KENZO now
struggles to keep its cult Tiger jumpers in stores for more than
two to three hours at a time, but the much-coveted piece nearly
didn't make the cut.
Creative directors Carol Lim and Humberto Leon were trawling
through the label's archives when they found a small running tiger
motif inside waistbands and jackets, which they then embroidered on
an
autumn/winter 2012 knitted jumper (featured left) - although
this wasn't the piece that would set fashion hearts racing. Leon
wanted a
more relaxed version to wear when he took his catwalk bow, a
request that was met with reluctance from his design team.
"I told Kenzo, 'I'm going to make a tiger sweatshirt for
myself,'" Leon recalls. "They were like, 'What kind of fabric?' I
said, 'Er… sweatshirt material,' and they said, 'We don't do
sweatshirts.'"
Luckily for the brand's adoring fans, the correct fabric was
found and the item became a bestseller.
"The knitted and embroidered jumper that we created was quite
expensive and we didn't sell that many," Lim toldStylist. "But then
there was a waiting list in store for the sweater as it got shot
for the ad campaign. So when the sweatshirt came in, it just blew
up. We just couldn't keep it in stores."
JONATHAN
SAUNDERS, Christopher
Raeburn and Richard
Nicoll are this season's Woolmark Company
collaborators - and all intend to help prove that wool isn't just
for winter.
"For spring/summer 2014 I have been working with Cool Wool in an
unexpected way," Jonathan Saunders says. "Traditional
menswear-style tailoring has been used on casual shapes and
panelled with satin - the same fabric has been overprinted with
pigment, giving the fabric texture. Cool Wool knitwear in a fine
gauge creates a luxurious drape which I have panelled with couture
fabrics - a sweater that appears classic at first glance has
surprising sheer textured panels as part of the knitted piece."
Christopher Raeburn's collection will include pieces made
entirely from Cool Wool, alongside some hybrid Cool Wool pieces,
while both Richard Nicoll and Jonathan Saunders will each include
at least six garments made from the material. Cool Wool uses fine
Australian merino-wool fibre and is transformed into lightweight
fabrics and knitwear pieces through modern manufacturing and
processing techniques, the company noted.
"With filming throughout London Fashion Week and exclusive
backstage interviews at the shows, we will express the endless
possibilities available through merino wool, and to ultimately
raise awareness of the benefits of Cool Wool for the spring/summer
season," the Woolmark Company's Rob Langtry said.
BETTE
FRANKE had a good excuse for not being in New York this weekend
for Fashion Week, the Dutch model was busy getting married. She
posted a picture on her Instagram account showing her laughing as
she posed with her flowergirls and her new husband, Ilja Cornelisz;
a researcher in economics and education who is based in
Amsterdam.
The couple married on Saturday, September 7 - the same day that
they first met, and the date that her grandparents married - in
their native Netherlands after a three-year engagement. The service
was attended by close friends and family - including fellow models
Romée Fight, Kim Noorda and Sophie Vlaming - and the
special day was captured by her fashion photographer friend Marc de
Groot.
"My wedding dress was beautiful; my sister Sanne Franke made the
dress, which made it so special," Franke told Dutch Vogue.
"We designed the skirt and two tops together." Franke teamed
the dress with white pumps from Maison Martin
Margiela and chose a wedding ring from Tiffany & Co;
gold inlaid with diamonds.
HOLLY
FULTON is helping build excitement for London
Fashion Week, which kicks off on Friday, by teaming up with Ebay to launch an
exclusive capsule collection. The Scottish designer has created
four limited-edition pieces for the website, available to buy now
until September 18.
"I wanted to work with Ebay as it's a fantastic chance to
connect with a broad customer base, because such a diverse range of
shoppers will receive the collection," she told us. "I'm a
dedicated Ebay fan, so I was just as excited on a personal
level."
Additionally, Ebay will sell three pieces from Fulton's most
recent
autumn/winter 2013 collection - which was inspired by Seventies
art rockers. The offering includes a T-shirt and a sweatshirt, both
of which come emblazoned with a detailed animal motif, as well as
statement jewellery that references the graphic shapes of the art
deco era.
Prices start between £70 for a necklace, rising to £120 for a
jumper. To shop the collection visit Ebay.co.uk/holly.
FRENCH outerwear label Moncler is heading
for an IPO at last, as it confirmed plans to list around 25 percent
of its shares, between the end of the year and early 2014.
