Archive for February 2011

Shopping

Gap’s Upper Echelons Get All Shook Up; Related, Patrick Robinson Wants to Look at Your Ass in a Pair Of Jeans

Gap is all over the news today. The front page of this morning’s WWD reveals that Gap Inc’s chairman and CEO, Glenn Murphy, has cleaned house at the brand.

Marka Hansen, the former president of Gap North America, was sacked and will be succeeded by Art Peck, president of Gap Inc.’s outlet division and executive vice president of corporate strategy. And, Ogilvy & Mather Wolrdwide is the new ad agency for Gap. (That means Laird + Partners, the label’s longtime creative agency, is out.)

Pam Wallack, currently president of Gap Adult North America, will become executive director of the new Gap Global Creative Center, based in NYC. In a move reflecting Gap’s serious need to attract more creative talent, the Global Creative Center will function as a central headquarters for design. As WWD points out, it’s probably easier to find design talent in NYC than in San Francisco where the brand is currently headquartered.

Gap’s creative director, Patrick Robinson, has definitely done his part in improving the design and image of Gap. The second free-standing 1969 store just opened today in NYC. The first is in LA. These stores are meant to highlight the two-year-old Gap spin-off brand 1969, to offer pieces that are currently in Japanese and European Gap stores, and to be a showpiece for the “cool, sexy part of the brand,” as Patrick Robinson mentioned to me at the opening of the store this morning.

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Fashion Week

Ecco Kicks Off Copenhagen Fashion Week With Oversized Puppet Heads

COPENHAGEN–Last night Danish shoe brand Ecco kicked off Copenhagen fashion week with their annual “Walk In Style” event–an awards/fashion show they’ve been putting on for the last four years to recognize women (i.e. Scandinavian socialite types) for their contributions to charity, but also to show off the fall collections.

First, a bit about Ecco: I’ve gotten to know a lot about Ecco over the past few days as they’ve been my gracious fashion week hosts.

So to clarify, Ecco has nothing to do with Mark Ecko (as in, they couldn’t be more different). Ecco is a Denmark-based shoe company that has been around for over 40 years and currently employs over 15,000 people across the globe–they are also the third largest producer of casual footwear in the world. Ecco is unique in that they own all of their own production–from the tanneries that treat the leather (they use everything from camel to yak leather) to the factories that produce the shoes.

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Vote for the Industry’s Web Savviest in Fashion 2.0′s Social Media Awards

It’s time for the second annual Fashion 2.0 Social Media Awards, where you can vote for your favorite fashion brands–and people–on the Web. We’ve compiled a list of the nominees, our predictions, and who we think should win, even if they won’t. Click here to vote for your favorites.

Best Online Video: Adidas Originals – Star Wars™ Cantina, Animating Chanel, Bluefly Closet Confessions, Lanvin Loves H&M, TheOutnet Big Preview
Who Will Win: Lanvin Loves H&M
Who Should Win: Lanvin Loves H&M or Prada
H&M and Lanvin did a brilliant job marketing their collaboration. The “secret designer” videos were pure genius. But Prada’s Spring 2011 video? It’s just so happy! And fun! And I want to buy everything! (Which is the point, right?)

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Fashion News Roundup

Fashion News Roundup: Lindsay Guilty/Nicole Richie Gilt-y, Diane Kruger Took Six Years To Buy An Hermes, and YSL Gets Banned

Lindsay Pulls A Winona? A $2,500 one-of-a-kind necklace went missing from a Venice, CA jewelry store in late January and *gasp* Lindsay Lohan is under suspicion as the thief. It’s unclear why Lindsay was named as a culprit, but the necklace magically appeared at an LAPD station before police obtained a search warrant to search her home. {People}

Diane Kruger Is Not An Impulse Shopper: Continuing our trend of celebrities who don’t spend money (see Keira Knightley yesterday), today we learn that Diane Kruger took six years debating about whether to buy an Hermes Constance bag, which she has wanted her whole life. After she signed with Calvin Klein she decided the time was right. “I truly broke a sweat when I paid for it,” she told Vogue UK. {VogueUK}

Glamour Just Got A Little More Glamorous: Anne Christensen is Glamour’s new fashion editor, and her mark will be obvious in the upcoming March issue of the mag (and yep, that’s Diane Kruger on the cover). Bruce Weber shot some editorials and there are 17% more fashion pages (we’re assuming they’re not “Do’s and Dont’s”). The April issue will have 26% more fashion pages than last year’s, WWD reports. A Tumblr and more street style are also in the works. {WWD, subscription required}

Nicole Richie Is Gilt-y: Gilt has teamed with Nicole Richie to sell her (full price) lines, House of Harlow 1960 and Winter Kate; it’s up on the site now. The sale ends Sunday at midnight. Check out the video interview with Nicole Richie on the site. {Gilt}

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Beauty

New In Skin Care: Fish Protein, Olives, Stem Cells, Clay, and Beets

Do you like your skin care high-end and high-tech? If you live for the sleek packaging and save up for months to buy a little pot of perfect, silky emulsion, you’re in luck. There are lots of new things out there, from anti-aging to moisturizing to calming angry skin. And skin care companies are throwing everything but the kitchen sink into their new formulations. Read on for a mini round-up of what’s new in a beauty department near you.

