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LIFE & ARTS
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The Daily Cougar
Five things we liked
Jarrod Klawinsky goes
FRONT ROW
BACKSTAGE at
30
seconds with Ivana Trump Jarrod Klawinsky caught up with Ivana Trump at Soho House for the presentation of Domenico Vacca’s Spring 2010 Collection. It’s been a long week already and it’s only Sunday. What’s keeping you going? Lots of water. What’s attracted you to Domineco’s line? Domineco is a genius. All of his pieces are so feminine; he knows the shape of a woman’s body. Your daughter [Ivanka] just announced she’s getting engaged. Can you tell me anything about the wedding plans? She should be around this week, so if you run into her you should ask her.
Backstage with Shaun Kearney
“Today’s woman wants to take a little from here, a little from there, and make their looks their own.”
Cynthia Steffe has earned consistent coverage and praise for her fun and feminine looks from fashion magazines such as Vogue and Elle. After Steffe’s departure from the label in 2006, the label went through an identity crisis until Shaun Kearney took the helm two seasons ago. Celebrities such as Ciara and Anne Hathaway are dedicated followers of the brand. This season, Kearney designed the collection around
the founder’s propensity for sweetly feminine looks with a modern mix up. “It’s no longer about the head-to-toe look,” Kearny said. “Today’s woman wants to take a little from here, a little from there, and make their looks their own.” And there was plenty to take from, beaded, crystal drop skirts, suede vests, boyfriend blazers and ruffled dresses.
Carlos Miele
Tommy Hilfiger
N
ew York is intoxicating this time of year, something that is felt most during Fashion Week. Waking up early in the crisp morning air, sliding around in the back of a yellow taxicab and sitting down for breakfast at the Bryant Park Hotel before a day full of runway shows is exhilarating. During that one week in September, New York becomes the center of fashion world when editors, buyers, and the jet- set crowd descends on to Bryant Park for free swag bags, champagne and McCafe lattes to preview the fashions for next season. Sadly, that fantastical circus has come and gone, but we saw yet another outstanding season. Once again the iconic runways of Bryant Park hosted some of the world’s most talented designers. This season, the graphic theme of luggage had several subliminal meanings: from the greatest trunk show in fashion to paying homage to the industry professionals who packed their bags and traveled to New York City. It also reminded everyone that it will be time for Fashion Week to pack up its tents and move to its new home at Lincoln Center next year. A real sense of optimism was in New York as people around the world rallied behind Fashion’s Night Out on Sept. 10, which was celebrated in more than 80 cities including Houston. Retailers kept their doors open late to help stimulate the economy. The event was touted as making fun again with T-shirts being sold to benefit the Sept. 11 Victims Fund. Everyone was out in the streets, like it was New Year’s Eve in September. As the week progressed, designers faced with the sour economic situation, created their collections around far away places in order to inspire hope and optimism. Diane von Furstenberg is in her element when designing bold prints and colors for spring. She traveled around Africa and the northern Sahara with wearable separates and dresses that would make any Egyptian queen feel at home. Last weeks winner was Carolina Herrera. Herrera drew her inspiration from Japanese woven baskets; the colors of amber, rose and caramel came from the waning light cast at the end of a summer’s day. “People want to feel cultured, traveled and exotic, even if they’re not going anywhere. You can get there through fashion,” stylist Robert Verdi said. The week ended with two fashion veterans, Issac Mizrahi and Tommy Hilfiger. Mizrahi knows how to put on a show. Known for his theatrical presentations, the entire tent was transformed into a movie soundstage. Hints of the 1950s were present with a menswear feel drawn from the elegance of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Uptown at Tommy Hilfiger’s party, celebrating the opening of his 22,000 square foot space on Fifth Avenue, a queue of people lined up for two hours trying to catch a glimpse of the designer ushering in a stream of friends, industry VIPs, celebrities. “It’s a pinnacle,” he told Style.com. “A dream come true - one that I’ve had for 25 years.” Hours later on the runway, his designs looked like they belonged on the boardwalks of Southern California. They are, as he described, “relaxed glamour”.