The brand's initial public offering was first mooted in 2011 and
again in June this year, but neither materialised. The skiwear
brand hopes to cash in on rising sales that have doubled its value
in the past two years to about €2 billion (£1.7 billion), sources
close to the deal told Reuters.
Established in an Alpine town near Grenoble in 1952 by French
entrepreneur René Ramillon, Moncler was sold to
Italian businessman Remo Ruffini, today's president and
creative director of the company.
A DECADE ago, London
Fashion Week was just a tearaway little sister to three more
established elders: seen-it-all, done-it-all,
post-coital-cigarette-smoking Paris; corporate focused, financially
fly New York; and straight-A student (albeit smouldering) Milan. In
those days, London's most successful designers inevitably
eventually graduated to one of these international outposts, but
today its reputation for producing talent affords us a fairer share
of the global limelight. Natalie
Massenet was named chairman of the British
Fashion Council a year ago, and we're now beginning to see
signs of the effect she and the weight of her £350m company is
having: significantly inflated sponsorship; 75 12-ft flags hanging
the length of Oxford Street; Manolo Blahnik and Smythson on the
schedule for the first time; a new designer shop in Somerset House
during Fashion Week; constant chatter on the social mediawaves -
plenty of new developments will be credited to Massenet's
leadership. She insists, however, that the developing success of
the event is down to the expertise of BFC chief executive Caroline
Rush. Massenet's self-determined brief is in her efforts to bring
British fashion close to the consumer. "In New York everybody knows
when Fashion Week is on - it feels like Fashion Week - I
want it to be the same here," she says.
"Our visual message will travel digitally to let people all over
the world feel the excitement - and that drives desire and sales,"
she says, her crisp Brooks Brothers shirt and tailored black skirt
matching the glass-fronted, white-plumped-sofa office as if to
encapsulate the gloss of her success.
In addition to getting all designers online and transactional as
soon as she can, her BFC ambition goes far and wide. Less concerned
with persuading big labels like Stella and McQueen to show here -
"because whether you're showing in Timbuktu or London, you're still
marketing British fashion" - she's more about positioning London as
to fashion what Silicon Valley is to technology.
"It's undisputed that we have the most dynamic, creative
designers here - luxury businesses everywhere are infused with our
talent - but we haven't championed our industry as a business," she
says of an industry worth an estimated £21 billion to the UK
economy. "If you're a teenager in Palo Alto launching an app, you
know from the outset how you plan to finance your business. If your
16-year-old neighbour were creating an app, everyone at a dinner
party would ask, 'How much is he raising to do it?' We need the
same question asked of anyone starting a label."
"Fashion is bigger here than the car industry. It needs to be
celebrated as such so we'll see more jobs, more exports and more
stores opening on our streets, as designers develop into
self-sustaining, independent businesses. The BFC is here to improve
their chances of success by adapting and advising them properly in
the context of a new global economy."
To make that happen, Massenet has pulled together a dream team
to lead five pillars of activity - Reputation; Business Know How:
Education; Digital & Innovation; and Investment - headed up,
respectively, by "pillar presidents": creative director and
front-row titan Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou; James McArthur of Anya
Hindmarch (formerly Balenciaga and Harrods); fashion journalist and
BFC ambassador Sarah Mower and Meribeth Parker, group publishing
director of luxury at Hearst; Google's director of retail Peter
Fitzgerald; and Jonathan Goodwin of Lepe Partners, who worked with
Tamara Mellon at Jimmy Choo and runs the Founders Forum. Each will work directly (and
voluntarily) with the BFC staff to engineer success for British
fashion designers, by way of tool kits, seminars, the match-making
of students from London business schools with fashion colleges,
scholarship programmes and dialogue with the most experienced,
successful group of industry professionals in the country.
All the presidents, invited to an off-site meeting chez Massenet
at the beginning of the summer, have been given Team GB-style
personalised sweatshirts and tote bags (featured left). "The focus
is incredible. From the mayor's office to number 10, we're getting
everyone on board with this," says Massenet.
"In 13 years of doing my day job I've learned a few things about
motivating people. It's about setting a vision and, as long as
everyone knows why they're doing what they're doing, you achieve
that vision."
