Author

Leah Chernikoff

Posts by Leah Chernikoff

Internships

Grace Coddington on Interns: ‘They think we owe them something’

By Friday, Mar 16, 2012 / 9:10 AM

Photo: Getty

A little more fodder for the brewing internship debate: Vogue heroine Grace Coddington has weighed in.

“They’re there to learn and observe,” Coddington told The Cut last night. “I think there are a lot of interns that feel very entitled. They think we owe them something. Good ones come through though. You really notice them.”

We’ve been covering fashion internships quite a bit lately–from the landmark suit being brought against Hearst by a former Harper’s Bazaar intern, to intern horror stories, to Conde Nast’s overhaul of its internship program, it’s certainly a hot topic. Our readers tend to be split on the issue–some agree that interns are treated horribly and deserve better while others tend to side with Coddington:

“I’m so tired of hearing people complaining about internships,” commenter Elizabeth Jaime (and a former Fashionista intern!) wrote. “An internship is what you make of it. If you expect to be trying on shoes all day then you’re just not paying attention..to life in general. This is technically a LEARNING experience where you won’t only learn the ins and outs of working in your department/magazine but will also learn what you do and do not like to do.”

“I still think the 25 and under generation has more entitlement issues than I’ve ever witnessed before,” Kristen May Lee wrote. “Part of surviving in fashion is learning what to and not to tolerate with elegance and ethics.”

Or as US Weekly’s fashion director Sasha Charnin Morrison so eloquently (awesomely?) put it after a post about fashion intern horror stories,

“Boo-FUCKING-Hoo. I mean, come on. This is nothing. I had things thrown at me, I was yelled at, I cleaned mugs and ashtrays and toilets, picked up laundry, dog shit, delivered gifts with a fever, got fired for my smart mouth and you know what? I loved it. Because I was in it. And I’m still here 25 years later.”

Still there are thoughtful arguments for interns being treated less like messengers and getting paid, even just a little:

“I get that internships are a way to ‘pay your dues’ but I don’t really understand what the difference is between getting someone to do shitty work for free, and getting someone to do shitty work for minimum wage,” Tyler McCall (our current intern!) wrote. “It’s not like the work itself needs to change (though, you know, maybe it does), it’s just that living in NYC or LA is outrageously expensive and you’re really limiting your field of workers to students. Who, duh, are mostly entitled since they’ve probably never worked a day in their spoiled lives and they have parents who can afford to foot the bill for their unpaid job. Pay minimum wage, open up the applicant field, you’ll see people who WANT to work in those jobs really quickly.”

Where do you stand? Are interns too entitled, like Grace and so many others tend to think, or are they taken advantage of?

News

Amanda Brooks Leaves Barneys

By Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 / 9:07 AM

Photo: Getty

File this under news we did not see coming. Amanda Brooks, who was named Barneys’ fashion director in January 2011, has resigned, WWD is reporting.

Just yesterday we attended an event at Barneys in which Brooks hosted a talk with the creative directors of Maiyet, introducing Barneys’ newest label to a group of online editors. She looked immaculate as always, and asked thoughtful, well-researched, questions. She also just wrapped a busy fashion month–a fixture in the front row and a favorite of street style photographers.

Brooks is leaving for England to pursue other opportunities. “To be the fashion director of a store with such a unique and inspiring vision has always been a dream job,” Brooks told WWD. “I have had the pleasure of working with an incredibly talented team but have resigned to temporarily relocate to England with my husband and children in the interest of further pursuing other opportunities. It is a personal decision and I will miss working with the Barneys team.”

Brooks joined the Barneys team after months of speculation over who would get the job. She was one of CEO Mark Lee’s key marquis hires. Over the past year Brooks proved to be a refreshingly accessible face to the Barneys brand–she happily indulged a silly question from us about how she gets her hair so perfect, confessing that she has really hair legs, and another time spilled her most embarrassing fashion week story with us.

Brooks came to Barneys from William Morris, where she served as fashion director. Before that she was the creative director of Tuleh and Hogan. She also penned the style guide I Love Your Style: How to Define and Refine Your Personal Style in 2009.

No word yet on who will replace Brooks. WWD is reporting that “Barneys is not planning to immediately replace Brooks.” Hmm… We’ve reached out to Barneys for comment and will update when we hear back.

But we’ll let you speculate anyway. Who do you think should get the job?

