Chris Benz

Parties

Heidi Klum Says Tim Gunn Will Be Seen Jogging on Project Runway and Other Tidbits From Last Night’s Glamour Dinner

The many twinkling candles at last night’s Glamour reception for Heidi Klum could only be matched by the supermodel’s equally incandescent Gucci mini and megawatt smile. The event, held at SoHo’s B&B wine bar, was a celebration of Klum’s August cover. Well-schvitzed guests piled in from the heat to sip sparkling rosé in minuscule outfits—which you know are weather appropriate when Michael Kors comments on friend Anne Christensen’s getup by saying, “the whole city should be wearing a romper!“

Designer Chris Benz, fresh off a New York mag centerfold, was there to celebrate the Glamour girl, who he describes as “embracing a certain level of intelligence that I always aspire to in my collections.” Nearby Maria Cornejo, who’ll soon be departing for the Greek Isles agreed: “They have a life, they’re real women. They approach fashion with a sense of humor and also intelligence.”

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  • Misty White Sidell
  • Friday, Jul 22, 2011 / 4:30 PM
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Events

Hang Out With Brad Goreski and Chris Benz at Art Rocks! This Thursday

Art Rocks! is an annual benefit supporting the Naomi Diabetes Berrie Center at Columbia Medical Center. Each year, the org puts together a night of art and music to raise awareness and money for the disease, with this year’s proceeds directed towards the development of a pediatric diabetes program.

The 4th annual benefit is this Thursday, May 12, at the Bowery Hotel, hosted by frequent Fashionista contributor Chris Benz and Bravo star Brad Goreski. There will be music by David Berrie, Paul Sevigny, and DJ M.O.S., as well as expected appearances by Olivia Palermo, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Jenna Lyons, Harley Viera Newton, and Becka Diamond. The art show is curated by LOLA NY and, from what we’ve seen, is bound to be really interesting: all pieces exist solely in the digital space, through projections and installations throughout the space.

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Parties

House of Lavande’s Ultimate Costume Party

The hundredth anniversary of Palm Beach? The fifth anniversary for antique jewelry boutique, House of Lavande? And one private beach front property? For House of Lavande’s owner, Tracy Smith, all this equaled a spectacular reason to celebrate. The lauded vintage jewelery connoisseur opened her home in Palm Beach’s North End to a chic crowd of New Yorkers. Among the hand selected group of sixty guests were medialites Amanda Hearst, Becka Diamond, Andrew Bevan, Luigi Tadini and Mickey Boardman, as well as designer Chris Benz and stylist Mary Alice Stevenson.

We wish you could have been there too, but we took the liberty of attending on your behalf. While we struggled to interpret the dress code, which called for “modern vintage,” others didn’t. Guests were draped in everything from Michael Kors corduroy suits to vintage Vivienne Westwood. See ow they complemented their wardrobe with Smith’s expertly chosen House of Lavande pieces.

**All photos courtesy of the Billy Farrell Agency.

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  • Zandile Blay
  • Thursday, Jan 27, 2011 / 12:26 PM
  • 0 Comments
Ask Chris

Ask Chris Benz: How Do I Move From Wall Street to 7th Avenue?

Dear Chris,

I’m currently a second year MBA student and a big fan of your column on Fashionista. I was working in financial trading for a few years and discovered that I hated it. So I came to school and realized I wanted to put my talents to use in fashion, which I love. However, the industry is really hard to penetrate and it feels like MBAs are not valued. Do you have any advice/suggestions for people who do not have a pure fashion background but would love to get into this industry? Any advice or even a word of encouragement is greatly appreciated!!!

Thank you!!!

J-MBA

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Fashion Careers

Chris Benz, Christian Cota and Rachel Roy to Mentor Savannah College of Art and Design’s Fashion Students

The Savannah College of Art and Design’s fashion students are in some very good hands this school year. Designers Chris Benz, Christian Cota and Rachel Roy are serving as the school’s 2010-2011 fashion mentors.

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Fashion Week Parties

Last Night’s Other Parties: Creatures of Comfort and Style.com

We didn’t make it to the Dazed party at Don Hill’s last night (although we heard a bunch of people got arrested, so maybe that’s a good thing), but we did manage to stop by the Creatures of Comfort New York store launch on Mulberry Street and Style.com‘s 10th anniversary bash, which was taking place just a couple of blocks away.

Creatures of Comfort, a Los Angeles-based brick and mortar store, label, and online shopping destination for Rachel Comey and VPL-lovers across the country, is opening up shop in New York. Owner Jade Lai hosted a party in her expansive new space last night, and tons of our favorite designers were there: Tiffany Tuttle, Comey, Peter Jensen, Victoria Bartlett, Daphne Javitch, and plenty more. And of course Lai around, not only touting her new storefront, but also her INCREDIBLE in-house collection, which both Leah and I melted over. It’s gently priced–in the $150-$350 range–and everything is a mix and match of silk cropped blouses, tie-waist dresses, and loose blazers. Most was made from a delicate crepe, with some cotton mixed in. And the color palette? Seafoam, terra cotta, white, periwinkle…everything we want for spring.

