Vera Wang’s Show Is Just Too Early for the Celebrity SetDuring a week that’s all about forecasting and setting trends, we’re starting to think the biggest one is that 10 a.m. is the new crack of dawn. Thank God for Mariska Hargitay, without whom the front rows at Vera Wang this morning would’ve felt as lifeless as our hair after six days of heat-styling.
Video: Glamour and Gowns at MarchesaNew York fashion correspondent Fabiola Beracasa went to the Marchesa presentation yesterday, and our cameras tagged along to see beautiful people and red-carpet-worthy gowns.
harriet and amy
Five Things We Liked on Wednesday
1. New proportions at Michael Kors: longer, skinny pencil skirts with fitted long tops.
2. Zero Maria Cornejo’s chic coats.
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.
reviews
Derek Lam Articulates Feminine LuxuryFashion can be mercilessly fickle: Designers are quite often dismissed just as soon as they’re discovered. So thank God for Derek Lam, who has slowly, methodically, and quietly worked his way toward a collection that is now a mainstay of what we consider American fashion.
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Veronica Webb’s Fashion ‘Sense’ Keeps Us AmusedThe Isaac Mizrahi show Wednesday afternoon was a very refined affair. It was held at his office on Tenth Avenue, and we were greeted with coffee (in china cups) and bonbons. Bonbons!
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Jennifer Lopez Is Really Fugging Pregnant!Eliza Dushku officially learned the hard way the First Rule of Fashion Week: Don’t arrive at the same time as J.Lo does. When we noticed Dushku and her brother Nate at Wednesday’s Marchesa presentation, we scampered over to check out her dress and then completely forgot about her the second we noticed La Lopez and her svelte hand warmer, Marc Anthony, a mere two feet away.
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At Phillip Lim, We Guess We Can Be Your Fergie?The tents are a little less A-list-y from nine to five, for obvious reasons: If you’re a celebrity, those are the hours during which you sit around in sweatpants, order your assistants to get you coffee, and figure out what the hell you’re going to wear when the real action starts at the evening shows. So at times, a person may feel a little celeb-starved (we should note, however, that if you really keep your eyes peeled, famous folk are everywhere; they’re just a little less obvious during the day), and this may prompt some bizarre behavior, like what we saw while waiting for this afternoon’s 3.1 phillip lim show.
video look book
Parsons Student Contemplates Cool at Marc By MarcKenneth Baenchantha is a student at Parsons who took advantage of Marc Jacobs’s generous free ticket offer to his alma mater. Outside the Marc by Marc Jacobs show, Amy Larocca found Baenchantha questioning his roommate’s fashion advice and hoping Fashion Week would go high-tech. Watch the Video Look Book for more undergraduate yearnings.
Video Look Book: Kenneth Baenchantha [NYM Video]
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Louis Terline of Oak Likes Betsey Johnson, Yigal, and Marc by MarcLouis Terline, co-owner of the Brooklyn boutique Oak, took time away from the tents to share his favorites from the week so far. What’s he looking at for next fall’s inventory? He likes Betsey Johnson’s hot shorts, Yigal’s rich fabrics, and Marc by Marc’s leather dresses.
backstage video
Get the Look: Bobbi Brown at Brian ReyesNew York beauty editor Aja Magnum ventured backstage at the Brian Reyes show, where beauty legend Bobbi Brown was hard at work, creating an outdoorsy, sporty look for girls who’ve been out and about in the country. Think gently flushed cheeks, powdery tones, and windswept brows — yes, even your brows can get windswept. Watch and learn.
Beauty: Bobbi Brown at Brian Reyes [NYM Video]
three is a trend
Tie Me UpWhile bows tend to be ultrafeminine embellishments, designers are transforming them into sleek, urban additions on the runway this week. Proenza Schouler swept a chic white bow atop a traditional silk white blouse, while Thakoon tied a printed pattern variation around Coco Rocha’s navy belted coat. Meanwhile, Marc Jacobs fastened his knot front and center for a new spin on the classic black cocktail dress at Marc by Marc Jacobs. Come fall, we’ll be fit to be tied.
