The Fashion Informer

TFI on Rue La La: Tom Ford

Tom Ford recently brought his well-groomed self to the stage at 92Y, where Fern Mallis grilled him about life, love and the pursuit of happiness (not necessarily in that order). I covered it for Rue La La, and images from the evening—and Ford's recent collections—can be seen below.

TFI on Ru La La: Schiaparelli and Prada

Here's what happened When Elsa Met Miuccia (at least according to the Met's latest Costume Institute exhibit, Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations).

TFI on Rue La La: Met Gala Style

A few of the red carpet looks from the 2012 Met Gala celebrating the opening of Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations, as seen on Rue La La.

But my favorite look of the evening had to be the Prada ensemble on model Angela Lindvall, which struck just the right note of cool without looking like she was trying too hard. Elsa Schiaparelli would surely approve, even if those know-nothing fashion police don't.

TFI on Rue La La: Spring Style Books

Every season brings a fresh crop of style books, and this spring's offerings are delightful, from fashion insider memoirs to inspirational coffee table tomes. Here are my favorites.

THE INSIDERS

Isabel Toledo has been a working fashion designer since the mid-80s, when she sold her first collection to Patricia Field and Henri Bendel. But it wasn't until First Lady Michelle Obama wore Toledo's lemongrass felted lace coat and dress to her husband's inauguration that the Cuban-born, New Jersey-bred designer became a household name the world over. Her new memoir, Roots of Style, traces her journey from Castro's Cuba to FIT to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute (where she interned under Diana Vreeland) to the top of the fashion pyramid, with helpful advice for fledgling designers and fanciful artwork by her illustrator husband, Ruben.

Unlike Toledo, Marisa Berenson has been famous her whole life, a claim backed up by A Life In Pictures. The book features 300 lavish photos of the aristocratic heiress (and granddaughter of legendary fashion designer, Elsa Schiaparelli, currently the subject of a Met Costume Institute exhibit) beginning with her privileged childhood (her christening portrait, by Irving Penn, was published in Vogue and she was photographed for her first Elle cover at age five) to her 70s-era modeling heyday (when she was a constant presence on the covers of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Interview, Newsweek and Town & Country) to film stills from her acting work in Barry Lyndon, Cabaret and I am Love. All told, this is a fascinating portrait of a fascinating woman.

Brad Goreski's inspiring, surprisingly moving memoir, Born to be Brad follows the dapper Canadian import's rise from Barbie loving, much-taunted chubby wannabe actor to an internship at Vogue, a well-publicized stint assisting Rachel Zoe (as chronicled on Bravo's The Rachel Zoe Project)  through his current incarnation as celebrity stylist and star of his own reality show, It's a Brad, Brad World. Really, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

As I mentioned in an earlier piece on TFI, photographer Kirstin Sinclair is the ultimate fashion insider, covering the New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Week shows season after season for Elle UK and other A-list outlets. A Front Row Seat gathers her most striking images from the last decade, taking readers backstage, behind-the-scenes and front row center at some of the biggest shows around. There's also a section devoted to street style, starring the world's favorite models, bloggers and fashion editors.

THE ICONS

Subtitled "Beyond the Boundaries of Fashion," blogger Lizzie Garrett Hettler's Tomboy Style shines a light on our most intriguing boy-meets-girl icons, from Coco Chanel, Marlene Dietrich, Lee Miller, Amelia Earheart, Jean Seberg and Katharine Hepburn to modern day muses Lauren Hutton, Diane Keaton, Patti Smith, Lou Doillon, Alexa Chung and Tilda Swinton, none of whom ever met a tailored blazer or pair of boyfriend jeans they didn't like.

Photographer Lillian Bassman worked with some of the finest magazines and advertisers of the day back in the 1950s and '60s. The just-released Lillian Bassman: Lingerie captures the late photographer's artful images for lingerie companies Maidenform, Vanity Fair and Warner, featuring lanky Mad Man-era models in excruciatingly glamorous brassieres, girdles, peignoirs, corsets and camisoles.

Christian Louboutin makes women see red, in the best way possible. This lavish coffee table book of the same name showcases twenty years worth of the French cobbler's most fantastical crimson-soled creations–including snakeskin platforms, glittering t-straps, feathered sandals and thigh-high boots–in surreal photos by Philippe Garcia and David Lynch.

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY

American Beauty, by fine art photographer (and Anna Wintour's former assistant) Claiborne Swanson Frank, features casual-yet-studied portraits of some of our country's prettiest natives, such as Aerin Lauder, Minnie Mortimer, Elettra Wiedemann, Amanda Brooks, Cristina Cuomo, Joan Smalls, Marissa Mayer and Amanda Hearst, as well as Lauren Santo Domingo, Meredith Melling Burke and many of the author's other former Vogue colleagues. The majority of Swanson Frank's subjects are shot outdoors in natural settings that complement their natural beauty (though oddly, none are shown smiling). Which may be why my favorite image is that of interior designer Nena Woolworth, photographed leaning against the railing of a child's playhouse, a cigarette dangling from her mischievously smirking lips, looking like she's having the time of her life and doesn't care what anyone thinks. Now that's a beautiful thing.

