The Fashion Informer

KOZA Debuts at W Hotel London

The Fashion Informer (that would be me) just did a piece for Vogue.com on the debut of the Koza: Goods of Leisure's style-meets-substance travel collection at W Hotel London.  Sweet!

photos courtesy KOZA

Read The Fashion Informer on Vogue.com

You can read The Fashion Informer at VOGUE.COM with a few older pieces here, here and here. Our runway reviews can be found in the New York Fashion Week and VOGUE.COM Reports categories at right, listed by season.

illustration © Lana Frankel

Mulberry Hits the Books

Mulberry hosted a party to celebrate the launch of British fashion photographer Chris Craymer's lovely book, Romance (which the handbag company also helped publish) on Thursday night at their Madison Avenue boutique.  Below, a few snaps from the soiree, and you can read about the party in detail over on VOGUE.COM.

 

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

 

 

Derek Lam Storms SoHo

Derek Lam opened his first Manhattan store in SoHo last night - designed by architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA (aka, the duo behind the New Museum of Contemporary Art) - and Crosby Street was closed for several hours during the opening party, which attracted the likes of Anna Wintour, Phillip Lim and Rihanna, among others.  Below, a few photos from the party. You can read our complete coverage on VOGUE.COM.

 

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

 

Topshop Arrives in New York (Finally!)

Some snaps from Tuesday's opening night party.  You can read our full coverage on VOGUE.COM.

 

 

 

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

 

Barneys Celebrates Burberry's Christopher Bailey

 

Barneys New York hosted a champagne-fueled party Monday night to celebrate Christopher Bailey's spring/summer collection for Burberry Prorsum.  

 

Co-hosted by Gossip Girl actor Ed Westwick and Barneys menswear honcho Tom Kalenderian, the shindig drew PYTs from both sides of the Atlantic, including Mary-Kate Olsen, Tara Subkoff, Leigh Lezark, Katie Lee Joel, Poppy Delavigne, Celerie Kemble, Emma Snowdon Jones and Byrdie Bell, to name a few of the people who swarmed the third floor menswear department to congratulate Burberry's always-charming Creative Director, who'd flown in just for the occasion.  Read all about it over on 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

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Vera Wang Celebrates Soho Store Opening

Vera Wang opened her first ready-to-wear boutique in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood - showcasing her designer collection and Lavender line - and last night was the kick off party, which functioned as a mini-reunion between the Vogue-editor-turned-designer and her former colleagues, with Anna Wintour, Meredith Melling Burke and Virginia Smith stopping by to pay their respects, the last with her hubby, Gap designer Patrick Robinson, and their adorable son in tow.  

When asked how she managed to keep the quality of her recently-launched Kohl's line, Simply Vera Vera Wang (with which we have something of an obsession) so high, Wang said, "I work hard at it.  I really do.  I don't just sign my name off to anything, and I think of what modern girls want and how modern girls dress. That's what important to me.  That's who I am.  Not only as a designer, but as a person - as a woman and a consumer."

And how did she came to choose Soho as a location for her first ready-to-wear flagship - worlds away from her two Madison Avenue bridal boutiques?

"I thought it was the perfect place for our ready-to-wear and Lavender, near people I admire like Prada and Marni and Marc Jacobs and Miu Miu and whoever else is around the block!"

You can read more about last night's event over at Vogue.com.

 

 

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

 

Simon Doonan, Beautiful and Eccentrically Glamorous

Simon Doonan just saw the release of his latest book, "Eccentric Glamour: Creating an Insanely More Fabulous You" here in the States. And this week, he jumps the pond to celebrate the release of his memoir "Beautiful People" (published in the US in 2005 under the title "Nasty"), which is also being made into a BBC Two comedy series from Ab Fab/Little Britain producer, Jon Plowman. Read all about Doonan's fabulous adventures at VOGUE.COM.

Gap Unveils Designer White Shirts

Some snaps from the Gap launch party celebrating their second annual Design Edition collaboration with CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists. This year's designers are Band of Outsiders, Michael Bastian, Philip Crangi jewelry, 3.1 Phillip Lim and ThreeAsFour, all of whom were on hand to toast the project, as were about a dozen other designers. You can read more about the party on VOGUE.COM.

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

Muks Launches Spring Collection

Muks, the furry boots made by Canadian Aboriginals, have launched a new collection for the warm weather months. Read all about it at VOGUE.COM.

Photo courtesy of Muks

CFDA 2008 Nominees and Honorees Announced

Swarovski and the Council of Fashion Designers of America hosted a party at the Rooftop Gardens at Rockefeller Center Monday, March 10th, to announce the 2008 CFDA Fashion Awards nominees and honorees (you can read our coverage of the festivities at VOGUE.COM).

Here's a complete list of the honorees and nominees, all of whom will will collect their awards at the CFDA Fashion Awards gala, emceed by Fran Lebowitz, on June 2nd at the New York Public Library.

