planet earth: so hot right now

I'm all for saving the world and everything, don't get me wrong. But I just can't get behind a $1700 tote for your groceries.

(Don't even get me started on the Anya Hindmarch "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" tote. If I had a dollar for every time I saw someone carrying that bag and a separate shopping bag... well, I might have enough money for that Louis Vuitton LOVE satchel.)

no surprises at brit fashion awards

I myself admitted that when it comes to Fashion Weeks, London is not the one I'm so excited about -- but that's not to say that there's not a lot of talent coming from the UK. Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders, and Marios Schwab have certainly been making names for themselves, and I'm a total sucker for the preppy Brits like Luella Bartley and Paul Smith.

So for me, it was too bad that the British Fashion Awards all went to exactly who we'd expect them to go to:


Designer of the Year: Stella McCartney
It's like they couldn't think of anyone else. She doesn't even show in London anymore, which I would think all the Brits would be kind of pissed about.

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Menswear Designer of the Year: Christopher Bailey for Burberry
It's true that Christopher Bailey has revolutionized the brand, but giving it to Burberry, to me, is like Paris giving an award to the Louis Vuitton logo Speedy bag. Maybe that's harsh. Eh.

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Model of the Year: Agyness Deyn (above, in Proenza Schouler spring 2008)
DUH. (If it had gone to Kate Moss, I would have boycotted the British fashion industry for the rest of my life.)

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Accessory Designer of the Year: Tom Binns

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Red Carpet Designer of the Year: Marchesa
I can get behind this. They're not curing cancer, but they do make some pretty damn gorgeous dresses (I still love this dress, above, even though I've now seen it one billion times... anyone read the new Vogue?).

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New Designer of the Year: Christopher Kane
Now this is what I'm talking about. Though it's still a bit of a stretch to call him new when Carine Roitfeld was wearing him ages ago (above)...

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Outstanding Achievement in Fashion Design: Vivienne Westwood
Another resounding "DUHH."

i'm it!

I've been tagged by Bouncing Evil Ginner (hope that's not her real name) over at The View From Here (a lovely blog) to share 7 interesting things about myself. This feels a bit like a.) one of those chain letters everyone was passing on in the third grade and b.) one of those myspace bulletin survey things, but let's just do it anyway, shall we? I'll just keep it to la mode...


1.) My first real fashion moment? Working at the fall 2005 Imitation of Christ show during New York Fashion Week. I was interning at Seventh House PR, and I was positively thrilled to see Tara Subkoff, Chloe Sevigny, and Mary-Kate Olsen up close. Later that week, I went to the VPL show's afterparty, and my then-18-year-old self and then-18-year-old friends had a few too many free drinks and embarrassed ourselves in front of the uber-sophisticated fashion crowd. Ah, memories.

2.) My past fashion icons have included Meg Ryan (I was the preppiest kid. Still am, maybe), Edie Sedgwick (pre-Sienna's terrible Factory girl, I swear), Louise Brooks (which led to self-cut short bangs), and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Future fashion icons (if I'm brave enough...): Isabella Blow (I need more hats in my life), Agyness Deyn (I need some House of Holland in my life), and Lynn Yaeger (you have to respect someone who's committed to a serious look -- even if the look is circles of blush and purple babydoll lips).

3.) I'm tentatively planning to move to Paris next summer and stay for at least a year -- so if anyone know someone anyone over at French Vogue who'd like to hire a girl with a strong interest in fashion and a mediocre grasp of the French language, hook me up!

4.) I don't wear sweatpants. I refuse. I would wear a ball gown to the grocery store if I loved it enough.

5.) My dream man would be a cross between Alber Elbaz, Tom Ford, and Alton Brown (though, now that I think about it, a cross between those three might be pretty peculiar).

6.) My most beloved article of clothing? It's a toss-up between my found-it-in-a-consignment-store-in-Paris Chloe sweaterdress, my Tom Ford cat-eye sunglasses, and my pink Jill Stuart flats that have been positively worn into the ground. I guess, though, I should give a shout-out to the white J.Crew button-downs that I wear about every day, and my red, blue and gold print silk scarf that goes with nothing but that I wear with everything.

