Well, it's certainly going to be a season for good underwear.
Miuccia Prada might have defended her supra-pubis skirts as mere show ponies intended to be worn as tops out in the real world, but there were no cover-ups going on at Gucci on Wednesday.
Hemlines barely covered the models' derrieres in a collection that, like so many others this season, paid hip service to the 1960s with a series of appliqued micro-sack and baby-doll dresses and waistless shift dresses.
Many of them were rendered iridescent by means of crystal embroidery or multifaceted brocade in the apparently de rigueur spring-summer 2007 tone of space-age silver.
But the Gucci designer Frida Giannini hedged her hemline bets with some floor-length alternatives, notably the finale piece: a striking black tent dress with violet and carmine geometric applique.
Also coming up short was Alberta Ferretti, Italy's queen of ethereal evening chic, whose heavily detailed, full-length georgette gowns are popular choices for the red carpets of international awards nights.
Judging by the number of micro-sack dresses in silver, oyster and gunmetal grey on offer, Ferretti's gala girls may be going the cocktail dress route next year.
After delving into '70s glam rock for winter, the Anna Molinari designer Rossella Tarabini moved forward two decades for spring – a period when today's young women first began scouring vintage stores, she noted backstage after the show.
There might have been numerous skin-tight leather pants and skinny suits, but falling in with yet another theme that first emerged in New York – demi-couture – Tarabini countered those skinny-day looks with a series of draped and heavily embellished rag dresses, many of them festooned with crystals and flower applique.
Keeping with the micro-courtesan look championed last week in London by up-and-coming British name Christopher Kane – who might not yet boast a commercial collection but does happen to consult to Donatella Versace – every last one was ludicrously short.
"People like to show legs," offered Tarabini. "It was almost swimming-suit [length] – I know that."
Original post and comments.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
PETA dishes dirt on fur scum - denies plants a central nervous system
Fashion Season has had a few close verbal encounters with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) over the years, on the occasion of some fur flare-up or other. We have however never previously witnessed any full-scale PETA assaults. Until now.
Having already been a PETA target, Julien MacDonald obviously wasn't taking any chances on Friday in London. The security seemed far stricter than usual, policing the entree to the Hilton's ballroom. In fact, I almost did not make it in.
Although having been invited by phone by the head publicist and assured I would be on the guest list, I arrived to discover a door PR who could not locate my name on her list and who was not about to give me the benefit of the doubt by letting me in, no
siree – or check with anybody else.
"I'm sorry, you're not on the list" she said, blankly.
"Oh come through, yes of course, you're on the seating list!" said the head PR, who suddenly arrived on the scene.
There seemed to be quite a few people in a similar situation, because a bottleneck swiftly developed at the entrance.
While waiting, I noticed a large table against one wall, behind which dozens of water bottles had been tossed. It looked like the recently beefed-up security checkpoints in the departure lounges of all flights heading to the US or UK, in the wake of the recent arrests in London. The temperature was sweltering, and the ballroom, packed.
Apparently MacDonald's security retinue had similar fears to the airport personnel: that the bottles could be used as missiles. I'm not sure they assumed liquid explosive could also be engineered, but look I could be wrong.
At the end of show, MacDonald walked to take his bow. But while John Galliano traditionally walks to take his show bows flanked by four beefy male security guards – anti-PETA protection, apparently – MacDonald walked to the end of his flanked by four models. Hiding behind them, it almost seemed. I guess if one of them cops it with a water bottle, that's OK by MacDonald.
Then the sound of a very loud bang ricocheted across the ballroom.
In all seriousness, I thought, "Holy shit, they were closely monitoring the Evian situation, but forgot to check for Glocks. Some nutter's snuck one in".
When gold and silver confetti started to rain down it became abundantly clear that the sound had been merely a glitter cannon. I breathed a sigh of relief.
But that relief momentarily turned to angst again at yesterday's Burberry show in Milan.
Just metres in front of me, three PETA protestors emerged from nowhere to leap on to the runway and hold up "Burberry: fur shame" banners. The models barely flinched (I guess they're used to it by now). I didn't clock the look on the faces of fur-loving Vogue editrixes Anna Wintour and Carine Roitfeld, who were just on the other side of the runway, but in any event it would have been hard to read Wintour as she was sporting ginormous sunnies.
Security guards sprang into action, grabbed the anti-fur troika and hauled them off into the aisle directly next to where I was sitting.
I watched as one blonde protestor lay there completely immobile, as if in a catatonic state, with hands crossed across her chest. She was looking directly up towards the ceiling, as if praying to the God of mink: "Please get me out of here in one piece."
Whatever your stance on fur, you have to admit, it's still a pretty gutsy thing to do. You attempt to get into a show without a ticket, let alone launching yourself directly in front of Lily Donaldson et al's money shots at the end of the runway.
I offered MacDonald the opportunity to talk about PETA but he declined. Fair enough.
I offered the same to the Burberry designer Christopher Bailey, but all he would say, before shutting me down was the following, in response to the question, "How do you like being called 'fur scum'"?
"It's not very nice," said Bailey.
The only person who would talk to me about it was someone claiming to be a PETA representative, outside the Hilton hotel on Friday night. So here's the Q&A for what it's worth.
SO PETA SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED TO INFILTRATE A JULIEN MACDONALD SHOW LAST YEAR?
Anita Singh, PETA campaign coordinator: Those were PETA activists who were just appalled at Julien MacDonald's disgraceful, continuous use of fur, despite the many times that we have sent him information about animals actually being skinned alive for their pelts. The North American fur farms and the European fur farms, basically the best way that they kill animals is through anal electrocution. That's no better than swinging a dog through the air.
YES BUT JUST TO PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE HERE, IF YOU EAT MEAT, THOSE ANIMALS ARE OFTEN ELECTROCUTED AS WELL.
I think that a lot of the animals that are raised for fur, are certainly not being eaten.
YES I UNDERSTAND, BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS, THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO DO EAT MEAT, THEY WOULD – ONE WOULD ASSUME – ACCEPT THAT THE ANIMALS THEY ARE EATING HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ABATTOIRS. IF YOU DON'T EAT MEAT AND DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANIMALS SHOULD BE KILLED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ELECTROCUTED SEEMS SHOCKING. KILLING AN ANIMAL IS STILL KILLING AN ANIMAL. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE HERE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS THAT KILLING AN ANIMAL FOR FUR IS SIMPLY IN ORDER TO CREATE A LUXURY PRODUCT?
PETA advocate for vegetarianism. We advocate for a compassionate diet that extends tO ...
YOU DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE RAISING SHEEP EITHER DO YOU?
Well I think that the way people look at these things these days, it's a little bit different. Sheep aren't raised in a backyard where they're happy and they're allowed to live within their families and they interact with humans. They're raised in factory farming conditions.
REALLY? HAVE YOU BEEN TO AUSTRALIA OR NEW ZEALAND LATELY?
Well it depends on exactly where you are. But in Australia one of the worst abuses is mulesing.
YES BUT AREN'T THEY WORKING THAT OUT?
Exactly, we're working with them to sort that out and the other thing that they do is live exports. So once the wool production of these sheep wanes, they're then put on these death ships where they're carted off thousands of miles without food or water so obviously that is animal cruelty and that's why we will continue to advocate vegetarianism ...
SO HAS THE SECURITY STEPPED UP AT SHOWS LIKE THESE VIS-A-VIS PETA?
Well no we've been out here for the last two hours and all the security guards have taken leaflets. They've been reading about it.
YES BUT THIS IS A PUBLIC SPACE, THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU HERE.
No of course they can't. We're here to inform people who are going into the show about what they're about to see. If there is no fur in this collection we want to inform them that while Julien is showing his summer collection, there are animals being raised on fur farms right now that will be part of his winter collection.
IS HE THE ONLY BRITISH DESIGNER WHO USES A LOT OF FUR?
He's one of the most notorious and he likes to flaunt it and he's very proud of the fact that he advocates anal electrocution, gassing, strangling small tiny ...
DOES HE ACTUALLY SAY THAT IN HIS ADVERTISING MATERIAL?
Well we constantly send him material to let him know what he is perpetuating and that is, cruelty to animals. And he is completely defending it through and through. Most people don't like strangling and torturing small defenceless animals but Julien MacDonald seems to take pleasure in it.
WHAT ABOUT THE ALLEGED LINKS BETWEEN PETA AND SOME RATHER MORE EXTREME FACTIONS OF THE ANIMAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT?
I think that in every social movement, you're going to have groups that take things to another extreme because they're so frustrated.
THEY'VE BEEN CALLED "ECO-TERRORISTS".
Well PETA, we don't employ those tactics. PETA work on a completely different level. We work through legislation, we work through brilliant, theatre-style demonstrations, as you can see we're out here today ... informing people.
THERE WAS ONE VERY FAMOUS CASE OF AN EXECUTIVE WHO WORKED AT A UK LABORATORY WHICH CONDUCTED ANIMAL-TESTING. HE WAS SEVERELY BEATEN BY ONE GROUP.
I've never actually heard of that. I've certainly not heard of anyone in the animal liberation movement harming another animal. I think that the main point of the animal rights movement is protection of all animals, whether they stand on two legs or on four. And we certainly, whether it be PETA or whether it be the ... or whether it be any group that is protecting animals, they certainly don't want to see any human harmed and that's certainly not the point of this movement. It's a compassionate movement and it's compassionate towards all animals. You and I are also included whether we have a tail or not.
ARE YOU WEARING ANY LEATHER?
No definitely not.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T WEAR FUR BUT WEARS LEATHER SHOES? AREN'T THEY STILL A PARTY TO KILLING ANIMALS FOR A LUXURY PRODUCT?
Do you know what, the more I found out about it, before I knew what was involved in the leather production and the meat industry, I myself years and years ago would wear leather shoes without knowing and I think that's the thing. We really need to inform people that there's no difference between wearing leather and wearing fur. It's still the skin of an animal and there's no kind way to rip the skin off any animal's back, whether it be a cow or whether it be a fox.
HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THAT THE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WHO DIE EVERY DAY FROM STARVATION MIGHT BE A BIGGER CAUSE?
I think that there are so many worthy causes. I think that there are so many children and animals suffering that we shouldn't forgo saving the lives of animals ...
THE ANIMAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT SEEMS AT TIMES TO BE MORE VISIBLE THAN THE HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
I think that all life is precious and all life should be protected and we should not turn a blind eye to suffering, whether it be for children or whether it be for animals. So there are a lot of people who advocate for children and those people are compassionate on both sides.
WHAT FLAVOUR CREAM PIE DOES PETA LIKE TO THROW AT ANNA WINTOUR?
A tofu cream pie.
SO NO ANIMAL INGREDIENTS?
There's no animal ingredients in anything that PETA uses.
WHAT ABOUT FRUITARIANS THOUGH – THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES HAVE BEEN MURDERED UNLESS THEY HAVE FALLEN OFF THE TREE?
Certainly PETA doesn't ... we're not fruitarians. Plants don't have a central nervous system.
REALLY? I'M SURE SOME PEOPLE WOULD ARGUE WITH YOU ON THAT POINT. DEFINITELY THE FRUITARIANS WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
Some people might. But that is not what we are about. We are about alleviating cruelty to animals and any way that we can do that and the higher the profile that we can raise for them, that is exactly what we are trying to do.
WHAT ABOUT CRUELTY TO ANNA WINTOUR?
Well cruelty to Anna Wintour ... Again, we've advised her many, many times about the pages in Vogue. I mean, we have offered to pay the same price as the fur industry for pages in her magazine and she has turned us down. That can only mean that she blatantly wants to ...
BUT THAT'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN ADVERTISING.
We have offered Anna Wintour. We have said, "Would you even consider this?" And she said, "No." Because she doesn't want to have anything to do with anti-fur.
YES BUT PROBABLY THE REAL REASON WHY SHE SAID NO IS BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THAT ONCE SHE LETS YOU ADVERTISE, THEN SHE'LL BE OBLIGED TO PLUG YOUR PRODUCTS ON HER EDITORIAL PAGES. THAT'S HOW IT WORKS IN THE GLOSSIES.
Well we have tried to inform her many, many times but she continues to allow an industry that has blood on its hands, that basically makes its money from torturing small animals ...
REPORTEDLY SHE TORTURES HER ASSISTANTS. SO I DON'T THINK SHE'S MAKING MUCH OF AN EXCEPTION WITH ANIMALS.
Well apparently. I can't comment on that. I don't know the woman. But I have flipped through the pages of Vogue and it's shocking to see the blood on every single page. It takes tens of animals, sometimes up to 60 or 80 mink to make one fur coat. That's 80 lives. Each one representing an animal that didn't want to die any more that you and I would want to. And so Anna Wintour is definitely somebody in her position in fashion, she should be setting a better example than the one she is. And in this day and age, I think the point is, this is the 20th century, we're not cavemen. We don't need animals skins.
THE CAVEMAN LOOK WAS ALL OVER THE WINTER RUNWAYS. PRADA'S 'SAUVAGE' FUR COATS ETC ...
Well I think designers are constantly trying to be outrageous. But if they were true visionaries they would come up with creative designs, like Stella McCartney, who is extremely popular and extremely successful. They would come up with designs that don't harm a hair on any animal. Some of her best friends ... Sadie Frost, she wears all of Stella's stuff. In fact she just did an anti-fur campaign for us just the other day. She launched one and she was wearing Stella McCartney's clothes and she looked brilliant. Most celebrities these days love Stella McCartney's clothes and again, Stella McCartney is a compassionate person, she wouldn't use leather and she certainly doesn't use fur. And she certainly hasn't made a name off any animal's back. She's done it off her own skin.
SO SHE'S NOT FUR SCUM?
She's definitely not fur scum.
Original post and comments.
Having already been a PETA target, Julien MacDonald obviously wasn't taking any chances on Friday in London. The security seemed far stricter than usual, policing the entree to the Hilton's ballroom. In fact, I almost did not make it in.
Although having been invited by phone by the head publicist and assured I would be on the guest list, I arrived to discover a door PR who could not locate my name on her list and who was not about to give me the benefit of the doubt by letting me in, no
siree – or check with anybody else.
"I'm sorry, you're not on the list" she said, blankly.
"Oh come through, yes of course, you're on the seating list!" said the head PR, who suddenly arrived on the scene.
There seemed to be quite a few people in a similar situation, because a bottleneck swiftly developed at the entrance.
While waiting, I noticed a large table against one wall, behind which dozens of water bottles had been tossed. It looked like the recently beefed-up security checkpoints in the departure lounges of all flights heading to the US or UK, in the wake of the recent arrests in London. The temperature was sweltering, and the ballroom, packed.
