Fekkai is Calling all Conditioners!

Courtesy of Frederic Fekkai

Follicle fact: It’s officially fall, and your hair’s probably been sent into a breakage-filled tizzy thanks to the weather’s flip-flopping between cold and humid— nature’s version of a GOP debate.

Fret not, the lovely folks at Frederic Fekkai are holding a ‘Calling all Conditioners’ day on October 27th at Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide.  If you bring in any full-sized conditioner, probably the one you’re currently using, they’ll give you an 8 oz. bottle of any Fekkai conditioning product—whichever one you want (which goes up to a $25 value).  There’ll also be Fekkai technicians on-hand for personal consultations, ensuring that you’ll pick the best product for your hair type.

Considering the wonders that Fekkai has done for our tresses recently, we suggest you scoot over to your local Saks and trade-in big time!

Carven Is (Re-)Launching Sunglasses

Photos: Imaxtree

Carven, the old French house recently re-invigorated by Guillame Henry, will put those sunglasses from their spring 2012 runway into production early next year.  The round shades are even more retro than Henry’s charming designs and will come in everything from basic black and tortoise to hot pink and neon green—most topped off with gold rims.  ELLE UK reports that there will be 12 styles of eyeglasses and 13 sunnies.  But if you don’t want to wait until next spring to sport Cs on your shades, eBay has a surprising amount of original Carven frames from the 50s through the 80s.  They range in price from $34 to $129 and some even feature a braided gold rim.

Ferragamo’s Making Shampoo Now

Photo: Waldorf Astoria

Starting in January, if you stay at a Waldorf Astoria hotel, your bathroom will be stocked with Salvatore Ferragamo amenities.

The hotel chain’s partnered with Ferragamo Parfums on a line of products, including an Eau de Toilette, for each property.  It’s Ferragamo’s first beauty and grooming collection, and a spokesperson for the hotel said, “We searched the globe for a perfect amenities brand partner that delivers the timeless luxury experience that Waldorf Astoria guests have come to expect…We found that partner in Salvatore Ferragamo.”  Considering brands like Hermès and Bulgari produce amenities, that’s quite a vote of confidence.

Alongside shampoo and conditioner, there are face masks and mists, eyecream, lip balm and even bathrobes and towels.  A hint, perhaps, at next season’s goody bag?

Calvin Klein’s in the Hot Seat

Photo: Getty Images

Calvin Klein might be known for re-defining American style and pushing the envelope as far as provocative advertising goes—but the man is not known for granting interviews, at least lately.  Instead, one’s more likely to flip a magazine page and find Francisco Costa chatting about his modernist take on the classic brand (like in our November issue, with Chloe Moretz).

But Klein himself will be in the hot seat next Monday October 17th when he sits down for a talk with Fern Mallis, the former head of IMG Fashion Week (and current consultant).  Mallis may be well loved by the industry but we expect her to ask some tough—and interesting!—questions of the design legend.  She says they’ll talk about everyting from his childhood in the Bronx, to his earliest collections, celebrity clients, and career highs—with at least a few minutes devoted to Marky Mark!

The two will chat at the 92nd Street Y in New York City at 8PM.  Tickets are being sold for $29 online, or by calling (212) 415-5500.

A.L.C. Jewelry Hits Stores

Photo: A.L.C.

Andrea Lieberman, the stylist behind the well-loved label, A.L.C., has finally launched her jewelry collection.

It’s bowing in stores like Barneys and Shopbop now, and will no doubt attract the same customer who’s in love with her slouchy tees, comfortable but sexy dresses, and perfectly shaped leather jackets.

The collection, which ranges in price from $95 to $895, is hardware inspired; Lieberman was going for an “industrial chic” look.  That means screws, nails, knots and hex nuts in brass and silver.  

DIGBY & IONA RUFFLES FEATHERS

Photo: Digby & Iona

There was a moment mid-summer when it seemed that all possible plumage had been plucked in the name of beauty, with fishermen and PETA united for perhaps the first (and only) time.

