More proof that the middle of the market is disappearing: J.Crew has a $3,000 jacket for sale, its priciest item to date. Part of the label's higher-end J.Crew Collection, the tortoise sequin jacket, as it's called, is an "opulent creation completely covered with shimmering French sequins—each one a unique shade of tortoiseshell, each sewn by hand to silk chiffon using a classic couture technique. Sound like a stretch for a brand that made its name reinterpreting WASP classics? Khakis and button-downs are clearly no longer the steady sellers they once were: The company is also selling fine jewelry, and come fall, will be opening a New York shop entirely devoted to Collection pieces.
The buyer: Averyl Oates, fashion buying director, Harvey
Nichols
What did you invest in heavily for Spring?
Christopher Kane is proving to be one of the city's most promising talents,
and we have been overwhelmed by this season's performance. Customers have
loved his biker jackets in both cashmere and leather, and the sheer ruffled
dresses have also had a fantastic reaction.
What's been your biggest seller so far?
One of the season's highlights has to be shoes. Customers were calling in
early requesting for their names to be wait-listed on key styles as soon as
shows were posted on Style.com. Fortunately, heavy increases were projected
on Lanvin, Balenciaga, Chloé, and McQueen, so we could ensure that our
customers were kept satisfied. The Dries Van Noten Masai beaded sandals made
a new record as the most requested style, and the intriguing upside down
shoe from Marc Jacobs barely hit the shop floor before they all sold out.
Our newcomers Nicholas Kirkwood and Alejandro Ingelmo have been very
well-received, and we have had to increase our Fall buys in order to keep up
with demand.
What had the longest waiting list?
Generally we have an extremely high demand for Lanvin. Despite significantly
increasing the buy for Spring '08, we struggled to satisfy all of the
customers on our waiting lists. Again, the items the Harvey Nichols
customers were crying out for were the on-trend brightly colored dresses,
such as looks 21 through to 23. Lanvin jewelery is incredibly popular, and
customers are lining up to get their hands on the show pieces; it's
challenging to fulfill such a significant waiting list.
What are your customers asking for when they come in?
As well as loving the trend for bright colors, sheer and floral fabrics have
been in high demand. Most of the floral Balenciaga catwalk pieces have been
pre-sold, as well as those from Giles and Dries Van Noten.
I'll readily admit to having an eBay habit. One of my favorite recent purchases is an accordion-style catalog, probably from the sixties, of the work of Niki de Saint Phalle, who is currently the subject of a retrospective at Tate Liverpool. Born in France and raised in America, Saint Phalle, who modeled for Vogue in her teens, was much influenced by Antonio Gaudí. I've always admired the small Saint Phalle sculpture in the office of our executive fashion director, Candy Pratts Price, and now—after a bidding war and an obliging eBay seller—I have a small memento of the artist's work as well.
Jasmine Serrurier reports from the Milan Furniture Fair.
Thursday, April 17
Bottega Veneta
True to the house's formula, "When Your Own Initials Are Enough," Tomas Maier's home collection for Bottega Veneta is anti-logo and doesn't follow color-by-numbers head-to-toe-to-home mantra that so many designers adhere to. The uniting thread, no surprise, was Bottega's famous woven vacchetta leather. Style.com found it hand-painted on porcelain (by KPM), etched into Murano glass and sterling-silver desk sets, and even enveloping the base of a lamp.
Fondazione Prada Expands
Fondazione Prada announced its most ambitious project to date, a new 18 000-square-meter space set in an industrial complex on the outskirts of Milan that will take at least three years to complete. The area is set to be transformed into a site for multimedia events,
installations for exhibitions, and to provide a series of secure vaults to house Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli's overflowing art collections and archives. Rem Koolhaas was on-site to lay out the blueprint. "Domestic scale is absent in contemporary art," he said. "My challenge here is not just about a space for objects. I need to create a dialogue between the environment and the pieces within it."
Moschino
Moschino released two scoops for the Salone, one cheeky and ironic, and the other surreal. The first were the sexy ghost chairs, two of Philippe Starck/Kartell's popular Perspex chairs dressed in transparent froufrou tulle slipcovers. Second up was the Sant'Andrea store's window display, which had borrowed from the surreal, as its objects had been sliced in two, leaving the missing halves as mirror reflections. This was meant to not only fire off a whole load of existential questions—i.e., "Does it not exist simply because we can't see it?"—but to also give a taste of what is in store for the 69-room hotel Moschino's set to open next year.