Womenswear Designer of the Year
Awarded to an American designer or a designer whose business is headquartered in the U.S. who has made the most outstanding contribution to and has influenced the direction of women's ready-to-wear fashion with his or her Spring and Fall 2008 collections. The designer selected must have his or her business based primarily in America.

2008 Nominees:
Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein
Lazaro Hernandez & Jack McCollough for Proenza Schouler
Marc Jacobs

Menswear Designer of the Year
Awarded to an American designer or a designer whose business is headquartered in the U.S. who has made the most outstanding contribution to and has influenced the direction of men's ready-to-wear fashion with his or her Spring and Fall 2008 collections. The designer selected must have his or her business based primarily in America.

2008 Nominees:
Michael Bastian
Thom Browne
Tom Ford

Accessory Designer of the Year
Awarded to an American designer or a designer whose business is headquartered in the U.S. who has made the most outstanding contribution to and has influenced the direction of accessory design with his or her Spring and Fall 2008 collections. The designer selected must have his or her business based primarily in America.

2008 Nominees:
Tory Burch
Marc Jacobs
Michael Kors

Swarovski Award for Womenswear
Awarded to an American designer or a designer whose business is headquartered in the U.S. who has made the greatest impact as an emerging new talent in womenswear design with his or her Spring and Fall 2008 collections. The Swarovski Awards, originally called Swarovski’s Perry Ellis Awards, were established to recognize and support the talent and creativity of the next generation of American designers. The designer selected must have his or her business based primarily in America.

2008 Nominees:
Thakoon Panichgul
Kate & Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte
Alexander Wang

Swarovski Award for Menswear
Awarded to an American designer or a designer whose business is headquartered in the U.S. who has made the greatest impact as an emerging new talent in menswear design with his or her Spring and Fall 2008 collections. The Swarovski Awards, originally called Swarovski’s Perry Ellis Awards, were established to recognize and support the talent and creativity of the next generation of American designers. The designer selected must have his or her business based primarily in America.

2008 Nominees:
Patrik Ervell
Tim Hamilton
Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders

Swarovski Award for Accessory Design
Awarded to an American designer or a designer whose business is headquartered in the U.S. who has made the greatest impact as an emerging new talent in accessory design with his or her Spring and Fall 2008 collections. The Swarovski Awards, originally called Swarovski’s Perry Ellis Awards, were established to recognize and support the talent and creativity of the next generation of American designers. The designer selected must have his or her business based primarily in America.

2008 Nominees:
Philip Crangi
Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewelry
Joy Gryson

HONOREE AWARDS

Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award
Awarded for a “lifetime” of consistent, creative influence and dedication to fashion.

2008 Honoree: Carolina Herrera

Eugenia Sheppard Award
Awarded to a writer, photographer, or editor who has used his or her craft to further the profession of fashion reporting and coverage, or to a creative director, fashion editor, stylist, or artist whose exceptional creativity has shaped fashion visually.

2008 Honoree: Candy Pratts Price

International Award
Awarded to a designer working outside of America who has made an outstanding creative contribution to the world of fashion.

2008 Honoree: Dries Van Noten

Board of Directors’ Special Tribute
A special tribute by the Board of Directors of the CFDA, given from time to time to acknowledge significant contributions and commitment to fashion.

2008 Honoree: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg

Photos © The Fashion Informer/Lauren David Peden

Diane von Furstenberg Celebrates International Women's Day in Style

Diane von Furstenberg is hosting a series of events in her stores worldwide this week to celebrate International Women's Day and the program "Woman Can." You can read all about it on VOGUE.COM.

VOGUE.COM and Splendora NY Fashion Week Finale

Our final reviews - of Zac Posen, Vera Wang, Phi, Calvin Klein, Staerk, Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs - can be found at VOGUE.COM, and the last entry of our Fashion Week blog (with tidbits from all of the above, plus mini-chats with Debbie Harry, Ellen Pompeo, Gretchen Mol, and a pre-show PETA sighting) will post to Splendora on Monday. Hope you enjoyed the Fashion Week coverage here at The Fashion Informer, and please come back soon for up-to-the-minute style news and scoops.

More VOGUE.COM and Splendora coverage

Are on tap. Find our reviews of Rodarte, Karen Walker, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Narciso Rodriguez at VOGUE.COM, and the latest scoop on Day Five happenings at Splendora.

Olivier Theyskens' Love Note To Fashion

On Friday night, designer Olivier Theyskens told the crowd who'd gathered to hear him speak at the French Institute Alliance Francaise in Manhattan that his creative process most often begins with drawing (which he repeatedly declared his first love). After the casual, far-ranging conversation - the last in a series entitled Fashion Talks with Pamela Golbin - ended, a few lucky guests were given a truly memorable souvenir: a small white notebook full of Theysken's sketches of the Nina Ricci spring/summer 2008 collection, complete with handwritten notes from the designer himself. Here, a selection of our favorites. And for more coverage on the Theyskens' event, visit UK Vogue.com.

Illustrations © Olivier Theyskens/Nina Ricci, reprinted courtesy of Nina Ricci