If your attempts to get a feather extension were foiled—or you’d just rather not have a bird’s fringe bonded to your own tresses—there’s hope yet: Digby & Iona’s fall collection features three oxidized bronze and sterling silver necklaces, each with a dainty, be-feathered arrow. The plumage featured on these dainty arrows hail from the Blue Jay, the speckled Bantam, and the Cochlin (which is just a fancy term for a Chinese chicken).

If you’d prefer to keep your fowl references to just your Miu Miu dress, the new collection (dubbed “Me & My Arrow”) from the Maine-born, Brooklyn-based jewelry designer Aaron Ruff also includes a bow (as in the weapon, not the accessory) necklace and arrowhead-inspired rings, cuffs, and sapphire-studded necklace.

You’re not free from these flying animals entirely: To pick up a piece in-person, rather than online, you’ll have to visit Catbird boutique in New York.

Rafael Nadal’s Artistic Process

Photo: Armani

We’ve seen Rafael Nadal‘s Armani Underwear print campaign (above, if you needed a reminder, or a Friday pick-me-up) but what about the process? What about the work he put into getting those clothes off? Apparently, he started out in a tux, ran through a parking lot and stripped down to his briefs. Don’t believe us? Click through to watch

Shoe? Art? Or Investment?

Photo: Moda Operandi

This spectacular Charlotte Olympia shoe just went up for pre-sale on Moda Operandi. A few years ago, Suzy Menkes gave an interview in which she mentioned splurging on a pair of Vivienne Westwood platforms that sat on her mantle, as art. These are a worthy competitor, but would you wear them?  Something about the shape of that intricately woven heel looks, dare we say it, quite comfortable.

The Rugby World Cup gets a Dash of Fashion

A design by Romania's Andreea Musat

To most fashion-concerned Americans, rugby’s little more than an diffusion label that’s part of Ralph Lauren’s gargantuan empire.  So it may come as a surprise to hear that the Rugby World Cup is the world’s second most-watched sporting event.  The popular tournament is coming to a close in New Zealand next weekend and surprisingly enough, its culmination is being celebrated with a fashion show .  Taking place in Auckland near the cup’s main stage—the show, called Style Pasifika is an annual event that was tied to this year’s rough-and-tumble tourney.  It will feature a garment from most of the championship’s member nations, each one created of prized New Zealand wool.

While the USA was kicked out early on, it’ll still be represented in the show with an ensemble designed by Julie Chaiken of Chaiken & Capone—a label that’s well-loved for it’s sophisticated and simple sportswear.  ”They were looking for a designer typical of each country who could help promote New Zealand’s fabric industry,” Chaiken explained.  She’s created a blue shift and charcoal double-faced wool trench coat for the show, “I made the dress in blue instead of a whole outfit of red, white, and blue, because I definitely didn’t think that was something typical of American sportswear.”

Chaiken will share the runway with Japan’s Yohji Yamamoto, Ireland’s John Rocha, and England’s Elizabeth Emmanuel, who designed Princess Diana’s wedding gown.  While each of the looks are a one-off, they’ll be part of a public exhibition that’ll promote rugby and the nation’s fine merino wool. “Outside the US, American fashion doesn’t have the same impact.  Good American design isn’t necessarily trendy and has staying power, I don’t feel like fashion from all over the world is that way,” said Chaiken.  Other countries on the show’s roster include nations diverse as Fiji, Namibia, Tonga, and Samoa, and they too will provide domestically-designed garments constructed of New Zealand textiles.

So perhaps it’s time to start paying rugby some attention—beyond the masquerading racks of cotton jerseys.

TOKYO’S FASHION WEEK IS BACK AND BIGGER THAN EVER

Paul Smith takes a bow (or a fist pump?) at the end of his show in Tokyo last night. Photo: Getty Images

Make your way past the street style photographers, the greeters handing out the latest copy of WWD, the video of Jessica Stam being photographed by Terry Richardson atop a Mercedes-Benz, and the floor-to-ceiling ads for Maybelline featuring the faces of Charlotte Kemp Muhl and Christy Turlington, and you’ll finally arrive at the main runway. No, this isn’t New York Fashion Week—rather, it’s Tokyo’s new and improved Fashion Week.

