The Fashion Informer

Cate Blanchett is Back in Vogue

So how does Cate Blanchett feel about being Vogue's December cover girl?  See for yourself, below. You can find more shots from the story here.

Image courtesy Vogue

Best Designer Blogs

Given the unbridled creativity of most fashion designers, it should come as no surprise that they would adopt the internet as yet another outlet for their flights of fancy and a way in which to share their vision with fans.  Avid Twitterers Rachel Roy, Diane von Furstenberg and Alexander McQueen all clearly enjoy connecting with people, mano-a-mano.  

And then there are the growing number of designer-helmed blogs, the best of which are as wonderfully unique and idiosyncratic as the designers themselves. Whether they’re sharing snapshots from their latest road trips (Toms' Blake Mycoskie), inspirations and birthday parties (Vena Cava), introducing us to the folks who work in their studio (Aimee G), offering fall fashion tips (Loeffler Randall) or hipping us to some great new music while bitch-slapping Karl Lagerfeld for his uncharitable attitude toward full-figured gals (EDUN), these blogs offer a highly personal - and largely unedited - look into the designers’ lives and minds.

Cynthia Rowley’s blog presents a short film and takes fans inside her New York Public Library sewing circle, Ruffian offers fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of their spring 2010 collection, John Bartlett gives us a list of his favorite things each month, including his new favorite Irish bar and the iconic JB cable knit merino sleeve scarf, which is shown on a yummy hunk of man candy (thanks, John!).

Anna Sheffield’s website, meanwhile, has not one, not two, but four blogs grouped by category - Anna’s blog,  Muse, The Studio and, our favorite, Oscar, which chronicles the adventures of Anna’s “nephew” (aka, her brother Kevin’s adorable Miniature Schnauzer).  Scott Sternberg also has multiple blogs, Boy for her and Band of Outsiders for him, both of which feature Sternberg’s celebrity pals like Marisa Tomei, Sarah Silverman, Zooey Deschanel, Jason Schwartzman and Mark Ronson clowning for the camera while wearing Boy/Band (what, you thought they’d be in BroBro?). 

Vivienne Westwood uses her blog, Active Resistance, to champion her political causes du jour (surprise, surprise), while the Toronto-based Beckerman sisters blog about their quirky outfits and DIY fashion projects and link to their Teen Vogue fashion week coverage.

Norma Kamali has used her blog to introduce her new iPhone app and enthuse about her love of Physique 57’s ballet bootcamp, while Diane von Furstenberg takes a break from Tweeting now and again to share links she loves, post from Moscow and Madrid (which is where her wallet was famously stolen), talk about her latest obsession (from Christopher Walken to Will Cotton) and favorite charitable causes, and offers fans an ever-changing list of things to eat, watch, see and explore.

When done well, as all of these blogs are, it really is like having a ringside seat to the designer’s life. Now, if we can just convince JC Obando, Rodarte, Tom Scott, Phillip Lim, Duckie Brown and John Galliano to start blogging, we'll be all set.

  

 

 

Sneak Peek at Katherine Fleming's Art Basel Bags

Here's a first look at the Katherine Fleming clutches re-imagined by artists Megan Marrin and KOLKOZ, which will be auctioned off, along with 15 other one-of-kind clutches, during Art Basel Miami.  

Images courtesy Katherine Fleming

T.J. Maxx: Forbidden SWAG

Saw this letter in today's WWD, and thought it was pretty interesting in light of the recent FTC kerfuffle about bloggers having to disclose when they receive (and cover) freebies, something the editors of mainstream websites and print magazines are not required to do (double standard, anyone?).  Are there really that many people sending gifts to employees of T.J. Maxx, Marshall's and AJ Wright?  And what the hell is AJ Wright, anyway?

When Katherine Fleming Met Kembra Pfahler

Q: What do you get when you cross...

          
            Katherine                 +       Kembra?

A: Go here to find out!

Henry Beguelin to Close NYC Boutique

The Fashion Informer has learned that the Henry Beguelin boutique in New York's Meatpacking District will be closing its doors come January 2010.  The upscale leather goods label is said to be on the hunt for a larger (and, one would imagine, less costly) space than its current digs, which occupy a small corner of the Hotel Gansevoort on Ninth Avenue. 

Baggu Unveils New Sustainable Style

Baggu bags, with which The Fashion Informer has been obsessed since day one, has unveiled a new super cute, super chic, sustainable (of course!) style in recycled cotton canvas. The Duck Bag comes in a wide array of colors and - best of all - is big enough to hold a laptop, your commuting flats and all your daily necessities, and can be used as a tote or cross-body bag. And did we mention it's only $18?  Yes, please!

James Franco For...Gookie?

Ah, James Franco.  Cute and funny.  Fashion-savvy?  Not so much.  See for yourself in this Funnyordie clip. 

Save the Garment Center!

See how you can help Save the Garment Center.

Halloween 2009 on Bleecker Street

We may be in a recession, but Bleecker Street retailers have spared no expense in making their store windows spooky and scary for Halloween.  But the award for Best Halloween Decoration definitely goes to the owners of the spiderweb-strewn townhouse on Perry Street (right around the corner from the Marc Jacobs junk shop - you know, the one that's home to $5 keychains and $20 rainboots), which is festooned with creepy cobwebs and giant crawly spiders.  Here, a roundup of Bleecker's best All Hallows' Eve windows. Boo!

