The Modern Princess

Ricks Owens simultaneously imbues his woman with aloof regality and down-and-dirty edge.

How does he do it?

I'm sure I could dissect the reasons of how, technically, he achieves this...but why spoil the magic?

It's the kind of woman that I, in my best mind's eye vision of myself, imagine I could be.

(All images from Style.com)

Great Ideas in Cloth and Writing

I love everything about the opening and closing paragraphs of Tim Blanks' review for Style.com of the S/S 11 Jil Sander show:

"The way Raf Simons tells it, he was sitting around with his team discussing the new minimalism and that got him thinking about its inverse, maximalism, which led him instantly to haute couture. That presented an implicit challenge to the very essence of the Jil Sander woman, and it must have excited Simons, because it inspired a standout collection that looked to have revived his commitment to the label. For a designer who is as mesmerized by line and proportion as he is, there can ultimately be no more seductive métier than couture—but where traditional couturiers have been paying lip service to the modernizing possibilities of the T-shirt-and-ball-gown combo for a dog's age, he made it a walking, talking proposition with his opening passage of major skirts and minor tops...

If the show had a hell-bent-for-leather verve about it, Simons really had no choice. There is no way you could make this kind of statement in a half-hearted way. But among the grand gestures, the collection could be broken down into a slew of want-ables: the parkas, for one thing; the stripes; all the tailoring. Still, in an ideal world, it would be those huge, glorious skirts that would be sweeping all before them down your local high street."






(All images from Style.com)

There are so many things I've loved on the S/S 10 runways so far, but time's always the thing. Somehow I couldn't resist posting this review.
To Maximalism,
Cxx.

Food for (My) Thought

After recently proclaiming to friends, family and, more importantly, to MYSELF, that I would no longer entertain thoughts of working in the fashion industry, New York Fashion Week has arrived and revved me up to go running to shows, reading Style.com runway reviews and analyzing collection photos, and reading show recaps on Twitter and various blogs. Fast forward to tonight. This scene unfolds in the living room of yours truly:

Bunny: "Hey, Christine?"

Me: "Yes, Steven?"

Bunny: "Why don't you just do something in fashion. You spend all your time looking at sites about shoes and clothes. It's what you love. Just do something in that field. Right? Just do something in fashion, for God's sake. I mean, you REALLY love it, and spend alllllll your time with it. If you spent all your time looking at sites about art, then I'd say you should go into art, but you don't."

Me (a little dumbfounded): "Uhh...."

Bunny: "I'm just trying to help. But I mean...REALLY. It's totally true, though."

THE SAGA CONTINUES....

Democracy in Fashion--Fashion's Night Out: The Show

I think it's fair to say that fashion has never been more democratic than it is at this moment.

Much of that equalizing can and should be attributed to an unusual suspect: Anna Wintour.
Defamed as "Nuclear Wintour," this woman is blessed with incredible foresight and an imaginative vision for what New York's fashion industry should be, and what it must be to guarantee its survival, especially in a post-9/11 world.
If you need proof, skip "The September Issue," a great film that unfortunately perpetuates the legend of her enigmatic and aloof qualities, for another great documentary, "Seamless," that may well confirm for you--as it did for me--that Anna is the best woman to be calling the major shots in fashion.
(And did I ever tell you that she frequents my neighborhood Starbucks? She gets her coffee BY herself and FOR herself. Stars! Just like us...)

The success last year of her brain child, the inaugural Fashion's Night Out, paved the way for the event I attended this past Tuesday:
The Fashion's Night Out: The Show.

I snagged two tickets and MVG and I headed to Lincoln Center (Bryant Park tents no more!) for the christening of S/S 2011 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

The fountain in the center of Lincoln Center's plaza was the perfect set piece.

The show, which seated nearly 2,000 guests (making it the largest runway show in NYC history), was comprised of 171 looks from the Autumn/Winter 2010 collections, divided into categories (e.g. Jazz Age). Each look was assembled using pieces from various designers, as well as some high-low mixing, like the Monique Lhullier skirt with Payless shoes ensemble modeled by Gisele.

