Fashion News: Alicia Keys, Sean Combs and Kanye West at Givenchy

Maxime Simoens, 27, is the most recent designer to leave his post (a four-month stint designing for French fashion house Leonard) following a string of others including Stefano Pilati and Raf Simons. He's also the most recent talent rumored to be filling the Dior post. Could the young designer finally be the one everyone's been waiting for? WWD (subscription required), Fashionista

Alber Elbaz celebrated 10 years at Lanvin with a party in Paris. Guests included Pharrell Williams and the always striking Tilda Swinton. Style.com

Speaking of celebrities seen at Paris Fashion Week, Sean Combs, Alicia Keys and Kanye West, a budding designer himself, sat front row at the Givenchy show on Sunday. Style.com

A study done in Britain shows that eating disorders can be linked to social and cultural influences, suggesting to some that advertisements and images featuring too-thin models should be banned by the government. Fashion Etc

L.A.-based label Equipment, maker of the beloved silk button-down shirts that fashion editors and insiders can't get enough of, is launching sweaters for fall. It presented a line of three basic silhouettes last week in Paris and will also expand on dresses and tweak its signature silk shirts into even more pared-down crew-neck tops. Elle

Actress and current face of Dior Mila Kunis has no doubt that she'll try face-filling injectables some day. People Style Watch

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-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos, from top: Alicia Keys attends the Givenchy ready-to-wear fall/winter show at Paris Fashion Week; French designer Maxime Simoens appears on the catwalk after presenting the Leonard collection; Kanye West at the Givenchy show. Credits: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images; Francois Mori / Associated Press; Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

Fashion photographer Lillian Bassman dead at 94

Photographer Lillian Bassman came on the fashion scene in the 1940s, '50s and '60s, shooting elegant wasp-waisted women, art directing at Junior Bazaar and inspiring the designers whose creations she photographed. 

She left the fashion scene in the 1970s but returned 20 years later, thanks to some assists from the painter Helen Frankenthaler and photo historian Martin Harrison. Within the last few years, the art and fashion world declared that she was in the midst of a renaissance and renewed interest in her work led to a new book and exhibitions around the world.

Bassman died Monday in New York. She was 94.

According to an obituary in the New York Times, during her first flourishing, Bassman "became highly sought after for her expressive portraits of slender, long-necked models advertising lingerie, cosmetics and fabrics. Her lingerie work in particular brought lightness and glamour to an arena previously known for heavy, middle-aged women posing in industrial-strength corsets."

Bassman's work was featured at the Peter Fetterman Gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica in 2010. Her work was published in "Lillian Bassman" in 1997 and "Lillian Bassman: Women" in 2009.

At one time her favorite model was Barbara Mullen, above, noted for her 20-inch waist. "There are models that are not models but muses," Bassman recalled in a 2010 article in the Los Angeles Times. "She had everything marvelous: a beautiful neck, grace, the ability to respond to me.

"We used to get on the floor, and when I get excited, I take my shoes off," she continued. "The two of us would dance. We understood each other."

Mullen agreed. "I felt absolutely wonderful when I moved with Lillian....it was like being heaven."

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 -- Alice Short

Photos: Top, Lillian Bassman and husband Paul Himmel attend the CFDA hosted viewing of MOMA's "Fashioning Fiction in Photography Since 1990," on April 22, 2004, in Queens, New York. Credit: Andrew Kent / Getty Images

Middle, model Barbara Mullen in a gown by Christian Dior, from Harper's Bazaar, April 1949.  Credit: Estate of Lillian Bassman / Peter Fetterman Gallery.

 

 

 

Beauty Bag: DJ Mia Moretti’s New York Fashion Week must-haves

Back-to-back shows, after-parties and posing for street-style photos (all in heels and in the cold) can quickly get tiring for even the most seasoned fashion week vet. And often it’s the booming music (and a steady stream of nonfat lattes) that keep people moving from the daytime shows to the late night parties.

Mia Moretti is no stranger to this scene, in fact, as one of the week’s most sought-after DJs, she’s responsible for keeping people on their feet and, hopefully, dancing the night away. This week, she’ll be found spinning at Alice & Olivia, Rag & Bone, Hugo Boss, Carlo Pazzolini and Rebecca Minkoff, to name a few.

The rest of the year, Moretti plays celeb-studded parties, logging plenty of air miles between posh fashion gigs. Her busy schedule (she recently released a single called “So Beautiful” with electronic violinist Caitlin Moe) and plenty of late nights make her a pro at finding the most effective, multi-use beauty items to keep her looking gorgeous and well-rested, even when sleep is not an option. 

