There have been plenty of goings on in the world of fashion this week- I've just been catching up on many of the stories myself having been out at press days for most of the past few days. This week we have more news from the Dior saga, fur bans and much more... Enjoy!
Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz never fails to make fashion seem fun and accessible- see THAT video. So, his new project might not come as a huge surprise- Elbaz is to pen a book which charts the development of a Lanvin collection from start to finish. The book will be around 700 pages long so we are sure to get a super in-depth view of every possible nook and cranny of the collection. This will also be an insight into the designer's personal process; the first few pages of the book are blank to symbolise Elbaz's starting point!
Elbaz backstage (from lovelanvin.tumblr.com)
Today, the plot of the Dior saga has thickened once more after fresh doubts were cast on the apparent certainty that Marc Jacobs would be announcing his move there from Vuitton any day. We reported last week that news had reached us that Jacobs would not be leaving his current post but pace has now gathered behind that assertion. It seems that it could just be to big a wrench for Jacobs to take the Dior job when he is so content at Vuitton. Furthermore, Phoebe Philo is understandably reticent about moving from Celine to Vuitton (as many had suspected). Could the only way out of the mess now be for Bernard Arnault to go back to Galliano, as Franca Sozzani and Manolo Blahnik have suggested?
A gratuitous picture of MJ's muscles from vipstills.blogspot.com)
The Versace for H & M collection was never going to be quietly put into stores without a big song and dance to hail its arrival, was it? Thus, this week fashion people and celebrities flocked to NYC for a launch conducted in typically flamboyant Versace fashion; there were performances from Prince and Nicky Minaj while guests included Linda Evangelista and Jessica Alba- all decked out in pieces from the collection of course. WWD reported that the show 'must have set a record pace for 43 looks. The models descended on the maze-like runway like speeding bullets coming at you from all directions'. Although the clothes were the pretext of the evening, the speed of the show is telling because once it was over the real business of demonstrating the glamour which identifies the Versace brand could really crank into action with high octane performances at the specially decked out venue. It wasn't til much later, apparently, that the guests could get their mitts on the clothes.
Donatella in one her designs for H & M
Nicky Minaj (images from telegraph.co.uk)
Last Saturday came the sad news that Loulou de la Falaise, a woman instrumental in the success of Yves Saint Laurent had passed away aged 63. Somewhat unusually for a muse, de la Falaise also had a key creative role at the house, overseeing the costume jewellery which is now one of its strongest signatures. Bronwyn Cosgrave wrote this excellent obituary which is a must-read no matter how much you already know about Loulou de la Falaise.
Loulou de la Falaise (image from nickverreos.blogspot.com)
'At some point, all these shops have used graffiti culture as a commercial image, riding the trend without being a part in the least and for which the only point is to make some cash. All I say to them is “hello”; if these brands really like graffiti, I only give them what they like, so what if it’s beautiful or ugly. We gotta stop these brands from dictating a culture that belongs to us'
If that wasn't sufficient warning for the Celine people then we don't know what is!
Juergen Teller's images for Celine SS11 with Daria Werbowy (image from highsnobiety.com)
The Celine store in Paris, plus SK8 courtesy of Kidult (image from www.highsnobiety.com)
The new Muppets film, in which Miss Piggy will be playing a French Vogue Editor, is out here in February. She has been getting into fashionista character by talking to OUT to give a 'snout out to the gays'. These snout outs includes 'Thanks, but no spanx' and 'You can call me a diva- just don't call me a ham'. See the fashion commandments according to Miss Piggy here, and bring on the film- Emmanuelle Alt had better watch out...
