara Stone, a space cadet? In electro-pop duo Hot Chips’ latest music video, the gap-toothed model and face of CK One (pictured) took her strangest role to date, dressed in a pointy-shouldered jacket and low-cut bustier as the captain of a spaceship, alongside legendary actor Terence Stamp. Stone landed the gig on behalf of British comedian Peter Serafinowicz, the video’s director and friend of Stone’s husband, David Walliams. [Telegraph]
Stella McCartney is going for the gold. Less than a year after opening her Soho store, the designer is opening her first-ever standalone Adidas by Stella McCartney outpost. The shop will be located in South Kensington’s Brompton Cross, which houses stores for McCartney’s mainline and childrenswear. The designer is the creative director of the Adidas Team GB Olympic uniforms. [Vogue U.K.]
We’ve all seen Angelina Jolie’s engagement ring, but what jewels does she have to pair with it? Just ask Robert Procop. The jeweler is setting up a showcase in the South of France this summer, where his Style of Jolie collection (designed in collaboration with the actress), along with pieces from his own Exceptional Jewels collection, will be on display. [WWD]
If Bryanboy’s front-row seat wasn’t close enough to the runway, he just got a little closer. The blogger is reportedly joining the cast of America’s Next Top Model alongside judges Kelly Cutrone and model Rob Evans. This cast change is just one of several made in the past few months, since Tyra Banks gave mainstays J. Alexander, Jay Manuel, and Nigel Barker the boot. [Styleite]
The director of the year-old Brigitte Bardot fashion label, Sarah Ohana, has enlisted the help of industry insiders, including André Saraiva, Paris retailer Maria Luisa Moumaillou, and French fashion editor Viviane Blassel to create one-off items for charity. Some of the wares up for sale are a white silk gown, a gingham dress, and a black leotard, all playing off of pieces that Bardot wore in her films. A portion of the profits will be donated to the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the protection of animals. [WWD]
tags: Angelina Jolie, Brigitte Bardot, Bryanboy, Lara Stone, Robert Procop, Stella McCartney
Michael Kors, Living Large
May 25, 2012
Michael Kors has a larger-than-life personality and even bigger ambitions for his namesake luxury brand. Coinciding with the debut of two new boutiques in Madrid and Taipei earlier this week, the designer just opened his largest lifestyle store to date at 667 Madison Avenue yesterday. With soaring 22-foot-ceilings, an 18-foot-high video screen (yes, campaign model Karmen Pedaru looks that much more beautiful when she’s blown up in high definition), and logo-etched glass walls complemented by custom steel fixtures, the 6,655-square-foot bi-level retail space is double the size of the previous location, which was located just next door. The new digs still have that clean, minimalist aesthetic that is characteristic of most MK stores, but the immense size better balances the burst of vibrant colors found in the current summer collection on display (accessories from both Collection and MICHAEL Michael Kors are available upstairs, while downstairs is entirely devoted to the less expensive line’s clothing). Speaking of, to celebrate the upgraded digs, Kors brought in Leandra Medine, a.k.a. The Man Repeller (the label’s second collaboration with the blogger), to style the mannequins the night before opening the store’s doors to the public. Whether Michael Kors, a name so intricately tied to sexy American sportswear, is man repelling? Well, that’s up for debate.
Michael Kors, 667 Madison Ave., NYC.
tags: Leandra Medine, Madison Avenue, Michael Kors
Bag Lunch
May 24, 2012
As standard logic goes, being called a “bag lady” is a bad thing. But yesterday, at the sprawling Beverly Hills home of socialite Shanna Brooks (which is also Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s former love nest), the term was one of endearment at the ninth annual P.S. Arts Bag Lunch.
“There are worse ways to spend an afternoon,” mused How I Met Your Mother actress Becki Newton of stylists George Kotsiopoulos and Elizabeth Stewart’s yearly designer handbag auction sponsored by Dior Beauty, which raises funds for the L.A.-based arts education organization. With Jimmy Choo, Mulberry, and Ferragamo bags on offer, starting at 60 percent off their standard retail prices, we would have to agree with the actress. Naturally, Newton and fellow attendees, including designer Magda Berliner, artist Kimberly Brooks, and Two Broke Girls star Beth Behrs all clamored to get in on the for-charity deals.
