Fashionista

How to Make It in Fashion: June 21, Dream Hotel Downtown, New York

Tuesday November 15th, 2011

UPDATED: Donatella Versace Kills NY Daily News Spread Featuring ‘Real Girls’ Wearing Versace for H&M
Collaboration

UPDATED: Donatella Versace Kills NY Daily News Spread Featuring ‘Real Girls’ Wearing Versace for H&M

While doing press for Versace for H&M, Donatella Versace said many times that she wanted to make Versace accessible to a new, younger customer. “I wanted to give it to a whole new customer, especially the younger crowd, through H&M,” Versace said at a press conference about the collection moderated by Style.com’s Tim Blanks. “I know that with the H&M collection I’m going to reach a much wider audience than usual,” Versace said earlier in a video filmed during the shoot for the commercial for the H&M line. “When I’m going to see young people in the street wearing these iconic pieces it’s going to be fun.”

But perhaps not just any young person in the street. The New York Daily News reportedly tried to arrange a shoot featuring the Versace for H&M collection on ‘real New Yorkers’–according to the reporter working on the shoot, the models are all recent grads at high profile jobs, billed as ‘New York’s new power players.’ The reporter was cautioned by H&M that “Donatella will likely not approve shooting the collection on real women.” After the reporter sent over photos of the ‘real girls’ for approval, one didn’t make the cut because she “doesn’t fit [Versace’s] branding.”

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Published at 12:42 PM
Tom Ford for H&M? H&M Wants It To Happen (And So Do We)
Collaboration

Tom Ford for H&M? H&M Wants It To Happen (And So Do We)

After all the hubbub over the Versace for H&M collection dies down, could Tom Ford be the next designer to collaborate with the fast fashion retailer and set the internet’s tongues a-wagging? Dear god, we hope so!

According to BusinessWeek, H&M is “keen to follow up its Versace collection with a fashion range designed by Tom Ford.” It’s a rumor that’s been around before–coincidentally (or not?), right after H&M’s last high-profile collaboration with Lanvin wrapped.

Back then, we doubted the veracity of the rumor for the same reasons we do now: Namely, that fast-fashion–and a highly publicized collaboration, which would necessitate a press tour and ad campaign with the designer–doesn’t really seem like Ford’s steez.

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Published at 11:45 AM

Monday November 14th, 2011

Best Giveaway Ever: We’re Giving Away a One of a Kind Versace for H&M Dress that Natasha Poly Wore on the Runway
Giveaways

Best Giveaway Ever: We’re Giving Away a One of a Kind Versace for H&M Dress that Natasha Poly Wore on the Runway

Get ready to get clickin’: We’re giving away a Versace for H&M gold mesh dress that won’t be available in stores–it’s legit right off the runway/Natasha Poly‘s perfect bod and won’t be going into production. Basically, no amount of time camping outside your local mall will get you this one…the only way to get it Read more →

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Published at 3:00 PM
Updated: Here Are the Rules for Shopping the Versace for H&M Collection When It Goes On Sale This Week
Collaboration

Updated: Here Are the Rules for Shopping the Versace for H&M Collection When It Goes On Sale This Week

We all know what happened recently with Missoni for Target–that collection disappeared instantly, online shoppers got $25 consolation gift cards instead of cute zigzagged coffee cups, and items showed up on eBay for exorbitant prices.

H&M has always tried to prevent this type of run on its collaborations by laying down rules in advance and allowing very controlled access to the collections. (It also helps that they don’t have e-commerce. You have to be really committed to get out of your warm bed to stand in line at 4am). The Versace for H&M collection goes on sale November 17 in London (it will be available November 19 stateside), and the Telegraph is reporting on H&M’s rules for engagement. If you think you can waltz in and grab five of those pink silk dresses, think again.

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Published at 12:00 PM

Wednesday November 9th, 2011

Versace for H&M Debrief: Donatella Talks to Tim Blanks About Why the Collection Was Emotionally Taxing and If She Ever Shops at H&M

Versace for H&M Debrief: Donatella Talks to Tim Blanks About Why the Collection Was Emotionally Taxing and If She Ever Shops at H&M

This morning, Donatella Versace and H&M creative advisor Margareta van den Bosch sat down with moderator Tim Blanks for a chat on (what else) the Versace for H&M collaboration, which will hit stores in (OMFG!) just over a week. Here’s what we learned.

The collection is an homage to Donatella’s late brother, Gianni:

“Yes, it was an homage to Gianni. I couldn’t [pay homage in the same way] in my own line [the main Versace line] because it’s too archival, but I wanted to give it to a whole new customer, especially the younger crowd, through H&M.”

Working on the collaboration was difficult for Donatella emotionally:

“[Before the collaboration] I never went back [into the archives] to look because it’s something I have in my heart and it’s very painful. It was a hard process for me but then I said, ‘No, everyone should see what Gianni was.”

