Steve Frous
Nhi Py
Martine Falk Andersen
Izzy Bea
Mallory W
Cristóbal Balenciaga reputedly made only three journeys afield in his lifetime and certainly never traveled anywhere as far-flung as Asia. However, forty-odd years after his passing, the house of Balenciaga, with Alexander Wang at the helm, staged its own intrepid China expedition, bringing forty-eight archive pieces to Beijing. Handpicked by Wang, the selection from Cristóbal Balenciaga's Parisian years (1937 to 1968) highlighted the key pieces in his oeuvre. "I think it would be doing an injustice for everybody not to see it," Wang explained. Enshrined at the center of the exhibition, therefore, was the famous Infanta dress (1949), which shows the unremitting influence of Balenciaga's Spanish heritage on his work; the Babydoll dress of 1958; and the famed wedding dress from his last collection presented in 1967. Though he epitomized that old world of couture, Balenciaga was the greatest pioneer of them all. Blockbuster pieces aside, the Fishnet dress (1964), an overlay of net upon a black sheath inspired by the fishermen in his hometown of Getaria, and a reversible fur-lined silk-nylon coat (1959) were just a few examples of the utterly modern. A little-known fact about the famously reticent designer was his penchant for filming his presentations in the last decade of his career, and the videos provided illuminating glimpses of "the master of us all" at work. A suit worn by Marlene Dietrich in the 1950s and the Sari dress, a design owned by Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, and Dodie Rosekrans, also served as a reminder of his legendary clientele. The venue, the China Academy of Oil Painting, was chosen for the church-like structure in its midst (actually the school's lecture hall), where Balenciaga's SS'14 collection was presented. "We could have easily shown the Fall collection," Wang explained before the show, "but I wanted something that would penetrate immediately." Along with the existing outfits, therefore, the models (Shu Pei, Ming Xi, Xiao Wen Ju, Hanne Gaby Odiele, et al.) sported fifteen new looks from a capsule collection released exclusively in Balenciaga's China stores immediately following the show.
In keeping with Moschino's tradition of irreverence, Jeremy Scott's twisted, Chanel-meets-McDonald's debut ready-to-wear collection for the house ruffled a few of fashion's fabulous feathers on the runway in Milan during the Fall '14 shows.
What then does the designer have planned for his Moschino men's debut? For one thing, it was announced today that the men's show will take place this June in London, where it may be more at home with the international crowd and diverse casting pool. "It's fun," is the statement we got from Scott. What else would you expect?
People have been documenting the history of clothing for a long time, but the analytical study of fashion as a key sociological phenomenon has only existed for three decades. That it exists at all is mostly thanks to Gilles Lipovetsky, a French philosopher and sociologist whose book The Empire of Fashion: Dressing Modern Democracy (1987) is still the definitive staple if you really want to know what's at stake when you buy a dress.
Lipovetsky, a father of two and author of thirteen books (translated into twenty languages), has stayed away from the cities where fashion is shown, living and teaching at the foot of the French Alps, in the city of Grenoble. Given the opportunity to interview one of the world's most prominent academic specialists in fashion, we didn't want to ask him anything as trivial as who his favorite designer is (OK, it's André Courrèges). We certainly didn't wish to pry into the elements of his personal style (black suit, black shirt, black shoes, if you must know). We even thought it might be a bit banal to inquire as to what has been the most decisive event in the way fashion has come to dominate our lives (that would be the development of mass luxury-inspired brands such as H&M and Zara). Instead, we figured we'd dive right into a discussion of fashion hermeneutics (dictionary apps at the ready).
This afternoon, the fashion set chowed down on bacon, rigatoni, and cream sauce, which can mean only one thing: the biannual Pitti Immagine Uomo/W luncheon. Held at downtown Italian eatery Da Silvano, the afternoon gathering gave Pitti CEO Raffaello Napoleone the opportunity to speak with press, buyers, and more about the plans for the Spring '15 Florence fashion fair—and boy, are there a lot of them. 2014 marks the 60th anniversary of the Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana (essentially the organizing body for all things fashion in Firenze), so in addition to exhibitions and presentations from emerging and established designers, fairgoers will be treated to a three-museum exhibition by Francesco Vezzoli, who will insert his own work among classical paintings, sculptures, etc.; an opening opera starring Andrea Bocelli; an exhibition of Roman costume atelier Sartoria Tirelli's confections; a bevy of film screenings; the debut of Nick Wooster's capsule collection; and more. Also on the docket? Florence-born brands Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Emilio Pucci, and Ermanno Scervino will each host special events.