Friday, April 18
Trussardi and Patrick Blanc's vertical garden
It was easy finding Patrick Blanc, who created a vertical garden for Trussardi's café near La Scala: His hair was a fluorescent green beacon in a sea of mostly black raincoats. "I am a botanist and my work in jungles and studying growth patterns of low-lying plant life helped me understand to what limits we can put the plants," he told us. "Once the "structure is set up, all that is left to do is for someone to pass by and give my growing wall a haircut."
Molteni & Vivienne Westwood partnership
Big Milanese furniture companies aren't generally known for taking risks, so it was a bit of a surprise to hear that Molteni has paired up with renowned envelope-pusher Vivienne Westwood. "I am a great believer of mixing the avant-garde with tradition," she said. "I have always been inspired by historical costume—my clothes are tradition brought to the future. Now I am mixing it up with furniture." Don't look for a Westwood homeware revolution just yet, though—Molteni's taking baby steps with this new project. For her first collection for the company, Westwood used her Pirates-era "squiggle" fabric to cover one of its classic models.
The buyer: Jeffrey Kalinsky, president and CEO, Jeffrey New York
What did you invest in heavily for spring? For designers, Jil Sander, Marni, and Christian Louboutin. For trends, floral prints. And for individual items, day dresses.
What's been your biggest seller so far?Lanvin, both ready-to-wear and shoes.
What did you invest in heavily for spring? For spring we invested heavily in Tsumori Chisato, Lanvin runway shoes (above) and bags, Balenciaga runway shoes (which sold out before they even hit the floor), and all things Isabel Marant. Lanvin's Kentucky canvas tote with yellow leather trim has been our best-selling bag.
What's been your biggest seller so far? Alaïa gladiators—I was out of the store the day they arrived and never even got to see a single pair.
What had the longest waiting list?Alexander Wang's baggy denim shorts are selling by the dozens (literally), and we have a wait list of over 100 people who want a pair for fall. It's rare to see such an identifiable item have such long-term demand.
What are your customers asking for when they come in? Jewelry in bold, geometric shapes; gladiator sandals; ostrich-skin bags; tailored dresses; and slouchy pants.
"Look at all the pretty princesses," I overheard one editor say at Monique Lhuillier's bridal presentation this weekend, one of first bridal shows of the week. Indeed, Lhuillier had created 29 looks that were the stuff of fairy tales, from column dresses crafted from whisper-thin lace to bejeweled gowns. But as a first-time bride-to-be who was scanning the shows for some less traditional ideas for her own upcoming nuptials, there were other designers that had me saying "I do." Reem Acra had me thinking about color after she and stylist David Yaski layered her elegant ivory bridal confections with vividly hued clothing and bright costume jewels culled from her own vintage and ready-to-wear collections. "When I was putting together the show, I was reviving my past," explained Acra of the personal touches. "I was mixing in things that made me famous and brought me good luck." Carolina Herrera paired separates with floor-length skirts to create some of my favorite looks from her exquisite presentation, like a Victorian-inspired lace blouse and boxy wool-felt jacket that was finished with fur cuffs. It was Oscar de la Renta (above), however, that gave me the most inspiration. He presented several knee-length numbers that would perfectly suit my 5' 2" frame, and maybe even allow me to change to flats as the wedding festivities carry on.
The buyer: Jim Wetzel, co-owner/fashion director, Jake, Chicago
What did you invest in heavily for spring? We really went big into color for spring. I felt that the time was good, the clients were yearning for it, and with what is going on in the world, it brings a bit of pleasure to light. Chris Benz was a huge part of this, and his collection of neon and jewel-tone colors is doing amazingly well.
What's been your biggest seller so far? This season we sold out almost immediately of a Guiseppe Zanotti platform pump in white with a blue and silver cap toe, and to throw it over the edge, there is a huge rhinestone cluster on the toe. Magical! Our clientele is not afraid of the statement and really sign up for the fashion items. They expect this from us and we do not disappoint!
