It-bags, while not quite as flashy these days as their Baguette ancestors, are definitely still thriving. Much like the new It-girls, they’re more simply adorned and low-key. But despite a lower profile–and lack of logos plastered all over–they’re still very much a thing.
As Cannes comes to an end, here is another short film by a luxury fashion brand. And, like Prada’s Roman Polanski-directed “A Therapy,” this film strikes a similar balance between artsy and funny. Olivier Zahm created the short film for Louis Vuitton’s online magazine New, Now. It’s supposed to be the Purple editor’s diary from Read more →
Louis Vuitton’s first major artist collaboration since Takashi Murakami will debut in July on a pretty huge scale. In a partnership that has been a long time coming, LV’s creative director Marc Jacobs brought on Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama to put her recognizable stamp on a range of Vuitton clothes, accessories and leather goods. Jacobs Read more →
Last season, Prada‘s spring bananas and bright colors beat out all other big labels to be featured on the most magazine covers with 77, as we counted it. Score one for their PR department. Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana trailed in second and third, but now with a new season and thousands of new covers, Prada has officially been dethroned.
Louis Vuitton and Burberry, serious about protecting their trademarks, won a round against the counterfeiters today.
In the largest ever judgment in a trademark counterfeiting and copyright case in Canada, Louis Vuitton will receive CAD $1.4 million (about USD $1.5 million) and Burberry will receive CAD $1.1 million (about USD $1.14 million).
Sharon Wauchob is Irish, attended London’s Central St Martins school, designs for Edun in New York and shows her own eponymous line in Paris.
So who is the Wauchob woman? “It’s more a matter of using what is available and specific to the country,” Sharon told us backstage after the show, “For instance France has incredible, unique lace and pleating techniques.”
Indeed, Sharon, who previously worked on textiles at Louis Vuitton is growing to be an expert at fabric treatment. Her collection, shown last night in Paris’ Beaux-Arts school, is a game of laces, playing on the subtlety of layering two sheer fabrics, contrasting fur and fishnet-like broderie anglaise.
eBay’s New Look: eBay just launched ebaylookbook.com, a style site with user-generated personal style that visitors can vote on. Popular participants can win fashion accessories. There’s also a trends and style tips section contributed by our very own Lauren Sherman. {eBay Lookbook}
Marc Works Hard For the Money: It sounds like Marc’s seventies infatuation will carry over to tomorrow’s Vuitton show. Supposedly, his inspiration for the collection was disco sensation Donna Summer. {Daily Front Row}
Dov Charney Continues to Dodge Bullets: American Apparel will not file for bankruptcy thanks to an alteration of their agreement with lenders at Lion Capital. The agreement sounds like it came with some conditions. “We are working together with Dov to realign the capital structure of American Apparel to support a number of key initiatives within the business, including the hiring of several new senior executives,” said partner Lyndon Lea. Sure this is all great news for the company and its patrons, but this doesn’t in any way mean the end of all of American Apparel’s problems. {NY Mag}
Bedbugs Swoosh: The bed bugs are back (were they every really gone?). Their latest victim? The 95,000 square-foot Nike store on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue. While Nike has released a press release addressing the bedbug problem, none of the signs outside let passersby know that the store has been infested with bedbugs. Sneaky. {The Cut}
Taylor Momsen Is on Fire, Literally: Taylor Momsen and her band The Pretty Reckless have released their new video for ‘Makes Me Wanna Die.’ In it, Momsen strips down to her underwear while walking through bits of burning debris and leaping flames. Shocking. {Huffington Post}
Giles Comes To NYFW: Maybe. Following the steps of other UK designers such as Preen and William Tempest, Giles Deacon wants to show his eponymous label in New York next season rather than London. {Fashionologie}
Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 Cheat Sheet:
Marc Jacobs Spring 2011, The Unabridged Version:
For me, there was a strong connection between Marc Jacobs Fall 2007 and Marc Jacobs Spring 2011: While Fall ’07 was about primary colors and the 1930s and ’40s, Spring ’11 was about sunset hues and the 1940s as it was interpreted in the 1970s. It was as if one began where the other left off.
Fashionista contributor Long Nguyen is the co-founder/style director of Flaunt.
“Life in the Fat Lane,” the third chapter of media studies professor Laura Kipnis’ 1996 book Bound and Gagged, juxtaposed the dilemma of fat fetish pornography and how popular culture confront the issue of fat and desire. On one hand, obese porn, a niche in the vast porn business, is an absolute revolt against the dictatorial and incessant aesthetic of thinness. On the other, the images of these chubby women–often 44-35-44–entice desires that contradict and challenge prevailing cultural norms.
Yet over the past decade, the fat porn market has grown tremendously as acceptance of full size women becomes the norm. At least in the porn industry. Once a province of cheap production titles, big studios have been producing lavish titles with more budgets. The advance of web technology has allowed better quality for those choosing to self-published. Even the nomenclature has changed–the category is now called BBW or Big Beautiful Women. Hardly anyone ever mentions “fat porn” in an age where the “deviant” bodies of April Flores, Karla Lane, Kelly Shibari and Bonnie de la Cruz–some of the industry’s stars–are becoming household names.
Everyone pulled out the big guns this week…Rachel Zoe did Louis Vuitton, Jen Brill tried turquoise Chanel, Jessica Alba opted for Balmain, and who cares who Drew Barrymore was wearing? She looks great. Oh, and Rachel Bilson went on a Barneys shopping spree.
A reader came to us with what we imagine to be a fairly common dilemma: She wants to invest in a quality designer handbag, but also wants to make sure she picks one that is worth the exorbitant price tag. We think handbags are a little more important than other “investment pieces” (like shoes) and thus require even more careful consideration.
Unless you can afford to buy a new it bag every season, you want one that will withstand the passing of trends and continue to look amazing for years to come. We also think it’s important that you really, really love it and aren’t just buying it for status or–not that we think we have that much influence–because it’s on this list.
Also, remember that just because it’s marked down doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the bag for you. Lauren advises, “Don’t buy a bag that’s on sale unless it’s the one you really want. If you’re going to spend a lot of money regardless, pay full price for something you’ll love for a long time. I know from experience.” Here are five very expensive but, in our opinion, very worth it, handbags.