Apparently MacDonald's security retinue had similar fears to the airport personnel: that the bottles could be used as missiles. I'm not sure they assumed liquid explosive could also be engineered, but look I could be wrong.
At the end of show, MacDonald walked to take his bow. But while John Galliano traditionally walks to take his show bows flanked by four beefy male security guards – anti-PETA protection, apparently – MacDonald walked to the end of his flanked by four models. Hiding behind them, it almost seemed. I guess if one of them cops it with a water bottle, that's OK by MacDonald.
Then the sound of a very loud bang ricocheted across the ballroom.
In all seriousness, I thought, "Holy shit, they were closely monitoring the Evian situation, but forgot to check for Glocks. Some nutter's snuck one in".
When gold and silver confetti started to rain down it became abundantly clear that the sound had been merely a glitter cannon. I breathed a sigh of relief.
But that relief momentarily turned to angst again at yesterday's Burberry show in Milan.
Just metres in front of me, three PETA protestors emerged from nowhere to leap on to the runway and hold up "Burberry: fur shame" banners. The models barely flinched (I guess they're used to it by now). I didn't clock the look on the faces of fur-loving Vogue editrixes Anna Wintour and Carine Roitfeld, who were just on the other side of the runway, but in any event it would have been hard to read Wintour as she was sporting ginormous sunnies.
Security guards sprang into action, grabbed the anti-fur troika and hauled them off into the aisle directly next to where I was sitting.
I watched as one blonde protestor lay there completely immobile, as if in a catatonic state, with hands crossed across her chest. She was looking directly up towards the ceiling, as if praying to the God of mink: "Please get me out of here in one piece."
Whatever your stance on fur, you have to admit, it's still a pretty gutsy thing to do. You attempt to get into a show without a ticket, let alone launching yourself directly in front of Lily Donaldson et al's money shots at the end of the runway.
I offered MacDonald the opportunity to talk about PETA but he declined. Fair enough.
I offered the same to the Burberry designer Christopher Bailey, but all he would say, before shutting me down was the following, in response to the question, "How do you like being called 'fur scum'"?
"It's not very nice," said Bailey.
The only person who would talk to me about it was someone claiming to be a PETA representative, outside the Hilton hotel on Friday night. So here's the Q&A for what it's worth.
SO PETA SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED TO INFILTRATE A JULIEN MACDONALD SHOW LAST YEAR?
Anita Singh, PETA campaign coordinator: Those were PETA activists who were just appalled at Julien MacDonald's disgraceful, continuous use of fur, despite the many times that we have sent him information about animals actually being skinned alive for their pelts. The North American fur farms and the European fur farms, basically the best way that they kill animals is through anal electrocution. That's no better than swinging a dog through the air.
YES BUT JUST TO PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE HERE, IF YOU EAT MEAT, THOSE ANIMALS ARE OFTEN ELECTROCUTED AS WELL.
I think that a lot of the animals that are raised for fur, are certainly not being eaten.
YES I UNDERSTAND, BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS, THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO DO EAT MEAT, THEY WOULD – ONE WOULD ASSUME – ACCEPT THAT THE ANIMALS THEY ARE EATING HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ABATTOIRS. IF YOU DON'T EAT MEAT AND DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANIMALS SHOULD BE KILLED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ELECTROCUTED SEEMS SHOCKING. KILLING AN ANIMAL IS STILL KILLING AN ANIMAL. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE HERE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS THAT KILLING AN ANIMAL FOR FUR IS SIMPLY IN ORDER TO CREATE A LUXURY PRODUCT?
PETA advocate for vegetarianism. We advocate for a compassionate diet that extends tO ...
YOU DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE RAISING SHEEP EITHER DO YOU?
Well I think that the way people look at these things these days, it's a little bit different. Sheep aren't raised in a backyard where they're happy and they're allowed to live within their families and they interact with humans. They're raised in factory farming conditions.
REALLY? HAVE YOU BEEN TO AUSTRALIA OR NEW ZEALAND LATELY?
Well it depends on exactly where you are. But in Australia one of the worst abuses is mulesing.
YES BUT AREN'T THEY WORKING THAT OUT?
Exactly, we're working with them to sort that out and the other thing that they do is live exports. So once the wool production of these sheep wanes, they're then put on these death ships where they're carted off thousands of miles without food or water so obviously that is animal cruelty and that's why we will continue to advocate vegetarianism ...
SO HAS THE SECURITY STEPPED UP AT SHOWS LIKE THESE VIS-A-VIS PETA?
Well no we've been out here for the last two hours and all the security guards have taken leaflets. They've been reading about it.
YES BUT THIS IS A PUBLIC SPACE, THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU HERE.
No of course they can't. We're here to inform people who are going into the show about what they're about to see. If there is no fur in this collection we want to inform them that while Julien is showing his summer collection, there are animals being raised on fur farms right now that will be part of his winter collection.
IS HE THE ONLY BRITISH DESIGNER WHO USES A LOT OF FUR?
He's one of the most notorious and he likes to flaunt it and he's very proud of the fact that he advocates anal electrocution, gassing, strangling small tiny ...
DOES HE ACTUALLY SAY THAT IN HIS ADVERTISING MATERIAL?
Well we constantly send him material to let him know what he is perpetuating and that is, cruelty to animals. And he is completely defending it through and through. Most people don't like strangling and torturing small defenceless animals but Julien MacDonald seems to take pleasure in it.
WHAT ABOUT THE ALLEGED LINKS BETWEEN PETA AND SOME RATHER MORE EXTREME FACTIONS OF THE ANIMAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT?
I think that in every social movement, you're going to have groups that take things to another extreme because they're so frustrated.
THEY'VE BEEN CALLED "ECO-TERRORISTS".
Well PETA, we don't employ those tactics. PETA work on a completely different level. We work through legislation, we work through brilliant, theatre-style demonstrations, as you can see we're out here today ... informing people.
THERE WAS ONE VERY FAMOUS CASE OF AN EXECUTIVE WHO WORKED AT A UK LABORATORY WHICH CONDUCTED ANIMAL-TESTING. HE WAS SEVERELY BEATEN BY ONE GROUP.
I've never actually heard of that. I've certainly not heard of anyone in the animal liberation movement harming another animal. I think that the main point of the animal rights movement is protection of all animals, whether they stand on two legs or on four. And we certainly, whether it be PETA or whether it be the ... or whether it be any group that is protecting animals, they certainly don't want to see any human harmed and that's certainly not the point of this movement. It's a compassionate movement and it's compassionate towards all animals. You and I are also included whether we have a tail or not.
ARE YOU WEARING ANY LEATHER?
No definitely not.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T WEAR FUR BUT WEARS LEATHER SHOES? AREN'T THEY STILL A PARTY TO KILLING ANIMALS FOR A LUXURY PRODUCT?
Do you know what, the more I found out about it, before I knew what was involved in the leather production and the meat industry, I myself years and years ago would wear leather shoes without knowing and I think that's the thing. We really need to inform people that there's no difference between wearing leather and wearing fur. It's still the skin of an animal and there's no kind way to rip the skin off any animal's back, whether it be a cow or whether it be a fox.
HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THAT THE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WHO DIE EVERY DAY FROM STARVATION MIGHT BE A BIGGER CAUSE?
I think that there are so many worthy causes. I think that there are so many children and animals suffering that we shouldn't forgo saving the lives of animals ...
THE ANIMAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT SEEMS AT TIMES TO BE MORE VISIBLE THAN THE HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
I think that all life is precious and all life should be protected and we should not turn a blind eye to suffering, whether it be for children or whether it be for animals. So there are a lot of people who advocate for children and those people are compassionate on both sides.
WHAT FLAVOUR CREAM PIE DOES PETA LIKE TO THROW AT ANNA WINTOUR?
A tofu cream pie.
SO NO ANIMAL INGREDIENTS?
There's no animal ingredients in anything that PETA uses.
WHAT ABOUT FRUITARIANS THOUGH – THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES HAVE BEEN MURDERED UNLESS THEY HAVE FALLEN OFF THE TREE?
Certainly PETA doesn't ... we're not fruitarians. Plants don't have a central nervous system.
REALLY? I'M SURE SOME PEOPLE WOULD ARGUE WITH YOU ON THAT POINT. DEFINITELY THE FRUITARIANS WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
Some people might. But that is not what we are about. We are about alleviating cruelty to animals and any way that we can do that and the higher the profile that we can raise for them, that is exactly what we are trying to do.
WHAT ABOUT CRUELTY TO ANNA WINTOUR?
Well cruelty to Anna Wintour ... Again, we've advised her many, many times about the pages in Vogue. I mean, we have offered to pay the same price as the fur industry for pages in her magazine and she has turned us down. That can only mean that she blatantly wants to ...
BUT THAT'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN ADVERTISING.
We have offered Anna Wintour. We have said, "Would you even consider this?" And she said, "No." Because she doesn't want to have anything to do with anti-fur.
YES BUT PROBABLY THE REAL REASON WHY SHE SAID NO IS BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THAT ONCE SHE LETS YOU ADVERTISE, THEN SHE'LL BE OBLIGED TO PLUG YOUR PRODUCTS ON HER EDITORIAL PAGES. THAT'S HOW IT WORKS IN THE GLOSSIES.
Well we have tried to inform her many, many times but she continues to allow an industry that has blood on its hands, that basically makes its money from torturing small animals ...
REPORTEDLY SHE TORTURES HER ASSISTANTS. SO I DON'T THINK SHE'S MAKING MUCH OF AN EXCEPTION WITH ANIMALS.
Well apparently. I can't comment on that. I don't know the woman. But I have flipped through the pages of Vogue and it's shocking to see the blood on every single page. It takes tens of animals, sometimes up to 60 or 80 mink to make one fur coat. That's 80 lives. Each one representing an animal that didn't want to die any more that you and I would want to. And so Anna Wintour is definitely somebody in her position in fashion, she should be setting a better example than the one she is. And in this day and age, I think the point is, this is the 20th century, we're not cavemen. We don't need animals skins.
THE CAVEMAN LOOK WAS ALL OVER THE WINTER RUNWAYS. PRADA'S 'SAUVAGE' FUR COATS ETC ...
Well I think designers are constantly trying to be outrageous. But if they were true visionaries they would come up with creative designs, like Stella McCartney, who is extremely popular and extremely successful. They would come up with designs that don't harm a hair on any animal. Some of her best friends ... Sadie Frost, she wears all of Stella's stuff. In fact she just did an anti-fur campaign for us just the other day. She launched one and she was wearing Stella McCartney's clothes and she looked brilliant. Most celebrities these days love Stella McCartney's clothes and again, Stella McCartney is a compassionate person, she wouldn't use leather and she certainly doesn't use fur. And she certainly hasn't made a name off any animal's back. She's done it off her own skin.
SO SHE'S NOT FUR SCUM?
She's definitely not fur scum.
Original post and comments.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
The skinny on celeb dresser Rachel Zoe
London Fashion Week kicked off with a skinny model brouhaha. But Fashion Season must say there wasn't a single model that we spotted on the London runways who did not look like the Michelin Man standing next to Rachel Zoe.
One of the world's hottest celebrity stylists right now, Zoe has helped hone the fashion "looks" of celebs such as Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton. The apparently vanishing physiques of some of whom, it should be noted, have been the subjects of quite some recent speculation.
Although we had watched her arrive at Thursday night's Emporio Armani do in a strapless, white, fringed evening dress and not thought too much of it – nothing like two rows of heavy fringing to add a few pounds – on the following evening, after the Julien MacDonald show, we were struck by just how petite Zoe really is.
In town to style MacDonald's show, Zoe appeared that night to have borrowed her midnight blue, long-sleeved, full-length Roberto Cavalli number from her big sister. Whatever the explanation – and there must surely be a plethora of them – the dress was quite obviously pinned at the back, as you would on a shop dummy, to make it fit properly.
We had a quick chat after the show:
WHAT IS THE POWER OF THE CELEBRITY STYLIST? DESIGNERS ARE CONSTANTLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THEIR INCREASING POWER IN HOLLYWOOD.
Rachel Zoe: I think that many designers need a liaison between the celebrity and themselves because I don't think that they necessarily know ... how to dress models most of the time. But they don't necessarily know how to build a dress around a real person, who might have insecurities and things like that. So I think a stylist is someone who is very hands-on with the celebrity and very intimate and has a relationship with them. So I think they need that voice to say, "OK, this is what's going to work, this is what she's going to like, this is what she's not going to like".
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STYLING?
[Nervous laugh] Thirteen years.
WHEN DID PEOPLE FIRST START TALKING ABOUT YOU?
I've been working this hard for 13 years.
BUT WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PARTICULAR IMPACT DO YOU THINK?
I don't know. I think it's media and I think the fact that I've had a very similar style for a very long time and I think maybe that it's caught on and people suddenly think that I'm influencing the world of fashion. I don't know, I don't try and change anybody.
WHAT'S IT LIKE BEFORE THE ACADEMY AWARDS?
[Nervous laugh] I just want to hide out and crawl up in a ball for two months this season.
WHEN DOES THE OSCARS DRESS RACE START?
The minute they announce the awards.
DESCRIBE THE PROCESS.
I don't sleep for two months. I don't leave my house very often because I'm in fittings and there's people bringing me dresses and jewellery. It's just extremely stressful and extremely competitive amongst the designers and it gets very stressful because a lot of them are my very dear friends and it's very hard to sort of hurt people because their job is relying on that. It's a lot of pressure. It's become a lot more serious than it might necessarily need to be.
WHAT ABOUT THE DESIGN HOUSES THAT PAY ACTORS LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO WEAR THEIR CLOTHES ON THE RED CARPET? DO YOU FIND YOURSELF COMPETING WITH THAT?
I don't do it. I think that if the product is good enough they have to stand behind that. I think that contracts and being paid money and stuff, that's something that if it's a deal between a celebrity and a designer – that's their business. And if the stylist is involved in that, then that's great. But I think it's different for every designer and for every celebrity.
WHAT ABOUT THE POLITICS?
I try not to get involved in politics. I went to school in DC but I was definitely not a poli-sci major.
DOES ANYONE EVER ASK ABOUT YOUR SIZE? YOU LOOK THIN.
I get asked about it every day.
YOU LOOK VERY THIN.
I've been thin my entire life and I think it's unfair that people who are actually thin ... Look at Laurie [points to friend, standing next to her] – she's thin. Do you think she's getting yelled at every day? I think that there's a lot of people who are naturally thin people who are actually very healthy and in fact there are some people who are too thin, trying to gain weight.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN EATING DISORDER?
