J.Crew Men’s Fall 2011 Presentation

Yesterday evening, J. Crew hosted their Fall 2011 presentation in New York, NY.

Photography by Jacob Breinholt for Selectism.

The full scope of the presentation after the jump.

 

 

 

 

Lily Allen to launch Lucy in Disguise fashion collection

via The Telegraph

The pop singer turned fashion retailer and her sister are producing their own range of vintage-inspired pieces.

 

Sarah Owen (left) with Lily Allen Photo: ANDREW CROWLEY

 

Six months on from opening their vintage shopping emporium, Lucy in Disguise, Lily Allen and her business partner sister Sarah Owen are adding another string to their fashionable bow with a ready-to-wear collection.

Working with a design team, the first 18-piece collection - comprising mainly of vintage-inspired dresses - will go on sale in June. As well as being available online and in the Lucy in Disguise store in London's Covent Garden, the designs will go 'global', dropping in luxury stores worldwide such as Le Bon Marché in France, Shopbop.com in the U.S, Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, and Harvey Nichols in London.

Lily Allen to get married in Chanel wedding dress

Those who have been following the sisters' foray into the world of vintage retail in the Channel 4 documentary Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags, will know that offering affordable price points had been a bone of contention for the business's start-up model. The ready-to-wear collection will be priced from £95 to £350, and features a '40s-style rayon crepe tea dress with a lily-of-the-valley print and a black sequinned and beaded tulle flapper-style dress.

Allen told WWD that the collection was inspired by the fictional character Lucy, "a time-travelling fashionista who's inviting you to explore her wardrobe... It's a great opportunity to play with the character".

Arizona Muse models Yves Saint Laurent's spring 2011 collection in Morocco.

Watch Arizona Muse modelling Yves Saint Laurent's spring/summer 2011 collection in Marrakech.

Shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin under the creative direction of Stefano Pilati, this styilsh campaign video features model Arizona Muse in the gardens of the 1930s Villa Bled Roknine in Marrakech's Palmeraie.

Britney Spears is sweet for Dolce & Gabbana

via The Telegraph

And vice versa, as designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana profess their love for Spears's new songs.

 

It's fair to say that one doesn't always associate Britney Spears with high fashion. She is certainly no Kate-I-just-popped-to-Starbucks-in-this-Calvin-Klein-shift-Bosworth, or Elle-got-to-do-the-school-run-dressed-like-a-Gucci-clad-minx-Macpherson, so it's a relief to see that Spears has called upon Dolce & Gabbana for a little help with her pop-comeback.

Promotional images for Spears's new album, Femme Fatale , see the the 29-year-old mother of two pictured wearing a selection of pieces by the celebrated Italian design duo. 

Dolce & Gabbana spring/summer 2011

A polka dot print body helps accentuate Britney's newly trim physique (let's just ignore the airbrushing row raging over in tabloid-land), while a lemon-hued gown lends a couture feel.

"We love Britney and we love to dance to her new songs! We can't wait to hear the whole album!" confess Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. "She has always been among our favourite artists" they continue, "because she has been able to remain true to herself and to her style throughout the years. With her music she influenced and inspired generations of people for more than 10 years, always staying at the top, and we can't but congratulate her for this new, important achievement."

Wow. Last week Kylie, this week Britney. Looks like the Dolce duo have cornered the market in pop princesses.

Video: Kylie Minogue gets fitted by Dolce & Gabbana

Band of Insiders

via GQ

Florence—the spiritual home of rakish, older Italian dudes with thick knots and mile-wide lapels—is about to be invaded by the skinny-tie revolution. Earlier today, it was announced that Band of Outsiders designer Scott Sternberg has been selected as the guest designer at Pitti Uomo, also known as the mother of all men's fashion weeks. The L.A.-based designer's latest collection of slim-cut, reinvigorated American classics is set to headline the next edition of Pitti this June. Expect trim-fitting suits, two-inch repp ties, and several outraged Italian tailors screaming, "Troppo piccolo! Troppo piccolo!"