As one of my favorite models, Jacquelyn Jablonski, demonstrates (in Versus) above, red is BIG for Autumn 2010, and fittingly I wore my red Miu Mius to the show:


CBS filmed and fed a livecast of the show to their website (an edited version will broadcast on CBS proper next Tuesday, September 14th). MVG and I were fortuitously seated in a camera-heavy section of the plaza. Here are some snippets from the broadcast in which you can spot us (thanks to my red shoes!):




I admit that I have some minor complaints about the show, but none of them really matter.
Yes, it was overwhelming to see 171 looks in 20 minutes, and to see 171 models simultaneously rather than staggered.
But you know what?
It was unbelievable to be sharing in this extraordinary moment with Anna Wintour, the world's top models (Gisele, Naomi Campbell, Karolina Kurkova, Chanel Iman, Coco Rocha, Karlie Kloss, etc.), the glitterati (surprise musical guest Pharrell, Roger Federer, Michael Kors, Harvey Weinstein the cast of Gossip Girl, New York socialites, etc.).

An event that was created to benefit a single industry in a single city has spread to several continents and hundreds of cities in a year's time.
From top designers and editors to kids like me and MVG, everyone's welcomed to have a good time.

Vive the democracy!
And vive Anna!
Cxx.

Vicky B. at B.G.

Tonight my friend A.S. and I attended an event to celebrate Victoria Beckham's new line of jeans and sunglasses at Bergdorf Goodman.


Victoria Beckham jeans featured in Bergdorf's windows.

I had hoped to see samples of the excellent pieces Victoria debuted at her Fashion Week presentation on Valentine's Day. I cannot express how I covet this gorgeous red dress:

(And I really like these as well. It's a fresh English twist on the Americana sexiness that Michael Kors so successfully achieves season after season.)

But alas, I will have to be patient.

Instead we were greeted by racks of skinny patched and slightly deconstructed jeans, versatile metallic knit tops, and a variety of vintage-inspired sunnies.

Modeling the latest Victoria Beckham sunglasses.

The event was busy but not over-crowded, and Victoria mingled with everyone.
Bergdorf buyers Sunni and Samantha, from MTV's "The City," were spotted on the job and in the dressing rooms; I don't blame Samantha for succumbing to the temptation to slip on VB's sexy jeans.


Victoria and A.S.
---
Prior to the fete on the 5th floor, A.S. and I dined on the 7th floor at BG.

After a delicious dinner in the ambience of Kelly Wearstler's decorative magic, and with the snow falling down on Central Park directly outside, we indulged in Mariage Freres tea and cookies.

A promotional cookie arrived with the check to remind us of BG's new children's shop: Little BG!

We took a peek. Isn't it cute? A bit like J.Crew's crewcuts store, but nevermind that; I can't ever get enough of childhood fantasy.


It was such a fun night of adding a little *spice* to my life.
Cxx.

New York Wonder Women: Donna Karan and Julie Gilhart

One of the things I love best about fashion is its history of propelling great women to prominence. This doesn't mean that the pioneering female designers, editors, directors had an easy ride. Rather, it seems to be an organic "fit" that people accept, even while they resist women in the boardroom and in the courtroom. Thus, with fewer impediments to the mere fact of their gender, these brilliant women are able to simply be PEOPLE WITH MASTERY OVER A CRAFT and an INDUSTRY.

Recently I was able to enjoy an audience with two such women. In honor of their new exhibition about design and sustainability, the Pratt Institute held a panel discussion featuring two designers of sustainable clothing lines, Caroline Priebe of Uluru and Mary Ping of Slow and Steady Wins the Race, along with Julie Gilhart, the Fashion Director of Barney's.

Julie has an amazing story, which my friend MVG would be happy to tell you. MVG positively idolizes Julie because they're both from Texas and both love fashion. Having seen Julie only briefly in "Seamless," a great documentary about the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Prize, I was anxious for her to prove her worthiness of being a high-powered woman at one of the most important department stores in the U.S. She absolutely delivered the goods.

In a Dries Van Noten jacket, embellished with fair trade beads from Africa, Julie Gilhart discusses sustainable fashion.

Julie went right to the heart of the matter of why sustainability matters: Basically it's an issue of prioritizing QUALITY over QUANTITY (something I've ranted about before). Fast fashion may serve a certain purpose, but it's incredibly wasteful because the clothes aren't designed for longevity; as my dear college friend, DAW, used to say "Yeah...those clothes WON'T last Forever...21." In addition to being wholly disposable, there's nothing LUXURIOUS about those pieces. Life is miserable and predictably awful much of the time. If we have the option and opportunity to inject a little luxury (and to effect conscientious change for our planet) then we should take full advantage. As Julie said,
"I want GOOD FOOD,
GOOD CLOTHES,
MORE SLEEP."
Amen.

