I love the DvF label when it’s a smart interpretation of top trends. I loathe the DvF label when it’s all about boho chic.
Luckily, the fashion gods were on my side at yesterday’s presentation of the Diane von Furstenberg Resort 2012 collection, shown in front of a glow-in-the-dark backdrop at the Highline Studios on 15th Street.
In less than half-a-decade, Jason Wu has gone from being part of a group of promising young designers to being the most promising young designer around. Sure, it has something to do with Michelle Obama wearing his design to the inauguration ball, but it’s also about Wu’s ability to create upscale-yet-modern clothes for wealthy clients, and at the same time work on out-of-the-box, accessible collaborations with brands like nail polish purveyors CND.
At just 28-years-old, the boy wonder has already accomplished more than many designers do in a lifetime. We recently caught up with Wu at his studio, where he sketched a look from his 2012 Resort collection just for Fashionista, and also talked a little more about his daily rituals.
For resort 2012, Michael Kors is sending his girls surfing. Mini dresses resembled wet suits–right down to the big contrast zippers up the front–and full length dresses with thigh high slits were done in neon neoprenes and accessorized with sporty fanny-pack-ish belts. While the color palette–fluoro yellows and hot pinks recalled ’90s LA Gear (at least to me)–the prints and silhouettes were decidedly ’60s. There were bold zebra prints on little shift dresses and sexy one-piece suits. Evening looks–cropped jackets with cropped pants–were coated in gold paint. Kors himself called the collection “surf Jackie,” according to Cathy Horyn. As always, Kors delivers the perfect soundbite, and a pretty perfect collection.
Stockholm-based fashion house Acne knows it has more than just a cult following Stateside. With its nifty spin on classics, Acne’s design team–led by creative director Jonny Johansson–has helped to define the modernist’s dress code.
So it’s no surprise that the label is teaming up with Want Agency–a New York-based fashion distributor and showroom–to expand its US business.
The hats were the first thing you noticed.
They were mostly black, some blue, and inspired by Picasso‘s paper guitar sculpture. Some sat like angular little pill boxes on the model’s heads, others were more sombrero-like, drizzled with happenstance graphics that could have been brushed on that morning.
But this was Oscar de la Renta Resort, not a millinery show, so we should probably talk about the clothes, too.
As you’ve probably already heard, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took off for their honeymoon today. According to the official Royal Wedding blog, the site of the newlywed’s honeymoon “which will be overseas, will not be disclosed in advance…the Couple have asked that their privacy be respected during the coming weekend and during their honeymoon.”
Oops! Secret’s out! The British tabs are reporting that Kate and Wills will be honeymooning on a private island in the Seychelles. And while Kate will most likely wear some of the sensible items she picked up on her high street shopping spree just days before her big day, we thought it would be more fun to pick out some pieces from resort and spring 2011 that we wish she would wear. Keeping her conservative tastes and penchant for those damn L.K. Bennett wedges in mind, of course. (Yes, we photoshopped them onto these looks.)
Pilati Isn’t Going Anywhere: YSL confirmed via Twitter today that the rumor that this would be Stefano Pilati’s last season at YSL is just that–a rumor. “From YSL HQ in Paris… Pilati busy working on the next collection. All the rumors unfounded – he is here to stay,” the tweet read. Rumors always come from somewhere, and this one’s been floating around for a while. But we’ve got to believe YSL, and hope Pilati blows us out of the water with his fall collection next week. {@Y_S_L}
Get a Glimpse of Natalie Portman’s Tutus: Six of the ethereal tutus Portman wore in Black Swan will be on display as part of the exhibit “Rodarte: States of Matter” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. {Hollywood Reporter}
Kelly Osbourne’s Material Girl Campaign is Here and We Like It: Osbourne is looking good as the new and improved face of Madonna and Lourdes’ line posed against the graffitied walls of grungy New York hot spots like Lit Lounge and Mars Bar. {The Cut}
Lily Cole’s True Passion is for Acting: The flame-haired model says that her days on the catwalk have been a blessing and a curse on her future career as a serious actress. Cole will star in Chekhov’s The Seagull in March at Cambridge University {Vogue UK}
Last November, when Megha Mittal–daughter-in-law of billionaire Lakshmi Mittal–acquired bankrupt German fashion brand Escada for a reported 30 million euros, onlookers were curious as to what exactly she’d do with the struggling label.
Back then, I speculated that Mrs. Mittal was an Escada customer, and that this would be the Wharton Business School graduate’s baby.
Looks like that has proven true, as Mittal has taken multiple steps to bring the firm out of the red, including new retail stores for Escada and Escada sport, as well as lower entry price points and more daywear. (Because not everyone can be bothered with sequined dresses.)
In her latest effort, Mittal has brought on London-based designer Jonathan Saunders to create a capsule for Escada Sport. Saunders, who’s best known for his colorful prints, fits well with the brand–or, more precisely, where the brand seems to want to go. The collection will be released for resort 2012.
