Bridget Foley Says Raf Simons Was “Dumped”

When it was first rumored that Raf Simons would step down from his job as creative director of Jil Sander after presenting the brand’s fall collection in Milan last week, everyone assumed the next announcement would be of his appointment at Dior. But over the past week the press has started singing a different tune.
Initially, it was suggested that Simons would pass on Dior in favor of focusing on his own collection. With the respect—and loyal following—that he’s earned during his tenure at Jil Sander he’d have no trouble launching an eponymous women’s collection.  The general consensus seemed to be that Simons could do whatever he wanted; after all, it was his choice to leave.  But today, WWD‘s Bridget Foley throws another wrench into the conversation by suggesting that Simons was “unceremoniously dumped” by the Italian brand.
Foley goes on to chastise the handling of the “dismissal,” from Jil Sander’s initial comment that her next project would be announced during the Milan collections to the industry’s reaction heralding Sander’s return before Simons was out the door.  “It’s surprising that Sander would act with such apparent disregard for another designer,” Foley writes.
Does knowing that Simons was fired after the brilliant work he did for Jil Sander cast a shadow over the original designer’s otherwise celebrated return?  Kind of.  But as long as Simons continues designing—whether eponymously or for Dior—and Sander pulls off a triumphant return, everyone wins.

Gwyneth Paltrow Debuts Tom Ford’s Fall Collection

One usually has to wait a couple of months before seeing Tom Ford’s new designs—compared to a few minutes on Getty Images for every other collection—but Gwyneth Paltrow wore one of his fall gowns to the Oscars last night, less than a week after it was shown to editors and buyers in London.  Though the rest of his collection was leather heavy, inspired by Russian spies and rich fabrics, he mentioned that the Vionnet-inspired gown, together with its elegant cape, was one of his favorites.  Click through to see it with the cape!

Jean-Phillipe Delhomme’s Fashion Illustrations on Exhibit in NYC

Jean-Philippe Delhomme thinks the people in the art and fashion worlds take themselves: “I think it’s a good thing to make some humor,” the French satirist says with an impish grin. Since the mid-1980s, Delhomme—a small, bespectacled man who can’t remember if he’s 51 or 52—has worked as an illustrator, gently skewering the pretentions and grandiosity of fashion editors, art patrons and designers. His most recent project, a blog called The Unknown Hipster, chronicles the adventures of Delhomme’s bearded, buffoonish alter ego as he hobnobs with the rich and fabulous.
Dressed for Art, an exhibition at the French Institute Alliance Française’s gallery in New York City, presents Delhomme’s more recent illustrations. The show, which runs through April 14, includes portraits of fashion luminaries, runway illustrations, large-scale paintings and lots of social commentary. One doodle depicts a shirtless Karl Lagerfeld, the powdered-ponytailed designer at Chanel, wearing heavy chains and carrying a sign that says “AAAAAAART.” Another shows a woman in low-rise jeans lifting a tangled collection of rags from a roadside bin; the caption: We found this amazing thrift store in a little desert town where they had early Rodarte!
Not all of Delhomme’s drawings are drenched in irony. “My paintings from the fashion shows, those are not so funny,” he says. Actually, they’re quite lovely. An illustration of a model wearing an embroidered gown by Alexander McQueen, for example, captures the late designer’s poetic romanticism.
For Delhomme, fashion is inseparable from the society and culture that consumes it: “I am interested in fashion as a whole scenario, not just the clothes, but what it tells us about people.”