“I have that sample sale mentality,” Newton explained. “So I kept doing laps to see what I could find and by the time I got back to the ones that I wanted they were gone.” Not everyone left empty-handed. Kristin Davis (pictured), who has lent her name as a host of the event since its inception, went home with a muted blue leather Chanel tote at the advice of Stewart (her stylist and the event’s co-founder). “I have a blue Chanel and it goes well with jeans,” Stewart said of the classic choice. “And I envy it!” said Davis. The most coveted (and fought over) piece of the day, however, turned out to be a brown ostrich bag by Tom Ford, which went for $6,000. By auction’s end, the crowd raised nearly $200,000 for P.S. Arts. And for one afternoon, at least, being called a bag lady was a badge of honor.
tags: Brad Pitt, Dior Beauty, Elizabeth Stewart, George Kotsiopoulos, Jennifer Aniston, Kristin Davis, P.S. Arts Bag Lunch, Tom Ford
Harvey Nichols’ Secret Garden
May 24, 2012
For its tribute to the Chelsea Garden Show, Harvey Nichols asked some of London’s brightest designers to create floral installations, unveiling the results last night at its Secret Garden cocktail party on the retailer’s fifth floor. Roksanda Ilincic, Marios Schwab, James Long, and Mary Katrantzou all showed off their masterpieces, which included Ilincic’s “wall” of live flowers, Katrantzou’s window treatment, and Schwab’s gazebo made to feel like a confessional booth.
While Katrantzou, Joan Collins, Tali Lennox, and Astrid Muñoz sipped cocktails from tiny watering cans, Bianca Jagger (who had her grandchildren Amba and Assisi Jackson in tow) and Schwab offered up the best moment of the evening. As the two sat in the “confessional” gazebo and stared at its ceiling, Schwab asked, “Can you see it?” He was referring to well-hidden erotic/pornographic scenes crafted in the Perspex tiles. Whereas it took some guests hours to catch it, if they did at all, there was no getting past Jagger—the queen of seventies decadence (pictured). “Of course, darling, but don’t make me say ‘penis’ in front of all these people…”
tags: Bianca Jagger, Chelsea Garden Show, Harvey Nichols, James Long, Marios Schwab, Mary Katrantzou, Roksanda Ilincic
Now Boarding: StndAIR
May 24, 2012
Long weekends usually mean long drives, thanks to the inevitable crowds heading to their weekend getaway destinations. Not if André Balazs has anything to do with it—the Standard hotelier has brought back his eight-passenger seaplane, StndAIR, for its second year in a row just in time for Memorial Day weekend. In keeping with The Standard cool factor, every passenger will get their choice of one of three styles of Warby Parker sunglasses (and in Parker fashion, a pair of prescription glasses is distributed to one of the billion people worldwide without access to affordable eyewear) upon boarding the weekend flight, which departs from the East River. Forty-five minutes later, and perhaps a few glasses of André Balazs Reserve Beach Rosé down, you are in East Hampton. And if you want an anything-but-standard experience, you can now book StndAIR for charter services to any port within 300 miles of Manhattan.
A one-way flight on StndAIR is $525. To find out more, visit www.stndair.com.
tags: Andre Balazs, East Hampton, StndAIR, The Standard
Of Bags And Babies
May 24, 2012
While a certain set is still hitting the red carpet in Cannes, producer and director J.J. Abrams, wife Katie McGrath, and Coach put forth a decidedly more low-key affair, benefiting the Children’s Defense Fund, last night in Santa Monica. “J.J. and Katie are really known in the entertainment circle as people who really walk the talk,” Mario Bello praised of the night’s co-hosts. And like Bello, Ali Larter (pictured, left) became a supporter of the cause, which provides advocacy for children in need, when she had her own son. “As a mother, you begin to realize how important a cause that supports children is.”
While the likes of Ellen Pompeo, Malin Ackerman (pictured, right), and Kristen Bell enjoyed the rooftop setting at Bad Robot (the headquarters of J.J.’s production company), plenty of guests were busy buying the special edition of the brand’s iconic duffel sac, created in fuschia and teal, with proceeds supporting the charity. And for most, the talk of the evening was how integral a role Coach played in their first “luxury” experience. Jordana Brewster received a bucket bag for her 13th birthday and Alexis Bledel told Style.com that her first Coach bag at 13 meant “you were actually getting older and were kind of a grown-up lady.” For Olivia Munn, the meaning ran deep. “I’m first-generation American and all of my aunts when they first came here had these Coach bags,” she said of her vintage collection that now runs 30-deep. “It was something that they bought that made them feel like they were part of America.”
tags: Ali Larter, Children's Defense Fund, Coach, Ellen Pompeo, J.J. Abrams, Katie McGrath, Malin Ackerman, Mario Bello
Perfect Gowns
May 24, 2012
Part Two of the sweeping Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology’s exhibit Fashion, A-Z opened at noon today. At this morning’s preview, editors, who trekked through the dreary mist, were cheered up by the sights of famous ball gowns and sparkling cocktail attire. “I’m always wowed by Charles James,” said the exhibit’s co-curator Jennifer Farley. She was nodding to a strapless silk taffeta gown the color of a dusty rose (pictured), from the actress Lisa Kirk, that could have doubled for sculpture. “I’ve heard that he was difficult to work with, but he was a perfectionist,” Farley added.
