Archive for February 2011

Look Book

Look Book: JNBY Spring 2011

Call it a one trick pony if you want, but JNBY’s mutli-functional gimmick is one trick that works. For their spring season, they’ve rolled out a fresh new batch of pullovers, furs, and pants that can be worn more ways than you can wear a YSL Tribute pump. The line, conceived by collective of twelve designers in Asia, debuted in the US in late 2009. They are hoping to duplicate the huge following they enjoy in China and judging from the recent collection, it’s going to happen. Check out out favorite pieces from the collection.

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  • Zandile Blay
  • Friday, Feb 4, 2011 / 10:30 AM
  • 0 Comments

Elle Fanning Looks Even More Amazing Than Usual in Rodarte’s New Film

Elle Fanning is the ideal Rodarte muse. An ingenue with more than a little buzz surrounding her performance in Somewhere, the actress wears the Mulleavy sisters’ clothes as easily as a second skin.

Now she’s gone and starred in a short firm for the label, reports WWD. “The Curve of Forgotten Things,” a collaboration between Kate and Laura, director Todd Cole, and the band Deerhunter, will debut on Nowness next Tuesday. Until then, savor these stills from the shoot.

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Has Lady Gaga’s Vogue Cover Leaked? Looks Like It…

Lady Gaga would cover the March issue of US Vogue. And now it seems an image of her cover has leaked on The Fashion Spot.

It’s true she’s wearing pink, a very girl-y and Vogue-y color, but he hair is pink too. She doesn’t look overly prettified or completely de-Gaga’ed for her cover, and for that we’re relieved. Is she covered in blood and semen? No. But come on, this is US Vogue.

Thoughts?

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Fashion Week

David Andersen Debuts His RTW Women’s Collection in a Movie Theater

COPENHAGEN–David Andersen is known for his hard-edged androgynous menswear–he’s used women to model his menswear in the past. Both Diddy-Dirty Money and Paris Hilton have worn his pieces (if your mindgrapes can handle that). This year, his label David Andersen Denmark launched women’s ready to wear at an IMAX movie theater in the heart of Copenhagen.

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Fashion Is Fun

Pre-Fashion Week Mad Libs With Karen Walker!

By Steff Yotka Thursday, Feb 3, 2011 / 6:00 PM

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Kenneth Cole’s Egypt Comment Causes a Stir…and a Spoof

This morning Kenneth Cole caused quite a stir when he used the conflict in Egypt as a way to promote his brand’s e-commerce. Tweeting from the offical @kennethcole account, the designer said, “Millions are in uproar over #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo -KC.”

Unfortunately, his 9,500 followers found the statement more offensive than witty, and the news spread like wildfire. But before most people even knew what went down, an anonymous tweeter created a spoof on the controversy under the username @KennethColePR, listing his location as “a disaster near you” and writing a bio that reads “Kenneth Cole is all about making sure you look good…no matter what’s happening.”

The account has quickly racked up nearly 4,000 followers with hilarious satirical tweets like “Check out our new colab with @BP_America — slick looks for spring! #oilspill #KennethColeTweets,” and “People of Australia: Water up to your ankles? We’ve got your Kenneth Cole capris right here! #KennethColeTweets.”

Cole has since attempted to amend the mishap by deleting the now, infamous tweet, and issuing an apology:

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Fashion Is Fun

First Look: Yestadt Millinery Spring/Summer ’11 Video, Starring Coco Young and Lyle Lodwick

By Sarah Ferguson Thursday, Feb 3, 2011 / 5:30 PM

Yestadt Millinery SS 2011 LookBook from Yestadt Millinery on Vimeo.

For their SS11 collection, NYC-based hat company Yestadt Millinery created an assortment of floppy hats and oversize fedoras accented with colorful braids of rope, printed scarves, and ribbons. They also did some lovely sheer floral turbans, whimsical bow headpieces, and dapper straw fedoras for men.

Matt Kliegman directed the video lookbook for the brand–it features models Coco Young and Lyle Lodwick posing, twirling, and swaying atop a windy city rooftop in Yestadt’s latest urban bohemian concoctions. Read more »

Beauty

Sparkle And Spin: A Review Of The Newest Mascaras

Mascara is the cell phone of the makeup industry. There is constant innovation, one-upmanship, and frequent turnover of product. In fact, by the time you read this review, there will probably be ten new kinds on the market.