Finally, artist/hairdresser Bob Recine takes a decidedly more unnatural approach to things, as can be seen in his book, Alchemy of Beauty, which is filled with images of gorgeous women transformed into otherworldly creatures thanks to Recine's artful way with wigs, hairpins, sunglasses, flowers, safety pins, Play-Doh, duct tape, razor blades, cellophane and rubber duckies, all of which are used in new and inventive ways that will have you rethinking the very meaning of beauty.

TFI on Rue La La: Ginger + Liz

I just spent a lovely afternoon hanging out with nail lacquer designers Ginger Johnson and Liz Pickett at the soon-to-open Nail Suite by Lisa Logan on Strivers' Row. Join me, won't you?

TFI on Ru La La: Marcia Patmos

In the mood for "Coffee Tawk" and a leisurely stroll through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden? Then join designer Marcia Patmos as she relaxes and recharges after a hectic week at work.

TFI on Rue La La: Emily Sugihara

I recently spent an afternoon hanging out with Baggu founder Emily Sugihara at her Williamsburg loft for Rue La La. She has a swing in her living room (not the dirty kind, the fun kind). I am beyond jealous. Go here to read about the rest of Emily's kickass pad.

TFI o Rue La La: Robin Renzi

I just kicked off a new charity-focused series on Rue La La called In Good Fashion. The first installment features Me&Ro designer Robin Renzi talking about her work with Bent on Learning, an organization that teaches yoga to New York City public school kids.

TFI on Rue La La: Daniel Vosovic

So is designer Daniel Vosovic as charming and chill as he seems? Join me to find out...

TFI on Rue La La: CK One Cosmetics

Calvin Klein unveiled their fall 2012 apparel, jeans, underwear and accessories line last week, along with the brand-new ck one color cosmetics launch. I covered the action for Rue La La.

TFI on Rue La La: Paris Fashion Week (part two)

And in the second installment of my Paris Fashion Week coverage for Rue La La, may I present Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Stella McCartney, Chanel and Valentino.

TFI on Rue La La: Paris Fashion Week (part one)

The latest from Dries Van Noten, Rick Owens, Christian Dior and Haider Ackermann in part one of my Paris Fashion Week coverage for Rue La La.

TFI on Rue La La: Milan Fashion Week

I just covered the best of Milan Fall 2012 Fashion Week (think: Gucci, Prada, Bottega Veneta, Missoni, Prada, Marni, Giorgio Armani and Raf Simons' Jil Sander swan song) for Rue La La.

TFI on Rue La La: Sue Wong

Designer Sue Wong walks me through her idea of a perfect weekend over at Rue La La. A cookout in Malibu, yoga on the beach and hiking in Solstice Canyon? I'm in!

TFI on Rue La La: London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week ran the gamut from boy-meets-girl suiting and louche pajama dressing to artfully singed eveningwear from designers Burberry Prorsum, Paul Smith, Aquascutum, Roksanda Ilincic, Giles, Mary Katrantzou, McQ by Alexander McQueen, Peter Pilotto and Stella McCartney's London Evening collection, the last of which drew an A-list crowd (Kate Moss, Anna Wintour, Bianca Jagger, Shailene Woodley, Rihanna) and a flash mob of dancing supermodels. Missed the action? Not to worry. I covered it for The (Style) Guide.

TFI on Rue La La: Lynne Hiriak of Cardigan

I recently spent a delightful afternoon hanging out with Lynne Hiriak, the designer of Cardigan, at her Williamsburg home/office, which you can read about over on Rue La La's The (Style) Guide.

TFI on Rue La La: CFDA "Impact" at FIT

I attended the press preview for the FIT exhibit, Impact: 50 Years of the CFDA, just before New York Fashion Week, which drew the likes of Tory Burch, Reed Krakoff, Isabel Toledo, Tracy Reese, Carolina Herrera, Narciso Rodriguez and CFDA presidents past and present, including Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Stan Herman and Oscar de la Renta. If you want a master class in the diversity that is American fashion, Impact delivers.

TFI on Rue La La: NYFW Fall '12 Trends (part two)

And in the second installment of my fall 2012 trend roundup for Rue La La, may I present calf-length skirts and flippy minis, fur accessories, the color oxblood, OTT hats and headgear, and shiny metallics for day and night. 

TFI on Rue La La: NYFW Fall '12 Trends (part one)

It's all about layering, sweater dressing, digital prints, high-tech fabrics, sexy stockings and borrowed-from-the-boys styles next season.

TFI on Rue La La: CFDA Health Initiative

The Council of Fashion Designers of America Health Initiative kicked off New York Fashion Week with a discussion entitled A Well-Balanced Life, featuring panelists Karolina Kurkova, Monique Pean, Elettra Wiedemann and Arianna Huffington, moderated by CNN's Alina Cho. In the audience: Diane von Furstenberg, Anna Wintour, Steven Kolb, Jenne Lombardo, Tommy Hilfiger, Reed Krakoff, Maria Cornejo, Olivier Theyskens, Prabal Gurung and Tory Burch (among others). I was on hand to report for Rue La La.