Read More www.gq.com/style/blogs

Rick Owens Talks Lou Reed, Fascism & Homophobic Father

The Independent recently caught up with one of the darker designers to have dressed Michelle Obama, Rick Owens. To be clear, although the First Lady lived in his pale green jacket two summers ago, we're absolutely sure she's never sat down with him to discuss, well, any of the below. Obviously.
Here are some of the more interesting portions from the interview.
On his method:

"I try to make clothes the way Lou Reed does music, with minimal chord changes. It's about giving everything I make a worn, softened feel. It's about an elegance being tinged with the barbaric, the luxury of not caring." "I like classicism. I like historic reference. I like something new with something almost ancient. I like [legendary costume designer] Adrian; Hollywood in the Twenties and Thirties. I like discipline and the idea of restraint. I was always anti the whole moving-and-manipulating-the-body-around. It's like telling someone that their body isn't right and needs to be redone. When I make clothes it's about using bias cut, jersey and drape around the body. It has always been important to me that the clothes are somehow affectionate."

On his childhood:

"I have a conflicted relationship with my parents. They're great -- my mother is a walking hug. But it's complicated. Dad's very homophobic. He can be very racist. He is anti-abortionist. And he's active politically in all of these things. I am an obvious reaction to that. Obviously. Spectacularly. But there's also this side of him that is very gentle. He's a very loving spirit. It's difficult to figure him out because you're thinking, 'You're a Nazi but you're so sweet'. I resented it as I was growing up, resented my dad for too much control, but he turned me into this. I advocate any kind of sexuality. I'm liberal. I'm anti-conventional. And, to keep me in his life, he has turned a blind eye to all of that."

On working with his wife Michele Lamy:

"It's kind of like asking a gypsy to organise a war with a fascist. She's so generous and flexible with deadlines and I'm not."

Read the rest of the fascinating discussion at the Independent.

Video | New Alexander Wang Store in New York

Alexander Wang's New Store in New York from Hintmag.com on Vimeo.

“Behind-the-scenes video documenting the making of fashion designer Alexander Wang’s new store in New York.” (via Hint)

Carine Roitfeld To Style Barneys Fall Campaign

 

 

Carine Roitfeld has revealed her next move.
Women's Wear Daily reports that the former French Vogue editor-in-chief (who resigned in December) will style Barneys fall campaign -- including the catalog, the windows and a short film -- working with photographer Mario Sorrenti and Barneys creative director Dennis Freedman.
Roitfeld told WWD, "It's very exciting. It's a new kind of project for me. It's good to have a new life, because now I can do projects that I never dreamed of before. For me, Barneys has always been the biggest name in luxury department stores, so to be able to participate in this project with them, and be visible during the next fashion week in New York, is my dream come true. To a French girl, it's a big, big dream."
Roitfeld hasn't ruled out returning to print, saying that she's sure, one day, she'll put together some stories for some magazine. She also spoke about the flood of rumors surrounding her future:

"Each day it's changing. One day I am going to Dior with Riccardo Tisci, the next day I am going to Saint Laurent with Hedi Slimane. I don't think it's very nice for the designer at Saint Laurent, and it's just rumors. What I know is that I now have my freedom and I will keep my freedom forever."

Read the rest at WWD.com.
 

Luca Rubinacci: dandy made in Italy

Ten things men hate about your wardrobe

via The Telegraph

Ever wondered what men really think about your clothes? Here are the top 10 things men we polled hate...

Harem pants
They hide a multitude of sins, cool, exotic, and above all, comfortable? "Hammertime!", "She looks like she's c***ped herself!".




Dungarees
Dungarees, whether trousers, shorts or dresses, are a major no-no. Girls look at this picture and think 'Alexa looks so cute!'. Boys think "Why is she dressed like a giant baby?"

