You know you're special when fashionistas dare to brave the elements in four-inch heels to make it to your boutique's first anniversary party. Despite Snowpocalyspe 2k10, Loris Diran attracted a crowd of dedicated fans, press, and socials this evening to his store on First and Bowery.
Post by Amanda LaMela
"I don't think success was easy for him. He told me he was driven by his insecurities, and he believed that all successful people were." - Plum Sykes, on Alexander McQueen's suicide
Remember when we gave you an inside peek into Marc Bouwer's fashion video shoot? Here is the finished product, in provocative innovation, evoking a level of excitement I once thought was only reserved for live runway shows.
Post by Amanda LaMela
The way the fashion industry works, the shows you see now determine what you will be wearing in nine months; however, the way it also works is that a few weeks afterwards it already seems old hat. This was especially true last Fall/Winter-the economy was crap, and fashion responded accordingly. Like a petulant child, it erupted into strong shoulders and neon, kicking and screaming for attention. Everybody was depressed, the recession had just made itself comfortable, and apparently we needed bright, bold, and ballsy to dredge ourselves out of our rut. But that was a year ago, and as I sat waiting for the Mackage show to start at this years Fall/WInter shows at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, I was a little anxious to see if that same child had grown up as we all had.
And lo, she had! In fact, growing up is an extremely apt analogy for the apparent transition in style that occurred between this Fall/Winter and the last. This first show of the season set the mood for the rest of the week- our girl hadn’t lost any of her edge, but it had in fact returned in spades. The maturity was apparent in the earthy color palette, the restraint, the proportions. A slightly grimy 90’s sensibility worked its way into many collections, something halfway between 90210 and Seattle Motor City- not quite Kurt Cobain, but not quite Tori Spelling either. Shoulders remained broad, waists had cinched in; leather, fur, and shearling ran thick and viscous; neckties and bobby socks pulled the ribbon a little tighter around the package, but the look still screamed irreverence. Later that day, Alexander Wang upped the 90’s ante with cleverly cropped and pinstriped suit pieces- paired with pleated skirts, they took on a distinct “debutante headmistress” air; paired with oversized yellow and carbon cardigans, they were directly out of “The Craft”.**
A few days later, at the Catherine Malandrino presentation, the scream made a smooth transition into a primal roar; full of traditional luxury, and fringed with irreverent, primordial instinct. Malandrino imbued her collection for fall with an intelligently primitive sensibility, opting for sculpted yet body enveloping silhouettes for cold, winter nights (theoretically spent hunched over a fire, but in reality hunched over a lighter outside of Polar Lounge). Animal prints and crude leather accessories surfaced, but they were the exception and not the rule this season. The urban tribal trend was most apparent here, but it quickly arose in the collections of multiple designers in decidedly tamer manifestations.
Last Spring/Summer, obnoxious cobalt blues and hazard yellows streaked the streets like paint- a sign of things to come. The economy turned like convenience store milk soon afterwards and all of a sudden fashion decided it hadn’t made enough of a spectacle of itself- that’s about when it began crying Balmain power-shoulders and Stephen Sprouse neons. This season celebrates maturity- silhouettes are evolving and adopting newly understated palettes.
Designers are steering away from glitzy excess and interpreting this shift one of two ways- either celebrate the beast within and go back to basics, or hike up their brown leather jumpers and bobby socks in rebellion against the despotic headmistress. There was excitement everywhere, but in a way different from people’s frenetic reactions of a year ago; rather, the fact that this was all so wearable and practical by comparison generated the most buzz- decidedly not old hat.
Post by Nicolas Sera-Leyva
**- for more on this, read this awesome piece from Fashion Grunge.
Fur, full-length dresses, and fire-engine red: Farah Angsana always fills seats and captivates her audience. While other evening-wear designers start with divine inspiration and end with Prom 2004: A Night to Remember, Farah maintains her strong, elegant vision the whole way through.
Post by Amanda LaMela
Yup, that's right. On Thursday, my view of the Trias runway show was mostly blocked by this hat. Why, after Tavi's couture calamity, would show attendees continue to wear obnoxious hats after the music starts and the lights dim. I understand the innate urge to make a statement in the tents, but your statement shouldn't drown out the sound of the designer's.
