20 posts tagged "Erin Fetherston"
Designers On Holiday
Light the barbecue, slice the watermelons, and get out your obligatory patriotic T-shirt. Fourth of July is fast approaching this weekend and summer is finally in full swing. Now that Resort appointments are (almost) over, designers, too, can finally kick back and breathe easy. (At least for a few minutes—another fashion week is just around the corner.) Here, Style.com checks in with some of our favorite designers to see what they are indulging in this summer.
“My greatest summer indulgence is doing a summer house with my closest group of friends—it’s so worth it. Fun, dinner, stories, sharing ideas and goals, celebrating success, and picking each other up through failures, with my groups of friends whom I have known for more than 12 years, is amazing.” —Prabal Gurung
“I wish I had more time to read; I have a long list of suggestions that my friends have given me—right now I’m actually reading an architecture book. But when I’m off duty, I want to be on a beach somewhere with my family. ” —Maria Cornejo
“In the summer, I look forward to spending the days in my garden in the country, my chickens, my fish, the afternoon swim, and the evenings with friends—especially over an elaborate meal that I cook with bottles of chilled rosé. The undiluted natural beauty of the Columbia County countryside, the smell of the plants, blossoms, and shrubs, they all recharge me.” —Bibhu Mohapatra
“I just like to be outside. I skateboard a lot and I love to surf—I usually short board these days. ” —Yigal Azrouël (left)
“Reading my Kindle on the beach—there is nothing more relaxing then a good book with the sand between your toes. I’m spending this Fourth of July at my Shelter Island home. I love hosting a barbecue and watching the fireworks with my closest family and friends. It makes me feel like an American via New Zealand!” —Rebecca Taylor
“Lately, I have really been obsessed with playing Scrabble. It sounds so nerdy, but my boyfriend and I play Scrabble at sunset on my rooftop and have cocktails. I would say that’s a very indulgent summer evening.” —Erin Fetherston
“I’m going to the Turks and Caicos this summer. Usually, we go to Europe but I’m so busy right now we decided this would be the easiest. I have never been to the Caribbean so this should be fun. I usually travel with a giant stack of magazines but I got a BlackBerry Playbook, so this will keep things a little more efficient.” —Chris Benz
“Long bike rides, Magnum ice cream bars, and tanning! I use Maui Babe and it makes the perfect tan.” —Rebecca Minkoff
Meet The Muse: Erin Fetherston
Girl-about-town Natalie Joos spends her days casting for shows like ADAM and Yigal Azrouël and editorials for the likes of Mario Sorrenti and Mariano Vivanco, but her passion is vintage clothing. Joos’ blog, Tales of Endearment, spotlights her “Muses,” impeccably styled girls who share her secondhand obsession. In a new partnership with Style.com, Tales of Endearment’s subjects discuss their shoots right here on Style File.When Erin Fetherston isn’t in something from her namesake collection, she’s almost always wearing vintage. “I love finding a piece that has been made at home, like sweaters that have been hand-knit,” the platinum blonde tells Style.com. “I always want to know the story behind the clothes.” Now, in her latest Tales of Endearment story, Natalie Joos brings us the backstory behind the New York-based designer’s fantastical wardrobe, complete with separate closets for new clothes and vintage. “It’s like a magical cave,” Joos says of Fetherston’s walk-ins. “I imagine Erin in the middle of her princess’ wardrobe waving a wand that springs a new dress on her thin frame every morning. It’s an amusing thought. But not so far-fetched.” Erin spoke to Style.com about playing dress-up and her favorite vintage haunts around the globe.
You always look really feminine. Is that how would you describe your style?
Yes, it’s definitely on the feminine side. I am totally a dress girl. My style is really a reflection of all the different influences I have had over my lifetime. I am from California and I have that California ease. However, I studied in Paris and I have always loved fantasy and had a vivid imagination.
How does vintage play into your look?
I grew up in the Bay Area and there was always an amazing vintage scene in Berkeley and San Francisco. Actually, vintage was more accessible than being able to go see high, directional fashion at the time. I love going to vintage stores because you can see so many different styles and ideas all at once—it has a great variety. If you are only shopping at a current clothing store, it’s dominated by a trend or a season.
What about your designs—how are those influenced by vintage?
At the beginning, I will play extensive dress-up games in my closet to see what I’m feeling. I will pull out new and old and vintage and it is a great tool to help try on ideas for size. To me, there’s something amazing about working in 3-D, rather than just 2-D. When it comes to making my own collection, I like to design from scratch. I’m not interested in making something that looks vintage. I don’t see the point.Any vintage stores in particular you like to frequent? I hear you like to stop by Shareen Vintage on 17th Street.
Shareen, both in New York and Los Angeles, is truly my favorite. There are a few really good ones on Haight Street in San Francisco. In general, I like going to Haight Street, but it seems more and more picked over these days. Ten years ago it was amazing. In Paris, I would go to the auction house and got lots of haute couture that way. New World Order on Avenue B here in New York—it’s more designer, but they have lots of vintage YSL. I am more of a cheap thrill when it comes to vintage. I love getting something for $40 because it takes the fun out of it when the price tag on a vintage piece is insane.
Do you collect any specific types of vintage pieces?
It’s mostly dresses that I look for. I am always excited when I find an Albert Nipon dress—I have a few. What’s really crazy is I will find a “vintage sister” and you meet the twin to the one you already own. It’s always so mind-blowing. I also love all the long, seventies chiffon hostess dresses I have. You can never wear them anywhere and they are only appropriate for when you are hosting a dinner party at your apartment. For me, I will buy even if I am not going to wear it. If it’s informative or inspirational, I will buy it.