What are your customers asking for when they come in? Color. Flash. They're coming in and wanting something that makes them feel great, sexy, and gets them noticed. The more over-the-top, with beading, feathers, or fringe, the more emotional they get for the piece. I think with everything that is going on in the world, our clients are using fashion as an escapism tactic. What could be more fun?
The buyer: Tarini Jindal, creative director, Muse, Mumbai, India
What did you invest in heavily for spring? This season, I loved Diane von Furstenberg's collection (above). We bought a lot of the maxi dresses, and her signature wraps. Paul & Joe works very well for us, and the spring collection was beautiful; pastel colors and chiffons work very well for the Indian market.
What's been your biggest seller so far? Our biggest sellers have been the DVF wrap dresses and tops.
What had the longest waiting list? The concept of a waiting list has not started in India yet. The market is too young.
What are your customers asking for when they come in? The Muse customer is asking for colors, cotton, and chiffon fabrics, maxi dresses, and lots of accessories.
The cliche about Brazilian bikinis is that they're tiny (hence the abbreviated personal topiary of the same name) and louder than Rio during carnival. But the chicest Brazilian girls aren't wearing hot-pink micro-suits. Instead, the trend is for larger bottoms and subtle colors, like these downright sedate styles from Jo de Mer (a favorite of Gisele Bündchen, a woman who knows her bikinis), Beach Couture (whose collection for Topshop arrives in stores this week), and Adriana Degreas (known for her luxe aesthetic). Basic, it seems, is the new bling.
The buyer: Louis Terline, owner, Oak, New York City
What did you invest in heavily for spring? For us, spring/summer is
always about two things: How do you deal with warm weather in the city, and
what do you need for the few times you get out of it? This always means easy
dresses, skinny jeans, and oversize tops. Sturdy sandals with great style.
This season we are enamored with Filippa K. and Nicole Farhi for their
casual elegance, Anntian (these great light, hand-printed tops from Berlin),
and C-Neeon for their colorful airy dresses and tops. Matt Bernson sandals.
High-waisted shorts.
What's been your best seller so far? Our favorite line and best
seller BY FAR this season is Complex Geometries—Clayton [Evans] makes
the most amazing architectural T-shirts and jersey dresses. We ordered tons
of them and are already sold out (a reorder is on the way). The Oak Zebra
oversize silk shirtdress was almost gone before it arrived. Luckily we were
able to throw some more in.
What are your customers asking for when they come in? It's easy
separates that have some style. People are becoming more comfortable with
playing with proportions. Things are simultaneously getting looser and
tighter. It's a very exciting time.
The buyer: Sarah Rutson, fashion director, Lane Crawford, Hong Kong
What did you invest in heavily for spring? We heavily invested and increased the buys on Dries Van Noten, Lanvin (above), Stella McCartney. These designer brands are the most heavily demanded this season—they're on every woman's want list. Azzedine Alaïa in RTW and accessories continues its sell-out status with every new delivery. Trends we really got behind were floral prints and diaphanous fabrics and every dress style you can imagine. I also felt very strongly about bringing in the single-breasted sleek men's style jacket—I felt it added more of an edge and attitude to the strong sense of femininty this season. The best sellers are coming from Rag & Bone and Helmut Lang. We have waiting lists for the gladiator shoes by Givenchy. The moon dress by Roland Mouret, the short ruffled plissé jacket by Burberry Prorsum in pale gray, and I would say every exit of Lanvin is oversubscribed and pre-sold. In the contemporary area, Elizabeth and James and very dark denim wide-leg jeans by J. Brand are doing well. I'm also slightly cropping our skinny denim to a 7/8th length, which makes it look newer. I feel it's important that I start something new rather than always waiting for a designer or trend to do it. Having our own point of view makes us different from everyone else. Individuality and a unique voice are to me what new luxury is about.
What are your customers asking for when they come in? Customers want color, color, color and really want to make a new statement. Sharon Wauhrob and Haider Ackermann continue to increase each season in customer demand and recognition.
The buyer: Roopal Patel, senior women's fashion director, Bergdorf Goodman
What did you invest in heavily for spring?Lanvin and Balenciaga, as we launched both collections in the store this spring. The Lanvin washed trench and the one-shoulder navy dress have been runaway hits. Anything floral from Balenciaga flies out of the store. Thakoon, Chanel (the star-print pieces), The Row, Phillip Lim, Proenza Schouler, and Roland Mouret are also getting a great response. Our customer is loving bold prints and patterns for spring. The new silhouette of the long dress with a gladiator flat is also translating well.
