Archive for September 2010

I don’t have a license, so I’ll never live in Los Angeles. But every once in a while, I get the urge to buy a 10-pack of driving lessons. Because let’s face it: LA is just easier.

And it’s reflected in the clothes. Maybe that’s why I’m so attracted to LA-based designers like Scott Sternberg and Jenni Kayne. The latter, who showed her breezy collection at Industria Studios yesterday, has been a favorite of mine for years. It was all so adorable, from the high-waisted berry shorts to the sage-colored lace dress. But my favorites, I must say, were the…wait for it…twinsets. Yes, twinsets–they looked lovely. Especially in that terra cotta color that’s been on so many runways this season. They made me want to throw a sweater over my shoulders. And they also made me want to move to LA, where I could wear a twinset and somehow still come off looking casual and cool.

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You’ve surely already heard about Sunday night’s Hilfiger bash. Yes, The Strokes performed. Yes, it was amazing. But before the storm, there was relative calm at the runway show. Consultant Peter Som’s input was again felt, but maybe not as much as it was in the fall. This was pure, preppy Tommy, with some hits of sparkle for good measure. Click through to see our favorites from the evening.

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“There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening.”

Oh Alex, how you scared the socks off of me when I was twelve and I first watched you raise havoc in A Clockwork Orange. Though Antonio Azzuolo may have taken his lead from Stanley Kubrick’s dystopian film, with his bowler hats and vests, the socks have stayed on, and he’s pulled them up in fact, to the knees. These work to great effect with some very short shorts, precisely cut jackets and brightly-striped knits, paired with casual button-downs that reminded me of prep school seniors, just released from class.

Let’s call it naughtily natty. Let’s also call it awesome, daring, and a sign of an exciting up-and-comer.

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It’s all very well and good to see a runway show that’s, well, a show, but oftentimes it’s hard to imagine actually wearing any of those dramatically styled show pieces, as much fun as they are to watch go down the runway. Not so at Wayne’s Spring/Summer 2011 show. Every look that came down the runway was wearable, even comfortable, and tailor made for that super cool downtown girl who’s got lots of tattoos (Wayne’s models were temporarily tattooed with vines snaking up their arms) and probably rides a motorcycle.

According to her line sheet, Wayne Lee thinks of her SS 2011 girl as Pris, the Replicant, Daryl Hannah’s character in Blade Runner, because she’s “smart, strong and dangerous, yet also a delicate and vulnerable flower.” Thankfully Wayne’s girls didn’t have Hannah’s horrible hair from Blade Runner, but the skin-tight sexy-torn mesh part fits. The collection was layered and sporty (you know, because Pris needs to be able to kick some ass): There were mesh tops over spider-webby black lace racer-back tanks, athletic shorts in leather and silk prints, zip-up hoodies, and some seriously ass-kicking lace-up bike pants in leather and rayon. But just because the collection tended towards the black, tight, and ass-kicky, doesn’t mean there weren’t some pretty moments too. The finale look, a black vest top paired with a long split-front skirt with a train was simply elegant.

Click through for more looks from Wayne’s Spring/Summer 2011 collection.

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Alexandre Herchcovitch’s vibrant but moody spring collection was a departure from last season’s embellished, urban wears. The collection was made up almost entirely of sheath dresses with futuristic shapes, many of which had dramatic but less-than-flattering puff sleeves and pleated backs. The color scheme was bright and fun but, on such sophisticated silhouettes, not to be taken lightly. While Herchcovitch did some of this last spring, this time the pieces were simpler. But perhaps better executed.

Only a few looks conformed to the muted color scheme we keep seeing. The rest featured either bold pixelized graphics or shiny jewel-toned ombre (which was not as successful, in my opinion). Overall, the inspiration from abstract expressionist artists Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman was evident and well-interpreted. The shapes were impressive and interesting, but not the most wearable.

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Would You Rather?

Would You Rather…? The ’70s Edition

Wednesday, Sep 15, 2010 / 8:00 AM

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n two short years, Milk Studios has become the place to show at New York Fashion Week. While Lincoln Center’s got the grandeur, Milk’s got the cool factor.