Not exactly the style we have come to expect from a French Fashion Editor... (image from www.out.com)
There is plenty of information out there to deter consumers from buying fur but in most places it is still a personal decision, despite the vitriol which those wearing fur will undoubtedly face from some they encounter. However, in West Hollywood authorities are taking deterrence a step further by voting to ban the sale of items made from fur in the area. Ed Buck, from the group Fur Free WeHo which prompted the decision, said '"We made history. We're the first place in the world, I believe, certainly the country, to take that step and ban fur". However, retailers are worried about the potential losses they will incur if they cannot meet their customer's demands. After all, this is just a small area of Los Angeles which is full of shops so fur lovers won't have to go far to fulfil their needs. And those people do have have considerable spending power; the Fur Information Council claims that fur sales in the US rose by 3.1% last year to $1.3 billion in the US. Is West Hollywood patronising its residents by making this decision on their behalf, or are they an example of the future for fur as fashion?
Marlene Dietrich in an image which undoubtedly glamorises fur, WeHo is saying that is a notion they can no longer sanction
A tip off now about an upcoming sample sale. Here are the deets...
Dates: Thursday 24th November, Friday 25th November, Saturday 26th November and Sunday 27th November 2011. Location: The Old Truman Brewery, Shop 14, 15 Hanbury Street, London E1 6QR.
Opening Times: Thursday 13.00 – 20.00, Friday 12.00 – 20.00, Saturday 12.00 – 19.00, Sunday 12.00– 18.30. Some brands you'll find there: See by Chloe, Joseph, Burberry, Vivienne Westwood, Belstaff, Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans, DKNY Jeans,Missoni, Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, D&G, Lanvin, Moncler, French Connection, Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo and many more. Happy Shopping!
The new Harper's Bazaar (image from harpersbazaar.co.uk)
Finally, our video of the week is the long-awaited collaboration between Duran Duran, a smattering of 90s supermodels, Dolce and Gabbana and Harper's Bazaar magazine. Girl Panic! shows Naomi Campbell, Eva Hervigoza, Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen and Yasmin Le Bon become Duran Duran for the day. The cover of December's Harper's Bazaar features 'The Supers' in classic high glamour style. It's all happened at the The Savoy and is a prime example of the hedonistic effect of combining music and fashion. Look out for cameos from Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. A perfect ten minute escape, shot by Jonas Akerlund...
I saw this divine bag at the Smythson press day for SS12 a couple of weeks ago. I saw it again at the My-Wardrobe.com press day yesterday. When I first saw it I went snap-happy, and set about capturing it from every angle. Something about its bubblegum pink exterior spoke to me of fun, while the boxiness and the nanna clasp at the top made me think of Margaret Thatcher, how it would be possible to mock box someone around the ear with it. Prim but a bit bonkers. Now I just need to find out who Antonia is...
The FashEd and I have been busy skipping about London town, going to some of the myriad of press days which are taking place at the moment to showcase what will be in the shops next Spring. Before I pop out to another, I've got a minute to share with you some of our favourites from what we've seen yesterday and today....
1. BROWNS- BAGS BY SOPHIE ANDERSON
Sophie has lived and travelled a lot in Colombia and that shows in the bright pops of South American weave and traveller vibe of her bags. She stays faithful to the roots she has put down by employing four indigenous Indian tribes from around South America to weave her bags. The sleek finish and neon colour ways make these so much more than something reminiscent of a gap yah souvenir. We love.
2. STARWORKS- LULU & CO/ FASHION EAST
The Starworks Press Day was a complete treat- full of collections by some of the most exciting young designers London has to offer right now. In their midst is Lulu Kennedy's Fashion East, which is one the best ways for talent to get a leg up on the fashion week schedule. Her own label, Lulu & co works in collaboration with the designers which Fashion East supports. Lulu told the FashEd this morning that the line is about to become a whole lot more accessible, with lower prices so more people can get a slice of the action from Lulu's brood. Just the right time then to fall in love with this very elegant palm print dress with the most awesome raffia bow.
Maarten Van de Horst, one of the Fashion East designers
Cartoony fun from the Lulu & co label
Togue in cheek elegant by Lulu and co.
Raffia Bow
3. MATCHES- ANCIENT GREEK SANDALS
As you may know from the FashEd's summertime blogging, she is one of Greece's biggest fans so it's a shock she didn't actually walk out of Matches in a pair of these Ancient Greek Sandals.
