Archive for November 2010

Magazines

Crystal Renn’s New Editorial in Harper’s Bazaar Fuels the “Is She Still Plus Size?” Debate

Photos from Crystal Renn’s latest editorial in the December issue of Harper’s Bazaar have the internet buzzing with the question: “Is she still plus size?”

One commenter on models.com asked “So is she no longer a ‘plus size’ model?” and another noted, “She is so pretty. But is she back to being skinny? She totally isn’t pluz-size either she’s back on track or this is some photoshop. Which I’m hoping it’s not.” A post on the LiveJournal Fashin community of the photos is titled, “Is This Even Plus Size Anymore?” and commenters are speculating about Renn’s size. A 4? A 6?

“She fluctuates slightly now but has pretty much landed at a FULL 8, sometimes a 10,” Gary Dakin, Renn’s agent at Ford told us. But to assuage those worrying about whether Renn is dropping back to an unhealthy weight, Dakin confirms, “Crystal is completely healthy and reintroduced exercise back into her routine.”

Crystal Renn has come to symbolize the debate over size in the fashion industry. She’s vocal about her struggles with anorexia, made headlines when she spoke out against being photoshopped into a slimmer version of herself, and has become something of a spokeswoman to promote acceptance at any size.

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Models

Before I Was a Supermodel: Adriana Lima

By Lauren Sherman Wednesday, Nov 17, 2010 / 10:20 AM

In this video series, exclusive to Fashionista, Victoria’s Secret models reveal what their lives were like pre-Angeldom. This segment features bombshell Adriana Lima:

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show airs Tuesday, November 30 at 10pm EST on CBS.

Entertainment

The Best Looks From Emma Watson’s Harry Potter Press Tour

Thank goodness the new Harry Potter movie is out soon. Not because I can’t wait to be at the theater on midnight the night it opens with my cape and quaffle (not that I’m judging–I have played quidditch before and capes are totally in), but because it means Emma Watson, in all her sartorial splendor, is tearing up the red carpet to promote it.

Watson and her new mod ‘do have designers clamoring to dress her. At the NYC premiere for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I last night Watson wore custom Calvin Klein Collection. She’s been sticking to black on the red carpet–in a one-shouldered velvet Vionnet and a lace mini by Rafael Lopez. At Heathrow airport, en route to the NYC premiere, Watson wore a Burberry Bespoke trench–she’s got one with black leather sleeves and one with studded sleeves–and she was the very first person to step out in one. “That’s London done, now off to New York! Wearing my favourite trench that Christopher Bailey @Burberry designed for me. Love it!” she tweeted.

And appearance after appearance, whether she’s in a stunning black dress on the red carpet, wrapped up in a Burberry Bespoke trench, or rushing to the Late Show in a baggy gray sweater over a plaid button down, she looks flawless. She might just pull this Alberta Ferretti designer collab off.

Take a look. What’s your favorite?

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Streetwalker

Street Style: Erika aka @Oscarprgirl

Name: Erika Bearman

Age: 29

Occupation: Director of communications for Oscar de la Renta and @Oscarprgirl on Twitter.

What was the last good movie you saw? The Social Network

Who is your favorite person to follow on twitter? John Jannuzzi. He has a blog textbook.tumblr.com, which is just so original and he really has a point of view.

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Would You Rather?

Would You Rather…? The Tom Ford Edition

By Steff Yotka Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 / 4:30 PM

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Magazines

What’s Up With Anna’s Obsession With Blake?

So Blake Lively is covering Vogue‘s first-ever Best Dressed supplement, draped in a gorgeous Reed Krakoff dress. We love the brand extension, but do we love the choice of cover model?

Here’s the thing. We actually do like Blake Lively. We think it’s silly that she claims to not use a stylist, but that doesn’t mean we don’t think she’s pretty and lovely. But Lively’s covered Vogue twice recently, and she’s the last star we feel should symbolize Vogue‘s best dressed list.