Entertainment

NBC’s Fashion Star Bombs On Twitter But Is a Success In Stores

By Wednesday, Mar 14, 2012 / 3:07 PM

Photo: NBC

Did you watch NBC’s Fashion Star last night? A lot of fashion people did and they seemed pretty disappointed. Well, that’s putting it mildly. A sampling of tweets from the fashion industry sent out during last night’s show:

It’s like watching #ProjectRunway while having a seizure. #FashionStar @NBCFashionStar – Tom + Lorenzo ‏ @tomandlorenzo

#FashionStar clearly spent more on music & Nicole Richie’s headbands than it did on anything else. – Heather Cocks, Go Fug Yourself ‏@fuggirls

I don’t think I’ve ever been so utterly confused watching a tv show before tonight. Wtf was that show all about anyway? #FashionStar – Jay McCarroll, designer and first winner of Project Runway, @jaymccarroll

I swear I didn’t plan to get so aggro about #FashionStar but it’s all of our livelihoods on the line if America thinks that was real fashion – Matt Kays, fashion publicist ‏ @mattkays

Reality TV, please face reality! How on earth is #Saks ok with the idea of ordering the same collections as #Macys or #hm? #FashionStar – Rachel Dodes Wortman, reporter for the Wall Street Journal ‏ @racheldodes

But while the fashion industry was appalled with last night’s spectacle (which is an apt descriptor considering there were models on Harleys, backup dancers and smoke machines) the show actually seems to be a hit at retail.

Sarah Parrott and Nicole Christie

I popped into H&M early this morning (don’t ask) to scour for returned Marni for H&M (Success! It was there!) and was checking out next to a girl who was buying two dresses designed by Fashion Star contestant Sarah Parrott. She told me she watched the show last night and loved the dresses so much she went right out to buy them (this was at 9:30 a.m.)–only the turquoise color she wanted was already sold out.

Sarah Parrott was there herself at the H&M on 51st and Fifth, standing next to her dresses on display, along with the judge from H&M, Nicole Christie. Parrott’s dress, Christie told me, sold out, in both colors, by 11:15 p.m. last night. The show ended at 11 p.m. The multi-use zipper skirt designed Orly Shani is sold out online at Saks. Ditto both versions of Nikki Poulos’ kimono-sleeved caftan at Macys.com (the other two items Macy’s purchased–a halter dress by Edmond Newton and the asymmetrical jersey tunic by Lizzie Parker are both still available).

But maybe these items are selling out because retailers placed small orders, designed to sell out fast. Christie assured us that’s not the case. “I can tell you that we ordered the dresses at our normal order size–average H&M quantities,” she said. “And we have it in 101 stores in the country and…it’s flying off the shelves.”

That’s when designer and contestant Sarah Parrott showed me a photo her friend had sent her of the H&M in Atlanta (she’s from nearby Marietta): every woman in the dressing room (about five of them) was trying on her blue dress.

Parrott's winning H&M dress

“I just started doing this six months ago,” Parrott said, taking it all in. “I did Charleston fashion week, got People’s Choice [award] and then Fashion Star came calling and then I did this, and now I’m here–so it’s been really really fast.”

Why Fashion Star over, say, Project Runway? “The platform of the show is just so much more fascinating to me than a Project Runway,” Parrott said. “It’s in stores. We don’t make things out of meat or corn husks or dog collars, it’s true ready-to-wear clothes, and that’s what I do.”

Nikki Poulus, another contestant on Fashion Star (who designed the sold-out caftans bought by Macy’s), also on hand at H&M, agreed. “It’s not clothes made of napkins,” she said, “this is really about the business of fashion.” Though she admitted she wasn’t expecting the American Idol-style spectacle. “I was a little bit surprised at the scale of it and the flashing lights and the music and the dancers and I felt a little underdressed,” Poulus said. “This week there were ladies in fishnets and leather on Harley Davidsons…and I’m very low key by nature.”

Labels

Watch Artisans in Medellin Create Bracelets for New Sustainable Luxury Label, Maiyet

By Tuesday, Mar 13, 2012 / 7:30 PM

MAIYET | Colombia Hand Casting from M A I Y E T on Vimeo.

You’ll probably be hearing a lot about Maiyet in the coming months. The year-old label, which just showed its second collection during Paris fashion week last week, launches at Barneys tomorrow.