What had the longest waiting list? The YSL Muse Two Bag, Christian Louboutin's Yasmine slingback (a cork wedge with orange and black patent trim), Lanvin stacked heels, and Alaïa gladiator flats in metallic python.
What are your customers asking for when they come in? Color and prints! The dress is still important—long or short, day or evening. And statement shoes and bags.
Clockwise from top left: Dori Csengeri work of art, $525, available at www.vivre.com. Dior flower hair band, $2,680, available at Christian Dior, NYC, (212) 931-2950, www.dior.com. Stephen Jones for Marc Jacobs apple headpiece, price upon request at Marc Jacobs, L.A., (323) 653-5100, www.marcjacobs.com. Louis Vuitton pink bow, not for sale.
Hats may not be part of your everyday style, but come Easter Sunday, we can't help but feel a bit nostalgic about the new spring bonnet thing. If you want to add a little—OK, a lot—of panache to your outfit, consider one of the headpieces above. If the straight-off-the-catwalk styles from Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, and Christian Dior are too statement (or, in the case of the runway-only LV number, unavailable), consider something a little more basic, like Dori Csengeri's floral headband.
The warrior woman is back. Tough, no nonsense, and empowered, she's been striding down the Parisian catwalk in droves—and in several guises. At Vivienne Westwood, she was an eco-warrior, complete with scraped knees and a painted face. At Undercover, she was an urban warrior, forging her way straight into the future. And at Balmain, she was a disco warrior (do not underestimate the effect of a short, sharp dress with lightning bolts across the chest). And those are just the headlining designers—more under-the-radar types such as Manish Arora, Peachoo + Krejberg, and Sharon Wauchob all paid tribute to her, as well. "I was working on silhouette and structure. Not just in tailoring but also through the more fluid pieces," said Wauchob of her collection. "My woman is strong. Grown-up, mature, confident, but also
feminine."
Platform heels are still being worn by the fashion crowd, with an emphasis on just-the right-side of S&M looks—lots of shiny black patent leather and studs. We've also seen a sprinkling of Mary Janes. But the freshest footwear trend is the two-tone spectator style, which we've spied in both in the usual lace-up and less traditional interpretations.
One of the constants at Monday's Burberry show was the tea cozy-shaped woolly hat that Christopher Bailey showed with everything from outerwear to evening dresses. It's a style we've been seeing on the street all week, though we have yet to spot one on anyone in a gown. One caveat: To avoid
looking like a gnome, make sure the rest of your outfit is suitably sleek.
Moccasins: You may have worn them in the eighties (when the Indian beaded variety was big), but don't let bad junior high memories turn you off. Ever since Kate Moss made them an integral part of her look last season, designers have been hard at work adapting the classic version into more luxurious incarnations. In time for Spring's hippie bohemian trend (more on that in our Spring shopping guide), here are some styles that get our seal of approval. And, incidentally, won't it be a relief to have an alternative to your ratty old Converse?
From top to bottom: Mukluk, ankle Muk, $325, available at www.muklukstore.com.
"I wish I had brought a fur coat!" wailed one fashionista as she huddled with her friends under a mushroom heater outside the Moschino Cheap & Chic show. While New York experiences delusions of springtime, Milan's sudden arctic temperatures have everyone wishing they'd packed their woolies. Those who did bring cold-weather gear are breaking out fur, shearling, and heavy knits. The chicest way to wear them is with shoulder-strap bags buckled across the body—the better to keep the warmth in.
R.I.P. the puffa, long live the chubby. We saw it at Jaeger, we saw it at Topshop Unique, we saw it at Eley Kishimoto and Marios Schwab, and we saw it last night at Giles, which pretty much makes it official: British designers have decreed that Fall 2008 will be all about the chubby coat. It has to be big, it has to be shaggy, it has to make you look part English sheepdog. And that, at any rate, is better than resembling the Michelin Man.