 

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

Rachel Roy Debuts Diffusion Line

Here's a sneak peek at Rachel Rachel Roy, the designer's secondary collection for Macy's, which will hit stores August 1st.  To read about last night's launch party, go to VOGUE.COM.

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

2009 CFDA Award Nominations Announced

 

It was all about America at the 2009 CFDA nomination party at Rockefeller Center Monday night, with most of the now-famous designers worn by First Lady Michelle Obama either nominated for an award or in attendance to announce the nominees (think: Isabel Toledo, Thakoon Panichgul, Jason Wu and Narciso Rodriguez). Even the International Award, usually reserved for a foreign-born designer, is going to an American this year:  Marc Jacobs, for his work at Louis Vuitton.  

The CFDA Awards ceremony will be held on June 15th and is relocating from the New York Public Library to Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. 

For our full coverage of Monday's event, go to VOGUE.COM.  For a full list of the nominees, read on.

Womenswear Designer of the Year 

Marc Jacobs

Kate and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte

Narciso Rodriguez

Menswear Designer of the Year

Michael Bastian

Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders

Italo Zucchelli for Calvin Klein

Accessory Designer of the Year

Marc Jacobs

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler

Vera Wang

Swarovski Award for Womenswear

Thakoon Panichgul

Alexander Wang

Jason Wu

Swarovski Award for Menswear

Patrik Ervell

Robert Geller

Tim Hamilton

Swarovski Award for Accessory Design

Justin Giunta for Subversive

Alejandro Ingelmo

Albertus Q. Swanepoel for Albertus Quartus

Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award

Anna Sui

Board of Directors' Special Tribute

First Lady Michelle Obama

Eugenia Sheppard Award

Edward Nardoza, Editor-in-Chief, Women's Wear Daily

International Award

Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton

Eleanor Lambert Award

Jim Moore, Creative Director, GQ

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

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

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

 

Change Is Served

Visit TenOverSix or The Future Perfect for exclusive Change is Served plates designed by Shepard Fairey.

Giorgio Armani Unveils Victoria Beckham Undie Ads

Here's a sneak peek at the campaign, shot by Mert & Marcus:

Marc Jacobs Consolidates New York Collection Stores

As of Saturday, January 3rd, Mac Jacobs collection fans will no longer be able to sate their MJ jones in the West Village, as the Bank Street collection store has now been turned into a Marc Jacobs men's store, and the MJ kid's store across the street will house MJ men's accessories.  The kid's store is moving to the former MJ men's space on Bleecker Street, and the higher-end collection is being consolidated into the original Mercer Street space in Soho.  

The reason, according to a sales rep?  "Not enough foot traffic" (read: sales) at the Bank Street locale to justify a second NYC collection store. Only time will tell if the men's stores will fare any better on the relatively quiet West Village corner.

Calvin Klein 2009 Pre-Fall Preview

Here's a sneak peek at the Calvin Klein 2009 Pre-Fall Collection, designed by Creative Director, Francisco Costa.  Enjoy!

Photos courtesy Calvin Klein/ © Dan Lecca

Me&Ro’s Do-Gooder Diamonds and Peace Symbol Do-Over

In honor of the 50^th anniversary of the peace symbol - originally created in 1958 by artist Gerald Holtom and used by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in Britain - Me&Ro designer Robin Renzi has re-imagined the iconic graphic for a new generation.

“The idea of making a peace symbol literally just popped into my head one day,” Renzi told The Fashion Informer.  “Maybe because the new Me&Ro collection is [about] angels and flowers, and peace is such a positive symbol, as flowers and angels are. I wanted to design a peace pendant that people would want to wear -something that they just had to have – and I figure the more symbols of peace out in the world the better.”

Indeed.  And Renzi’s 21^st century version – a gold or silver peace symbol in the form of a flowered vine engraved on an oval pendant that retails from $230 - $945 – is definitely one that stylish peaceniks will wear with pride. 

As is Me&Ro’s new conflict-free diamond line, Me&Ro for Ruff&Cut, which features socially and environmentally responsible diamonds from Sierra Leone fashioned into rough-yet-refined rings, earrings and pendants priced from $2,740 to $16,090.

“The stones themselves are very unusual,” says Renzi.  “They look like white rocks - they are very raw, but very high-quality, diamonds. I wanted to show as much of the diamond as possible, so there is a very slight band of gold around the middle section of the diamonds, so you see the front and back of the diamond.”

Better yet, in keeping with Renzi’s joy to the world – and all the people in it – beliefs, all diamonds used in Me&Ro for Ruff&Cut pieces are sourced from the mining company Pride Diamonds, which certifies the origin of each stone through the Kimberley Process to guarantee they are not responsible for fueling the violence and conflict caused by the illicit diamond trade in the Sierra Leone region. 

Photos courtesy Me&Ro

And the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Winners Are...

Womenswear designer Alexander Wang, who took home the top prize ($200,000 and a one-year mentorship), along with runners up Sophia Buhai and Lisa Mayock of Vena Cava and hat designer Albertus Q. Swanepoel of Albertus Quartus, who were awarded $50,000 each and a business mentor.

Additional nominees this year were Richard Chai, Juan Carlos Obando, Obedient Sons & Daughters, Jason Wu, Irene Neuwirth, Organic and Alejandro Ingelmo.

Wang follows in the footsteps of past Fashion Fund winners Rogan Gregory, Doo-Ri Chung, Trovata and Proenza Schouler.