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Webvertorial

Glamour.com Launches its Young & Posh Blogger Network

By Fashionista Wednesday, Feb 2, 2011 / 12:00 PM

You might have heard rumors that some of the world’s top personal style bloggers–like Susie Bubble and Sea of Shoes–were in town a few weeks ago shooting with Garance Doré for Glamour.

Well, it looks like those rumors were true. The shoot was for a new advertising campaign to promote Glamour.com‘s new Young & Posh Blogger Network, which includes The Glamourai, Trop Rouge, Greta Guide, Cherry Blossom Girl, All the Pretty Birds, Sincerely Jules, Runway Hippie, Off Duty, Chic Muse, Jess Zaino, Beauty Sweet Spot, Mode D’Amour, Blue is in Fashion This Year, Turned Out, Style Bubble, Sea of Shoes, Cupcakes & Cashmere, and more of your favorites.

These elite bloggers, handpicked by Glamour from around the world, will supply content for the new channel on Glamour.com. It launches today!

Look for the ad campaign, shot by the lovely Garance, all over the streets of New York City this fashion week.

Fashion Is Fun

Exclusive: Victoria’s Secret Angels Muse On Valentine’s Day

By Fashionista Wednesday, Feb 2, 2011 / 11:29 AM


In honor of Valentine’s Day, the most important day of the year at Victoria’s Secret, the Angels put together an adorable video, featuring their favorite February 14 gifts. Of course, the lingerie powerhouse has tons of great Valentine’s Day ideas, as well as a chance to win a Napa Valley getaway, complete with a $250 Victoria’s Secret gift card. Click here to sign up. xo, F

Fashion Week

Brad Goreski Could Be Your Fashion Week Chauffeur And Other Wacky NYFW Sponsorship News

New York Fashion Week’s corporate sponsors are very important because more often than we’d like to admit they provide our meals for the week (thank you Frappuccino and Pop Chips–not so much Muscle Milk). Here are this coming fashion week’s sponsors, as per IMG’s latest release: Mercedes-Benz (duh), DHL, American Express, Maybelline New York, TRESemmé, Starbucks Frappuccino Coffee Drink, W Hotels Worldwide, AOL, Diet Pepsi, Kim Crawford Wines, ideeli, the Heart Truth Campaign, Fiji water, and the New York Times. It’s the same old crew for the most part, but their approach to sponsorship has gotten more innovative and in some cases, just plain weird.

Most notably, Mercedes-Benz has hired Brad Goreski to go on “patrol” in the brand’s new 2012 CLS 63 AMG to seek out “stylesetters with fresh, creative design looks and alluring appeal,” and award them for superior styling with a ride to their next show. Goreski will be supported by a team of “Fashion Enforcers,” and Lauren is one of them. She will carry a nightstick along with her Chanel 2.25 so get your game outfits on (JK!). What’s more, “a lucky few will receive an invitation to the culmination event in the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge.” Even more incentive to look your best and be cold and pained in too-high heels during fashion week!

Other fun sponsorship gimmicks:

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The Coveted is Now The Coveteur

After last week’s battle between The-Coveted.com and TheCoveted.com–the new website that takes a peek inside the homes of fashion favorites–the latter has decided to changed its name to The Coveteur. Here’s the email received from co-founder Stephanie Mark this morning:

After the recent on-line buzz regarding our use of thecoveted.com, we write to advise you that as of tomorrow our business will be rebranded as The Coveteur and henceforth we will be using that name and our new website www.thecoveteur.com. Using the name “The Coveteur”, we will transition to a brand identity that we feel better encapsulates our concept. In regards to the legal issues surrounding our dispute with the-coveted.com, we refer you to our statement on www.thecoveted.com and are happy to be able to put these issues behind us. So, as of February 2, 2011, we will be known as “The Coveteur” and we look forward to bringing you new and exciting content weekly. Thank you for all of your support.

Sincerely,

Erin and Stephanie

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Christopher Kane Wins the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund

Christopher Kane is the this year’s winner of the British Fashion Council/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund. Along with a £200,000 (or $320,000) check, Kane and his sister/business partner Tammy will receive “director level mentors across the industry.”

The beloved Scottish designer’s biggest challenge was to present a business plan to a panel of judges, including British Vogue editor Alexander Schulman and Joan Burstein from Browns. (His competition included E. Tautz, Nicholas Kirkwood, Osman Yousefzada, Charlotte Olympia, Jonathan Saunders, and Peter Pilotto.)

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The Business

In Fashion Biz News: American Apparel Continues to Tread on Thin Ice, J.Crew’s Investors Want More, More, More

It was a big day for fashionable retailers.

First up: American Apparel. Yesterday was the controversial and struggling company’s last day to prove that they are in a good enough financial position to pay off their $125 million and growing debt.

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Fashion Is Fun

Pre-Fashion Week Mad Libs: The Lake & Stars

Hoorah, it’s Mad Libs time! To kick it off this season, we’ve tapped Maayan Zilberman and Nikki Dekker of The Lake & Stars, winners of the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation. They’re hosing their first-ever presentation, and we’re really excited. Mostly because we like to wear their underwear as outerwear.