Tom Ford fashions
October 30, 2008 Fashion designer Tom Ford is getting the cast in place for his long-awaited move into features.
Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Matthew Goode are set to star in “A Single Man,” Ford’s adaptation of the Christopher Isherwood novel.
Published in 1964, the novel centers on a gay man who, after the sudden death of his partner, is determined to persist in his usual routine, which is seen in the span of a single, ordinary day in southern California.
Firth is the gay man, an Englishman and professor who feels like an outsider in Los Angeles. Goode is the boyfriend who dies in a car accident and appears in flashbacks. Moore plays a friend of the professor.
Ford adapted the screenplay for the independently financed project with David Scearce. A Monday start date is being eyed.
Ford rose to the top of the fashion world with a 10-year run at Gucci, a period that turned around the fortunes of the fashion house. He stepped down in 2004, signing on with CAA with the aim to slide into the director’s chair.
Moscow fashion week
October 26, 2008 Moscow showed uncharacteristic reserve at its 20th fashion week with models strutting in diaphanous gowns and soft colors as the financial gloom of the credit crunch nipped at its stiletto heels.
The sushi-nibbling Moscow elite descended on Gostiny Dvor this week, a revamped 19th century exhibit hall near the Kremlin to see home-grown designs and catch a glimpse of Hollywood star and ex-Bond girl Denise Richards.
“I am extremely proud to open the 20th jubilee of our city’s fashion week, Moscow is a true European capital,” Moscow mayor of 15 years Yuri Luzhkov said sitting two seats down from Richards at the show of celebrated designer Valentin Yudashkin.
Luzkhov later presented a huge bouquet of colorful flowers to the raven-haired designer, who has boutiques in Europe and was commissioned to dress the Russian military.
Muted, neutral colors featured heavily in his spring and summer collection for next year, reminiscent of Milan shows last month where designers stuck to simple clothes in what fashion experts said was an attempt to keep cautious buyers keen with clothes that can work through several seasons.
The token Hollywood star for the event — birthdays of billionaires and gallery openings in Moscow usually have one — was Richards, who did her best to overcome the language barrier with an ear-to-ear smile.
“I love it, it’s wonderful,” she said of the Russian capital. “The show was amazing, it was fantastic,” she added, teetering on gold high heels and wrapped in a short shiny dress.
Jennifer Lopez and Donatella Versace
Prince didn’t say a word - nor did he sing - at Fashion Group International’s annual Night of Stars on Thursday, Oct. 23, but he did function as arm candy for Jennifer Lopez on stage as she introduced the evening’s big honoree, Donatella Versace, who took home the “Superstar” award.
Lopez may have done all the talking, but when Versace came out to accept her award (a few seconds too early - the Prince song that was supposed to play as she made her entrance started late), she made sure to thank Prince for “being a superstar.”
But Versace’s timing gaffe wasn’t an isolated incident - after a lengthy back and forth between friends Philippe Starck and Christian Louboutin, who both picked up awards (Starck for architecture and Louboutin as a “Star Honoree”) - the announcer accidentally introduced presenter Ashley Olsen (there to salute Francisco Costa) in the midst of Louboutin’s acceptance speech. Call it “Night of False Starts.”
Hosted by Barneys New York’s Simon Doonan, he opened the night by humorously urging honorees and presenters to keep the speeches short, “Donatella has to get to Katz’s deli in the Lower East Side by 11, she’s judging a pickle-eating competition,” he quipped.
Karl Lagerfeld eschewed the unofficial time limit rule with his introduction of Harold Koda, the curator of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and recipient of the “Fashion Oracle” award, with a speech that elaborated on fashion’s relevance to the history books. “He is the future of fashion,” said Lagerfeld about Koda. “He will decide what will be remembered from today,” to which Koda responded, “I feel I should be handing Karl the award.”
Night of Stars also honored fashion designers Francisco Costa of Calvin Klein and Christopher Bailey of Burberry, Italian Vogue’s Franca Sozzani and her sister Carla Sozzani, Net-a-Porter’s Natalie Massenet and Harvey Weinstein. John Paul Dejoria of Paul Mitchell was given the “Sustainability” award and Bill McComb of the Liz Clairborne Foundation received the “Humanitarian” honors.
Madonna & Guy Ritchie split
October 23, 2008The actual announcement about Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s split may be yesterday’s news, but the obsession over the marriage’s demise is anything but—with no less than three mags making it their cover stories this week. And given some of the nastier details being reported, we can certainly understand why.