Maiyet is named after the Egyptian goddess of truth and harmony. It’s a fitting name as there’s a lot of truth to this label’s designs, too. South African human rights lawyer Paul van Zyl and industry vet Kristy Caylor (she was most recently at Band of Outsiders) created Maiyet to harness the skill of artisans the world over to produce elements of the line while simultaneously sustaining those artisan communities. See, for example, in the video above, gorgeous cuffs being made by artisans in Medellin, Colombia. What’s more, Maiyet makes a point to be continued presence in the communities they cull from.
Read more »

Adventures in Copyright

Chanel Has Decided Not To Sell Those Cuffs That Look Like Pamela Love’s ‘Out of Respect…For the Artistic Process’

By Tuesday, Mar 13, 2012 / 12:45 PM

Yesterday we posted an Adventures in Copyright which pointed out that the crystal cuffs from Chanel’s fall show looked a lot like some Pamela Love made last year as part of her fall 2011 collection. We reached out to both Chanel and Pamela Love for comment and while Pamela Love chose not to comment, Chanel got back to us with the following statement:

For the A/W 2012 collection, Karl Lagerfeld was inspired by the ‘mineral earth’ theme that explored amethyst, crystal and quartz. The theme was captured by the design of the show which included a runway of white granite sand, by the setting which featured huge crystal and amethyst columns, and by the clothing which was in earthy hues of purple, blue and gray. In keeping with the inspiration, large and colorful crystals also adorned some of the clothing and accessories, including heavy bracelets. It has been brought to our attention that some of the bracelets that appeared in the show may resemble those of another designer. Out of respect for the concerns raised and for the artistic process generally the House has decided not to offer these bracelets for sale as part of the A/W 2012 collection.

Wow. Read more »

Celebrity

Jennifer Lawrence Shines in Gold Prabal Gurung at the Hunger Games Premiere

By Tuesday, Mar 13, 2012 / 9:03 AM

The Hunger Games! It’s happening. The stars of the film hit the red carpet for the LA premiere last night (the film opens in theaters on March 23–have you preordered your ticket yet?). Katniss Jennifer Lawrence really nailed it in a show stopping gold lame gown from Prabal Gurung’s fall 2012 collection. Nice work Cinna.

As news broke that Jennifer Lawrence chose Gurung for the premiere, the designer Tweeted, “BEYOND I M speechless,” and “Beyond ecstatic.” Aww…

The other standouts on the red carpet last night? You remember Kalia Prescott, the tribute who models Lauren Conrad’s fall look book for Paper Crown? All we can say is watch out Jennifer Lawrence, this no-name tribute is gunning for your spotlight.

Click through for more looks from The Hunger Games red carpet. (Ed. note: Shailene, WHY?)
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Collection

Take a Look at Eddie Borgo’s Fall 2012 Collection, Inspired by New York’s Hidden Underground

By Monday, Mar 12, 2012 / 5:47 PM

For fall, jewelry designer Eddie Borgo was inspired by hidden New York: those cogs and gears that click and hum just below the surface to make our city work.

He started with the work of Steve Duncan, a Brooklyn-based photographer who explores the “undercity” (Duncan’s word for it) of New York. “I found out about him because I wanted to do a collection based on expansion joints for a really long time,” he said. “I find them so interesting from an engineering standpoint and when I was doing research on these types of different pipe networks and expansion joints I found his photography.” Duncan’s photos were photocopied and pasted on mood boards propped around the apartment Borgo uses as a showroom in Paris.

Borgo was so excited, so passionate about his new collection and New York-as-inspiration that he even made me miss the city–not an easy thing to do in Paris.
Read more »

Adventures in Copyright

Adventures in Copyright: How Much Does Karl Lagerfeld Love Pamela Love?

By Monday, Mar 12, 2012 / 4:09 PM

Julie Zerbo at The Fashion Law tipped us off to this little Adventures in Copyright involving–gasp!–Chanel. She points out that the crystal cuffs from Chanel’s crystalline fall 2012 show look a lot like some crystal cuffs that Pamela Love already makes. And she’s right, Chanel’s cuffs look strikingly similar to Love’s.

Love’s crystal cuffs are from her fall 2011 collection and are on sale now on her site for $525. Chanel’s just debuted on the runway last week and will probably cost more.
Read more »

News

Tommy Hilfiger Addresses Those Racist Rumors From 1996 One More Time

By Monday, Mar 12, 2012 / 10:44 AM

Photo: Getty

Have you heard the rumor that Tommy Hilfiger doesn’t want minorities wearing his clothes?