It seems that Ms. Wintour–whom we respect and admire, despite the awful photoshopping that goes on in her magazine–has a bit of an obsession with Lively.

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Best Dressed

Best Dressed: CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards

By Dhani Mau Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 / 3:07 PM

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Fashion Is Fun

Behind The Scenes At What Goes Around Comes Around’s 10,000 Square-Foot Warehouse

I was introduced to What Goes Around Comes Around by my best friend who moved to the city a year before I did. She said, “We need to go in there, it’s like vintage heaven.” And that it was. A place where everything vintage comes to die, or rather, live on.

Enchanted by all the amazing vintage pieces, WGACA soon came to be a regular stop in my weekend “want-to-buy-everything” trips to Soho. But I always wondered, “where does all of this vintage even come from? And how does this even work?” After hearing about Jane Aldridge’s trip to the WGACA warehouse, I knew where to find my answers.

So, yesterday, I made a trip out to their giant 10,000 square-foot warehouse located about ten minutes outside of Manhattan in Jersey City. (Which is technically in New Jersey, but not really.) Becka Diamond came too, since she’s hosting at event at the store this Thursday. “I’ve been surrounded by vintage all my life. I, like, remember eating lollipops at auctions with my mom when I was young,” said Becka as we headed over. “Is this your first time here?” she asked me. “You’re going to die. The first time I came here I was like in shock. There’s just so much amazing stuff.”

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News

Yes, Kate is Wearing Diana’s Ring

By Lauren Sherman Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 / 1:13 PM

Princess Diana’s sapphire ring, which launched a thousand knock-offs, is now on Kate Middleton‘s finger.

Fashion News Roundup

Fashion News Roundup: That Miu Miu Dress Again, Lauren Shares Her Wedding Planning Expertise and Tom Ford to Guest Edit French Vogue

Really, Elle China? Yep, that Miu Miu dress that has been on the cover of 478329874 magazines this year has landed yet another one. Fei Fei Sun sports the dress in yellow on the cover of Elle China’s December issue. Seriously guys, what is this? {Fashion Gone Rogue}

Lauren Sherman, the Wedding Expert: Our bride-to-be editor has become a veritable expert on the process of planning an affordable wedding in NYC (yes, it is possible!) and has shared her findings with Refinery29. Some examples? Do your own flowers and scour Craigslist for a photog. {Refinery29}

WWWhoops: For some reason, WWD decided to momentarily spill the beans about last night’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner before it was actually announced. They swiftly deleted the scandalous tweet, but it was too late. {@themoment}

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Entertainment

Carey Mulligan to Play Daisy Buchanan: How Perfect is That?

Carey Mulligan might be our favorite actress to come out of England since Kate Winslet. She’s smart, she chooses great roles, and apparently she frequently flies our favorite airline, Southwest. The fact that she has great style just makes our girl crush even more worthy.

And now Carey is playing Daisy Buchanan to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jay Gatsby and Tobey Maguire’s Nick Carraway in Baz Luhrmann‘s remake of The Great Gatsby. In the 1970s film version, Mia Farrow played Daisy, Robert Redford played Gatsby and Sam Waterston played Nick.

Clearly a big part of the film will be the costumes. Click through to see the films that have inspired our real life wardrobes.

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Retail

Loehmann’s Files For Bankruptcy: Is Barneys Next?

Loehmann’s, the upscale discount retailer owned by the investment firm leg of Dubai’s Istithmar World, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection yesterday.

Istithmar, which also owns Barneys, bought Loehmann’s for $300 million in 2006.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean Loehmann’s is going out of business. But Istithmar has had major troubles making money off of the retailer, which mostly sells remnants of Barneys’ warehouse sales. (I got my first designer bag–a cream Marc by Marc Jacobs hobo–there in 2006, actually.) Filing for Chapter 11 allows Istithmar to spend significantly less cash restructuring the company.

Now here’s the real question: Is Barneys next?

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