Earlier this week I was honored to be invited to watch a screening of "Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel" and cover the event for Apparel News. The screening was the opening event for the Costume Council at LACMA's year long schedule of unique fashion programming. And I felt I really must share! It's one of those life changing inspiring moments when you get to watch the life and career of a fashion legend unfold before your eyes on the big screen. Directed and produced by Lisa Immordino Vreeland (the wife of Diana's grandson Alexander), the documentary is incredibly detailed and candid. It includes live interviews with Vreeland (whose words are to be devoured and savored!) - as well as the who's who of the fashion set. Richard Avedon, Manolo Blahnik, Angelica Huston are just a few poeple who shared their thoughts on the former Fashion Editor of Harper's Bazaar and Editor of Vogue magazine. Truly, she is the original and the "empress of fashion." As a fashion editor and creative director, I am incredibly inspired by the film which portrays Vreeland's very chic life and the vision that she had. After all, it isn't every day you get to watch the woman who literally created the idea of fashion editorial and the intersection of lifestyle, celebrity and fashion as we know it today! Who else could discover Twiggy and Lauren Bacall, feature Barbra Streisand and Mick Jagger and be a special consultant to Jackie O?
I found myself later comparing the film to "The September Issue," which I saw at the Sundance Film Festival when it debuted. Both are inspiring, but in different ways. While "The September Issue" gives a look at the careers and lives of Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington and Vogue's powerful role in the fashion world today. This documentary, gives a look into Vreeland's career and how she literally changed the face of fashion during her reign from 1937 to the early '70s. Her final legacy was to create the notion of "fashion as high art." As special consultant to the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, she revitalized the department and created dramatic fashion exhibitions, which paved the way for exhibitions as we know them today. Think "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty."
"Diand Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel" debuted at the Venice International Film Festival and the Telluride Film Festival and will soon be released to the public on September 21. Watch the trailer for a sneak peek. And for more about the documentary and a Q&A with the director, check the Apparel News blog. Get inspired. Enjoy!!
Karolina Kurkova is a pillar of golden beauty in this chic gold sequin gown by Rachel Zoe. Who said stylists can't be designers? From what I've read the gown was custom made for Kurkova and that's the kind of eye needed to create a look so perfectly suited for the woman and the occasion. Put this one in the Met Gala history books as iconic.
10 Diet Cokes, 20 newspapers and 7 hours sleep. I've often wondered what Karl Lagerfeld's day must be like! Just how does a creative genius manage his day? We don't seem to have much in common it seems except for the occasional Diet Coke, being late to dinner and refined felines (mine is Dharma and his, Choupette!) But two homes and a closet of Dior I find aspirational - not to mention some private time for creativity! With the Chanel legacy to continue and Paris as his canvas, Lagerfeld's daily routine unfolds on the pages of Harper's Bazaar. Here are a few of my favorite excerpts as told to Kristina O'Neill. For the full story, click, click, click the link below.
8:00 A.M. I sleep seven hours. If I go to bed at two, I wake up at nine. If I go to bed at midnight, I wake up at seven. I don't wake up before—the house can fall apart, but I sleep for seven hours......
...I do most of my reading in the morning. I have a special canopy for that, near the window, where I can see the Louvre and the Seine. I only read, look at books, and sketch. And daydream—daydreaming's important too.
11:00 A.M. I have my hair done because I hate to have hair in my face when I sketch. My hair is not really white; it's kind of grayish, and I don't like the color. So I make it totally white with Klorane dry shampoo. That is the best thing to do because my hair is always clean.
4:00 P.M...... On my way to the Chanel studio, I like to look around, I like to look at Paris. I never get tired of Paris. A lot of people are on the phone all the time; they don't see anything anymore. It's true. I like to watch. I go from here to Galignani, my favorite bookshop, and then to Chanel, and then to Colette, and sometimes to the Dior men's shop. I don't go to too many shops.