"We've cracked the hard part -we have the talent," she
continues. "Now it's simply a process of letting designers know
their options - whether they are a three-man operation in Hoxton or
a business with multiple flagships on the way to being the next
Burberry: how to do it, how much to leverage and then, when you get
to the stage when everyone wants you, how, why, when do you sell
and who to? We're going to ensure 'business' isn't a dirty word in
fashion. We want to make people dream of working in an industry
that isn't fluffy - it's an amazing way to earn a living and create
jobs based on creativity."
But is London fashion, traditionally so flamboyant and creative
but lacking in business flare, ready for this? "Of course!" says
Massenet "We have a generation of young designers who have grown-up
in the digital age, but they're in the business of making clothes
so they don't necessarily have access to this world. My day job
gives me access to these people - it's a killer advantage."
Short-term results will mean a bigger, better London Fashion
Week - maybe even a longer one because "London is always the most
packed schedule - you can't miss anything because our designers are
unpredictable". In the medium term, says Massenet, it's about
questioning the state of the industry, "whether that's thinking
about bringing consumers into the shows, or taking our Fashion Week
on a tour of other cities every season". Most radical, she muses,
would be a one-season, one-city show concept that could see
Olympics-style bids for cities to host all the international
collections in one place each season. Long term it suggests a
legacy that will leave future British fashion graduates in a more
confident position to let their creativity come to the global
fo
It's a revolution that brings support from all the designers on
the British schedule, for whom Natalie is constantly on call.
"She's a visionary and I'm thrilled that she represents our voice,"
says Erdem. "Not only does she have this incredible global
credibility, but she is also available in person when you want to
ask advice," adds Christopher Kane. "She truly understands what it
takes to grow a business in the UK with relevance around the
world."
The designers also value Massenet's political skills, but she
shrugs off the suggestion of any ambition for an official place on
the global stage. "I just have my fingers crossed that the shows
start on time, that people have an amazing experience here and that
we send them to Milan just a little bit tired."
"My personal ambition remains the same - to be creative, to be
modern, to stay one step ahead, to enjoy life. I've learned to take
nothing for granted because the rules are changing all the
time."
Lastly, the inevitable question: how does a woman like this get
dressed every morning? "I just wear what I like and lots of it is
British," she says, before reeling off a list of designer labels -
including "some cute Stella", Kane, Jonathan Saunders and
Williamson - that make up one serious wardrobe, and adding
wickedly: "I buy it all on this great website I know."
THE official Fashion's Night Out T-shirt has arrived and is
at the ready for fashion frolics on October 10. Manchester's
northern lights beckon for the fifth annual shopping festival and,
with over 100 brands taking part, the night is set to be as
extravagant as any party should be, with designer appearances,
exclusive collections, goody bags and, of course, plenty of
Champagne. Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman has chosen Save the
Children as this year's official FNO charity, saying: "I am
delighted that Vogue's Fashion's Night Out in Manchester
is going to benefit Save the Children. Their work is essential not
only in the UK but internationally and being able to contribute to
their efforts, via this celebration of fashion and shopping, adds
an extra dimension to the evening."
The T-shirt, modelled by Sam
Rollinson for Vogue, will be widely available on the
night for £18. Snap yours up early.
Summer may be fizzling out, but don't let the darkening evenings
dampen your spirits. Put Fashion's Night Out firmly in your diary
and head up north to join a city abuzz with activity. Oh, and start
planning your outfit as street style photographers and
VogueTV will be seeking out the most stylish and capturing
all the fun at fashion's biggest street party. Vogue's Facebook page for the event has launched - like
us here to
keep up-to-date with all the latest news in the run up to Fashion's
Night Out.
SOPHIA
KOKOSALAKI may not appear biannually on the ready-to-wear
catwalk as she used to, but showing one carefully curated
collection a year certainly works for her - and delights her
customers.
"The response has been truly great," Kokosalaki told us. "Some
retailers, like Net-A-Porter, have increased their orders
dramatically and have also ordered some styles in colours. This is
very easy for us to do, since due to the versatility of the dresses
they can easily be translated from bridal into pret-a-porter pieces
that one can wear again and again."
Although many pieces echo her now signature Grecian-inspired
aesthetic, Kokosalaki's 2014 range offers many departures -
delicate separates; structured, bell-skirted minidresses;
feather-light, fairy-like chiffon gowns - from her favoured shapes
and details, because the designer, almost 15 years on from her
first collection and following stints as the creative helm of
both Vionnet and Diesel Black
Gold, knows herself and her customer like never before.