Bags With Botox

Mulberry, a brand that despite its darling ready-to-wear is built on handbags, debuted a few new styles for fall.  The focus was on texture, according to Creative Director Emma Hill.  “We’ve got Maisy,” she told us after the show.  “With no hardware, that’s actually all silicone.”  The classic Mulberry placard and Alexa straps are actually embossed on the front of the bag while the sides are a close-cropped shearling.  “We wanted to do something really new but have it feel familiar; and I think for me, the things that are really successful—or the things that I really love—make you think, ‘Well surely you’ve had that forever?’ rather than being brand new”
Though the Del Rey sounds brand new, it’s actually quite a staid silhouette, like a classic duffle with an added flap.  “It’s another one that feels like we’ve had it for ages,” Hill said.  Though the singer for whom its named, Lana Del Rey, courts controversy for her seemingly overnight transformation from cute downtown New Yorker Lizzy Grant to superglam pop star Lana Del Rey, Hill clearly has a girl crush.  The two first met after Hill saw the homemade video for “Video Games” last summer.  Determined to meet the singer, Mulberry arranged for Del Rey to sing at a dinner they threw in LA at the end of the summer.   “[It] was quite magical,” Hill said.  “I’ve never seen the ability to shut fifty editors up.”
Del Rey’s the first person for whom a bag has been named since Alexa Chung’s “Alexa” two years ago.  Hill attributes the honor to a few different qualities, including those that make Del Rey controversial: “I love the way she kind of mixes all these different things into one, like Old School Hollywood and glamour and Americana, but then throw in Bugs Bunny and Road Runner. It felt very me, even though we’re very different people!  It doesn’t hurt that she’s gorgeous and has the voice of an angel.”
So which one will be the new Alexa, dangling off every arm that isn’t otherwise occupied with Celine’s latest design?  We’ll have to wait until September to find out.

Purple Haze

Purple’s the word in London. After a few seasons in which white dominated the color palette, the British designers have gone quite far in the opposite direction. Christopher Kane staged his show on a plush purple carpet and offered fuzzy sweaters in violet and cocktail dresses in a deep royal purple. At Vivienne Westwood, a matching cardigan and dress sparkled thanks to glittering lavender jersey and at Burberry, Cara Delevigne closed the show in a deep amethyst coat.

NYFW Beauty Trends: Bobs & Goths

As New York Fashion Week comes to a close there are dozens of trends to digest, but if we stick with beauty for a minute, we’ll see a penchant for high-wattage hair and dramatic makeup.  Specifically, come September, prepare for a barrage of faux crops, intricate nail art and very moody mouths.
Faux Bobs
Approach commitment to your lock length like a New York man to a serious relationship: We’re saying, indulge in the faux-bob. A flirty, cropped ‘do is yours for the taking, until of course you change your mind, unpinning it to return to your regularly scheduled tumbling mane. Theda Bara inspired the marcel-waved faux bobs that Serge Normant sculpted behind the scenes at L’Wren Scott. For Oscar de la Renta, Orlando Pita fashioned a faux bob using T3 products for volume before fastening a bejweled satin ribbon around the hairline. At Derek Lam, Pita designed a 1960s-like teased, pinned back look on behalf of Phyto Professional and Beauty.com. Odile Gilbert’s take on the trend yielded a slightly disheveled texture at Rodarte, though a slew of star-studded hair pins added polish. For a flapper feel at Erickson Beamon, the hairstyle was smooth soft curls coiled with a small barreled curling iron and pinned underneath the nape.

Victoria Beckham’s Relieved Everyone Loves Her Clothes

“When I had to walk the red carpet for War Horse, I had a rail of dresses to choose from, and I knew right away that the Victoria Beckham was the one was for me,” said 15-year-old budding starlet Celine Buckens.  The actress was just one of many fans who showed up to Harvey Nichols on Friday night to celebrate the retailer’s collaboration with “Victoria by Victoria Beckham.”
Beckham had much to celebrate thanks to her successful showing at New York Fashion Week.   Both of her collections were well received, winning praise from even the most cynical fashion editors—not to mention the buyers.  The latter from both Harvey Nichols and Net-a-porter tell us that the Victoria line is selling at a fast clip.
Celebrating with her at the cozy dinner were Roland Mouret, Anya Rubik, Irina Lazeneau, Gordon Ramsay, Charlotte Dellal, and Olivia Palermo, as well as the designers’ parents, sister and niece.  (David, unfortunately, must have been at home with the kids.)  Tables buzzed about the astonishing success of the secondary line, one that despite aiming in a different direction is quickly becoming a red carpet favorite.
“The Victoria line speaks to my younger customer,” Beckham said.  She added that it’s also “something that would appeal to those buying the ready-to-wear. It has allowed me to experiment with silhouettes, colors and prints and I am enjoying the opportunity to spread my wings a bit.”
As for what comes next, it sounds like the designer could use a break.  “I have been completely focused on this for so much time now it felt there was a lot at stake when we showed in New York,” she said.  “So it is such a relief to see how well it has all been received.”