Post by Amanda LaMela
Democracy killed the party. The fashion party. Suddenly everyone knows what's going on behind closed doors, Ines de la Fressange can't light up halfway down the catwalk anymore, and the other models can't make moo-moo faces at the camera mid-twirl.
Shit.
Even the teenage Anna is seething.
"If thousands of people get to feel included from the outside, than actual, inside attendance will become more and more exclusive. Otherwise, how will the important people know they’re important?”
-an Anonymous magazine editor regarding efforts on the part of many designers to break down fashion's wall of "exclusivity".
Alexander Wang aired his show in Times Square, Dolce and Gabbana will be available directly onto your iPhone, and Showstudio is streaming more live shows than ever before. Technology is breaking down the barrier between the riff-raff and the runway, but you can never alienate the elite.
and what a better way to celebrate our first anniversary than with this amazing clip of Chanel's A/W 1994 runway show...in Serbian. It makes no sense, it's beautiful, it's tacky, it's 90's, and it's strangely current! Imagine that! Look at all that fur...
Here's to another year of singing, extolling, decrying, and lamenting the fashion industry while simultaneously finding every chink in it's armor and lambasting the shit out of it.
Production is half of the runway- it doesn't matter how fantastic the clothes are, if the production is shit then so is everybody's reaction. That's where the music comes in- the common misconception is that sending the girl marching down to some nondescript techno music is probably the best idea. WRONG.
It goes without saying that the music played during runway shows is as much of a statement about the music itself- it goes in and out fashion just like clothes do, it exists on the same volatile rubric of whim, caprice, and taste.
This past week in New York it was interesting to hear artists I began listening to last spring suddenly feature in many designer's shows- like when you're walking down the street blasting your iPod embarassingly loud and keeping your step in rhythm, fantasizing about your own first runway showing, but then suddenly you're sitting at Custo Barcelona hearing that same song. It's crazy! Part of you wants to claim "well, shit that was my idea and now I'm screwed", but your better judgement takes over and you're just happy to be sitting there, watching the models strut down the runway to this fabulous jam.
SO- without further ado, here are District L's Top 5 Favorite Jamz from Mercedes Benz Fashion Week (thanks ShaZam!):
5. Two Weeks (Fred Falke Remix)- Grizzly Bear: EDITION by Georges Chakra
4. Lovesick- Lindstrom and Christabelle: DKNY
3. Are You the One?- The Presets: Alexander Wang
(NOTE: this is one of the best music videos I have EVER seen).
2. I Can Make the Pain Disappear- Fear of Tigers: Custo Barcelona
and our top favorite...
1. Comme des Enfants (Le Matos Andy Carmichael Remix)- Coeur de Pirate: Mackage
Post by Nicolas Sera-Leyva
90's Grunge meets Wall Street, cropped suiting contrasted with liquid draping. Spotted at the show: Nina Garcia, DVF, Anna and Carine, Grace Coddington, Henry Holland, Simon Doonan, Dasha Zhukova.
Taken by Nicolas Sera Leyva
By far one of the most pleasant surprises thus far, Project Runway S6 winner Irina Shabayeva has taken to the skies. Literally. The flight-inspired runway was an incredibly cohesive and truly original collection, fitting with the season’s urban primal/tribal trend. It evoked an earthy scent of wilderness but possessed simultaneous wild and whimsical avian motifs- real and plastic feathers, wings screenprinted onto oversized coats, including one outfitted with feather cutout leather caging. The color story never strayed far from a simple white/black/grey/tan and contributed without overpowering. What is immediately and ultimately apparent is that Shabayeva possess true intuition and admirable sensibility when it comes to garment construction.
Catherine Malandrino unleashed a primal roar with her A/W 2010 collection, entitled “Khan”. According to the designer, who took the earth as seen from space as a springboard for her inspiration, our planet’s “constantly changing and varied landscape became an abstraction of contrasting color and texture...the woman who inhabits this world must simultaneously embody strength, ease, and raw femininity”. Jackets in goat hair, shearling, and fox fur cocooned and enveloped the body, shoes in distressed leather and suede pointed up into hooves. The pleasing tension between luxuriant draping and rugged execution embodies a perfectly complementary relationship between strength and savage.