Breaking: Marc Jacobs May Have Paid Dearly to Show in the ArmoryJames Jackson, the superintedent of the 69th Regent Armory on 26th and Lexington, is accused of soliciting over $30,000 in bribes from Marc Jacobs and other vendors to ensure their ability to hold shows in the cavernous, medieval-looking space. The Armory is used for high-end events like Jacobs’ shows and Vogue’s Seventh on Sale charity shopping event, though Vogue hasn’t yet been included on the list of purported victims (perhaps Jackson fears Anna Wintour as much as we do).
video look book
Chicago Shopgirl Flies In for Marc by Marc JacobsOutside the Marc by Marc Jacobs show yesterday, New York’s Amy Larocca met Katy Noonan, a salesgirl at Marc Jacobs’s Chicago store. She was wearing her boss’ clothes, of course. But she also repurposed a Second City icon to make a necklace. Watch the Video Look Book for more about what they’re wearing in the Midwest.
Video Look Book: Katy Noonan [NYM Video]
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The Donald Hands Out Mints at Michael KorsThere is something comforting about walking into a show and finding Donald Trump already seated and looking resplendent in the front row, as we discovered Wednesday morning at Michael Kors. The Donald was, of course, accompanied by wife Melania and spent most of the show sharing a running commentary with her, patting her leg, and passing out mints to the people around him.
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At G-Star Raw, Good Denim Makes for Good AssIf there’s one thing you need to know about G-Star jeans, it’s that they make your ass look good. Or that was the consensus among the attendees at the G-Star Raw show, from Tyson Beckford to Damien Fahey to Duran Duran, who went as far as to note that the denim even makes “your other bits look good.” In this backstage video, reporter Jada Yuan surveys the crowd’s collective bottom, makes notes of Ryan Adams’s $20 shoes, and catches Dennis Hopper’s freaky runway narration. Click to watch.
Video: Backstage at G-Star Raw [NYM Video]
reviews
Critics Praise Proenza, Oscar But Wonder About Carolina Herrera, HalstonProenza Schouler’s fall collection delighted critics, even as they considered the clothes too unattainable for all but the designers’ “socialite pals.” Carolina Herrera’s equestrian theme led to accusations of “costumery,” Cathy Horyn is a powerful advocate for the resurrected Halston line, and Oscar de la Renta may be contemplating inaugural gowns. Our review roundup has the rest.
model tracker
Karlie Kloss Is Tuesday’s Top ModelIn a sea of brunettes, redheads were on fire Wednesday. Olga Sherer opened Narciso Rodriguez, and Karen Elson returned for her first show of the season, Rodarte. But the real talk was of whom Marc Jacobs would cast for Marc by Marc Jacobs.
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Video: Resurrecting the Flapper Backstage at Monique LhuillierNew York’s Jada Yuan took cameras backstage at Monique Lhuillier to capture the preparations for the designer’s flapper-inspired show. The makeup artist sought “poetic glamour” with you guessed it a smoky eye. The hairstylist nixed short-haired girls. And the designer herself had a preshow freak-out that lasted five days. Watch the video to see the drama for yourself.
Video: Backstage at Monique Lhuillier [NYM Video]
Five Things We Liked on Tuesday
1. Marc by Marc’s look No. 1: chic, beatnik Paris with beret and navy cowl-neck.
2. The fun, neon DKNY bikes around the city.
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Lance Armstrong Fails to Win Back Tory BurchWe thought the Tory Burch presentation on Tuesday evening would be sort of a snore: pretty clothes, no celebrities. Little did we know that we’d find ourselves in the middle of a romantic drama — just the way we like it!
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Narciso: Seinfelds Return! Amy Adams Suspiciously Normal!Whenever we arrive at a show and see a huge line snaking along the building and way down the street, it’s always a relief to see that people like Tim Gunn and Plum Sykes are languishing in the same queue.