Here’s a look at the products in her makeup bag that will be working overtime this fashion week.

Ole Henricksen African Red Tea Exfoliating Lip Salvation $15 at Sephora

“This is a yummy lip exfoliator that isn't too harsh,” says Moretti. “You can use it throughout the day, and it doubles as a gloss because it has a nice light pink tint to it.”

Ling Skincare NYC Hydra Squaline Oil $75 at www.lingskincare.com

“I love this oil for the winter and put it on as soon as I get on a plane,” says the New York-based, California native.  “Sometimes I put it on again in the middle of a flight, because flying dries your skin out so much.” 

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, Red Square $24 at www.drugstore.com

A bright pop of orange-red lipstick can take a look from day to night and Moretti relies on this moisturizing matte pencil for the bold color and because the formula stays put without fading.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup SPF 15 $45 at www.chanel.com

This is her go-to foundation for its sheer and dewy finish. “It also has an SPF in it,” says Moretti, “which I like because other products with sunscreen I've used in the past always seem to be a little too oily.”

Tom Ford Private Blend Amber Absolute Eau de Parfum $195 at Nordstrom

The earthy scent is the DJ’s favorite blend and the bonus is that it’s housed in a container under 3 ounces, making it easy to travel with.

--Melissa Magsaysay

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Photos: Top: Mia Moretti/Mia Moretti; Top right: Ole Henricksen African Red Tea Exfoliating Lip Salvation/Ole Henricksen; Top left: Ling Skincare NYC Hydra Squaline Oil/Ling Skincare; Middle right: NARS Velvet Matte Lip pencil in Red Square/Nars Cosmetics; Middle left: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup SPF 15/Chanel; Bottom: Tom Ford Private Blend Amber Absolute Eau de Parfum/Nordstrom.com

 

Fashion news: Golden Globes, Tim Tebow, Victoria's Secret

Golden Globe nominations were announced this morning, and some of Hollywood's most fashionable women are on the list. Among them: Tilda Swinton, Charlize Theron, Kate Winslet, Michelle Williams, Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain. [L.A. Times]

Are the French being contrarians?

Sometimes the forces behind fashion month scheduling in New York, London, Milan and Paris can work out their schedules in a warm and fuzzy way. Sometimes they can't. Now, according to Fashionista (and Women's Wear Daily), France's Chambre Syndicale "dropped a bomb that essentially pits New York against the rest of the fashion world."

It's complicated. The hoped-for resolution involves the coordination of various timetables so editors can see everything (or almost everything) without having to race to the airport and cut a visit short. The Chambre Syndicale was asked to delay the start of its September 2012 shows a day.

"All the cities -- Paris included -- had to agree," Fashionista reported. "Well, Paris doesn't agree."

Sometimes fashion isn't pretty. [WWD, subscription required]

Women's Wear Daily has declared Tim Tebow to be its "man of the week," although if you read the fine print, it says the Denver Broncos quarterback "needs to repent for his fashion sins." Then there's this: "The Easter Bunny pastel blue blazer does nothing to enhance his upper torso -- or his masculinity." [WWD, subscription required]

If you care about Victoria's Secret (and we know you do) and fair trade (double that caring), you might find this item from New York magazine potentially shocking:

A new report by Bloomberg News shows that cotton used in Victoria's Secret underwear — described on labels as "fair trade" and "Good for women. Good for the children who depend on them" — was actually picked by abused, unpaid children in Burkina Faso. While it's unclear if Victoria's Secret actually knew that their cotton suppliers weren't meeting labor standards, many plantations in the country are known to exploit underage workers. VS claims that they never saw a study published in 2008 by one of their partners ... suggesting that thousands of children ... were forced to work on the fair-trade farms in the area.

Doesn't sound very angelic, does it? [The Cut]

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-- Alice Short

Photo: Charlize Theron arrives for the premiere of the film "Young Adult" in New York: Credit: Carlo Allegri / Reuters

Top talent lands in L.A. at British Fashion Council event

Just days after Concept L.A Fashion Week commenced at the Ace Gallery on Wilshire, a group of  established and all British designers moved in to present their spring/summer 2012 collections to editors, buyers and stylists.   