After the discussion ended, MVG finally chatted with her hero! Feeling like a proud mother, I snapped this shot of the two of them walking down the stairs together. MVG even snagged Julie's last business card before JG jetted off to see the Paris shows.

---
Last night, MVG and I rendezvoused at Parsons to celebrate their new MFA program and to hear Donna Karan speak about her life experiences.



I had previously seen, but not heard, DK at Fashion's Night Out. I grew up loving DK's gorgeous draperies and her distinctly urban style: to me, she is the personification of New York City. She spoke of working for Anne Klein, and creating her first collection when she was pregnant and Anne was diagnosed with cancer and dying in the hospital. Donna literally worked on the collection until she was 9 days overdue, gave birth, and then Anne died the next day. It aroused in me the awareness (that I have yet to fully experience myself) of how bittersweet the struggles to be a successful woman can be: to lose a mother-figure, to become a mother yourself, and to have to fight to keep your business afloat. But Donna did it all, and in that particular instance she did it in the course of a few days.

As a natural caregiver she also touched on the ideas of socially responsible and sustainable clothing, and, even more importantly, about social consciousness itself. She said that it wasn't enough to join a charity in which you can be abstractly involved, but rather that social consciousness means being aware of the person sitting next to you and respecting their life and their story and the things that are happening to them. In a way, it's a QUALITY vs. quantity approach to human relations and one's day-to-day existence.

On a less serious note, she admitted to failing her "Draping" course at Parsons and being forced to take the summer school course; obviously she has more than compensated for that short-coming!
---
Sometimes I allow myself to be confused and incorrectly believe that New York is dominated and driven by the social set. Discussions like these with Julie and Donna remind me that women with sharp minds, a keen eye, and a clear voice are truly the ladies who rule New York.

Thank God.
Cxx.

Fashion Forward

The 92nd Street Y is a NYC venue that offers some of the best events, lectures and classes around. When I noticed that their Fall programming included a panel entitled "The Future of Women's Fashion," featuring such illustrious participants as Isaac Mizrahi, Ashley Olsen, Robin Givhan (fashion writer for the Washington Post), and Cindi Levie (Glamour's editor-in-chief), I knew I HAD to go.

I rallied my friends DG and SS (check out her fashion blog, HERE) and we had a wonderful time. To kick-start everything, we were seated across the aisle from Justin Bartha (Ashley's boyfriend and the star of "The Hangover") and Mary-Kate Olsen, who wore a terribly beautiful embroidered velvet jacket.

You can just make out MK's face in this photo.
(NOTE: I once read that the Olsens were taught to say "prune" when they smile, and years of practicing that posture certainly seems to have stuck...)

But back to the panel!

We were treated to a great mix of expertise and personalities.
Cindi and Robin (above far left and above left, respectively), are more in tune with consumers' needs and viewing fashion through the lens of hard numbers. This gave their opinions a lot of practical merit; perhaps even TOO MUCH for the dreamers in the audience like me, who wish only for fashion to be about art and beauty...which is where Ashley and, especially, Isaac come in.

Here are some gems from Isaac:

About being fearless with fashion: "If only we could be as brave about our own work as we are about, you know, playing Monopoly. That's what I always say."

About the role of the designer in dressing women: "Embracing that women look beautiful already, not that 'I'm gonna make you look beautiful' but 'You are beautiful already.'"

On determining the difference between fashion and design: "Fashion happens, but design is eternal. I don't know what fashion is supposed to be anymore: The red carpet? The cover of a magazine? But there's NO excuse for bad design."

On opportunities for entrepreneurs in the current economy: "Perhaps it's not a good time for greedy people to make a lot of money off of something that's not even good."

I adore Isaac, for obvious reasons. If you've never seen his documentary "Unzipped" you should run to Blockbuster or your Netflix queue and make it a priority! Among other simultaneously hilarious and wise tidbits he shared, he announced that he will be selling many new products on QVC, including CHEESECAKE ("it's a family recipe!").

Ashley Olsen was more sly, avoiding answering the question of which fashion trend she wishes would die ("I pass on this question!"), and omitting to tell the audience some major news that would be announced only a day later: that she and MK are launching a clothing line at J.C. Penney called "Olsenboye."

Robin Givhan made some interesting sociological commentary on the state of women's fashion, and even offered her theory of its biggest hurdle:
"People condescend to fashion because it's a woman's industry."
Hmm. Perhaps.