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Published at 4:48 PM
Watch: Lindsey Wixson and Daphne Groeneveld are Donatella Versace’s Puppets in Creepy New Versace for H&M Commercial

Watch: Lindsey Wixson and Daphne Groeneveld are Donatella Versace’s Puppets in Creepy New Versace for H&M Commercial

It appears that the first Versace for H&M TV commercial has been released in full and it might be the most fun TV commercial we’ve seen since Chanel’s finger dancing. H&M’s creative director joked in a behind-the-scenes teaser that they must have used “all the gold plate in London” for the film and that seems Read more →

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Published at 12:04 PM
Versace for H&M: From the Runway to the Red Carpet to Mother Effing Prince, Here’s All You Need to Know About Last Night’s Spectacular
People & Parties

Versace for H&M: From the Runway to the Red Carpet to Mother Effing Prince, Here’s All You Need to Know About Last Night’s Spectacular

Last night Versace and H&M pulled out all the stops–and we mean all of them–to put on a runway show and party to celebrate their collaboration, which hits stores on November 19. Pier 57 was transformed into “Versace Hall” complete with a mirror-walled cocktail lounge (made to resemble Versace’s show space in Milan) and a wood paneled runway in a pattern that seemed to mimic Versace’s Greek fret motif (and also ensured everyone got a front row seat).

Everyone except Anna Wintour was there (and maybe she was and we just didn’t see her?): performers Prince and Nicki Minaj (wearing an enormous green wig and sequined Versace for H&M) sat to watch the show; celebs, all dressed in h-to-t Versace for H&M, included Blake Lively, Uma Thurman, Jessica Alba, Chace Crawford, Chloe Moretz, Jennifer Hudson and Alan Cumming; there were designers aplenty from Joseph Altuzarra to Alexander Wang to Christopher Kane; in keeping with the collection’s ’90s theme, ’90s supermodels Linda Evangelista and Helena Christensen were there; and there were too many stylists and editors and socialites to count.

“It looks good,” Minaj told us about the collection as she walked the red carpet. “All the stuff they brought to my room today I was like, ‘I’m keeping that!’ Minaj confessed that she fell in her platform Versaces during the filming for her Superbass video but she said, “I’m not taking them off, fashion is pain, and I’m keeping them on, and Superbass went on to be such a big song, so maybe Versace’s good luck.”

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Published at 9:55 AM

Tuesday November 8th, 2011

Updated: Versace for H&M Doesn’t Go On Sale Until November 19 But You Can Buy It Now From a Chinese Online Retailer

Updated: Versace for H&M Doesn’t Go On Sale Until November 19 But You Can Buy It Now From a Chinese Online Retailer

Yikes. The Versace for H&M frenzy has just begun, with the runway show and party featuring performances by Prince and Nicki Minaj set for tonight, but we just received a tip that an online Chinese retailer is already selling the full collection.

Every piece is available for sale at an online mall called Germany Street (it’s similar to a site like Amazon and sells ‘European styles’ hence the Germany connection) and the price conversions from Yuan to dollars suggest that the collection will be a bit steeper in China. The dress Abbey Lee is wearing below will retail for $149 when it is sold at H&Ms in the US in a week and a half, while the price on Taobao.com is 1470 Yuan (about $231).

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Published at 3:11 PM
Why Versace for H&M Almost Didn’t Happen, the Celebs Donatella Wants to Dress, and Her ‘Singing’ Debut at Tonight’s Runway Show
Shopping

Why Versace for H&M Almost Didn’t Happen, the Celebs Donatella Wants to Dress, and Her ‘Singing’ Debut at Tonight’s Runway Show

It’s less than two weeks until the Versace for H&M collection hits stores on November 19, but the party to introduce the collection officially kicks off tonight. Donatella Versace is here in New York prepping for tonight’s epic runway show and party, and WWD caught up with the designer to talk about the collection and what we can expect from tonight’s Prince and Nicki Minaj and celeb-filled spectacular.

Versace for H&M hype may be reaching fever pitch now, but the collab almost didn’t happen.

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Published at 9:45 AM

Friday November 4th, 2011

Versace for H&M Gets Even Better: Prince and Nicki Minaj To Perform at Launch Party

Versace for H&M Gets Even Better: Prince and Nicki Minaj To Perform at Launch Party

Donatella Versace is bringing out the big guns when it comes to the NYC launch party of her new Versace for H&M collection. And by big guns we mean Prince and Nicki Minaj. Yes, you read that right: Prince. And Nicki Minaj. Performing. We think our heads just exploded.

WWD reports that both of the singers are set to perform after the Versace for H&M fashion show wraps. Of the all-star act, Donatella told the industry newspaper, “To have my friend, the great, the amazing, the one and only Prince, and the extraordinary Nicki Minaj both perform at the event, will create exactly the feeling of joy and glamour I want this partnership to express.” We wholeheartedly agree with her.

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Published at 9:04 AM

Monday October 31st, 2011

Donatella Versace on Giving up Drugs and Her Thoughts on Roberto Cavalli Paying Frequent ‘Homage’ to Versace

Donatella Versace on Giving up Drugs and Her Thoughts on Roberto Cavalli Paying Frequent ‘Homage’ to Versace

She conquered the fashion industry one skintight dress at a time and practically made a trademark out of her platinum hair and tanned skin. Now with the Versace for H&M collection about to hit stores in a matter of weeks, she’s also the lady of the hour. Of course, we’re talking about Donatella Versace. (Is there any other?)

To get everyone prepped for that collection to hit stores (yes, we mean Versace for H&M) there’s been an onslaught of profiles featuring none other than Ms. Donatella, most notably in The Daily Beast and Style.com’s new print mag, Style.com/Print and here are the best tidbits to emerge so far.

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Published at 3:34 PM

Tuesday October 25th, 2011