A contrast between dusky and bright, Twinkle by Wenlan's collection was inspired by the "dark fairy tale" Hansel and Gretel. The inspiration radiated through the show, consisting of delicious muted chunky knits over painted leggings. Structured tunics in forest green reflected scandal in the woods, all-in-all creating a collection we just wanted to eat up.
Evening oriented wear full of playful structuring and sartorial juxtaposition (jackets with buttons and lapels down the back, as well as lapels winding around the entire jacket itself), provocative cutouts, a splash of shine and a squeeze of chintz. Red was a dominant player in the color story, which steered away from the muted palettes we've been seeing everywhere else.
The stunning view of Manhattan from Jack Studios was fitting for the urban cowboy theme of Antonio Azzuolo's A/W 2010 presentation. Upon first thought, urban cowboy doesn't call the most enticing images to mind but Azzuolo really made it work. The garments themselves consisted mostly of tasteful, layered basics but the accessories/merching and detailing are brought it all home- neck chains, collar pins, earth-tone leather gloves, and even the occasional silver patent oxford. The collection even broched on refined, flannel-y hispter chic with the patterned sweaters and button-ups.
The real reason to go to Charlotte Ronson is for celeb-spotting...and even that wasn't that great. Stephanie Pratt and Matt Dillon were front and center, as was Robert Verdi, and their eyes gave away the same underwhelmedness that ours must have (except for Stephanie, but since when does she count anyway?). The collection was on trend enough, with an added twist of headscarves which was fairly interesting, but other than that...meh. The music, spun by sister Samantha, was actually better than the show...and for the other Ronson to outshine, well, anybody, is a feat unto itself.
Debutante Headmistress: the first two words that popped into my head as Cynthia Steffe A/W 2010 paraded down the runway. Neckties, leather jumpers, simple plaids and checks, and the more muted 70's brown/black/grey/fleshtone palette that seems to be emerging as the dominant color story this season. Thigh high bobby socks rounded out the edgy prep look of this fabulous collection.
Thanks to Saba Ebrahimi at Factory PR for these fantastic shots.
As the lights dimmed at the Altman building, the room filled with billowing gray and white tulle, organza, and noise music. The ethereal ensembles then segued into a more earthly story that brought to mind ballerinas and baroque Vienna, with full skirts, floral motifs, peacock feathers, and gold trim detail. Asymmetric draping was another key element in Maticeviski's thoroughly theatric runway this season.
Two words: deconstructed menswear. Luxuriant, layered silhouettes with a perfect splash of print and sparkle. District L ate it up and cleaned our plates, sated. More to come...
A source at Alexander McQueen's office has confirmed that the beloved designer has indeed committed suicide. The Daily Mail reported it just 20 minutes ago and word is spreading fast.
It's the first day of NYFW- how can this be? District L will be standing by with the latest.
Mackage just got out, and District L was duly enthused. Brisk, constructed sportswear in muted browns, carbons, and flesh tones rounded out with plenty of leather accent. More to come...
District L unofficially kicked off Merecedes Benz Fashion Week last evening by braving the arctic hell of Manhattan and sloshing, triumphantly, into the Crosby Street Hotel for Geren Ford's autumn winter 2010 presentation. Amid peach-hued lighting and elaborate floral motif wallpaper, there stood the models like towering, porcelain amphorae in an upper east side penthouse.
Geren Ford took a different approach to his showing this season, using a bizarre yet intriguing gallery concept to showcase his collection. His signature sportswear was well represented- Ford is perhaps better known as the designer behind Urban Outfitters premium line "Hawks".
Ford's meandering menagerie was a sight to behold, if unassuming at first. The models, as his canvas, sported identical hair and makeup, the looks were his subjects, and the quirky detailing his brushstrokes- a peplumed cardigan here, a cutout shouldered romper here. All in good taste.
But we'll let Geren read what we have to say, rather than hear it- the designer was spotted anonymously drifting among the attendees, ears perked for reactions and comments.
