There was a lot to like, and even more to love, on the fifth day of fashion week. Critics found it hard to pick one favorite–or even three–on a day that saw Carolina Herrera commission a capriccio, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen take on a maison particulier in the Upper East Side, Olivier Theyskens delve into retro-futurism, Phillip Lim perfect his cool-girl aesthetic and Thom Browne stage a full-on performance piece.
Hugh Jackman lost a lot of weight for Les Miz, but at least he had time to do so. Not so for poor Anne Hathaway, who Jackman says had just 14 days to lose “300 pounds.” {Refinery29}
Were you just wondering why you haven’t heard anything out of Cat Marnell in a while? That’s because she’s in rehab in Thailand, reportedly paid for by Vice. {NYPost}
Oh Kim–maybe it’s time to stop letting Kanye dress you. The reality TV star stepped out in Miami in a super-tight crop top and leather skirt. {US Weekly}
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.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen may have won the prestigious CFDA award for womenswear designers of the year, but PETA isn’t impressed. The Olsens’ line, The Row, has released a new fur patchwork bag, retailing for $16,900 (and touted by Rachel Zoe as a bag to have for pre-fall), and PETA is pissed–and not because of Read more →
The Olsens Gave Shoe Fittings in Central America: Mary-Kate and Ashley, who recently collaborated with Toms on a range of cashmere shoes, just took a trip with founder Blake Mycoskie to Honduras to personally give out shoes to needy kids in three different communities. Good for them!
{People Style Watch}
Jane Pratt won’t wake up for less than $15,000: At least, she won’t speak for less than that. The Observer says that is the amount they were quoted by Pratt’s representation when they asked if the former Sassy editor would be available to “deliver a brief address to a small group a month from now, in New York.”
{New York Observer}
“Billie Jean” named most stylish video: GQ ranked the 30 most stylish music videos of all time. Michael Jackson took both the #30 and #1 spots for “Thriller” and “Billy Jean,” respectively. Though his red leather jacket in “Thriller” may be more memorable, Jackson’s leather suit (with cropped pants), bowtie, pink socks and oxfords were pretty inspiring. {GQ}
Robyn Lawley’s Vogue coup: Robyn Lawley, who covered Italian Vogue‘s recent plus-size issue, now stars in Australian Vogue‘s first-ever plus-size spread. {Frockwriter}
From Zoe to The Row: Every time one of those weird Bing “commercials” came on during the Rachel Zoe Project, we couldn’t help but think, “Why is Microsoft trying so hard to make Bing happen and why are they targeting Rachel Zoe’s audience?” Now, they’re tapping into another fashion brand–The Row. In an exclusive partnership, Bing.com will air coverage of their SS2011 collection in two “short films.” A teaser is up now. According to a press release, this collab makes sense because, “Bing and The Row share a commitment to visual beauty which combine for a unique partnership.” Okay, Bing. {Bing.com}
Tom Florio to IMG: Tom Florio left his publishing position at Condé Nast over three months ago and we’ve all been wondering what his next job would be. Turns out, IMG created one for him. The company announced today Florio’s appointment as senior advisor for fashion to the office of the chairman, effective October 1. {Daily Front Row}
Awkward Next Top Model: On Monday night’s live finale of Australia’s Next Top Model, host Sarah Murdoch announced the wrong winner, only to find out through her earpiece and correct herself after Kelsey made her heartfelt acceptance speech. Awkward. However, all is not lost for Kelsey. Because of the mistake and closeness of the votes, both her and Amanda (the real winner) won the grand prize which is $25,000, a trip to NYC and a Harper’s Bazaar cover. {DDG Daily}
We were right again. We were pretty excited about this and it’s definitely our favorite Vogue cover in a while; maybe just because we love Carey so much and that Chanel couture number is refreshingly edgy for the American glossy. The shoot was styled by Grace Coddington and shot by Peter Lindbergh. {Catwalk Queen}
The “New” Chanel Iman: Chanel Iman, who at 19 years old is well on her way to becoming a household name, is ready to change and evolve. With fashion week imminent, the runway fixture and Victoria’s Secret model has just signed with IMG after seven months with Supreme. “It’s the celebration of a new me,” she says. {Daily Front Row}
