The Fashion Informer

New York Fashion Week Fall 2009 - Day Eight

On the final day of New York Fashion Week, Ralph Lauren gave his customers what they love - a quietly romantic, sporty wardrobe in subdued shades of black, grey and taupe - Chado Ralph Rucci worked his couture-like magic on impeccably constructed tulle-and-wool crepe pieces, and emerging designer Jen Kao explored the idea of foundation in a tightly focused collection infused with downtown chic.

New York Fashion Week Fall 2009 - Day Seven

As we approached the finish line of New York Fashion Week, Vera Wang previewed pared down pieces that offer a perfect blend of sophistication and sparkle, newcomer Julian Louie debuted a crisp sophomore collection full of strong silhouettes and judicious embellishment and Isaac Mizrahi delighted with the most upbeat, colorful and fun show of the week. Francisco Costa got artsy-craftsy over at Calvin Klein, while Zac Posen offered a gloriously optimistic, neo-Victorian ode to women and femininity.

New York Fashion Week Fall 2009 - Day Six

Wednesday, it was all about architectural American luxe at Michael Kors, ladylike luxe at Oscar de la Renta and I'm-with-the-band rock stylings at 3.1 Phillip Lim. Marchesa pulled out the sartorial stops, which dresses that took up to two months each to make, Doo.Ri got edgy with her cool collection and at Juan Carlos Obando it was hand-crafted pleats, please. 

New York Fashion Week Fall 2009 - Day Five

Rodarte took viewers on an apocalyptic, Women Who Fell To Earth trip, Derek Lam did Uptown chic, Marc by Marc was all about Eighties Alpine layers, and Narciso Rodriguez gave us sportif body con.

Giorgio Armani Donates $1 Million to NYC Schools

 

Giorgio Armani unveiled his new 43,000-square-foot Fifth Avenue flagship at a glittering, celebrity-studded gala Tuesday night - and also unveiled that he'd donated $1 million to The Fund for Public Schools at a private press conference attended by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Caroline Kennedy. Read all about it on VOGUE.COM.

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

New York Fashion Week Fall 2009 - Day Four

   

Monday, it was all about uptown elegance at Carolina Herrera (no surprise there), while Zero + Maria Cornejo had her conceptual way with innovative fabrics and iPhone-derived prints. Donna Karan re-imagined the powerful business woman's wardrobe for the aughts, Thakoon's grown-up flights of fantasy hit the mark, big-time, Yeohlee championed zero waste - and molten metal fashions - and Marc Jacobs sent out a nostalgic, feel-good paean to the New Wave club kids of the '80s.

Stay tuned to see what's on tap for Tuesday.

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

New York Fashion Week Fall 2009 - Day Three

 

Sunday was a jam-packed day 'o fashion, with ladylike looks at Lela Rose and DKNY, Mod-meets-Blade Runner vixens at Preen, innovative knitwear from Tom Scott, refined equine-inspired tailoring at Shelly Steffee, lots o' layers at Diane von Furstenberg, sporty chic at Y-3 and and an army of fashion-forward insect/androids - which sounds ghastly but was drop dead gorgeous - at Jonathan Saunders.  Links to VOGUE.COM are included here if you'd like to read our full reports.

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

New York Fashion Week Fall 2009 – Day Two

Saturday we took in the newly-sleek stylings of New Zealand native Karen Walker and the Neo New Wave “Crystalarium” presentation by Vena Cava.  Alexander Wang got a bit more tailored for fall – without sacrificing his signature girls-just-wanna-have-fun, rock and roll party vibe – and the Poleci presentation was a delightfully unexpected blend of avant-luxe. 

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

New York Fashion Week Fall 2009 – Day One

 

Fashion Week kicked off with a bang – of the celebrity sort – Friday morning, with the Heart Truth Red Dress show.  Things went from tender to tough at Yigal Azrouel and Cushnie et Ochs,with mondo tailoring on the runways of Duckie Brown  and Rag & Bone. Friday ended with a touch of futurism-meets-classicism at Costello Tagliapietra, and a free-for-all shopping spree/Duke Spirit concert at the McQ for Target launch.  Tune in to see what tomorrow brings.  And, as always, you can find additional New York Fashion Week reports at VOGUE.COM, The Fashion informer’s home away from home.

 

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

Doo-Ri Chung Launches New Line

Here's a sneak peek at Doo-Ri Chung's new lower-priced secondary label, under.ligne, which will be hitting stores this fall.  For complete coverage of the launch party, visit Vogue.com.

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

 

Random Questions For…Threeasfour

Despite their somewhat otherworldly personas (and we mean that as the highest compliment) and the breathless hype surrounding their launch eleven years ago – They live in a silver loft!  They share a bed! They stage art happenings in lieu of traditional runway shows! - Threeasfour designers Ange Donhauser, Adi Gil and Gabi Asfour are refreshingly down-to-earth.  Typical?  Hells, no.  Conformist?  Fuggedaboudit.  But grounded, charming and approachable?  Yes, yes and yes.

