Halston Lets Its Head Designer GoMarco Zanini revived the label with a fall collection that received mixed reviews, and execs are already on the hunt for a replacement.
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Hooray! ‘New York Look’ Is Online!And it’s got interviews with Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel Iman, stunning photos from the shows, and tons of fall trends.
Boyfriend Jackets Signify Girl PowerThe long, roomy style popped up on the runways of Diane Von Furstenberg, Lanvin, Nina Ricci, and Bill Blass. The shape, designers say, empowers women.
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Inside the Sad, Bizarre World That Was the Lauren Conrad ShowImagesAttending last night’s Lauren Conrad Collection show at L.A.’s Fashion Week felt a lot like being dropped into the middle of an episode of The Hills — potentially juicy, questionably styled, ultimately a bit plotless, and yet strangely amusing.
André Leon Talley Does L.A. Fashion Week and Isn’t Happy About ItAndré Leon Talley doesn’t look very happy or comfortable here. That’s because he’s at L.A Fashion Week, can’t leave until tomorrow, is probably sweating his ass off in that crocodile coat he’s got on, and must endure it all without his boss and BFF Anna Wintour, who presumably sent him.
Shoes, Glorious Shoes: Parisian PicksBecause nothing soothes a catwalk hangover like a little accessories porn, we’re going through all the shows and pulling our favorite accoutrements. Since we’re still getting over Paris, we started with the bags, and now we’re working our way down. Clothes are important, sure, but really it’s about the shoes. So for your drooling pleasure, here are our footwear picks from Paris, just enough to keep you in serious debt for seasons to come.
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Must-Have Bags From ParisJust for the hell of it, we decided to round up our favorite accessories from all of them. All you need are great shoes and bags, right?
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Smiling on ‘Project Runway’ and Crying Over Tom Ford Suits• Project Runway contestant Jillian Lewis wonders if she could have been a bit more personable and smiley on camera. That’s cute. She thinks smiling and fashion go together. [NYDN]
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Make Your PointKiss rounded mary janes and peep-toe booties good-bye this fall. Designers have crafted high heels dagger-sharp, so brace your toes for a tight squeeze.
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The Happiest Clothes on EarthWe didn’t want to notice it, but we couldn’t help ourselves. Fall runways seemed straight out of a Disney fairy tale with princess dresses galore.
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Amanda Laine Ruled Paris Fashion WeekAt Paris’ end, designers were divided between punctuating their shows with brand-new faces versus brand-name stars. Raquel Zimmermann, who began walking major shows in 1999, continues to be a Lagerfeld favorite and closed Chanel. Sasha Pivovarova, forever Prada’s darling, closed Miu Miu. Olga Sherer and Anabela Belikova looked formidably untouchable opening and closing Lanvin. But Paris’s spotlight has been fixed squarely on Amanda Laine. Opening Alexander McQueen and Miu Miu, plus closing Louis Vuitton, the young Canadian has made a huge splash in her first season. Paris was hers, and we’re giving her the week’s win.
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‘America’s Next Top Model’ Renewed!• Wipe that sweat off your brow. Even thought the CW’s ratings are floundering, America’s Next Top Model has been renewed for its eleventh and twelfth cycles because it’s the channel’s most-watched program. Obvi. [WP]
Please Buy Funky Tights Instead of Leggings This SpringApparently retailers are surprised to see shoppers continue flocking to tights like moths to flames, but we’re not surprised at all because the weather will justify a tights purchase for a couple more months, likely longer.
cult of personality
Scrapbook: Moments From ParisIf after being passed over for a trip to Milan, you were also cruelly deprived of a week in the City of Light, here’s a quick look at what you missed among the pretty people:
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Birds of a FeatherThough feathers were a major fall trend last year, this season plumes have flown up into hats.
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Sari Sloane of Intermix Likes Chloé and Stella
With the Paris shows finally coming to a close, we had our spies — er, buyers — from Intermix and Bird send dispatches on their picks of the week. Sari Sloane, Intermix’s VP of fashion merchandising, loved Chloé’s organza dresses and Stella McCartney’s chunky knits.
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Pop Your CollarIf you’re not already up to your neck in fashion, this fall you will be — literally. Sculpted, architectural collars turned neutral-toned coats into loud, dramatic pieces. Maison Martin Margiela’s beige blazer featured a deep V, exposing a bare chest offset by square shoulders, while Stella McCartney’s collar offered a wraparound variation (which doubles as a wool scarf for ultimate winter protection). And at Costume National, the funnel carved into a long black coat delicately drew attention to the face of Mariacarla Boscono. For fall, bundling up means you’ve got to go big.
