Can Con at McQ

A fellow Canuck has been appointed as the new creative director at McQ, the diffusion line at Alexander McQueen.

Pina Ferlisi will be working under Sarah Burton, who took the design reigns of the main label after Lee left us so suddenly.

Pina Ferlisi - new CD at McQ.

It’s another sign of the Gucci Group’s commitment – and future plans for the brand. Ferlisi has a seasoned design resume which includes Marc by Marc Jacobs, Coach, Gap and Generra, where she was most recently. Ferlisi’s roots are in Canada and with such experience under her fashionable belt, I am really looking forward to seeing how she interprets and develops the line.

As you know from hanging out in this space, the McQueen aesthetic is very dear to my heart – it’s something that resonated with me from the beginning of each label – and this appointment makes me feel good. Through it, and the appointment of Sarah Burton last month, Gucci is not only showing loyalty to the label and what it stands for, but also to those of us who connect with it.

Choosing a rock star designer – indie or otherwise – would have taken focus away from the line itself. There seems to be so much more emphasis on the after-parties and PR of a brand than on what’s on the runway these days – and I didn’t want to see “Alexander McQueen” become homogenized like so much else out there.

As a marketer, I respect the Gucci Group’s loyalty to the positioning of McQueen. As a lover of the label, I respect that two seasoned professionals will be taking it into the future. Sarah Burton was Lee’s right hand and if anyone got his vision, she surely did. [I'll share my thoughts on Burton's recent men's collection in an upcoming post.]

Ferlisi understands sportswear and diffusion lines. Through her work with the American fashion fixtures listed above and with what I think has been an avant-garde edge subdued to date, she will give us beautiful things we all want to wear and can access more easily.

It’s funny that McQueen was accused of showing misogynistic collections in the past. He was anything but a misogynist – he adored women as I am sure any of those close to him -  or any of us who wear his beautiful creations will attest.

I think he’d be comforted in knowing his vision is in the hands of two very wise women.

Image courtesy of Fashion Magazine.

Summer Splash

Summer is a tough time for mags – issues are thinner than the models, so they have to do something to catch our fickle attention at the stands.

I thought the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Spain was a simple idea, executed well – a nice, clean cover that had me at the flippers…

Harper's Bazaar Spain July/August 2010

Actually, the whole editorial of Tanya Dziahileva as captured by Nico is striking. Here are a few sample images.

Suddenly, I am yearning for an ocean…

Mmm...palm trees and warm sand. Great suit by Eres, too.

Forget highlights, get sunlights this summer.

Mesh-merizing

A kiss or three of captivating colour!

Images courtesy of TFS.

Reflections

Last April, I wrote about the Victoria and Albert Museum’s wedding photo archive.

Today, I received a comment from Kelly Joy, who found the post and saw her own wedding photo on this blog!

After just over a year of writing in this space, I have been reflecting upon what else I want to do here (this is the reason you haven’t seen a flurry of posts from me, lately).

Kelly’s comment was a nice reminder for me about how a medium like this one can connect you with someone across the world, as easily as it can with someone across the street.

She shared her photo with the V&A. I came across and it immediately smiled at the joy emanating from it, so I shared it with all of you. She came upon it over a year later and reached out to me.

The thread of that brilliant fuchsia dress has woven a path. It shows you how small the world is and how connected we all are.

To some, fashion can be frivolous. To the rest of us, it can be symbolic, powerful, it can mark a time in history, it can transcend borders and limits, it can make you gasp with joy or disbelief.

Ask a woman about a dress and she will tell you a story about a part of her life.

And isn’t sharing our stories what life is all about?

Upon reflection, it seems our dresses come with stories. McQueen's brilliant gold and black coat dress from his final collection.

Frock, Frock. Who’s There?

British fashion arrived on my doorstep this morning.

Literally.

You're so good tome.

The first book about McQueen is now out – Alexander McQueen: Genius of a Generation. I had pre-ordered it from Amazon weeks ago and have always wanted to pick up Andrew Bolton’s account of Anglomania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion, so added that in, too. I had forgotten all about them until I heard a knock at the door this morning.

There are they are, crisp and unopened, as I sit here looking at a to-do list that is a mile long.

I’ll give them the respect they deserve and pour over them uninterrupted, with my afternoon tea.

Tea time, of course, is 4 o’clock.

Any good Brit or Anglophile worth their salt knows that!

Photo by moi.

God(dess) Save(d) McQueen

You undoubtedly heard a week or two ago that Isabella Blow’s wardrobe was to be auctioned off by Christie’s in Fall, 2010.

