It was tough to pick just five girls from Paris Fashion Week’s abundance of sartorial greatness, but we did our best. We have a hard time ever excluding Alexa Chung, who looked adorable at Miu Miu. Lou Doillon is a Paris fashion icon in her own right and did not disappoint at Chanel. Rachel Bilson looked lovely at Dior. Anja Rubik rocked long, flowy Chloé and Caroline Sieber got a head start on Spring’s white trend at Valentino.
PARIS–Mechanical Couture, an exhibition which opens next week at Israel’s Design Museum Holon, calls attention to the couture-tech courtship. So we thought it was time we caught up with Dutch designer Iris van Herpen, whose S/S 2011 collection includes a fossil-thin bolero made by what is essentially a 3D printer. From collaborations with Ecco leather, Rem D Koolhaas’ shoe line United Nude and choreographer Nanine Lenning, Iris manipulates materials into structural explorations that have brought weary showgoers to their feet. We tracked Iris to her Paris showroom to find out what it’s like to go hi-tech…and to demand an explanation for her absence from London Fashion Week last month, where the 26-year-old designer has been showing since her graduation from talent incubator Central Saint Martins.
Your shows are always jaw-droppers and a highlight of LFW, what made you bow out so soon before?
I skipped LFW this season because after I showed a few pieces at Amsterdam (Fashion Week). I got a lot of nice orders and I was crazily busy with them at the time. Also the most difficult pieces were ordered, like the water dress and the huge water collar! I did not think I would ever to be able to make them again, but, surprisingly, I am doing it at the moment.
Monochromatic suits (pictured here from The Row, Stella McCartney, and Akris) were a runway trend we’ll be happy to follow.
The internet is freaking out over the new Gap logo (a hater created this new logo for them) and we get it. It looks like Gap is schilling for Lipitor. The thing is, the logo change wasn’t actually that sudden.
Gap started using the same helvetica font in advertisements for 1969 jeans over a year ago and it’s also been used in stores and on tags. This can be seen as one of many strategies the company has employed in an attempt to improve business, which hasn’t been doing so well over the past few years, a downfall many have attributed to the company’s lack of direction.
Gap’s creative director since 2007, Patrick Robinson, revealed his interest in keeping Gap modern and fresh as part of his plan to “elevate the brand.” However, some are criticizing Gap for taking this too far by getting rid of the “iconic” logo of the “heritage” brand. But is Gap really a heritage brand? 1969 was not that long ago. Maybe a step forward, visually or otherwise, is what the brand needs.
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Name: Roxanne
Age: 22
Occupation: Freelance Journalist
How would you describe your style? Eclectic and casual, but I like to step outside of the box…I tend to go for darker colors.
What are you listening to? The Rascals, Talking Heads and Bob Dylan…Always!
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PARIS–Remember those incredible shoes on the Frank Tell Fall 2010 runway? Me too. They were designed by the Paris-based Raphael Young, who just opened up his first store in the city. (Right next to Mr. Louboutin on the Rue Jean-Jaques Rousseau, bien sur.)
I stopped by the opening on Tuesday night, where Fall 2010′s specimens were perched in box frames along the big wall in the main room. The back room was filled with Young’s Spring 2011 offerings. And I must say, I was thrilled by them. From the seafoam green metallic heels to the red suede peep toes with a marble wedge, there’s something for everyone in this collection. Click through to pick your favorite pair.
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American Apparel has just announced the first new hire of their “realignment strategy,” WWD is reporting. Tom Casey, the former CFO of Blockbuster, has been named president of the embattled company,
He’ll report to CEO Dov Charney and will be responsible for developing the company’s operating strategy. American Apparel is on the brink of bankruptcy, so maybe it was a wise move to hire Casey to oversee operating strategy, as he’s got some experience in dealing with a company on the brink (Blockbuster filed for Chapter 11 last month, just after Casey left the company.) He’s also got 24 years of management experience.
Things keep looking up for the retailer. Just last week, American Apparel’s lender, Lion Capital, announced they would give the retailer some time to revamp operations, including making new hires (like Casey) to increase profitability. And if we’re to infer anything from American Apparel’s new ads starring the company’s fearless leader working away on his laptop, it’s that Charney’s getting down to business, too. Of course, his business is conducted in bed. Where he is flanked by young women. Some things will never change.
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Madden’s Control: Steve Madden has increased his stake in Betsey Johnson from a $48.8 million loan to ownership of the brand’s intellectual property. Through licensing deals with Betsey Johnson LLC, Madden will get royalties from Johnson’s firm and its other licensees. {WWD, subscription required}
Calling All Aspiring Muralists: Rag & Bone hopes to solve their newest store’s unwanted graffiti dilemma by taking matters into their own hands. Sick of phrases like “You Would” and “F*** Africa” being tagged on the large white space underneath “Rag & Bone Bids Farewell to Cafe Colonial…,” they will hold a competition where artists can submit their work for consideration. The art will be voted on by Rag & Bone’s Facebook fans and the winner will be provided with all necessary painting materials and a $1000 store credit. Check out their site for more info. {Rag & Bone}
Major Shuffling in Paris? The rumor mill is running wild following speculation that Stefano Pilati is done at YSL. Apparently, that is untrue, at least for the next 3 years, which is the length of the contract he just signed. There are also rumors that Karl Lagerfeld will retire from Chanel after his 30th anniversary in 2012 and be replaced by Alber Elbaz, whose position at Lanvin will then be filled by Oliver Theyskens. Lagerfeld retiring?? What? {Hint}
Last night, Ports 1961 showcased their Fall/Winter 2010 collection on Bloomingdale’s fourth floor. There was quite a turnout for the event, a mini fashion show and cocktail reception, as Mad Men star Christina Hendricks was billed as the host.
“Christina Hendricks, star of Mad Men, will host a cocktail reception and will be on hand for a special presentation of the Ports 1961 Fall/Winter 2010 Collection at Bloomingdale’s 59th Street,” read the release.
It’s true, she was there, and looked stunning in a Ports 1961 sheath dress. And she graciously and patiently signed autographs and posed for photos with adoring fans for nearly an hour. But her actual involvement with the Ports 1961 presentation was suspiciously limited. She never once took the stage during the presentation, and the 10 or so press outlets who had attended the event with the promise of interviewing Hendricks, myself including, were left without quotes. I was told, rather cryptically, when I got to the fourth floor, that Hendricks would not be conducting any interviews.
The clothes were gorgeous, and we’re seriously coveting the textured thick tights the models were wearing, but the real story was Hendricks’ sudden lack of involvement with the Ports event.
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1) After last week’s emotional roller coaster, who else needed a Xanax to prep for this episode? Model switch! Cheating scandal! Old designers return!
2) Where did Gretchen get the “Hater” tag she was wearing? The producers should make her wear it for every episode.
3) Really, Project Runway? A challenge to help promote Heidi’s line of baggy sweatshirts? Shame on you.
4) Snippy much, Mondo? And Gretchen? And Ivy? Everyone took their bitchy pills last night.
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PARIS–Nine days. Over 90 collections. But only ten can be considered the best. Click through for our top picks. Au revior, Paris!
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PARIS–Kenzo isn’t a buzzy brand, at least in the United States, but it is an important one. On Tuesday night, I attended the the label‘s colorful 40th Anniversary show. It included looks from creative director Antonio Marras‘ Spring 2011 collection, as well as an homage to the brand’s history, with a stage of models dressed up like Babushka dolls in pieces from the archive.
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