Nicole Richie’s New Line for QVC

When historians (OK, bloggers) reflect on the age of celebrity fashion lines, Nicole Richie will probably stand out as one of the few who did it best.  The reality TV star successfully transitioned into a sartorial success, building first an accessory brand and then clothing collection in her boho image.  This year, she’s seriously expanding the empire.
In a move that times well with the premiere of her new NBC show, Fashion Star, Richie is launching a collection for QVC.  The collection, which looks a bit like the clothes she makes for Winter Kate, will offer brightly printed dresses, colorful kimono jackets, and bags as part of QVC’s “The Buzz on the Red Carpet” program.  Prices will start at $75 and go up to $257.
Richie told WWD, “I want to connect with the women watching by letting them know that we are similar in many ways; I’m a mother of two and I work. We all want to feel relaxed on the inside but stylish on the outside. And that’s what I’m trying to provide.”

Which Costume Would You Rather Wear?

There was a lot of talk this week about the commercialization of New York Fashion Week.   In case you’ve been living under a rock, times are tough, and though designers are naturally creative beings trying to express their vision through clothing, they also have to sell that clothing.  Thankfully, if you look hard enough, some of them are still having fun.  Among the sharply tailored suits, slimming dresses and brilliant wool coats, there was a bit of fantasy, too.
One expects whimsy from Jeremy Scott.  The designer channeled a 5th grader circa 1996 for a collection of Simpsons-inspired sweaters and dresses that Lisa Frank would have made, had she expanded her empire beyond stickers and Trapper Keepers.  Same for The Blonds.  Their corsets came in blue, gold and silver but they threw the almost McQueen-like dress above into the mix.  Though you probably don’t expect to read Ralph Lauren‘s name next in this paragraph, the designer abandoned the West in favor of Downton Abbey, offering quite literal riding suits and evening dresses.
So should you wish to spend your cash on something other than one of Rag & Bone’s ultra-practical, beautiful wool coats next fall, or Joseph Altuzarra’s great corduruy flares, don’t worry, a bit of fun snuck in there after all.  And with London Fashion Week starting today, we’re betting on a host of other options.

Karolina Kurkova’s The Limited’s New Face

If you haven’t read this week’s issue of New York—their spring fashion edition—flip to the story on Karolina Kurkova, Coco Rocha and Angela Lindvall. The story asks the age old question, “What does a model do when she’s too old to model?” Too old, for this profession, usually means around 28, so as the trio approaches (or passes) that benchmark, they’re embarking on their second careers.  Both Rocha and Kurkova are turning their names into crossover brands with TV shows, active social medias and ad campaigns targeted to someone other than the usual fashion week goer.   The latter is the new face of The Limited, a brand that could use a high profile face, and the former stars in a new set of commercials for White House Black Market.   Look for both of them everywhere this spring

You’ll Need to Buy More Blush for Fall

You may want to snap a photo of your natural flush after a day of skiing in crazy-cold climes for blush inspiration next September: wind-burned cheeks are all the runway rage on day seven of New York Fashion Week. Also popular? Elongated brows and bright blue lids (which we’d suggest trying separately from hot pink cheeks).

Element-ravaged Cheeks
Chalet-chic rosy cheeks ruled the runway at Michael Kors. According to Shiseido’s Dick Page, the look is a “bloody, wonky flush, like after a morning of skiing, an hour in a hot tub or some good sex.” Similarly, Page created another weather-related blush concept, this time for Zero + Maria Cornejo, which he called a “frost bitten flush.” He applied blush to the apples of the cheek, blending up and out toward the hairline in a chevron shape, layering lipstick along the bridge of the nose and finishing with a flash of color on the forehead. Going for tan rather than wind-brushed, James Kaliardos created a dusty, Aboriginal feel inspired by the Australian outback with bronze, sun-kissed cheeks at Rodarte.