Isabella Blow by Miguel Reveriego

Well, the couture collectibles have been saved from the grabbing hands and bought by one Ms. Daphne Guinness, in a private sale.

Everyone's fave fairy goth mother, DG does good - seen here wearing Treacy in Vogue Italia.

She bought the whole lot!

You could say the Guinness goddess saved McQueen…and Treacy…and beyond.

There are over 90 McQueen masterpieces, custom millinery by Philip Treacy and a smattering of designers like Galliano and Manolo.

Isabella with McQueen in early days. She famously bought his CSM grad collection.

Camping it up with the fashion set, Blow with Hedi Slimane and Philip Treacy, wearing one of his transformational toppers.

Lee and Issy in happier times.

I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing the creations were in good hands.

“Like any artist, it should not be dispersed, but remain as a monument with people having access to it,” said Ms. Guinness, speaking to the New York Times.

I look forward to a future exhibit of the works. I am sure Valerie Steele is on the case as well!

Photos: Blow by Miguel Reveriego, Daphne G wearing Treacy in Vogue Italia, Slimane, Treacy image courtesy of the New York Times, both Lee and Issy images courtesy of the Telegraph UK.

CFDA Awards: Wrap Up

The biggest story of the night for me was who did not win. Tom Ford, Prabal Gurung, Donna Karan – they were my faves this year.

Here are the highlights of who did:

Womenswear Designer of the Year: Marc Jacobs

Menswear Designer of the Year: Marcus Wainwright and David Neville for Rag & Bone

Accessory Designer of the Year: Alexis Bittar

Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent: Jason Wu (women’s wear), Richard Chai (men’s wear), Alexander Wang (accessories)

L’Oréal Popular Vote Award: Ralph Lauren

Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award: Michael Kors

International Award: Christopher Bailey (presented by Donna Karan, for whom he once worked)

The ever-dapper Mr. Bailey.

Ms. Karan, I am lusting after your dress (again)!

Eleanor Lambert Award: Vogue‘s Tonne Goodman

Fashion Icon Award: Iman (presented by Isabella Rossellini)

Iconic couple. Just bow down to them. There are no equals.

Eugenia Sheppard Award: Paper magazine’s Kim Hastreiter

The Board of Director’s Special Tribute was awarded posthumously to Alexander McQueen.

SJP in PF10 McQueen.

Love the eye makeup here, too. (Marie Claire Oz image.)

It was presented by Sarah Jessica Parker and followed by a showing of McQueen’s final collection for FW1o. Wish I could have seen that in person.

The McQueen show. (Photo by @mrjoezee.)

Here is another shot of Rachel and Hilary. Fashion friends always coordinate well.

The long and short of looking good.

The makeup on so many women tonight was just striking – yet simple.

Eye yai eye. (Marie Claire Oz image.)

The grace of the grey carpet continued with these ladies, too.

Linda Fargo showing that looking fab is ageless. No need to blush.

Rachel Weisz glows in prints. She was wearing Jason Wu, who was also her date for the evening.

But the best date a girl could have tonight? It was über-mom.

Bee Shaffer poses while Mom Anna's hand prompts her to keep it moving! (Marie Claire Oz image.)

I heard the glasses came off when the award was presented to Bailey. Sweet. (Marie Claire Oz image.)

CFDA Awards: Grace on the Grey Carpet

The carpet was a fashionable grey, an appropriate backdrop for luminaries of the American rag and mag trade.

Prabal Gurung tweeted that his tux was from Dior Men – an elegant choice for the Swarovski Award for Womenswear nominee. Gurung is up against Joseph Altuzarra and Jason Wu for the award.

Gurung in Dior Homme. Photo by @hanukhanuk.

Rachel Roy was on her way in feather earrings, green eyeshadow and David Yurman rings – and her own designer duds, of course. (I’m totally regretting throwing out my leaf green eyeshadow in my recent spring cleaning frenzy, now!)

Just glamourous enough. Photo by @Rachel_Roy.

She then picked up model Hilary Rhoda for a fashionable girls’ night out. I thought their matchy-ness looked mah-vellous.

Like two peas in a shimmery pod - model Hilary Rhoda photographed by Rachel Roy.

Her Royal Fashion Highness, Iman will be honoured as a Fashion Icon at tonight’s ceremony and she certainly looked the part.

