“To me, it didn’t make sense to add one more show to the calendar,” Garung told WWD. “Editors have been supportive of my shows from day one, but it almost seemed a little selfish to expect people to come to yet another show. I wanted a way to make things easier for everyone.”

And easier things will be. ICB’s virtual show will be available via computer, tablet or mobile phone — so teetering from show to show, industry insiders can ideally catch any number of shows on whatever iDevice fits their fashion fancy.  Additionally, show notes and still images will be available for each look, as well as detail shots for accessories, shoes and jewelry; viewers can tag their favorite looks, providing direct feedback to the designer, and get access to behind-the-scenes content. And perhaps taking the cake for ultimate convenience, the digital shows will include videos and photos that can be downloaded or embedded for press materials or buyers’ notes.

While KCD claims that the new digital platform isn’t intended to replace the traditional fashion show, Vanessa Friedman of the Financial Times wonders if it might not render the role of the fashion critic obsolete: “Don’t consumers just want to see the shows and hear designers talk anyway? Is this not in part facilitating a slippery slope toward less third-party interpretation and greater direct brand communication? And is that good?…I wonder how many of us will be able to resist not just using the digital service, but using it in place of real reporting?”

With countless fashion blogs and websites jockeying for relevance, the fashion critic is already an endangered species, yet KCD seems to be taking the next and logical step in the way collections are presented each season. ICB is the first to use digitalfashionshows.com and their fall 2012 collection will be filmed on January 30 and debut on February 15 at 11:30 and will, like fashion shows of yore, be invite only — proving that the more things change, the more they stay the same. [WWD]

“When you work with real people, you can’t impose something,” Roitfeld told WWD. She also stressed the importance of casting for male fashion becuase “it’s men who give personality to the clothes they wore.” Where she stands on women and personality is anyone’s guess, but for the cover Carine tapped easy-on-the-eyes French actor Tahar Rahim, shot by Nick Knight. Frequent collaborator and BFF Karl Lagerfeld also stepped behind the lens for the issue, as did Richard Avedon‘s son, Michael, who shot portraits of up-and-coming young actors, including The Hunger Games‘ Alexander Ludwig. Jean Baptiste Mondino snapped hottie bullfighter José María Manzanares and Willy Vandeperre lensed Lima et al for the pin-up calendar.

The Carine Roitfeld-helmed issue of VMAN hits stands on Valentine’s Day. [WWD]

With only three pictures found so far, perhaps press was under the orders of ‘don’t shoot till you see the whites of their eyes.’ Either way, get a peek at the sneak peek to the next phase of Stella McCartney.

Photo: Vogue.com

Wintour and Vogue have reportedly been “instrumental” in coercing assembling the 22 designers, including Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg, Tory Burch, Alexander Wang, Tracy Reese, Joseph Altuzarra, Rachel Roy, Narciso Rodriguez, Rag & Bone and Jason Wu. Wary of alienating Republican voters from their brands, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton initially nixed their labels from participating in Runway to Win, but Marc Jacobs — of which LVMH owns a majority stake — designed his T-shirt anyway, “following pressure from the magazine,” according to WWD.

On the other hand, Donna Karan, also owned by LVMH, did not bow to Wintour and is therefore not participating in the fundraising effort. And therefore won’t be seen in Vogue anytime soon…Kidding!…Not really.

Runway to Win’s e-commerce site, runwaytowin.com, officially launches on Thursday, but Wintour’s re-election campaign is not stopping there. She will also co-host an Obama fundraiser with actress Scarlett Johansson in February — which I’m taking as a sign that ScarJo will be on the cover around that time. See, kids, and you thought fashion and politics had nothing in common. They both require a steely nerve, a willingness to compromise and the ability to turn a blind eye to corruption. The blatant abuse of power doesn’t hurt either. [WWD]

Wal-Mart is opening at 10 pm on Thanksgiving, but before then, the megachain will give shoppers the chance to sign up for a preview of its Black Friday catalogue. Right on its heels is Macy’s, which will open at midnight on Black Friday with hundreds of “doorbuster” sales. Sears decided to stay closed on Thanksgiving this year – “There was a sentiment from customers to keep Thanksgiving as a holiday,” (of all the concepts) according to a division vice president — but will offer scannable billboards around the country to encourage mobile shopping. Ignoring Sears and their observance of Turkey Day, Gap Inc. will open 1,000 stores this Thursday, 800 alone of which are Old Navys.

Despite the extended store hours and doorbustery promotions, the appeal of Black Friday is waning. “The ‘big day’ isn’t the ‘big day’ anymore,” David Bassuk, managing director and head of AlixPartners told WWD. “It’s been diluted with earlier and earlier hours and even Brown Thursdays. There’s still some allure to getting up early and hunting for bargains, but we’re starting to see more and more retailers who are telling the consumer, ‘Stay home and get your sleep. We’ll send you what you need so you can still get the best deal.’”

What’s more disturbing: the fact that retailers are so desperate to make Christmas dough they’ve created a Brown Thursday or the fact that they insist on calling it “Brown Thursdays?” And will you indulge in the shopping frenzy this Friday or will you be too busy fighting your way through a turkey coma? [WWD]

“It is an idea that I had many years ago,” Giammetti told WWD, “after going through a great museum site and being able to navigate through these rooms full of paintings…I asked myself if it would be possible to recreate a vast computer-generated museum. We started designing and nothing really appealed to me. I wanted to have the light of Rome without looking old. I wanted to show not only the dresses but the history behind them, from the drawing to the women who wore them.”

The resulting museum — comprised of 107,500 virtual square feet of exhibition space – will include some 300 dresses, as well as accompanying anecdotes, photos, sketches, ad campaigns and editorials, with over 5,000 images and 95 fashion show videos.

“I see it as part of my legacy,”  said Valentino. Noting the importance of the past, Garavani wanted “to review the fashion that has shaped our lives,” referring to it as “Future Memory.”  Among the memories mined from the vast Valentino archives are the 1961 haute couture dress Elizabeth Taylor wore to the Roman premiere of Spartacus; Jacqueline Kennedy‘s 1968 couture wedding dress for her marriage to Aristotle Onassis; and the 1992 haute couture gown Julia Roberts wore to collect her Oscar in 2001.

Garavani and Giammetti will be in New York to announce the launch of the Valentino Garavani Virtual Museum — rather appropriately — via a press conference live-streamed on YouTube. Until then, there’s this awesome preview video. [WWD]

Starting tomorrow morning (11/14) at 9:30 AM, WWD will live stream Tory’s presentation on the WWD Facebook page. She plans on speaking about the impact of social media, on telling her brand story and connecting with & creating an engaged community. You can even submit questions for her to answer.

Others in attendance will include top execs from Barneys, Gilt Groupe, Bottega Veneta and more.

Make sure you LIKE the WWD Facebook page and tune in on all the action tomorrow morning.

Grazia Dailly reports that in an interview with Gabbana in The Times, fashion editor Laura Craik brought up Madonna’s new lifestyle brand — and it did not go over well:

Asked about Madonna (the day before we meet, WWD announces that she is to launch a new clothing collection), Gabbana becomes unusually un-chatty. What does he think of the news?

“Good.”

She’ll be ringing you up for a bit of advice soon.

“No”

Oh, OK then. Why not?

“No, she knows many things. She has a style. There are a lot of pop stars making fashion collections – Kylie and J.Lo, Puff Daddy and Kanye West.” He pauses for a beat. “Maybe next season, we should sing a song.”

What could have caused this apparent rift? After all, it’s not like Madonna’s line is going to be in direct competition with Dolce and Gabbana. And even if it was, I think we all know who’d win. No, there’s something else happening here…mayhaps it’s time for the Hardy Gays to investigate.

Admittedly, we’ve been too busy getting sloshed on tequila sunrises to solve any further mysteries, but this case is right up our drunken alley. [Grazia]

“We are enormously pleased that Tiffany has weighed in,” Louboutin’s lawyer told WWD. “Tiffany has not only agreed with our arguments, but it also put forth arguments that strengthened the case and made the point that the [earlier] decision should be reversed.”

But wait, Tiffany hasn’t officially chosen a team, they just want to make sure all those color copy cats know where they stand.

“Tiffany is not taking sides in this dispute,” Tiffany’s lawyer added. “We are only trying to assure that this area of the law is not disturbed by an overbroad decision in the lower court.”

What do you think of these trademark color wars?

LINK LOVE: Vogue UK

“I take the ghetto ideas and make them mainstream,” Robson told WWD. All photos via Sophy Robson’s Tumblr So So Fly Nails.

Photo: Trendland

Italian designers are forming a united front to decide on their own dates, out of the three following options: 1.) move to July; 2.) show before New York in September; or 3.) leave things the way they are, which could mean an overlap between Milan and London.

Condé Nast, for its part, is not having any of this. In a letter to Mario Boselli, head of the Italian Chamber of Fashion ”obtained”  – *cough* stolen *cough*– by WWD, CEO Jonathan Newhouse writes that Vogue editors “like the schedule the way it is presently organized. We at Condé Nast do not want the schedule to be changed. We very much oppose moving the Milan shows earlier so that they overlap or conflict with the London fashion shows — or with the New York fashion shows or those of any market.”

Newhouse then goes on to basically threaten a boycott by all Vogue editors — American, British, French and Italian — of Milan shows, stating matter-of-factly that “they will not under any circumstances abandon the London or New York shows if the Milan shows are moved earlier.”

The root of the conflict stems from a pact in 2008 when all four cities agreed to kick-off the fashion weeks on the second Thursday of February and September. Boselli claims that the agreement was only for three years while the CFDA‘s Steven Kolb and the British Fashion Council‘s Caroline Rush contend that it was indeed a permanent arrangement.

As for the fromage standing alone, Paris is expected to side with Milan. However, Didier Grumbach, head of the Chambre Syndicale, would rather come to a compromise and wants everyone to just chill the eff out: “When planning our schedules we have to factor in the time constraints of houses such as Jean Paul Gaultier or Givenchy that deliver couture, men’s and women’s shows with one designer. In any case, these things can’t be improvised. We have our locations. To move dates on venues like the Grand Palais cannot be improvised. Those dates are decided months and months in advance. If [anyone wants to] move dates for 2013, why not, we have the time to talk about it, to arrange it.”

Frankly, it’s a little odd that London is siding with New York considering the hubbub over model castings earlier this season, with London designers blaming New York for hogging all the best girls and the general feeling that LFW was being squeezed out. Now it seems Milan is feeling the crunch and are going to have to come to a decision soon or face the wrath of Wintour. [WWD, sub req'd]

As of yesterday, the PTO has suspended Excite’s application for the Lady’s trademarks, but Gaga can’t apply for them  herself with the suspension in tow.

“As long as someone is ahead of us on line — even if they are on life support — they are still blocking us,” Pryor Cashman LLP attorney Brad D. Rose said. He also said his client is seeking injunctive relief and damages for any goods sold using her name.

LINK LOVE: WWD

All photos via Style.com.

Amanda‘s Bag, Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Bag

1. Tilly & William Armer

2. House keys/coke spoons

3. Wallet

4. Makeup bag with assorted contents: MAKE UP FOR EVER Duo Mat Powder Foundation, Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer, Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional, Benefit Cosmetics Play Stick, Lancôme Le Crayon Khol Eyeliner, Dolce & Gabbana Lip Gloss, Benefit Cosmetics Big Beautiful Eyes, Smith’s Rosebud Salve, Shiseido Shimmering Rouge

5. Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Bag

6. Business card for Time Will Tell Watches

7. Other assorted business cards

8. M.Patmos cheat sheet

9. Norma Kamali 3D glasses and lookbook

10. Front row seat card for Anne Bowen

11. Sunglasses

12. KAUFMANFRANCO lookbook

13. Broken POS Apple Earphones

14. Hugo Naturals French Lavender Hand Sanitizer

15. Sephora makeup brushes

16. FashionIndie Mixtape Vol. 4

17. Hand creme from some gift bag

18. FashionIndie stickers

19. iPhone 4

20. Piazza Sempione tote

21. Macbook

22. Go green wireless phone charger

23. Concept Korea lookbook

24. Lemon-Lime Emergen-C

The 21-piece collection is composed of “rich, seasonal hues” and will expand internationally in January after its launch in North America.

LINK LOVE: WWD

What does Tom Ford think of his first beauty line? WWD asked: “I don’t like B.S. and a lot of promises, and there are a lot of products out there you don’t even need,” Ford said. “My brain works in the same way whatever I do. The approach is practical, architectural and I use the same vocabulary whether I’m designing clothing or color cosmetics.”

One-hundred percent sold. The full Tom Ford Beauty collection will be available in November and will include shiny glosses, richly pigmented lipsticks, nail lacquer, gorgeous eyeshadow palettes and a skincare line. We can hardly wait.

LINK LOVE: Beauty Blogging Junkie

- Is this old news for everyone or just me? Model Coco Rocha was discovered jigging about in an Irish dance competition. Now she’s showing her pride for the activity by hosting an online screening of Irish dancing documentary Jig. Weird, yet mildly touching? [Fashionista]

- London was just named the #1 Fashion Capital of 2011, beating out top dogs Paris, Milan and New York for the title. We’re glad (not) rainy old London has a chance in the spotlight, but we’ll scream if we don’t get our title back in 2012. [The Cut]

- Would you carry a red leather 9/11 handbag around town? Designers Jen and Chris Mascali created the “Remember” bag to commemorate their father and others who were lost in the attacks. All wholesale proceeds go to the 9/11 Memorial Fund. Are you sold? [Refinery 29]

- And speaking of 9/11, did you know Gwyneth Paltrow saved someone’s life that day by almost running her over with a silver Mercedes? Lara Lundstrom Clarke said the encounter made her miss the train, subsequently late for work and she completely missed the attacks. Damn Gwyneth, you be cashing in big time these days. [E!]

- OOPS. Abercrombie & Fitch stock plummeted after the company offered Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino compensation to stop wearing the brand. Surely, we in the Indie Newsroom won’t be the only ones laughing about A&F’s douchebaggery. [Just Jared]

“Because in the fashion industry color serves ornamental and aesthetic functions vital to robust competition, the court finds that Louboutin is unlikely to be able to prove that its red outsole brand is entitled to trademark protection, even if it has gained enough public recognition in the market to have acquired secondary meaning,” declared Judge Marrero in his ruling.

Lisa Chaney, author of Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life, dug up some serious dirt on the legendary designer — one assumes after rolling her over in her grave. In the bio, which comes out in November, Chaney claims Coco was a bisexual drug user who had an affair with a married Salvador Dalí.

Chaney allegedly waded through the Swiss Federal Archives to prove that Chanel also had an affair with a Nazi spy. In an email to WWD, the author’s publicist states, “Whether Chanel was aware of this is unknown, but after that war she lived in neutral Switzerland for a while, to avoid any proceedings against her.”

Quel scandale! Though I can’t wait til they inevitably make a movie out of this book. Standing alongside Audrey Tatou‘s Coco Before Chanel will be Lindsay Lohan‘s Coco After Rehab.  [WWD]

- Hermès apparently wanted to tap noted sculptor Helmut Lang to replace Jean Paul Gaultier after the latter left in 2010, but the former wanted to shred clothes, not make them. [Fashionologie]

- New York’s kinda foxy governor, Andrew Cuomo, reportedly hired the stylist from girlfriend Sandra Lee‘s “cooking show,” Semi-Homemade Cooking to do his makeup during his campaign. To the tone of $1383.86 [NYT]

- Speaking of money well-spent, the National Institutes of Health used tax dollars to conduct a study on gay men’s penis size and how it effects their sexual health: Those who felt they had an inadequate penis are more likely to be psychologically troubled and anal receptive—or “bottoms”—while those with larger penises usually identify themselves as “tops.” Meanwhile, a quick run-through of Manhunt would have unearthed the same conclusion. [Jezebel]

- Amancio Ortega, the richest man in Spain, is stepping down as chairman of Zara, which he founded in 1975. [The Cut]

- While at the premiere of Friends with Benefits, sounds like one WWD reporter was less than enthused about stars Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake‘s behavior. To wit: Mila Kunis wore a red, tight Lanvin dress and the watchful gaze of an exceptionally beefy bodyguard, who dissuaded revelers from speaking with her. “She doesn’t want to talk,” the guard explained, “to anybody. ”

And: Timberlake didn’t particularly seem to want to be with anybody. Visibly pained, the singer-turned-actor had forced a mile-wide grin for the press on the red carpet. “I think it’s a good movie?” Timberlake offered through clenched teeth. Sounds like someone hasn’t had any friends or benefits in a while.  [WWD]

- Borders, my favorite bookstore chain — suck it, Barnes & Noble –  is closing all of its 399 stores, including the six in NYC because no one reads anymore. [Racked]

“Must-have shoe brand: Nina. ‘The light-up heels are pretty sick.’

I can’t watch a movie without: ‘A snuggle partner.’

Best celebrity style: Nicki Minaj. ‘She’s amazing.’

Dream vacation: Bora Bora

I never leave home without: ‘Bronzer and pink lipstick.’

Funniest person I know: ‘Myself.’

If ‘The Snooki’ were a cocktail, the key ingredients would be: ‘Pickle juice, vodka and wine, [and it] would have a little umbrella.’” (I mean, you have to keep it classy.)

So who’s already embracing the Snooki lifestyle?

“It’s important to be able to show things in movement,” Balenciaga creavtive director Nicolas Ghesquière said. “It’s almost like a daily magazine now: It has to be really alive. Like everyone, we want to have a good amount of traffic.”

And a good amount traffic they shall receive with features like short films produced by famous photographers, a heritage section with vintage photos of starlets such as Marlene Dietrich and Ingrid Bergman wearing the brand and a full-fledged e-commerce section shipping to France, the U.K. and United States.

Look for the new Balenciaga site launching this week. Photos from WWD.com.

Vicks, 15 months pregnant with her first girl — who will, by the bye, be the best-dressed baby in the world so Suri Cruise, fall back — spoke to WWD about her new line along with her seemingly sassy “de facto chief executive officer” Zach Duane.

While Victoria envisions the line as representing her other, softer, less fierce grand diva bitch side, Zach tosses his weave back and tells it like it is: “We had to do something or we’d be a niche brand forever.”

The dresses were inspired by Emily the Strange and mix a very definite 60s silhouette with bright, vibrant colors, resulting in what Beckham refers to as her “most girly collection” ever. The Victoria dress line will also be less body conscious, with the designer’s intent to open them up “to women and girls of all different shapes and sizes.”

Aside from discussing her upcoming collection, the WWD article also offers an interesting portrait of the usually reserved Victoria Beckham. She comes off as just another “working mum” who likens the pressure to “juggling glass balls when you’ve got the kids and a husband to look after, and you’re passionate about your career.”

But the most interesting tidbit comes from Vicks’ longtime manager and Svengali, Simon Fuller, who explains Victoria’s ascent from the ashes of dVb, her joint brand with huzzy David :

“Very quickly we realized that she had a voice, there was demand, and more importantly, that she had her own brand that was very distinct from her life as David’s wife or them as a couple. We realized that the dVb brand name didn’t really work because they’ve taken very different paths, and what she stands for in the market is very different from what he stands for. We decided with the launch of the dress line that it would just be called Victoria Beckham and over a period of a few seasons, rebranded everything. DVb, as far as she’s concerned, does not exist anymore.”

Rather quietly and shrewdly, Victoria Beckham has carved a place for herself outside of David Beckham, the Spice Girls and her alien hyperbitch public image. And she did it with 3 kids hanging off of her and a 4th on the way — nevermind that she probably has 400 nannies and a full house staff. But of all the Spice Girls, who knew Posh would be the most successful? [WWD]

Ever since taking over the tome in 2001, La Bailey’s pushed for fun, daring and unvonventional spreads, from Demi Moore ascending a floating staircase in a McQueen armadillo heel while feeding a giraffe to The Simpsons modeling in Paris with Linda Evangelista and Karl Lagerfeld.

Harper’s Bazaar Greatest Hits starts with Bailey’s first cover — Gwyneth Paltrow…it could be worse — and goes year by year, as edited by Bailey herself over last summer in the Hamptons. I foresee one of the book’s 20,000 copies landing on FashionIndie‘s already full coffee table in the coming months.

And though rumors persist that Bailey is always one stilettoed step away from being replaced at Harper’s, both she and Hearst president David Carey deny them.

Carey refers to a story WWD ran questioning Bailey’s future as “a bad piece of journalism” while Bailey just takes it in stride:

“Any editor at the top of their game has to deal with that. It would be naïve to believe everything you read about yourself in print. I just laugh it off.” [WWD]

Photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, the ads could easily have been ripped out of a 70s fashion mag, which is precisely the aesthetic Ford was going for with his collection. Informed and heavily inspired by the 70s and Studio 54, Stone looks like a latter day Jerry Hall so temptingly close to Ford’s bearded bravado.

Ford explained his propensity for placing himself in his ads to WWD:

“I’m not in the ads because I’m vain. A lot of people still don’t know who I am, and the product sells better with me in the ads. The old designers — Yves [Saint Laurent], Giorgio [Armani] and Ralph [Lauren] — occasionally used to do it.”

Yves, however, probably wouldn’t approve.

Photos: Image Amplified

Anna Sui is getting in on the action to help commemorate Hanky Panky’s silver milestone with an “Anna Sui Celebrates Hanky Panky” seven-piece collection in a special print launching this September. Sui is a fan of the brand and said it “epitomizes creativity, style and true quality – three things that have been the cornerstone of my work as a designer.”

Classy! But did you know the name Hanky Panky wasn’t always considered a household staple? Stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus would not buy the product line in the 80s because they thought the name was too risqué. But the indie boutiques knew what was up. “Pants were getting tighter and tighter… I really do believe that women saw how unattractive a visible panty line was,” Epstein told WWD. She noted that specialty boutiques embraced the idea of thongs.

You can read more about Hanky Panky and check out all the amazing goods on hankypanky.com.

Jessica is wearing Pink Leopard and I have on Checkered Pink. What do we think about them, besides the fact we look fabulous? Not going to lie, these felt a little strange when we first applied and they weren’t fully dry. But after a few minutes, we felt we could smile, talk and make a variety of faces with no worry of messing them up. To maximize their staying power, we suggest drinking through a straw and waiting to eat until you’re ready for them to come off.

Not only can you shop for 15 amazing patterns, but the Violent Lips website also has video tutorials on how to apply as well as a super fun blog we can’t get enough of. What do you think of these playful lip tattoos? Which pattern(s) do you want to try?

Lively and architect Peter Marino

Rachel Bilson

Clemence Posey

Poppy Delegvigne and Alexa Chung

Carine Roitfeld

Photos courtesy WWD

As France’s finest ambassador, Christian Dior assembled 120 couture dream gowns alongside paintings and photographs that have inspired the house’s designers throughout the years. Artists that have ignited beauty at Dior include Matisse, Cezanne, Shirin Neshat, Malevich, Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Bonnard, Man Ray, Gustav Klimt, and other sensations.

With a room dedicated solely to Dior perfumes and their campaign posters, another to recreating the feel of Monsieur Dior’s atelier and the grand hall featured suspended dresses in giant glass tubes. The curators did not shy away from John Galliano‘s greatest work despite, well, you know, as his Mitzah gown from spring ’97 sprawled its pink ruffles onto the museum floor and his sheer angelic winged cloud-like gown. Yves Saint Laurent‘s short tulle evening gown from fall ’59 lit up the exhibit.

Model Natalia Vodianova an 330 other guests took the magnitude of Dior in with awe. It was an exhibit as only could be executed with the help of Bernard Arnault and an army of 100 fashion-art dedicated workers. It left a deep impression on the fashion elite and oil tycoons alike.

If you’re in Russia, this exhibit will be open at the Pushkin Museum through July 24th. If you have no Russian adventures in your future, bask in the glory of these images.

Link Love: WWD

Images by Igor Rodin

Emmanuelle Alt © Garance Doré

Emmanuelle Alt is writing her own ticket for VOGUE Paris. I was not expecting a fundamental change in the Editorial Direction being that she has been the Fashion Director of the magazine for over ten years and collaborating with Carine Roitfeld. Thus the assumption that there would be little change from the status quo. However, the April 2011 issue of VOGUE Paris gives a clear new direction; bye bye porno chic, provocation, unjustified nudity, welcome softness, lifestyle, casual clothing. Emmanuelle’s approach is more consensual and obviously more commercial, which the fashion customer might find more accessible.

I want to show in French Vogue more and more a lot of clothes … It’s a different point of view, but nobody gave me a mission to change it or make it more commercial. she stressed in her WWD’s interview

Her vision of fashion is also conditioned by the choice of photographer she has decided to collaborate with and thus don’t expect any radical changes in those she has already worked with.

I want to keep the quality, the photographers we work with—David Sims, Mert and Marcus, Mario Testino, and Bruce Weber. I don’t think there should be radical changes. The magazine should still be chic and sophisticated. VOGUE.com interview

There has been one huge surprise however… The Return of Hans Feurer in VOGUE Paris is great news and a welcome change.

Hans Feurer ©DR

Hans Feurer’s style is easily recognizable:

• Outdoor shoots, long lenses, grainy film aspect, blurred background, sharp on the model (bokeh effect), sunrise or sunset light and often with the introduction of back light and flare.

This style was in “VOGUE” in the 70′s and 80′s and has come back in to fashion since certain internet bloggers started to photograph street fashion a few years ago. The styling often associated with his photography is ethnic, tribal in wildly natural spaces. However, he can express himself in a more urban environment as he did recently in French VOGUE with Supermodel Anja Rubik.

Anja Rubik by Hans Feurer for VOGUE Paris - April 2011

Feurer, a highly renowned fashion photographer in the 70s and 80s, is Swiss born and studied photography in London. In the ’60s, he became a photographer for British Vogue, Vogue Paris, US Vogue, Marie Claire, French Elle… He photographed most of the major supermodels from Claudia Schiffer to Laetitia Casta with Yasmeen Ghauri, Christy Turlington… He launched Amber Valletta in French Elle Magazine.

Who do you dream to photograph?

- I had the chance to work with the most beautiful women in the world from Pat Cleveland, Christy Turlington to Stephanie Seymour… Kate Moss is the only one that I haven’t photographed. Excerpt of his interview in the Contributor Section of French VOGUE April 2011.

I would add “so Far”… , but I have the feeling that with his statement in the Contributor Section of the magazine, this omission will be repaired quickly enough.

Some of his archives

In the early 60′s, he was assisted by French Photographer Patrick Demarchelier. Hans Feurer is also renowned for his collaboration with Kenzo for several of their Ad Campaigns in the 70′s and 80′s and was well known for his shooting of lingerie and swimsuits in a beach environment. In 1974, he directed the famous Pirelli Calendar.

Over the past few years Hans Feurer is back on track with magazines the likes of Numéro, I-D and VOGUE China, etc…

I really appreciate the fact that Emmanuelle Alt went for the original “Real Deal” photographer rather than one of the numerous copies amongst the younger fashion photographers emulating his and Eddy Kohli‘s style.

DIM Advertising © Eddy Kohli

Watch more photos from Hans Feurer in VOGUE Paris – April 2011

Here is the video of the 2005 edition of the International Fashion Photography Festival in Cannes, France with interviews of Hans Feurer, Jean-Daniel Lorieux, Benjamin Kanarek, amongst others.

- Snooki and JWOWW will continue to spread their own brand of charm — among other more communicable things — with their own Jersey Shore spin-off. Finally, we get down to the good stuff. Honestly, Ron, I’m frikkin’ over everyone else on that show. [Daily Beast]

Photo: Der Spiegel

- Editor Casual seems to be running rampant in fashion as Carine Roitfeld donned corduroy jeans and a “no-name” T-shirt (thank god the shoe came to work) for an interview with a no-name mag about her current state. Turns out she never had any plans to replace Anna Wintour at Vogue (remember that plotline from Devil Wears Prada?), she just likes fucking with us: “I like to provoke. I’m very French. In America, they’re not even allowed to show a hint of nipple in photos. Anna Wintour is the most powerful woman in the global fashion industry, the first lady of fashion. She’s a politician; I’m a stylist. They are two very different jobs. Incidentally, despite all the rumors, she is actually very nice.” What we don’t know is that Anna was hanging from the ceiling the entire time. [Fashionologie]

- If you’re like me and live for the Met Ball but have yet to receive a coveted invitation, you can at least live vicariously through one of its fabulous attendees, fashion icon Daphne Guinness. The kooky, couture-loving heiress will be getting dressed in Barneys windows before heading off to the Gala on May 2nd. How many years in jail do you think I’ll get for busting through that window and stealing a McQueen feather from Daph’s hem? [The Cut]

Photo: Interview Magazine

Original word had it that the designer has been in a mental hospital since January and was not coming back to Balmain. Well, turns out that is at least half true.

Turns out Decarnin was recently released from the loony bin after being treated for depression and stayed away from the show under doctor’s orders, a Balmain spokesperson tells WWD.

It almost feels like it’s a fashion Apocalypse! I have half a mind to start ransacking Barneys. There is, however,  a bright spot on the horizon…depending on how you define “bright spot.”

John Galliano’s namesake collection, previously thought to be cancelled, will instead be held as an informal presentation on Sunday, “consisting of 30 looks that were already completed.”

That’s bright, right…?

If you need me I’ll be in the Barneys fur department.

Link Love: WWD, Fashionologie, NY Mag

The line is expected to cater to a younger, hipper demographic and will include boots, leggings, knit tops, handbags, jewelry, jackets, handbags, shoes and sweaters all for under $60.

In an interview with WWD, Vergara, who took home the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series with her Modern Family family, said of the collection:

“It’s comfortable and chic, affordable, and versatile to wear from day to the night. It’s fantastic because you can mix and match.”

Kmart may seem like an odd choice for Vergara but she chose it not only because of the store’s large Latino customer base, but also because she’s familiar with it:

“This is not a new store for me. When you have kids you don’t go to Bergdorf Goodman to buy underwear and socks. You go to Kmart.”

John Goodman, Executive Vice President of Apparel and Home for Sears Holdings Corp. echoed the sultry star’s sentiments and stressed that Vergara’s line will be sexy, but not slutty:

“Some pieces are more curvy. We don’t go too far. We go with what Sofia is comfortable with. We want to make sure her image comes alive.”

Check out Sofia come alive in some of her Kmart kouture:

Link Love: WWD

Photo: Huffington Post

According to WWD:

“My understanding…is that the visit was to promote American-Chinese trade — American products in China and Chinese products in America. Why do you wear European clothes?…I’m not talking about my clothes, my business. I’m old, and I don’t need it. But there are a lot of young people, very talented people here who do.”

Barring the fact that de la Renta has been outfitting First Ladies since before Betty Ford had her clinic, Mo has a well-documented reputation of wearing and supporting lesser known American designers.

Bitter, much?

Robin Givhan, however, felt — rather intensely — that the nationality of the designer had less to do with her choice than what the gown meant as a statement:

“The red petal print, silk organza gown wasn’t so much an act of diplomacy as a broad statement about the new realities of the fashion industry. In choosing a dress from Alexander McQueen, Mrs. Obama championed the cause of artisan design, the legacy of bespoke tailoring, and the staggering creativity that can be nurtured in the frock trade when it is at its best.”

Or she thought, “Hey, it’s China, they’re communists, right? Give me that McQueen number, hack off the sleeves and sweep my hair up in a regal crown, I’m reading to orphan children right now.”

I’m sure there was more than that to Mo’s decision, but the extent of Givhan’s analysis might be a little over the top. Still she makes an incredibly incisive and enlightening point:

“In wearing the gown to honor China, a country that many view with disdain for its abundance of cheap labor, counterfeit products, and poor labor practices, Mrs. Obama seemed to be recognizing the country’s inevitable place in the fashion cycle and giving it its due. Indeed, Chinese consumers represent a vast new marketplace for designer companies, and the production quality of its factories continues to improve. In short, Mrs. Obama’s choice was an optimistic celebration of all that fashion can be and it seemed to suggest that China was welcome to be a part of that vision.”

I’m going to say it once, if you like it you should throw a goddamn Pulitzer at it. Again.

Link Love: NY Mag

Each QB was scored, 1-10 in the following categories:

Genetics, Personal Style (including hair), Overall Hunk Factor, Media Skills, Endorsements, Dealing with Controversy, Style of Play, Importance to Team, Excitement Factor, Leadership, Legal Woes and Jerk Quotient.

Tom Brady did well in Genetics (9.5) and Overall Hunk factor (9.25), but earned a 4.75 on Jerk Quotient. I guess I’m not the only one who remembers that Bridget Moynahan debacle.

Meanwhile, Michael Vick may have had a great season (so I’m told), but those dog fights certainly came back to bite him in the ass. He came in at #9 out of the 13 QBs, deterred by his (lack of) Endorsements (1.5), Legal Woes (8.5) and Jerk Quotient (7.75). However, he scored a perfect 10 for Excitement and despite everything he’s still pretty hunky (8.25).

Then there’s Peyton Manning who WWD considers an unattractive slob but who’s apparently a great player and an overall good guy. The chart in its entirety is below so you can see for yourself how your favorite quarterbacks measured up.

Now excuse me while I dip my Buffalo wings in my homemade laxative dip.

Link Love: WWD

Other newsstand winners included GQ‘s triptych August cover featuring funnymen Tracy Morgan, Paul Rudd and Zach Galifinakis; Esquire‘s March cover with Leonardo Dicaprio boozing it up proved a hit  as did their September issue with possibly gay James Franco; and Details‘s March issue with Twilight‘s dreamy vamp Robert Pattinson sunk its teeth into the market.

Readers, however, avoided Pattinson’s co-star Taylor Lautner‘s July GQ cover, proving that tweenage girls aren’t very gentlemanly; not very many people were mad about Mad Men‘s Jon Hamm‘s Details cover in October; and Javier Bardem‘s cigarette was the only thing smoking about his February cover of Esquire.

Men’s Journal deigned to put  Mel Gibson on their cover and paid the price since very few people were willing to pay for it. Next time, Men’s Journal, strip down that raging anti-Semite and give him a smoky eye, maybe then he’ll sell a few more copies.

Link Love: WWD

What’s going on in Beijing, you ask? The grand opening of a store stocked with more than a range of Comme des Garçons lines. The brand new I.T Beijing Market features pieces from Maison Martin Margiela, Rick Owens, Hussein Chalayan, Dior Homme, Ann Demeulemeester and other avant-garde visionaries.

What you really want to know – what are so many new designers doing that disappoints this fashion oracle? They are too soft on themselves, they design things that already exist! It is a sin against fashion. She firmly believes that the point of fashion is to design what has never been done. And that is why we revere her.

To that end, she is finding it harder to create new collections. She’ll never make the same thing twice and humbly admits that the “breadth of possibility is getting smaller.” The thought of selling her company has occurred to her and she hasn’t written it off as an impossibility, but she wonders who would want it? The company is so essentially her. Her current staff that she is training will hopefully be up to the Comme des Garçons challenge: to create something resolutely new. Though more hopefully, that won’t be necessary any time soon.

Link Love: WWD

According to WWD, creative director Jo Black’s team of 14 designers crafted two looks, Hudson and Fairfax, both made of acetate, high-nickel and stainless steel, with oversize black frames. Hudson is intended to be a variation of the classic aviator shape, and Fairfax is inspired by a cat-eye silhouette.

The sunglasses collection is slated to release this November priced from $155 to $265, there will also be a limited edition version of the Fairfax (pictured above) with 24 karat-gold-coated lenses, will retail for $425 at select doors. The collection will be available at stores including Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Harvey Nichols. Word around the street is that their Spring 2011 collection will be topping this one!

What can we expect from one of the youngest pair of successful people in this world… all I know it I’m definitely snagging a couple pairs!

Hilary Swank is doing what now, WWD? Starting her own clothing brand? I want to be upset, furious at the world for turning another actress into a fashion designer! I want to shake her and explain that just because she can be an emotionally tampered cross-dressing lesbian, a struggling waitress turned amateur boxer, and an adolescent lady ninja, doesn’t mean she can also be a fashion designer!

But then she flashes that million dollar smile and I ask, what if she can?

Well, it’s not going to be without help, given that her original idea was a “motivational and inspirational” T-shirt line. Blarf. Upon consultation with the Designers Management Agency, she will now be doing a fashion line with “athleisure” tendencies, based on her gymnastic roots. She and the DMA are currently scouting a fashion designer that can collaborate for this sporty collection.

Okay, so she does bring her sports goddess body to the table, and an eye for that seriously winning Francisco Costa dress back in 2005. And the DMA did just pair Amar’e Stoudemire and Rachel Roy together, so maybe there’s hope for this project after all.

Ms. Swank, may you go forth with dignity, unbefitting of many actress-cum-designer crossovers, and deliver something interesting. Just please don’t tarnish your Oscars, or the word Fashion.

The campaign will feature Thompson and the models in overlapping exposure, giving the translucence of the model’s skin and Givenchy’s clothes a further ghostly effect.

In an interview with WWD, Riccardo Tisci explained that he felt albinos are “very near [his] world” and that the idea for the campaign as well as his latest collection was inspired by “an alabaster Roman bust atop a stretch of leopard-print fabric.”

Yeah, that sounds about right:

Photos: Style.com

LINK LOVE: WWD

From the performers – impersonators of David Bowie, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Barbra Streisand, and Michael Jackson – to the random appearance of Isabelle Huppert to the break-dancing twins, it’s clear this was a party that won’t be outdone for quite sometime.”

WWD: You go way back with Kate.

J.G.: I’ve known her since she was 14. She threw a fantastic surprise birthday for me. You shouldn’t write that. But it was so genius I have to tell you. I was going to have a birthday party in Paris.

WWD: When?

J.G.: It was last week. I’m like all the old actresses who have an official birthday and an unofficial birthday. This was my unofficial one. I started to organize it with a friend in Paris but it got all out of hand. It was going to turn very corporate, so I said, “Uh-uh-uh.” It’s just not the birthday you want to start bragging about. The big 4-0. [He exaggerates the number, to indicate that he has shaved off a few years.] So I said, “OK, we’ll move it to London.” I said, “I just want to do something quiet. Could we just go under the radar? Maybe to someone’s house?” Anyway, Kate and my friend Francesca [Cutler] arranged it, a surprise. We went to the new bar that just opened at the Savoy. It’s very Deco, very beautiful. I arrive and there were fantastic creatures there that I hadn’t seen for like twenty years, the London posse. And then they introduce the acts. David Bowie had come over to perform for me followed by Diana Ross followed by Tina Turner and then Barbra Streisand.

WWD: Oh stop!

J.G.: No, you stop! And then the last person who came on was Michael Jackson! They were all impersonators! It was so English and so tawdry! It was fantastic!

WWD: We can’t put this in the story?

J.G.: Of course you can. — it’s a true story! So I go outside for a cigarette with Kate, OK? She has this little jumpsuit on with little sequins. She looked gorgeous. Some dirty old man walks by and goes, “Oh, you do that really well. You could be a model.” She goes, “F— off! I’m too short!” Then this limousine turns up, this shiny limousine and this fantastic, chic woman gets out with the shades on and the bodyguards. Me and Kate look each other and we’re like, “Oh!” You don’t do that in London. Unless you’re Elvis Presley, you don’t do that. So this wonderful creature comes up to me, takes the glasses off and goes, “John!” And I go, “Hi…” I still didn’t quite know what was going on. She goes, “It’s Isabelle.” It was Isabelle Huppert, one of France’s greatest actresses, who had been giving a press conference and just turned up. So she goes, “What are you doing here?” and I said, “Oh we’re just having a little party celebrating my 40th. Would you like to join us?” And I’m like, “Shit, how do I get out of this one?” “Lexie, Lexie, it’s Isabelle! You’ve got to look after her.” She had the best time because I kept asking her if she was OK and she would say, “Laissez-moi! Laissez-moi! C’est une scene que ne j’ai jamais vue!” [“Let me be! Let me be! It’s a scene I’ve never seen before!”] Because the English posse were really going for it that night. She loved it. There were these kids who were break dancing to Michael who were twins. [Galliano extends an arm to approximate their height — perhaps that of an average eight-year-old.] One’s blonde, one’s brunette. They were break dancing, diving. But there was like a time lapse of something like six seconds. Twins do that apparently. It was the most weird thing to see. It was incredible.

… In a perfect world we would all have best friends like supermodel Kate Moss.

(Credit: WWD)

Both magazines have new editors and will debut this weekend under their new leadership. WSJ is being stewarded by Deborah Needleman while T has been taken over by Sally Singer after Stefano Tonchi’s departure to W.

And XYZ, here we are with a “war” over ad revenue and market share. However, Needleman doesn’t see the two magazines as being rivals:

“I’m interested in [T] because I’m interested in Sally. I think she’s interesting and talented. And I don’t mean this in a bullshit way, but I’m not doing [WSJ.] with an eye for them at all.”

Well, Singer’s issue of T is being kept on the QT, but there is a lot of talk about rock legend Mick Jagger covering their first issue. Meanwhile, Needleman has French actor, Vincent Cassel…

Right.

Seems like this war is over before it even began. Although, this issue of WSJ did log the most ad pages in the mag’s short history. Needleman’s still got a lot of work ahead of her, including hiring a new staff; luckily, her next issue isn’t until March.

As for T, let’s just hope it fares better than W. The idea of a rivalry is always good for sales, but will you be picking up either magazine this weekend?

LINK LOVE: WWD

“Linda and Naomi… were so important in helping me get all the other models to do my first show….We’d have birthday parties, gatherings and hung out at my apartment before we would go out.”

Imagine, partying with the Supers before heading out on the town? The pounds of cocaine that must have been consumed? The dozens, nay hundreds, of broken martini glasses used as shanks? I miss the 90s.

So was the power of the Supermodel. Linda and Naomi caused quite a stir after wearing some of Sui’s baby doll dresses, before the designer even had her first show, prompting phone calls from the likes of Helena Christensen.

But there’s a downside to all that power.

“It was the most terrifying thing to do fittings with supermodels, because they would come in and look at your Polaroid board, and count how many outfits they had, what order they came out in and who were they next to…They’d literally pull the Polaroid off the board and say they want to wear this. There was a reason they were supermodels, though. When they put on an outfit, everyone was floored.”

Yes, like Spider-Man’s uncle once said right before getting his ass handed to him by an armed robber, “With great power comes great responsibility.” The Supers were a moment in time. A moment where six gorgeous Amazons ruled the catwalks and the airwaves with an iron manicured fist.

A moment that, alas, shall never return.

LINK LOVE: The Huffington Post

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• Fashionising.com fashion trends, street style, and runways.

• The Fashion Spot is great for forums and all things trends and celebrities.

• Ford Models Blog The world’s most prestigious modeling agency.

• COACD- Confessions of A Casting Director

WWD recently asked some fashion heavyweights to give their definitions of “cheap finds”. While everyone provided actual tips like Margiela inspired looks at Costco (Vena Cava) or $35 Ninja Pants from Chinatown (Philip Lim), Ken Downing SVP/Fashion Director of Neiman Marcus had this to say…

“At Neiman Marcus we have Fab Finds, which are great deals! Great design, amazing quality, at a price that puts a smile on the customer’s face. My favorites this season: Lanvin leopard jersey dress, $990, and from Narciso Rodriguez, olive knit silk and Lycra dress, $850.”

I just don’t think this is what they are talking about when they think “cheap”, but I guess when you run the land of “Needless Markups” it’s important to remember that some people are rich enough to consider $1000 bucks cheap…

This is officially my favourite campaign for the new season! Absolutely amazing!
Source: WWD

LINK LOVE:New Tommy Hilfiger Campaign "Introducing The Hilfigers" Shot by Craig McDean