Non-Runway Models Are the Real WinnersTonight we overheard the following conversation in the Imperial Vodka lounge, between a male promo model and another random staffer from God knows where, and learned about life as a non-runway model:
cult of personality
Max Azria Launched Three Collections. Now He Dances!Max Azria, the design world’s most adorable happy little man, just completed the très impressive feat of launching three different collections (BCBG, Hervé Léger, and Max Azria) in the span of four days. How was he holding up at the end?
ask a retailer
Ann Watson of Henri Bendel Likes Tibi, Peter Som, and DVFThroughout the week, buyers from Bird, Henri Bendel, Intermix, and more will tell us which runway looks they plan on stocking. Today, Henri Bendel VP and fashion director Ann Watson reveals her current faves: hemlines from Tibi, the surprises at Peter Som, and everything at DVF.
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Fergie Fidgets Her Way Through Marc by Marc JacobsGiven that its front man is something of a celebrity-friendly designer, we decided to forego the usual brow-furrowing and crowd-scanning at Marc by Marc Jacobs in favor of simply asking a PR girl for a general idea where the famous guests might be concentrated. Looking at us like Marilyn Manson’s head had just burst forth from our shoulders — and, we think, erroneously assuming we didn’t know the difference between this clothing line and its upscale Marc Jacobs sibling — the event staffer said, “Oh, this isn’t the one that celebrities come to.”
party lines
John Varvatos Likes His Male Models TipsyWalking backstage at John Varvatos’s show at the top of 7 World Trade Center last night, we were a little taken aback to see some 30 high-cheekboned man-children throwing back Peronis and Champagne.
video look book
The Trend Forecaster Sees Bright Colors in the FutureOnce a model, Sonya Holly is now a trend forecaster scouting the future at Fashion Week. She doesn’t buy much here, though. “I always shop in Europe,” she tells Amy Larocca in the Video Look Book. ”If it’s affordable, everybody’s wearing it.”
Video Look Book: Sonya Holly
cult of personality
You Go, Minka Kelly!We were surprised when we spotted Minka Kelly — who plays Friday Night Lights’ resident Jesus freak, Lyla — sitting front row at the Doo.Ri show yesterday for two reasons.
three is a trend
She’s Got LegsTights have been a fall staple for years (just ask Lindsay Lohan). But the black leggings of the past are getting a colorful new makeover for fall. Erin Fetherston paired her simple black flats with blue nylons, while Proenza Schouler used mustard-yellow tights to set off emerald-green heels. Nicole Miller went the furthest, showing tights that were not only colored (maroon) but also patterned. Go ahead, girls, and show off your legs whatever the hue.
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OMG, Someone New: Perrey Reeves at Monique Lhullier>Monique Lhuillier’s show is traditionally jam-packed with pretty young things in the market for pretty new things to wear, and Tuesday’s show was true to form. In addition to reliable old Sophia Bush, who seems to be losing her voice after her week of nonstop yapping, we spotted Entourage’s Perrey Reeves — a new face, thank goodness!
reviews
Rodarte: Light and Dreamy and UnattainableIn our mass-marketed and manufactured era, Laura and Kate Mulleavy, the designers of Rodarte, know the value of a little handworked originality. Their crafty collections bring a bit of the personal into an industry increasingly defined by the mass production of pricey key fobs, four-figure handbags, and heavy bottles of perfume.
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Critics Herald DVF, Send a Chill to DKNYBig Names are showing daily, and the critics are quick to praise or pick apart. Diane Von Furstenberg’s femme-fatale look was lauded, but Max Azria’s resurrection of the Hervé Léger label was mixed. Jonathan Saunders charmed most reviewers, but not Cathy Horyn. And Donna Karan’s time-traveling collection was confusing to all but WWD.
Breaking: Medical Emergency at the Tents!Our diligent correspondent reports: “They’re saying a person is having heart palpitations — not sure who it is, but they’re not letting anyone past check-in. I can hear sirens, but I assume they’re not going to send paramedics in through the front.”