Other cities might be content referencing Kate Moss and Irina Lazareanu to show that Françoise Hardy-style long, straight, brow-brushing bangs are an enduring trend. But in London things have to be pushed beyond extremes. Hence the full curtain of hair covering the black-rimmed eyes of Irene Menta from Spanish style magazine www.neo2.es, all the way down to the tip of her nose. With her "Geordon Nicol meets the ghoulish girl in the 'Ring' series" look, Menta was the darling of street style photographers at the Osman Yousefzada show. One paparazzo who tried to take her photo kept mimicking her moves as she turned to look at him (she had to flip her head three times until one eye became visible through her locks). "If I were her mother," he said, "I would be so worried that she'd fall down the stairs. But thankfully I'm not, because what do I care? She still looks fabulous."
With one fashion week down and three to go, we can report that Fall '08 looks like it will be a good season for those who like to wear the pants. From neatly tailored (Doo.Ri) to leather (Preen) to genre-bending (Karen Walker's acid-wash bell-bottoms), the runways were about the bottom line. At Tom Scott we even spotted a reprise of the drop-crotch—great mental image, that—style we saw a week earlier in Berlin.
Along with the usual selection of difficult-to-pull-off makeup colors and bottles of exotically shaped and sourced water, this fashion week has brought us swag that's actually appreciated: tote bags. Among the totes that have been collected in the Style.com office are a patterned black one from Rodarte, a lo-fi Madewell style that was being given away outside the Alexander Wang show, a Dan Colen-designed Ben Cho version, and a minimal black interpretation courtesy of Kai Kühne (which contained a mini bottle of vodka—thanks, Kai!). But most useful of all is the heavy-duty canvas number by SKN that was handed out at the Liz McClean presentation. Not only did it come packed with everything from instant stain remover to a book of financial tips for girls, but it will also hold up to 40 lbs. of whatever you care to fill it with—like groceries from Whole Foods, which is where we're betting it will be spotted next.
Although non-models can look like they've been diapered when they wear them, the drop-crotch pants that were seen on almost all of the catwalks during Berlin fashion week's official first day actually looked startlingly irreverent and cool in the menswear label Q.E.D.'s winning collection at the Karstadt New Generation Award show. Mongels in Common was the design team pegged to walk away with the prize, but despite showing an excellent, loose, and fluid women's collection, they were overshadowed by the mostly black, techno geek-inspired clothes Q.E.D.'s Julia Böge, Simona Gabrieli, and Jasmin Moallim sent down the runway. The trio's well-cut trousers, which flopped like long johns between the models' thighs, are sure to spark frustration from clubgoers trying to check out one another's assets on Berlin's never-ending nightlife scene.
Hillary Clinton's controversy-causing campaigning might be encased in an undistracting blond 'do and Angela Merkel's matronly bob is likewise unremarkable, but if evidence on the streets and catwalks of Berlin is to be believed, there's still one female politician whose personal style is galvanizing stylish girls. On Saturday, the main talking point at the sixth Beck's Fashion Experience was the models, whose hair was mostly plaited and pinned into loose versions of the Ukrainian prime minister Yuliya Tymoshenko's signature wraparound blond braid. A spattering of models in the Miroïke portion of the Karstadt New Generation Awards show wore the same golden Heidi hair, and the trend can be spotted all over Berlin. Jette Rudolph (above), former rockabilly babe, sometime member of a hillbilly band, and the director of her eponymous Zimmerstrasse gallery, where she's currently hosting a group show appropriately titled "Political Iconography," is known around Berlin for sporting the "affenschaukeln" style (as it's known in German) . "I like to wear the look ironically," she explains. "I'm a blonde German mother of three children, so I know that I embody the National Socialist ideal that was associated with affenschaukeln in propaganda imagery. You have to be conscious of the look's meanings to wear it, but if you are then I think it can be very cool."
Buyers look to Brazil for playful pieces with a healthy dose of sex appeal, but Sao Paulo Fashion Week also has a strong avant-garde tradition, especially with accessories. This season has seen fantastic footwear from a slew of designers, with the trend pointing toward futuristic stilettos, with studded, holographic, and cubist treatments trumping all the rest. Alexandre Herchcovitch (above), Fause Haten, and Animale in particular had their girls on pins and needles, with dangerously high heels. The next month and a half will tell whether the trend has legs beyond Brazil, but regardless of the news New York and Europe bring, these shoes look set to be some of the season's best.