Like many panel discussions (and I recall numerous of these from my Princeton days), there wasn't much of an arrival at consensus or conclusion by the end. Nevertheless, all will agree that it was an entertaining and special occasion.

And don't forget to order your Mizrahi cheesecake...
Cxx.

Links to more info, insight, and better pictures from this event:
Glamour.com
The Huffington Post
Just Jared

The September Issue: LIVE!

On Tuesday night I fought off a terrible headache in order to attend a Young Lions event held in the gorgeous New York Public Library at the invitation of my dear friend, MVG. My effort were not without SERIOUS reward! The occasion was entitled "Close Up on Grace Coddington," and offered attendees an intimate conversation between Ms. Coddington, Vogue's Creative Director, and Jay Fielden, an editor at Vogue.com and the New Yorker.

Moments after MVG and I were seated, I noticed a slim figure with a very specific haircut enter the room and sit two rows behind us. It was none other than La Wintour herself, there to support her friend and closest co-worker. I snapped this photo as she left the room at the conclusion of the conversation; I'm particularly proud of this shot and the accidental lighting that almost makes her look like a deity, no?

Back to Grace. The conversation covered her long and interesting life, starting with her childhood in Wales, through her modeling days in Swinging '60s London, and eventually to her time at American Vogue. To be honest, when I was younger I was afraid of Grace and her terrific (in the "terrifying" sense) mop of red hair. But in person she is utterly charming; like the wise great-aunt from whom you have much to learn.

Here are some lovely snippets from Grace:

On reading British Vogue as a child: "I loved to look at the pages and dream."

On having a zest for life in the fashion industry: "The world we live in is so fun, I hope it goes on forever...or at least my life span."

On wearing so many black ensembles: "I just want to put it on like a uniform so I can put all my energy into the clothes I'm gonna photograph."

Jay walked us through some of Grace's best editorials. One in which model Karen Elson is dressed to resemble Grace, is particularly memorable to those of us who have read Vogue in the last two years, as is the editorial featuring Amber Valletta in a world (our world) where technology rules every moment of our lives:


It was a truly special evening. I am so grateful to MVG for treating me to such a memorable occasion and cannot think of anyone with whom I'd rather have shared the experience.

And kudos to Grace for being precisely who she is, and for making beautiful, exceptional art year after year.

BTW, this devil wears Balenciaga.
Cxx.

Smiling Ear to Ear: Fashion's Night Out.

Fashion's Night Out was last night and, in a word, it was INCREDIBLE.

At the behest of Mme. Anna Wintour, the eve of September 11, one of the worst days in NYC's history, was turned into a magical night.

As DvF told Women's Wear Daily: "There’s so much partying I don’t know how much business we’ll do. But it’s about building excitement…and celebrating.”

The air was similar to that of Halloween in NYC. There's a certain buzz the day of. Everyone dresses up (to the nines, in this case, rather than costume...though there WAS a fair amount of pageantry), maps out the places they want to visit for trick-or-treating, and, as is the case in this wonderful city of ours where 8 million people try to share limited resources, you often end up waiting in line.

But BOY was it worth it.

My pictures don't do it justice, and I highly recommended attending in person next year (assuming there's a next year) to see just how wonderful it is when the incredibly powerful people of the fashion industry unite around a single cause; no one bands together like fashion people.

First Stop: Bergdorf Goodman.

We had to wait in line for 30 minutes to get inside the store, but fortunately Zac Posen had hand-painted a few dresses in one of the store's windows earlier in the evening and they made for lovely eye-candy to entertain us while we were waiting to be let in.

As soon as we got inside, supermodel Caroline Trentini walked by me and she was both adorable and stunning. She has a sprinkling of freckles across her nose that are a nice contrast to the obvious sexiness of being a 6' tall Brazilian model.

Next we saw a crowd flashing their cameras and decided to explore. We were met with Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig of Marchesa. Standing next to them was Rachel Zoe.

Keren (blond) and Georgina (brunette) were signing Fashion's Night Out t-shirts.

Rachel Zoe was very sweet. And also 100x smaller than I ever anticipated; she is impossibly skinny. (I guarantee she is skinnier than you're imagining.)
I asked her where Brad was and she just said "I know! He's not here!"
Haha. I have no shame.


The fashion husbands chat:
Next to Rachel, Rodger (RZ's hubby) and Harvey Weinstein (Georgina's hubby) enjoy the camaraderie of both having beautiful, successful wives.

Afterward we visited the other floors of the store to enjoy the clothing and to lust after the best floor which is, of course, the shoe floor.