"I have worked on every category over the years and I think I
have proved myself adept in casual and contemporary, but I am
always happiest when I can create luxurious, elaborate pieces,"
Kokosalaki admits. "We have an increasing number of young women who
come to us requesting a dress that is unique and impressive with a
modern point of view, but that perhaps can be worn more than once.
Those brides have a very contemporary aesthetic, they are after a
dress with great craftsmanship, impeccable fitting that enhances
their body and really do not want to wear an overbearing
dress."
JOHN
GALLIANO is sorely missed by the fashion industry, legendary
founder of Browns, Joan
Burstein said today. Mrs B has joined the cries of industry
luminaries for the former Christian Dior designer to
return.
"The industry does need him back," Burstein said. "It's not been
the same since he's been exiled… He epitomises the escapist fantasy
that fashion is all about. And it's that we need so desperately.
I'd welcome him back to Browns with open arms and I think others
should too."
Burstein also reminisced about her favourite memory of Galliano
- other than his show debut - that she felt typified his
nature.
"My other most cherished memory is when he travelled to London
for the first time on the Eurostar," she wrote for Stylist
magazine. "'I couldn't believe it,' he told me. 'We were in a
tunnel, we came out and we were in England! It was amazing!' That's
how he was - wonderfully naïve with a beautiful capacity for
wonderment. That person still remains. And if we have to do without
him for much longer, it would be a real tragedy."
HELENA
CHRISTENSEN has collaborated on a new Hello Kitty T-shirt for
Oxfam - and for a change it's the kitten who has a supermodel
makeover; sporting hair. The T-shirt's sales will benefit Change, a
fund-raising project championing women's rights worldwide, and
support Oxfam's aim to bring 80,000 people out of poverty in
2013.
"I've always been a big fan of Hello Kitty," Helena Christensen
said. "She's still as cool and chic today as she was when I was a
child, and I am thrilled to be a part of this project. As a Global
Ambassador for Oxfam I am delighted that these lovely T-shirts will
help raise vital funds for the charity's work with vulnerable women
across the world, empowering them to have a say in their own future
and escape poverty. Thank you for buying this T-shirt, I hope you
enjoy wearing it!"
PETER
LINDBERGH, the photographer who created some of the most famous
group shots of Cindy, Naomi, Christy and Linda, believes that we
will never see models of their calibre again. Even his original
supers have lost their allure, he says.
"In the beginning those women were a revolution," Lindbergh
said. "They had balls, they had brains, they put their hair back
and wore no make-up, that was it… There were 10 faces ruling
the world, but those 10 faces were eventually corrupted by the
beauty and fashion industries. They lost all of that freshness, all
of the independence, and simply became what the women in magazines
had been before."
Since the supermodels reigned in the late Eighties and early
Nineties "the image of a woman has been turned upside down" - to
its detriment, according to the photographer.
"Today, you could easily put a group of models in a room: Lara Stone, Gisele,
you could have them together in five minutes, but they represent
nothing new, they are already there," he told The
Telegraph. "Maybe now if the industry had had enough of all
the current models and you could find the five most romantic new
faces out there, that totally change our perspective of beauty,
then maybe a new supermodel era could happen. Just maybe."
LONDON
FASHION WEEK has finally arrived, as some of the industry's
most exciting names prepare to take the limelight. The
five-day-long event is expected to boost the economy by £100
million, as orders for the latest collections are made by
international buyers, and the world's fashion press spend money on
the city's hotels and flights to London.
Monday sees some of Britain's fashion bastions hit the catwalk -
with Burberry (where the brand's collaboration with Apple's new
iPhone 5s will also be unveiled), Christopher Kane, Erdem and Tom
Ford taking to the stage. So who else to look out
for? Our attention will focus on JW
Anderson on Saturday; Mary
Katrantzou and Jonathan
Saunders on Sunday; Roksanda
Ilincic and Peter
Pilotto on Monday; and Meadham
Kirchhoff, Simone
Rocha and Lucas
Nascimento on Tuesday.
This season is also the first time that the changes Natalie
Massenet has made since becoming British Fashion Council
chairman will fully come into fruition. She was only six weeks into
her role when the last LFW took place, so this week's proceedings
will see her vision for British fashion acted out - as she vies to
make London's fashion scene more successful than ever before.
"London is always the most packed schedule - you can't miss
anything because our designers are unpredictable," she told us last
week.
The capital's spring/summer 2014 schedule features new additions
from Manolo
Blahnik, who will present a film of his latest collection on
Sunday; Smythson, which
will stage a top-secret event also on Sunday; and AllSaints, which
is following on from its NY catwalk success with London
presentations on Sunday and Monday. Although not strictly a debut,
Whistles is
another label set to make an impact as it stages its first
full-scale catwalk show, upping the momentum from last season's
intimate presentation.
This season will also bid farewell to a few fashion favourites.
Emma Hill
will showcase her final collection at Mulberry on
Sunday; and Clements
Ribeiro is notably absent from the catwalk line-up - opting to
unveil its latest print-based offering on its website instead.
JASON WU is
the first of New York's superstar designers to take to the catwalk
today. Known for filling Michelle
Obama's wardrobe with his feminine, polished creations, his
shows always draw a discerning crowd. In June this year he was
hired as creative director at Hugo Boss, so his latest collection
is bound to be more closely scrutinised than ever, as the industry
wonders whether or not his new role will influence the aesthetic of
his own label.
Also to look forward to: CFDA Swarovski womenswear award winner
Suno, British label
Rag & Bone,
and Helmut
Lang - a brand which promises minimal, sharply cut pieces in
their droves.
This weekend welcomes some of the city's biggest names: Saturday
sees Prabal
Gurung and Altuzarra (the
label's first catwalk outing since selling a minority stake to
luxury conglomerate Kering) hit the runway, followed by Alexander
Wang - who now juggles his own label with his work at
Balenciaga, where he is creative director.
Sunday starts with Victoria
Beckham - consistently one of New York's most star-studded and
most-hyped shows. We hope to see appearances from her equally
well-dressed two-year-old daughter and her world-famous husband, as
well as more of the beautifully cut wearable dresses for which she
is known. Diane von
Furstenberg is up next, a true bastion of American style, then
Zac Posen,
whose shows are usually peppered with fashion's most beautiful
models and romantic floor-length gowns.
Last but not least, Opening
Ceremony will close the weekend's proceedings on Sunday night.
Its collections in collaboration with Chloë Sevigny have hit
catwalks before, but this is the first time that the cult brand has
shown its own-label runway show. We look forward to seeing what its
innovative co-founders, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, have in
store.
Cover girl Alexa Chung
goes on a couture adventure for the October issue of Vogue
- and we're all invited along. Join the presenter, model and writer
as she introduces us to the making of her Patrick
Demarchelier photo shoot in New York. Or, alternatively, join
new model Jean Campbell in Montauk for a bohemian and musical
romance photographed by Bruce Weber.
Plus, get the lowdown on Isabel
Marant's hugely anticipated H&M collection, learn how to
talk fashion, and take an exclusive look inside Tim Walker's
forthcoming book, The Granny Alphabet. Download
#OctoberVogue on the iPad for £2.99 here.
To read the standard digital edition on your Kindle or any other
Android device, download it for £2.99 from Amazon here.
JOURDAN
DUNN may have appeared on the cover of Vogue, in
campaigns for Burberry and Yves Saint Laurent, and on the Chanel,
Christian Dior and Victoria's Secret catwalks, but it seems that
there are some people who still don't recognise the London-born
beauty.
"Someone from Abercrombie & Fitch asked me the other day if
I wanted a job in one of their stores," she told the London
Evening Standard.
But, despite her reputation as the most
outspoken model of her generation, Dunn hasn't forgotten her
manners.
"I let him down gently," she added.
THE
last catwalk collection by Parisian label Rue Du Mail
will never arrive in stores, as the brand's Hong Kong-based owner
has elected to "suspend" it for a period of reflection.
"We want to step back and rethink our strategy," said Jimmy
Chan, who established the Martine Sitbon-helmed label in 2006 after
she left her eponymous line - which still owns her name.
The suspension will impact around 30 employees, WWD
reports, but Chan asserts that many may be rehired following the
brand's contemplation.
Chan revealed that he hopes to answer the question, "How do we
keep our creative integrity in today's business environment, yet
still be more competitive?" Sitbon is reportedly in agreement with
the suspension and will pursue other creative avenues while the
label is on hiatus.
STELLA
MCCARTNEY and Gwyneth
Paltrow have teamed up to create a capsule collection for
Paltrow's lifestyle website, Goop, featuring investment pieces designed by
McCartney and curated by Paltrow - and the twosome are very clear
about their roles.
"I think of myself as a woman who is a lover of beautiful
things," Paltrow said. "I'm very specific about my taste. The role
I want in a partnership is curating a collection as opposed to
taking a designer point of view. I can tweak a blazer and make it
the perfect blazer. It's being able to fulfill what my ideal things
ought to be."
"I have quite a lot of admiration for her at so many levels and
that's a big part of how I design," McCartney added, WWD
reports. "Her spirit and inner beauty as well as outer beauty are a
big inspiration for me. I draw from that every day from all my
friends."
The selection - which features classic McCartney
pieces including a black blazer, black jeans and black wool
trousers, as well as several exclusive handbags - will sit on the
Goop Collection part of the company's website, which offers
products exclusive to Goop readers. Past Goop Collection
associations include Cynthia Rowley, Rag & Bone, Warby Parker
and Alexandra von Furstenberg.
GIANNI VERSACE
SPA is "well on track" to sell a minority stake privately,
before a public offering in three to five years' time. The label's
CEO, Gian Giacomo Ferraris, confirmed the news yesterday at a
conference announcing plans to open a hotel in Macau, China. He
declined to disclose the names of potential investors, reports
Bloomberg.
Regardless of what happens, the Versace family will retain
control of the business. Santo and Donatella Versace still own 30
and 20 per cent stakes, respectively, and Donatella's daughter,
Allegra Versace Beck, has a 50 per cent holding in the company.
In April, Ferraris said that the company would only consider
going public when the brand's sales reach between €500 million to
€600 million (£424 million to £509 million). The firm made €408.7
million (£348 million) in 2012.
THE British
Fashion Council has responded to racism claims, which allege
that London's designers don't use enough black models on the
catwalks. The governing bodies of all four fashion capitals have
been sent a letter by The Diversity Coalition, spearheaded by
activist and former model Bethann Hardison, listing "fashion houses
guilty of this racist act".
"The British Fashion Council does not organise model castings
for London Fashion Week although, as its governing body, strongly
asserts that all participating designers should recognise that
London is one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world and
should consider reflecting this demographic at their shows and
presentations," a spokesperson for the BFC told us this
morning. "The BFC is committed to model welfare and is more
than happy to engage in tackling any issues regarding best practice
and diversity at London
Fashion Week."
The damning letter said that "eyes are on an industry that
season after season watches design houses consistently use one or
no models of colour."
"No matter the intention, the result is racism," it read. "Not
accepting another based on the colour of their skin is clearly
beyond aesthetic when it is consistent with the designer's brand.
Whether it's the decision of the designer, stylist or casting
director, that decision to use basically all white models reveals a
trait that is unbecoming to modern society. It can no longer be
accepted, nor confused by the use of the Asian model." CFDA executive
director Stephen Kolb told WWD that the CFDA had sent two
emails over the past fortnight to both industry influencers and
CFDA members, encouraging diversity on the NYFW catwalks. He also
said that he would be "very happy to meet and to be part of that
discussion" if contact details for the coalition are provided (the
letter was left unsigned and without an email address or phone
number).
Chambre Syndicale president Didier Grumbach described the
accusation's as "unreasonable" and noted the forthcoming Paris
shows will feature the world of designers of 22 nationalities.
Italian Chamber of Fashion
(Camera Nazionale
dellaModa Italiana),
boss Mario Boselli said participants of the Milanese schedule are
entitled to "complete freedom" in choosing which models to feature
in their shows.
"As the Camera avoids all discriminations, it suggests to
fashion companies to avoid discrimination, but it can't impose
anything," Boselli commented. "The Camera has taken action against
showing models that are too young or too slim on the runway, in an
anti-anorexia effort, and penalises those companies that are found
at fault, but has never [deliberated] on skin colour."
UGLY BETTY actress Gina Gershon transformed herself as
Donatella Versace this week as stills were released from
forthcoming television film House of Versace. Doesn't she
cut a convincing doppelganger?
The aftermath of the
GQ Men of the Year Awards produced one of this week's most
amusing pictures, as Cara Delevingne and Rita Ora slipped home in
the early hours, laden with takeaway bags and complete with every
so slightly sheepish expressions.
In cinema this week, the stars of the film version
of Fifty Shades of Grey were finally announced -
roles that had caused months of speculation - with Dakota Johnson
and Charlie Hunnam taking the leads of Anastasia Steele and
Christian Grey.Weddings dominated the weekend's most newsworthy pictures:
Kate Bosworth married her long-term beau Michael Polish on an
American ranch;
Kendra Spears became a princess as she tied the knot with Prince
Rahim; and last, but definitely not least, the second in line
to Monaco's throne, Andrea Casiraghi, wed Colombian heiress Tatiana
Santo Domingo in France.
Back in the UK, Lady Gaga proved
herself once again as pop's boldest and most daring dresser at a
one-off gig at London's Roundhouse - with highlights including a
glittering mermaid-inspired ensemble - while Burberry and BAFTA
launched their initiative, Breakthrough Brits, which aims to
nurture budding talent in the TV, film and games industries.
SEPTEMBER is here so it's time to start thinking about your key
autumn/winter 2013 buys.
From the oversized mannish shirt to the statement skirt and
notice-me coat (and don't let's forget the mega sex shoe), here's
our guide on what
to buy right now.
ALTUZARRA
has sold a minority stake to luxury conglomerate Kering. The
American label, founded by Joseph Altuzarra, still remains
independent and the designer's mother will continue to act as
company chairman.
"We are delighted to invest in Altuzarra to accompany the
development of this promising fashion house," said Alexis
Babeau, managing director of Kering's luxury division. "Joseph
is a truly talented designer, and he has already gained great
recognition in just a few years. By endorsing a young
French-American designer to help accelerate the development of his
brand, Kering fulfils its mission to empower new creative talent.
Kering takes a minority stake in the Altuzarra brand, which means
that the company will remain independent and controlled by Joseph
Altuzarra and his family. While not formally integrated in Kering's
luxury division, Altuzarra will have access to Kering's breadth of
experience and expertise when relevant."
The exact stake percentage has not been disclosed, but the deal
will enable the brand to launch its debut accessories line and also
to develop its infrastructure. As well as offering financial
support, Kering will also provide its expertise and years of
experience in expanding some of fashion's biggest names - including
Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and, most recently, Christopher
Kane, in which the company bought a majority stake earlier this
year.
"What I really loved about Kering was how they invested and
helped brands from the ground up," said Altuzarra. "Alexander
McQueen and Stella McCartney, they were tiny brands when
Kering came in and I very much admire both of those brands. I think
there's cohesiveness in their universe and a very idiosyncratic way
of building their own worlds, which I really respect and admire.
That is the kind of brand we would want to be down the
line."
Half French, half American, Altuzarra launched his eponymous
label in 2008, after working at Proenza Schouler and Givenchy under
Riccardo Tisci. His work is defined by its seductive, feminine
aesthetic and fans include Carine Roitfeld, Kate Bosworth and
Angelina Jolie. He will show his spring/summer 2014 show at New
York Fashion Week tomorrow.
THE aftermath of the GQ Men of the Year Awards produced one of yesterday's
most amusing pictures, as Cara Delevingne and Rita Ora slipped home
in the early hours, laden with takeaway bags and complete with
every so slightly sheepish expressions.
In cinema this week, the stars of the film version
of Fifty Shades of Grey were finally announced -
roles that had caused months of speculation - with Dakota Johnson
and Charlie Hunnam taking the leads of Anastasia Steele and
Christian Grey.
Weddings dominated the weekend's most newsworthy pictures:
Kate Bosworth married her long-term beau Michael Polish on an
American ranch;
Kendra Spears became a princess as she tied the knot with Prince
Rahim; and last, but definitely not least, the second in line
to Monaco's throne, Andrea Casiraghi, wed Colombian heiress Tatiana
Santo Domingo in France.
Back in the UK, Lady Gaga proved
herself once again as pop's boldest and most daring dresser at a
one-off gig at London's Roundhouse - with highlights including a
glittering mermaid-inspired ensemble. Her fans were equally
eye-catching, with face paint and colourful wigs in abundance.
TOM FORD
won Fashion Designer of the Year at last night's GQ
Awards, presented by Justin Timberlake, while the coveted Most
Stylish Man prize went to former Downton Abbey star Dan
Stevens.
Other winners included Jonathan
Saunders, who picked up Breakthrough Menswear Designer Brand;
Eddie Redmayne, who won the Rémy Breakthrough award for his part in
Les Misérables; London mayor Boris Johnson, who won the
Politician award; and Michael Douglas, who picked up the Legend
award.
But - as is customary with GQ- it wasn't all about the
boys, as a slew of beautiful and talented women stole the attention
on the red carpet, and in headlines this morning. Rosie
Huntington-Whiteley, Jourdan Dunn, Jessie J, Rita Ora and Daisy
Lowe all turned out, dressed as ravishingly as you would expect,
while Emma Watson broke with convention wearing trousers - but
still bared her midriff - as she collected the Woman of the Year
prize.
THE hearing date for the Nicolas
Ghesquière and Balenciaga court
case is October 15. The French label is suing its former creative
director for breach of contract after Ghesquière made derogatory
comments about the brand.
Balenciaga is seeking damages of €7 million, following remarks
made by the designer in an
interview to System magazine in which he discussed his
decision to leave the brand in November. He accused the label of
"lacking in direction" and described how he was "sucked dry, like
they wanted to steal my identity while trying to homogenise
things". At the time of his exit, Ghesquière signed a contract
stipulating that he would not make any comments that could damage
the image of Balenciaga, its owners Kering, and its shareholders
and collaborators.
"Balenciaga didn't want its designer to justify his departure by
criticising the house that employed him," court papers read. "In
general, the parties, knowing the hypersensitivity of the fashion
industry to changes in creative direction, were forbidden from
commenting on the break in order to avoid any detrimental effect on
their economic interests or their image."
A civil case against the designer on the same matter started on
Tuesday, although the full court hearing isn't expected until early
next year. A verdict won't be reached until spring 2014,
WWD reports.
NATALIE
MASSENET wants you to start preparing for the start of London
Fashion Week by wearing your most stylish wardrobe pieces. The
seasonal fashion showcase takes place between Friday September 13
and Tuesday September 17, when thousands of international editors
and buyers will descend on the capital. "You are the most fashionable inhabitants in the most
fashionable city in the world," she wrote in a letter published in
The Evening Standard. "Our style inspires and starts
global fashion trends… And while the shows are a trade event,
fashion is for the consumer so dress up, London!"
The British Fashion Council chairman and Net-A-Porter
founder noted that the fashion industry is worth £21 billion to the
UK economy and is responsible for 819,000 jobs across the country.
She calls for the nation to "to join our city-wide campaign and
broadcast London Fashion Week to the world". "We would like you to join us in putting on the show," she
continued. "Be your most stylish self for the week and give London
the boldest and brightest fashion face and the loudest fashion
voice possible."
See our exclusive interview with Natalie Massenet next week.
Flying The Flag: Oxford Street’s Fashion Spectacular
03September2013
Ella Alexander
FIVE of Britain's most famous fashion brands will fly 12 ft
flags over Oxford Street from September 1 until September 17,
featuring huge images from their autumn/winter 2013 catwalk shows.
As part of a new collaboration between the British Fashion Council
and Oxford Street, labels including Giles, House of
Holland, Temperley
London, Topshop
Unique and Matthew
Williamson have come together to celebrate London Fashion Week,
which kicks off on Friday September 13 for five days.
"The diversity of shops and cultural scene of Oxford Street and
its surrounding area has been an inspiration to me since I started
at Central St Martins in 1989," said Giles Deacon. "It's great to
see an iconic image from our runway show on an Oxford Street
flag."
A selection of Oxford Street's most renowned stores, including
Selfridges, Topshop, River Island, Gap and H&M, will join the
celebrations by hosting a series of shopping events - from
makeovers and pop-up celebrity DJ sessions to star interviews and
fashion career mentoring.
"In September, London Fashion Week's designers will showcase the
very best of the UK's fashion industry making it the perfect time
to stage this celebration on one of the world's most iconic
shopping streets," said BFC CEO Caroline Rush. "This partnership
brings a unique opportunity for shoppers to experience the
excitement surrounding London Fashion Week, and engage with the
designers and retailers that make London a leading fashion capital
and worldwide shopping destination."
KENZO now
struggles to keep its cult Tiger jumpers in stores for more than
two to three hours at a time, but the much-coveted piece nearly
didn't make the cut.