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Badgley Mischka Show Proves Too Early for Certain StarletsThe 10 a.m. start — practically the crack of dawn, really, what with being two whole hours before noon and all — of Tuesday’s Badgley Mischka show apparently deterred the likes of Rose McGowan, Amy Smart, and Heather Graham from rolling out of bed and doing their hair. (Or maybe they were just downtown for the Giants parade? At the polling stations?
show & tell
Chris Benz Injects Parisian Ladies With YouthAt the Upper East Side’s Lotus Club, designer wunderkind Chris Benz’s presentation was a refreshing distance from Bryant Park and its fustercluck of photographers and actresses. And though we do love some glitz and front-row drama, four days in we start to appreciate the relaxed and easy presentations that start on time and allow us to take our time and examine the clothes for as long as we please. It’s almost too relaxed and easy to be a part of Fashion Week.
model tracker
Irina Kulikova Is Monday’s Top ModelMonday was a mixed bag of no-brainer casting and compelling new faces. Runway veteran Anja Rubik lead the Oscar show. But Anna Gushina, who just debuted at Prada in September, generated significant buzz by winning Proenza Schouler’s coveted first spot.
video look book
Plum Sykes Exposes Fashion Week’s Cold TruthFashion writer Plum Sykes changed her mind about what to wear to Fashion Week at the last minute, but that doesn’t prevent her from rattling off designers’ names without pause. A veteran attendee, Sykes has come to terms with the event: “You never look pretty enough. That’s the con. The pro is you see all these amazing girls in these amazing outfits, and it’s so inspiring.” Watch the Video Look Book for more words of wisdom.
Vido Look Book: Plum Sykes [NYM Video]
reviews
At Thom Browne, a Sharply Tailored Freak ShowThe relationship between what goes down the runway and what gets worn on the street varies greatly: Some designers stay well within in the realm of the wearable, while others use a fashion show to make a point. In his circus-themed show, Thom Browne was trying for the latter.
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Gucci’s Creative Director Has Heard About BrooklynGucci’s new Fifth Avenue flagship store is the subject of a surprisingly long article in today’s WWD. At 46,000 square Trump Tower feet, the store dwarfs the 36,000-square-foot Abercrombie across the street. Creative director Frida Gianni says, “The idea was also to create a special environment with an emphasis on transparency and light.” Perhaps she’s alluding to the bling, which will be sold in an adjoining three-story jewelry shop. (There’s also a VIP section, natch, accessible by a separate entrance and elevator.)
harriet and amy
Five Things We Liked on Monday
1. Put a feather in your cap (or tweed hat!) at Carolina Herrera.
2. Look No. 2 at Proenza Schouler, the purple layered dress with ocher tights and bright teal suede pumps color-block heaven!
loose threads
Cathy Horyn Goes to the Box; Rachel Zoe Blows Off Halston• Cathy Horyn calls Tuleh “a nice gaudy American spectacle with a crackup at the end,” loves Diane Von Furstenberg’s sleek collection, and enjoyed going to the Box at Super Bowl halftime to watch models try to dance. [NYT]
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Brooke Shields Inexplicably Brownnoses RihannaWhile digging around in our bags for our precious Proenza Schouler seat-assignment cards, we suddenly looked up and noticed that the space around us — formerly teeming with fashionistas — had cleared suspiciously quickly.
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Max Azria Draws Out Brittany Murphy’s Lifetime of HurtWe may have borne inadvertent witness to a catharsis of sorts for twig-size actress Brittany Murphy. At Monday evening’s Max Azria show, we caught sight of Murphy — the first celebrity to wander out from backstage after photographers waited for about 40 minutes — refusing an interview with one gossip-magazine reporter by placing her hand gently on the girl’s arm and intoning, “Not for that magazine. Your magazine HURT. MY. LIFE.”
new york fugging city
Eliza Dushku Reenters Society at Ports 1961, of All PlacesWe had an epiphany about Sophia Bush today. Her character on One Tree Hill is the super-successful fashion designer behind the grammar-tragedy clothing line Clothes Over Bro’s. So maybe some of her appearances at Fashion Week — like tonight’s, at the Ports 1961 show — can be chalked up to Method acting!