9:00 P.M. Dinner depends on the day. I don't go out that much because I'm always late, and I'm so busy and so pleased with what I'm doing that I'm not really ready for a social evening. That's over—the people I was going out with are dead or don't exist anymore.....
....To unwind, it depends on how tired I am. Sometimes I read a little bit. Lately, I play with my cat, Choupette. The cat always stays home, and when I leave, the maid takes care of her. The cat is like a very refined object; she doesn't go into the street, and she doesn't go to other places. She is a spoiled princess.
Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford, photos courtesy of Style.com
Gwyneth's cape, Rooney's bangs and Angelina's leg, it's hard not to get caught up in Oscar fashionmania! Who made the biggest statement on the red carpet? I loved many of the dresses including Oscar winner Meryl Streep who was stunning in Lanvin and Emma Stone in brilliant red Giambattista Valli. And then there's J-Lo who was uber-sexy in Zuhair Murad. But the ladies in white, Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford and Rooney Mara in Givenchy get my vote for their uber chic looks on the red carpet.
There's no question Lady Gaga has a flair for the dramatic. And her January feature in Vanity Fair is simply exquisite. Shot by Annie Leibowitz, it captures Gaga in her avant garde fashion element. Hats have been all the rage this year - think the Royal wedding - but this beautiful red ensemble by Atelier Versace outdoes them all. The intro to the feature here and don't miss the slideshow of her evolving style. Vanity Fair has compiled 49 of her most memorable looks over the past decade or more.
1958 "Blowing a Kiss" photo of actress/model Barbara Mullen by photographer, Lillian Bassman
An exhibition that focuses on the social rituals of cocktail hour? Highballs and high art.
Count me in.
The upcoming exhibition "Cocktail Culture" at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach is one of the first exhibitions to explore the cocktail hour as an art form - and an American phenomenon. The exhibiton debuts on Dec. 15 - just in time for the holiday party season. I wish I were in West Palm Beach to see this exhibition which features more than 150 objets d' art. But I will just have to visualize (and hope that others capture and blog) all of the chic fashion and art on display. "Cocktail Culture" will feature everything from clothing and accessories to decorative arts, illustrations and photography from the 1920s to the present. And it relates it to modern culture by highlighting iconic moments on the big screen such as the Audrey Hepburn's party du jour on 'Breakfast at Tiffanys,' and the cocktail hour as popularized by 'Sex and the City' and most recently 'Mad Men.' Recall my Chic Style Tips Q&A with Janie Bryant? With clothing by legendary designers such as Cristobal Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Jeanne Lanvin, Yves Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co. Norman Norell, Valentino, Elsa Schiaparelli, Christian Dior and Van Cleef & Arpel it will most certainly be a fashionable affair. Think Tiffany’s sterling silver cocktail sets and cigarette cases. And cocktail hour fashion that ranges from 1920's sequin flapper dresses to ethnic chic caftans and hostess pajamas of the '70s, Christian Lacroix’s '80s pouf skirts and minimalist looks of the early '90s. For more info, SunSentinel.com has a great indepth article or check the museum's site Norton.org
Hedi Slimane has an almost cult-like following in the fashion world. The renowned photographer and former designer for Dior Homme is one of the most influential designers in menswear design (think shrunken silhouettes and androgynous models). And his raw, black-and-white imagery is now iconic. "Calfornia Song" opened at the Museum Contemporary of Art on Friday night and marks the first West Coast solo museum exhibition of Slimane's work. And LA’s art and fashion set turned out in full force to celebrate. Celebs including Kirsten Dunst and Tilda Swinton made an appearance to fête the landmark occasion. The exhibition spans his “California period” which began in July 2007 and traces his exploration of urban youth culture and creative communities including music, art and fashion. Think tattoos, surfers and rock stars. I first blogged about the Hedi Slimane Diary after being inspired by his fashion photography and shortly after about "Hedi Slimane's Cali" following his trip to the Coachella Music Festival in 2009. It was exciting to see his California imagery transformed into an exhibition. His work is viewed in a two-part layout at the MOCA Pacific Design Center. Black-and-white print photos are featured on the ground level and a towering multi-projection installation rotates photos in a repetitive sequence on the second floor. Indie rock band No Age performed live at the opening event. The museum debut adds to Slimane’s growing list of publications and exhibitions which include “Berlin Project” (1999-2002) and “The London Years” (2003-2007).