“She would taunt Guy, saying, ‘I should have married someone like me: strong, hot-blooded, intelligent, ambitious, spiritual,’ ” a source for Guy tells Us Weekly. “Their fights would often get heated. A few times Madonna slapped him or poked him.”
Well, Guy apparently didn’t take very kindly to such comments and is said to have had a few choice words of his own…
“Guy called her old, fat, ugly and wrinkled and said that she was stupid and couldn’t sing,” a friend from the Madonna camp reveals to Us.
Over at OK!, a source close to Guy thinks Madonna has “instructed her team to start a hate campaign” against her soon-to-be ex. (Although it’s probably safe to assume the pop icon had nothing to do with the report in the U.K.’s News of the World about Guy supposedly admitting that sex with her was like “cuddling up to a piece of gristle.”)
Meanwhile, People reports that for Guy, being with someone like Madonna was, quite simply, draining.
McGraw book on dads and daughters
October 22, 2008 As the father of three girls, Tim McGraw understands the challenges that face dads who want to please their daughters.
So the children’s book he’s co-written with Tom Douglas has some simple advice: As long as you’re spending time with them, it doesn’t really matter what you do.
“My Little Girl,” to be published Tuesday by Thomas Nelson, tells the story of a father — in a dark cowboy hat, of course — who spends a fun day with his little girl Katie doing … nothing in particular.
They stop by the farm co-op, gaze up at the clouds and play on a tire swing.
The 41-year-old country singer said he enjoys spending time with his daughters — ages 11, 10 and 6 — but if he did what they liked doing, he’d be spending a lot of time shopping at the mall or getting pedicures.
“It’s something that as a father you kind of have to sacrifice what you want to do, because boys do what you want to do. If I want to go to the farm and shoot guns or ride four-wheelers in the mud when it’s 40 degrees … the girls aren’t really interested in doing that,” he said.
But McGraw said he’s found that his daughters like coming along while he does simple, everyday stuff, like running to the grocery store or stopping by the office.
“Do what you have to do in your regular routine and take them with you. It makes all the difference in the world,” he said.
Vera Wang Bridal
October 21, 2008 New York – An ethereal bridal collection from Vera Wang for Fall 2009 evoked wood sprites and forest creatures for “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” wedding. Taking cues from Wang’s ready-to-wear collections - barely-there, painterly color palette, layered hand-cut tulle and asymmetrical draping - challenging the notion that bridal couture needs to stick to a white duchess satin ball gown formula. “I like to think outside the box with these collections,” said Wang after the show.
One of the keys to Wang’s re-imaging of bridal is to take the traditional silhouette, but soften or update it for a more modern, fashion-conscious customer. The “ball gown” turns into a cloud of softly folded tulle with a bodice like whipped frosting, accented with a simple lavender grosgrain sash. A “mermaid” gown softly flares into oversized layers of watercolor-like, earthy chestnut organza, while sequined straps suspend a slip dress from bare shoulders for a look that is as seductive as vintage lingerie.
Here, the way Wang manipulates fabric takes a starring roll rather than the usual beaded embellishment. Instead of using beading or embroidery to detail her gowns, she will twist and pleat tulle into a dramatic train, or line a hem with hand-cut rosettes. Necklaces or bracelets of sequins and beads sewn to ribbon provided just enough sparkle.
The show had editors buzzing for its creativity and advanced take on the bridal gown, but one editor was overheard asking a buyer whether the colorful gowns would be on their lists. “As long as they come in white!” remarked the buyer. Still, the collection inspired a bohemian, return-to-mother-nature narrative that will likely appeal to brides looking to avoid the conspicuousness of bling in favor of something soft and romantic.
Ukrainian Fashion Week
October 17, 2008Kiev – Turns out there is one perfectly good designer in the Ukraine, and she is Lilla Poustovit, a romantic figure whose collections already retail in some of Europe’s best boutiques. Her dreamy, yet elegantly practical collection shown Wednesday night, opened Ukrainian fashion Week, a 41-show season staged in leafy and historic Kiev.
Poustovit’s spring summer 2009 collection had lots of virtues, from its crumpled chic silk dresses, forgivingly cut yet cunningly draped, great graphic print tops and some very charming polka dot sheaths, draped with aplomb and finished with sophisticated lace detailing. Though clearly influenced by her country’s ethnic traditions, Poustovit is a smart enough designer to know its best to use small doses of tradition leavened in a contemporary silhouette and mood.