Have I? No. I think it's been a debate that's been going on for 20 years. And I think it's going to come out in public, it's going to go away for a while, it will come out again. It's going to go back and forth. It's never going to be resolved. You know?
Original post and comments.
One of the world's hottest celebrity stylists right now, Zoe has helped hone the fashion "looks" of celebs such as Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton. The apparently vanishing physiques of some of whom, it should be noted, have been the subjects of quite some recent speculation.
Although we had watched her arrive at Thursday night's Emporio Armani do in a strapless, white, fringed evening dress and not thought too much of it – nothing like two rows of heavy fringing to add a few pounds – on the following evening, after the Julien MacDonald show, we were struck by just how petite Zoe really is.
In town to style MacDonald's show, Zoe appeared that night to have borrowed her midnight blue, long-sleeved, full-length Roberto Cavalli number from her big sister. Whatever the explanation – and there must surely be a plethora of them – the dress was quite obviously pinned at the back, as you would on a shop dummy, to make it fit properly.
We had a quick chat after the show:
WHAT IS THE POWER OF THE CELEBRITY STYLIST? DESIGNERS ARE CONSTANTLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THEIR INCREASING POWER IN HOLLYWOOD.
Rachel Zoe: I think that many designers need a liaison between the celebrity and themselves because I don't think that they necessarily know ... how to dress models most of the time. But they don't necessarily know how to build a dress around a real person, who might have insecurities and things like that. So I think a stylist is someone who is very hands-on with the celebrity and very intimate and has a relationship with them. So I think they need that voice to say, "OK, this is what's going to work, this is what she's going to like, this is what she's not going to like".
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STYLING?
[Nervous laugh] Thirteen years.
WHEN DID PEOPLE FIRST START TALKING ABOUT YOU?
I've been working this hard for 13 years.
BUT WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PARTICULAR IMPACT DO YOU THINK?
I don't know. I think it's media and I think the fact that I've had a very similar style for a very long time and I think maybe that it's caught on and people suddenly think that I'm influencing the world of fashion. I don't know, I don't try and change anybody.
WHAT'S IT LIKE BEFORE THE ACADEMY AWARDS?
[Nervous laugh] I just want to hide out and crawl up in a ball for two months this season.
WHEN DOES THE OSCARS DRESS RACE START?
The minute they announce the awards.
DESCRIBE THE PROCESS.
I don't sleep for two months. I don't leave my house very often because I'm in fittings and there's people bringing me dresses and jewellery. It's just extremely stressful and extremely competitive amongst the designers and it gets very stressful because a lot of them are my very dear friends and it's very hard to sort of hurt people because their job is relying on that. It's a lot of pressure. It's become a lot more serious than it might necessarily need to be.
WHAT ABOUT THE DESIGN HOUSES THAT PAY ACTORS LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO WEAR THEIR CLOTHES ON THE RED CARPET? DO YOU FIND YOURSELF COMPETING WITH THAT?
I don't do it. I think that if the product is good enough they have to stand behind that. I think that contracts and being paid money and stuff, that's something that if it's a deal between a celebrity and a designer – that's their business. And if the stylist is involved in that, then that's great. But I think it's different for every designer and for every celebrity.
WHAT ABOUT THE POLITICS?
I try not to get involved in politics. I went to school in DC but I was definitely not a poli-sci major.
DOES ANYONE EVER ASK ABOUT YOUR SIZE? YOU LOOK THIN.
I get asked about it every day.
YOU LOOK VERY THIN.
I've been thin my entire life and I think it's unfair that people who are actually thin ... Look at Laurie [points to friend, standing next to her] – she's thin. Do you think she's getting yelled at every day? I think that there's a lot of people who are naturally thin people who are actually very healthy and in fact there are some people who are too thin, trying to gain weight.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN EATING DISORDER?
Have I? No. I think it's been a debate that's been going on for 20 years. And I think it's going to come out in public, it's going to go away for a while, it will come out again. It's going to go back and forth. It's never going to be resolved. You know?
Original post and comments.
Friday, September 22, 2006
"Crazy shit" with Leo and Beyonce
"TEXT YOUR BLOG." So said a prompt that just went up on one of the giant screens here at Brompton Hall in London. And who am I to argue with Mr Armani? So here I am blogging live via BlackBerry from the dancefloor of the Armani One Night Only party in the very glamorous ... wait for it ... Earl's Court.
But what a party. The old silver fox certainly knows how to throw a do. Where shall I start? Leonardo, Beyonce, Bryan Ferry, 50 Cent, Bono, Ashley Judd, Kevin Spacey, Orlando Bloom ... there are so many celebs here it's hard to work out who is who.
It feels like being back at New York Fashion Week, that's how starved London has been of celebs for the past week.
The difference being that they are partying amongst us here and not just posing for photo ops (although they did that too). Or at least some are still here.
It's all in aid of AIDS and although the cynic in me would like to know precisely how many high-profilers present donate even a fraction of their whopping incomes to charity, I guess if they can throw their weight behind a cause like AIDS in Africa then well... they're using their power for good.
I have no doubt that that's what they want us to think at any rate.
Prior to the party, the host held a massive fashion show in which designs by Emporio Armani, Armani black label, Armani Prive and the new Armani Red collection were on parade. For the latter, Armani has hooked with up with the Bobby Shriver/Bono-initiated Product Red campaign, with a percentage of profits going to help fight AIDS in Africa.
Blind tenor Andrea Bocelli sang while the Armani Prive collection came out – that's Armani's haute couture line. It was quite magnificent.
But I just couldn't help thinking to myself, "Oh well, at least he's oblivious to the silly cocktail hats".
I have been trying to find out how this compares to the last big bash done in London, but so far have not been able to get a sensible answer out of anyone.
The fact that they are all very drunk – particularly Kimberley Stewart, it appears – probably isn't helping things.
Apart from comments and grabs from the celebrity hordes on the red carpet – actually make that the blue carpet (on which Bono fell over) – in the company of a zillion other media reps (par for the course obviously in a situation like this of course), I did get one exclusive titbit for the blog however.
It was uttered just after Beyonce shook her booty on stage, one of several live performances that included Ferry and 50 Cent. After the latter performed, just metres from us, Sydney photographer Marty Whitsitt and I looked at each other and said, almost in unison, "this is surreal".
A little earlier on, Leonardo di Caprio, adjacent to whom I happened to be standing at that particular moment, was obviously equally impressed - and you would figure he would be a little harder to gobsmack than Marty or moi.
As Beyonce exited the stage di Caprio said, to no one in particular:
"That was some crazy shit there."
He did have a point.
Original post and comments.
But what a party. The old silver fox certainly knows how to throw a do. Where shall I start? Leonardo, Beyonce, Bryan Ferry, 50 Cent, Bono, Ashley Judd, Kevin Spacey, Orlando Bloom ... there are so many celebs here it's hard to work out who is who.
It feels like being back at New York Fashion Week, that's how starved London has been of celebs for the past week.
The difference being that they are partying amongst us here and not just posing for photo ops (although they did that too). Or at least some are still here.
It's all in aid of AIDS and although the cynic in me would like to know precisely how many high-profilers present donate even a fraction of their whopping incomes to charity, I guess if they can throw their weight behind a cause like AIDS in Africa then well... they're using their power for good.
I have no doubt that that's what they want us to think at any rate.
Prior to the party, the host held a massive fashion show in which designs by Emporio Armani, Armani black label, Armani Prive and the new Armani Red collection were on parade. For the latter, Armani has hooked with up with the Bobby Shriver/Bono-initiated Product Red campaign, with a percentage of profits going to help fight AIDS in Africa.
Blind tenor Andrea Bocelli sang while the Armani Prive collection came out – that's Armani's haute couture line. It was quite magnificent.
But I just couldn't help thinking to myself, "Oh well, at least he's oblivious to the silly cocktail hats".
I have been trying to find out how this compares to the last big bash done in London, but so far have not been able to get a sensible answer out of anyone.
The fact that they are all very drunk – particularly Kimberley Stewart, it appears – probably isn't helping things.
Apart from comments and grabs from the celebrity hordes on the red carpet – actually make that the blue carpet (on which Bono fell over) – in the company of a zillion other media reps (par for the course obviously in a situation like this of course), I did get one exclusive titbit for the blog however.
It was uttered just after Beyonce shook her booty on stage, one of several live performances that included Ferry and 50 Cent. After the latter performed, just metres from us, Sydney photographer Marty Whitsitt and I looked at each other and said, almost in unison, "this is surreal".
A little earlier on, Leonardo di Caprio, adjacent to whom I happened to be standing at that particular moment, was obviously equally impressed - and you would figure he would be a little harder to gobsmack than Marty or moi.
As Beyonce exited the stage di Caprio said, to no one in particular:
"That was some crazy shit there."
He did have a point.
Original post and comments.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Another day, another fashion week
So I made it in one piece to London Fashion Week. I must admit I was slightly concerned that the Kelly Cutrone circle of influence might extend to customs authorities at JFK. I was however relieved to spot no posters at all. Similarly, I arrived in London with no problems.
Waiting for me at my hotel was even, surprise surprise, an entire in-tray full of show invitations. There was also something called a "priority press pass" designed to wave you through when all else fails. Of course it could all be rescinded at the drop of a politically incorrect comment.
I opened up an invitation from the shoe designer Georgina Goodman to find a folded poster illustrated with a heart symbol made out of photographs of shoes. In the middle of the heart, as it happens, the following three words were written:
"Presumably it's not a People's Revolution event" I think.
Am really loving this event so far. I've not covered it before and am in fact quite impressed, certainly with the organisation. And although champagne and fashion weeks go hand in hand, I have to say I have never seen quite so much of the stuff being on tap all day as here. They seem to start with a breakfast at 9am - at which champagne is served - and then they just keep serving it, at various venues throughout the day.
I saw a great show this morning from the hot new name Roksanda Ilincic. It was staged inside an old building called the English-Speaking Union. Like an old French salon, the walls were painted eau de Nil, with ornate white plasterwork all over the ceiling, parquetry floorboards and chandeliers. The two rooms immediately in front of me were filled with small tables, at which buyers and media were seated on gilt chairs. They ate fruit platters and petits fours and many were drinking, you guessed it, champagne.
The music started. Nina Hagen. It really does feel like being back in the '80s at this event. A PR in a meringue-like black RI puffball dress discreetly moved from one room to the next ahead of the model, her dress so voluminous it overwhelmed her.
Like a series of big birds, the models glided past one by one in increasingly exaggerated organza puffball dresses, many of them with large bustles. Yes bustles - on the back, hemline and side. Quite a few were sporting tulle headpieces. It occurred to me that perhaps Toni Maticevski showed at the wrong event.
As we walked out I found myself directly behind a woman holding a miniature pug. Two Japanese women asked if they could pat it.
"Oh yes that's fine as long as you're not wearing any hats - he has a thing about hats," said the owner.
"Had a traumatic hat experience at some point?" I asked of her canine charge.
"Yes I think so," she replied. "When the models came out in the hats I had to throw him under the table and start feeding him grapes."
Original post and comments.
Waiting for me at my hotel was even, surprise surprise, an entire in-tray full of show invitations. There was also something called a "priority press pass" designed to wave you through when all else fails. Of course it could all be rescinded at the drop of a politically incorrect comment.
I opened up an invitation from the shoe designer Georgina Goodman to find a folded poster illustrated with a heart symbol made out of photographs of shoes. In the middle of the heart, as it happens, the following three words were written:
"The whole truth."
"Presumably it's not a People's Revolution event" I think.
Am really loving this event so far. I've not covered it before and am in fact quite impressed, certainly with the organisation. And although champagne and fashion weeks go hand in hand, I have to say I have never seen quite so much of the stuff being on tap all day as here. They seem to start with a breakfast at 9am - at which champagne is served - and then they just keep serving it, at various venues throughout the day.
I saw a great show this morning from the hot new name Roksanda Ilincic. It was staged inside an old building called the English-Speaking Union. Like an old French salon, the walls were painted eau de Nil, with ornate white plasterwork all over the ceiling, parquetry floorboards and chandeliers. The two rooms immediately in front of me were filled with small tables, at which buyers and media were seated on gilt chairs. They ate fruit platters and petits fours and many were drinking, you guessed it, champagne.
The music started. Nina Hagen. It really does feel like being back in the '80s at this event. A PR in a meringue-like black RI puffball dress discreetly moved from one room to the next ahead of the model, her dress so voluminous it overwhelmed her.
Like a series of big birds, the models glided past one by one in increasingly exaggerated organza puffball dresses, many of them with large bustles. Yes bustles - on the back, hemline and side. Quite a few were sporting tulle headpieces. It occurred to me that perhaps Toni Maticevski showed at the wrong event.
As we walked out I found myself directly behind a woman holding a miniature pug. Two Japanese women asked if they could pat it.
"Oh yes that's fine as long as you're not wearing any hats - he has a thing about hats," said the owner.
"Had a traumatic hat experience at some point?" I asked of her canine charge.
"Yes I think so," she replied. "When the models came out in the hats I had to throw him under the table and start feeding him grapes."
Original post and comments.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
SMH banned from NY Fashion Week
And so New York Fashion Week ground to a halt. But it didn't end quite the way I had anticipated.
I came to this city hoping to learn more about its fashion industry and filed news stories, features, gossip – and of course blog posts – about its designers, its trends, its pain, not to mention its celebrity fixation. I thought I had a minor grasp on things.
But things took an unexpected turn at the last minute and the story wound up becoming something else entirely: a fascinating little snapshot of New York PR power politics.
Having seen more than 40 shows throughout the week, my hitherto unfettered access came to a screeching halt on Thursday night.
That was when I received a call from a one Kelly Cutrone – and found myself banned from her shows.
"I'm calling to say that you have been declined for the Jeremy Scott show," said Cutrone, who runs a New York PR agency called People's Revolution which produced a number of small, off-schedule shows in a venue called the Altman Building.
After having sent me an invitation for Scott's show and having welcomed me into others, Cutrone was calling to say I was persona non grata.
And it wasn't just Scott's show that she was banning me from – but in fact all future events staged by all of her clients.
The ban would moreover, she said, also cover all her international activities. She rattled off a list of cities where she staged events, including, I am sure she said, Moscow. She didn't mention that the ban extended to outer space, however, given the eccentricity of the performance, I started to wonder just how many aliens might be on her books.
Cutrone then also offered words to the effect that she would make it a personal mission to interfere with my ability to do my job "for the rest of your journalistic career".
"Dandy; I've entered the Pyongyang of PR," I thought to myself, before musing how uncanny it was that anybody throughout history who has ever purported to espouse a "people's revolution", inevitably wound up on a personal power trip, with a thin skin, a grossly overinflated sense of self-importance – not to mention a bad wardrobe. And how these "revolutions" always seemed to be accompanied by a media crackdown, however anathema that might be to the concept of democracy.
I wondered whether Cutrone could possibly be in breach of any UN resolutions. If so, I surmised, surely it's only a matter of time before George Bush decides to invade.
Cutrone added that she would also be suing me over what she claimed had been a "factually incorrect" story, adding that her father either owns or works at a top New York legal firm. I'm not sure if she mentioned this purely to big-note herself or to illustrate that the billings from her agency are so miniscule that she would be required to ask for a freebie from dad in order to get a case up.
So what prompted this dramatic volte-face?
A gossip snippet in the Herald column Fashion Police on Thursday.
The item was originally designed to be an exclusive preview of the new Jeremy Loves Ksubi collaboration range between Scott and the Sydney jeans brand. Due to be unveiled in Scott's show, the range launch had been mentioned in several newspaper stories in Australia, however none had as yet published any photos.
Having revealed Tsubi's trademark dispute with the US shoe manufacturer Tsubo in the Herald back in April, and then contributed to a second item that the Herald's US correspondent filed once the parties had reached an out-of-court settlement (hence the name change to Ksubi), I really wasn't expecting any exclusives from the Ksubi camp any time soon.
But PR agents change and, at the end of the day, publicity speaks louder than grudges – at least in Sydney perhaps – and I was given a preview.
That was the original plan – until I found myself standing outside Sunday's Costello Tagliapietra show, an off-schedule show that I was interested in covering. And, yes, it was a People's Revolution show – and I didn't have a ticket. Cutrone allowed me in, but not before weighing in loudly on an issue that had been bugging her vis-a-vis the Australian media.
It seems that, since word got out in Australia that Scott was doing a Ksubi collaboration, and that the range would be unveiled during New York Fashion Week, Cutrone had been inundated with inquiries from the Australian media about the show.
Cutrone went on to insist that the Australian media reports had been "factually incorrect" and that it was not to be a Ksubi show, but a Jeremy Scott show. She said this in a loud, and increasingly agitated voice and clearly did not mind who else heard it, because it was in full earshot of the line of people who were waiting to get into the show. And directly in front of three people I know, who were standing next to me.
I politely suggested that if Cutrone wasn't happy with the fact that Ksubi had been drumming up publicity over the Scott collaboration and show, that she should take it up with Ksubi.
At one point, Cutrone even attempted to play down the size of the range, dismissing it as "a couple" of items, adding there was even a possibility it might not be included in the show.
It was too good a story to ignore, a number of people overheard the conversation and the planned Jeremy Loves Ksubi item changed tack. The editors did not end up running the preview photo, which I personally was disappointed about. But this was an editorial decision and out of my hands.
Here's what was printed:
Jeremy hates Ksubi?
"Tomorrow, the Sydney label formerly known as Tsubi makes its New York runway debut – but will it make centre stage? It seems the US designer Jeremy Scott may be miffed by all the attention the Jeremy Loves Ksubi collaboration range is attracting. A public relations flack, claiming to represent Scott and Ksubi, bailed up Fashion Police to say: "This is definitely a Jeremy Scott show – it's not going to be a backstage photo op with Dan [Single] and George [Gorrow]". She dismissed the range – which features Scott's quirky Hotline and Finger Print graphics on Ksubi's skinny jeans, biker jackets and denim dresses – as nothing more than a "couple" of items and said it might not even make the final show cut. Meanwhile, in a Ksubi press release, Scott says: "What I think is extra special about our collaboration is that it really comes from a mutual admiration of one another - the humour, passion and a good time for all."
Sadly however, Cutrone's chipper phone call wasn't the end of the story.
I made no effort whatsoever to attend the show. It was raining and miserable, Fashion Week was over, I was over the likes of Kelly Cutrone and besides, why on Earth would I want to traipse across town in that weather to give one of Cutrone's clients a single column centimetre of free publicity?
Then I get word from the venue that Cutrone had tracked down a photograph of me – in fact this Fashion Season blog ID – and blown it up to create flyers to paste around the venue. The flyers reportedly included instructions in bold letters to staff in case I attempted to sneak in.
How absurd, I thought. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. But then someone retrieved one of the posters and showed it to me – as well as some video evidence of the front entrance area, complete with flyer [see top of post^].
After the show, according to a source who was standing near Cutrone at the time, she engaged herself in a conversation about me with several other people at one point, including Ksubi's George Gorrow, and Cutrone was overheard to say that she planned to "smoke" me "out of New York".
Gorrow is described as having clapped his hands together in glee at the prospect.
When one of Cutrone's staff members was asked what all the fuss was about and precisely what the person in the posters was supposed to have done, the staffer reportedly responded, "She wrote something which wasn't true".
Well it was true. But truth, it seems, is a dangerous commodity in the New York fashion business.
The following day I walked to take a look at the front window display that department store Henri Bendel had installed in honour of Sydneysider Josh Goot's first New York fashion show.
There were several mannequins kitted out in Goot gear and the visual merchandising team had plucked five quotes from Goot's press book, blown them up into large white letters and stuck them to the window.
Quotes from WWD, The Daily Telegraph and the Harper's Bazaar Daily were positioned to the side and in the bottom corners. But stretched right across the middle of the window, at eye level, just happened to be the following quote from me, published in May 2005:
"Josh Goot firmly established himself as a major new talent."
The Sydney Morning Herald
I was sorely tempted to get out my lip gloss and scrawl "Smoked out of town by Kelly Cutrone".
I wonder if in fact Cutrone would expect me to make the ban on her clients retrospective, so as to delete the reviews I had planned on the other People's Revolution shows already seen that week, including Costello Tagliapietra and Grey Ant?
Unfortunately I did not get to see one other People's Revolution show on Friday that I had wanted to – the name of which label unfortunately escapes me because, well, it's just so fringe. Cutrone's clients seem to be mostly small, edgy labels that one would assume would benefit enormously from publicity.
But sorry mate, I couldn't get to your show for the sole reason that your publicist cut you off from access to a media outlet whose website receives a half million visitors per day. I'm sure you won't miss the exposure.
Viva la revolucion.
Original post and comments.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Close encounters of the celeb kind No 4: LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes at the front row at J Mendel's spring/summer 2007 show.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT THE J MENDEL SHOW?
I am a huge fan of Gilles [Mendel, the designer]. He's such a sweet man so I love to come out here and support him. I have been wearing his clothing for many years.
WHICH OTHER SHOWS HAVE YOU BEEN TO?
I've been to Marc Jacobs and Monique L'Huillier, both beautiful. I think this will be my favourite though. I had a sneak peek out the back. Absolutely gorgeous.
WHY ARE THERE MORE CELEBS PER CAPITA AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK THAN ANY OTHER FASHION WEEK?
I don't know. I love New York. I think it's a blast. And it's just a fun week. I love the excitement of the shows. This is only my second fashion week. It's a really exciting thing. And I really have a huge appreciation for fashion and someone else's artistic point of view, especially when I have nothing to do with [the] music. I'm a consumer, I'm not a designer so it's nice to really just come and be a consumer and enjoy the shows and enjoy fashion.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE COUNTRY AND WESTERN INFLUENCE ON FASHION?
It's been interesting to see it flow in and out. It has. A year or two ago western wear was like the big thing and now Marc Jacobs just paired up with Wrangler to do a whole jean collection. Wranglers, I use to buy them in Texas for 50 bucks when I was a kid, so it's really interesting to see how it's weaving its way into the main fashion world. As a country artist myself per se I think I've obviously grown up in front of everyone's eyes for years and I think, keeping my roots in country music is wonderful and being able to mesh it really well with.... the fashion industry and being able to kind of combine those things, it's a nice way to do it. I think myself and Faith Hill, there's a couple of us who really are into fashion and we really have a huge desire to be a part of this world.
DO YOU THINK THE US COUNTRY AND WESTERN SCENE GOT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO AUSTRALIA VIA THE RECENT KURBAN UNION?
Keith is a really good friend. He's a very sweet man. I think it all kind of works. I've had a huge fan base in Australia... there's definitely a base there that loves country music.
DO YOU THINK YOU INFLUENCED AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF YOUNG WOMEN TO BECOME LAP-DANCING BAR SLAPPERS AS THE RESULT OF COYOTE UGLY?
That I have? Oh no, I don't think it was me, I think it was many other things before that. I was 17 when I did the movie. I was a baby. It was fun and it was really entertaining and the music was great and it was a blast. Who knows? I think there were many women before me who have danced on a bar and encouraged it so I think we just were having a good time. I think if you're comfortable with your body and exploring your sexuality as a woman, I think that's your right. I personally in real life would never get up on a bar and dance myself. I've never done it and I think it's fun, it's fun to go and have a good time but it's also fun to respect your body and that's a really important thing.
EVER TEMPTED TO MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT WITH YOUR MUSIC A LA THE DIXIE CHICKS?
Who knows? Not right now. But I'm not going to say I never will be because there might be something that's really important to me one day.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IRAQ?
What do I think about it? I really wish we could all come to a conclusion. I really wish for world peace. It's very disheartening. I just performed for a 9/11 event a couple of days ago and it's an emotional time. It's really sad to see people who have lost their family members. And it breaks my heart. So I really do hope it comes to an end very soon.
Original post and comments.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT THE J MENDEL SHOW?
I am a huge fan of Gilles [Mendel, the designer]. He's such a sweet man so I love to come out here and support him. I have been wearing his clothing for many years.
WHICH OTHER SHOWS HAVE YOU BEEN TO?
I've been to Marc Jacobs and Monique L'Huillier, both beautiful. I think this will be my favourite though. I had a sneak peek out the back. Absolutely gorgeous.
WHY ARE THERE MORE CELEBS PER CAPITA AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK THAN ANY OTHER FASHION WEEK?
I don't know. I love New York. I think it's a blast. And it's just a fun week. I love the excitement of the shows. This is only my second fashion week. It's a really exciting thing. And I really have a huge appreciation for fashion and someone else's artistic point of view, especially when I have nothing to do with [the] music. I'm a consumer, I'm not a designer so it's nice to really just come and be a consumer and enjoy the shows and enjoy fashion.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE COUNTRY AND WESTERN INFLUENCE ON FASHION?
It's been interesting to see it flow in and out. It has. A year or two ago western wear was like the big thing and now Marc Jacobs just paired up with Wrangler to do a whole jean collection. Wranglers, I use to buy them in Texas for 50 bucks when I was a kid, so it's really interesting to see how it's weaving its way into the main fashion world. As a country artist myself per se I think I've obviously grown up in front of everyone's eyes for years and I think, keeping my roots in country music is wonderful and being able to mesh it really well with.... the fashion industry and being able to kind of combine those things, it's a nice way to do it. I think myself and Faith Hill, there's a couple of us who really are into fashion and we really have a huge desire to be a part of this world.
DO YOU THINK THE US COUNTRY AND WESTERN SCENE GOT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO AUSTRALIA VIA THE RECENT KURBAN UNION?
Keith is a really good friend. He's a very sweet man. I think it all kind of works. I've had a huge fan base in Australia... there's definitely a base there that loves country music.
DO YOU THINK YOU INFLUENCED AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF YOUNG WOMEN TO BECOME LAP-DANCING BAR SLAPPERS AS THE RESULT OF COYOTE UGLY?
That I have? Oh no, I don't think it was me, I think it was many other things before that. I was 17 when I did the movie. I was a baby. It was fun and it was really entertaining and the music was great and it was a blast. Who knows? I think there were many women before me who have danced on a bar and encouraged it so I think we just were having a good time. I think if you're comfortable with your body and exploring your sexuality as a woman, I think that's your right. I personally in real life would never get up on a bar and dance myself. I've never done it and I think it's fun, it's fun to go and have a good time but it's also fun to respect your body and that's a really important thing.
EVER TEMPTED TO MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT WITH YOUR MUSIC A LA THE DIXIE CHICKS?
Who knows? Not right now. But I'm not going to say I never will be because there might be something that's really important to me one day.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IRAQ?
What do I think about it? I really wish we could all come to a conclusion. I really wish for world peace. It's very disheartening. I just performed for a 9/11 event a couple of days ago and it's an emotional time. It's really sad to see people who have lost their family members. And it breaks my heart. So I really do hope it comes to an end very soon.
Original post and comments.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Celeb encounters of the close kind No 3: Heather Graham
Heather Graham backstage at Diesel's spring/summer 2007 show.
WHAT BRINGS YOU TO DIESEL?
Fashion. I think Renzo is a really cool guy and I love his [new, New York] shop.
DO YOU GO TO A LOT OF FASHION SHOWS?
Not a lot. A few. Not a lot.
WHAT'S THE APPEAL OF NEW YORK FASHION WEEK TO CELEBRITIES?
New York is such a fun place to be. You've got a lot of people who live here and if they don't live here, then they love to come here.
YES BUT THERE THERE ARE A LOT OF CELEBRITIES HERE IN NEW YORK. EVEN KEVIN COSTNER WAS HERE THE OTHER NIGHT.
Funny, what show was he at?
MAX AZRIA. BUT WHAT IS THE SYNERGY BETWEEN CELEBRITIES AND FASHION EVENTS?
Well I think because as a celebrity you have to go out to different events and people who are great designers, sometimes they give you things. Like you wear some of their stuff and so you develop sometimes relationships with people that you like their clothes, because you wear their stuff. So I'm sure he probably wears Max Azaria [sic] and that's why he went.
DO CELEBRITIES EVER HAVE TO BUY ANYTHING?
Yeah. I mean you definitely get a lot of perks though, you get a lot of goods free. But no, you buy stuff, completely.
WERE YOU BITTERLY DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU WEREN'T NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR FOR YOUR ROLE AS ROLLER GIRL?
Oh you're sweet for saying that, thank-you.
WAS THAT THE SEMINAL ROLE OF YOUR CAREER DO YOU THINK?
Hopefully I'll have more good roles.
Original post and comments.
WHAT BRINGS YOU TO DIESEL?
Fashion. I think Renzo is a really cool guy and I love his [new, New York] shop.
DO YOU GO TO A LOT OF FASHION SHOWS?
Not a lot. A few. Not a lot.
WHAT'S THE APPEAL OF NEW YORK FASHION WEEK TO CELEBRITIES?
New York is such a fun place to be. You've got a lot of people who live here and if they don't live here, then they love to come here.
YES BUT THERE THERE ARE A LOT OF CELEBRITIES HERE IN NEW YORK. EVEN KEVIN COSTNER WAS HERE THE OTHER NIGHT.
Funny, what show was he at?
MAX AZRIA. BUT WHAT IS THE SYNERGY BETWEEN CELEBRITIES AND FASHION EVENTS?
Well I think because as a celebrity you have to go out to different events and people who are great designers, sometimes they give you things. Like you wear some of their stuff and so you develop sometimes relationships with people that you like their clothes, because you wear their stuff. So I'm sure he probably wears Max Azaria [sic] and that's why he went.
DO CELEBRITIES EVER HAVE TO BUY ANYTHING?
Yeah. I mean you definitely get a lot of perks though, you get a lot of goods free. But no, you buy stuff, completely.
WERE YOU BITTERLY DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU WEREN'T NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR FOR YOUR ROLE AS ROLLER GIRL?
Oh you're sweet for saying that, thank-you.
WAS THAT THE SEMINAL ROLE OF YOUR CAREER DO YOU THINK?
Hopefully I'll have more good roles.
Original post and comments.
Celeb encounters of the close kind No 2: Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne backstage at Diesel's spring/summer 2007 show.
SO WHAT'S YOUR CONNECTION TO DIESEL?
I'm wearing Diesel everything right now. Shoes, belt, jeans. I'm all Diesel. And I was invited here tonight as a guest of Renzo's.
HAVEN'T WE SEEN YOU AT A FEW DIFFERENT FASHION EVENTS RECENTLY?
This is actually my second fashion show.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST ONE?
Chanel.
SO YOU'RE INTERESTED IN FASHION?
Yeah I love it.
JUST ON THAT CHANEL SHOW, THERE WAS SOME COMMENT RECENTLY ABOUT YOU MOVING FROM THE SK8ER LOOK TO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE UPTOWN
My look, my fashion style is definitely still like, rock and roll, just more of a glammed-up version I guess.
SO WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CELEBRITIES AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK?
Yeah, you know, it comes with the territory. It's like, you know, when you're a celebrity, you do so many photoshoots and red carpets and a big part of the career is how you look and so it all ties in together.
YES BUT ABOVE ALL THESE PUBLIC EVENTS, WHAT IS IT ABOUT FASHION IN PARTICULAR, AND FASHION WEEKS AND MOST NOTABLY OF ALL, NEW YORK FASHION WEEK?
Everyone loves it. Everyone loves clothes and celebrities often set trends. I'm just here because I love Diesel and they invited me and they're like, 'Come out'. And I'm like, 'All right, cool'. I haven't been out much to any of these things, so it's fun.
DOES IT BOTHER YOU WHEN PEOPLE CRITIQUE YOUR LOOK?
My fans have always like, you know, worn what I wear and I've been like a trendsetter to my fans. Especially when I came out with like, the tie and everything. And I always thought that was really cool. To have an influence on like, so many people.
COULD THAT BE A DAUNTING PROSPECT?
It's not scary it's just like, really cool. It's like something I never would have thought would happen to me.
MIGHT WE SEE AN AVRIL LAVIGNE FASHION LINE AT SOME STAGE THEN?
Well I am a creative girl and I'm very visual and I love clothes so, maybe.
ARE YOU WORKING ON ONE?
No, but it could be really fun.
SO WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE... A TIE RANGE?
It would be very much like the clothes I wear.
SO TIES, THEN?
I don't wear ties any more.
Original post and comments.
SO WHAT'S YOUR CONNECTION TO DIESEL?
I'm wearing Diesel everything right now. Shoes, belt, jeans. I'm all Diesel. And I was invited here tonight as a guest of Renzo's.
HAVEN'T WE SEEN YOU AT A FEW DIFFERENT FASHION EVENTS RECENTLY?
This is actually my second fashion show.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST ONE?
Chanel.
SO YOU'RE INTERESTED IN FASHION?
Yeah I love it.
JUST ON THAT CHANEL SHOW, THERE WAS SOME COMMENT RECENTLY ABOUT YOU MOVING FROM THE SK8ER LOOK TO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE UPTOWN
My look, my fashion style is definitely still like, rock and roll, just more of a glammed-up version I guess.
SO WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CELEBRITIES AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK?
Yeah, you know, it comes with the territory. It's like, you know, when you're a celebrity, you do so many photoshoots and red carpets and a big part of the career is how you look and so it all ties in together.
YES BUT ABOVE ALL THESE PUBLIC EVENTS, WHAT IS IT ABOUT FASHION IN PARTICULAR, AND FASHION WEEKS AND MOST NOTABLY OF ALL, NEW YORK FASHION WEEK?
Everyone loves it. Everyone loves clothes and celebrities often set trends. I'm just here because I love Diesel and they invited me and they're like, 'Come out'. And I'm like, 'All right, cool'. I haven't been out much to any of these things, so it's fun.
DOES IT BOTHER YOU WHEN PEOPLE CRITIQUE YOUR LOOK?
My fans have always like, you know, worn what I wear and I've been like a trendsetter to my fans. Especially when I came out with like, the tie and everything. And I always thought that was really cool. To have an influence on like, so many people.
COULD THAT BE A DAUNTING PROSPECT?
It's not scary it's just like, really cool. It's like something I never would have thought would happen to me.
MIGHT WE SEE AN AVRIL LAVIGNE FASHION LINE AT SOME STAGE THEN?
Well I am a creative girl and I'm very visual and I love clothes so, maybe.
ARE YOU WORKING ON ONE?
No, but it could be really fun.
SO WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE... A TIE RANGE?
It would be very much like the clothes I wear.
SO TIES, THEN?
I don't wear ties any more.
Original post and comments.
Seat wars #2: The highs and lows of Karen Walker’s front rows
Yes and well some designers send out press releases describing their collections. And some send out press releases about the celebrities who were on hand to see the collections pony-walk past. Then there's Karen Walker, who sends out press releases detailing the minutiae of her seating arrangements.
Yesterday I received the following list from Walker's Sydney publicist, with nothing more than an email slug which announced it as "Highlights from front row and second row from Karen Walker's show in NYC".
I'll make an exception to my own general rule on these matters and make the PR industry happy by publishing the release verbatim.
Now, it's probably just a complete coincidence that this list followed hot on the heels of an item in the Herald's Stay In Touch column on Monday, which happened to mention that Walker had seated the Australian and New Zealand media in the second row at her show on Saturday.
Given what one would assume would be the considerable size of the Australian market to Walker's business - I mean she's only selling to the country's biggest retailer, Myer - and the importance of her home market to her profile, it seemed somewhat surprising at the time.
But what an insight this list provided to the machinations of the burgeoning Karen Walker empire. It also spurred me on to check out more KW information.
According to Walker's website, Australia is her largest market in terms of stockists numbers - 47.
Japan is her second biggest market, with 28 stockists - although given the vast size of the Japanese population (127million) and the nature of their shopping habits (they account for almost half of the world's luxury goods market) one could probably surmise that Japan is in fact Walker's biggest cash cow.
As tiny as it is, the New Zealand market is not to be sniffed at, with three of Walker's seven outlets there being in fact her own stores.
All of this compared to just 18 stockists in the US.
A couple of points.
Firstly, as we have to assume this "highlights" list embraces the flashiest names on Walker's RSVP list, just where did she seat the only two Japanese names? Where else? The second row! One of them billed as no less than the president of Japanese department store chain Mitsukoshi.
Secondly, Emma Forest may be nonplussed to see herself described by Walker as "The actress Indira Varma's Friend".
The demotion to the status of Indira Varma's handbag will no doubt also be of interest to the New Zealand government, which invests in New Zealand Fashion Week and which event spent a not inconsiderable sum two years ago flying Forrest in its VIP guest. At the time they billed Forrest as a trans-Atlantic Lit girl, and two-time novelist whose debut oeuvre was called, funnily enough, Namedropper. Was Forrest just making it all up for the junket?
Thirdly, the only direct representative of the New Zealand media was Annabel Davidson - a former journalist who told me she is currently working in PR in New York.
Davidson filed to Stacey Gregg's website, Runway Reporter, claiming - at least in Monday's newsletter - to have been seated in the front row.
Davidson was in fact seated a couple of seats up from me, in the second row, moving to the front row at one stage to fill an awkward gap which emerged when one of Walker's front row highlights failed to show because he/she had more pressing matters to attend to.
And finally, according to New York PR agency People's Revolution, which has been managing the bulk of this week's shows at Walker's off-schedule venue of choice, the Altman Building, that venue boasts a front row of 80.
So, with just 24 front row "highlights" named, just who were the 56 "lowlights" taking up the rest of the seats? And why couldn't, at the very least, the journo from Walker's hometown of Auckland and two very powerful reps from the Japanese market, get squeezed in in place of some of the lowlights?
We do look forward to the next instalment.
Karen Walker show, Saturday 9th September (source: Paul Maloney Fashion Agency)
Front Row
Second Row
Original post and comments.
Yesterday I received the following list from Walker's Sydney publicist, with nothing more than an email slug which announced it as "Highlights from front row and second row from Karen Walker's show in NYC".
I'll make an exception to my own general rule on these matters and make the PR industry happy by publishing the release verbatim.
Now, it's probably just a complete coincidence that this list followed hot on the heels of an item in the Herald's Stay In Touch column on Monday, which happened to mention that Walker had seated the Australian and New Zealand media in the second row at her show on Saturday.
Given what one would assume would be the considerable size of the Australian market to Walker's business - I mean she's only selling to the country's biggest retailer, Myer - and the importance of her home market to her profile, it seemed somewhat surprising at the time.
But what an insight this list provided to the machinations of the burgeoning Karen Walker empire. It also spurred me on to check out more KW information.
According to Walker's website, Australia is her largest market in terms of stockists numbers - 47.
Japan is her second biggest market, with 28 stockists - although given the vast size of the Japanese population (127million) and the nature of their shopping habits (they account for almost half of the world's luxury goods market) one could probably surmise that Japan is in fact Walker's biggest cash cow.
As tiny as it is, the New Zealand market is not to be sniffed at, with three of Walker's seven outlets there being in fact her own stores.
All of this compared to just 18 stockists in the US.
A couple of points.
Firstly, as we have to assume this "highlights" list embraces the flashiest names on Walker's RSVP list, just where did she seat the only two Japanese names? Where else? The second row! One of them billed as no less than the president of Japanese department store chain Mitsukoshi.
Secondly, Emma Forest may be nonplussed to see herself described by Walker as "The actress Indira Varma's Friend".
The demotion to the status of Indira Varma's handbag will no doubt also be of interest to the New Zealand government, which invests in New Zealand Fashion Week and which event spent a not inconsiderable sum two years ago flying Forrest in its VIP guest. At the time they billed Forrest as a trans-Atlantic Lit girl, and two-time novelist whose debut oeuvre was called, funnily enough, Namedropper. Was Forrest just making it all up for the junket?
Thirdly, the only direct representative of the New Zealand media was Annabel Davidson - a former journalist who told me she is currently working in PR in New York.
Davidson filed to Stacey Gregg's website, Runway Reporter, claiming - at least in Monday's newsletter - to have been seated in the front row.
Davidson was in fact seated a couple of seats up from me, in the second row, moving to the front row at one stage to fill an awkward gap which emerged when one of Walker's front row highlights failed to show because he/she had more pressing matters to attend to.
And finally, according to New York PR agency People's Revolution, which has been managing the bulk of this week's shows at Walker's off-schedule venue of choice, the Altman Building, that venue boasts a front row of 80.
So, with just 24 front row "highlights" named, just who were the 56 "lowlights" taking up the rest of the seats? And why couldn't, at the very least, the journo from Walker's hometown of Auckland and two very powerful reps from the Japanese market, get squeezed in in place of some of the lowlights?
We do look forward to the next instalment.
Karen Walker show, Saturday 9th September (source: Paul Maloney Fashion Agency)
Front Row
Aya T. Kanai - Seniro Fashion Editor of Nylon
Lauren Peden- Managing Editor of Fashionwiredaily.com
Heidi Bivens- Freelance Stylist
Rayna Cummings- Juniro Fashion Market Editor of Saks Fifth Avenue
Marsha Posner- President of J.P. Associates
Elizabeth Sulcer- Fashion Director of BlackBook
Justin Theroux- Actor
Alessandra Balazs- Socialite
Venessa Lau- Writer for WWD
Victoria Adcock- Stylist / Creative Exchange Agency
Tim Blanks- Contributing Editor of Style.com
Maureen Dempsey- Fashion Features Writer for Marie Claire
Kate Lanphear- Senior Fashion and Style Editor of ELLE
Joann Pailey- Senior Market Editor of ELLE
Emma Forest- The actress Indira Varma's Friend
Indira Varma- Actress
Leven Rambin- Soap Star
Lee Carter- Founder of Hintmag.com and Contributing Editor of V
George Epaminondas- Senior Fashion Features Editor of InStyle
Amri Leever- Market Editor of Cosmopolitan
Danica Lo- Fashion Writer of the NY Post
Suzanna Karotkin- Associate Market Editor of Vogue
Julia Topolski - Senior Fashion Editor - JANE
Cathy Horyn - NY Times
Second Row
Katherine Agger- Fashion Director of Cover Magazine
Joe Berean- Market Director of Nylon
Elizabeth Charles- Owner/Buyer of Elizabeth Charles
Marie Chaix- Associate Editor of Self Service
Susan Joy- Freelance Stylist (NY Times)
Milka Prica- Executive Fashion Editor of Madison
Rebecca Resnick- Senior Accessories Editor of TeenVogue
Tim Rush- Vice President of Public Relations for Bumble and Bumble
Glynis Traill-Nash- Fashion & Style Director of The Sun-Herald Australia
Eri Kurobe- NY Correspondent of Marie Claire Japan
Havana Lafitte- Contributing Fashion Editor for Teen Vogue
Amanda Miller- Junior Fashion Market Editor for Saks Fifth Avenue
Takao Toshikawa- President of Mitsukoshi (USA), Inc.
Lina Kutsovskaya- Art Director of Teen Vogue
Taira Sturvist- Vice President of J.P. Associates
Andi Teran- Writer for City Magazine
Jen Smith- Senior Fashion Editor of Lucky
Karolyn Angel- Shopping Editor of W
Christine Centenera- Market Editor of Harper's Bazaar Australia
Helane Crowell- Fashion News Contributor
Annabel Davidson- Reporter for runwayreporter.com
Jean Godfrey-June- Beauty Director of Lucky
Gina Kelly- Fashion Director of Seventeen
Roseanne Morrison- Fashion Director of The Doneger Group
Mark Vassallo- Contributing Fashion Editor of Harper's Bazaar Australia
Prue Lewington- NY POST Stylist
Joanna Rodgers- Market Editor of Style.com
Christina Turner- Accessories Director of Jane
Patty Huntington- Fashion Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald
Edward Jowdy- Freelance Stylist
Hisashi Kato- President of Mitsukoshi (Japan), LTD
Original post and comments.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Seat wars #1: Checked out by Anna Wintour
I am standing outside the Narciso Rodriguez show. One of the bigger, buzzier names, Rodriguez is not on the official schedule but off it - and the front entrance is like Fort Knox.
A crowd of around 100 is standing in a queue waiting to get in. They are now letting some through. Curiously, some of these people seem to have tickets, while others do not. And quite a few of the latter are being let through because they are with the "right" person.
It's like a nightclub. Let's hope some of the hangers-on have jobs to do here because I and several others who don't have tickets, do, and we would like to be allowed to get on with that reportage. I'll get to why I don't have a ticket a little later. It is in part due to the size of this event and the shambolic manner in which it seems to operate.
"Erin you're OK, and you, you, and you are with Erin, you're OK too, come through" says one PR flack who is wearing de rigueur New York PR black, accessorised with mandatory Janet Jackson-style headset.
"You're all OK too" she says to another posse.
It seems the PR is fine with plenty of hangers on who don't have tickets, but she challenges one woman who does in fact have one. It should be pointed out that anyone who has a ticket but no assigned seating allocation must wait until the end, when they let in the unseated dregs.
"Excuse me, do you have your seating assignment?" the flack says to the woman.
"Cathy Horyn from The New York Times" the woman responds in a deadpan voice.
Another PR is kind enough to eventually let me in, once everyone else has gone through.
There must be 500 people inside here - a brick warehouse space with bare concrete floor. I make my way, as per usual when I don't have a seat, to the beginning of the runway where the models stand and pose for shots.
Apart from the minor inconvenience of having to stand, it's actually the best "seat" in the house. This fact appears to dawn on the Prada-loving devil herself, US Vogue imperatrix Anna Wintour, who is about a metre and a half in front of me, in what we both must assume is the best seat in the house.
Wintour checks me out. She seems to be thinking, "You interloper".
Original post and comments.
A crowd of around 100 is standing in a queue waiting to get in. They are now letting some through. Curiously, some of these people seem to have tickets, while others do not. And quite a few of the latter are being let through because they are with the "right" person.
It's like a nightclub. Let's hope some of the hangers-on have jobs to do here because I and several others who don't have tickets, do, and we would like to be allowed to get on with that reportage. I'll get to why I don't have a ticket a little later. It is in part due to the size of this event and the shambolic manner in which it seems to operate.
"Erin you're OK, and you, you, and you are with Erin, you're OK too, come through" says one PR flack who is wearing de rigueur New York PR black, accessorised with mandatory Janet Jackson-style headset.
"You're all OK too" she says to another posse.
It seems the PR is fine with plenty of hangers on who don't have tickets, but she challenges one woman who does in fact have one. It should be pointed out that anyone who has a ticket but no assigned seating allocation must wait until the end, when they let in the unseated dregs.
"Excuse me, do you have your seating assignment?" the flack says to the woman.
"Cathy Horyn from The New York Times" the woman responds in a deadpan voice.
Another PR is kind enough to eventually let me in, once everyone else has gone through.
There must be 500 people inside here - a brick warehouse space with bare concrete floor. I make my way, as per usual when I don't have a seat, to the beginning of the runway where the models stand and pose for shots.
Apart from the minor inconvenience of having to stand, it's actually the best "seat" in the house. This fact appears to dawn on the Prada-loving devil herself, US Vogue imperatrix Anna Wintour, who is about a metre and a half in front of me, in what we both must assume is the best seat in the house.
Wintour checks me out. She seems to be thinking, "You interloper".
Original post and comments.
How does the US really fund the Iraq war? Fashion shows!
So I am wandering about the gi-normous Lexington Armory. Crawling with National Guard, it is also packed to the rafters with munitions. One large central atrium space, which looks like it is big enough to park three 747s, one top of the other, gets rented out for various functions but most notably big fashion shows. Victoria's Secret had its last show here and it seems to be the venue of choice for Marc Jacobs. His main line's show last night was staged here, ditto this afternoon's show for his diffusion line, Marc by Marc Jacobs.
Our bags are checked as we walk through the door. For weapons, presumably. It's not like they need any more - around the walls and corridors all sorts of munitions are displayed behind teak and glass cabinets, including something that looks very much like a shoulder-launched Stinger missile.
With all the money being spent on US military activity in Iraq, I guess a little extra on the side made by renting out some military assets to the fashion crowd must come in handy.
Coincidentally of course, military is apparently never going away as a fashion trend. David Jones I noticed recently has only just started stocking cult UK combat brand Maharishi (better late than never). We saw a bit of it at Luella Bartley two days ago and now again today in Marc by Marc Jacobs, with some cute patchwork khaki shorts, cropped combats and khaki bum bags and satchels.
It seemed entirely appropriate then to approach some of the clearly very fashion-forward, top-to-toe camo-clad National Guard and grill them on matters fashion.
SO THIS IS THE LEXINGTON ARMORY OR THE STATE ARMORY?
First Lieutenant Joseph Minning: It's the Lexington Armory, it's part of our New York State Department of Military and Naval Affairs.
WHY IS MARC JACOBS HAVING HIS SHOW HERE?
I guess they rent out the building. And because of the size of the armory and the flexibility of it, they are able to modify the drill floor into whatever they need to modify it into.
DO YOU THINK CAMOUFLAGE IS A GOOD LOOK FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON IN THE STREET?
Well I have a pair of camouflage shorts.
DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU ARE AT WORK WHEN YOU ARE WEARING THEM?
No.
SEEN ANY ACTIVE DUTY?
Yes. Ten percent of the reserve force is active duty. Just because we're attached to the National Guard, we are still attached to active duty. I've been on active duty since 1997. I've been to Iraq, I've been to just about every state, Kuwait, a lot of different training events and so on.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FASHION SITUATION IN IRAQ?
The fashion situation in Iraq? [Laughs] They need some help.
I THINK THEY NEED HELP IN QUITE A FEW AREAS.
Probably.
WHAT ABOUT CURRENT TRENDS IN FASHION? LEGGINGS? PLATFORM SHOES? THE DRESS?
What do I think about the current fashions? I have to be honest with you, you'd be better off asking my girlfriend about that.
BUT DON'T YOU THINK PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE SOMETHING OF AN AUTHORITY JUST BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT YOU WERE IN COMBATS LONG BEFORE BALENCIAGA PUT THEM ON THE RUNWAY?
I don't think I'd be an authority on fashion though. If you want to ask me a bunch of military questions, it might be different.
OH OK THEN. IS FASHION TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY IN THE MILITARY?
[Laughs] We pretty much have one or two fashions. We have a PT uniform, a duty uniform and a dress uniform. That's our fashion.
AND DO THE TRENDS CHANGE MUCH?
[Serious] Depending on the environment and the situation we're in.
HOW MANY GUARDS ARE HERE?
How many soldiers do we have in our armory on a normal basis? Day to day, probably around 25.
HOW MANY GUNS?
A lot.
WHAT'S KEPT HERE?
A lot of stuff.
TANKS?
No.
STINGER MISSILES?
I can't elaborate on all this stuff.
HOW ABOUT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION?
[Worried] No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
IS THIS FEDERAL OR STATE - DOES IT HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH GEORGE BUSH?
Sure it does.
DOES HE EVER TURN UP?
Has he turned up here? I haven't seen him here.
DO YOU THINK GEORGE BUSH IS FASHIONABLE?
No comment.
Original post and comments.
Our bags are checked as we walk through the door. For weapons, presumably. It's not like they need any more - around the walls and corridors all sorts of munitions are displayed behind teak and glass cabinets, including something that looks very much like a shoulder-launched Stinger missile.
With all the money being spent on US military activity in Iraq, I guess a little extra on the side made by renting out some military assets to the fashion crowd must come in handy.
Coincidentally of course, military is apparently never going away as a fashion trend. David Jones I noticed recently has only just started stocking cult UK combat brand Maharishi (better late than never). We saw a bit of it at Luella Bartley two days ago and now again today in Marc by Marc Jacobs, with some cute patchwork khaki shorts, cropped combats and khaki bum bags and satchels.
It seemed entirely appropriate then to approach some of the clearly very fashion-forward, top-to-toe camo-clad National Guard and grill them on matters fashion.
SO THIS IS THE LEXINGTON ARMORY OR THE STATE ARMORY?
First Lieutenant Joseph Minning: It's the Lexington Armory, it's part of our New York State Department of Military and Naval Affairs.
WHY IS MARC JACOBS HAVING HIS SHOW HERE?
I guess they rent out the building. And because of the size of the armory and the flexibility of it, they are able to modify the drill floor into whatever they need to modify it into.
DO YOU THINK CAMOUFLAGE IS A GOOD LOOK FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON IN THE STREET?
Well I have a pair of camouflage shorts.
DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU ARE AT WORK WHEN YOU ARE WEARING THEM?
No.
SEEN ANY ACTIVE DUTY?
Yes. Ten percent of the reserve force is active duty. Just because we're attached to the National Guard, we are still attached to active duty. I've been on active duty since 1997. I've been to Iraq, I've been to just about every state, Kuwait, a lot of different training events and so on.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FASHION SITUATION IN IRAQ?
The fashion situation in Iraq? [Laughs] They need some help.
I THINK THEY NEED HELP IN QUITE A FEW AREAS.
Probably.
WHAT ABOUT CURRENT TRENDS IN FASHION? LEGGINGS? PLATFORM SHOES? THE DRESS?
What do I think about the current fashions? I have to be honest with you, you'd be better off asking my girlfriend about that.
BUT DON'T YOU THINK PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE SOMETHING OF AN AUTHORITY JUST BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT YOU WERE IN COMBATS LONG BEFORE BALENCIAGA PUT THEM ON THE RUNWAY?
I don't think I'd be an authority on fashion though. If you want to ask me a bunch of military questions, it might be different.
OH OK THEN. IS FASHION TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY IN THE MILITARY?
[Laughs] We pretty much have one or two fashions. We have a PT uniform, a duty uniform and a dress uniform. That's our fashion.
AND DO THE TRENDS CHANGE MUCH?
[Serious] Depending on the environment and the situation we're in.
HOW MANY GUARDS ARE HERE?
How many soldiers do we have in our armory on a normal basis? Day to day, probably around 25.
HOW MANY GUNS?
A lot.
WHAT'S KEPT HERE?
A lot of stuff.
TANKS?
No.
STINGER MISSILES?
I can't elaborate on all this stuff.
HOW ABOUT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION?
[Worried] No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
IS THIS FEDERAL OR STATE - DOES IT HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH GEORGE BUSH?
Sure it does.
DOES HE EVER TURN UP?
Has he turned up here? I haven't seen him here.
DO YOU THINK GEORGE BUSH IS FASHIONABLE?
No comment.
Original post and comments.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Close encounters of the celeb kind No 1: Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham backstage at the Marc by Marc Jacobs spring/summer 2007 collection during New York Fashion Week.
DID YOU LIKE THE SHOW?
I thought it was really, really lovely. It was my first Marc Jacobs show and I just thought it was amazing. I loved the accessories too. I thought the shoes were absolutely fantastic. It was just great.
TELL ME ABOUT THIS HARPERS BAZAAR SHOOT YOU'VE JUST DONE IN PARIS WITH TERRY RICHARDSON?
He was just wonderful. I'm a real fan of his work anyway and the fact that the shoot was in Paris, with Terry for Harpers Bazaar and it was couture...the mix of all those elements is what really made me want to do the shoot. I saw the pictures today for the first time and they're amazing. I am so so happy with them, they're great.
ANY NUDITY?
No nudity! No you're joking [shrieks, grabbing my arm]. Oh my goodness me.
YOU KNOW, TERRY RICHARDSON HAS JUST DONE A JEANS CAMPAIGN IN AUSTRALIA WHICH HAS BEEN GETTING QUITE A LOT OF FLACK.
How can jeans cause flack? What are they, topless with jeans?
LEGS AKIMBO
Oh really?
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE BLOG?
The one question I would ask every designer is, where they get inspiration from. I suppose that would be an interesting question for all designers. I've just done a book as well. It's coming out in October - called 'That Extra Half an Inch'. It's about fashion, the history of fashion.
NO, I'M SORRY, I WASN'T ASKING DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR MY BOOK. I'M NOT DOING A BOOK, I'M DOING A BLOG. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE BLOG? SOMETHING THAT BUGS YOU ABOUT FASHION, ABOUT FASHION WEEK, SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ETC...
Oh. Nothing's really been bothering me about fashion. I suppose, what different people like about different fashion?
WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH CELEBRITIES AND FASHION WEEKS? PARTICULARLY NEW YORK. THEY'RE ALL OVER IT.
I think that celebrities love fashion and I think that we're lucky enough to be able to get in the front row and come to these shows. I just like it, you know.
Original post and comments.
DID YOU LIKE THE SHOW?
I thought it was really, really lovely. It was my first Marc Jacobs show and I just thought it was amazing. I loved the accessories too. I thought the shoes were absolutely fantastic. It was just great.
TELL ME ABOUT THIS HARPERS BAZAAR SHOOT YOU'VE JUST DONE IN PARIS WITH TERRY RICHARDSON?
He was just wonderful. I'm a real fan of his work anyway and the fact that the shoot was in Paris, with Terry for Harpers Bazaar and it was couture...the mix of all those elements is what really made me want to do the shoot. I saw the pictures today for the first time and they're amazing. I am so so happy with them, they're great.
ANY NUDITY?
No nudity! No you're joking [shrieks, grabbing my arm]. Oh my goodness me.
YOU KNOW, TERRY RICHARDSON HAS JUST DONE A JEANS CAMPAIGN IN AUSTRALIA WHICH HAS BEEN GETTING QUITE A LOT OF FLACK.
How can jeans cause flack? What are they, topless with jeans?
LEGS AKIMBO
Oh really?
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE BLOG?
The one question I would ask every designer is, where they get inspiration from. I suppose that would be an interesting question for all designers. I've just done a book as well. It's coming out in October - called 'That Extra Half an Inch'. It's about fashion, the history of fashion.
NO, I'M SORRY, I WASN'T ASKING DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR MY BOOK. I'M NOT DOING A BOOK, I'M DOING A BLOG. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE BLOG? SOMETHING THAT BUGS YOU ABOUT FASHION, ABOUT FASHION WEEK, SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ETC...
Oh. Nothing's really been bothering me about fashion. I suppose, what different people like about different fashion?
WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH CELEBRITIES AND FASHION WEEKS? PARTICULARLY NEW YORK. THEY'RE ALL OVER IT.
I think that celebrities love fashion and I think that we're lucky enough to be able to get in the front row and come to these shows. I just like it, you know.
Original post and comments.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Baryshnikov, seat Nazis and Sabyasachi performs a miracle with the handicapped
So I am standing in a light-drenched space with bare concrete walls and floor-to-ceiling windows at the top of a midtown building near the Hudson River, waiting for the Naum show to start. And what a ceiling - seemingly all 40 foot of it.
So far it's just me and a dozen people standing around the edges of the space, behind two rows of grey plastic chairs that have been arranged against the four walls, around a central, square "runway" space.
There are also about eight photographers huddled in one corner, trialling camera angles as the models do a walk-through. They have their hair and makeup done, but are wearing their own clothes - a mix of floor-length, tiered boho skirts, skinny jeans and singlets. One model is wearing a black singlet with the following words printed down the centre:
I am leaning in fact against two wooden bars which run right around two of the walls.
The opposite wall is covered with a mirror. Yes, it's a dancer's studio - the Baryshnikov Arts Center in fact. I feel like I am in the middle of an audition for A Chorus Line and as such am tempted to take the barre and perform a plie. Had my ankle-length, A-line, Funkis shift dress been fashioned from anything a little more accommodating than Florence Broadhurst upholstery fabric, I might have carried it out. In the current textile context however, I fear a plie may be a little too ambitious.
The room suddenly fills. The show starts. The same model who had been wearing the "money crime drugs vice sex" singlet is now dressed like an altar girl. She glides past in a pristine white cotton shirt with buttoned collar and extended cuffs over a voluminous, white A-line skirt that is partially covered by a mushroom-coloured organza apron. It's a very pretty, minimalist collection.
A plane flies past in the distance across the Manhattan skyline and I shudder. Choosing to follow a horde of people down six flights of fire stairs instead of taking the lift afterwards, only exacerbates the uncomfortable feeling. I can't get into the daylight quickly enough.
Into a cab and back to Bryant Park. The farcical fash pack is out in force and any notions of terrorist forboding swiftly dissipate.
A seat nazi on the front desk of newish designer Sabyasachi tells me that she cannot possibly accommodate me because I don't have a ticket. I tell her that I believe I may have RSVP'd to the relevant PR agency but that the ticket did not arrive at the hotel and in any event I am more than happy to stand at the show of a designer I don't know from a bar of soap because I am very keen to see what he is doing.
She grudgingly gives me a "ST" (standing) ticket.
In a moment of absurdity, I watch as a man wheels an elderly woman in a wheelchair over to the same flack. She gives them some attitude and then proceeds to hand both of them "standing" tickets.
"Gee, that's going to be an interesting one to watch" I think to myself.
Original post and comments from smh.com.au/theage.com.au.
So far it's just me and a dozen people standing around the edges of the space, behind two rows of grey plastic chairs that have been arranged against the four walls, around a central, square "runway" space.
There are also about eight photographers huddled in one corner, trialling camera angles as the models do a walk-through. They have their hair and makeup done, but are wearing their own clothes - a mix of floor-length, tiered boho skirts, skinny jeans and singlets. One model is wearing a black singlet with the following words printed down the centre:
Money
Crime
Drugs
Vice
Sex
I am leaning in fact against two wooden bars which run right around two of the walls.
The opposite wall is covered with a mirror. Yes, it's a dancer's studio - the Baryshnikov Arts Center in fact. I feel like I am in the middle of an audition for A Chorus Line and as such am tempted to take the barre and perform a plie. Had my ankle-length, A-line, Funkis shift dress been fashioned from anything a little more accommodating than Florence Broadhurst upholstery fabric, I might have carried it out. In the current textile context however, I fear a plie may be a little too ambitious.
The room suddenly fills. The show starts. The same model who had been wearing the "money crime drugs vice sex" singlet is now dressed like an altar girl. She glides past in a pristine white cotton shirt with buttoned collar and extended cuffs over a voluminous, white A-line skirt that is partially covered by a mushroom-coloured organza apron. It's a very pretty, minimalist collection.
A plane flies past in the distance across the Manhattan skyline and I shudder. Choosing to follow a horde of people down six flights of fire stairs instead of taking the lift afterwards, only exacerbates the uncomfortable feeling. I can't get into the daylight quickly enough.
Into a cab and back to Bryant Park. The farcical fash pack is out in force and any notions of terrorist forboding swiftly dissipate.
A seat nazi on the front desk of newish designer Sabyasachi tells me that she cannot possibly accommodate me because I don't have a ticket. I tell her that I believe I may have RSVP'd to the relevant PR agency but that the ticket did not arrive at the hotel and in any event I am more than happy to stand at the show of a designer I don't know from a bar of soap because I am very keen to see what he is doing.
She grudgingly gives me a "ST" (standing) ticket.
In a moment of absurdity, I watch as a man wheels an elderly woman in a wheelchair over to the same flack. She gives them some attitude and then proceeds to hand both of them "standing" tickets.
"Gee, that's going to be an interesting one to watch" I think to myself.
Original post and comments from smh.com.au/theage.com.au.
Saturday, September 9, 2006
Vogue tells its models "Keep your legs together!" after Maticevski's Manhattan transfer
There were more than a few empty seats in Melbourne on Monday, when a preview of Toni Maticevski's New York debut runway collection opened Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. And it was a very similar scenario at New York's Bryant Park on Friday, with only the front couple of rows turning up to see Maticevski, the first of ten emerging international fashion names to take part in the event's sponsored "UPS Hub" initiative.
"I think there was a show up against Toni" offered head Olympus Fashion Week honcho, IMG Fashion vice president Fern Mallis, after the UPS Hub show of US designer Ashleigh Verrier later in the day, which was, by contrast, packed to the rafters.
Fortunately for Maticevski however his show of sculptured, cotton polyamide, safari-inspired separates and delicate, shredded silk tulle eveningwear, teamed with quirky kangaroo fur-trimmed platform shoes, was seen by a small, but powerful group of American buyers and media.
The latter included Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel, Womens Wear Daily, US Vogue and The Washington Post. Several among them that I spoke to afterwards seemed quite upbeat about the show (read our upcoming news stories and Thursday's Essential supplement in The Sydney Morning Herald for the complete Maticevski verdict).
At press time Maticevski had moreover already scored a couple of important pieces of editorial real estate. They include a highly coveted slot in US Vogue's 'Up Next' preview of the hottest talent at the New York shows. Of the seven up-and-comers selected by contributing editor Lauren Davis for the feature, Maticevski and Josh Goot are the only Australians.
At around 2pm today, when the US Saturday sites went live, Maticevski had also scored some impartial, and valuable, show criticism, as distinct to the frequently overhyped reviews he tends to receive from the Australian media.
The reviews were in the influential Womens Wear Daily (WWD) and Style.com - making in fact page one of Style.com today. Both companies are owned by Conde Nast, which owns Vogue. (And I am WWD's Australasian correspondent; however I had nothing to with the Maticevski review).
Here's what they said.
WWD:
Style.com:
Shooting Maticevski and models out the back of the venue afterwards in Bryant Park, for the upcoming Vogue new talent feature, was expat Australian photographer Nicholas Samartis, who recently moved from LA to New York.
What does Samartis make of the so-called "Australian invasion" of New York this season, with six Aussie names treading the runways?
"There's always an Australian invasion" Samartis told me in between takes of the models walking towards him past a stationary Maticevski.
"We just invade, we can't help it" he quipped. "I don't know how they're getting their visas. They're paying somebody off, don't you think?"
Samartis initially attempted to prevent me from taking some video of his shoot with my phone.
"You can't do that, it's an exclusive" he trumpetted, while standing in the middle of a throng of punters who had been having lunch in Bryant Park at the same moment the Maticevski posse turned up for its Vogue closeup.
Every second punter took out their own phones and cameras to record the moment. So much for an exclusive.
Curiously however, there was not an Australian amongst Maticevski's models, in spite of me having spotted 14 year-old rising Australian star Tallulah Morton and expats Elyse Taylor and Miranda Kerr at the Marc Bouwer and Cia.Maritima shows elsewhere in the day.
Perhaps the Australian models are doing so well now, Maticevski can't afford them?
One wonders if there had been any Australian modules on hand for the Vogue shoot, whether Davis would have had to remind them to "please keep your knees together", as I overheard her saying to one model.
Wearing one of Maticevski's feather-print, ruffled silk organza columns, the girl had been posing against the side of a bistro table like a truck driver - with her knees akimbo.
Is it an Anna Wintour directive that Vogue's models keep their legs closed?
"It's America, it's a puritannical society" offered Samartis, who should know, as he claims to now do 90 percent of his work for Vogue. "They're supposed to be 'classy'" he sighed. "It's such an overused American word, 'classy'".
Noted Davis, "Me personally, I like the girls to look pretty and beautiful and yeah, you don't want to have a beautiful picture and have the girl's knees open. If that offends someone, slipping through, what's the point? I'm somewhat conservative I guess. I think the same rules that apply to you in your real life, should apply on a shoot. I would never sit like that so I would never instruct a girl to sit like that in a shot".
One has to assume then that Davis would prefer not to work with the so-called "bad boy" of US fashion photography, Terry Richardson, who has carved a career out of louche imagery that blurs the lines between art and pornography.
Richardson's work has also been dubbed "heroin chic", although that apparently has more to do with the grittiness of his images of adolescents, and less to do with the fact that he himself is a recovered heroin addict.
"Legs akimbo" appears to be the absolute least shoot directive that Richardson issues to his subjects. Leaving his personal exhibition work out of things (in which he has photographed himself, his models and even his studio assistants in various sexual positions) arguably his most famous campaign image is the shot of model Josie Moran simulating fellatio with a cow's udder, for Italian brand Sisley.
As revealed by The Sydney Morning Herald in July, Richardson was recently paid what industry sources estimated was US$150,000 for one day's work, shooting the spring/summer 2006/2007 ad campaign for Australian jeans brand Lee.
The campaign is about to break in Australian magazines, however one image went up on a Melbourne billboard last weekend.
The same image is due to appear on a billboard in Sydney's Taylor Square on October 1st. But I gather the campaign is already ruffling feathers down there. According to Lee's marketing manager Richard Bell, the company's first choice for the billboard image was knocked back by the Advertising Standards Bureau for being too risque, so you can only imagine what the wowsers would have said about that.
"He would be pretty sick of me pretty fast" said Davis, of the prospect of working with Richardson.
"I love his photography" she added. "[But] He would just be pretty annoyed at me telling the girls, sit up straight, put your knees together, get the needle out of your arm".
Original post and comments.
"I think there was a show up against Toni" offered head Olympus Fashion Week honcho, IMG Fashion vice president Fern Mallis, after the UPS Hub show of US designer Ashleigh Verrier later in the day, which was, by contrast, packed to the rafters.
Fortunately for Maticevski however his show of sculptured, cotton polyamide, safari-inspired separates and delicate, shredded silk tulle eveningwear, teamed with quirky kangaroo fur-trimmed platform shoes, was seen by a small, but powerful group of American buyers and media.
The latter included Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel, Womens Wear Daily, US Vogue and The Washington Post. Several among them that I spoke to afterwards seemed quite upbeat about the show (read our upcoming news stories and Thursday's Essential supplement in The Sydney Morning Herald for the complete Maticevski verdict).
At press time Maticevski had moreover already scored a couple of important pieces of editorial real estate. They include a highly coveted slot in US Vogue's 'Up Next' preview of the hottest talent at the New York shows. Of the seven up-and-comers selected by contributing editor Lauren Davis for the feature, Maticevski and Josh Goot are the only Australians.
At around 2pm today, when the US Saturday sites went live, Maticevski had also scored some impartial, and valuable, show criticism, as distinct to the frequently overhyped reviews he tends to receive from the Australian media.
The reviews were in the influential Womens Wear Daily (WWD) and Style.com - making in fact page one of Style.com today. Both companies are owned by Conde Nast, which owns Vogue. (And I am WWD's Australasian correspondent; however I had nothing to with the Maticevski review).
Here's what they said.
WWD:
"In a gentle palette of white and neutrals, Toni Maticevski worked a range of pretty dresses from stylishly minimal ones to deconstructed numbers, which occasionally veered too far over the top".
Style.com:
"Aussie Toni Maticevski arrived at the UPS Hub without a great deal of fanfare, but left with lots of new friends. He showed an appealing, delicate collection featuring trapeze shapes and diaphanous fabrics.
"The show was uneven - a blouse with Capulet sleeves seemed incongruous, as did a lone menswear look, paraded barefoot no less - but there was promise here. The eveningwear in particular was winning, especially a silk and tulle gown that looked as light as a cloud".
Shooting Maticevski and models out the back of the venue afterwards in Bryant Park, for the upcoming Vogue new talent feature, was expat Australian photographer Nicholas Samartis, who recently moved from LA to New York.
What does Samartis make of the so-called "Australian invasion" of New York this season, with six Aussie names treading the runways?
"There's always an Australian invasion" Samartis told me in between takes of the models walking towards him past a stationary Maticevski.
"We just invade, we can't help it" he quipped. "I don't know how they're getting their visas. They're paying somebody off, don't you think?"
Samartis initially attempted to prevent me from taking some video of his shoot with my phone.
"You can't do that, it's an exclusive" he trumpetted, while standing in the middle of a throng of punters who had been having lunch in Bryant Park at the same moment the Maticevski posse turned up for its Vogue closeup.
Every second punter took out their own phones and cameras to record the moment. So much for an exclusive.
Curiously however, there was not an Australian amongst Maticevski's models, in spite of me having spotted 14 year-old rising Australian star Tallulah Morton and expats Elyse Taylor and Miranda Kerr at the Marc Bouwer and Cia.Maritima shows elsewhere in the day.
Perhaps the Australian models are doing so well now, Maticevski can't afford them?
One wonders if there had been any Australian modules on hand for the Vogue shoot, whether Davis would have had to remind them to "please keep your knees together", as I overheard her saying to one model.
Wearing one of Maticevski's feather-print, ruffled silk organza columns, the girl had been posing against the side of a bistro table like a truck driver - with her knees akimbo.
Is it an Anna Wintour directive that Vogue's models keep their legs closed?
"It's America, it's a puritannical society" offered Samartis, who should know, as he claims to now do 90 percent of his work for Vogue. "They're supposed to be 'classy'" he sighed. "It's such an overused American word, 'classy'".