The biannual event, which kicked off yesterday, nearly didn’t make it. Just seven months ago Japan Fashion Week’s fall 2011 was canceled.  It was scheduled to start just a few days after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the Asian country back in March and aside from the obvious tragedies, and the somber mood that spread across the country, sewing and production plants were drastically affected and it wasn’t quite clear if designers would even be able to make a spring ’12 collection.  Then, in July, IMG took on the fledgling Japan Fashion Week. In addition to the slew of big-name sponsors (besides Maybelline, which signed a three-year sponsorship contract, DSL and ShopStyle are on-board), the event received a new name: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo. Call it a superficial change, but it aligns this Fashion Week with several of the other upper-tier Fashion Weeks, including New York’s and Miami’s.

“We are expecting more connection with fashion weeks all over the world,” says Akiko Shinoda, Japan Fashion Week Organization’s director of international affairs, of the effect this re-branding will have. Indeed, it seems to already have had that effect: Paul Smith kicked off the festivities with his very first runway show in Japan Sunday afternoon (it was also the first time he showed his men’s and women’s collections at the same time). That the British designer joined the Tokyo line-up wasn’t a surprise to those who know him well; Smith has been visiting Japan since the early 1980s, and according to Shinoda, “He came to Japan by himself right after the disaster to support Japan, even though the British government did not want him to go. We think that his show in Japan is to encourage the Japanese industry.” Indeed, as Smith explains, he named the show I Love Japan “to give encouragement after a difficult time. I’ve been coming [to Japan] for so long, my heart…I just had to come. It was just so important to me.”

As to whether this will attract more foreigners—designers, buyers, and press alike—remains to be seen. Japanese label Etw. Vonneguet, which went ahead with its scheduled fall ’11 presentation in March, has seen a change in the number of ticket requests from those outside of Japan, with designer Olga noting, “All I can say is I totally understand the situation.” Shinoda, meanwhile, is hopeful: “We are getting more attention, especially on our website.”

Even if this week introduces the many things that have come to define the big four Fashion Weeks, it all comes down to the clothing. And for those designing, they don’t think that a new name will ultimately have too much impact on what is shown on the runway during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tokyo. “Nothing will change,” says Olga of the impact the added attention will have on her collection, adding, “even if our name of platform has changed.”

Shoe Wars: Blahnik Vs. Louboutin

Photo: Manolo Blahnik

The New York Times put Manolo Blahnik on the cover of their weekend style section, declaring the return of the comfortable, ladylike pump.  On the same day, the Times UK profiled Christian Louboutin, who basically says that women are thrilled to wear debilitating shoes—as long as they look great.

The two luxury cobblers have been pitted against each other for years.  Blahnik, who’d long been a favorite of the woman who has hundreds of dollars to spend on pumps, became a household name post-Sex and the City.  Manolos epitomized Carrie Bradshaw’s shoe fetish and were often featured in the series—in one case at the center of an episode—as well as the first movie.  But as the series wound down, Louboutin’s red soles gained traction in real life.  The Parisian offered whimsical shoes on 6″ heels with a never-before-seen pitch and soles that screamed, “I’m rich!”

But now, according to the Times and thanks to the economy, women don’t want their shoes to scream.  Instead, they want classic pumps in flattering shapes that are comfortable enough to wear throughout the day, which means Manolos are back.  Bergdorf Goodman has a wait list, Andre Leon Talley likens them to milk, “They’re a staple, something you have to have in your refrigerator, like butter or milk,” and SJP herself said of a recent photo shoot, “I walked in and looked around and saw all these shoes, and then I spotted the Manolos and it was like water in a desert.”

On the opposing side, Louboutin said in the Times, “A little discomfort is balanced by something else, which has to do with desire. You feel yourself, empower yourself, know yourself. You are aware of your body. This little act of discomfort pays off in lots of other ways.”

The truth is that the two happily co-exist, and there will always be a customer for each.  But regardless of where you stand on the debate, it should be noted that three pages into the Times‘ style section was a half page spread of neck-breaking shoes from designers like Alaia, Nicholas Kirkwood and Miuccia Prada snapped by Bill Cunningham during New York Fashion Week.  So who says you can’t have your basic black pump and lace-up Kirkwood bootie, too?