Archive for January 2011

Why Spend $300 on a Bridesmaid Dress When You Can Rent It for $65 on Rent the Runway’s New Wedding Site

No matter what any bride says there is a universal truth about bridesmaids dresses: you’ll only wear the dress once. “You’ll wear it again, right?” the bride asks, perhaps to make themselves feel better about asking you to shell out hundreds of dollars for it. Nope, you won’t. You’ll never wear that floor length, one-shouldered aubergine satin dress with the weird unflattering ruffles ever again. Remember six-time bridesmaid Adrianna Giuliani whom we spoke to about the bridesmaid dress conundrum a while back? She simply left her bridesmaids dresses in the hotel closets at each wedding.

It seemed like a lost cause, just part of the deal of being a bridesmaid–suck it up and buy the ugly dress, right? Wrong. Enter Rent the Runway Weddings, an expansion of Rent the Runway, and a beacon of hope for future bridesmaids everywhere.

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Streetwalker

Street Style: Heather Mixes Uptown and Downtown New York Designers

Name: Heather

Age: 29

Occupation: Fashion Publicist

How would you describe your style? I like to mix a lot of uptown and downtown designers.

What is your New Years resolution? To eat more veggies.

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  • ASHLEY JAHNCKE
  • Friday, Jan 14, 2011 / 3:42 PM
  • 2 Comments

British Fashion Council Announces Fashion Forward Winners; Todd Lynn Opens Up About His Win

We know it can be tough to choose favorites in fashion. So we understand why, for the first time, the British Fashion Council chose to award not one, but three promising labels under its Fashion Forward sponsorship scheme. Congratulations to Peter Pilotto’s Christoph and Peter, Meadham Kirchhoff’s Edward and Ben, and Todd Lynn’s…Todd Lynn.

We caught Todd on the phone to ask him about his triumph.

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  • EMILY CRONIN
  • Friday, Jan 14, 2011 / 2:52 PM
  • 2 Comments
Fashion News Roundup

Fashion News Roundup: Kristen Stewart’s Vogue Cover Leaks, Miss Piggy To Play an Editor at French Vogue, and Nanette Lepore’s Next Collection Is Inspired by “Soft-core” Porn

K-Stew’s Vogue Cover Leaks: We told you yesterday that Kristen Stewart was Vogue‘s February cover girl and now the good people at The Fashion Spot have scanned it in. She’s wearing Proenza Schouler and looks every bit as angsty and miz as we expected. Thoughts? {The Fashion Spot}

Miss Piggy, French Vogue Editrix: In Jason Segal’s (swoon) new Muppet Movie, set for release in February 2012, Miss Piggy will be an editor at French Vogue. Wait, I thought Emmanuelle Alt was the new editor? {Vogue UK}

Marc Jacobs 16 Fresh Faces to Watch: For Louis Vuitton’s spring jewelry collection campaign, Jacobs chose to feature 16 up-and-comers spanning the globe, from actresses to athletes to scenesters, instead of going with established models. The line up? Mary Charteris, aristrocrat and fashionista from London; Daria Schieferstein, tennis player; Nathalie Love, actress; Charlotte Lebon, French TV presenter and illustrator; Camille Rowe-Pourcheresse, actress and top model from Paris; Mahini Geisweiller, Parisian singer; Lina Esco, Actress; Billie Porter, reporter and party girl from London; Clara 3000, DJ from Paris; Rinko Kikuchi, actress from Tokyo; Alka Balbir, singer; Hailey Gates, actress. {Telegraph}

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Entertainment

Check Out Mark Ruffalo’s Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jonah Hill in a YSL Cape in W‘s Bizarre Celebrity Spread

As we gear up to awards seasons, with the first major red carpet event, the Golden Globes, coming up this Sunday, W has put out a timely spread they’re calling “Best Performances.” “The most remarkable moments in film this past year weren’t 3-D action sequences but characters so real they hurt. Here, the actors who made us believe,” the subhed reads. True to the title, the spread, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin features all the most buzzed about actors from the past year including: Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis from Black Swan, Julianne Moore, Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo from The Kids Are All Right, Jonah Hill, the Fanning sisters, Michael Douglas etc.,–it’s an impressive assemblage of major A-listers.

Beyond the impressive celeb line-up, the most striking thing about this spread is the styling by Melanie Ward. What have they done to Mark Ruffalo? I’m a big Mark Ruffalo fan (I mean, You Can Count on Me?) and I would be hard pressed to ever find his appearance laughable but that’s all I can do when I look at his portrait in W. Why the technicolor dreamcoat? Why topless with his hand extended back over his head as if to say, “Ole!” but in an intense seductive kind of way? Why the weird sunset backdrop?

And the fun doesn’t stop there. Dlisted‘s Michael K says it best when he calls this spread “a gallery of glorious WTFness.” After Ruffalo, Jonah Hill’s over-serious portrait, fist on face, deep in thought, wearing a vintage YSL cape elicits some giggles as well. Julianne Moore is screaming in her portrait. And Michael Douglas is eating baby’s breath.

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Beauty

Bluefly Launches Discount Fragrance Boutique

Remember when you could get Prada nylon totes for 50% off on Bluefly?