“I had in mind an image of an Adriatic sunset when making this collection. So I wanted something romantic, yet clothes women could understand and wear easily,” explained Poustovit backstage.
Lilla also injected an architectural element into her cocktail dresses, with vertical pleats that evoked Grecian columns.
Like all the shows here, Poustovit’s collection was staged in a conference center in Pushkin Park, where TV hosts, actresses, Kievan rappers and local politicians all made the scene.
Also impressing was a cool club girl collection called NB Karavay, a display of posh hippie duds for spring that had sass and humor. Ranging from natty multi-flap and pleated cocktails to street chic short sleeve coats, this collection showed that Ukrainians can make commercial collections that connect with young consumers. (more…)
Guy Pearce
Hollywood made Guy Pearce so anxious he left for the quiet life back home, writes Donna Walker-Mitchell.It’s not often someone stands up to Harvey Weinstein, the bombastic, cigar-chomping, Hollywood studio boss whose rants can reduce men to tears. But Weinstein met his match in Guy Pearce. “You’re one tough bastard,” the former head of the Miramax movie studio and current boss of The Weinstein Company, once told the Australian actor.
When you meet Pearce it’s hard to fathom why the tyrannical Weinstein would offer up such a description.
On a recent afternoon in a third-floor suite in New York’s hip W hotel in Union Square, Pearce, slight-framed and 40, is quietly spoken, gracious and relaxed.
The former Neighbours star lives with little fanfare in the Melbourne bayside suburb of St Kilda, with his wife of 11 years and childhood sweetheart, psychologist Kate Mestitz, and their two basenji dogs.
Kevan Hall
October 16, 2008You know you are doing something right when a star-studded packed house repeatedly breaks out in cheers and applause in the midst of your runway show; that’s what happened to designer Kevan Hall as his latest womenswear collection launched this season’s Los Angeles Fashion Week on Sunday.
Hall, showing his Spring 2009 designs, as usual did not disappoint his legions of fashionista fans with this show, his “Stage Door” homage to the classic, movie-star ready designs of the legendary Adrian. And, as usual, Kevan Hall set the standard that all other designers showing this week will be hard-pressed to match.”I was a little nervous about this show,”
Hall revealed after receiving a standing ovation from his diverse fans, including actresses Dana Delany, Rachel Griffiths, Tia Mowry, Gina Torres, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, stylist George Blodwell, Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Hall’s brother, actor-director Vondie Curtis-Hall. “It was a bit different for me, this show, because I changed up the feel of the show, and went more for a classic vibe.”
Which meant evoking the gorgeous looks of yesteryear. Think of the most beautiful clothes that stars like Grace Kelly, Lauren Bacall, Katharine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, or Jean Harlow wore in their heyday, and that’s what Hall presented on the runway.
From the slim, sleeveless “Garbo” double-breasted black-and-white belted dress that began the show to the stunning navy and black “Filmstrip” gown that closed it, Hall sent 54 exemplary red-carpet-ready looks down the runway.
Beach Bunny Swimwear
October 15, 2008. The Spring 2009 show began with a nautical theme, with a bikini in navy lace paired with a tiny white cheerleader-skirt bottom; then a navy leather bikini wowed the crowd, with its gold chain embellishments on both tiny top and bottom.
The audience in the also tiny Lightbox Stage at Smashbox Studios noticed immediately that while the suits were mostly minuscule, the models were not, at least not on top, where they were busting out all over, many with a less-than-natural look to them.
The look was perfect, however, when paired with the slightly trashy theme of the Beach Bunny line, of bringing “the boudoir to the beach.” It was hard to tell the difference sometimes, like with the “Need You Tonight” suit, a white triangle top paired with white-and-fuchsia lace “skimpy” bottoms; that is a bedroom-only suit, for sure, as is the “Lady Marmalade,” a pink satin bikini trimmed in vintage black lace.
More wearable for public display are the cute “Wicked Games” black croc buckle bikini, the groovy “Can’t Buy Me Love” trapezoid one shoulder bikini done in aqua, and the “Stop and Stare” zebra bandeau, a suit covered in chains and embellishments. That one does look like it might get awfully hot in the sun, however, with all that metal to heat up.
Chittenden also threw in a few bathing suit cover-ups, including a form-fitting fuchsia romper with ruffles, a low-cut silk chiffon tunic studded with large stones, and the “French Kiss,” a satin underwire bubble dress that again would look a bit odd on the beach, but great in the bedroom.