Vanessa Bruno was in town last week to celebrate the one-year anniversary of her Melrose boutique. I was honored to attend the intimate dinner celebration held at Lucques restaurant. Key editors, stylists, and celebs including Kate Bosworth, Rachel Bilson, Mena Suvari and Molly Sims turned out for the occasion all dressed in the Parisian designer’s smartly chic attire. It’s no wonder Bruno has attracted Hollywood’s chic set to her brand. She designs her effortlessly chic clothing with an understated quality that appeals to stylish women around the world. While Bruno was in town, I stopped by her Melrose boutique to cover the event for Apparel News. We sat down to chat about her Spring and Fall collections and the anniversary of her flagship boutique. I also got a few behind-the-scenes details on her film collab with Kate Bosworth – muse and face of the brand’s Fall/Winter campaign. This season Bruno created a video entitled "LØV” which features Bosworth backflipping through modern day to a mystical setting modeled around Slovenia’s Lake Bled and its Lipizzaner horses. It was especially magical for me to see the collection come to life after previewing it on the runway in Paris (one of my favorite collections for Fall!). Bosworth, one of the chicest starlets in Hollywood today, perfectly captures the poetic mood of the season’s Nordic-themed campaign. So, just what is that effortless quality known as Parisian chic? Here are some of Vanessa Bruno’s thoughts on her collection, Kate Bosworth and all things very, very chic.
Vanessa Bruno Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 at Paris Fashion Week, photos courtesy of Style.com
Who is the Vanessa Bruno girl?
I think she definitely has this feminine [quality], she’s a bit chic, she has an edge, but with a very laid back, relaxed way of seeing fashion. She’s a bit more confident. She doesn’t need to show off. She’s definitely also [ageless] because I can see from a younger girl to a more mature woman, they will definitely find their way into the line.
What is your design aesthetic?
People always ask me what is it about this kind of French, Parisian style thing? And I always say [it’s] about not changing too much and to know yourself. Of course it’s about changing, but in a way you’re not radically changing your silhouette. I think the way I treat my collection is that a girl at one point will find a reference or pieces - beautiful shirts or jackets, or really feminine dresses - they will find a piece they feel confident in [and say] ‘Oh yeah, I had this dress I wore two years ago, but I can still wear it. I can find something different now, but it’s still in the same lecture.’ That’s what I mean. I think that you can go for something a bit more new and challenge yourself as a designer to see what you can do. But I always try to keep it in balance with truly, ‘would I wear it as a woman?’
Tell me about your Spring and Fall collections.
The lecture for Winter was this layering winter Scandi wrap all this beautiful white outfits and so on. And then for the summer I said let’s do something really clean and no layering this time. Just imagine this girl and she has one piece and it has to look stunning or maybe two - but basta. I’m trying to be challenging in a different way, but it still looks very Vanessa Bruno because you can still find the mix with the fabric, the crepe, but also this kind of a patchwork thing that I already had for winter in a different way, but I started it there. [Also] all the hand knits that I had for winter, I did differently for summer. So you can find this little code I would say.
How did the collaboration come about with Kate Bosworth?
She’s so inspiring. She’s really independent, but with a lot of class in herself because she knows what she wants. She dares to do things that a lot of actresses wouldn’t do. How we met? We were at a dinner and I showed her my little poetic movie. And she said, ‘I love that, I would definitely love to do one.’ And I called her three months later [and I said] ‘well, you said…and I just love your personality you’re like my little sister.’ She said, ‘I will do it,’ and she came.