That the 2007 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists worship the natural world will not come as a surprise to anyone who’s ever seen a Threeasfour collection – what with their signature petals, shells and Mother Nature graphics – or peeped the Threeasfour human anatomy-in-reverse gown that was part of the Met Costume Institute’s Superheroes exhibit this past summer. 

Even the white shirts they designed for the GAP last year hewed to the natural side of the street, thanks to rounded silhouettes and curved seams (which mirror the shape of their infamous “circle bag”), and the trio’s spring 2009 collection evolved the man v. nature theme further vis-à-vis “typhoon” minidresses, “mantis” leggings and an “anemone” tunic. 

But the multi-culti designers, who hail from Lebanon, Israel and Tajikistan, have lived and worked in the heart of “open-minded” New York City since the mid-90s - Ange and Adi met as fashion students in Munich while Gabi honed his chops designing for Kate Spade - and they’re about as urbane as they come (though Adi has since moved out of the silver loft, leaving the now-married Ange and Gabi on their own).  

These days, Threeasfour has gone from designing nature-inspired collections to inspiring other designer’s collections (*cough* Helmut Lang and Diesel “cough*).  They recently collaborated with Sony on the launch of the new VAIO-P series computer and  were honored by the Villency Emerging Fashion Program.  For fall 2009, meanwhile, the trio say fans can expect a more sharply tailored collection with Swarovski crystal accents.

The Fashion Informer caught up with the forward-thinking iconoclasts over the holidays to dish on art, what makes for a perfect day, and how they unwind after a tough one (can you say s-e-x, boys and girls?). 

So, Ange, Adi and Gabi…

 

What’s your idea of a perfect day?

ANGE: In bed with my love to the sound of raindrops.  The moments after a show, all emotions pouring in and out.

ADI: Any day can be the perfect day. I guess it's up to me to make it.

GABI: Waking up with enough time to review your dreams, then sleeping when exhausted.

 

What is your favorite work of art? 

ANGE: Dreams and nature: infinite beauty and inspiration.

ADI: Mother nature - look around. 

GABI: Life. Because it is unpredictable.

 

Coffee or tea?

ANGE: Iced coffee all day and kombucha tea as a healthy treat. 

ADI: Coffee and tea. 

GABI: Coffee, black.

  

Tell me about your best friend. 

ANGE: My humor and melancholia. 

ADI: Which one? They are all individual. One-of-a-kind. 

GABI: I can trust she is telling me the truth.

 

What is your favorite form of communication? 

ANGE: Eye-to-eye, face-to-face and Eskimo style!!! 

ADI: Talking. I love the real thing, face-to-face. 

GABI: Telepathy.

  

When you were 9, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

ANGE: Mother Teresa of the animal world. 

ADI: Make beautiful clothing. 

GABI: Not old.

 

What is your dream occupation (other than what you are doing, of course)? 

ANGE: Goddess or James Bond.

ADI: This is my dream occupation. I couldn't imagine something else. 

GABI: Staying alive.

 

How do you relax and recharge after a hard day? 

ANGE: Some wine and making love. 

ADI: Spending time with my cats. We watch movies together. 

GABI: Get enough sleep.

 

What's your favorite holiday? 

ANGE: Thirteen hours of sleep. 

ADI: I like them all, from any religion. They are the best thing - maybe the only good thing - in religion. It is about people getting together.  Holidays are there for it. 

GABI: Every day, because there might not be a tomorrow.

 

What is your favorite store in the world? 

ANGE: Ebay and the farmer’s market. 

ADI: At the moment, a plant store on Centre Street in NYC. 

GABI: The deli.

 

Do you cook?  If so, what is your specialty? 

ANGE:  I love cooking for my loved ones and my pit bull Luna (seaweed omelet).  Improvised dishes, mostly pasta creations, fish and salads (I do not eat meat).  

ADI: Salads. 

GABI: No, but I love to make sandwiches.

 

For what will you be arrested (hypothetically speaking)? 

ANGE:  Too much smoking!!!!! 

ADI: Being honest. 

GABI: Self defense.

 

Is there any color or fabric that you'd never use in a Threeasfour collection? 

ANGE:  I don’t like kaka brown and orange.  And no more fur, please!!! 

ADI: Every color is welcome. Not every fabric… 

GABI: No. Never is momentary.

 

What freaks you out?

ANGE: Slaughter and religions.

ADI: Not too much. 

GABI: The abyss.

 

When are you happiest?

ANGE: I’m the happiest when I’m in love, when doing, working, making dreams come true. 

ADI: Good communication with my partners. To love and to be loved. 

GABI:  When in love.

Threeasfour will show their fall/winter 2009 collection on Saturday, February 14^th.