7.) One time, I met Giorgio Armani in a Moroccan restaurant in Paris and we did the bisous (you know, those one-on-each-cheek kisses). It was wonderful. This is a true story.

Ok, now it's my turn to tag:

Tendergirl at FashionStyle
The Glossy Editor
Amber and Eve at Painfully Hip
Fashionologie
Adrian at Fashion Verbatim
Umm... Cathy Horyn? Ha.

say it ain't so

Target just announced that their latest designer accessory collaboration will be with Gryson.

Noooooooooooooo.


Remember how I just bought this Gryson bag a few months ago? And remember how the thing I loved most about it was that not everyone and their mother walking down the street had the same bag as me?

Ugh.

how disappointing.

We voted: Style.com's Best Dressed Woman of the Year is Nicole Kidman, in L'Wren Scott:

Let's disregard, for a moment, the fact that this dress is so tight that it generates Victoria Beckham-esque cleavage. Let's even overlook her hair, pulled back so severely that her already perfectly smooth face recalls the seriously stretched Joan Rivers. No no, it's not either one of those things that is the worst, but the fact that the best dress of the year is a plain (dare I say boring?) black dress.

Really? We couldn't come up with anything better than this? She doesn't even have any killer shoes or jewelry on -- and that little brooch nestled in that artificial bosom doesn't count.

Too bad....

link of the day:

If you've been wanting a peek into the life of French Vogue cover girl/boy Andre J, click here.

He does have great legs.

let's talk about resort.

Starbucks has been serving drinks in Christmas cups for weeks now. The Marc by Marc store on Bleecker has had nutcrackers and snow in its windows since the day after Halloween. In suburbia, Christmas lights are up on houses and Christmas tree lots are on every corner.

But I'm not ready for the holidays yet.

Maybe it's because I've spent the last week and a half in Miami and southern California, respectively, but I've been looking back at these resort collections and they (along with the ideas of vacations and warmth) are looking pretty good.

Case in point: Brian Reyes.

The idea that I'm returning tomorrow to 40something degree weather is making me a bit cranky. I need a mojito, that white tiered dress, and the sun.

happy thanksgiving!

Isn't it nice that Zac Posen and Balmain's Christophe Decarnin gave us pilgrim and Indian costumes this year in their spring collections?


Above: Zac Posen, spring 2008.


Above: Balmain, spring 2008.

(Note: I'm sorry, Zac Posen. I really do love you. But I just can't stop making fun of your spring collection. And Balmain? Well really, Christophe, you're asking for it with all that fringe and the birds and all.)

it's that time of year again...

Ask me what one of my most traumatic life moments was, and I will describe this scene:

Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris. December 24th, 2006. I'm flying home after four months in Paris, and I'm simultaneously devastated to be leaving and anxious to get home. I try to check my bags; they're too heavy. Paying a fine is not an option, buying a new bag and redistributing is not an option, leaving things behind to collect later is not an option. My only option: throwing things away in the airport. I couldn't throw away my family's Christmas presents, and I couldn't throw away my new Parisian wardrobe, so the stack of French fashion magazines in my suitcase had to go.

With a heavy heart, I deposited months of French Vogues and Elles in la poubelle (trash can). The hardest to part with: December 2006 Vogue, guest edited by John Galliano:

(Though I did rip off and keep the gorgeous cover -- the orange shadow one. I still have it!)

The good news: it's almost time for that December French Vogue again, and this time, it's guest edited by the lovely and oh-so-chic Charlotte Gainsbourg:


I will buy it, and I will love it, and I will not throw it away.

louis vuitton v. britney spears

And really, who do you think won?

Honestly.

and the winner is...

Rogan.

I'm a bit underwhelmed.

I know he's all eco-friendly and everything, and I'll bet all my money (which, incidentally, is not much after my Luella cardigan purchase!) that that had everything to do with it. Anna Wintour's may be all about saving the world these days, but have you ever seen her in a pair or Edun jeans?

Ah well, at least there was some entertainment value in seeing Natalia looking like a powder puff and Mary-Kate looking like a stripper at the gala.

drumroll please...

