Archive for March 2011

Magazines

Giovanna Battaglia to W?

Street style star Giovanna Battaglia is pulling a Garance and moving to New York to be closer to her boyfriend, Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld.

But also like Ms. Doré, Battaglia’s not about to shuffle her feet while Roitfeld conquers the art world. The editor, who has styled for L’Uomo Vogue, Vogue Italia and Vogue Paris, is taking up residency at W. Whether or not she’ll be full time or freelance is unknown, but our sources say she’ll definitely be doing work for the magazine sooner than later.

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Katie Holmes and Jeanne Yang Mill Silk in New Jersey and Want You To Leave Your Spanx in the Drawer

This may be geeky, but one of my dreams as a fashion writer has been to observe a designer walking a department store sales staff through his or her collection. The great ones all do this–Michael Kors is legendary for it–but because it happens before the store opens, it’s not something that onlookers often witness.

But yesterday my luck turned. I watched Katie Holmes and Jeanne Yang explain their collection to a small group of tenured Barneys New York staff. “If you have questions about the garments, email us,” Yang told them. “We want feedback from the customers.” This quick statement conveyed that Holmes & Yang is serious business–definitely not a silly side project from an actress and her stylist.

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Shopping

Are These 1970s Danish Creepers the Next Ugly “It” Shoe?

Creepers–you know those flat-form shoes that were all over the spring runways that most people find horrendously ugly–are undeniably having a moment. Despite being called “the shoe equivalent of a turducken” by the Hairpin, and flat out “ugly” by the New York Post there’s a wait list in New York for Prada’s $795 creeper brogues.

So when I toured Danish shoe company Ecco‘s factory a few weeks ago during Copenhagen Fashion Week it made sense when they revealed that they were reviving their best-selling “Joke” model–a creeper if I ever saw one–for spring in bright bold colors. Plus, the Joke was created in 1971, so it’s right on target with the ’70s trend.

It’s an orthopedic-looking shoe that you might have seen your grandparents wearing. Apparently every little kid in Denmark grew up wearing them, too. Vivi Okholm who does marketing for Ecco sent over her school photo from 1983 where no less five kids in the front are wearing Jokes (see photo below).

But will folks actually wear them?

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Most Women Own About 17 Pairs of Shoes, But are Afraid of 4 Inch Heels

Are women really shoe-obsessed?

According to a national poll released by Shop Smart magazine, the answer is…kind of. On average, women own 17 pairs of shoes and spend around $49 on each pair. They typically buy three pairs of shoes every year.

Some other fun facts:

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Image of the Day

Image of the Day: Tyra Brings Some Fierce To the New York Stock Exchange

By Leah Chernikoff Tuesday, Mar 15, 2011 / 5:00 PM

Tyra (it’s just Tyra now) rang the opening bell at the NYSE this morning to promote her new site, TypeF.com. Is she wearing dance tights? Well, the floor of the Stock Exchange could use a little shimmer. (via The YBF.)

Look Book

Look Book: The Row Spring 2011 Croc and Leather Sunglasses

The Row’s eyewear collection, an ongoing collaboration with Linda Farrow, has been around for a few seasons. But Spring 2011 is the first to offer up leather and croc-embossed sunnies. The ultra-luxe line starts at $442 (for leather accented shades), with croc versions priced at $874.

While it’s certainly been done before, using exotic skins on sunglasses isn’t a typical application. “It’s about combining the allure and quality of the past with a modern aesthetic,” designer Ashley Olsen said in a release. What do you think of the collection?

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Entertainment

Behind-the-Scenes: Henry Holland’s Fall 2011 Look Book

We heart Henry Holland, so when we found out the British designer was teaming up with Range Rover to document the London shoot of House of Holland’s Fall 2011 look book, we wanted to get in on the action.

The concept was to capture models wearing the collection at the designer’s favorite spots in the city. Henry was kind enough to answer some questions about the process for Fashionista, via this quirky little video.

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Streetwalker

Street Style: Yoshimi Really, Really, Really Loves Anna Sui

Name: Yoshimi

Occupation: It’s a secret.

Who is your favorite designer? Anna Sui!

What are the most prominent colors in your wardrobe? Black and purple.

Are those Anna Sui inspired nails? Yes! I got them done in Japan.

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Fashion Is Fun

We Navigate Through Tyra’s New Website, Type F

Today Tyra–she’s ditching her last name–launched her new fashion and beauty website, Type F. What does the “F” stand for? According to Tyra, anything you want it to stand for; she suggests “fierce” or “fabulous.” Tyra thinks the fashion media wants us all to look the same, and the point of her site is to celebrate your individuality. There’s a section where you can register your personal traits through a Facebook platform and personalized content will pop up for you.

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Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day: Isaac Mizrahi Says “Buh-Bye” to John Galliano, Hopes He Never Works Again

By Leah Chernikoff Tuesday, Mar 15, 2011 / 1:54 PM

“I never really liked sort of what [Galliano] did so much. I liked better what McQueen did. I liked better what Vivienne Westwood did. So now I don’t like it, and he’s a Jew hater? I was like, ‘buh-bye’…Galliano was more of a fetishist to me. He was more of a fetishist than a democrat. And I refer to him in the past tense, because I don’t think he’ll work again. I hope not. I hope he doesn’t work again.”

–While most other designers have either kept mum, made excuses, or been very diplomatic about Galliano’s fall from grace , Isaac Mizrahi doesn’t hold back, speaking to The Cut last night at the MCC Theater’s Annual Musical Spectacular Gala at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

Accessories

How It’s Made: Mulberry’s Jeweled Lily Bag

Nice leather isn’t cheap, but…ever wonder why some handbags cost soooo much?

Mulberry’s spring addition to its enviable handbag collection, the Jewelled Lily, rings in at $5,250. That’s not chump change, but given the reasonable prices of the brand’s other bags (many of the most popular styles are priced under $1,000), there’s got to be some explanation behind the hefty price tag.

And indeed, there is. Some interesting stats on the Jewelled Lily:

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Giveaways

Win an Adorable Dress From New Label Mono Lake and Fabricly!

Fabricly, the “record label for fashion designers,” recently launched its latest collection, Mono Lake, at a SoHo celebration co-hosted by Fashionista. (There were Strokes involved.) We were so smitten with the dresses that we begged Fabricly and designer Molly Girard Coonan to sneak us a piece. The result? A color block, long sleeve fitted dress, which will be given away to one lucky reader. We’d pair it with thick black tights and booties. Oh, and maybe a shot of highlighter yellow.

Love it? Enter to win by TOMORROW March 16, 2011 at 12:00 pm EST. Bonne chance!