As I was walked up the narrow staircase of CECO Studios on Friday, I was unsure of what to
expect. I was unfamiliar with the concept of a “virtual runway show,” let alone have an
understanding of the process. When I entered Studio B, a large green screen emerged into my
field of vision. Passion Pit’s mild rhythmic syncopation began playing on the sound system
and Candice Swanepoel, fashion model and Victoria Secret Angel, appeared in front of the
screen before me in a floor-skimming, animal print gown.
This is Marc Bouwer’s fourth season opting for a film presentation to exhibit his collection.
Marc explained, “Everyone gets their information from the internet today. With the amount of
shows that go on during fashion week – about 30 shows a day – it is hard to make the
desired impression with editors and celebrities.”
Making an impression with celebrities was never an issue with Marc Bouwer. In fact,
Beyonce wore two of his creations just this past week. With thousands of brands competing
for the face-time of megastars, we wondered, how does one compete? Bouwer tells District
L, “I don’t know how it happened, but I have been dressing Beyonce since she was in
Destiny’s Child!”
Marc did not always want to be a designer, yet like any great success story, fate found him. “I
was an aspiring actor, but right out of high school, I entered a design competition – just to
see. And I won! Then I started to think, ‘Hey, this is something I am quite good at!’” And what a
fantastic revelation, for if he were on the red carpet, as opposed to dressing the red carpet,
we would never get to witness the fabulous collection that will be launched on video at
www.marcbouwer.com on February 18th.
Post by Amanda LaMela
These camera guys are always catching the behind-the-scenes fashion footage, but who's catching them? Here are my exclusive, high-quality Blackberry shots - behind the scenes of behind the scenes.
The three shy camera guys prepare to interview a room full of models at the BCBG casting.
"I've never been so rejected in my life," Jason laughs at his attempts to score an interview. Brother and partner-in-crime, Eric, shrugs in agreement.
"No thanks!"
Success!
From February 15-18, in the midst of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week craziness, Norma Kamali will be displaying STYLE ON DEMAND, a ScanLife presentation. The exhibition will be held on the five levels of Norma Kamali's Flagship Store at 11 west 56th street. Using any mobile camera-phone, the ScanLife technology uses 2D barcodes to enable an application on your cellular device. This application can then link the barcodes to videos, images, and press clippings. Guest can also upload all press information, as well as the entire lookbook.
For one day a year, Naomi Campbell takes a break from injuring and hospitalizing the people in her life to make a statement against injury and hospitalization through the annual ¨Fashion for Relief¨show. This time the proceeds are going directly to address the needs of the victims of the Haiti earthquakes.
To buy your tickets, simply click here and feel better about yourself immediately. Now´s the time to make up for eating that entire bagel this morning, fatty.
Fashion For Relief™ began five years ago as a way to galvanize the fashion community and its generosity in times of need. Fashion For Relief’s™ first show, in 2005, was held during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City and raised $1 million for the Hurricane Katrina relief. In 2007, over £1 million was raised for the Rotary Flood & Disaster and in 2008, Sarah Brown helped us to raise thousands for the White Ribbon Alliance. Last year Fashion For Relief™ was presented during Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai, India and raised funds after the 26/11 bombings. Additional Fashion For Relief™ events were held in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
For more information on this appeal visit, www.care.org/fashion
"My skin is dewy and my curls are perfect." - New York's favorite transsexual style icon, Amanda Lepore - Twitter
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week officially begins Thursday, February 11, but we'll keep busy even before the Bryant Park madness:
On Tuesday, the fervor builds with two luxury powerhouses, Chanel and Hermes, holding events during our usual happy hour time-slot. Hermes will be celebrating the opening of their men's store on Madison Avenue at 6:30pm. Just an hour later, Chanel will be launching Rouge Coco with Vanessa Paradis. Get your comfy Choos on; it'll be a busy night.
Also, we'll be sharing our exciting interview with Marc Bouwer early next week. After heading behind the scenes to his Fall Winter 2010 fashion film shoot this evening, we have a lot to share about this innovative, captivating designer.
On Wednesday, Saks Fifth Avenue and The New York Botanical Garden will be celebrating Fendi at 7pm.
Everything really is coming up roses for fashion, isn't it?