The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award winner will be announced tomorrow! In case you forgot, are the nominees:

Phillip Lim of 3.1 Phillip Lim
Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders
Erin Fetherston
Koi Suwannagate
Rogan Gregory of Rogan
Gabriel Asfour, Angela Donhauser and Adi Gil of Threeasfour
Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai of Vena Cava
Victoria Bartlett of VPL
Michael Bastian
Philip Crangi

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for Erin Fetherston or Vena Cava. Phillip Lim is certainly more than talented enough, but he also certainly does not need to be winning an award meant for an emerging designer (though, come to think of it, with Fetherston's Target collection hitting stores in a few days, it's not like she'll be under the radar much longer). Let's let the clothes speak for themselves, shall we?




Above: Erin Fetherston, Spring 2008.





Above, Vena Cava, Spring 2008.

Ok. I totally pick Vena Cava.
Let's see.....

nick carter is not a fashion icon.

According to this bit from the Daily, Alber Elbaz saw a photo of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter in a House of Holland tee that read "Some Acid and Jazz Alber Elbaz" and subsequently ordered several of the tees. There are a few serious problems with this:

1. What on earth is Nick Carter doing with a House of Holland tee?
2. Why on earth is Alber Elbaz enamored with this?
3. What on earth is Nick Carter doing with a House of Holland tee?

love, love, love!

This is too much. I need this Luella cardigan.

yeah, yeah

I guess I should mention that Roberto Cavalli for H&M starts today.

How incredibly unappealing.

if you happen to be in carroll gardens, brooklyn...

Go here.

My new favorite place is Dear Fieldbinder, a two-year old (though new to me!) boutique owned by Laura Fieldbinder. I was drawn into the store by a pair of thick-heeled oxfords in the window; a chunky gray knit beret and Jenny Han sweaterdress keep me browsing. There’s something particularly understated about Dear Fieldbinder -- maybe it’s the soft music, maybe it’s the delicate jewelry, maybe it’s the so-cool-but-so-not-trying salesgirl behind the counter...

An interesting thing about Dear Fieldbinder is that they carry a lot of the same vendors that I’ve seen before in uber-trendy Manhattan boutiques: Madison Marcus, Love from Ya-Ya, Rachel Pally, Kate & Kass. But where a Manhattan It-girl store might be dripping in shiny accessories, covered with hot pink flower wall decals, and booming with Z100 hits (now which store might I be talking about here?), Dear Fieldbinder is much less fussy. Dear Fieldbinder is not for the It-girl, it’s for the Brooklyn girl. It’s making me want to be a Brooklyn girl -- which is a big deal.

fashion (actually) rocks

John Varvatos is opening his new boutique in the location of former New York rock music institution CBGB. Set to open in Spring 2008, it looks like the already rock and roll-inspired designer will pay homage to the location's past with features like an in-store concert series and an exclusive line of products to benefit an artist development fund.

Some die-hard punk rockers will probably be mad about CBGB's new tenant -- but hey, at least it's not a Baby Phat or something.

sorry, Jennifer Connelly

But it looks like I have a new girl-crush:

Those bangs! That Givenchy jacket! This is too much. She's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

gross

Number 1 on my List of Books I Will Not Be Reading:


Something about that woman really bugs me. Maybe it's her arrogance? Maybe it's the fact that she's responsible for the demise of original fashion in young Hollywood (Olsens aside)? Maybe it's the way her rib cage pokes out of her chest?

I guess I just can't put my finger on it.

coming to america

It really was only a matter of time before Topshop came to New York.



The UK high street phenomenon's coming to SoHo -- taking over 478 Broadway, current home of Yellow Rat Bastard (which will not be missed by me). According to Racked, the lease hasn't been signed yet, so there's no official word on exactly when it will open, but the location's a done deal.

I can only imagine the ruckus it's going to cause when it first opens, though I think there might be a bit of disenchantment when people realize that it's really just a glorified, more expensive H&M.

mr. cavalli just got TOLD

Read this.

Well played, Eric Wilson.