Shoulder pads
Everything Tilda Swinton wears scores big with the fashion pack, but leaves most men cold. No one we asked was keen on shoulder pads on girls, except one man with a Joan Collins fetish who wishes to remain nameless.

Granny chic
(See also geek chic, vintage lovers). Nothing says 'spinster' like a prim floral dress, Edwardian ankle-boots (with ankle socks - aaaargh!!!), and a purse that's been gathering mothballs in Oxfam. "All this look needs is some cats" said one disapproving man. Don't worry Florence, we salute your sartorial kookiness.

Clogs
Naomi Watts looks thoroughly chic to us in her Breton top and Swedish Hasbeen clogs. "Oh no! clogs! the worst!!! So deeply unsexy..." said one withering male. That told us then.

Ankle socks and heels
A kooky, cool twist on eveningwear we say. "Contrived and try-hard" said one, "It works on Rihanna, but then so does everything."

Leopard print
Timeless, glamorous and goes with everything? "Tacky" said one, "Hideous" said another, "Pat Butcher!" exclaimed a third. Sorry Chloë...

Jumpsuits
We're thinking Studio 54, Bianca Jagger, Marie Helvin... They're thinking "Only if you're a supermodel".

Boyfriend jeans
We love to roll them up and dress them up. Boys wish we would just cut them up "Not flattering on anyone - even Kylie. They remind me of annoying girls at Uni showing off that they've got a boyfriend!"

Dr Martens boots
They appeal to our 16 year-old selves, but we know these are never going to be man pleasers "Don't even go there..."

T by Alexander Wang

A behind-the-scenes look at the label's Spring ad campaign starring model-on-the-rise Ashley Smith and Diplo, the music producer behind Beyoncé's upcoming album.

Rick Owens

The Paris-based designer will open his first New York boutique at the corner of Hudson and Dominick this summer--and he has a few surprises in store.

Brooks Brothers Box of 13 Handkerchiefs $40

I can't tell you how often I lose these little suckers.  Serioulsy you just can't beat a deal like this.  Mr. Porter has now available a box of 13 Handkerchiefs by Brooks Brothers for a measly 40 bucks.

Herve Leger's $1,050 Cutout Bandage Sunsuit Can't Get Wet (PHOTOS)

SheFinds found perhaps the most practical swimsuit for summer -- a $1,050 cutout bandage number by Herve Leger.  We know what you must be thinking: who would drop a thou on a bathing suit made from a few strips of fabric?

Oh, we forgot to mention it can't get wet.

So, who would drop a thou on a bathing suit made from a few strips of fabric that can't get wet? We're sure plenty of people.

(Images via Net-A-Porter.com)
To see more of the most expensive swimsuits we could find, click here

Story continues below

The Footwear

Are harem pants the most offensive fashion item of all time?

via The Telegraph

Girls love them, men loathe them. What is the enduring appeal of the drop-crotch trouser?








Elle Macpherson - never one to knowingly shy away from experimenting with 'tricky' trends - was out in London last night at the re-launch of Bottega Veneta's flagship store, dressed in a pair of jazzy leopard-print harem pants.