Tavi Styles at Fashion Week: Tavi continues to be unstoppable. Part of Alice & Olivia’s presentation will be styled by the 14 year old blogger. Designer Stacey Bendet calls her “one of the most original people in fashion right now.” {Elle.com}
You Heard it Here First: See, we don’t make these things up. Halle Berry is on the cover of September Vogue. She tells Jonathan Van Meter, “What that means for a woman of color and what that means in the fashion world, what that means to pop culture, there was no way I could say, ‘No, I’m not going to be on the biggest issue of the year.” We’re kind of into the high-drama feel of the shoot, but what is up with the Cleopatra hair? {Vogue.com}
Would Michelle Obama wear The Row? Ashley Olsen thinks so, saying “I’d love to get Michelle Obama in The Row. The simple suits and things. It’s all made in America, so why not?” We think The Row might be a little lacking in color for Mrs. O, but you never know. {In Style UK}
American Apparel’s Filing Failures: In case you were wondering, American Apparel’s financial woes are not getting any better, because Dov and co. are super late filing their financial reports. They keep trying to delay reporting their last two quarters (for which they expect a loss), which is really bad considering they’re a publicly traded company. Things don’t look good. {Going Concern}
Fashion’s Night Out is quickly approaching and it’s going to be huge. During the week of September 10 events will be taking place across the globe. As we already reported, Vogue will be staging the biggest fashion show ever on September 7. As follow up, there will also be a CBS special on the 14 and a FNO-themed Gossip Girl episode on the 20.
But what about the day of? Not everyone’s plans are 100% locked down yet, although we’ve been getting scoops from a few retailers from NYC to Berlin and we just couldn’t wait to share! It’s never too early to start preparing for fashion’s biggest party, right?
We’re Fashionista. Of course we like sunglasses. But this year, it seems to be the accessory of choice: The Thing everything wants to get their hands on. Who cares if they’re from The Row or Target? As long as they look good, we’re happy. So we’ve rounded up the season’s best. We’ll be following up later today with a few longer features on the world of sunnies, so stay tuned.
**All graphics by Steff Yotka.
About a week ago, I received a package in the mail from Gap, stuffed with two of the brand’s new t-shirts. The “Perfect T” collection, which launched July 1, includes tri-blend knits, micro modal tanks, and a soft, relaxed burnout fabric. Most styles are just $19.50.
Of course it’s nice to receive a gift, but more than that, I was intrigued by the feel of the shirts. They felt, well, expensive.
Which leads me to my point. Thank you, The Row. Thank you, James Perse. But above all, thank you, Michael Stars–the original “I can’t believe these t-shirts are that expensive” brand–for raising the quality bar in the t-shirt category.
Now, don’t misunderstand my gratitude. I would never, ever spend more than $50 on a tee. (Yes, I know that’s still kind of expensive, but if it’s a silk blend I can excuse it.) But I am glad that these brands exist. Why? Because it pushes less pricey labels to create better product at a lower price. Do you remember what t-shirts used to feel like? They were thick, took years to soften, and often became a funny shape after a wash or two.
Why the change? Consider a brand like James Perse.
I’m not going to go crazy at James Perse every time I walk in, but I have spent money when there’s been a good sale. My reasoning: Why would I spend a few dollars less at a specialty retailer if I can get higher quality on sale? Suddenly, the Gaps and J.Crews and even Old Navys of the world are not only competing with each other, they’re competing with LNA, Kain, and Splendid as well.
So we must thank those ridiculous brands for offering up $500 t-shirts. We might not be buying them, but they’ve improved the quality of t-shirts we do buy. Here are a few of Fashionista’s favorite tees for midsummer.
Unlike celebrity-designed fashion labels, we love designer collaborations. Whether it’s about mixing up high- and low-end or simply bringing together two brilliant minds, there’s something inherently special about two great brands producing something new. Next up, it’s Isabel Toledo for Payless ShoeSource. The designer is creating a line of affordable shoes and handbags for the Read more →