When we came back down to the first floor to exit the building we saw a huge crowd in one room and heard a booming, unique voice that can only be that of Mr. Andre Leon Talley. He was playing a trivia game and his helpers were Donna Karan, Emmy Rossum and some of Barney's creative staff.

A very serious ALT reads trivia questions from his (no joke) fur-covered throne. Donna Karan stands to his right.

And, an un-serious shot of ALT and DK.


Donna Karan was literally a million times more cool/chic/hip than I ever could have imagined.
This was my absolute #1 sighting of the night. I have loved Donna since I was young, for her keen sense of drapings (seriously, who drapes better than DK?) and also her influence and clear voice throughout so many decades of volatile fashion. She is a powerhouse.


Emmy Rossum was wearing too much makeup but there's no doubt that she is a gorgeous girl with a beautiful smile. She could easily play a Disney princess in the future.
And do you spy that person just beyond her?
Yep, P. Diddy.

Second Stop: Barneys.

Barneys was also jam-packed with celebrities.

Ruben and Isabel Toledo signed copies of the new book "Isabel Toledo: Fashion from the Inside Out" and posed for pictures.

Socialite Amanda Brooks signed copies of her new book "I Love Your Style: How to Define and Refine Your Personal Style".


Simon Doonan raffled prizes.


I saw him again later in the evening, toting his signature "S.D." Goyard bag. I said "Simon, you're just so fun! I love you!" and he said "Thank you, Sweetie."
Again, I made an utter fool of myself.



The Mulleavey sisters of Rodarte were there, and had a fancy tranny perform some songs including "The Golden Age of Hustlers." VERY entertaining. S/he wore Rodarte, naturally.

Kate Mulleavy looks on during "The Golden Age of Hustlers."


Our musical entertainment.


Lipstick artist/expert Poppy King, who is promoting her new book "Lessons of a Lipstick Queen: Finding and Developing the Great Idea that Can Change Your Life" (get it? King v. Queen!) did "lip readings." These are just like palm readings, but she looks at the lines at the sides of your mouth to determine your past and your future.
I have to say, she did so with amazing accuracy.
Here's Poppy, reading the lovely SKW's lips.


Supermodel Hana Soukupova walked by. Some models may look "heroin chic" but Hana is an honest-to-God drop-dead gorgeous girl. I was in total amazement. And she is 8 months younger than me. *sigh*


While I was running around like a fool in Barneys trying to see the artists/celebs I wanted to see, I passed socialite Celerie Kemble. She met up with a friend, linked arms, and casually strutted in the opposite direction of where everyone else was walking (specifically, toward the Olsen twins). They seemed like women who "own" New York: Who know the layout of Barneys inside and out, who frequent celebrity-filled parties so often that this is just simply another day in their fabulous lives. New York City is a force to be reckoned with, and I hope that someday I will be one of those women who "owns" New York. In my own small way, I think that maybe I already do.

Third "Stop": Madison Avenue.
The home of arguably the best shopping in NYC. We saw a ton of celebrities on this street:
Lauren Santo Domingo looking GORGEOUS in a mini-dress in Tod's, Lucy Sykes and Euan Rellie, a lot of people I'm forgetting, and supermodel Coco Rocha in DKNY doing a bit of Irish dancing (this is how she was discovered as a model). Coco and a group of dancers performed, then they held a little workshop and taught members of the crowd how to dance. It was so fun. And Donna was there, too, once again cool as a cucumber.

Coco (with microphone) talks to the crowd.

Donna is the QUEEN of relaxed CHIC.


The crowd inside DKNY was enormous.


I'm pretty sure I spotted supermodel Karlie Kloss outside the store, but that's debatable.

And far enough north on Madison sat the beloved Lilly P. with a peacock drawing in the window:

It's a weird world. It's weird to be excited by seeing famous people. At several points during the night I turned to my friends and said "Why are we doing this?! What kind of world do we live in?!"
But honestly, the people I was truly thrilled about seeing have all done interesting and creative things in their lives. They've taken risks, worked hard, and achieved enviable success.
The fact that many of them are willing to meet and greet with their fans, sign every autograph request and pose for seemingly endless photographs when they probably just want to go home is a beautiful thing.

HERE's a GREAT montage put together by NYMag of photos from last night.

I felt empowered by this wonderful night out. Fashion is an amazing thing. So is camaraderie. Together, it's an unstoppable force.
Happy Spring 2010 Fashion Week!
Cxx.