Kate Moss for Supreme, Again!

Kate Moss stars in Supreme’s spring campaign, currently plastered all over Soho.  She wears—what we’re guessing is her own—leopard print coat over a white Supreme tee, dutifully pouting with cigarette dangling from hand.  Given that it’s fashion week, we’ve been stuck looking at images online, but head down to Soho—or here—for the full effect.

Chris Benz, Kelly Wearstler, Thom Browne & More!

Chris Benz
Benz isn’t a risk-averse designer.  For fall, his models wore cropped and mussed matte wigs with long patent red gloves topped with lobster claw-shapes in place of five fingers.  “Christmas specials in the ’60s and ’70s, and like a Judy Garland or a Dolly Parton character,” the designer offered as explanation.  Deconstructed lamé and organza party dresses, “wacky” patchworks of beads, sequins, and paillettes, and what Benz called “the American take on couture draping” all made a showing.  The collection is a departure for Benz, who generally focuses more on daywear. “Well, obviously I really love American sportswear and color and separates and all of that,” he added. “But I really feel like people have been wanting to dress up a little bit more. So for Fall, we focused a lot on the dress-up aspect and holiday parties.”

Bug-Eyed Models Have Hair War at Prabal Gurung

Eyes at Prabal Gurung were iridescent swirls of blue, green, and brown—they’re what eyes might look like if you crossed a beetle with a bird, says M.A.C maestro Charlotte Tilbury. “There are feathers, blues, and beetle-y colors in the collection, and we wanted the eyes to reflect that,” she says. “I used teal green and electric blue shadows across the eye to mimic a bird-of-paradise feather, and a greenish brown—like the color of a beetle’s wing—in the corners and underneath.”
Tilbury’s eye creation fuses the diverse elements of Gurung’s collection: “The show pits good against evil—blond models wear white and gold, and brunettes wear dark clothes with iridescent beetle-like accents.”
If blond hair is equated with goodness, model Ginta Lapina is about as good as you can get; her strands are nearly platinum. “I used to just have highlights but when I did Marc Jacobs’ show a couple years ago, he wanted me to bleach my hair,” she says. “It was very white for a moment—like six months, but since then I’ve slowly gone blonder. It’s still pretty white, though!”
As for the blond versus brunette walk-off she’s about to take part in, Lapina supports Team Blond all the way. “I think it’s better to be blond,” she laughs. “Maybe if I experienced brown hair, I’d feel differently but I always stick with blond because I love it so much.”
After a pause, however, Lapina admits she’s wandered over to the dark side—just a little bit. “Sometimes I like to grow my roots out for pictures,” she says. “My skin and hair is so white, having some darkness helps add contrast. I feel edgier.”

Joe Zee Wants to See Your Barbie Style!

About two years ago I was invited up to Mattel’s Barbie headquarters to style and design my own special Barbies. (Click here if you need a refresher!)  For some of you, this may just be about dressing a doll. For me, it was a 360 on my ultimate fashion experience: Barbie was, by all definitions, my first styling client.  As a child, I experimented with her, dressing and redressing her, unleashing all of my creative angst on the little plastic woman.  In the end, she was the best client I could have: Never dissatisfied and chicly opinionated—she looked great in everything and in the end, I learned a lot from her.
A few weeks ago, I was invited back to those same Mattel headquarters in honor of their big, upcoming

Roberto Cavalli Tested His New Scent in Nightclubs

Can you imagine Roberto Cavalli in a science lab?  No, neither can we.  So we weren’t shocked to hear where the designer chose to test his new eponymous fragrance.  “Coty would give me lots of choices, and I would take vials of different scents with me to the club,” he said. “I don’t go to the clubs so much anymore, but I started going again to see my celebrity friends and have them advise me on which ones they liked best. People would tell me their favorites, and after several months, we decided on the winner.”

Christian Louboutin’s Never Tried On His Own Shoes

In honor of Christian Louboutin’s 20th anniversary—a birthday he’s celebrated with book parties at Barneys and a masked ball at Bergdorf Goodman—the master cobbler, make that artist, has whipped up a capsule collection of twenty spectacular heels.
Though Monsieur Louboutin tells us the craziest shoes he’s ever made are the ones created for the fetish exhibition he did with David Lynch in 2008, these revamped silhouettes don’t exactly pale in comparison.   The staggering heels are adorned with feathers and sequins and bows and straps—all inspired by his usual muses: showgirls, exotic travel, architecture and the finest craftsmanship.
Given Louboutin’s eclectic well of inspiration, we wondered if there’s anything he’d refuse to make for a particularly kooky customer.  “There are many things I would say no to,” he said.  “However, the charm and imagination of the client inspire me.”  So should you find yourself in his atelier, with the funds for a custom pair of stilettos, turn the charm way up.
And finally, after twenty years, we had to ask if the designer had ever slipped on a pair of Pigalles.  “I never have,” he said.  How on earth does he resist temptation?

Listen Up Designers, Hanneli Has A Great Idea

On the eve of fashion week eve, we asked Hanneli Mustaparta—the rare crossover of street style photog and street style star—to fill in our fashion week blanks!
I’m looking forward to seeing: Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, and Calvin Klein.

When I have a free minute I will: Make sure I eat and wipe my lens for fingerprints…
I’m so excited to wear: A white Acne dress and some knitted socks by Solveig, a Ralph Lauren sweater and Karen Walker sunglasses.
I think this will be the most played song on the NYFW runways: If it was my decision I would play “Green Onions” by Booker T & The MG`s at all the shows, as a standard. This is what you get.
The party I won’t miss is: Alexander Wang’s!
I will eat this everyday: Carrot juice and two pieces of bread with some spread on for breaksfast. Apart from that, any nutrition is welcome during fashion week.
I keep my invites inside my: All the invites are ridiculously big, I don’t have space for them in most of my bags. Next season I hope they are the siza of business cards.
You’ll know I’m exhausted when: I’m grumpy.
When there’s time for caffeine I’ll order: I drink tea. Never had a cup of coffee in my life and Karolina Kurkova inspired me to quit drinking sodas.
I won’t leave home without: Lip balm and Laura Mercier concealer.

We asked Billy Reid, the CFDA winning men’s and women’s wear designer, to fill in the blanks on our pre-fashion week questionnaire.  His answers, below!
I’m looking forward to seeing: What all the editors and our friends are wearing.
When I have a free minute I will: Call home and catch up with my family.

I’m so excited for the world to see: How we’ve been expanding our collection to include more tailored, more luxe elements and tons of outerwear.
If I did my music I’d play: …it very loud! I’m actually very involved in the music selection and production and it is something I love doing. We are working on a more dramatic approach, as the show is later in the evening and in a beautiful raw setting.
The party I won’t miss is: The one after our show. Unfortunately, I’m usually so fried after the show that I go into heavy chill mode. Boring!
I will eat this everyday: Take out Thai.
You’ll know I’m exhausted when: When I say, “Just let me rest my eyes here for 10 minutes.”
My caffeinated beverage of choice: Think coffee, red-eye, black.
I won’t leave home without: A fully charged iPhone.
My preferred mode of transportation is: Walking, but taxis will be in full force this week. We’re downtown, and most of our sample making is in the Garment Center, so there’s a ton of back and forth.

There Is More Jason Wu for Target on eBay Than in Target*

If you search for Jason Wu on eBay, you’ll get nearly 11,000 hits.  The designer’s Target collection, which just went on sale this weekend, flew off shelves within hours, but it sounds like the people knocking down the doors of their local Targets were more interested in buying the collection to resell the product, not to wear the French New Wave inspired dresses.  This phenomenon—of buying bundles of limited edition designer collaborations and selling them for double, triple or more times their cost—isn’t new, but it has become increasingly worse as shoppers view it as an easy way to make an extra buck.   Below, the stats on Wu’s collection for Target—for eBay.
10,893
The actual number of search results for “Jason Wu for Target.”
$500
The buy it now price of this canvas and faux leather bag, which retailed for $50.  It appears to be the most insanely priced item.  The seller writes, “The designer made famous by Michelle Obama has now taken on a new challenge, the first designer collaboration with Target after the Missoni for Target fiasco.”
$200
The average price of the $55 trench coat that Blake Lively wore to the launch party in New York last week—the picture of choice among sellers.
$250
The price of a Milu the Cat package (cute!).  It comes with a tote, scarf and tee featuring Wu’s feline muse.
1
There’s one buyer who’s happy to announce she bought her pieces at last week’s party, instead of in a Target store.  She also has a blue wall, and takes dark picture…
*We think.

DVF’s Collaborations: A Timeline

On Friday, the Times reported that Diane von Fürstenberg has partnered with Current/Elliot on a collection of skirts and ‘slacks’. Though JBrand’s been the go-to denim company for designers looking to introduce denim into their ready-to-wear collections (Christopher Kane, Proenza Schouler, Erdem), Current/Elliott did collaborate with Marni two years ago.

L’Eau de Chloé’s Face Would Like to Meet Bill Murray

With one Chloé fragrance campaign already under her belt, spokesperson Camille Rowe-Pourcheresse was eager for round two. “I’m really happy to do the continuation of the signature scent with L’Eau de Chloé,” said the French model and actress.  For the fashion house’s new spring eau—which just launched this week—Rowe-Pourcheresse stars in commercials directed by Mario Sorrenti and a print campaign shot by Camilla Akrans. “We shot the campaign in a field in Barcelona last June and the mood on set translated the mood of the fragrance perfectly,” she says. To convey the citrus-floral’s youthful, free-spirited vibe, Sorrenti and Akrans documented Rowe-Pourcheresse frolicking in the grass, blowing bubbles, and climbing trees.

News: Penelope Cruz for PETA & Tebow for Jockey

If the rumors are true and Samantha Morton, Amy Adams and Carey Mulligan are set to start with Joaquin Phoenix in Spike Jonze’s next movie, written by Charlie Kauffman, we can’t wait! {Deadline}
Erin O’Connor’s model sanctuary’s lost its least and won’t be able to open this season. {ContactMusic}
Tim Tebow is the new face of Jockey, but won’t actually show his Jockeys. {Fashionista}
Someone threw glitter on Mitt Romney and told him to embrace the rainbow.  How could that not work?! {Gawker}
On the many changes at fashion magazines. {NYT}
Penelope Cruz is the new face of PETA.  {HuffPo}

Katy Perry Gets the Justin Bieber Treatment

Deadline‘s reporting that Katy Perry will star in a 3D movie about her life.
Though they call it a feature, it sounds more like a documentary in the vein of Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never. Perry was filmed with 3D cameras while on tour last year and the movie will cover her childhood—her strict religious background is well documented—and her rapid rise to pop fame. The movie’s set to come out this summer.
Of course, the best part will be the press tour on which Perry will embark to promote the movie.  Though her taste has evolved, it’s still unpredictable and oh-so-fun to watch.  Aside from the Manish Arora and Jean Charles de Castelbajac she’s bound to throw on for interviews and late night talk shows, we’re hoping she’ll turn toward couture (making a July release ideal!).  The one shouldered overall-like thing at left, from Givenchy’s winter couture collection, would be a great place to start.  And Valli’s pink floral number?  It’s perfectly Perry.

Cute Snowboarding Gear: It Does Exist!

A week in Park City (and just one day on the slopes) opened our eyes to yet another problem with winter—fashionable snowboarding (and skiing!) gear.  Burton’s pop-up tents were filled with brightly colored jackets in florals and polka dots that we’d happily wear around New York City.  But the rest of the mountain?  A sea of faded blue and red.  For those of you who’d rather spend your winter vacation fund on lift tickets than flights south, we’ve rounded up some of the best (OK, cutest) gear.