After fawning over the clothes, we chatted with our Carroll Gardens contingency–Izzy from RackedNY, Adele from Epaulet, and Jen from Bird. South Brooklyn is the best.

But soon it was time to head to Lafayette for Style.com‘s 10th anniversary party.

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Retail

Chris Benz Discusses the Importance of Being Earnest…With Your Salespeople

Back in the day, designers would visit each stockist, each season and present the latest collection to the shop’s salespeople. Some designers, like Michael Kors, still take this approach.

But it has mostly fallen by the wayside. Not so at Chris Benz, where the man himself and his vice president of sales, Kelly Stinnett, spent a good chunk of the summer trekking across the US to get salespeople at boutiques and department stores excited about the Fall 2010 collection.

Benz and Stinnett were also promoting their special capsule collection with Saks Fifth Avenue, which launched at the beginning of August. The duo presented each collection to the Saks sales teams from Phoenix to New York.

Now that they’re back, I “sat down with” (aka “emailed with” because we’re all too busy to meet up) Chris to discuss why this approach is so important to the success of a brand, big or small.

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Ask Chris

Ask Chris: Do I Need a Degree in Fashion to Work in Fashion?

Dear Chris Benz,
I am sure that every one in New York wants to be a stylist, designer, and everything else that revolves around fashion, and I know that the competition is steep in NY as for many other places. But I believe in my self enough to leave my hometown of Houston, TX, and move to New York in order to further myself in the fashion industry. My question for you Chris is if I want to be a stylist, designer, or even just have a paid position at a top fashion firm, do you believe that a degree is necessary? Or rather hard work and dedication? And if a degree is necessary my top interest for schooling is FIT, what degree would be best for some one who just wants to style beautiful people and further them selves in the fashion industry? I really must say RIP to my life in Houston TX, and birth a new life in NY, your words of advice will be greatly appreciated!
Love,
FashionsMuse

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Events

Official Fashion’s Night Out Details Are Up: Our Top 10

The new Fashion’s Night Out website launched today and it’s pretty impressive. You can browse and search every New York event listing and even create your own itinerary.

You can also narrow the 51 pages of listings down by neighborhood, category (men, women, beauty) and/or specialty (block party, celebrity, food). But if you’re looking for, say, ten or so events that are most likely worth checking out, look no further. We reviewed each and every page to bring you the ten FNO events we’re most looking forward to.

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Ask Chris

Ask Chris Benz: How Do You Keep From Getting in a Rut?

Dear Mr. Benz,
How to do you keep from getting into a rut? Sometimes I feel like I’m running out of inspiration.
Yours, Needs a Recharge

Dear Needs-A-Recharge -

Inspiration is a tricky one, for sure.

On one hand, it is easy to be inspired by something specific much longer than one season, which unfortunately doesn’t work so well with the Fashion calendar. Obviously, there are things that should be continually inspiring … For me, it’s Katherine Hepburn, Lauren Hutton, Shelley Duvall–always a casual, glamorous, colorful character. On the other hand, a deadline may be approaching whereas you have to be inspired.

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Ask Chris

Ask Chris Benz: Help! I’m 13, Living in Fla., and Want to Be a Fashion Designer

Dear Chris Benz,

I will be a freshman in high school next year and am interested in a career as a fashion designer. Because I live in a small town in Florida, there really aren’t a lot of opportunities to intern or find a job that would prepare me for the fashion industry. The closest mall is in the town south of mine and has less than 30 apparel stores, many of which are closing or on the verge of closing. Boutiques and other such stores are virtually non-existent and/or cater to Florida’s prominent senior citizen community. Without any real opportunities to explore a career in fashion design, it seems like the only thing I can do is to teach myself to sew, which I am currently doing. Also, I stay up-to-date with industry news and (try) to look at Style.com‘s runway slideshows as much as possible.

As a successful fashion designer with your own label, what do you recommend I do if I want to be a fashion designer?

Thank-you,
Alissa

Dear Fashion-Minded Floridian -

Where you grow up, your surroundings, and all of your experiences will inform your designs for the rest of your life!

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Here’s What You Could Win Tonight at Taco Tuesday

Just a little reminder that we’re hosting Taco Tuesday tonight! Come by the Hudson Terrace to eat tacos, watch us try to bartend and enter a raffle to win one of the following amazing prizes:

  • RESIN “black garnet” style jeans

  • Lee Angel box chain fringe necklace
  • Melissa Joy Manning Quartz necklace
  • Rachel Leigh bracelet
  • Lela Rose Pyrite necklace
  • Aloha Rag eco tote
  • Geren Ford leather top, leather shorts and blue rivet flats
  • Beirn cross body bag
    Chris Benz Sequin Tank

  • Matt & Nat SantoGold Convertible Shoulder Bag
  • Giles and Brother by Philip Crangi Pied-de-Biche Cuff
  • Olivia Harris Large Ball Hobo
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