The event called London Show Rooms is put on by the British Fashion Council and brings together an impressive group of top talent all representing Britain. The designers at the inaugural L.A leg of London Show Rooms (it was initially launched in 2008 in Paris, added New York and a men’s presentation in Paris in 2010) include E. Tautz, Erdem, Jonathan Saunders, Marios Schwab, Mary Katrantzou, Nicholas Kirkwood, Peter Pilotto, Richard Nicoll and Roksanda Ilincic, as well as a “ones to watch” group including Louise Gray and David Koma.

All the designers were present and excited to talk about their lines as well as their feelings on Los Angeles. “I love L.A.!” said Erdem Moralioglu, who is known for his use of vibrant color and quirky, ultra-feminine prints that sell at Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus here. He landed in town just a few days earlier after stopping in Vancouver for work, he heads to Seattle after L.A for an appearance at Nordstrom, but had a checklist of things to do — like try wheat grass and go to LACMA — while in Southern California for the week. “I love the idea of women pairing my pieces with something unexpected,” he said. “And I think women in L.A are great at that. They will mix it up and maybe wear a floral dress with flats or an Alaia sandal.” His spring/summer 2012 collection was full of ladylike dresses made from 1950s girdle fabric (genius) and smattered with various bold prints that felt fresh and appropriately springtime.

It wasn’t just Erdem’s collection that popped with crazy bright color against the stark white walls of the Ace Gallery. Mary Katrantzou, Peter Pilotto, Roksanda Ilincic and shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood all showed super-bright lines filled with bold patterns and angular cuts.

Marios Schwab had a slightly darker tone to his line, but there was plenty of texture (diamond cutouts all over fitted cocktail dresses and sequins adorning the under layer of evening dresses). The young designer was influenced by film noir and incorporated the light and shadow effect by layering ultra-light black tulle over solid-colored fabric or simply crafting an entire gown out of a thin spray of the stuff — a sequin bodysuit underneath showed through just enough for a little nighttime pizazz.   

London Show Rooms started Monday and ends Wednesday with a party at the Mondrian Hotel. But, despite the quick trip, a few of the designers managed to squeeze in a little field trip to the Westside over the weekend, hitting up the Vintage Expo at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. “Roksanda got this amazing Balenciaga dress and I picked up some Alaia pieces for my sister.” Moralioglu said.

The presence of the London Show Rooms in Los Angeles is certainly a bright spot in the lineup of fashion events happening this month. The presentation was simple, straightforward, organized and really let the talent in the room shine. Top stylists and buyers (Ron Herman himself was in attendance at the first day of the event) showed up to see the collections. Many didn’t attend London Fashion week and were seeing everything for the first time. In any event, the opportunity to show the work up close was important and may ultimately be effective in gaining exposure for British designers here in L.A.

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Concept L.A Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2012

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— Melissa Magsaysay

Photos, from top: Participating designers with their models at the British Fashion Council's London Show Rooms; a model wearing a look from Erdem's spring-summer 2012 collection; designer Roksanda Ilincic, left, with a model wearing a look from her collection; shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood; Marios Schwab with a model wearing a look from his collection. Credit: British Fashion Council

Fashion News: Costumes don't save Metta World Peace on 'DWTS'

"Dancing With the Stars" is back, and as much as I love the dancing, I also love the costumes. But even these sassy outfits couldn't save Ron Artest -- oops, I mean Metta World Peace -- and Peta Murgatroyd, who were the first to be eliminated Tuesday. [Los Angeles Times]    

"Dancing With the Stars" has its own stylist, who works with the judges: former "Project Runway" contestant Kit Scarbo. She took PopSugar's Melody Nazarian behind the scenes in her workshop. [PopSugar LA]

West Hollywood tentatively approved an ordinance to ban the selling of fur. Animal rights activists are happy; fashion retailers are fuming. [Los Angeles Times] 

Fifteen-year-old fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson is featured on the cover of French L'Officiel's 90th anniversary issue, clad in Chanel. [Cut]

London Fashion Week was in crisis after Gucci summoned top models to Milan early for fittings for its show on Wednesday, the start of Milan's Fashion Week. London has always felt uncomfortably squeezed between New York's and Milan's versions of the biannual events. [Telegraph] 

In London, designers showing their collections for spring-summer 2012 seem to have fallen in love with the color yellow, as seen at Erdem, Christopher Kane, Mulberry, Burberry and more. [Telegraph]

The fashion industry is reportedly playing a key role in helping rebuild Haiti after its devastating earthquake. [WWD] (subscription required) 

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-- Susan Denley

Photo: Peta Murgatroyd and Metta World Peace on "Dancing With the Stars." Credit: Adam Taylor / ABC

New York Fashion Week: Phillip Lim

Geometry and activewear were the starting points for Phillip Lim's spring collection, inspired by the freedom of kites.