Olivier Theyskens has been experimenting with hosiery since he landed at Nina Ricci, showing dégradé leggings that shaded from nude to violet, or playing with opacity so it looks like the ribbons of ballerina slippers crisscross up the calves. For his pre-fall collection, he took things a playful step further, adding Marilyn Monroe and Dita Von Teese-style beauty marks to opaque tights near the knee or at the ankle. He wasn't the only gams man at work yesterday, either. At Marc Jacobs' Louis Vuitton presentation, the models strutted out in ribbed legwarmers stitched to the backs of their patent leather pumps. All the leg action has us itching to ditch our winter boots. For more news and trends from pre-fall, see our complete coverage.
At the pre-fall presentations, Spring's blooms are giving way to autumn foliage. A photograph of ice-covered leaves inspired Paulo Melim Andersson to develop his own frosty print at Chloé. Another appeared at Louis Vuitton, where Marc Jacobs played with nature, changing fall's red, orange, and yellow palette into a purply one (above). For more on the pre-fall trends, don't miss our complete
coverage.
Clockwise from top left: A.P.C. openwork tights, $61, available at A.P.C., NYC, (212) 966-9685 and www.apc.fr. Wolford Polar black tights, $68, available at Wolford, NYC, (212) 327-1000. Look from London animal-print tights, $20, available at www.lookfromlondon.com. Fogal Pearls pantyhose, $67, available at Fogal, NYC, (212) 355-3254.
'Tis the season to bundle up. And that means breaking out the thick and wooly tights. Normally, we favor plain ole black opaques—such as the luxuriously plush Wolford pair shown here, with barely perceptible pinstripes. But we've also found a few options that reach further afield in color and texture. Go ahead, experiment. You've got nothing to lose but cold ankles.
Having grappled with the skinny vs. wide-leg jeans dilemma for several months now—if Kate Moss can't decide, who can?—we decided to check in with J Brand, the company beloved by Angelina Jolie and other Hollywood types for its various skinny styles. "You don't have to give up one for the other," said Tara Rudes, who heads up the brand's East Coast sales operations. "At J Brand, we say it's about your mood." The company's sales suggest that J Brand junkies are embracing wide styles with as much passion as they have for skinnies. The Doll, a high-waisted, wide-legged number (above), has been seen on Cameron Diaz and Kate Hudson, while Moss has stepped out in Love Story, which is wide at the leg but lower on the waist. But can mere mortals pull off the look? "Anyone can wear them," said Rudes. "My grandmother came in here and left with a pair of The Doll."
The accessory of the moment in Paris comes not from the ateliers of Balenciaga or YSL, but the candy department at Le Bon Marché. We first spotted these oversize rose rings during fashion week, but they're now blooming on fashionable fingers all over town. Available in pink, red, or white, the spun-sugar bijous are available exclusively at the department store's Grand Epicierie gourmet grocery shop for a mere €6.50 (about $9.25). Except for the adjustable band, they're entirely edible, not to mention quite tasty.
The scarf trend, launched by the shemaghs Nicolas Ghesquière showed in his Fall 2007 collection for Balenciaga, shows no signs of abating. This week alone, we've spotted women wearing them as capes, head scarves, and even cocktail dress alternatives; men, on the other hand, are sticking to draping them around their necks à la Hedi Slimane. On the runway, Veronique Branquinho attached scarves to clear plastic visors, while Christian Lacroix turned them into head wraps and wearable parasol/satellite dishes. Looks like we'll be wrapping up for a while to come.
Summer ended abruptly right at the beginning of the third day of Milan fashion week, with a seemingly never-ending rain that lasted from morning to night. Not everybody was prepared and, as we all know, looking stylish in a downpour, no matter how romantic it might sound, is tricky. We spotted many impromptu solutions around town. Most of them revolved around cellophane, which, in a timely twist, is also a main catwalk trend. One stylish girl, who refused to give us her name, covered a brand new Chloé Bay bag with a plastic sheet, leaving only the handle exposed; the combination made for a piece of abstract art. Another woman ran around in a red plastic mac that gave her strict black outfit a much-needed twist. Pac-a-m