When Bluefly launched in 1998, it caused a sensation for its innovative approach to selling designer merch at a discount…online. E-retailing was still in its infancy then and Bluefly offered a unique shopping platform.

Since then, e-commerce sites have obviously gotten more and more sophisticated, and flashier sites like Gilt, et al, have stolen a bit of Bluefly’s thunder. But glitzy new TV campaigns, a stint on Project Runway, new print ads, and America’s love of a bargain have kept Bluefly alive and kicking.

They’re still looking for growth, and to that end have opened a fragrance boutique on the site, which just launched yesterday. They advertise that you can save up to 40% on new designer fragrances.

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Reviews

AI_Incontri at Pitti: Lipstick Red and Charcoal Grey

FLORENCE–As an editor, you see so much fashion that sometimes, as Diane Pernet says, you get “fashioned out.” In general, it takes a lot to delight and surprise me when it comes to womenswear. Especially after a month of shows.

So it was lucky that one of the few designers at Pitti creating pieces for women caught my eye before February’s runway storm. Andrea Incontri, winner of Pitti’s “WHO IS ON NEXT? UOMO” prize in the accessories category, staged a film and runway show/presentation at the Cinema Odeon on Piazza Strozzi. He showed a full collection–clothes, bags, accessories–for both men and women.

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Beauty

Do Eight-year-olds Need Their Own Makeup Line? Wal-Mart Thinks So. Plus Details on MACs Newest Launch

Whether you’re on the edge of puberty or the cusp of menopause, there’s a new product coming your way this February.

MAC’s latest launch aims to channel the Wonder Woman in everyone. Its new limited edition collection of makeup, which will be available in mid-February, is a Wonder Woman-themed line. Her signature red, yellow, and blue will be emblazoned on the packaging.

And since Wonder Woman’s strength and “oversize” personality is well-documented, MAC decided to supersize everything. Lipglasses are jumbo ($19.50) and there’s even a huge purse mirror ($20) which WWD reports “rivals the size of a bread plate.” The brush set with metallic utility belt sounds particularly intriguing.

Most of the colors are new, but some beloved classic colors will be available in the line, like Madonna’s fave lipstick in the 1990’s, Russian Red. The overall look of the cosmetics will bring to mind the 1970‘s: a nude face with hints of bright color. Many of the makeup colors are quirky, as per MAC’s usual style, like lime and yellow eye shadows and navy blue nail polish.

MAC decided that since Wonder Woman is a cartoon character, the advertising will be in comic form, not involving real models. Too bad. Crystal Renn would be a spectacular Wonder Woman.

And in news for younger, budding Wonder Women-to-be, Wal-Mart is launching a makeup line for eight- to 12-year-olds. I wasn’t even allowed to touch makeup until I was 12!

Wal-mart decided to stop carrying the Mary-Kate and Ashley cosmetics line, because fans have grown up (and presumably moved on to Elizabeth and James), so a hole was identified for that demographic.

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People & Parties

More Images From Gareth Pugh at Pitt Uomo

FLORENCE: I had such a good time at this fantastical event that I wanted to share more with you. Click through a gallery of stills from the venue, film, and after party.

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News

Gareth Pugh at Pitti: Video and Images From The Collection

By Lauren Sherman Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 / 6:14 PM

FLORENCE–Ruth Hogben’s video of Gareth Pugh‘s special Pitti Uomo collection was masterful in capturing the lauded young designer’s brand. Whether or not it truly conveyed the beauty–and dare I say wearability?–of the actual clothes is another story. Indeed, Pugh put out some truly extraordinary pieces, some of which belong only on stage or on Daphne Guinness, and others which any fashion lover can dream of wearing.

The gowns, shown on models during the reception, were to be worn–not displayed. A favorite was a blue/turquoise style, which proved–to me, at least–that Pugh is not only worth his weight in showmanship, but also in desirability. There is a reason the luxury fashion houses watch him closely: it’s because he’s special.

Finally, I cannot stress the beauty of this ancient space, as you can see from the images. In this instance, fashion is art and at is fashion–there’s no argument about it.

(A less serious side note: After the film, I noticed everyone running towards one end of the room. I thought the models were coming up from the floor or something. In real life, it was just a bar stampede. I guess I don’t drink enough.)

Click through for stills from the collection.
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Advertisement

Behold: Proenza Schouler’s Understated Yet Elegant Spring Campaign

By Leah Chernikoff Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 / 5:30 PM


Sometimes a campaign is just about the clothes and nothing else and that’s a good thing. As it is here, in Proenza Schouler‘s spring campaign, showcasing one of the duo’s strongest collections to date. Willy Vanderperre shot the campaign, which stars Melissa Tammerijn and Julia Nobis looking awfully moody and intimate.

Check out the rest of the campaign. All photographs by Willy Vanderperre for Proenza Schouler.
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kate-mester
Streetwalker

Street Style: Kate’s New Year’s Resolution Is To Relax

Name: Kate

Age: 25

Occupation: Fashion PR

How would you describe your style? Comfortable and eclectic.

What is your New Year’s resolution? To relax and embrace change.

What is your favorite area in the city to shop in? SoHo.

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