James, of course, was not alone in his technical feats. In contrast to Part One of the exhibition (originally called The Great Designers: Part One), Farley and Colleen Hill showcased some of the big American names, like a jewel-encrusted Ralph Lauren long-sleeved gown, a black and ivory chiffon red-carpet number by Hollywood costume designer Irene Lentz, and a purple silk jersey Norman Norell stunner from 1965, glittering with sequins that had been hand-sewn and reinforced individually. “To think there was that kind of quality in ready-to-wear,” Farley wondered aloud.
Of the 60-plus looks, there were also neat tie-ins. In one section, there was a short-sleeved dress by Pierre Balmain. Further into the exhibit, Balmain’s mentor Edward Molyneux was represented. And for runway fans, there were current pieces as well, which might inspire nostalgia. In wide white and blue striped silk, a Raf Simons for Jil Sander floor-length dress from Spring 2011 was modern and sporty, which contrasted with an unforgettable Chantilly lace black ball gown by Olivier Theykens for Rochas directly across the walkway. The romantic nighttime look, from the Spring 2004 collection, is sure to elicit some sighs.
Fashion A-Z, Part Two at the Museum at FIT, Seventh Ave. at 27th St. On view May 23 to November 10.
tags: Charles James, Colleen Hill, Edward Molyneux, Jennifer Farley, Norman Norell, Olivier Theykens, Pierre Balmain, Raf Simons, Ralph Lauren
Marc The Money Machine? And More Of Today’s Top Stories
May 24, 2012
It’s a good day for Louis Vuitton. For the seventh year in a row, the label helmed by Marc Jacobs (pictured) has been named the most valuable luxury brand in the world. According to Millward Brown Optimor’s 2012 Top 100 BrandZ study, LV is worth $25.9 billion, which accounts for approximately one third of LVMH’s market capitalization. [Telegraph]
Just a few days after posting an intimate topless photo of her very-pregnant body, Sasha Pivovarova has taken to Twitter again, sharing the first picture of her newborn baby girl, Mia Isis. The 27-year-old model gave birth to her first child with husband photographer Igor Vishnyakov last week, and was showered with congratulatory messages from her 14,454 followers. [Telegraph]
Architect Greg Lynn is taking his talent from buildings to baubles. Lynn, who worked with Nadja Swarovski on an installation in 2009 at Design Miami, has now created a jewelry collection for the Atelier. Named after his favorite beaches, Pescador, Zuma, Dana, and Catalina, the range includes earrings, bracelets, rings, and necklaces that echo sea creatures such as periwinkles and barnacles. [T]
J.Crew is under fire on the Web today for its latest Bali-themed catalog. The preppy American brand packed up its summer looks and took them to Bali, where it enlisted local Balinese children to pose alongside models in traditional religious ensembles. While some are calling it misguided, it should be noted that the catalog includes details about Balinese tradition and culture. [Huff Po]
tags: Greg Lynn, Igor Vishnyakov, J.Crew, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Mia Isis, Sasha Pivovarova
Benefit At The Bowery
May 24, 2012
Even though Carey Mulligan couldn’t make it to last night’s third annual Lincoln Center Institute’s Junior Spring Benefit, an event with the actress’ name on the bill as one of its chairs is sure to be a chic one. On that note, it didn’t disappoint, with its host of DVF-clad (the designer sponsored the event and DVF creative director Yvan Mispelaere was an event chair) actresses and co-chairs, Zoe Kazan (pictured, right), Mamie Gummer (pictured, left), Grace Gummer, and Lily Rabe, along with Lily Kwong, Michelle Harper, and Chelsea Leyland, all turning out to the Bowery Hotel for the cause.
“Doesn’t she look sexy? Look at that dress and she got a new haircut—very sexy,” mused Paul Dano as he looked at his girlfriend Kazan. “We haven’t seen each other in three weeks and we are going to be away from each other for the next five. I just flew in for this and fly back to L.A. tomorrow because I’m about to start shooting a movie called The Pretty One,” said Kazan, who will see Dano again when they reunite for their press tour of Ruby Sparks (written by Kazan; the two also play a couple in it). “We just get two days together but it’s nice, though…it keeps things spicy.”
At dinner on the second floor, it was actor and event chair Rightor Doyle who made sure to keep things extra spicy. “For those of you who haven’t slept with me, my name is Rightor Doyle. Most of you are like, ‘Who?’ I am here for Carey Mulligan so this is the best you got. On a serious note, you guys aren’t getting drunk and having dinner for fun, it’s for charity or whatever.” Proceeds from the event benefit the Lincoln Center Institute, supporting arts in education. Recalling one of his early experiences with the arts in school, Dano said, “I remember having to do music class when I was young, and that feeling like you had to pee your pants so badly but then you do it and it feels so good. I had stage fright then and I still do.”
tags: Carey Mulligan, Lily Kwong, Lily Rabe, Lincoln Center Institute's Junior Spring Benefit, Mamie Gummer, Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan
