anna wintour

Ralph Lauren Fall 2011 Collection: NY Fashion Week (with Video)

Filed under: Apparel

Today, Ralph Lauren proved exactly why he is in a class by himself. The Ralph Lauren Fall 2011 Collection presented during NY Fashion Week, was timeless, glamorous and dramatic. "It was a masterpiece," André Leon Talley, Contributing Editor to Vogue, raved to Luxist after the show. "It was unmistakably Ralph Lauren. It was a simple masterpiece. He is unstoppable in his sense of taking his classics and giving them new twists and new drama."

Much of the collection was influenced by Chinese fashions, such as a black glossy silk illusion sweater dress, a jade silk panne velvet wrap dress and a red silk shantung embroidered smoking jacket that was shown under a black cashmere cocoon coat trimmed with long hair shearling.

The collection also included glossy smoking jackets, silk embroidered shearling coats, tuxedo jackets, velvet quilted jackets and pinstripe jackets paired with matching vests and trousers. A burgundy silk velvet wrap smoking jacket over a white cotton wing collar formal shirt with black sable tuxedo trousers was particularly striking. Several evening dresses were embroidered and beaded while many had an Art Deco feel.

Ralph Lauren's Asian inspiration was explained by his son David, who is the Senior Vice President, Advertising, Marketing and Corporate Communications for Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. "This past year he traveled to China," Lauren told Luxist. "It was his first trip there and he was inspired by what he saw. The future of our company is very much going to be expanding in China over the next couple of years. It has been in the air everywhere we turn. He is very inspired. For him it was a trip he took through a Ralph Lauren lens and what he saw, which is very different from what exists there, or it even never existed there. It is his interpretation of a China that could and should be."

Gallery: Ralph Lauren Fall 2011 Collection

David Lauren and Lauren Bush at the Ralph Lauren Fall 2011 Collection Presentation

Tags: Andre Leon Talley, Anna Wintour, awards-main, David Lauren, Grace Coddington, Graydon Carter, Lauren Bush, luxist-awards, New York Fashion Week, NY Fashion Week Fall 2011, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Fall 2011, ralph+lauren+2011+collection, ralph+lauren+collection+fall+2011, ralph+lauren+fall+2011+fashion+show, ralph+lauren+fall+2011+show, ralph+lauren+fall+winter+2011, ralph+lauren+fashion+week, ralph+lauren+fashion+week+2011, ralph+lauren+show+fall+2011, ralphlauren2011collection, ralphlaurencollectionfall2011, ralphlaurenfall2011fashionshow, ralphlaurenfall2011show, ralphlaurenfallwinter2011, ralphlaurenfashionweek, ralphlaurenfashionweek2011, ralphlaurenshowfall2011

Continue reading “Ralph Lauren Fall 2011 Collection: NY Fashion Week (with Video)”

Derek Lam at NY Fashion Week: Fall 2011 Collection (With Video)

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Derek Lam's Fall 2011 Collection which was presented at NY Fashion Week this morning was nothing short of glamorous.

"In this collection, I have used new combinations to make clothes that look fresh, fluid, weightless, yet also appropriate for the Fall/Winter season," says Lam. "Some of the new combinations are logical: sleeves and backs of heavier weight clothing are made of slippery cloths. The usual layering of clothes are lightened, the arm slips easily under coats; the bulk is eliminated where you don't want it."

There were tunics in flannel, doubleface jersey and military gabardine that were combined with liquid twills and laundered poplins on bottom. Dresses were sewn with jersey bodices attached to wool felt skirts and vice versa so they look sleek and also tailored. Evening dresses had leather bodices, with laundered satin or poplin full skirts, for a kind of raw and casual glamour.

"I think that Derek Lam is one of the great American designers who has given American Fashion Week something very unique and sophisticated," Andre Leon Talley, Contributing Editor to Vogue, told Luxist backstage after the show. "The clothes are modern and they give modernity a new definition. They are clothes for women who work, who are grown up and who are refined. The sense of luxury of fabric is extraordinary. The glace leva jean skirt is one of my favorites. A varsity stripe on a trouser with a red leather car coat is wonderful and is the way women want to dress. I think he is exceptional. I am always more and more impressed each season with his work and I think this is one of his most outstanding moments in his career."

Tags: Aerin Lauder, Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer, Andre Leon Tallley, Anna Wintour, awards-main, Derek Lam, Derek Lam Fall 2011, luxist-awards, Nate Berkus, new york fashion week, New York Fashion Week Fall 2011, NY Fashion Week 2011, NY Fashion Week Fall 2011

Continue reading “Derek Lam at NY Fashion Week: Fall 2011 Collection (With Video)”

The Fashion Statement: Fashion's Priciest Coffee Table Books

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

What to get the stylish woman who has everything? (And let's just say you've exhausted gifts like precious gems, haute couture and yacht excursions to St. Barths) Well, then, what about a super collectible, really expensive fashion coffee table book? Here, a list of some of the priciest tomes out there.

1. Couture Fashion Drawings by Hubert de Givenchy, published by the house of Givenchy, Paris, in 1980: This is signed by the late designer himself and includes hand-colored haute couture fashion sketch plates from the period of the '70s to the '80s including original fabric swatches. The book was part of the Estate of Nan Kempner, a New York socialite who died in 2005. Price tag? $9,000

2. Valentino Garavani (hardcover) by Suzy Menkes, Matt Tyrnauer and Armando Chitolina, published by Taschen in 2007: This is the coffee table book version of Valentino: The Last Emperor, a documentary film by Vanity Fair writer Matt Tyrnauer. It's an homage to Valentino's legendary career and includes images from his archives, drawings, advertisements, portraits, documentary photographs as well as newspaper and magazine articles. International Herald Tribune's fashion writer Suzy Menkes interviewed 20 of Valentino's closest collaborators and friends, including his life partner Giancarlo Giammetti. Price tag? $4,500

3. Russell James (hardcover deluxe edition with Gisele Bundchen photoprint) with forwards by Heidi Klum, Donna Karan, and Sharen Turney, published by teNeues in 2009: Who wouldn't pay big bucks to Gisele in the buff? This book highlights the work of Russell James, a photographer who is well-known for his nudes and fashion portraiture. The volume is encased in a clamshell box and contains one of only two numbered and signed limited-edition large prints that show his study of human beauty. Price tag? $3,250

Tags: Anna Wintour, giancarlo giammetti, gisele bundchen, Givenchy, grace coddington, Matt Tyrnauer, Nan Kempner, pierre berge, Russell James, Suzy Menkes, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent

Continue reading “The Fashion Statement: Fashion's Priciest Coffee Table Books”

The Fashion Statement: The Flock Hops the Pond

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

New York is still recovering from fashion week and, less than a week later, London fashion week has already come and gone. There's a lot to talk about.

Jude Law sat front row at Sienna Miller's Twenty8Twelve show because he loves her, the actor told WWD. Designer Matthew Williamson also sat front row (Miller returned the favor and warmed the front row for Williamson). Miller, who designs the line with her sister Savannah, sent out lace, embroidery, prints and color designed for a girl on a journey from Mexico to Thailand circa 1950. The collection was inspired by Joni Mitchell's "Don Juan's reckless daughter" album.

Tags: Anna Wintour, Burberry Prorsum, Jonathan Saunders, London Fashion Week, Mary Kantrantzou, Mathew Williamson, Twenty8Twelve

Continue reading “The Fashion Statement: The Flock Hops the Pond”

The Fashion Statement: NY Fashion Week Gets Underway

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, The Fashion Statement

New York Fashion Week has officially begun here at the Lincoln Center, marking the first time in 17 years the main hub has been anywhere else but Bryant Park.

Yesterday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg kicked off the week, declaring the city the capital of fashion and noting that the Lincoln Center location was appropriate given that fashion is art. He even renamed a subway stop nearby "The Fashion Line."

According to Bloomberg-the wire service, that is-this is the biggest Fashion Week ever with more than 325 designers showing around town through the end of next week. At Lincoln Center, 97 designers will show, up from 75 one year ago.

Show producers say the reason for the uptick is more space and better technology. Among the biggest techie changes are self-service kiosks to detect bar-codes on invitations that will do away with check-in lines and, along with them, probably more than a few catfights. It will also likely prevent show crashers.

Among the trends we should expect to see for Spring 2011? The color orange, maxi skirts, Yves Saint Laurent-esque pantsuits, hot pants and dressy shorts. If resort 2011 is any predictor, we'll also see looser silhouettes-roomy tops worn with roomy bottoms. (The old rule of slim on top, roomy on bottom and vice versa no longer applies). The season is expected to be very colorful, too, doing away with nudes, camel and beiges we've seen in the last few seasons. Finally, blazers sans shoulder pads will be there. Think Julia Roberts après makeover in Pretty Woman.

Tags: Anna Wintour, Blake Lively, Carolina Herrera, fashion week, gisele bundchen, Lincoln Center, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Tommy Hilfiger

Continue reading “The Fashion Statement: NY Fashion Week Gets Underway”

The Best of London Comes to New York: Chef Michael Hartnell of Le Caprice

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Chef Michael Hartnell of Le Caprice in New York.

Luxist had the opportunity to talk to rising star chef, Michael Hartnell, Executive Head Chef at Le Caprice, the fashionable Martin Brudnizki-designed restaurant in Manhattan's Pierre Hotel overlooking Central Park. The 28 year old wunderkind is known for his creative and modern European dishes.

Hartnell has worked for the Caprice Holdings Group for the past six years; prior to opening Le Caprice in New York, he was Head Chef at Daphne's in South Kensington, London.

Le Caprice, which opened in October 2009, is the American outpost of the famous London brasserie that shares the same name.

Luxist: Tell us about your background?

I was born in West London and grew up on the outskirts of London. My big opportunity came at the age of 15 when I did my work experience with my brother at The Ivy in London's West End. After finishing school, I completed my apprenticeship there and at other restaurants including Daphne's in South Kensington where I eventually became Head Chef at age 26 and Locande Locatelli, which is a One Star Michelin Italian Restaurant owned by Giorgio Locatelli.

Luxist: How does Le Caprice reflect your personality and vision as a chef?

Le Caprice embodies everything I love about food: its simple, well-produced and well executed. There is something on the menu for everyone's taste and that is a good reflection of myself. I'm not a complicated cook that likes to over elaborate on dishes, but what we do is done with a lot of passion. I aim to produce simple food using the best produce possible in sync with the seasons.

Luxist: Describe the menu offerings at Le Caprice in New York. What are the specialties? How often will the menu change? Describe your seasonal fare.

Chef Hartnell: We have Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner and Bar menus. We have weekly changing specials and we also tweak the a la carte menu on a weekly basis to keep the menu as seasonal as possible. At the moment we are using fantastic fava beans, peas and artichokes. One of my favorite things right now is King Salmon, which we get from Washington State.

Tags: Anna Wintour, awards-main, Chef Hartnell, cocktails, Donald Trump, Glenda Bailey, Le Caprice, luxist-awards, Michael Hartnell, New York, Pierre Hotel, restaurant week, restaurants

Continue reading “The Best of London Comes to New York: Chef Michael Hartnell of Le Caprice”

How Much Would You Pay To Work For Vogue?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Charity

They say spending money on experiences versus material objects makes a person happier, so how much are you willing to pay to experience "The Devil Wears Prada" firsthand and spend a week at the Vogue office in New York City, including a chance to meet the legendary editor and icon Anna Wintour herself and attend a fashion show during New York Fashion Week? Well you best decide quickly as bids are piling up and the competition is looking fierce. Proceeds will benefit the RFK Center (since it's all for charity a little splurging could certainly be overlooked) and the prize package will be tailored to the winner's skills, tastes, and preferences so in theory anything is possible. The auction ends this Thursday at 12:29pm EST and the current high bid is $23,000.

UPDATE: This auction finally went for an astounding $42,500.

