Author

Dhani Mau

Posts by Dhani Mau

People We Like

How Tavi Gevinson Makes Money

By Tuesday, Apr 24, 2012 / 10:45 AM

Getty

At this point, we know a fair amount about Tavi Gevinson and her evolution from a 13-year-old blogging about her fashion obsession to a 16-year-old (as of Saturday, according to her Wikipedia. Also, what? All this happened in less than three years?) running a successful and awesome editorial site for teens, doing public speaking engagements, singing and starring in films and ad campaigns.

What she hasn’t spoken much about is how she monetizes it all or how much help she gets from, you know, adults. In an interview with Business of Fashion‘s Imran Amed, Gevinson reflects a little more on where she is in her life and how she got there, a largely public process which she describes as “a little weird and embarassing.”

On Rookie’s following:

Rookie registered more than 1 million page views in the first five days after launch and within its first 6 months had received more than 4 million visits and over 13 million pageviews, according to statistics provided by Gevinson.

On how she manages her schedule:

I divide my day up in two. I have school and I have Rookie, work related commitments, homework time and I have sleep, and then I have a slot for time to myself, or time to hangout with friends, or time to just relax and that kind of thing. So I just try to make sure I go through all of those without getting distracted or without procrastinating or starting on another thing too early and just try to do one thing at a time.

On monetizing Rookie and sponsored content:

Advertising is our main source of revenue and right now we are looking into ads on the site that aren’t just the banner ads. We do sponsored content that doesn’t alter the editorial content at all. There will just be a logo and then at the bottom it will say ‘this post was sponsored by whatever’, but they didn’t tell us how to write it.

On future collaborations:

There are plans for monetising Rookie offline as well. “We’d like to be able to start doing events and meetups where we actually meet our readers. [There are] some projects we can’t afford to do without collaborating,” says Gevinson, “but it’s not like we are taking other people’s money and just putting their logos on our site. There are [also potential] collaborations – one might be with a store, but I guess their aesthetic aligns with our aesthetic.”

On her dad-ager:

Many of these activities are overseen and managed by Tavi’s father, who is now retired. “I guess he’s technically my manager or something. He enjoys traveling and wants to keep tabs on everything and wants to make sure everything is fair, so he’s taken to that position quite nicely,” she says.

On distancing herself from the fashion world:

“I haven’t purposely distanced myself from it, my interests have just shifted a bit,” she explains. “I still love clothes and fashion. I guess it’s just for me to create my own world and I’m now more interested in music and in movies and in other kinds of writing. Also with Rookie, I don’t have time to keep up with a lot of fashion stuff.”

The distance seems to have given her a healthy sense of perspective. “I feel when I was once obsessed with fashion, I was more defensive of it – the modeling, the weight standards, the beauty standards it sets, and how young the models are,” says Gevinson, reflecting on her shifting interests.

On why being a feminist isn’t a “teen angst phase” for her:

Personal beliefs change as you change as a person, but because feminism is a conversation and a process, and not rule book and leads the way for those beliefs to change, I know that I will always agree with the basic principles, so that’s why I feel I can safely say this isn’t a teen angst phase.

[Ed. note: When I was in highschool, I could barely finish my homework on time.] Happy sweet sixteen, Tavi!

Magazines

Vogue‘s ‘Cat’s Meow’ Editorial Stars Arizona Muse and a Kittay

By Monday, Apr 23, 2012 / 7:00 PM

Vogue‘s May cover may not be the most exciting, but the magazine redeems itself with what’s inside: namely, “Cat’s Meow,” a six-page spread starring a raven-haired Arizona Muse and an adorable little black and white cat. Look at it! Read more »

Magazines

What’s With All the New Hires at Love?

By Monday, Apr 23, 2012 / 5:04 PM

Revered fashion glossy Love is undergoing some changes.

For starters, Editor-in-chief Katie Grand launched her own personal Twitter last week, apart from Love‘s, which we assumed she was behind. Shortly thereafter, she hired herself some company at the top of Love‘s masthead. First, she gave ShowStudio’s Alexander Fury the role of “editor” at the magazine, announcing that he would oversee both print and online. Today, it was announced that Lulu Kennedy, founder of Fashion East, a non-profit that supports emerging designers, would become Love‘s Editor at Large. WWD reports that Kennedy’s first project will be scouting subjects for a Solve Sundsbo-lensed front-of-book portrait feature, for which, based on this tweet, Kennedy will be the first subject. Fury and deputy editor Isaac Lock will interview the subjects.