Matches told us: 'The Designer behind AGS, Christina studied shoe design at the prestigious Cordwainers College in London and then moved to Paris where she designed shoes for Iris, Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga. Taking her clue from the classic Greek sandals, which have existed since ancient times she works with respect to that heritage, adding a more personal and playful interpretation, which give the collection a fresh and contemporary appeal'
We have a sneaky feeling you'll be hearing a lot more about Ancient Greek Sandals. I love the fun references to Greek mythology in the wing details.
Ben Whishaw as Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead Revisted
Here at FEAL, we don't usually say too much about menswear. But when John Lewis told us that their sales of 'dapper robes' were up by 91% in the men's department, our ears pricked up.I thought it was only girls who watched Downton Abbey, but John Lewis seem sure that the rise is a result of men wanting to emulate Lord Grantham's stately bedroom attire. Are the men of Great Britain going home and pretending to be turn-of-the century aristocrats? I certainly haven't seen any evidence of them wearing their new robes out and about, have you?
As Lord Grantham gets a bit too close to maid Jane, we get a good peek of his bedroom robe (image from itv/ mirror.co.uk)
Oscar Wilde posing in his smoking jacket (image from thisislondon.com)
I don't think Downton is where it all began though; I've been slightly obsessed with the 1981 series of Brideshead Revisited for years now and I studied Oscar Wilde at university. Recently, I've seen all these used as references for various microtrends such as the pyjama suit and the dandy slipper. Penelope Chilvers has even launched a bespoke service which lets you design your very own Dandy slipper.
This pyjama/slipper combination feels luxurious and exotic- see the above still from the 2008 film version of Brideshead Revisited which is all about a louche and priviliged life where one really can recline in pyjamas all day long. This is why I think there's more to this than wanting to be like Downton's main man. Although, as we're talking about John Lewis here, perhaps this is more of an older man buying into the Lord of the Manor lifestyle represented by Hugh Bonneville's Lord Grantham. Although he's loveable in his own way, he doesn't have that foppish air of extravagance and wealth which Oscar Wilde and Sebastian Flyte possess.
JW Anderson AW11 - Francesca Burns & Emma Elwick of British Vogue both have this pyjama suit by Jonathan Anderson, and have even been seen wearing them together
Louis Vuitton Resort 2012. You can buy this from November 21st. Top £700 and trousers £550
For us girls, pyjamas are a trend which is going to get hard to avoid. John Lewis say that we're already coming round to it, with sales of the 'luxurious nightwear' up by more than 200%. But it's the crossover to seeing pyjamas as daywear options which is really telling. J.W Anderson has already done some highly lustworthy day time paisley pyjamas for AW11. The Great Gatsby inspired Sofia Coppola and Marc Jacobs' collaboration for Louis Vuitton's Resort 2012. Once the SS12 shows came around, barely a show went by without some evidence of gentleman's silks and easy pyjama suits; Equipment's will be amazing (aforementioned on this blog). The High Street has already been offering mannish silky shirts and, in some cases, matching silky pyjama bottoms and palazzo pants. By next spring this will be a huge fashion thang, so you may as well be ahead of the curve and get into it now. So while all the boys are hiding inside, playing at being Dukes and Lords, it seems inevitable that the ladies will be out and about showing off their take on pyjamas as fashionable daywear.
Alexa Chung has included a pyjama suit in her new and rather good collection for American brand Madewell. Alexa's dandy silk Valentine pyjama is dotted with palm tree silhouettes; a New York Post writer was so enamoured of them,she wore them for a day out in Manhattan and wrote about it.
Apologies for the radio silence yesterday. The Fashion Junior at Large was having a catch up day off after working several weekends over Fashion Month. I was at Grazia, and upon arrival home, instead of blogging the below story as intended, it dawned on me that we were one week into November already and set about doing the dreaded but necessary admin required when one has a business, a full time member of staff, tax, VAT and all that annoying jazz. Now my To Do list has been tamed, I bring you a new designer name to know.