Women’s Wear Daily tweeted:  “Iman is at the CFDA Awards with the best accessory of the night – David Bowie.” But I disagree. It’s her night – so really, he’s got the best accessory of the night on *his* arm.

Recipe for a healthy marriage: take turns being cultural icons. (Future husband: please take note!)

Queen Iman arrives. This woman should really run a country or something. She exudes power. Image courtesy of CFDA.

Lucky girl, @dkny tweeted: “Iman just arrived with David Bowie. I happened to be standing in the right place & she stopped to kiss hello. #Gracious.” Blessed by fashion royalty, no doubt!

How many red carpets have we seen with ill-fitting dresses? Designers/celebs/stylists take note: this is how a dress should fit. Perfectly. (Don’t know whose it is yet – stand by, caller.)  [Update: Iman's gown was by Giambattista Valli because she wanted the pictures to be timeless.]

Fit for a Queen. Photo by Kevin Mazur, courtesy of FabSugar.

Speaking of fashion royalty, the divine Donna did it again. Wonder if she knew that the carpet was going to be grey? Well played, Ms. Karan.

Graceful in grey, Womenswear Designer of the Year nominee, Donna Karan. CFDA image.

Do you know what I am loving lately? With all the pop tarts and starlets removing their clothes for mags and red carpets, it’s wonderful to see elegant, sophisticated and successful women dress so beautifully and age so gracefully. It speaks volumes.

Rachel, Donna, Iman and Brooke, your outfits tonight showcased your personalities and inner beauty – well beyond what we see (and what remains covered!) on the surface.

Thank you for inspiring us to be beautiful. That’s what a night of fashion is all about, ‘innit?

We needn't shield our eyes: a different kind of nude attracts attention, too. CFDA image.

More from the CFDA fashion scene and winners tomorrow…

India, Immodest

Remember when a kissing scene in Indian cinema meant a couple barely holding hands in Switzerland and then in a sweeping change of clothes (within the same song sequence, of course) they were married – never mind the in-between?

In an effort to keep up with the bête of the West, the Motherland has shed her modesty these days.

The Bolly Dollies are getting über-competitive. Bips and John thought they’d be the first to have a bedded and besharam cover.

With all this uncovering on mag covers both east and west, these celebs will soon have to start putting clothes on to get noticed at the mag stands!

Bipasha Basu, with boyfriend IRL, John Abraham.

Uncle Karl: Fêted and Festooned in France

If you thought that Karl Lagerfeld deserved a medal for all that he does and has done for fashion, photography, architecture, design and culture in general, you are not alone.

Our favourite uncle received the Legion of Honour at the Elysée presidential palace yesterday, along with a little private palatial garden party thrown by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, who is no stranger to fashion fêtes given her former title of supermodel.

The French Mint and Chanel’s fine jewellery artisans created the one-of-a-kind medal for the designer, which was perfect with the rest of his look.

Now we all know how quotable Karl can be – with random statements and opinions about everything from style to body shape. It was nice to see him humbled by this honour. Quoted in WWD this morning, in his speech he said, “If it wasn’t for 99 percent of the people in this room, it would all amount to nothing. So in fact, this is for me but it is also for all of you.”

Congrats to our grand couturier uncle, without whom fashion would be oh-so-boring.

Don’t be surprised if medals show up in the next Chanel collection.

Nicolas Sarkozy, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and Karl Lagerfeld

With files from WWD.

Super Friends or Super Trends?

The Super Friends have gone sartorial. They’ve moved their headquarters temporarily from the Hall of Justice…to Rue St. Honore.

Holy Bedazzler, Batman – Colette is selling duds that will make ordinary civilians feel as if they have style super powers – or at least will give them a cocktail soiree conversation starter.

The Parisian retail mecca has teamed up with Warner Bros. to celebrate 75 years of DC Comics. Given that the limited edition clothing and accessories collection was created by famed French designers with the powers to cut, stitch, embellish and save the world from boring basics, I expected creativity, not costumes.

It’s more kitsch than couture, but fun to look at nonetheless.

Alexis Mabille for The Joker

Because Batman loves Balmain?

Julien David for Superman. Did Superman eat at McDonald's

A wonder woman herself, Sonia Rykiel creates her take on the icon's look. More Wal-mart costume than something a modern wonder femme would wear, no?

Maison Michel's take for WW is slightly more wearable.

I still want the bracelets…sigh.

Pierre Hardy's super tote lacks a little superiority.

Lanvin's little pug Batman

You can Flash and dance in these practical flats by Repetto.

Theirry Lasry's Plastic Man shades might require super vision.