So what does all of this mean? What’s significant about the hiring decisions is that they’re not just the result of normal editorial comings and goings, but strategic additions to Love‘s team that signify more than just changes to the masthead, but changes to the magazine. Business of Fashion suggests that Grand’s appointment of Alex Fury means the magazine is “poised to up its emphasis on digital channels” and points out that the timing corresponds with Vogue Paris’ website overhaul, suggesting that Condé Nast, as a whole, are looking to push digital growth. That theory is further supported, maybe, by Grand’s Twitter launch–the magazine’s digital identity expands and Grand becomes an editor with her own voice and brand.

Another possibility, though we’re not sure why this would be the case, is that Grand is scaling back her role at the magazine, based on the fact that both hires are top-level editor positions. Could the fact that she launched a personal Twitter mean she’s getting ready to leave the magazine she founded only three years ago?

She better not. Hopefully, this just means that Love, unlike some other Condé publications, isn’t afraid of change and that we will get to see the bold magazine expand and evolve into something even more wonderful than it already is.

Campaigns

Here’s Alessandra Ambrosio’s Inevitable Naked and Pregnant Photo

By Monday, Apr 23, 2012 / 12:45 PM

Right on cue, pregnant Victoria’s Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio is the latest celeb to do a riff on Demi Moore’s 1991 Vanity Fair cover by posing sans clothing, cradling her prominent belly for a famous fashion photography duo. She’s already walked the runway, posed (clothed) for a Spanish magazine and Twitpic’d pregnant, so this was a natural next step for the model, who’s pretty used to wearing minimal clothing. Read more »

News

The Fashion Industry Shells Out for Obama, Seen as Playing Vital Role in Re-election Campaign

By Monday, Apr 23, 2012 / 9:15 AM

The fashion industry seems to be leaning to the left, according to a recent analysis of the industry’s financial support of presidential candidates leading up to the 2012 election.

WWD commissioned the Center for Responsive Politics to crunch the numbers, which took into consideration donations from department store, mass retail and apparel brand executives and employees. The result: the industry gave a total of $435,160 to the presidential race, 53.9 percent, or $234,600, to Obama and 45.9 percent to Republicans.

Also interesting: the fashion industry may play a more significant role in getting Obama re-elected than other Democratic-leaning industries like Hollywood, tech and Wall Street, whose donations are said to have declined this time around.

Considering the fact that the Obama-Biden campaign has a Vogue-organized fashion initiative, the very public support of Anna Wintour and that Michelle Obama has become a style icon and a champion of young designers, it’s not exactly shocking to learn that the bulk of the fashion industry is on their side. Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, told WWD, “It helps his campaign that Michelle Obama as First Lady has embraced and showcased new American designers.” Another good point she makes: “Of course, you can’t ignore the role that gay rights advocates play from within the industry, which takes a much different view of the Obama camp than the Romney campaign.”

At the same time though, fashion is a business, so it should come as no surprise that it was CEOs of big apparel companies, like PVH Corp, Guess, Inc. and Jockey International, who gave the most dough to pro-business Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

The Business

Meet the Young Designers Transforming Africa’s Retail Scene: Part One

By Zandile Blay Friday, Apr 20, 2012 / 5:32 PM

Want a must-have item? If you are living in Africa, that means traveling.

I’m not talking across town to a local mall–but across continents to cities like New York, London, or Paris. For decades, this has been the primary method of acquisitions for fashion-forward Africans who craved Western luxury or contemporary goods. Until recently.

From Algeria to Zimbabwe, a new generation of young designers are quietly changing this reality. Read more »

1 of 2Next page »
Collection

Loomstate’s Designers Bike Ride Drunk (for the Environment!), Convinced Winona Ryder To Stop Washing Her Jeans

By Fawnia Soo Hoo Friday, Apr 20, 2012 / 4:30 PM

Photo: BFA

Just in time for Earth Day on Sunday, the fashion crowd went crunchy (well, as much as they could) last night at the charity concept store Treasure & Bond in Soho when Rogan Gregory and Scott MacKinlay Hahn of eco-fashion line Loomstate took over to debut their Loomstate 321 line.

This capsule line of reversible and versatile multi-colored tees, tanks and dresses fashioned from one knit, man-made fabric Tencil will appeal to the environmentally conscious, frugal and laundry-challenged alike. One of the light, mega-layered and color-blocked dresses that Rogan Gregory showed us can be worn in eight different ways.

Design partners Gregory and Hahn live and breathe by their eco-conscious beliefs–incorporating them not just in their designs but also in their daily lifestyles.

“To reduce my fossil fuel footprint, I ride my bike every day and I’m as healthy as I was 20 years ago,” Gregory explained to us. “Sometimes, it’s after midnight and I’ve drank like three beers. It’s kind of like, ‘Ah, I don’t want to get on the bike.’ But you get on the bike and you can feel good about it for so many different reasons.”

Wait, what?

“Yeah, I ride drunk all the time,” he confirmed. [Ed. note: Does he know you can actually get ticketed for that?! Don't try this at home kids.]

The Loomstate dancers (Photo: BFA)

Hey, that’s serious commitment and a bevy of fashion and environmentally conscious guests seemingly felt the same way. We were there to check out the designs and take in a fashion show-slash-interpretive dance performance by a trio of seriously well-toned girls. The buffed and nimble ladies demonstrated how to transition the Loomstate 321 pieces for various activities–from sunning at the beach to quaffing champers at a sceney restaurant to busting out some choreographed dance moves to Lady Gaga in a simulated club.

Later, we were quickly whisked into some private VIP back area (hey, that type of exclusion isn’t sustainable!!), where an eternally youthful Winona Ryder was happy to take a moment to chat with us.

The stunning actress seriously hasn’t aged a day since Heathers (she recently modeled some H&M x Marni out in L.A.) and looked amazing in a Loomstate 321 tee under a fitted leather moto jacket. She seemed a bit discombobulated–first warmly greeting us, then asking for a moment (“I just need to fix my lipstick”) and later apologizing for being out of it because she “took the redeye in.”

We asked her to share the most earth friendly thing that she does:

“Let me think,” Ryder giggled. “Maybe you should pause it [gesturing to our recorder]. I’m trying to think of the greenest things that I do. I don’t under….You mean like in my own personal? So boring. For the line? What? I’m sorry…”

A flustered Winona (Photo: BFA)

We felt bad for flustering the jet-legged actress and backtracked to an easier question: How does she know Gregory and MacKinlay Hahn?

“I’ve known them for a few years and I’m a huge fan of their designs, but also their deep commitment to the environment,” she said. “And you know they’re doing what everybody should be doing and with sustainability and with keeping it organic and I’m just excited for them. They’re great guys and the thing is so awesome. Such a great example and it’s something that you can wear eight million ways and believe me I tried them all tonight. I speak from experience.”

So taking the eight-dresses-in-one in mind, how many times would Ryder wear the design before she threw it in the wash, we asked?

“Well, I would have to double check with Scott because I’ve been schooled about laundry by them,” Ryder said. “I just used to do my laundry and I never thought about it. Then through them I really learned that you don’t have to wash your jeans every [day]…and it’s actually better.”

So there you have it: Stars, lazy with laundry–just like us.

Celebrity

Is Solange Knowles Trying to Be the Anti-Beyoncé?

By Friday, Apr 20, 2012 / 3:45 PM

Getty

Solange Knowles is the subject of a New York Times profile headlined “Life on Her Own Terms for Beyoncé’s Little Sister.” It details her confounding ability to essentially lead two lives: that of Beyonce‘s Sister and that of a cool Brooklyn single mom who seems like she’d be more into going to the park, indie music and fashion than, say, yachts (then again–who wouldn’t want to go on a yacht?).

When we chatted with Solange, who is incredibly sweet and cool in person, at a Band of Outsiders show last fall, she said she had to put a cap on how many shows she could attend because she had to be able to walk her son to school every day in Brooklyn. Then, she told me she had the same jeans I was wearing, which cost about $60. She’s like the ultimate ‘Stars! They’re Just Like Us.’ Her older sister, on the other hand, leads a pretty different lifestyle. But is Solange deliberately trying to differentiate herself from her big sis?

In a way, it sounds like she is. She tells the Times, “I’m so proud of her success, but I could not do that. It’s given me a pretty clear blueprint on what I don’t want to happen.” It also sounds like Beyoncé supports that blueprint. “I’ve been trying to talk her into going to Brooklyn for six years,” Beyoncé told the Times. “It’s so close to her personality. She’s such a fashionista–she’ll get used to it.”

Solange has indeed become a fixture at NYC fashion events (and often dj’s them) and known for her eclectic, colorful style. She’s also a Next model. Humberto Leon calls her a “style icon” in the Times piece and Vogue UK recently referred to her as the “next big thing.”

The way she dips her toes into various things–music, modeling, djing, designing?–says to me that she’s trying to explore her interests–something real, normal people do–rather than become a ‘star’ in one particular genre. But, are the fundamental differences between her and her sister natural or ones that she’s contrived? Solange says that the indie persona she’s developed wasn’t just a reaction to her sister’s mainstream-ness and instead has more to do with an age gap:

There’s always going to be a bit of mystery as to how two people who grew up in the same household have different interests,” Ms. Knowles said, referring to her sister. “I’m younger than her, and even in five years, there’s a total gap in how you’re exposed to musical things and fashion and art.

What do you think? Is Solange trying to be the anti-Beyoncé or is she just being herself?