Hollywood flair for Fashion
October 14, 2008Hall opened Mercedes-Benz Los Angeles Fashion Week on Sunday showcasing the kinds of exquisitely tailored and crafted dresses that make him a red-carpet favorite with the women of Hollywood. Front-row admirers at the show included Rachel Griffiths, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon and Dana Delany.
Influenced by Gilbert Adrian—whose designs in the ’30s and ’40s elevated the style wattage of icons Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford—Hall’s line looked to classic retro shapes and materials such as taffeta and chiffon in stark black and white or sultry blue and pink.
Among the best looks were a backless yellow chiffon floral printed gown nipped in at the waist and accented by a floating train, plus a delicate silk chiffon dress in aquamarine with jewels gathered at the neckline. Several gowns drew cheers and claps from the crowd, including one made distinct by elegant waist-to-floor pleats and an ombre style, fading from white to baby blue.
Models sporting swept-back hair in loose chignons wore slanted berets, and thick black belts created feminine silhouettes reminiscent of the working gals on AMC’s ’60s-set TV show “Mad Men.” A strapless dress in plum overlaid with black lace had a gorgeous fitted bodice, with a skirt plumped up by tulle.
(more…)
High cost of fashion is over
October 13, 2008With the state the economy is in, high cost of fashion is out. Over the past four weeks, fashion houses in New York, Milan and Paris have sent their silhouettes down the runway. But it’s as though the industry is living in the go-go 1990s while everyone else wonders how many more decades they’ll have to work to make up for their losses.
With the economy so bleak, it’s hard to look at the brocade pajama party that the designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana put on their runway in Milan and do much more than shake one’s head in amazement.
It was all quite pretty, but still, what could they possibly have been thinking?
The economic crisis began in the U.S. housing market, but it swiftly took on a global dimension. Don’t they read the papers?
To be fair, designers began working on their spring 2009 collections some six months ago, so they could be forgiven for not registering the full brunt of the financial downturn.
But there were certainly clues. And they could have lessened the jarring ostentation on the runway by including a few more looks from their “showroom collections” — the more commercial and accessible pieces deemed too reserved for the spotlight.
(more…)
L.A. FASHION WEEK
October 11, 2008THE BIRTHPLACE of haute denim and home to red carpet events that beam celebrities in designer gowns into millions of homes from Burbank to Belfast, Los Angeles is unique in its ability to serve up clothes that are not just coveted from afar but are worn by real people.
Add to that the 24/7 celebrity exposure of every bag and shoe that steps out to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and the City of Angels is arguably the most influential style city in the world.
And yet, Los Angeles Fashion Week has never really taken off, partly because organizers have tried to make it fit the template of other fashion weeks around the globe, where success is a front row stocked with retail buyers and New York magazine editors.
Because it’s being judged by that yardstick, it falls short, and many influential local designers see no reason to show their work here. It also suffers from being an industry-insiders-only club in a city that thrives on pleasing the masses. (more…)
City of Ember
Review in a Hurry: That ol’ liberal Hollywood bias is translated into a kiddie flick that’s Brazil for tots. Two hundred years after humanity is forced underground, one girl’s tenacious spirit unlocks the secret to her people’s future.
The Bigger Picture: The details are fairy-tale vague in City of Ember, and the fascism is PG-rated. Two hundred years after the mysterious Builders created a vast underground city “protected for generations to come,” food supplies are running short, and the generator that keeps the place humming is on its last legs.
The adult population, blissfully ignorant, go about their business, questioning nothing. “Ours is the only light in a dark world,” they believe, singing hymns to the Builders and discouraged from imagining what lies beyond their subterranean city.
Top Model spinoff heads to catwalk
October 10, 2008The network has ordered a pilot for “Operation Fabulous,” starring “Top Model” regulars Jay Manuel and J. Alexander and executive produced by “Top Model” chiefs Tyra Banks and Ken Mok.
On “Fabulous,” “Jay and J,” as Manuel and Alexander are called on “Top Model,” will travel the country giving women makeovers. In various towns, the duo will select five participants and give them “Top Model”-style overhauls — how to dress, wear their hair and makeup and bring out their confidence with the support of family, friends and their community.
The project seeks to capitalize on a fan-favorite “Model” segment, when contestants are given head-to-toe high-fashion makeovers supervised by Alexander.
