subscribe to style file blog via RSSSelma Blair, Woman of Simple Tastes?
November 20, 2009
It was a reunion of sorts: Ginnifer Goodwin, Selma Blair, a host of fabulous Bulgari jewels, and me. The occasion was Bulgari’s dinner at L.A.’s Sunset Tower last night, in honor of the upcoming Christie’s auction of the Italian jewelry house’s 125th Anniversary Collection. It was just six months ago that we’d all celebrated Bulgari’s milestone birthday in Rome. Any favorite pieces? Of course. “I’m just a simple girl—I’ll go for the rubellite tourmaline and diamond ring, 37 carats,” Blair deadpanned. (It certainly wouldn’t have been out of place in more-is-more Houston, where she just finished a run in the new play Gruesome Playground Injuries; we hear its next stop is Broadway.) Goodwin, in a Rebecca Minkoff blouse and Antonio Berardi skirt, made sure to tell her boyfriend, Joey Kern, “I would bid on any and all of the Serpent bracelets.” They won’t be cheap, but at least they’ll be virtuous: The auction profits go to benefit Save the Children’s Rewrite the Future campaign, providing funds for the education of children living in war zones and other areas of conflict.
tags: Bulgari, Ginnifer Goodwin, Rebecca Minkoff, Selma Blair
The Pratt Gallery’s Shades of Green
November 20, 2009
Sustainable design? “It’s nearly impossible,” says Bodkin designer Eviana Hartman. “But I definitely make an effort to try. I really consider fabrics, and not just your usual 100 percent organic cottons.” Looking at a pair of Hartman’s navy shorts in a gorgeous, filmy re-purposed polyester at Pratt’s Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion exhibit, we were impressed by how far the movement has come. Central Saint Martins Ph.D. candidate Francesca Granata and textile conservator Sarah Scaturro co-curated the installation to highlight eco-minded U.S. designers and artists who, they say, tend to get short shrift. “I think the U.S. designers that have been thinking sustainable haven’t been recognized,” Granata explained. “In London, it’s a big part of fashion right now. That’s why we wanted to do this exhibit. It’s not just about using organic material. There are different ways to be sustainable.”
Of course, there are as many ways of designing as there are of being green (or trying to be). On one hand, there’s Mary Ping of Slow and Steady Wins the Race, who creates her collection from existing fabrics such as old school uniforms. On another, Max Osterweis of Suno. After starting his line with vintage Kenyan prints collected over the course of ten years, the designer is now dealing with supplying his rapidly expanding business. (Having Michelle Obama as a fan can’t hurt.) “I’ve had to start doing my own patterns, but everything is still inspired by and created in Kenya,” Osterweis explains. “I’m not so much thinking about how to be ‘green’ as being conscious of what I’m doing. And hopefully along the way I’m offering a valuable design, too.”
Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion runs through February 20 at Pratt Manhattan Gallery, 144 W. 14th St., 2nd floor, NYC, www.pratt.edu.
tags: Bodkin, Eviana Hartman, Michelle Obama
Delfina Delettrez Fendi Isn’t Afraid Of The Dark
November 20, 2009
Remember the silver finger ring and nail polish set we reported on earlier this month? Its designer, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, was at Opening Ceremony last night showing it off, along with other creepy-chic creations like bejeweled skulls, frogs, spiders, and eyeballs. It’s not as dark as it sounds: “I don’t take it too seriously. See my skulls, they’re smiling,” the young designer explained. “I rather think that the pieces are ironic.” Opening Ceremony’s Humberto Leon was apt to agree. “She has a sense of humor about things that’s refreshing,” he said. While the presentation was her first stateside, the 22-year-old already has a strong fan base. Amy Greenspon, Mickalene Thomas, and Amy Phelan stopped by to check out her new Anatomik collection; Jen Brill showed up bedecked in her pieces; and afterward, The New York Times‘ Stefano Tonchi hosted a private dinner at his place for the jewelry designer. But with her famous last name—mom is Silvia Venturini Fendi—is she content to stick with jewelry? “Well, for now I’m growing the line, but I would love to do clothing as well,” Delettrez Fendi said. “Oh, but I would do bags first. I think always bags before clothing.” Mama must be proud.
