omg sex and the city

No, I haven't seen it yet. I intend to, but I'm just not superfan enough to try to go in New York City on the first weekend it comes out. I can't imagine it will be very good, but I am looking forward to seeing the clothes (obviously).



Pat Field is amazing, and I still am looking forward to seeing her creations on the big screen even though I've probably already seen every outfit the girls wear via paparazzi shots during the movie's filming. However, the Times' Eric Wilson is making me a little concerned that even the clothes are going to let me down:

"But in the film the characters are now four years older and, in a disappointing way, their styles appear to have changed into one: the offbeat, orgiastic, do-it-yourself madness of Carrie, the dominant female. It is not only that they now dress alike. In every scene the women are practically coordinated by both color and style, as if they had received a morning memo detailing the day’s dress code. Let’s all wear primary colors to a jewelry auction! Let’s all wear psychedelic hippie dresses on a trip to Mexico! Let’s all wear smart black-and-white ensembles and fur coats to a fashion show!"

hmm

The New York Times' David Colman on the success of recession-proof "fast fashion":

"If there is one thing fashion loves, it’s a reversal — of fortune, a trend, a hemline. Next thing you know, Prada will be knocking off H & M."


Ok, so maybe not Prada... but Marc Jacobs/Luella/Viktor&Rolf/Moschino: are you listening?

never thought i'd say it

But damn! That Olsen girl has been looking great lately:

In The Row, with a little Balenciaga (blouse), Givenchy (belt), and Calvin Klein (bag) thrown in.

a step down from heidi, maybe

Christian "Ferocia Coutura" Siriano is dressing Whoopi Goldberg for her Tony's hosting gig.

i smell an ad campaign

Sure, Tom Ford's Gucci sexpot days are over, and he's moved on to make clothes for the boys (lucky!) -- but seriously, how awesome does Raquel Zimmerman look in this suit?


It's for Monday's CDFA Awards Gala - instead of a look book with one model per designer, Raquel's been photographed in looks from every designer, including Mr. Ford and Michael Bastian.

guess who?

What a gem of a photo - can you figure out who this darling boy is?

words to live by

Guilty pleasure:
"No guilt in pleasures."

-Sohiny Das, in a Sartorialist Style Profile

faster than a speeding bullet

(No, this isn't another reference to the Met's "Superheroes" exhibit.)

We all know that fashion moves at a lightning-fast pace. The IT bag one day is passe the next, and with the internet putting runway looks online about 10 seconds after they go down the catwalk, everyone's wants to be wearing the fall trends, oh, about February. But this is something I haven't seen yet:

Above: Madonna, in Stella McCartney Spring 2009.

UPDATE: Psych, sort of.

un cadeau!

(That means "gift," guys.)

Comptoir des Cottoniers, one of my favorite Parisian boutiques (where I got my favorite trench coat!) is coming to SoHo!

jonathan saunders is having a busy week.

First, he gets named the new creative director at Pollini.

Then, he's confirmed as the next designer up for a Target collaboration.

Third -- I mean, look how cute he is! Just look! That's all.

karl on politics:

(Make sure you watch through the end for his priceless opinion on Hilary's style.)





("I think her pants are poorly cut."
Hahahhaha.)

calvin klein resort

At Calvin Klein, Francisco Costa took a turn from last resort season's bright, athletic theme and, this time around, presented a more sophisticated, muted, detailed collection:

Above: What a perfect little white dress.

Above: I love this kind of tiered, ribbon-esque pleating, and I love the way the color breaks in the middle.

Above: This so reminds of of YSL's fall collection (minus the jet-black bowl cuts). Does that mean that, like everyone's been saying, these high-waisted, roomy, pegged pants are really here to stay?

Above: This, like the pleats two dresses above, is what makes Costa so amazing: the ability to maintain such a simple, even minimalist aesthetic while adding detailed touches like that drape.

Above: This breaks my heart. How can something so understated be so beautiful?

valentino resort

I'm going to start cutting Alessandra a little slack, because her first resort line for Valentino was pretty beautiful.