The silhouettes were loose, the fabrics weightless, and many items were multi-functional. (It's great to see a designer really thinking about how clothes are used.)

For example, Lim came up with an ingenious design for trousers with two-way zippers down the sides that can be adjusted depending on how loose you want the legs to be, and how much of the underlying tuxedo stripe you want to reveal.

Anoraks and lightweight coats came with removable hoods and sleeves.

Color-blocked tops featured folded "kite wings" in the front, floating "kite tails" trailing behind, or "kite string" straps.

What it all added up to was a fresh take on fashion's minimalism moment.

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-- Booth Moore in New York

Photos: Looks from the Phillip Lim spring 2012 runway collection shown during New York Fashion Week. Credits: Jason DeCrow / Associated Press; Chelsea Lauren /Getty Images

New York Fashion Week: Oscar de la Renta

Maybe it was the blaring Led Zeppelin soundtrack, or cute Justin Timberlake sitting in the front row, but it felt like a wave of cool washed over Oscar de la Renta's collection this season.

The look was 1970s rich hippie with wide-legged pants and poppy print bow-tie blouses, silk georgette dresses trimmed in tassels, and airy silk taffeta skirts worn with lace overshirts, or colorful fur vests a la Rachel Zoe (she was also in the front row).

While the ladylike suits of yore were still here, they had a new, more contemporary sensibility, in acid brights or crochet. Necklaces worn in the hair, and Lucite lace-up booties paired with frilly ankle socks added a flower child vibe, which culminated in a string of stunning finale gowns, including one in daffodil print silk faille, with enormous blouson sleeves, that seemed made for the mythical May Queen.

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--Booth Moore, reporting from New York

Photos: Looks from the Oscar de la Renta spring 2012 runway collection shown during New York Fashion Week. Credit: Jason DeCrow / AP Photo; Peter Michael Dills / Getty Images.

New York Fashion Week: Calvin Klein

Francisco Costa's spring collection for Calvin Klein was a beautiful escape, with sensual, body-skimming slip dresses and soft suits casting a sweetly nostalgic spell and putting a romantic spin on the minimalist trend.

In contrast to so many of the collections here this season, which have been dizzy with color and prints, Costa used a soft palette of boudoir peach, petal and gardenia, contrasted with dusky gray.

Drop-waist slip dresses and below-the-knee skirts were lovingly detailed with pleated back panels, tissue-thin layers of tulle, and decorative seams that brought to mind the Art Deco Chrysler Building. Soft silk blazers came with shawl collars, or cut deep in front, over loose, cropped trousers

Bravo to Costa for bringing a romantic vision to the minimalist trend.

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-- Booth Moore in New York City

Photos: Looks from the Calvin Klein spring 2012 runway collection shown during New York Fashion Week. Credit: Calvin Klein

New York Fashion Week: Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs has an extraordinary knack for staging runway shows that reflect the cultural zeitgeist. And this season what he showed us was desperation.

When the curtain lifted on his spring collection, models were lined up on a bare stage and draped over chairs. It was a scene that made me think of "A Chorus Line."

The 1975 musical about a group of dancers auditioning for the chorus of a Broadway show is also a kind of metaphor for anyone who has ever been desperate for work. That would be roughly 14 million people in the U.S. right now. Unemployment is also at record highs in Europe.

How did this story play out on the runway? In the clothes, which seemed to be inspired by the dream of being a performer, from drop-waist, 1920s-inspired skirts with film strip fringe, to tinsel organza dresses, to sequin trim cashmere sweat shirts.

Silvery nylon gingham dresses brought to mind pie-eyed wannabes fresh off the bus from Kansas, as did utilitarian-looking chambray suits and clear plastic cowboy boots.

When it came to materials, Jacobs picked up where he left off last season, playing with the notion of real versus fake, luxe versus cheap, using faux crocodile, plastic studs, cellophane and silicone. But unlike the posh and polished fall collection, these clothes looked bedraggled.

The whole mise-en-scene as I imagined it could have a whole other meaning in light of recent news that Jacobs is considering leaving his role at Louis Vuitton to take the top job at Christian Dior, vacated by the disgraced John Galliano.

Jacobs may be the only guy on the planet right now with too many prospects.

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-- Booth Moore in New York

Photos: Looks from the Marc Jacobs spring 2012 runway collection shown during New York Fashion Week. Credit: Mary Altaffer / Associated Press; Peter Michael Dills / Getty Images