Simon Spurr

Following last week's announcement that Proenza Schouler would be showing at an earlier time slot (to accommodate their party) comes the news from WWD that Tommy Hilfiger will also be switching his show date.

Simon Spurr stirred up some waves in the fashion community back in March when he up and quit his eponymous menswear label without saying why. Then it got even more confusing when the company announced that it would continue without Simon Spurr, the designer. Oh, and did we mention that this all happened mere days after the designer was nominated for the CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year award? Awkward. The New York Times' Eric Wilson pinned down both Spurr and his business partner/co-founder Judd Nydes, and while neither party came clean about the specific reasons for Spurr's departure, it seems that the designer may have left because of a disagreement over the high price point of Spurr's collection.

In an increasingly bizarre and confusing situation, Simon Spurr, the company, has confirmed that operations will continue despite the fact that Simon Spurr, the co-founding designer, left the company last month. Judd Nydes, co-founder of Simon Spurr, who has stayed with the company, told WWD, “We regret Simon’s unfortunate decision to leave the company. The company plans to continue without Simon and is looking towards a bright future as its business continues to mature." Nydes and Spurr also offer a little more insight into why Spurr decided to leave his namesake company.

Since the departure of its namesake designer, the label Simon Spurr has been in quite an awkward place, to say the least. Spurr's abrupt exit, just days after he was nominated for the CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year award, came as an unpleasant surprise to the fashion industry, us included (though he'll still be eligible for a CFDA award, according to The Cut). And apparently we weren't the only ones baffled: WWD reported yesterday that, according to a "financial source," the label's co-founder Judd Nydes and other members of the team were also “shocked." And while the company has declined to comment on the designer's departure, an in-house PR rep, Sarvie Nasseri, confirmed to WWD today that "at this time all p.r. is on hold.”

Another day, another designer is out of a job. And we never saw this one coming. Simon Spurr has confirmed that he left his namesake label on Friday, WWD is reporting. The announcement is particularly bizarre given that Spurr was just last week nominated for CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year alongside Patrik Ervell and Billy Reid. WWD also notes that back in January, Spurr won the Fashion Group International Rising Star Award in men’s wear. Adding to the mystery of this unexpected announcement is Spurr's cryptic comment on his departure:

Simon Spurr, whose expert tailoring is often showcased alongside denim, had a surprise for us, just minutes before his show began at Milk Studios on Sunday: “There’s not a single jean in the collection this season,” he revealed. Instead, Spurr offered a crisp, business-like selection that took its cues from a Robert Frank photograph of London in the 1950s. Spurr said he was striving for “a more elevated look.” Spurr achieved his aim. With Joe Jonas and Kellan Lutz seated in the audience, the show began with pieces tinged with mauve, and small, glistening touches. Silver buttons on his jackets glimmered along with umbrella handles, helping his looks cut a cool, collected path down the runway. The designer keenly focused on fabric this time around, flaunting his new found love of mixing materials (leather sleeves on a wool suit) and patterns (a check meeting a hound’s tooth). The British proclivity for overbearing checks, stripes and prints came to fore only rarely, and these instances were easily surmounted by the conservatism displayed by the resolutely “elevated” items that far outnumbered them.

It's the best of the rest! We've got reviews and galleries from: Wayne's masterful minimalist "birds of prey" collection, Patrik Ervell's sleek and

After watching Simon Spurr prepare for his Spring 2012 show, we already knew what to expect: expertly tailored menswear mixed with subtle hints of country charm (think English riding boots and denim). Of course, the recent CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year nom offered many classic, slim cut, three piece suits, but there were plenty of striped patterns as well. “The graphic prints were inspired by a guy named Norman Wilkinson who came out with the first version of camouflage for the British navy, called Dazzle Ships in 1920,” Spurr told us backstage. He incorporated the striped, zig-zag patterns into many pieces, including suits, knits, and a blazer or two.

The CFDA Awards are a time to reflect on the amazing work of American fashion designers and industry professionals. (And a chance to wear an evening gown, which doesn't come around as much as I wish it would.) In honor of tonight's ceremonies, we've rounded up our favorite looks from this year's CFDA nominees and I've got to say, they're all pretty amazing. From Pamela Love's hefty gems to 3.1 Phillip Lim's quirky dudes, the CFDA noms are a diverse bunch. Hurry up and click through to see the best of the best of American fashion and place your bets on tonight's winners.

Another year, another CFDA Awards. Tonight Diane von Furstenberg and Steven Kolb announced the nominations for 2011's awards. But before she began to read out the names, DvF told the crowd at her packed studio that the organization would be putting together an auction for the victims of the Japan natural disasters. "We're going to put together big packages. Designers, clients, suppliers--everyone is getting involved." As for the nominees and honorees, there were very few surprises, except for maybe one.

A Very Pregnant Kerr Covers Australian Vogue: Vogue Australia landed its first pregnant cover girl and it's none other than Miranda Kerr. After being photographed preggers and nude for W, it was only a matter of time before she ended up on a cover. {Catwalk Queen} LiLo Poses for Kira: Yeah, Kira Plastinina still exists in some parts of the world. And Lindsay Lohan is the new face of the brand. {TMZ} Greetings From Zac Posen: The designer has sketched a dress that looks like a Christmas tree for his very own holiday card. Buy a box--the proceeds will benefit New Yorkers For Children. {Tiny Prints} Brooklyn Law School Is Not Stupid: By now, we're sure you've seen Diesel's "Be Stupid" campaign. Well, Brooklyn Law School rented out their library expecting a tasteful shoot. Instead, they got pictures of young models running around in their underwear grinding against bookshelves, books, and other models. The dean is not happy. {New York Post}

I have three words to say about Simon Spurr’s 2011 Spring/Summer collection: So F*cking Handsome. But here are some more words, just in case: Spurr has found that enviable place between high-end British cutting and a cool American feel. The cuts of his jackets, jeans and shirts are razor sharp, and tight like a vice, but there’s nothing restricting about them. And nothing too austere. There are leather gloves here and leather bombers, to remind us men that we’re men. The striped and plaid suits that are damn near playful, while maintaining confidence (Spurr has gone with three-pieces for many of his looks, to my great delight) and some pink trousers to go with the dapper, leather travel bags his boys took with them down the runway.

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.

We're not huge on sparkles, but when talents like menswear great Simon Spurr, Fenton/Fallon jewelry master Dana Lorenz and It-designers Prabal Gurung and Joseph Altuzarra create with crystals, we take notice. This morning's breakfast at Swarovski's Creative Service Center--which is kind of like a candy store for designers who love crystals instead of kids who love sweets--celebrated the new shine-heavy capsule collection created by the foursome, along with Alexander Wang, Jason Wu, Eddie Borgo, Richard Chai and Patrick Ervell. Each designer, natch, is nominated for the CFDA's Swarovski Award in his or her respective category.

Simon Spurr debuted an eponymous spin-off collection alongside his fall line for SPURR today at the Altman Building, showing us almost 40 looks in tot

There's usually a smattering of men's shows across the New York Fashion Week schedule - Duckie Brown, Commonwealth Utilities - and this year, CFDA nom