Fashionista

How to Make It in Fashion: June 21, Dream Hotel Downtown, New York

Lauren Sherman

Tuesday April 9th, 2013

CFDA/Tumblr ‘Inside the Designer’s Home’ Series Kicks Off with Lela Rose
Fashion Careers

CFDA/Tumblr ‘Inside the Designer’s Home’ Series Kicks Off with Lela Rose

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Picture this: You’re 20. A student at FIT, Pratt, or Parsons. You’re obsessed with fashion. So obsessed, in fact, that you’ve started a Tumblr dedicated to your favorite corner of the fashion world: models, photography, or menswear. You’ve gained a bit of recognition in the Tumblr community. And you’re sitting in Lela Rose’s TriBeCa loft, in her gorgeous wood-paneled dining room, eating a meal she’s cooked herself off of mix-and-match plating she’s picked up here and there over the years.

Sounds like dream come true, right? Well, Monday morning it became a reality for several of Tumblr’s biggest fashion users.

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Published at 5:19 PM
Why Investing in Coachella Is Still a Good Idea for Fashion Brands
More Cutoffs Please

Why Investing in Coachella Is Still a Good Idea for Fashion Brands

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Glastonbury and Lollapalooza may have come first. Bonnaroo and Bestival may have more indie cred. But no music festival offers a mix of undone glamour, across-the-board genres and good weather quite like Coachella–making it the most “fashion-y” festival of them all. Yet the sponsorship-heavy event is polarizing: Even a passing mention of this Southern California musical festival elicits a range of emotions, from nervous excitement to downright anger. The cool kids think it’s overwrought with hype and inappropriate feather headdresses, yet hardcore festival goers can’t get enough.

Still, fashion bands are clamoring to be involved with Coachella–whether by sponsoring an event, or landing a coveting spot in a festival style market story. So it is still worth it?

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Published at 3:53 PM

Monday April 8th, 2013

Ron Johnson Out at JC Penney—Why He Should Have Never Been ‘In’ in the First Place
The Business

Ron Johnson Out at JC Penney—Why He Should Have Never Been ‘In’ in the First Place

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J.C. Penney CEO Ron Johnson is out, according to a press release sent out by the company. The store’s former CEO, Mike Ullman, will replace him. This news should not come as a surprise to anyone who’s been watching the Penney saga unfold. Johnson, a former Apple and Target exec who joined J.C. Penney in November 2011, tried to bring the long-struggling store into the 21st Century with an updated design, tons of designer collaborations, lower prices, and the elimination of discounts. (Each of these tactics, particularly the last one, alienated what’s left of Penney’s loyal customers. People are creatures of habit. They’re used to markdowns. Even if a product is cheaper in the first place, they can’t help but want to see it discounted.)

Anyway, Johnson also brought in some great brands to Penney, including Martha Stewart (whoops, that resulted in a lawsuit), Michelle Obama favorite Duro Olowu, MNG by Mango and Joe Fresh. These were all great prospects. But no matter how hard Johnson tried, no matter how good his strategy was, it was never going work. Here’s why.

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Published at 6:07 PM
Why Your Local Dance Store Might Be the Best Place to Buy a New Pair of Shoes
Trendspotting

Why Your Local Dance Store Might Be the Best Place to Buy a New Pair of Shoes

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The great thing about dance shoes is that they look a little sexy, but they’re sturdy and practical. Those kinds of dance shoes are perfect for women like me who enjoy being able to walk in their heels—or maybe even run for a cab in them.

Fashion is not oblivious to their charms. Most recently, APC designer Jean Touitou, who has showed us many times over the years that he understands the value of a great ballerina pump/not looking like an idiot in uncomfortable heels, commissioned an Argentine company to make tango shoes for his fall collection.

Click through to see our favorites, in dance stores now.

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Published at 12:20 PM

Friday April 5th, 2013

Meredith Wendell’s Meredith German on Why Launching During the Recession Helped Her Brand
How I'm Making It

Meredith Wendell’s Meredith German on Why Launching During the Recession Helped Her Brand

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There’s nothing like a good bag. You change your outfit at least once a day, and your shoes almost as often. But a handbag needs to be a workhorse, otherwise it feels like a waste of money.

Former Marc Jacobs accessories designer Meredith German understands the value of a good bag. That’s why she launched Meredith Wendell in 2008 with husband/business partner Wendell “Ross” German. I’ve long admired German’s graphic, sporty take on this oh-so-necessary accessory, so it was fun to talk to her last week about how she’s making it work in such a crowded category.

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Published at 5:30 PM

Wednesday April 3rd, 2013

Fashion Industry Vets Launch New Site To Give Readers a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Their World

Fashion Industry Vets Launch New Site To Give Readers a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Their World

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There are two paths to internet salvation if you’re in the content game. One is through mass production, also known as “banging out posts.” The other is through new, or difficult-to-obtain information. Also known as “original reporting.”

The Style Ouija, a new fashion and beauty site that launches today, is going the latter route. Founders/friends/former Remix magazine directors Emily Barnes (a stylist for Vogue, Nowness and GQ, among others) and Daniel Martin (a makeup artist who has worked with Thakoon, Chris Benz, and Proenza Schouler) want to take their readers behind the scenes of photo shoots, casting calls, and more. “It’s a platform for someone who wants to experience our world,” says Martin.

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Published at 12:44 PM

Tuesday April 2nd, 2013

‘Slut’ Clothes: A Brief History
People Are Talking

‘Slut’ Clothes: A Brief History

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In a recent piece for T magazine, Suzy Menkes heralds the end of what she calls a “decade of slut style,” and a return to modesty on the runways. (Yeah, we had a thing or two to say about that.) But if history is any indication, provocative fashion is nothing new and not going anywhere anytime soon.

Click through to read our brief account of fashion’s most revealing moments through the ages. What got people riled up (sometimes just a glimpse of ankle)—and what didn’t (a whole lotta cleavage in the 1500s)—might surprise you.

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Published at 6:37 PM

Thursday March 28th, 2013

Wednesday March 27th, 2013

How Big-Name PR Firms Are Helping Young Designers
The Business

How Big-Name PR Firms Are Helping Young Designers

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Today, KCD will host its seasonal open house, where market editors, stylists and other fashion types will be given the opportunity to see the latest collections from the PR powerhouse’s roster of brands—including Givenchy, Chloe and Marc by Marc Jacobs—up-close.

Mostly everyone attends KCD’s press day because it’s filled with great brands that magazines (and, increasingly, websites) want to shoot. That’s why it’s such a coup for three-year-old accessories line Reece Hudson to show its Fall 2013 collection alongside KCD’s clients. As an emerging label, the company can’t afford to pay KCD a monthly retainer for representation. But designer Reece Solomon and business partner Max Stein are mentored by KCD senior vice president of public relations, Renee Barletta, through the CFDA incubator program.

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Published at 3:21 PM

Tuesday March 26th, 2013

The Biggest Designer Comebacks
Designers

The Biggest Designer Comebacks

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It’s been a season of second, third, and even fourth chances. After stints at Perry Ellis, Paco Rabanne, and Gap, designer Patrick Robinson is once again staging a comeback–this time, as creative director of Armani Exchange.

Currently waiting in the wings is former Dior designer John Galliano, who has been assisting in Oscar de la Renta’s atelier and is purportedly in talks to teach at Parsons.

We can’t say for sure whether either of these comebacks will take, but we can tell you about the returns other designers have staged in the past. Here are fashion’s greatest comeback stories:

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Published at 6:22 PM

Friday March 22nd, 2013