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Miu Miu Helps Models Remember Their NamesBy the end of Paris Fashion Week, models are beyond frazzled. They’ve strutting up and down catwalks for four weeks now, traveling like crazy and … well, we won’t even touch on their eating habits. After a hectic month of shows, the girls’ minds might not be as sharp as they were at the beginning of February. They’re tired, they’re confused, they’re prone to error. So at Miu Miu, Miuccia gave the girls a hand by putting their initials on each of the outfits, just to prevent any backstage dressing-area confusion. Always stylishly err on the side of caution, right?
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Paris Fashion Week Ends: Lanvin’s Dresses Hit; Vuitton’s Pants Miss• The Lanvin show celebrated the little black dress with lots of lovely details. [Telegraph]
• Marc Jacobs started the Louis Vuitton show on time, leaving attendees racing to their seats. The collection was a commercialized version of the better, more artistic collection he showed in New York — and the pants were awful. [WSJ]
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Right to Bare ArmsParis designers must be banking on a globally warmed fall season, as their cocktail dresses flashed unexpected bits of skin. In what was an otherwise oversize, cozy collection, Stella McCartney showed a foxy, metallic beaded number, with chains framing the shoulder. Nicolas Ghesquière spiced up an otherwise basic LBD with armbands instead of sleeves. And Givenchy’s pastel frock, paired with gold gladiators, had a distinct Xena, Warrior Princess feel. —Kendall Herbst
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Breaking: Has Stammy Gone … Red?!Breaking news, people. Brace yourselves — we want you to remain calm. Are you sitting down? Okay, good. Now, deep breaths. If you need to picture your happy place, go ahead and do that. Whatever you need. Alright, here goes: Jessica Stam appears to have dyed her hair.
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Tom Brady May Model Skivvies for Calvin Klein!• Tom Brady may be the next Calvin Klein underwear model. (Please, God, let it be so.) Kimora Lee Simmons’s main squeeze, Djimon Honsou, is the label’s current bod of choice. [NYP]
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Mariacarla Boscono Takes ParisThough Ali Michael’s on a plane to Texas, plenty of other lean-legged girls have been pounding Paris’s pavement.
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Model Eats, Obviously Sent Home From ParisHere’s a good one from Paris: It’s not as if the scant body mass indexes on runways are good things. But the absurdity marches on, and still some strong-headed young things refuse to accept the conventions of modeling’s narrow vision.
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Ungaro Is Hip Again; Mixed Reviews for Dries Van Noten• Just 23 years old, Esteban Cortazar brought the “It” factor back to the house of Emanuel Ungaro. [Times]
• Dries Van Noten disappoints Cathy Horyn, and Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo makes her “think the trashiness, the allure and counterpoint of trashiness, is very interesting at the moment.” [On the Runway/NYT]
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What the Critics Said About Paris Fashion Week, and What They Really MeantThe reviews from Paris Fashion Week are clogging the Internet with words that resemble English but don’t necessarily make a lot of sense. That means it’s time for another edition of “What They Really Meant,” where we read the fashion reviews so you don’t have to. You’ve worked hard enough today already.
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Colette Displays Luxury Logos Made From CocaineThere’s cocaine at Colette! Through March 1 — the end of Paris Fashion Week — the Paris boutique’s first-floor gallery will display Swiss artist Comenius Roethlisberger’s exhibition of luxury-brand logos like Chanel, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent written in a mixture of cocaine and powdered sugar, adorably entitled “Dearest Constellation, Sweetest Invitation” (he’s talking to you, Kate).
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Viktor & Rolf Confuses Us in a Whole New Way!Viktor & Rolf, we need to talk. Guys, we know you’re wacky. A little quirky. And yo, we love that about you. That whole hanging-the-models-by-hooks thing last season? Freakin’ hilarious. Your old bed collection? Loved. But what was up with this whole “No” show you just did?
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Jean Paul Gaultier Blows PETA a Big KissWhat kind of fur did Jean Paul Gaultier send down the runway in Paris yesterday? The Wall Street Journal’s Christina Binkley was there, and she can explain:
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Masha Tyelna Is Today’s Top ModelIf models are musical instruments, in Paris Masha Tyelna is the cowbell — ‘cause designers just want more (zing!).
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Out of Nowhere, Amanda Laine Storms EuropeAfter winning the V magazine and Supreme Model Management’s “V a Model!” (get it??) contest, official new girl Amanda Laine has surprised everyone by quickly popping up on Milan runways. That’s right — it seems possible to win a modeling contest and actually have a high-fashion career thereafter! Who knew?