Oh Uncle Karl, why did you put gloves on a man who is supposed to show off his ring?

Green Lantern was always my fave, too. Why, you ask? Hello! He had a big green ring…I was mesmerized by shiny baubles at a very young age.

But Roger Vivier saved the day with these green heeled boots for Catwoman - who was always so purr-ty.

They are still a little cartoony but I’ll take them over the rest. After all, every woman knows that stilettos automatically give you super powers.

Images courtesy of Colette, where the collector’s items (for comic book, not couture, geeks) can be purchased online.

Zara Dekhna: Inditex Invades India

The Motherland has been invaded by the Spaniards. 

The Inditex Group’s first Zara store opened in India late last week to much hungama. It seems like a late foray, doesn’t it? Luxury brands have been setting up shop from Guragaon to Goa in the last few years, but then again, most things in the Motherland do happen in IST, or Indian Standard Time. 

The 1,800-square-meter space is in the Select CityWalk mall in Saket, South Delhi and will co-exist with brands like Next (England’s answer to Gap – only better), Ed Hardy (I guess bad taste crosses all borders), Esprit, French Connection and fellow Spanish retailer, Mango. All Zara lines will be stocked – Woman, Basic, TRF, Kids and Man. 

 

Two more stores are imminent – another in Delhi’s famed DLF Promenade Vasant Kunj mall, where the retailer will compete against the brands it is, ahem, inspired by – and a third at the Palladium Mall shopping centre in Mumbai. When did the Motherland become such a mall haven? Other major Indian cities also have a Zara in their near future. 

My first experience with the Zara brand – one of many owned by the Inditex Group – was in Madrid about a dozen years ago. I walked in to the Gran Via store and I think angels began to sing. Everything in the store was black, grey, brown, burgundy and green. Was I home? 

A friend was with me and I just remember her saying something about going to the Lladro figurine shop a few doors down. I didn’t even turn my head – just told her to go on without me. It would be a while. (She would smile if she read this story now.) 

I remember picking up a piece, looking at the colour/quality/price and never putting it back down. That one item soon turned into 12, 15, 20. The store was about to close, but the Spanish Sales S.W.A.K. (they were too nice to be a S.W.A.T.) team that came to rescue my numb arm of the mountain of mode told me to relax and take my time. 

It was so difficult to choose. I remember the Zara Woman label being such amazing quality and their suits having multiple options. You could take a long jacket in a grouping and pair it with the slim or wide-legged pants, the short or long skirt and sometimes even a vest. It was manufactured by Inditex, but you could suit it to your style or body type. That is something I never did see in any of the North American stores. 

I walked out with three (yes – tres) large (muy grande) garbage-sized bags full of merch, with the S.W.A.K. team literally blowing me kisses and hugging me as I left. The most expensive single item was a suit jacket at $100. It was one of the best retail experiences I’ve ever had. Those suits were my staples for so many years – with people asking me regularly where I got something that was cut so well and with such great fabric. It was the Madrid Zara – and I just gave away my last piece of that haul in a much-needed spring clean only days ago. Someone else will fall in love with that grey, zip suit jacket like I did and gush over the mint condition they find it in. Good clothes carry good karma with them. 

The next morning, as I entered the tour bus, word of my haul had spread to the group – and each time we passed a Zara in the numerous cities of Spain we visited (and there were lots – like Benettons in Italy!), they said: oh look, there’s a Jyotika (my fellow travellers had named the store after me). 

In recent years, I’ve found less and less but still manage to source a lovely piece or two that carries me through a season or two. 

Inditex has been expanding into Asian countries, starting with Japan in 1999, and more recently, China in 2006 and South Korea in 2008. With the Indian market being as garam as it is right now, it only makes sense for Inditex to get in on the action, and makes more sense for them to partner with the  Tata Group – the resident rulers of everything from cars to luxe hotels and most things in between. 

A sealed deal: Pablo Isla, Inditex’s Deputy Chairman and CEO with Noel N. Tata, Managing Director of Trent Limited, a Tata Enterprise.

Hmmm….Zara goes desi. It’s about time things came full circle. After all, I do buy most of my kurtas at the big Z and they are made in India. 

Checking India off their list, brought Inditex closer to world domination with stores in 77 countries - a feat that’s hard to knock off. 

[Lost in translation: Zara dekhna = Just take a look, hungama = fanfare/chaos, garam = hot, kurtas = tunics, desi = homegrown.]

Images courtesy of Business Week and Inditex respectively.