Shopping

Shop With Mary-Kate Olsen and Rachel Zoe Right Now During StyleMint’s First-Ever Live Shopping Event

By Friday, Apr 20, 2012 / 12:17 PM

Who What Wear‘s Hillary Kerr is hosting the first ever live shopping event for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s succesful subscription-based ecommerce site Stylemint and it starts right now!

The two-hour interactive event will include style advice, sneak peeks of new products and exclusive, limited-time deals. Best of all, Mary Kate Olsen will be there, in the flesh, to answer your questions and she’ll have a little help from friends like Rachel Zoe, Erica Domesek, and Gucci Westman. We also hear our very own Leah Chernikoff may make a special cameo. It’s like QVC with all your favorite fashion people. Read more »

Collaboration

Pamela Love and Creatures of the Wind for J. Crew, The Complete Collections

By Friday, Apr 20, 2012 / 11:20 AM

We’ve already seen and swooned over Joseph Altuzarra’s gingham-filled, Brigitte Bardot-inspired collection for J. Crew, in stores now, but the retailer’s other two CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund collaborations have remained a bit of a mystery (Vogue gave us a little tease), until now.

CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund runners-up Pamela Love and Creatures of the Wind’s Shane Gabier and Chris Peters designed smaller 3-piece collections, and J. Crew has finally given us a proper look at them through mini editorial stories on their website. Read more »

Entertainment

(Updated) Long-standing America’s Next Top Model Cast Members Get Canned, Show Sets Sights on Bloggers

By Friday, Apr 20, 2012 / 9:51 AM

If you thought the addition of Kelly Cutrone to the ANTM team was a big shakeup, wait until you hear what cycle 19′s cast might look like. Three of the show’s biggest castmembers–in fact, the only three that have been on it as long as Tyra–may have just been fired, according to Page Six.

According to the gossip rag, Banks has “dismissed” judge Nigel Barker, creative director Jay Manuel and runway trainer J. Alexander, all of whom were told yesterday morning that their contracts would not be renewed for the 19th season. But what’s almost more intriguing is who they’re saying may replace the ANTM veterans: bloggers. Namely, Bryanboy. From Page Six:

We hear producers are looking to add a social media slant to the show, and they’ve already reached out to bloggers and fashion insiders with a strong Web presence, including street-style blogger Bryanboy.

We reached out to the fashion blogging phenom for comment and he was just as surprised as we were by the news. Though he’s not opposed. “I love Tyra and ANTM–I think it would be amazing to make a cameo (hello Andre! hello Franca!) but no, nothing is in the works as of now,” he told us from a train in Italy. “This is the first time I heard of this.”

The only thing we know for sure about cycle 19 is that it will be shot in Los Angeles and Kelly Cutrone will reprise her role as a harsh judge. If the rumors are true (aside from the Bryanboy one), it might not be the worst thing to see some new life breathed into the almost 10-year-old show (sorry, Jay, J. and Nigel!).

Which bloggers or “fashion insiders with a strong Web presence” would you like to see on ANTM?

Update: It’s true. Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel and J. Alexander will not be returning to the show next season. Top Model executive producer Ken Mok confirmed the news to The Cut with the following statement:

Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel and J. Alexander have been an integral part of the ‘America’s Next Top Model’ brand and they helped turn this show into the household name it is today. They have been amazing assets to the show and will always be a part of the ‘Top Model’ family. We will continue to actively work with each of them on future projects.

Tyra Banks and a couple of the cast members she fired used social media to say their goodbyes. Manuel wrote a heartfelt blog post titled “It’s a Wrap Everybody…” Barker tweeted,

@tyrabanks best of luck with cycle 19, It has been a pleasure working with you the past 8 years. Much love Nigel

Tyra Banks took to Twitter as well, writing

Fierce & love 2 my @NigelBarker, @MrJayManuel & Miss J. #ANTM turned us in2 a family. Excited for what the future holds for us. XOXO TyTy

End of an era!

Magazines

In Honor of Earth Day: The Best Paper-Free Ways to Read Fashion Magazines

By Thursday, Apr 19, 2012 / 4:50 PM

Earth Day is next Sunday and while fashion isn’t exactly the most environmentally responsible industry, one simple way to keep your fashion obsession eco-friendly is to cut out magazines. Don’t freak out–there’s no need to give them up entirely–just the physical paper versions. Nowadays, as just about everything shifts to online, most magazines offer some way to flip through their pages in a digital format. Added benefits of digital magazines include not having to hide your magazine stacks in the bathtub when guests come over, not having to physically go somewhere to purchase them and lug them home, and, in most cases, saving money.

Click through for some of the best and easiest ways to read your favorite magazines digitally. You may be killing print, but at least you won’t be killing any trees!

1 of 6Next page »