As reported last month, Z Zegna will be the featured guest menswear designer, but there will be no guest womenswear designer this season due to the many other events on the itinerary. We suppose the abovementioned powerhouses' Florence-centric projects will suffice. "We don't want it to be just another fair," Napoleone told cbamd.com while sipping a glass of vino rosso. "We want to create a cultural experience." Provided the itinerary lives up to expectations, it seems he's done just that.
The overcrowded menswear schedule also came up in discussion this afternoon. If you'll remember, there was a bit of a tiff between Pitti Uomo and the London Collections: Men last season, as the recently founded London shows conflicted with the Florence fair. "There will be no more troubles in 2015," announced Napoleone. While the showcases will once again overlap this time around, next season the calendar for all four cities will shift, allowing London, Florence, Milan, and Paris each to have its fair share of time in the spotlight. (This helps explore the new dates for Paris Couture, too.) "This is better for everyone," asserted Napoleone, telling us that it took one year to reach the final agreement. "Having four menswear events in Europe is a good opportunity because the manufacturers will remain strong and [we] can drive the [menswear] sensibility," he added. It's nice to see all the fashion cities (finally) playing nice.
Unexpected news comes from the house of Sonia Rykiel today. The brand announced that Julie de Libran has been appointed as artistic director, replacing Geraldo da Conceicao, who spent only five seasons at the helm of the label. Like Da Conceicao, De Libran comes from Louis Vuitton, where she essentially served as Marc Jacobs' right-hand woman during her five years as the house's studio director of women's ready-to-wear. She also headed up Vuitton's Resort and Pre-Fall collections. De Libran, who did stints at Prada, Versace, Gianfranco Ferré, and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac before her Vuitton tenure, departed LV after Nicolas Ghesquière took the reins. Her first collection for Sonia Rykiel—a house best known for its Parisian irreverence and gorgeous but wearable knits—will debut in Paris during the Spring '15 shows.
So why the sudden switch? For starters, De Libran has more experience—and industry clout—than Da Conceicao. She was more or less the face of Vuitton's pre-collections and is familiar with speaking to the press, and designing in line with a particular style or vision. It's worth noting that the house and First Heritage Brands, which acquired an 80 percent stake in Sonia Rykiel in February 2012, have expressed via a release that De Libran's hire is part of a "relaunch strategy and accelerated international development." One might argue that given her name recognition and design track record, De Libran is more qualified than her predecessor to "develop" the label. Furthermore, as Sonia Rykiel's daughter Nathalie states, De Libran is "a woman, a Frenchwoman. An international woman and a talented one. A woman who enjoys dressing herself and designing for other women." While one could, I suppose, make a case for reverse sexism here, the fact that De Libran is a femme française who adores fashion (just take a look at the street-style blogs or her Instagram account for proof) and manages to juggle a career and a family allows her to understand the Sonia Rykiel ethos better than a male designer might. Whatever the reason for her appointment, I look forward to seeing what the designer brings to Rykiel in September.
Tao Okamoto is a "model" in every sense of the word. Since she began appearing on runways and in glossy editorial spreads fifteen years ago, the Japanese beauty has become one of the industry's most sought-after faces (and helped break down barriers for Asian catwalkers). In recent years, Okamoto has extended her influence beyond fashion. In 2011, she helped raise funds and awareness for victims of the 8.9-magnitude earthquake that rocked her home country. Last summer, Okamoto made her acting debut in the X-Men blockbuster The Wolverine. Keeping up her silver-screen streak, she was cast in the upcoming action flick, out in 2016, Batman vs. Superman, and also made her first TV appearance in the new Japanese miniseries Chi no Wadachi.
Adding to her already-full plate, Okamoto has found time in the past year to do a special series of shoots—commissioned by her New York agency, The Society Management—with fifteen emerging photographers to honor her fifteen-year-long career. The resulting exhibition, Tao Okamoto 15, will be unveiled tonight at Hudson Studios in Manhattan and is open to the public for one day only. On view are unique images lensed by up-and-coming talents including Max Snow, Victor Demarchelier, and Santiago & Mauricio. An exclusive sneak peek of Tim Richardson's portrait debuts here on cbamd.com. Below, we spoke with Okamoto about her latest showcase, balancing acting and modeling, and more.
Nick Knight and SHOWstudio just launched a series of video interviews called "Subjective" that attempt to tell the history of contemporary fashion photography as seen through the eyes of models.
His first subject: Kate Moss. Moss shares stories with Knight about her early modeling days, living off of fish and chips and Guinness, shooting with Corinne Day, and getting flack for being a heroin-cheeked waif—"I'm a fabulous scapegoat," she says.