How would you describe her style?
She has her own taste. She is elegant, and at the same time very relaxed. She doesn’t make too much about it. I always say less is more and she’s definitely that. She is exactly for me this kind of girl who represents Parisian style, but in a cosmopolitan way. For me, Parisian style is not just about being Parisian, it is about living in LA, having this little thing. Living in NY,…having this what we call Parisian style. And you can have it also in Asia.
What inspired you to do the film?
We always create starting from the collection. It was like I had this whole [idea] of the mood, an Ingrid Bergman persona. That was my mood board for the collection. And then when I do the film I always project into it and say, ‘Let’s imagine the short film, three minutes, the girl has to look at it, feel emotional. Look at the collection without putting it too in your face like it’s a marketing thing, or I’m selling a bag of something, but really taking the girl’s spirit out there. Emotionally she’s beautiful, she’s poetic, she’s vibrating with nature, she’s in osmosis with nature. It’s all those kind of elements that I try to [relay] which is actually just a trademark of the brand.
What inspires you as a designer?
I like a lot of contemporary art. Actually I’m going to the museum because I think LACMA and MOCA are really important. I need to see what is on. I think also what LA is doing with contemporary art is more and more important. There are very important American artists who are from the LA scene. I can also be inspired by movies. I love the movie I saw recently, “Drive.” It’s done in the aesthetic of LA, the music and everything. It’s a really cool movie.
What is VeryVeryChic to you?
Very, very chic for me is not to [wear] too many logos [and] not showing too much. Being chic is being chic but in a very subtle way - definitely you have to have this kind of allure and confidence.
“Le Carrousel, the circular dance of fashion. This season at Louis Vuitton the circle has turned once more and arrived at a place of pure enjoyment, gentleness, joie de vivre and love. But this is a particular enjoyment and love: the joy of Parisian fashion.”
- Louis Vuitton program
How apropo to be in Paris this season and be invited to attend the Louis Vuitton show. Truly it was an honor to receive the invitation and take part in sharing the message of the brand. We each seemed to have a singular goal in mind - to celebrate Parisian fashion. And what a joy it was. A magical carousel, a whimsical fairytale with girls in fabulously feminine clothes - a vision of delicacy in beautiful lace, icy pastels, transparent flowers and and feather trimmed loveliness – and then there was Kate Moss on the runway (exclamation point!). All of this Parisian splendor harkened from a history of fine craftsmanship. And to top it off Louis Vuitton, one of the most prestigious luxury brands in the world, is also on the forefront of fashion and technology. I find it so compelling that Louis Vuitton, like Burberry, is leading the charge into the future and the digital world. Think of its recent “The Art of Travel by Louis Vuitton” campaign. For the Spring 2012 show, it created a complete digital experience to give fans an inside look at Louis Vuitton and Parisian fashion.
“The romance of Parisian fashion is a joy in the emotional exchange between the craftsman and wearer. Fashion is a spectacle, but this is an intimate relationship as well; it is not just about the joy of looking but the joy of feeling,” explained the show program. Clothes can be enjoyed because of their beauty, but the pleasure of luxury is also in knowing the craftsmanship of the garment and its exquisite design by a Parisian atelier. Case in point: the “Coquilee D’Oeuf” minaudiere, the collections’ piece de résistance. The evening bag, which took over 300 hours and 12,500 pieces of “mosaicked” eggshells to make, sums up the extreme delicacy and emotional exchange in the crafting the collection.