Not that I’m a complaining. Mascara is my desert island item. It’s the one thing that is always on my face, even at the gym. My eye lashes are long, but really light, so I look dead without it. Not everyone feels this way. Lauren hardly ever wears it (!!).

Every mascara has a vision, which it tries to achieve through the brush, the formula, or both. Some are even getting specialized–bottom lashes only.

Click through for a review of five of the newer mascaras out there.

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Parties

Last Night’s Party: Mandy Coon, Frank Tell, Mara Hoffman, and More Celebrate with W Hotels

In a city known for tourism, chic boutique hotels are a dime a dozen. Still, how many of them boast their very own Global Fashion Director? Last night, we hit the W Hotel in Times Square to toast the company’s new crop of Fashion Next designers. And for a hotel so well known for their contemporary aesthetic, the program seems to be a total no-brainer. “W’s passion is design,” explained Eva Ziegler, the hotel’s Global Brand Leader. “And this is just an extension of our point of view. We want to give these emerging designers a global platform.”

This year’s crop of honorees—Mara Hoffman, Frank Tell, Mandy Coon, Tess Giberson, and Michael Angel—were in full celebration mode.

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  • Elana Fishman
  • Thursday, Feb 3, 2011 / 4:30 PM
  • 0 Comments
How I'm Making It

How I’m Making It: Jamie Wolf (aka Natalie Portman’s Engagement Ring Designer)

Jamie Wolf just scored the ultimate celebrity placement: that’s her engagement ring on Natalie Portman‘s finger.

Of course, it makes perfect sense that Wolf designed Portman’s ring from ballet dancer Benjamin Millepied: Wolf is a former ballerina-turned-jewelry designer and she and Millepied danced together at New York City Ballet. She had a small role in Portman’s Oscar vehicle as well–she played a dancer in Black Swan, a role that must have come natural as she danced Swan Lake with NYCB. Portman’s also been a fan of Wolf’s for years.

So how did Wolf, 32, go from jetés to jewelry? Usually we focus on folks just starting out in the industry for this series, but Wolf’s successful career transition proves that you can jump (leap? pirouette?) into fashion at any age.

Here’s how she did it.

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Adventures in Copyright

Adventures in Copyright: Isabel Marant Gets Shoedazzled

Isabel Marant’s bow-embellished pumps were the must-have shoe last season. We saw them all over fashion editorials and on the feet of the cool girls. Recently, we saw them again on the cover of People StyleWatch under a title boasting “Great Buys! Under $99!”

Isabel Marant shoes for less than a $100? Not so much. The shoes in question turned out not to be the “Poppy” suede mid-size heel by Marant, but the “Amanda” suede mid-size heel by ShoeDazzle, an e-commerce site.

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Menswear

Best Black Jeans For Boys

What defines a great pair of jeans?

The simple answer: they make your ass look fantastic (and for guys, how it frames and fits your junk).

But once this primary and very necessary factor is out of the way, the answer becomes slightly more complicated.

There are seasons to consider, color, stitching, fade, quality…enough categories to make shopping for the most basic of dungarees seem nearly impossible.

At some point I may dedicate myself to a PHD level thesis on the ultimate pair of jeans, but because it’s winter, and frankly, because black is going to rule absolutely next fall/winter, I decided to compile a list of the very best black jeans available for guys. After searching far and wide, on four continents (fine, I didn’t go to Japan or Australia, but I looked at their offerings), I’ve narrowed it down to four finalists.

To be considered for this contest, jeans had to fit four criteria: There had to be little to no branding (bye bye Diesel, Obey, Evisu); the jeans had to be totally black, e.g. no fade, semi-fade, sheen, wash, or other terrible color scheme; they had to be 100 % denim—no blends or synthetics whether it be Lycra, spandex, polyester, or what have you; they had to be black.

So what’s so special about the brands below? Well, nothing exactly. With jeans less is more. The rewards come from what they’re lacking, leaving behind just perfect black jeans.

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  • John Ortved
  • Thursday, Feb 3, 2011 / 2:45 PM
  • 7 Comments