But who’s responsible for its success? Of course there’s Mazdack Rassi, creative director of Milk Studios and the unofficial face of MAC&Milk. But who else works behind the scenes? We’ve highlighted four major players who make MAC&Milk happen.

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If Angela and Rayanne of My So-Called Life would have died to wear Charlotte Ronson’s latest collection, then Dionne and Amber from Clueless would have died to wear Gerlan Jeans. The sportswear brand showed another wacky collection at Good Units yesterday afternoon with what felt more like a party than a runway show.

Gerlan Marcel graduated from Central St. Martin’s and spent the past six seasons designing prints for Jeremy Scott. There was a definite similarity between Scott and Gerlan’s own line, but somehow, despite being pretty out there, Gerlan’s pieces have a much more casual, wearable feel.

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Chris Benz’s SS11 presentation hit every right note.

Inside the Rubenstein Atrium across from Lincoln center The Beach Boys and Simon and Garfunkel played and Breathless‘s opening scene was projected behind the models while they danced and chatted. Inspired by the je ne sais quoi of an American traveling abroad to Paris, Chris Benz showed a collection that was sixties inspired with all of Benz’s signature styles.

Thinking about “everyone’s fantasy of being picked up by a cute boy in the back of a vespa and whizzing off and that freewheeling spirit,” Mr. Benz told us. He showed a collection that, while floral, was not for wallflowers. Chris’ sherbet colors mixed with brights and neons, while floral prints added dimension, particularly on a pair of blue-hued pants with matching Alejandro Ingelmo for Chris Benz shoes that both Julia and I were head over heels for. Lauren swooned over the pale yellow leather drawstring skirt, the sibling of Chris’ favorite piece, the electric blue leather dress, “I love the material–that funny lambskin,” he said.

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Best Dressed

Best Dressed: Fashion Week So Far

Tuesday, Sep 14, 2010 / 4:00 PM

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Sugar and spice, and all that’s nice, that’s what Elise Øverland‘s girls are made of.

It was no surprise to see plenty of leather on Øverland’s runway for her Spring/Summer 2010 show–she’s known for her bad ass leather shells and minis. But for spring she softened her tough black leather tops, shorts, dresses and jumpsuits with white lace blouses, and flowy short silk skirts and dresses in vivid blues and chartreuse. Øverland’s tiered mini dresses, in lace, in leather, in soft gray prints, in shades of blue silk with caplets, were the most successful.

More surprising than Øverland’s relatively sparing use of leather for her spring collection, was model Hahn-Bin, a renowned Korean violinist who walked down the runway in a tiered leather skirt, royal blue silk top, while playing his violin. At the end of the runway he stopped for longer than the usual beat models give photographers to get their shot, finished his song to the applause of a front row that included Nicky Hilton, Kelly Osbourne, Amanda Hearst and other assorted socialites, and walked back down the runway like any other model.

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Milk studios during fashion week is Alice in Wonderland, sorta. Or maybe Narnia. Either way, it’s snow globes of worlds all under the same roof, contained, separate, unexpected.

On Monday morning, Graeme Armour and Lulu Frost were perfect examples of Milk’s pocket realms: the two presentations shared a start time and address, but beyond that? Not much.

Graeme Armour was a frosty, futuristic dream with nods to OpArt and famous villains (or at least I’m assuming, as a “Deville” dress was followed by a “Cruella” dress, and the “Norman” trouser was followed by “Bates” pant). Almost all looks were bold black and white, some (like the Cruella) with graphic print tails that seemed oddly sinister.

But drama was to be expected from Armour, a Scot who credits the country’s lack of sun as well as his apprenticeship at Alexander McQueen as inspirations. Even the models in uncomfortable looking updos raced down the mini runway, almost aggressively, as the photographers begged them to slow down. Was it intentional? Perhaps. This was a conceptual presentation, not one intended for retail mass market. But it was every bit as cool as it was cold.

After Armour, walking across the hallway and stepping over the threshold to Lulu Frost meant tumbling down an entirely different rabbit hole. Accessories designer Lisa Salzer’s world was anything but icy: models lounged on oriental rugs scattered amidst leather trunks, record players, and wooden crates. Editors swilled champagne (it was noon) and swayed to the crooning of the Storms while admiring the set design and the vintage fashions from Amarcord.

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