Critics Laud Calvin and Vera, Puzzle Over Posen and SuiAt Calvin Klein, critics marveled at Francisco Costa’s geometric minimalism and also admired Vera Wang’s newfound sensuality. Anna Sui proved quirky but entertaining to most critics, while Zac Posen’s clothes raised brows and questions. See what well-chosen adjectives made it to press in our review roundup.
three is a trend
Booty CallJust when we thought ankle booties would stay the reigning “It” shoe, classic, comfy flat boots hit the runways in droves.
model tracker
Lily Donaldson Is Wednesday’s Top ModelOne of our favorite art students turned model, Sasha Pivovarova, hit the runway for the first time this week at Anna Sui. But it was Lily Donaldson (also known for dating Vladimir Roitfeld) who dominated the catwalk Wednesday.
new york fugging city
Little Girl Is Mean to Vincent Gallo at Anna SuiListen, we know we’ve said a lot about Vincent Gallo that has been, shall we say, unflattering. But we can’t help that we noticed this: At Anna Sui’s show in the tents Wednesday afternoon, Gallo sat next to a little girl who spent most of the show leaning away from him and at one point held her invitation up between them. However, and here’s the shocker, we felt bad seeing that.
three is a trend
Belly Dance
Think shoulders are the only skin you’ll be showing next season? Think again.
three is a trend
Sheena Was a Punk-Rocker
Neon was the buzzword this week, landing on nearly every runway. But a few crafty designers reinterpreted that late-eighties trend into something distinctively more punk.
reviews
Critics Bow at the Altar of Marc, Oscar, Anna, and CarolinaAs Fashion Week draws to a close, it’s time to talk about the big guns, those wonders who need no surname. Did Marc’s intellectual show ultimately please? Did Oscar and Carolina meet expectations? And what does Anna Sui have up her sleeve?
party lines
Kim Gordon Gives her Secrets on BadasseryKim Gordon has always represented unstudied badassness to us, so when we spotted her in three front rows — 3.1 Phillip Lim, Anna Sui, and Marc Jacobs — we were determined to ask just how she pulls it off. The answer: H&M.
party lines
Vincent Gallo Wants You Out of Those JeansWe’ve been spotting Vincent Gallo all over the place — that is, when we can see past the facial hair — and our curiosity finally got the better of us. Why has he been going to so many shows? Does he really know anything about fashion? Would he even deign to talk to us?
ask a retailer
Ann Watson of Henri Bendel Likes Nili Lotan, Anna Sui, and Peter SomThroughout the week, the buyers from Kirna Zabête, Henri Bendel, Intermix, and more will tell us which runway looks they plan on stocking. Today, Henri Bendel VP, fashion director Ann Watson reveals her current faves: sexy sophistication from Nili Lotan, menswear cuts from Anna Sui, and Peter Som’s reworked American classics.
harriet and amy
5 Things We Liked on Monday1.Oscar de la Renta knows his customer. Today’s show was local (held on the Upper East Side) and age appropriate. Loved the cream, sleeveless top with a navy pencil skirt and feathered hat. Very Chic.
2.The punk rock hair at Anna Sui was a hit, as was a purple cardigan worn over pewter ruffled shorts that looked like a skirt.
show & tell
Anna Sui Fights Copycats, One Tee at a TimeWhat do you do when a cheap, mass-market company knocks off your designs? Well, first you sue the crap out of them. Then, while you wait to collect your hard-earned winnings, you make up a T-shirt and give it away at your fashion show. Not just any old shirt, mind you, but one emblazoned with the devious mugs of your nemesis, Old West style. That’s what Anna Sui did in retaliation to Don and Jin Chang, owners of Forever 21, who allegedly ripped off her clothes. The bounty: $21,000. And judging by the number of designs the Changs have allegedly stolen from, oh, everyone, someone’s bound to score that cash soon enough.
new york fugging city
Lisa Marie Allows Her Daughter to Be Seen With Ryan CabreraWhen a sullen, put-upon-seeming woman in a dress vaguely resembling that of a pirate wench skulked into the Anna Sui show, the guy next to us snarked, “Who is that person trying so hard to look miserable?” We shrugged and replied, “Oh, it’s probably Amy Lee, that sounds like something she’d do.” Turns out we named that tune. Fortunately, the Evanescence singer magically summoned the strength to smile when the cameras spied her, and the healing glow of flashbulbs rejuvenated ye ol’ wench. It was like a Prozac explosion.