Noted Davis, "Me personally, I like the girls to look pretty and beautiful and yeah, you don't want to have a beautiful picture and have the girl's knees open. If that offends someone, slipping through, what's the point? I'm somewhat conservative I guess. I think the same rules that apply to you in your real life, should apply on a shoot. I would never sit like that so I would never instruct a girl to sit like that in a shot".
One has to assume then that Davis would prefer not to work with the so-called "bad boy" of US fashion photography, Terry Richardson, who has carved a career out of louche imagery that blurs the lines between art and pornography.
Richardson's work has also been dubbed "heroin chic", although that apparently has more to do with the grittiness of his images of adolescents, and less to do with the fact that he himself is a recovered heroin addict.
"Legs akimbo" appears to be the absolute least shoot directive that Richardson issues to his subjects. Leaving his personal exhibition work out of things (in which he has photographed himself, his models and even his studio assistants in various sexual positions) arguably his most famous campaign image is the shot of model Josie Moran simulating fellatio with a cow's udder, for Italian brand Sisley.
As revealed by The Sydney Morning Herald in July, Richardson was recently paid what industry sources estimated was US$150,000 for one day's work, shooting the spring/summer 2006/2007 ad campaign for Australian jeans brand Lee.
The campaign is about to break in Australian magazines, however one image went up on a Melbourne billboard last weekend.
The same image is due to appear on a billboard in Sydney's Taylor Square on October 1st. But I gather the campaign is already ruffling feathers down there. According to Lee's marketing manager Richard Bell, the company's first choice for the billboard image was knocked back by the Advertising Standards Bureau for being too risque, so you can only imagine what the wowsers would have said about that.
"He would be pretty sick of me pretty fast" said Davis, of the prospect of working with Richardson.
"I love his photography" she added. "[But] He would just be pretty annoyed at me telling the girls, sit up straight, put your knees together, get the needle out of your arm".
Original post and comments.
Friday, September 8, 2006
Jocks, Jiffies and the Veronicas en route to the Big Apple
Leaving Australia, I was overwhelmed by a sense of Steve Irwin. But not solely to do with Monday's news of his stingray misadventure.
Throughout Melbourne airport, Irwin seemed omnipresent: Steve Irwin posters, Steve Irwin chocolates, Steve Irwin DVDs, an episode of the latter even being playing inside one tourist store.
"This green mamba is one of the world's most venomous snakes and if I make one wrong move I could be dead in five minutes" beamed Irwin out of the plasma screen.
A small Japanese girl and I stood transfixed in front of the screen, then looked at each other blankly.
"Well, actually you are dead now, but it wasn't a green mamba" I said, wondering just how many times Irwin must have made similar statements. Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Good trip, save for the confiscation of two pink lipglosses and a jar of Blistex at the security check. Silly me for failing to check them of course. But honestly, Blistex?
In the extremely unlikely event that Donatella Versace had been down in Melbourne for Rosemount Australian Fashion Week and on the same flight, I might ostensibly have been able to talk to same about both the impending Milan collections and the phenomenon of celebrity death on the internet.
Donatella's brother of course died at a time when the net was still in its infancy. Gianni Versace's death, just prior to New York Fashion Week in 1997, was nevertheless the big story at the collections that year.
But sadly Donatella wasn't there. In her place however was an intimate apparel and footwear supplier to Australia's discount department stores, who just happened to be seated next to me.
And what a fascinating conversation that turned out to be.
It traversed the ins and outs of presenting products and concepts to the buying powers-that-be at Coles, K-Mart, Safeways and Woolworths, illustrating just how gutless and/or clueless some buyers can be. At least in the experience of this particular supplier.
One buyer, when presented with a cotton elastane mens' hipster trunk and told it was all the rage in Europe, once reportedly responded "That looks poofy to me".
The store didn't back the idea, the trunks became all the rage in Australia at the store's competitors and that buyer is now, or so the supplier claims, out of a job.
Woolworths buyers apparently think they're the "bees knees", there is a "wicked witch" at Safeways, Sainsbury's in the UK is the best place to harvest product ideas, Bonds' designers are slackers and a killer slipper idea can net an order of 300,000-400,000 units.
That's a hell of a lot of Jiffies.
I wondered if perhaps the encounter wasn't some sort of sign from above. That, just as I was embarking on this pilgrimage to the Grand Slam of fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris, perhaps the Big Fashion Question is not, "Is there more money at the volume end of the market?". But rather, "Do the big buyers from Bloomingdales and Barneys ever say to Hedi Slimane, when he presents ensembles from Christian Dior Homme, 'That looks poofy to me'?
Flying from LAX to JFK I noticed a boy two rows in front with silver aviators and emo hair. His entire entourage in fact seemed to be sporting the same black, asymmetric do.
On closer inspection at the baggage carousel, I had an epiphany: it was in fact The Veronicas.
"We live in LA but we're here to do a party tomorrow night for Garnier" said Lisa Origliasso, who added that she didn't mind flying coach.
Nice to see the world's biggest beauty conglomerate (Garnier parent L'Oreal) really looking after its talent.
Original post and comments.
Throughout Melbourne airport, Irwin seemed omnipresent: Steve Irwin posters, Steve Irwin chocolates, Steve Irwin DVDs, an episode of the latter even being playing inside one tourist store.
"This green mamba is one of the world's most venomous snakes and if I make one wrong move I could be dead in five minutes" beamed Irwin out of the plasma screen.
A small Japanese girl and I stood transfixed in front of the screen, then looked at each other blankly.
"Well, actually you are dead now, but it wasn't a green mamba" I said, wondering just how many times Irwin must have made similar statements. Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Good trip, save for the confiscation of two pink lipglosses and a jar of Blistex at the security check. Silly me for failing to check them of course. But honestly, Blistex?
In the extremely unlikely event that Donatella Versace had been down in Melbourne for Rosemount Australian Fashion Week and on the same flight, I might ostensibly have been able to talk to same about both the impending Milan collections and the phenomenon of celebrity death on the internet.
Donatella's brother of course died at a time when the net was still in its infancy. Gianni Versace's death, just prior to New York Fashion Week in 1997, was nevertheless the big story at the collections that year.
But sadly Donatella wasn't there. In her place however was an intimate apparel and footwear supplier to Australia's discount department stores, who just happened to be seated next to me.
And what a fascinating conversation that turned out to be.
It traversed the ins and outs of presenting products and concepts to the buying powers-that-be at Coles, K-Mart, Safeways and Woolworths, illustrating just how gutless and/or clueless some buyers can be. At least in the experience of this particular supplier.
One buyer, when presented with a cotton elastane mens' hipster trunk and told it was all the rage in Europe, once reportedly responded "That looks poofy to me".
The store didn't back the idea, the trunks became all the rage in Australia at the store's competitors and that buyer is now, or so the supplier claims, out of a job.
Woolworths buyers apparently think they're the "bees knees", there is a "wicked witch" at Safeways, Sainsbury's in the UK is the best place to harvest product ideas, Bonds' designers are slackers and a killer slipper idea can net an order of 300,000-400,000 units.
That's a hell of a lot of Jiffies.
I wondered if perhaps the encounter wasn't some sort of sign from above. That, just as I was embarking on this pilgrimage to the Grand Slam of fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris, perhaps the Big Fashion Question is not, "Is there more money at the volume end of the market?". But rather, "Do the big buyers from Bloomingdales and Barneys ever say to Hedi Slimane, when he presents ensembles from Christian Dior Homme, 'That looks poofy to me'?
Flying from LAX to JFK I noticed a boy two rows in front with silver aviators and emo hair. His entire entourage in fact seemed to be sporting the same black, asymmetric do.
On closer inspection at the baggage carousel, I had an epiphany: it was in fact The Veronicas.
"We live in LA but we're here to do a party tomorrow night for Garnier" said Lisa Origliasso, who added that she didn't mind flying coach.
Nice to see the world's biggest beauty conglomerate (Garnier parent L'Oreal) really looking after its talent.
Original post and comments.
Monday, September 4, 2006
Which Fashion Week?
Well here we are again, another season, another Fashion Week. But which Fashion Week? That's the question. Today in fact marks the kickoff of a rare confluence of four fashion events, three of them taking place in the one city.
Eleven years after Australia's premier fashion showcase emerged in Sydney, Melbourne finally gets to say, for one week at least, and with some justification, that it's the centre of the Australian fashion universe.
This week Melbourne is the stage for Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, the consumer-focussed Motorola Melbourne Spring Fashion Week and the (very) large trade fair, Fashion Exposed.
Yes you heard correctly. For anyone who missed last week's news, the event formerly known as Mercedes Australian Fashion Week has been reborn this season under the banner of a new naming rights sponsor... wait for it... the mid-to-low price, Fosters Group-owned wine brand Rosemount Estate.
The news was something of a shock to some when it first broke. It's hard to say whether that shock was solely due to the habit of calling the event MAFW for so many years or the prospect of having to quaff Yellowglen at same for the next five. The Fosters-owned champagne brand Lanson may be the event's new official champagne, however Yellowglen Non Vintage is definitely getting a look-in.
Others volunteered (and apparently quite sincerely) that they wouldn't have minded the name Fosters Fashion Week. In any event, nothing lasts forever, 11 years is a marathon run for any sponsor and this is a new era for AFW - not to mention Rosemount Estate, for whom AFW is irrefutably a great get. Perhaps some will even get into the military-sounding swing of the new acronym: RAFW.
Only problem, the first RAFW is on a Lilliputian scale. Simon Lock just can't win. Last October, he was bagged for having a light-on schedule for the autumn/winter MAFW showcase and he vowed to reschedule the event this year, as per industry feedback, to an earlier timeslot. So he brought it forward by almost two months and the timing appears to be a disaster, with an even lighter schedule.
The fact that RAFW runs right into the kickoff of the northern spring/summer 2007 show season, may be exacerbating things.
Apart from the intense competition for publicity between the three Melbourne events this week, more and more Australians are heading to New York to show. The more who show, the more publicity the New York event is generating in Australia and although both RAFW and the official New York event, Olympus Fashion Week, are owned by the same company, IMG, the widening spotlight on New York is cannibalising publicity for the event which put those names on the fashion map in the first place.
It's a vicious cycle, RAFW is becoming a victim of its own success and quite possibly needs to restrategise.
I should add that this is a problem peculiar to the far younger, autumn/winter showcase in Melbourne, which was launched as recently as 2002 and which has been renamed this season as "Transseasonal" collections.
Judging by the number of shows this year (head to www.afw.com.au to see the schedule) it could have been crammed into one-two days max. The spring/summer showcase in Sydney is now 11 years old and has in fact been stretched to five days to accommodate demand. Spring is a far bigger season in Australia and, dare one say, more designers might in fact take part if the smaller event were also to be held in Sydney, where most of the media is based.
Which brings me to this week's fourth fashion event - and second Fashion Week.
New York Fashion Week starts on Friday and there are no less than six Australian labels on its runways. It's a record number - in fact triple the number who showed last season.
For the first time smh.com.au readers will have a ringside seat at the New York action, and indeed all the action of the entire spring/summer 2007 circuit, which continues on to London, Milan and then Paris over the course of the next five weeks.
From the runways to the backstage shenanigans to the parties, we'll be there - and blogging.
Having been so bitterly disappointed with the dud celebs on the MAFW superyacht in April, as some may recall, we do look forward to touching base with the real thing. They trot them out over there like inflatables at a Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
So watch this space. Not MySpace.
Original post and comments.
Eleven years after Australia's premier fashion showcase emerged in Sydney, Melbourne finally gets to say, for one week at least, and with some justification, that it's the centre of the Australian fashion universe.
This week Melbourne is the stage for Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, the consumer-focussed Motorola Melbourne Spring Fashion Week and the (very) large trade fair, Fashion Exposed.
Yes you heard correctly. For anyone who missed last week's news, the event formerly known as Mercedes Australian Fashion Week has been reborn this season under the banner of a new naming rights sponsor... wait for it... the mid-to-low price, Fosters Group-owned wine brand Rosemount Estate.
The news was something of a shock to some when it first broke. It's hard to say whether that shock was solely due to the habit of calling the event MAFW for so many years or the prospect of having to quaff Yellowglen at same for the next five. The Fosters-owned champagne brand Lanson may be the event's new official champagne, however Yellowglen Non Vintage is definitely getting a look-in.
Others volunteered (and apparently quite sincerely) that they wouldn't have minded the name Fosters Fashion Week. In any event, nothing lasts forever, 11 years is a marathon run for any sponsor and this is a new era for AFW - not to mention Rosemount Estate, for whom AFW is irrefutably a great get. Perhaps some will even get into the military-sounding swing of the new acronym: RAFW.
Only problem, the first RAFW is on a Lilliputian scale. Simon Lock just can't win. Last October, he was bagged for having a light-on schedule for the autumn/winter MAFW showcase and he vowed to reschedule the event this year, as per industry feedback, to an earlier timeslot. So he brought it forward by almost two months and the timing appears to be a disaster, with an even lighter schedule.
The fact that RAFW runs right into the kickoff of the northern spring/summer 2007 show season, may be exacerbating things.
Apart from the intense competition for publicity between the three Melbourne events this week, more and more Australians are heading to New York to show. The more who show, the more publicity the New York event is generating in Australia and although both RAFW and the official New York event, Olympus Fashion Week, are owned by the same company, IMG, the widening spotlight on New York is cannibalising publicity for the event which put those names on the fashion map in the first place.
It's a vicious cycle, RAFW is becoming a victim of its own success and quite possibly needs to restrategise.
I should add that this is a problem peculiar to the far younger, autumn/winter showcase in Melbourne, which was launched as recently as 2002 and which has been renamed this season as "Transseasonal" collections.
Judging by the number of shows this year (head to www.afw.com.au to see the schedule) it could have been crammed into one-two days max. The spring/summer showcase in Sydney is now 11 years old and has in fact been stretched to five days to accommodate demand. Spring is a far bigger season in Australia and, dare one say, more designers might in fact take part if the smaller event were also to be held in Sydney, where most of the media is based.
Which brings me to this week's fourth fashion event - and second Fashion Week.
New York Fashion Week starts on Friday and there are no less than six Australian labels on its runways. It's a record number - in fact triple the number who showed last season.
For the first time smh.com.au readers will have a ringside seat at the New York action, and indeed all the action of the entire spring/summer 2007 circuit, which continues on to London, Milan and then Paris over the course of the next five weeks.
From the runways to the backstage shenanigans to the parties, we'll be there - and blogging.
Having been so bitterly disappointed with the dud celebs on the MAFW superyacht in April, as some may recall, we do look forward to touching base with the real thing. They trot them out over there like inflatables at a Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
So watch this space. Not MySpace.
Original post and comments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)