tags: Amy Greenspon, Amy Phelan, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, Jen Brill, Mickalene Thomas, Opening Ceremony
Forty and Fabulous
November 20, 2009
If Interview’s now officially middle-aged—the Warhol-founded mag celebrated at its 40th at Indochine last night—it’s wearing it well. Editor Fabien Baron and publishing honcho Peter Brant had no trouble rounding up a crew of admirers to toast it—most of them younger than the thing itself. “I was 15 when I used to go to Studio 54,” hair stylist Orlando Pita remembered of the headier days. Model and musician Jamie Bochert post-dated disco (in its first incarnation, at least), but she did remind Pita that she met him on her first-ever photo shoot. Meanwhile, guests like Calvin Klein’s Francisco Costa, Narciso Rodriguez, and Nate Lowman caught up over Chilean sea bass, duck confit, and hanger steak (not to mention more than a few cigarette breaks); Mary-Kate Olsen stopped to say hello to Daphne Guinness; and Cynthia Rowley and Bill Powers chatted with Rachel Feinstein Currin and John Currin. Yes, it was an anniversary party, but Calvin Klein menswear designer and longtime NYC resident Italo Zucchelli was preparing to celebrate a new beginning. “I’m becoming an American citizen tomorrow,” Zucchelli said, pointing to his American flag tee. “It’s at 8:30 in the morning. After that, I’m going to celebrate!”
tags: Calvin Klein, Francisco Costa, Narciso Rodriguez, Nate Lowman, Orlando Pita
Fashion at the Oscars, Scandal at Ungaro, and More…
November 20, 2009
Valentino could be Oscar-bound. The Last Emperor is “on the shortlist” for best documentary nominations, which means that if A Single Man makes the cut, this could be the most glamorous awards ceremony in history. [WWD]
Eva and Jamie’s ads for Calvin Klein may be too steamy for a long shelf life, but the old “sex sells” adage seems to be truer than ever. The duo have been signed again for CK’s spring ads, which will be shot by Steven Klein and boycotted by prudes everywhere. [WWD]
The backlash over Lindsay Lohan’s appointment at Ungaro has apparently reached the upper echelons of management. Chairman Asim Abdullah is “locked in a fierce battle” with CEO Mounir Moufarrige, who hired Lohan. And to think, all this over some nipple pasties. [Page Six]
Demi Moore claims her skinny-mini W cover—in which a piece of her hip seems to have actually been removed—has not been airbrushed. “I have no hips!” she tweeted. Dems, this will not gain you sympathy points. [HuffPo]
Sadie Frost, ex-wife of Jude and best friend of Kate, is writing a memoir. We’d love to see the casting if this gets turned into a movie. [Daily Express]
tags: Calvin Klein, Demi Moore, Lindsay Lohan, Sadie Frost, Valentino
Shipley & Halmos Resort Lands At Barneys
November 20, 2009
Hard as it may be to believe that the holidays are right around the corner, it’s even harder to believe that Fall ‘09 clothes are already being supplanted at stores by Resort deliveries. (When was fall? Is it over?) Anyway, believe it. Shoppers starting their yearly snoop for presents and party frocks will find a whole new crop of goods arriving in stores this week and next. Today, for example, the first-ever Shipley & Halmos Resort collection arrives on the racks at Barneys New York. The retailer picked up the capsule collection on the basis of sketches—an unusual business practice, these days—and is selling it exclusively. A cross section of categories is represented, e.g., a twill car coat, a couple of georgette blouses, an oversize cotton shirtdress. But given the season, the Shipley & Halmos item shoppers are most likely to flock to Barneys for is the Bronte dress, a silk crepe number in a black, white, and gray floral print that has “New Year’s” written all over it.
tags: Barneys, Shipley & Halmos
All That Glitters Is Victoria’s Secret
November 20, 2009
The gates of Heaven, as it were, are guarded by three PR checkpoints and one drug-sniffing dog. Those are the hoops you’ve got to leap through to get to the Angels—the Victoria’s Secret Angels, at least—who I met yesterday as they sat in their 30 makeup chairs, preparing for the HD-filmed, soon-to-be-televised Victoria’s Secret runway spectacular. (Street style photog Tommy Ton was backstage, too; click to see his exclusive pictures.)
The show, says stylist Charlotte Stockdale, is huge. “For a normal fashion show you turn up ten days before,” she says. “In this one, I do about 30 days. Then you get here and you think, ‘It’s under control.’ And then two days before the show, wings are added, dancers are added, fliers are added, and suddenly you’re, like, ‘Oh my God, it’s not under control at all.’ ” But as it turned out, it was. More than one performer took flight during the 45-minute extravaganza, which was run twice last night for the benefit of the cameras. An enormous inflatable pink puppy sprang to life and was deflated just as quickly. There was the acrobatic troupe, the show choir, and, oh yes, the Black Eyed Peas. All in all, there were more pyrotechnics than a night at the opera. No wonder Jay-Z, sitting front-row, opted for a tux.
And the clothes (or lack thereof)? You won’t find the showpieces stocked at your mall in the coming months, but that’s never been the point, anyway. The trains, shoulder straps, wings, and appendages ran the gamut from a geometric metal polygon sported by Liu Wen, VS’s first Asian model since 2003, to a lavishly feathered pair of swallow’s wings worn by Abbey Lee (Stockdale called them couture). Where these girls go—and shimmy, strut, and booty-shake—balloons, billows, and cloaks trail behind. Almost every trend of the past few years was paid its tribute. There were bits that felt like Sprouse, like Vuitton, like Balmain. There was neon, disco, psychedelia, Americana, comic-strip fantasy, and storybook fantasy. Unreality was the rule. Heidi Klum hit the spangled runway five weeks after giving birth. Even with her stomach covered, that seemed unreal, too.
It was a little hard to focus your eyes on normal people and normal clothing when the lights finally went up. The evening’s theme, I learned afterward, was Magical Journeys. Sounds about right. It was a trip.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show airs December 1 on CBS.
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tags: Abbey Lee, Balmain, Charlotte Stockdale, Victoria's Secret
Cotton’s Candy
November 19, 2009
The It accessory for Spring 2010 just might be the cupcake headband, if Will Cotton has anything to do with it. The confection-loving artist—whose burlesque-ish ladies-in-Candy Land paintings have made him a hot commodity on the young art scene—created sugary headpieces and candy-covered PJs for Creative Time’s fundraiser-cum-slumber party last night at (where else?) the Ace Hotel. “Cotton’s paintings are so delicious, it’s just the kind of thing I want to go to bed in,” CT’s Anne Pasternak said. The whole party, in fact, was a Cotton painting come to life, with fantastical spreads of macaroons, meringue, and a whole lot of Campari. The dress code for this dessert buffet: despite all those calories, quite a bit of skin. Ruffian’s Brian Wolk showed off his skivvies (topped with a Schnabel-worthy silk smoking jacket) while partner-in-crime Claude Morais cozied up in some plaid flannels. Everyone congregated downstairs for sets by Fischerspooner and DJ-about-town Matt Creed. As bedtime approached, Luke Wilson popped in, but according to our sources, the real action was upstairs, where Jack White and Karen Elson were having a private slumber party of their own. Pillow fight, anyone?
Cotton’s limited-edition pajamas will be available at Barneys New York just in time for Valentine’s Day.
tags: Anne Pasternak, Brian Wolk, Creative Time, FischerSpooner, Will Cotton
The News From Florence
November 19, 2009
Pitti Immagine CEO Raffaello Napoleone held a lunch today at Adour, the Alain Ducasse restaurant in the St. Regis, to promote his organization’s January trade fair in Florence. One of the schedule’s highlights will be Giles Deacon’s Pitti W pre-fall presentation to be held at Richard Ginori 1735, a Florentine porcelain manufacturer. On the menswear front: Lars Nilsson has been invited to preview his new Mr. Nils men’s collection, and up-and-comer Umit Benan, the winner of the first edition of “Who Is on Next? Uomo,” will showcase his full Fall line. In other news, Stefano Tonchi of The New York Times and Maria Luisa Frisa will celebrate the release of their new book All Power to the Imagination: Walter Albini and His Times during the fair. At 300-plus pages with over 1,000 images, it’s a tribute to one of Italy’s most influential (but often overlooked) designers. And speaking of Italian legends, La Spezia, which makes uniforms for the Italian navy, will debut a collection made from military fabrics dating back to the fifties and sixties. If those aren’t reasons enough to book your trip now, Napoleone reports that getting to Florence is easier than ever; the train ride from Milan is now just 1 hour and 40 minutes long.
tags: Florence, Giles Deacon, La Spezia, Lars Nilsson, Maria Luisa Frisa, Pitti Immagine, Raffaello Napoleone, Stefano Tonchi
Thierry Mugler Says “No Sparkles”
November 19, 2009
Cross-dressing chanteuse Joey Arias has been a fixture on New York’s performance art scene since the late 1970’s, but he doesn’t look a day past fabulous. In his latest dramatic offering, Arias With a Twist, which opened to a packed house at Los Angeles’ RedCat theater last night, the star took to the stage in teetering stilettos and a custom Thierry Mugler thong that would make Sisqo blush. Before joining pals like Rosanna Arquette, Katy Rodriguez, and Lisa Edelstein at the after-party, Mr. Arias slipped into something more comfortable: a black cashmere pantsuit. But that’s not to say he left his sense of style at the green room door. “This is glamorous!” said Arias when we suggested that the pantsuit might be otherwise. “What did you expect, sequins? My dear friend Mr. Mugler would murder me if he saw me in anything that sparkled.”
Arias With a Twist, a phantasmagoric drag show co-starring X-rated marionettes, was the brainchild of Arias and his longtime friend, the famed puppeteer Basil Twist. Having enjoyed a successful run in New York, Arias has brought it to Los Angeles for a limited engagement ending on December 13.
tags: Joey Arias, Katy Rodriguez, Rosanna Arquette, Thierry Mugler