Source

Tags: anna wintour, charity, devil wears prada, new york fashion week, vogue

The Fashion Statement: Bryant Park Tents, the Spectacle

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

.
On any given minute of any given day, rain or shine, lookie loos crowd the entrance to the Bryant Park tents during fashion week. Who are they hoping to see? Do they see them? And how much time do they spend hanging out?

Here's what a few said as the Max Azria show let out this afternoon:

"I read my fashion magazines and I find it quite fascinating--the whole excitement around it," said Clare Payn, an investment banker and photographer from London.

"I don't know what's really going on, but it's exciting. I just saw [a pair of] super heels." said Jenni Lanfear, a personal assistant in Australia. "New York fashion week is huge...especially coming from Australia.

"I'm hoping to see Anna Wintour [Editor in Chief of Vogue]," said another Aussie Jimmy Mouzakiotis, buyer for a supermarket chain. Mouzakiotis had already seen The September Issue (which, BTW, is more than I can say).

And, finally, I approached Noreen Young, a makeup artist brandishing a camera. "Wait. Wait. I'm trying to get Linda Wells [Editor in Chief of Allure magazine]." She got her shot as well as that of InStyle's Fashion Director Hal Rubenstein. "He was just kissing somebody," she beamed.

Average hanging-around time, according to my informal poll? 10 minutes.

Great sightings like Mickey Rourke and Lucy Liu were at the show, but publicists make a point of letting celebs know how to slip out the back way.

Tags: Allure, Anna Wintour, AnnaWintour, Hal Rubenstein, HalRubenstein, Linda Wells, LindaWells, Lucy Liu, LucyLiu, Max Azria, MaxAzria, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Mercedes-benzFashionWeek, Mickey Rourke, MickeyRourke, Vogue

Luxe Stationer Dempsey & Carroll to the Rescue

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping

Last month we reported that stationer Mrs. John L. Strong, one of the world's leading boutique luxury brands whose customers included Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, Oprah Winfrey and the late Duke and Duchess of Windsor, was shutting down after 80 years. Many of them were caught out short when the New York-based firm abruptly ceased all its operations; as a result the costly handcrafted metal dies and engraving plates (above) used for luxurious engraved stationery which customers had stored at Strong's for decades may never be recoverable.

Another luxury stationer, Dempsey & Carroll, is coming to the rescue. It is actually a much older establishment than Strong's, founded in 1878 by engraver John Dempsey and businessman George D. Carroll in New York. The firm soon became a society staple, providing the best in engraved cards and writing paper to the city's Gilded Age elite, a tradition continued to this day. Through the end of the year D&C is extending a special offer of reduced cost for custom engraving to all former Mrs. John L. Strong clients placing new orders, and has set about recreating their precious stationery.

Dempsey & Carroll custom stationery is created using hand-engraved steel dies and copper plates made to specification. Words and images are cut into the metal in an incuse fashion, a method similar to that used in manufacturing coins that has changed little since the 16th century process of engraving ascended to an art form. D&C is one of only a handful of stationers still using these distinctive hand-engraving techniques to create beautiful luxury paper products with their own unique stamp of history and tradition.

Tags: Anna Wintour, AnnaWintour, Dempsey Carroll, DempseyCarroll, engraved, engraving, Mrs. John L. Strong, Mrs.JohnL.Strong, New York, NewYork, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey, stationery

Oprah & Tom Cruise's Luxury Stationer Shuts Down

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Celebrity Shopping

Stationer Mrs. John L. Strong, one of the world's leading boutique luxury brands whose customers included Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, Oprah Winfrey and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, is shutting down after 80 years. The company has decided to close its Madison Avenue atelier, its boutiques, web site, catalog, wholesale and corporate businesses due to the recession, the Times reports.

Nannette Brown, the company's chief executive and creative director, said that an inability "to finance the business's expansion plans combined with a challenging retail and economic environment, left the company with no alternative but to close." Efforts to sell the company also failed. "This is a sad day for Mrs. John L. Strong," Brown said in a statement, "and a sad day for luxury as the world has become increasingly bereft of unique, hand-finished products." Indeed.

Gallery: Luxury Brands In Trouble