Video: Rock Meets Cute at Anna SuiBackstage at Anna Sui, Jada Yuan caught the bustle before the show. During styling, model Coco Rocha consider Sui’s looks: “It’s a mixture of rock and cute. And that’s what I love: to be cute some days and [then] be a little punk.” This season, the designer was inspired by the redecoration of her own home. But how her models wear her clothes is important, too, Sui says. “I want them to convey the same happiness and sense of humor that I’m trying to put into clothing.”
Watch more videos from fall 2007 Fashion Week.
reviews
Fashion Report Card: Calvin and Vera Rise to the Top
Proenza Schouler and Michael Kors were the critics’ kings yesterday. Today, reviews are pouring in for Vera Wang, Y-3, Calvin Klein, and Anna Sui. Did Vera’s Bolsheviks win the revolution? Or did Yohji’s sporty Y-3 score points?
three is a trend
Jump Day
No longer just for men at work, the jumpsuit is back; and hugging feminine curves in all the right places. Diesel showed three different variations, but this gray, short-sleeved, futuristic version best sculpted an hourglass shape. Luca Luca’s skin-tight, snow-white suit is guaranteed to get lots of attention. And the baggiest, most utilitarian take belongs to Anna Sui, who added a quirky twist with gold chains and cargo pockets. Jumpsuits: They’ll jolt you ahead of the pack for fall.
ask a retailer
Ann Watson of Henri Bendel Likes Kors, Sui, and Malandrino
So far, buyers from Bergdorf Goodman, Bird, and Intermix have told us which runway looks they plan to snatch up for fall. Now Ann Watson, VP fashion director at Henri Bendel, joins the party. Ann will be stocking Michael Kors’s cocktail dresses, Anna Sui’s prints, and Malandrino’s purples.
harriet and amy
Ten Things We Liked on WednesdayFrom left, Proenza Schouler, Y-3, Anna Sui.Photos: imaxtree.com
1. Avion Feminin a small, quiet and brand new line showing by appointment only in the West Village. It’s exactly the pared-down cool that girls who really live and work in New York want. We’re crossing our fingers that some clever boutique will snap it up.
2. The exploded high-tops and collared hoodie at Y-3.
3. It was a little bit warmer today. We liked that.
new york fugging city
Delusions of Celebrity Grandeur at Anna Sui
She may have just decried all the Fashion Week runway shows as “bullshit,” but that apparently hasn’t stopped Amber Tamblyn from frolicking in this fetid dung heap. She and a friend soldiered through the shallow experience of sitting front row at Anna Sui on Wednesday night, even going so far as to waltz to their seats in what looked like chipper moods. Perhaps when they pre-partied backstage, they upgraded to absinthe from the weak-ass bourbon she reportedly swilled before Max Azria.
21 questions
Anna Sui Hates Tourists and Rats
Name: Anna Sui
Age: No comment
Job: Fashion designer
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
I came to New York to meet Andy Warhol and Diana Vreeland.
What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York?
Fried chicken at Max’s Kansas City.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
I find alternative solutions.
reviews
Fashion Week Report Card: All-American EditionThe latest bunch of designers to walk were the epitome of New York style: Anna Sui’s rocker chic, Narciso Rodriguez’s minimalism, and Michael Kors’s all-American looks. We round up the critics’ reviews of the key New York collections so far.