Meet 25 year old fashion designer Wes Gordon from New York City by way of Atlanta Georgia. I haven't met a young designer like him in a long time. There is a professional assuredness and silky charm about Wes that harks back, I imagine, to Paris in the early 1950s when male fashion designers wore tailored suits for work, called their lady clients Ma'am and were as smooth and smiley as an A-List actor when hosting their trunk shows.
Wes, sans jacket, but in perfectly pressed trousers and a box fresh Gucci shirt, with his Spring/Summer 2012 collection.
This makes sense when you hear him speak about his personal mentors Oscar de la Renta and Tom Ford, and definitely DOESN'T make sense when you hear he trained at Saint Martins. However I definitely put his preternatural confidence down to the combination of his Southern charm and an expensive private education (he attended the swank Lovett Preparatory school). His story is total manna from heaven for American editors and buyers, who, of course, love him. SAKS bought his very first collection in February 2010.
Wes came to London a couple of weeks ago and hosted an editors lunch in the private dining area of The Wolseley, organised by the Finch & Partners agency.
Wes Gordon SS12
I reckon it takes balls to tell your parents that "no, even though you want me to be an investment banker, I want to follow a career into fashion and become a designer." Still, they clearly handled it well, enabling Wes to put his career plans into play. "After doing calculus and school homework I would attend the local art institute to develop my drawing and build a folio for Saint Martins," he says. "My mother also helped me get a placement at Oscar de la Renta."
Wes Gordon's cotton Guipure lace evening jacket
Ah yes, Oscar. He interned there each summer between 2008-2010. Wes loved his time there. "Working with Mr de la Renta was truly inspirational. The atmosphere was so couture. House models wandering around...rolls of couture fabric...," he tails off, lost in the memory which certainly has a Disneyish whiff of The Princess Diaries about it. "Mr de la Renta always wore a suit for work, so I began to wear a suit to work too. After that I was at this side, holding his pins, assisting him. It was a huge privilege."
If you are beginning to form the notion that Wes Gordon clothes are for a certain kind of rich society lady about town, then you would be partly right. The cotton Guipure evening shrug, aka "Porcelain Embroidered Guipure Lace Sculpted Peplum Top" above, (his capitals) is in place, retail price $4000. The ballroom skirt (below) is also there, or rather the "Prussian Blue with Bone Stripe Organdy Gathered Maxi Skirt."
Indeed much of the perfectly cut, and expensively produced 30 look collection for next season comprises the sort of sparely cut cocktail dresses, generously puffed skirtss and exquisite evening tailoring - think matt sequins, silk linen, silk organza and oddles of python skin - that are ideal for the round of gala benefits.
However that lady is no frump and she knows fashion. She wears her skirts and trousers high on the waist, and is not averse to a pair of python skin short shorts, or a sheer navy blouse with a leather collar. So, yes while Wes Gordon does lady clothes, this lady could be 20, or 50 and knows hipster style, even if she might not wear it. "I guess my main market is 35 to 50" says Wes, "but her daughter is definitely into my clothes. I sell uptown at Saks Fifth Avenue and downtown at Kirna Zabete in New York."
A Wes Gordon silk and sequin modern prom skirt. aka "Black/White Jacquard Stripe Tweed Drop Waist Pleasted Skirt wioth Degrade Embroidery"
"This is exactly the sort of piece both a chic lady about town or her daughter could wear," says Wes of the skirt above. He is right. I like the way it smooths the waist and hip line before flaring into the pleats. As I said at the start of this post Wes is an anomaly of old-school charm housed in a modern, mannered young man who is comfortable with cool, but who turns it into something palatable for the ladies. His clothes reflect old school for the new school, ticking the boxes for what is acceptable in high society. Looking at what an excellent start he has made, and the single mindedness with which he has achieved his goals to date I have a feeling he might just be around as long as Oscar de la Renta...
The Fashion Editor at Large blog is the independent work of Melanie Rickey, the views are my own. The Fashion Junior at Large is Bethan Holt. PORTRAIT: Neil Haynes
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