Above: That ruffle was a definite theme in this collection, and I thought it was a fresh take on a sometimes-stuffy embellishment. That color, too, is perfect.

Above: I wish I were Katherine Hepburn, wearing this.

Above: The Valentino-red dress is probably the bane of Ms. Facchinetti's existence now, but she totally nailed it with this dress.

i'm back (whew)

Ok.

Let's get you all caught up:

1. Violet is the new black. (This is obviously a joke. But seriously: congratulations, grads!!
2. Nina Garcia will start at Marie Claire in September. Good, now we can all get on with our lives.
3. The Costume Institute show was great, though you all know that any chance I get to see something like Balenciaga's metal C3P0 leggings up close is right up my alley. When I got to the bookstore, though, I picked up the book from last year's Poiret exhibit. Please buy this book.
4. Leigh Lezark is a model now. Gross.
5. Resort shows started! Chanel went all pre-teen on us (I actually really liked most of the collection, though), Fendi seemed totally un-Fendi (I mean, I liked it, and usually Fendi is totally not my style), and Oscar de la Renta was pretty but terribly typical.

Are we all on the same page now? I missed you!

words of wisdom

Courtesy of Carrie Bradshaw:

"I can look back at pictures of myself with the great assurance that I will be embarrassed by about 60 percent of them. This is the nature of fashion."
– Sarah Jessica Parker, to Vogue

"stylista"?

i can't wait

To see this: the Met's latest Costume Institute exhibit.


(Full review to come, once the dust has settled in my life - I'm graduating from college in 5 days!)

educate yourselves.

I make fun of the "going green" trend a lot. A lot. But the truth is, our earth is going to melt (or something) if we don't do something about it relatively soon. Small change is still change, and though it will take more than a few canvas Anya Hindmarch bags, we can do something to make a difference.

Today's guest blogger, my dear friend Brian, knows much more about this than I do. Here, educate yourselves: Commodity Fetishism.


Commodity fetishism is a Marxian term used to describe the consumer's relationship with consumables. In capitalist societies, Marx argues, we attribute the value of the commodity to the object itself and
completely discount the labor and resources that went into producing said commodity.

Marx uses commodity fetishism to explain the success of capitalism in general. If we, as consumers, knew about the exploitation of resources and labor, we would be considerably less inclined to buy such items. The success of capitalists lies in their ability to remove the experience of production from the product itself.

Commodity fetishism takes a particularly interesting turn with the current trend of better knowing where our products come from. Beginning in the 1990s, consumers began to demand their tennis shoes be made sweatshop-free, and today we enjoy fair trade coffee and locally produced farm products. Companies market their social responsibility and consumers have responded.

As always, more can be done. We live in the information age where a quick Google search can allow consumers to know exactly where their purchases come from. A general rule of thumb: if social responsibility is not being advertised, it's probably not being done.

Here, for your enjoyment, is my favorite socially responsible outfit, as of late:


Above: We all know--and are constantly reminded--that American Apparel clothes are manufactured in downtown LA. But that certainly doesn't mean we shouldn't support sweatshop-free apparel. They've also got a sustainable t-shirt, which is pretty neat.


Above: Ernest Sewn jeans are made with hand-picked, organic cotton, both of which are eco-friendly.


Above: Though extremely annoying product names and advertisements, you can't deny that Kenneth Cole's corporate social responsibility is pretty good.

NINA.

Is now going to Marie Claire?

This makes sense because:
1. The fashion director there may have just left
2. Marie Claire is partly owned by Hachette, which owns Elle
3. Project Runway is done with Elle, but supposedly moving on to work with Marie Claire

Whatevs, Marie Claire is a total step down. Sorry, Nina.

stop wait wait

I forgot a few! It's the Costume Institute Best Dressed: Model Edition:

Above: Caroline Trentini killed it in vintage Thierry Mugler. Who you calling cute now, huh?

Above: Hilary Rhoda looked so chic. Maybe a little bit boring, but so chic (except that her shoes are sort of ugly). I don't even know what she's wearing, or who that guy is. I think Hilary Rhoda is my supermodel alter ego.

Above: Stam, in Proenza Schouler, couldn't manage to keep her eyes open for the party, which is a shame, because she's got the cutest date EVER on her (left) arm.

Annnnd Above: Right down to her adorable t-strap shoes. Chanel Iman, in Phillip Lim, looks so cute. Somehow like a superhero, in an incredibly adorable way. How!?

leigh lezark for gap

I wish I were joking:

The sullen Misshape will be in Gap's fall ad campaign.

UPDATE: Scott Schuman gets cut, but Princess Coldstare will still be there? This is nuts.

aggy sings!

You obviously have been wanting to hear Agyness's singing debut with Five O'Clock Heroes. Enjoy.

Who

the party of the year!

We've all been talking about nothing but the Costume Institute's Superheroes event for weeks, so let's just get to the clothes, shall we?

Above: Zac Posen and Kate Mara, in Zac Posen. Posen's not the only man of the night to try the bright suit with a brighter-dressed lady combo, but he pulls it off a thousand times better than Matthew Williamson.

Above: I give Anna Wintour a lot of credit for this Chanel number. A lot.

Above: Ashley and Mary-Kate, in Diane von Furstenberg, with Christian Louboutin. I had my doubts, but Ashley looks incredible. Mary-Kate looks about 55 years old.

Above: Dr. Lisa Airan in Rodarte. Totally on the theme, and she looks gorgeous.

Above: I know I've given Alessandra Facchinetti a hard time for the whole Gucci-to-Valentino thing, but right now I will put our differences aside and just say that this is a great dress, even if it is Valentino.

Above: I would like to applaud Kate Bosworth for the blue eyeliner choice. I am not being sarcastic.

Above: Nicolas Ghesquiere and Charlotte Gainsbourg, in Balenciaga. Overwhelming disappointment.

Above: The Rag & Bone boys with Sasha Pivovarova. Sasha! Did nobody tell you that your dress is see-through?

Above: Elettra Rossellini Weidemann, in Chris Benz, with Chris Benz. Be careful, Chris. I'm saying this because I love you. I really do. I just feel like you're getting closer and closer to becoming this, and I desperately don't want that to happen.

Above: Francisco Costa with Liv Tyler, in Calvin Klein. OK, so I thought Rachel Bilson would wear it, but I totally called that dress.

Above: Barneys' Julie Gilhart (in Christopher Kane, no?) and Rogan Gregory. I really like this on her, which is strange because it's totally not my style. I think she rocks it, goofy flip-flops and all.

Above: Diane Kruger, in Alberta Feretti, and Joshua Jackson. Confession: I just realized that I have a HUGE crush on Pacey from Dawson's Creek.

spotted:

Nina Garcia, looking gorgeous and dining at Friend of a Farmer, near Gramercy Park.

Shouldn't you be at work, Nina? Or... ?



(Courtesy of my friend, a beautiful Colombian named Felipe, who'd like you all to know that Nina is so beautiful because she is also Colombian. Thanks, Felipe.)

costume institute watch 2008: update!

Fashionologie's got a great round-up of the biggest fashion party of the year (countdown: 4 days!).

The surprises? Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are wearing custom Diane von Furstenberg, which seems odd to me. I'd expect something a little less conventional: vintage, their own line, the Row, Givenchy maybe... I don't know, DvF just seems a little pedestrian for the Olsens, no? Also, Proenza Schouler's dressing Tory Burch. This pairing is strange for the same reason as the DvF/Olsen pairing, only backwards.

Totally unsurprising? Giorgio Armani's dressing Katie Holmes. Yawn. Karen Elson and Sofia Coppola will obviously be wearing Marc Jacobs. Gisele will be in Versace.

I'm looking forward to seeing Rachel Bilson in Costa's Calvin Klein. Maybe this little number?