Manuel and Alexander have been with “Model” since the series’ debut on UPN in 2003. Manuel is the creative director of show’s photo shoots; Alexander is a runway expert who has been a judge for the past few seasons.
“Model” airs twice a year on the CW. Although ratings have ebbed in recent years, the reality show remains the network’s highest-rated series.
Angelina Jolie breastfeeding
Jolie appears on the cover of the W’s November issue in a sleeveless top, which has been opened to reveal part of her left breast and a tiny hand ostensibly belonging to one of her twins, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, who were born in July.
The black-and-white photo shows Jolie smiling, her long brown hair cascading over her shoulder. The cover headline promises exclusive “private photos” of the 33-year-old actress by her partner Brad Pitt.
Jolie last caused a stir when she wore a white nursing bra underneath her tank top on the cover of People magazine after she and Pitt welcomed daughter Shiloh, now 2 years old.
Another breast-feeding cover that got people talking was in the summer of 2006, when Babytalk magazine published a photo of a baby and part of a woman’s breast in profile. The magazine conducted a poll of more than 4,000 readers; a quarter of responses were negative, finding the photo inappropriate.
La Leche League International, the world’s oldest breast-feeding support organization, applauds Jolie’s apparent decision to be photographed nursing.
“Breast-feeding in public reveals a whole lot less than what has been revealed on the red carpet. … I think we do need more role models like Angelina Jolie willing to be photographed and say, `Hey look, it can be done, it oughta be done,’” said La Leche spokeswoman Jane Crouse. (more…)
Kareena Kapoor
October 9, 2008Kareena Kapoor to launch website on fashion trends Actress Kareena Kapoor is the latest in Bollywood to become net-savvy and will soon launch her own website. “It will be fashion-oriented.
The site will have updates not only on Kareena’s fashion trends but also the trends which take place all over the globe,” a spokesperson for the actress, who is shooting for ‘3 Idiots’ with Aamir Khan in Ladakh, said.
Kareena has always had a passion for fashion. “There have been number of occasions where Kareena has actively participated in designing her costumes in films.
Kareena has always wanted to launch her own brand of clothes. The website is her first step in that direction,” the spokesperson added. (more…)
World’s Best Paid Authors
Lacey Rose and Lauren Streib, Forbes.com While the publishing industry has struggled to come up with a “Happily Ever After” storyline in recent years, there’s still plenty of money to be made in the business of books.
Sure it isn’t the success it once was–blame it on the economy, the Web and the big-box stores–but the publishing industry’s top earners still manage to turn pages of prose into piles of cash.
In fact, the 10 stars on our list of the best-paid authors pulled in a combined $563 million between June 1, 2007, and June 1, 2008, thanks to hefty advances, impressive sales and silver screen adaptations.
In Pictures: The World’s Best Paid Authors In Pictures: Britain’s Billionaires The Celebrity 100 (Page 10: #9 J.K. Rowling) In Pictures: Barack Obama’s Celebrity Counterparts In Pictures: Europe’s Billionaire Women In Pictures: The World’s Best Paid Authors Topping the list: J.K. Rowling, who banked a jaw-dropping $300 million over the course of the year. (more…)
Leo Russell and Ridley
October 8, 2008Director Ridley Scott wore a dark suit and white shirt sans tie, while co-stars Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio were almost twins in their dark suits and grey satin ties.
Leo’s shirt was a crisp white, Russell’s was baby blue, and he sported a long ponytail and scruffy beard, apparently for his next film, “Nottingham,” in which he’ll play both Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham in his fifth collaboration with Ridley.
Wearing matching outfits reflected the camaraderie that the two stars insisted they share at an earlier press conference. (more…)
Louis Vuitton
Jacobs’s intentions were made clear even before the first model hit the catwalk Sunday in the custom-built LV tent in the Louvre Museum’s Cour Carree, when the voice of Edith Piaf cried out of huge speakers before a giant bamboo backdrop that recalled Pigalle music halls.
The results were all sorts of articles one never expected to see on a Vuitton catwalk - from mini knickers with LV logos to some slinky and saucy leotards.
Hair pulled up in spiky tarty plumes, eyes black rimmed, face pancaked in makeup, the models, whose limbs were covered in various African accoutrements, showed Leopard print bracelets, giant Maori style pendants and a sensational series of high heels.
And, in a season, which has trumpeted the return of the mini, Jacobs sent out a string of models in skirts that barely covered their underwear. (more…)