It’s an old one. It started around 1996 via an email boycott campaign and went something like this: Hilfiger allegedly said something along the lines of that if he had known minorities were going to wear his clothes he wouldn’t have made them “so nice” and that he wished they wouldn’t wear them; then he went on Oprah and stood by those statements. Of course, none of it is true. He had never even been on Oprah when the rumors started.

Hilfiger did eventually go on Oprah in 2007 to put the rumors to bed. And last week, as the featured guest in the latest installment of Fern Mallis’ 92Y Fashion Icons’ series, he talked about them yet again, according to WWD:

We had heard that I was supposedly on “Oprah,” and I had told her that if I had known black people were going to buy my clothes, I wouldn’t have been a designer. I had never been on “Oprah,” and I had never said that. And I would never believe that anyway, nor would I ever say that anyway. Then Joel Horowitz, who was still chief executive of the business, came to me and said, “Do you know in my Jewish community, people are saying that you also don’t want Jewish people wearing your clothes?” Then we read the Filipino tabloids, then we heard from Hispanics [that I didn’t want them wearing my clothes] and pretty soon dogs and cats. It was a rumor and a myth. Oprah invited me [to be on the show to deal with it]. Some people may still believe it.

Despite the wide reach and longevity of the rumor, it didn’t hurt business. “It hurt for a long period of time, not from a business standpoint, because our business doubled in that time,” Hilfiger said. “It went from $1 billion to $2 billion in that time. But it hurt here [placing hand on his heart]. It really made me believe someone was out for me. We really never found the source but hope that at some point in time people will realize it was just a nasty rumor.”

He also talks about acquiring the Karl Lagerfeld brand:

I think he wishes he had done with Karl Lagerfeld what we did with Tommy Hilfiger. I think he was not happy we didn’t invest as much in his brand as he thinks we should have. However, now it’s getting traction and taking hold. In China, he is a rock star. In Japan, he is, as he says, a rock star without the guitar.

and whether he’d let brand consultants Peter Som and Simon Spurr take post-show bows:

I’ve thought of it, but then I have 250 other designers I would have to bring out. The runway isn’t big enough to bring out all of the design team. We have 150 in New York and 200 in Europe. It really wouldn’t make it fair to them, because they’re really working 24-7 on the collections.

Do you remember those rumors? Did you believe them?

Collection

Want to Look Like Emmanuelle Alt? Try Pierre Balmain’s Fall Collection

By Friday, Mar 9, 2012 / 6:30 PM

Pierre Balmain, the more gently priced secondary line from Balmain, launched its second ever collection in Paris this week. The look is very Emmanuelle Alt (though she once styled Balmain’s shows, she has nothing to do with the line): Skinny black pants (in leather or denim), an ultra-soft tee, and blazers with strong shoulders. When you want to mix it up–a leather motocross jacket. There’s a little added glitz for fall in some sequined leggings, and a bit of Jane Birkin in the more flowy pieces (as you can see in the above video). And there’s a little hint of Carine Roitfeld in that incredibly sexy sheer dress. So basically if you want to look like a chic French “It” girl–here you go.

Check out Pierre Balmain for fall.
Read more »

Collection

Nicholas Kirkwood Matched His New Ponytail Shoe to Florence Welch’s Hair Color

By Friday, Mar 9, 2012 / 2:30 PM

As Nicholas Kirkwood walked us through his colorful, Paris in the ’20s-inspired fall collection (yes, part of that has to do with seeing Midnight in Paris he told us), we couldn’t help but pause at a shoe with a face and an actual ponytail attached to the heel. And how did this shoe come about?

The shoe, he told us, was inspired by Jean Cocteau and Elsa Schiaparelli, and the hair came from a wig shop. The hair color is important, too. Read more »

Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week: Fashionista’s Top 10 Collections

By Thursday, Mar 8, 2012 / 4:15 PM

PARIS–Another fashion month over. Though doesn’t it seem like it’s always fashion week?

Anyway, Paris just wrapped and we’re still trying to get our heads around all the fashion we’ve taken in over the past nine days. Givenchy had everyone raving, Commes des Garçons had everyone thinking, and Stefano Pilati’s final collection for YSL had everyone talking. Kenzo and Carven just made us want to go shopping. Now.

Here are our top 10 collections from Paris fashion week, in no particular order.

Photos: Imaxtree

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