His collection, Beachside Romp, was meant to evoke a Southern California boardwalk feel but could be worn anywhere
Christian Siriano Following this Project Runway alum’s presentation, the crowd inside the tents and those watching Siriano’s collection on the big screens outside gave him a standing ovation.
This collection was based on photographs Miele captured on the streets of Rio de Janeiro. On the dark colors for spring, he said, “It’s the main color selling right now. Economy-related or not, it’s smart to offer customers more than just boring colors.”
Isaac Mizrahi Always a fan of color, wearability, and feminine fun, Mizrahi’s latest collections are luxurious, skewing to a girl who’s more sophisticated.
Charlotte Ronson Ronson described her spring 2010 collection as “... classical meets street”.
The new front row royalty
Gaga bears all k. Whether “Poker Lady Gaga was all the rage last wee of the Michael Kors show Face” boomed from the speakers Gorgeous!”) or New York (backstage a sign read, “Be Gaga at the Elle Magazine afterscenesters were dancing tabletop her. party, the week belonged to at Radio City Music Hall After her stunning performance ther five-star performance for the VMAs, Lady Gaga made ano e party, singing acoustic at the Marc Jacobs’ and V Magazin bodysuit and patent versions of ‘Poker Face’ in a red lace leather peep toe stilettos. New York before emerging She reminisced about her life in into fame.
“Two years ago I was stuck in my tiny apartment with nothing but my talent. Then I wrote a song that changed my life,” Gaga said.
rend The she launched into an a cappella topping hit “Just Dance”.
ition of her chart-
Photos courtesy of Getty Images, Morethatmary.com, Adrienfield. com, and Bryanboy.com
Front row seats are always coveted spots at fashion week, usually going to celebrities, famous faces, and editors. Although this year it seems, fashion bloggers have become the new front-row royalty. Spotted at almost every show last week was my friend, Mary Rambin of morethanmary. com, and her counterpart and accessory, New York social climber Adiren Field of Garçon Magazine. Also appearing at BCBG and Marc Jacobs was Bryan Boy of bryanboy.com. The evidence that print media is going the way of the Dodo is becoming increasingly apparent. “The fashion world in general is aspirational, and I think it would be silly to not recognize these blogs as such. These people want to be working for Anna [Wintour], but they might be living in Ohio, where they can only hope their wittily blogged insights catch the eye of a fairy fashion godmother,” said Faran Krentcil of Fashionista. A perfect example of a blogger’s success story is that of fashion photographer Scott Schuman whose blog, The Sartorialist (thesartorialist. blogspot.com), launched about four years ago. Schuman began prowling Manhattan with a camera, snapping photos of street fashion. He became the go-to blogger for the New York style set, eventually landing him a column with Men.Style.com, the web site for GQ and Details Magazines. His success reached an all-time peak this year upon the release of his first book, which bears the same name as his blog.
Cocktail of the week Of all the free alcohol poured in the tents, the Champagne Chambord was the favorite. • ¾ glass of Moet Chandon Champagne • 1 oz of Chambord Raspberry Liquor
Fashion Week Survival Tips with Barney’s Creative Director Simon Doonan
1
Bring a lot of food with you. Fashion is a very food-phobic environment, so bring a hot dog or a tuna melt with you because you won’t find it in the tents.
2
Dress over the top, insanely over the top, because you’ll get your picture taken.
3
If you see a show that is just horrible, and you hate it, when you go backstage and meet the designer, say, “You’ve done it again!”
4
Maybe you suspect you have what it takes to be a supermodel, so if you’re at a fashion show and there’s music jump on the runway and give it a whirl. Like Tyra says, “Work your angles.”
5
If you love the music, and you’re digging it wildly, just get up a bust a move.