What are your rules for mixing vintage and contemporary pieces?
I am not so into rules. If you are going to buy a vintage dress, it’s worth getting the hem adjusted and that’s an easy, quick fix to make it fresh. If you pair it with modern accessories and a bag, the whole look is elevated.
Finish the thought: What’s old is new again when…
the new generation doesn’t have firsthand memory of it. Does that make sense? When the kids don’t know it came before, then it’s new again.
For more from Erin’s shoot, visit Tales of Endearment.
Royal Wedding: The Backlash?
The world’s been anxiously counting down to the Royal Wedding (caps, please) of Kate Middleton and Prince William, dissecting every detail from the hen night (that’s bachelorette party, to you or me) to the going-away dress (apparently it’s what she’ll wear to leave her reception and head off to her honeymoon). But a quick canvass of the style world suggests that not every fashion insider will be waking up to watch. Jefferson Hack put it bluntly: “I am actually going to be away that weekend, and I personally don’t give a shit about the wedding!” he told us at the launch of Dazed Live earlier this month. “And you can print that.” He’s not the only one. Style.com checked in with a roster of designers to find out more.
Will you be watching the Royal Wedding?
“I could care less. I’m going to blank it out as much as I can. I have been blanking on the whole thing from the start and I will continue to do so. I actually wake up pretty early; I am usually up by 4:30 a.m., but I am not going to turn it on. I think marriage is a wonderful thing and it’s a great declaration of love and commitment, but it’s boring.” —Steven Kolb, executive director, CFDA
“No, probably not. What time is it at? I will probably be asleep. I definitely will be asleep.” —Pamela Love
“I’m going to be a jazz fest in New Orleans, so I probably won’t be thinking too much about it, to be honest. I’m going to be watching the Avett Brothers. Maybe I’ll TiVo it and check it out afterwards.” —Billy Reid
“When Lady Di was married, I was really young and I was in London in the middle of it, in August. Everything was crazy during that time in London. You would find like the cup with her picture and a wedding phrase, so that was my experience. This new royal wedding, I have not followed so much. I don’t know…I wish them the best.” —Sophie Théallet
“I definitely want to see it, but I don’t know if I’ll watch it live. I’m sure the coverage will be so thorough. We realized the day we have to move is the day of the wedding.” —Erin Fetherston
“I’ll check out the photos online, but I haven’t been keeping up with all of the People coverage of it.” —Marcia Patmos
“That’s a good question. I’m excited because I think I didn’t get to watch the last one; I missed it for some reason. I remember my mother was really into it and wanting to watch it. I have to figure it out.” —Eddie Borgo
Of everyone we surveyed, only one person was truly enthused: Prabal Gurung. “Yes! Of course,” he told Style.com. “I am going to watch. I remember late Princess Diana’s wedding. And I come from Nepal—there’s a monarchy, and I went to a British Catholic school for ten years, so I am very aware of that world. I’m excited.” Of course, he’s built a business on gowns fit for a princess.
A New Class Toasts Its Fashion Week Benefactor
You might expect otherwise from a winery, but there are no booze-goggles at Ecco Domani: The California-based vintner has a long history of clear-eyed perceptiveness about young fashion talent. Its Fashion Foundation awards have been supporting emerging designers with much needed grant money for years, and many of the industry’s now established names—Derek Lam, Alexander Wang, and Proenza Schouler among them—have benefited from its largesse.
This year’s crop of winners (for womenswear, Bibhu Mohapatra, Mandy Coon, Marcia Patmos, and Maayan Zilberman and Nikki Dekker for their line The Lake & Stars; for menswear, Kyle Fitzgibbons for Native Son; for accessories, Pamela Love; and for sustainable design, Tara St. James for Study NY) was on hand to celebrate last night, along with alumni like Lam, Erin Fetherston, John Patrick, Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs, and editors and style setters like Julie Gilhart and Sally Singer. One of last year’s winners, Prabal Gurung, presented Bibhu Mohapatra (above, with Lam) with his award. (“His love and my love for Bollywood has cemented our friendship,” the Nepal-born Gurung, who worked for the Indian designer Manish Arora after graduating from New Delhi’s National Institute of Fashion, confided.)
“It has really pumped me with such a rush,” Mohapatra said of his latest accolade. “This award not only gave me confidence, but it also gave me some extra funding to make my product that much better.”
Pressed for advice to the young designers, Gurung modestly demurred. “I am still in the process of rising,” he said, “and I don’t think I am in the position of giving advice to anyone. What I can say is be true to yourself and trust your instincts because you have to just believe in yourself.”
Fresh From The Feed
Style.com’s Fashion Feed brings you the best of the news around the Web and on Twitter, and ranks the most-discussed designers, labels, models, and celebrities. In our new weekly series, we’ll be calling out the top five designers of the previous week (with our handy gloss on the hows and whys).
1. Victoria Beckham (pictured; last week: N/A)
A much-paparazzo’d trip to Pinkberry by the Beckham clan sent Victoria to the top of the list.
2. Michael Kors (last week: 3)
Last week’s finale of Project Runway sent the show’s resident sensei up a spot to number 2.
3. Marc Jacobs (last week: 2)
Did the happily are-they-or-aren’t-they marrieds break up so soon? Internet rumors of Marc and Lorenzo’s split kept MJ in the top 5.
4. Erin Fetherston (last week: N/A)
Announcement of Erin’s Juicy Couture collaboration turned heads. Will her collections for the label do the same?
5. Peter Som (last week: N/A)
Three sheets to the wind: Peter Som announced he’ll partner with Sferra on a line of luxury linens.