'What the Elle was she thinking?' one website asked today 'One Elle of a fashion faux-pas' crowed another. But the comments below those articles tell a different story, with women uncharacteristically lining up in support of Elle's divisive pants.
In pictures: 10 things men hate about your wardrobe
"I think she looks amazing! Yes the harem style trousers aren't everyone's cup of tea but if anyone can pull them off Elle can!" said one, "I'm sorry but she's managed to carry that off..." agreed another.
The overall look has its downsides for me, (criminal abuse of blusher being top of the list), but even though I know it's so very wrong, I have to admit I have an eye for her trousers.
And I'm not alone. Harem, or 'drop-crotch' pants have been loitering on fashion's radar for a few years now in various guises. From combat style, to tracksuit bottoms, to your more trad, Elle-style printed silk, girls just can't help falling for them.
Ask any man what he thinks of the harem pant however, and you'll get a standard response: "Hammertime!" they chorus, in memory of '90s rapper M.C Hammer's iconic video for monster hit 'U Can't Touch This'. "She looks like she's c***ped herself" came the response from pretty much every guy I polled.
Leandra Medine who writes fashion blog manrepeller.com , dedicated to the clothes women love - and men love to hate, goes as far as labeling harem pants as the number one 'man-repelling' item of all time: 'Definitely. I've said before: mine are so roomy they could sleep army. The only problem here is that the members of this hypothetical army would probably take their chances and opt to seek refuge elsewhere."
Meet The Man Repeller
And I can see why - no offence Leandra - with a crotch dangling somewhere between mid-thigh and knee-level, they really should have been written off long ago as a cruel joke by misogynistic male fashion designers. But there they were again, sneaking onto the spring/summer catwalks at Gucci, Giorgio Armani and Marc Jacobs, and even though they have - strictly speaking - been eclipsed in the trouser stakes by the wide-leg flare this season, you can bet that drop-crotch trousers will still be filling the rails on the high street.
The fashion trend report spring/summer 2011
The bottom line? They hide a multitude of sins in the derrière department, and chosen carefully (avoid jersey at all costs), can be the perfect summer holiday trouser - loose, cool, a taste of the exotic, and above all, comfortable. And when it comes to women's fashion, 'comfort' is truly a word men hate.

Anna Wintour Profiled In WSJ. Magazine

via The Huffington Post

Text by Samantha Critchell, Associated Press
NEW YORK - In fashion circles and beyond -- in the worlds of business, politics and entertainment -- she's just Anna, a worthy peer to Oprah and Martha.
And even though Anna Wintour's name might not be as instantly recognizable as Oprah Winfrey's or Martha Stewart's, Anna, American Vogue's editor-in-chief, might still be influencing unsuspecting consumers about what they wear, how they shop and what celebrity or cause is about to be the talk of the town.
That's why WSJ., the glossy lifestyle magazine published by The Wall Street Journal, is featuring her on its cover with an article exploring her power and influence in the fashion industry beyond the pages of her magazine.
"She's a really powerful figure in America ... someone whose power extends beyond what she does," says Deborah Needleman, editor of WSJ., which scored the rare profile of Wintour -- and posed cover photograph -- for its April issue.
Despite her image as an ice queen, those who know her say she can be loyal and even warm to those in her inner circle, which reads like a Who's Who list: Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Harvey Weinstein, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Nicole Kidman, Roger Federer and Amar'e Stoudemire, among them.
The cover photo was shot by Mario Testino, another Team Anna player.

Story continues below

Friends and others who dreams of falling in that group don't dare say no to her, according to the article, which quotes Jacobs as saying: "If I get a request for something, there aren't two possible answers. First I get an email, then a phone call from someone at Vogue, and now I don't even bother to say no -- I know the next call is from her."
Jacobs is one of those who benefitted from Wintour's influence. She suggested Jacobs' name to LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault when he was looking for a designer to take over Louis Vuitton in 1997.
Needleman says "it's hard to imagine that Arnault wouldn't ask her for advice for something like Dior," referring to the future of the Christian Dior brand following the firing of designer John Galliano for his anti-Semitic outbursts. Dior is owned by LVMH; Galliano had gotten his position with Wintour's help.
"You have to wonder, how does one person have such a broad influence?" says Needleman, adding: "She's basically a global brand."
Her biggest feat yet might be the shopping phenomenon that is Fashion's Night Out, a huge-scale retail event she masterminded in 2009 in New York and made bigger last year to span the globe. She persuaded stores to host lavish parties mixing celebrities and shoppers, offer discounts and pour free champagne, then she nudged consumers to open their wallets despite the recession.
"She basically created a holiday from scratch," Needleman says. "Who else has the power to take New York and create a holiday?"