The conversation is casual, intimate; Moss is charming and beautiful. What Knight says about her early photos remains true: "It's a very powerful thing to have that honesty and fragility." Head over to SHOWstudio to watch.
If you didn't catch Prada's Spring '08 collection (this reporter was still in high school), you now have a second chance at those botanical prints, metallic leaf dresses, and sheer parkas. Dover Street Market has teamed up with Prada for another exclusive women's capsule, this time reintroducing twelve key styles and prints inspired by that vibrant and memorable season.In true DSM fashion, these aren't just copies of past designs; each piece is hand-painted and thus one-of-a-kind for a thoroughly modern spin. A first look at the lineup, which hits DSMNY tomorrow, May 8, debuts exclusively here on cbamd.com.
"I am so delighted to be receiving this second very special collection by Prada for Dover Street Market," Adrian Joffe, CEO of Comme des Garçons (the parent company of DSM), told cbamd.com. "Their willingness to create these unique capsule collections for us fills me with endless pride and proves how much they understand what we are trying to do. I think it is fair to say that our mutual admiration and respect knows no bounds."
The collection is just one element of a wider project that DSMNY is opening in celebration of New York's forthcoming cultural events and art fairs, including Frieze. Palace Skate's installation from Tate Britain, Comme des Garçons' giant Kewpie, and a special exhibit of archive hats by Stephen Jones (which coincides with the launch of his new Wisteria Hysteria perfume) will be unveiled at an open house tomorrow.
The second Prada x DSMNY collection will be available exclusively at Dover Street Market New York, 160 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10016.
Yes, Amanda Wakeley has dressed the Royals—Kate Middleton and Princess Diana, to be exact. But the designer is capable of sartorial feats beyond monarchial moments. Her Fall '14 collection is a testament to that.
Wakeley started her business twenty-four years ago. Her embellished eveningwear and clean, glam daywear have appealed to the posh Chelsea girl clientele and even drawn in A-listers like Angelina Jolie and Florence Welch. In 2008, Wakeley quietly resigned as creative director and stepped away a bit, only to come back in 2014, armed with new investment, a swank new Mayfair shop, and a ferocious attitude.
Fall 14's palette is rich but sparing—think a dark brown fur tunic and a "silver fox" print. A head-to-toe leather look spliced with a Matrix-esque coat projects an alpha female vibe. Kimono-like jackets and blouses have bracelet sleeves, perfect to show off tough studded cuffs, while "judo" belt details on a leather skirt teamed with a netted crop top require heaps of confidence. Wakeley's Fall looks are more severe than those of seasons past. But, a keen businesswoman, she's not abandoning her loyal clientele—her classic styles are still offered via her Atelier, Bridal, and jewelry lines. Wakeley also introduces swimwear this season, a natural step given her following of jet-setters. Although after this outing, her fan base is sure to expand.
Not everyone at last night's Met Gala knew the story of Charles James—not by a long shot. "He's a new person for me," admitted Hailee Steinfeld, who was utterly adorable in Prabal Gurung. "He's someone I don't know. I'm 25!" laughed a Michael Kors-clad Ming Xi when quizzed on the couturier. The evening's DJ, Diplo, referred to Charles James: Beyond Fashion as "Fashion and the Thingamajig." And when we asked Katie Couric about James, she jokingly replied, "I think he's from the forties, isn't he? Don't ask me any more hard questions!" However, while not everyone was familiar with the details of James' career, most everyone had seen the iconic 1948 Cecil Beaton photo, which features eight women in pastel James gowns. Or, as Hedwig and the Angry Inch's Lena Hall called it, "that Cecile photograph." She made up for the slip with her charm, and by looking divine in a Jamesian Zac Posen number. "I've seen that photograph a lot. In fact, I think my mother has it on her wall. So when I saw that, I was like, 'Oh, I guess I know more about him than I thought.'"
Gala chair Aerin Lauder had an even more personal story about the famed snap. "I own the Cecil Beaton photograph, but I didn't know much about [James] before working on the event for a year." It would seem many a starlet and socialite looked to said image for sartorial inspiration—so much so that we were able to re-create the photograph with some of the ladies from yesterday evening's red carpet. Here, for your viewing pleasure, we give you a modern-day mockup of Beaton's photo, starring TV chef and girlfriend to Governor Andrew Cuomo Sandra Lee's gargantuan dress (a questionable blend of a James ball gown and his Butterfly design), Hall, Jessica Chastain, Katie Holmes, Liu Wen, Sarah Silverman, and more. You're welcome.