Just as the clothes can be appreciated from the inside out, so too can the runway show and the brand's message - by understanding what goes on behind-the-scenes. To give fans an inside look this season Louis Vuitton live-streamed the show and created a series of videos about the brand, the runway show and Paris itself. “Social media is very interesting and brings opposite personalities together,” said Kamel Ouadi, global digital director at Louis Vuitton, Paris. “There’s this idea of openness and of community [that] lets consumers connect and share…. [Social media] emphasizes the emotional aspects of a luxury industry [that] is sometimes perceived as arrogant and distant,” he said. Not only was the show was broadcast live via iPhone and iPad and on the Louis Vuitton Facebook Page, but a mini-site dedicated to the show was also launched. Fans could tune it to find out how the beautiful carousel and runway show was created and watch the building of the show tent. And designer Marc Jacobs created exclusive videos to discuss his vision of the Louis Vuitton Woman, the creative process involved in building a collection and putting on a Louis Vuitton fashion show.
In celebration of all things Parisian and chic, Louis Vuitton called on an influential five to share their multi-faceted views of Paris Fashion Week. Emmanuelle Alt (editor in chief of Vogue Paris), Derek Blasberg (fashion journalist), Jean-Philippe Delhomme (artist/illustrator), Camille Bidault-Waddington (stylist), Magda Danysz (art dealer) and Emily Weiss (blogger – Into the gloss) share their personal Fashion Week experiences at fashionshow.louisvuitton.com. Each of these trendsetters share their favorite Parisian hotspots using Amble, Louis Vuitton’s first iPhone Application. It builds on the brand's "The Art of Travel" initiative and takes travel to the next level. On the website and using Amble itself, fans can follow their favorite personalities on a stroll through Paris, record travel memories, visit a celebrity's local hot spot and find inspiration for their next trip. A virtual dream for any fashionista wanting to learn more about some of the chicest cities in the world. Also to be noted, Louis Vuitton just launched its City Guides book series on Oct. 15 (see photo below). Louis Vuitton Perspectives will continue to be updated with more exclusive content from contributors, as well as special behind-the-scenes coverage from the fashion show.
Louis Vuitton City Guides
“The merry-go-round of Parisian fashion might continue to turn, but its love affair with and ultimate commitment to craftsmanship remains timeless. Once more…with feeling.”
Karl Lagerfeld toasts the 350th anniversary of the Chateau Rauzan-Ségla vineyard by designing a new label for the Chanel-owned winery. Wine is as much a part of the French landscape as couture, so it's not too surprising that the House of Chanel acquired the prized winery in 1994. The colorful sketch is the castle in Margaux appellation of Bordeaux, France.
If you need an indication that fashion is taking a feminine turn, take a look at Anna Dello Russo bedecked in bows at Paris Fashion Week. Lace, sequins and some serious shades required.
In my pursuit of all things uber cool and French this week, I'm coveting the new issue of SOME/THINGS MAGAZINE and the soon-to-be-released Rick Owens book. A first look at the mag just popped up on the SOME/THINGS website and it is beautiful....! SOME/THINGS Chapter005/She Has No Strings Apollo comes in an embossed graphite-color box and is wrapped in one of five different kinds of Rick Owens cashmere scented with his soon-to-be-released perfume - Mmmmmm lovely!! Need I say more?!!!! A limited-edtiion DVD and a first-ever interview with Paul Harnden is also included. And equally as beautiful, the site posted a few preview images of Rick Owens new book published by Rizzoli. The book features photos by SOME/THINGS Creative Director Monika Bielskyte and was shot inside the Rick Owens Atelier and office and the Olmar & Mirta Factory for SOME/THINGS Chapter004/The Wings of a Locust.
Chapter005 is available for pre-order online at the SOME/THINGS online boutique and go here a look at more images of the Rick Owens book.
Cover of the new Rick Owens book published by Rizzoli
Spring/Summer 2011 Rick Owens show in Paris photographed by Asha Mines
Back Endpaper/Rick Owens team by Monika Bielskyte for Some/things Magazine Chapter004, 2010
Kembra Pfahler & Rick Owens by Annie Leibovitz for US Vogue, 2002