 

The Jacket

The Skirt

Book Filled With Blank Pages Outsells Harry Potter and The Da Vinci Code

Ever wonder what every man thinks about apart from sex? Apparently, the answer is quite simple: nothing. Or at least that's what author and comedian Sheridan Simove claims in his gripping book, What Every Man Thinks About Apart From Sex.

To demonstrate his position, Simove cunningly has filled the book with 200 blank pages. And even though you could say it is far from "well written", it's climbed the ranks of Amazon's charts to No. 744, and even outsold both Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. But who exactly is lapping up Simove's words of wisdom? Well, it turns out it's become a campus craze throughout Britain after a student at the University of Nottingham bought the book as a joke for her friend who brought it to class to take notes on.

Author Simove, a 39-year-old Oxford University psychology graduate, said he never expected his work to become a bestseller, but admitted his next project is a PhD on what women think about apart from sex. But let's face it, that might take him a whole decade to finish. (via AOL)

Book Filled With Blank Pages Outsells Harry Potter and The Da Vinci Code

Ever wonder what every man thinks about apart from sex? Apparently, the answer is quite simple: nothing. Or at least that's what author and comedian Sheridan Simove claims in his gripping book, What Every Man Thinks About Apart From Sex.
To demonstrate his position, Simove cunningly has filled the book with 200 blank pages. And even though you could say it is far from "well written", it's climbed the ranks of Amazon's charts to No. 744, and even outsold both Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. But who exactly is lapping up Simove's words of wisdom? Well, it turns out it's become a campus craze throughout Britain after a student at the University of  Nottingham bought the book as a joke for her friend who brought it to class to take notes on.
Author Simove, a 39-year-old Oxford University psychology graduate, said he never expected his work to become a bestseller, but admitted his next project is a PhD on what women think about apart from sex.  But let's face it, that might take him a whole decade to finish. (via AOL)

Murakami Cancels GEISAI#15 In The Wake Of The Tohoku Earthquake

 

 

Following the tragic events that resulted from the earthquake on March 11, 2011 in Japan, artist Takashi Murakami issued a statement cancelling GEISAI#15. The art festival, which houses works from professional and amateur artists, was set to open on March 13th in Tokyo.

The artists who have labored so hard preparing works for this day
have been forced to place their energy, passion, and hope on hold.
I fully understand how they feel. Along with the GEISAI Executive Committee, I too have spent a full year
preparing for the event and thus, while it may have been caused by a
chance encounter with natural disaster, the end result has left me with
decidedly mixed feelings.

In light of this decision Murakami is proposing a twitter-based call-for-action from artists. He asks that we help send visual messages of support and encouragement by using the hashtag #newday_GEISAI. Already, hundreds of heartfelt messages and images have been posted on twitter. The theme?

Koons 'Pink Panther' Sculpture To Sell In NYC

NEW YORK — Jeff Koons' porcelain sculpture of a pink panther hugging a bare-breasted blonde is coming to a New York City auction. It's estimated to bring $20 million to $30 million.
Sotheby's is selling "Pink Panther" on May 10. There were three editions made of the work; the one up for auction is the artist's proof.
One was sold at Christie's in 1999 for $1.8 million, reportedly to the newsprint magnate Peter Brant. The others are in the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.
Sotheby's didn't identify the seller of the artist's proof. But The New York Times says it's the publisher Benedikt Taschen.
Koons' "Balloon Flower Magenta" sold for $25.7 million in 2008 at Christie's. It set a record for the artist.

Walnut Studiolo 6 Pack Frame Holster

Disclaimer: no drinking and riding. Never. But, if you need something to hold that six pack on your ride back from the bodega, hit up Walnut Studiolo for this “6 Pack” Frame Holster. The holster was originally designed to hold a polo mallet, but as you can see, it works for this use as well. Find it on etsy.

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Louis Vuitton Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear