FashionIndie » Harvey Weinstein

Carine and Karl Help amfAR Gala Raise a Record-Breaking $11M

Lester Brathwaite — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:49:41 +0000

It pays to have friends in high fashion places. The annual amfAR Cinema Against AIDS gala held last week during the Cannes Film Festival brought in a record-breaking $11 million thanks to a little help from Carine Rotifeld and company.

Photo: Image Amplified

Roitfeld curated a fashion show — the first in Cannes’ 65-year-history — featuring designs by Tom Ford, Versace, Christopher Kane and Lanvin, with the clothes auctioned off as a single lot for €300,000 (about $377,000).

Other big ticket items included a role in a short film directed by Karl Lagerfeld and produced by Harvey Weinstein, which went for €850,000 ($1,069,000); a private photo shoot with legendary lensman Peter Lindbergh was auctioned off for €90,000 ($113,000); and a signed print of Andy Warhol‘s Marilyn 29, 1967 sold for €600,000 ($754,000). [Telegraph]

Photo: Image Amplified

Chaka Khan and Fantasia Catsuit Catfight, Christian Lacroix Making a Comeback and When Skinny Jeans Attack

Lester Brathwaite — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:18:47 +0000

- Chaka Khan and Fantasia Barrino wore catsuits on the American Idol finale last night. [theGrio]

- On June 1 in Paris Christian Lacroix is opening its first boutique since going bankrupt in 2009. [Telegraph]

- Wearing skinny jeans can apparently cause nerve damage. [ABC]

- Florence Welch got her scrapbooking on with bff Karl Lagerfeld. [Fashionista]

- Harvey Weinstein wants to put Lana Del Rey in a movie. [Grazia]

- Drew Barrymore may be wearing Chanel on her wedding day. [Page Six]

Halston Making Yet Another Comeback

Lester Brathwaite — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:21:30 +0000

Maybe he’s just beating a dead horse, but Ben Malka, the newest chairman and CEO of Halston, is determined to revive the iconic brand. Malka has shaken up the way Halston runs by moving the studios to Los Angeles where they will focus on the Heritage line left so carelessly behind by Sarah Jessica Parker, with plans to relaunch the Halston runway line next year. And unlike the past, money will cease to be an issue. According to Malka, “We are very well-funded, so I don’t have to worry about that. The money was put in by myself and my partners in a big way…The amount is enough for us to screw up for a long time.”

Good, because they’re going to need a little trial and error. Ever since Roy Halston diluted his brand with licensing in the 70s — which led to his firing from the company in 1984 and subsequent death in 1990 — the Halston line has been under something of a curse. Everyone and their mother has tried to revive it with Harvey Weinstein and SJP being the last foolhardy souls to attempt salvation.

Whereas Weinstein’s background is in film and Parker’s main hoof is in acting, Malka comes with a mass of fashion experience under his belt. For over ten years he served as president of BCBG Max Azria and he was planning on retiring until he got offered the job at Halston. “There were maybe two or three brands that could pull me out of retirement, and this was one,” Malka said. “But it had to be all about the way I run it. No outside interference.”

So Halston is now the Ben Malka show. Hilco, which owns the Halston brand, and a silent investor serve as passive partners while Malka holds the largest share in the company. Malka hired away BCBG’s chief creative officer Marie Mazelis to design for Halston then picked up and moved the headquarters out to L.A., where he shares studio space with Mad Men. The unlikely move to the west coast is an attempt to refocus the Halston Heritage line, which they are using as a platform to relaunch the brand.

“[T]he Heritage line… is contemporary and obviously this is the place for that.” Malka explained. “It’s also a global city and a brand like this belongs here. I think it will be a boon to the Los Angeles fashion community.” Halston Heritage will range in price from $50 to $500, with certain pieces going for as much as $2500. The Halston runway line, however, will be based out of New York where an atelier is currently being constructed and is set to debut for the fall 2013 season. Prices are expected to go as high as $10,000. “I want to create a strong differentiation between the two…Halston [runway] is about innovation in technique and fabric. It’s about exclusivity and luxury. Heritage is about making the brand more accessible using timeless codes like fluidity and tailoring.”

Malka will focus on creating a brick-and-mortar presence with shop-in-shops in stores like Bloomingdale’s and Harrods, and there are plans to open as many as five freestanding stores this year alone. Taking a note from Burberry, social media will also be a key factor in Halston’s revival as well as celebrity partnerships. “Halston was one of the pioneers of marrying fashion and celebrity. I value that enormously. Celebrities are incredible ambassadors and we will be making some thoughtful choices after market.”

For now, it certainly sounds like Halston is in good hands. Malka is running a tight ship that includes a heavily-detailed four-year plan and an employee manual that even dictates the font of email signatures. Only time will tell if he and his crew can do Roy justice, but Malka believes they’re certainly on the right track. ”I think if Halston were here today, he would be very pleased.” And so would Liza. [WWD, sub req'd]

Halston Heritage

Halston's latest savior, Ben Malka

Halston's chief designer, Marie Mazelis

Caroline Winberg & Sessilee Lopez Turn On The Lady Love For H By Halston

McArthur Joseph — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 15:00:34 +0000

Things may be going a little haywire at the Halston camp but they are making us forget about it with their campaign for their line H by Halston. Models Caroline Winberg & Sessilee Lopez turn in all over the place and showcase the luxurious fashions in the most elegant and sensual way.

Would You Pay $71,600 to Dine With Wintour, Weinstein & Obama?

Amanda Gabriele — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:45:39 +0000

Does it really matter, because chances are you weren’t invited to the intimate dinner thrown by Anna Wintour and Harvey Weinstein as a fundraiser for the Obama campaign. But if you’re one of the lucky holding a summons and spare $71,600, you’ll be in the fine company of big guns like Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin, Tory Burch and Alicia Keys. According to Page Six, the dinner is tentatively scheduled for next week, so start kissing ass now.

The event was originally scheduled for mid-July until President Obama was distracted by the debt ceiling crisis. This dinner sounds way more important, but to each his own I guess.

LINK LOVE: Daily Front Row

Anna Wintour== DONNA KARAN and URBAN ZEN present the First Annual Stephen Weiss Apple Awards honoring President BILL CLINTON, COURTNEY ROSS and DR. MEHMET OZ== Urban Zen Center, NYC== June 10, 2011== (C)Patrick McMullan== PHOTO - RYAN MCCUNE/PatrickMcMullan.com== ==

You Can Lead a Horse to Halston, but You Can’t Make Her a Hit: The SJP Story

Lester Brathwaite — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 10:19:47 +0000

How do you solve a problem like Halston? Once the de rigeur designer of the haute fabulous set — Bianca Jagger, Liza Minnelli, Jackie Kennedy, Babe Paley, Lauren Hutton, Liz Taylor; we’re talking Glamour here — the company faltered in the early 80s with the ousting of Roy Halston. Roy, too high on caviar wishes and cocaine dreams, had sold equity in his company in 1973 and was fired in 1984 only to die of AIDS-related complications in 1990. Numerous attempts to revive the brand faltered over the last two decades with the latest manicured finger of blame being pointed dramatically at Carrie Bradshaw.

Halston with his girls — Bianca Jagger, Liza Minnelli and Michael Jackson

INDIE NEWSROOM: Mugler’s Bionic A-Man…Gaga Grinds Some Gears…When Ugly Shoes Attack!

Lester Brathwaite — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:56:12 +0000

- Thierry Mugler has employed hottie amputee track star Oscar Pistorius as the face and prosthetic legs of its A-Men fragrance. [NYT]

- Halston is apparently falling apart at the seams. First SJP, then Harvey Weisntein, now Marios Schwab is the latest to jump the label’s quickly sinking ship and there’s no Spring 2012 collection planned. [WWD]

- Beyoncé dropped a measly $15K on a 90-minute shopping spree with mom Tina Knowles at Topshop and Selfridges. Meanwhile, let me loose in a Wal-Mart for 90 minutes and I could rack up the same bill. [NY Mag]

Harvey Weinstein and SJP Break from Halston

Lester Brathwaite — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:25:27 +0000

Don’t worry, Halston, I wish it was the 70s too. Me, you, Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, Jerry Hall and Bianca Jagger blowin’ rails off Elton John at 54 to Donna Summers‘ “I Feel Love,” everyone in a psychadelic caftan or beige pantsuit of your making. Fast forward 40 years — has it been that long?! — and you’re a struggling label unable to find your footing after the death of your visionary founder Roy Halston. And now, not only has Carrie Bradshaw trotted away as your president, but that guy who’s banging Marchesa left too. What to do now? (P.S. I’ve got a coke spoon and Liza on speed dial — coincidentally, the two are related.)

Sarah Jessica Parker‘s departure was a tiny little mention in her Vogue cover story:

When Sex and the City, to her own surprise, made her a fashion star, she launched her own design label and perfumes, as well as signing on to run the Halston Heritage label, a relationship that recently came to an end.

Days after that story broke, Harvey Weinstein has followed SJP out to pasture, leaving the company in which he had equity stake for the past few years. Well, the good news is Halston’s parent company, Hilco, is still confident in the label — at least someone is — as its seen recent growth in retail.

And also, Liza picked Diana up in the Beemer and they’re on their way with Elton riding bitch. Happy days are here again! [WWD]

Madonna Gets Into the Historical Romantic Drama Groove with Latest Film

Lester Brathwaite — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:28:36 +0000

Music/fashion icon Madonna never had luck conquering the film world. She hung up her acting chops after a series of cinematic disappointments in the late-90s and early-00s. But as she proved once, after getting thrown from the Hollywood horse, she’s gotten back in the saddle with W.E., recently acquired by the Weinstein Co.

Photo: Daily Mail

Madonna co-wrote the romantic drama with her Truth or Dare collaborator Alek Keshishian, which stars Abbie Cornish as a woman who becomes enraptured with the early 20th century romance between Britain’s King Edward VIII and American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

Sure, it sounds like a snoozefest, but if Harvey Weinstein likes it — and he does, saying that Madge “has really come into her own as a filmmaker” and that W.E. is ”smart, sexy and thoroughly modern” – the Academy might as well throw an Oscar in Madonna’s freakishly ageless face.

Five words: The King’s Speech , Part II. [L.A. Times]

FASHION SCRAMBLE: Halston’s Finances Halted + Dov Loses Majority Stake in AA +Taking Royal Wedding Madness to the Extreme

Lester Brathwaite — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:12:51 +0000

- Seems like Halston‘s president and chief creative office, Sarah Jessica Parker could see the brand Carrie’d away [badoom-cha!] to a new home. They’ve hired an investment bank to decide whether an infusion of cash or perhaps a complete sale of the company is in order after a lackluster four years under Hilco Consumer Capital and The Weinstein Co. [WWD]

- Dov Charney no longer holds the majority share in American Apparel after an influx of cash last week from a group of Canadian funders, including private investor Michael Serruya. Unlike everyone else in the world, Serruya has confidence in the American Apparel brand and in Dov Charney, whom he thinks is the victim of a “shakedown,” in reference to that whole sex slave thing. [WWD]

- Are your alarms set? Are your puffy-sleeved gowns steamed and at the ready? The Royal Wedding is tomorrow, meaning that people might stop doing creepy things like tattooing their front teeth with Prince William‘s and Kate Middelton‘s likenesses, or spending 490 bucks (or three easy payments of 163 bucks) for a vinyl doll bearing the Issa engagement dress seen round the world (as soon as that wedding dress debuts, however, that doll is getting an upgrade). But there’s perhaps nothing creepier– or…classier? — than slipping on some royally-inspired latex to get it on in the boudoir. Though for $13, I’d expect more than three lousy Will and Kate Jimmyhats — I’m ready to consummate all over that couple. [Fashionista]

Harvey and Rachel Sitting in a Tree

Lauren Garroni — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:53:22 +0000

What on earth could studio head Harvey Weinstein and uber-stylist Rachel Zoe be reacting to?

A. I think Anna Wintour just winked at us!
B. How much Rachel just spent on a vintage Givenchy dress from 1954?
or
C. Harvey became restless at the fashion show’s late start and tried to eat Zoe, thinking she was a diamond encrusted, purple caftan wearing Churro.

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: Producer Harvey Weinstein and fashion stylist Rachel Zoe attend the Project Runway Finalists Fashion Show Spring 2009 during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Promenade, Bryant Park on September 12, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for IMG)