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New Valentino Designer Prepares for Debut; Balenciaga Wows Critics AgainTomorrow Alessandra Fachinetti presents her first collection as the creative director of Valentino after the man himself retired earlier this year, making her “potentially, one of the most powerful women in the industry.” She invited Valentino to her show and calls her collection “Valentino … with a twist,” which she hopes will attract younger customers. [Telegraph]
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The Latest From Paris: Dior, Yohji, Scott, and More• No color went untouched in John Galliano’s line for Christian Dior.
• The models at Undercover rocked an otherworldly, alien vibe, with future-forward fashions.
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Dior, Dior, Dior — and Some Other Stuff• John Galliano played “Mrs. Robinson” during the presentation of his pretty, wearable, sixties-inspired Christian Dior line. His other inspirations included Baby Jane Holzer and Raquel Welch. [WWD]
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Taryn Davidson Books Paris Runways, Italian ‘Vogue’Though she debuted at last year’s Calvin Klein show alongside Karlie Kloss and Toni Garrn, Canadian Taryn Davidson has remained more under the radar. One could attribute this merely to her being Canadian — our northern neighbors tend to lie low. But Taryn’s creating a stir in Paris: Usually catwalk bookings are confirmed the day of, but Davidson’s already snagged spots this week at Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton, and Balenciaga. And she’s also blowing up off the runway, having shot an upcoming Italian Vogue editorial with Nathaniel Goldberg. Not too shabby, eh?
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Cavalli’s Cell Phone Is Like a Cinder BlockEarlier we mentioned how designers can’t use everyday technology like computers and cell phones. And now we’ve some choice visual proof — fresh from Milan, no less! — of designers’ frightening inability to modernize. Pictured, Roberto Cavalli’s ginormous cell phone seen resting on a table at the designer’s after-party. Well. If Zack Morris could get ahold of Cavalli, we’re sure he’d ask for his phone back.
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Girl to Watch: Emma PeiSome of our favorite new catwalk staples are Asian beauties, and upbeat newcomer Emma Pei is our fave du jour. So let’s welcome her to the esteemed club of runway rulers that is our Model Manual, shall we?
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Oscar Fashion Bores — Now on to Paris!• The inane glories of the red carpet: Atonement’s 13-year-old Saoirse Ronan doesn’t care what people think about her outfit, George Clooney’s date seemed restless, and Steve Carell claimed to wear $14,000 Spanx. [WP]
• Most Oscar dresses were boring and many red-carpet walkers’ “behavior could have used a little refinement,” like Jessica Alba who chewed gum the whole walk down. [WWD]
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Daria Werbowy Returns to Claim Milan As Her OwnWe have a bit to say about Milan’s catwalk conclusion, particularly the puzzling casting at DSquared2. So: The brothers Caten slapped red lipstick and fishnets on their opener Iekeliene.
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Milan Front-Row Report: McDreamy Who? It’s Roberto Bolle!Until the end of the week, the front rows of the Milan shows were a lovely reminder celebrities exist in nationalities other than American. Just because we don’t know who they are and Us Weekly doesn’t explain why they’re “just like us” doesn’t mean they’re not famous
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Scrapbook: Moments From MilanIf you haven’t been flown over to soak in the twinkling excesses of Milan Fashion Week, here’s what you’ve missed. Clockwise from top left: An exhausted Anouck yawned in line at Prada. Carine looked fab in front-row fur at Missoni. Hamish Bowles waited at Jil Sander with a camera-shy Virginia Smith.
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First Thoughts on Donatella: Goodness, We Approve!em>Wherein batty, catty New York editors treat you to their totally unsolicited yet utterly insightful thoughts on the stuff they can’t stop looking at.Amina I don’t want to scare you but…Versace is pretty.
Jessica Uh oh. How pretty?
Amina I want to buy some of the coats.
Jessica Ooooh boy. Okay, looking now… leather biker-cum-blazer is something I might kick some serious ass in.
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Milan Still Low on Glitz, But Earthy Gets Its DueThe Milan shows are almost over and we are still waiting for that “molto sexy” glitzy thing to rear its Swarovski-ed head. Soon, oh yes, we can feel it. But in the meantime, many of these collections, would be great for a super posh camping trip of sorts.
• Trussardi showed earth tones and bright shower-curtain frocks.
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Americans Are Over Bling, But China and Russia Aren’t!Are you the kind of person who hears the words “economy” or “emerging markets” and immediately thinks, Economy eshmonomy, emerging markets cookie whatever? If so, and you care about fashion, now is the time to change your tune. The economy does indeed affect what you wear (crap), because designers create their wares based on what you’re in a position to buy.