February, 2012
Hammams Are All the Rage in Paris
Posted on February 29, 2012 |
Photo: Courtesy of the O'Kari Hammam Spa in Paris
When you’re in Paris, whether for fashion week or for fun, you probably won’t leave without spotting the Eiffel Tower or eating a macaron, but there’s a new must-do activity garnering attention: visiting a hammam. Yes, the traditional steam bath you expect to find in Istanbul is finally making its way west. In Paris, however, hammams are a surprising mix of old and new, young and old, making them the cool new place to relax with your girlfriends.
The ‘old’ part might surprise you. This isn’t a luxury spa: your phone, the latest novel, and your clothes will be left outside while you indulge in the communal treatments. (You can wear a bikini, but after a trip to a hot steam room you might change your mind; the intensity of the heat forces you to completely decompress and disconnect.)
After the steam room, you’ll be cleansed and exfoliated with savon noir, a nourishing black soap that leaves limbs silky-smooth pre-massage. Afterward, you’re encouraged to stick around and absorb the cultural experience. Many hammams, like the Mosquée de Paris, are steeped in history and contain intricate mosaics—a combination you’ll be hard pressed to find stateside.
Rochas’ Funky Red Carpet Dresses
Posted on February 29, 2012 |
Photo: Getty Images
PARIS—It’s not that everyone didn’t look lovely at the Academy Awards this weekend (and yes, red carpet season’s pretty much over), it’s just that we find ourselves wishing year after year that someone would take a risk. Like Simon Doonan said a few months ago, we’re still talking about Bjork’s swan dress because it was the last time anyone wore anything interesting. While swans might be too far a stretch after a year of ladylike Vuitton gowns and vintage Dior, what about throwing some prints into the mix?
In Paris this afternoon, Marco Zanini showed a handful of surprisingly loud gowns, all of which were fancy enough for a red carpet, yet playful enough for a young starlet. Sandwiched in between his ultra seventies brocade bell-bottom suits, granny chic cardigans and tweed tights were bell skirted gowns printed with over-sized checks or tile-like squares. Sure, they’re not for everyone, but they’re a beautiful alternative for someone tired of the sparkle-meets-fishtail look.
Ashley Greene Nabs Lead in Fashion-Centric TV Drama
Posted on February 29, 2012 |
Photo: Wireimage
ABC’s drama pilot Americana, a soap about a famous fashion industry clan, has its female lead, Deadline reports: Ashley Greene of Twilight fame. The show centers on iconic fashion designer Robert Soulter, played by Anthony LaPaglia, “the patriarch of a sprawling family who just welcomed a new member, Alice (Greene), a young designer whose shocking arrival turns the family and the legendary label inside out.”
Lost‘s Emilie de Ravin has also been cast in the show, and according to Deadline “will play Robert’s chic and outgoing daughter Francesca who is the head of events at Americana but Robert doesn’t consider her a candidate for the heir to his empire, which may have treacherous consequences.”
Emma Watson To Star in Next Sofia Coppola Film
Posted on February 29, 2012 |
Photo: Wireimage
Emma Watson will be Sofia Coppola’s star in The Bling Ring, the true story of a group of teenagers who commit a string of celebrity burglaries, Variety reports. Over the course of a year in late 2008 to 2009, the group stole more than $3 million in designer goods from the homes of Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr, Lindsay Lohan, and Megan Fox. They were apparently motivated by celebrity-worship, fame, fashion, and obsession.
Coppola will both write and direct the film, and her brother Roman Coppola will produce. “I’m excited about the young cast we’re assembling and I’m looking forward to shooting on location here in Los Angeles,” Coppola said. Earlier this month, she was rumored to be circling Robert Pattinson for a role.
Dries Van Noten’s Varied Inspirations
Posted on February 29, 2012 |
Photos: Imaxtree
PARIS—Though Dries Van Noten‘s never one to shy away from a print, the designer really went wild this season, offering a variety of patterns in a swath of colors across his gorgeous fall collection. While watching his show in Paris this afternoon, the following things popped into my head:
1. Those scarf tops from the early 90s, except so much better (and work appropriate). Van Noten printed silk blouses, skirts and trousers with navy, blue and gold prints that looked like they’d been lifted off your all time favorite scarf.
2. Katsushika Hokusai’s wave print. Though it didn’t actually show up in the collection, wave-like crests were included in the blue and orange prints.
3. Dries Van Noten fall 2010. In between the Japanese-inspired prints, Van Noten offered his favorite color combination, black, navy and army green, often over white turtlenecks and once, with a leopard print bag.
4. Japanese screens. Those black lacquered paneled screens painted with gold birds and parasol-carrying women? Hello looks 4, 6 and 8.
5. Over-sized round lollipops. Though the faded blue, orange, green and purple stripes showed up on a handful of silhouettes, the dress in look 23 made the lightbulb go off: old-fashioned lollipops!
6. The Cookie Monster! If anyone does a story on runway looks that resemble Sesame Street characters (and we mean that as a good thing), Van Noten’s third to last look, topped with a shaggy turquoise fur, will be a shoe in for the Cookie Monster.
Andrej Pejic Said Circling First Lead Film Role
Posted on February 29, 2012 |
Photo: Getty Images
Andrej Pejic just landed his first major beauty campaign, and his first leading film role may not be far behind. According to his Paris agent, the androgynous model recently met with French director Florence Dewavrin, who is developing a feature based on Honoré de Balzac’s Séraphita.
The classic novel, which was published in 1834 and is set in Norway, tells the story of a beautiful androgynous youth who goes by the names of both Séraphitus and Séraphita. The youth serves as the object of affection for both a man who believes Séraphita to be a woman and a woman who believes Séraphitus to be a man — a role for Pejic if there ever was one.
Fledging Line Cobra Society Introduces Handbags
Posted on February 29, 2012 |
Photo: Cobra Society
When former Stella McCartney intern Alex Davis launched her Cobra Society collection of boots last Fall, it was quickly snapped up by the likes of Net-a-Porter, Shopbop, Saks, and Satine in Los Angeles. Beyoncé and Jessica Alba, too, are fans.
Each boot incorporates handwoven Moroccan kilim rugs, which means that no two pairs are exactly the same. For Spring, Davis continues to be inspired by North African culture — she’s incorporated vintage Moroccan wedding blankets and tapestries into the mix — and has added three new shoe silhouettes: loafers, high-heeled booties, and wedges. She’s also trying her hand at handbags, introducing the Tangier carry-all in two sizes, as well as a clutch, all in Italian leather. The handbags will be available exclusively on Cobra Society’s new e-commerce site this season, launching next Monday, March 5.
One more image of the collection, after the jump.
Photo: Cobra Society
News: Kate Moss Goes Topless on New Cover
Posted on February 29, 2012 |
Photo: Another Man
Massimo Ferretti, chairman of Aeffe (which produces Moschino, Alberta Ferretti, Jean Paul Gaultier) denies rumors of a collaboration with Raf Simons: “We have never spoken with him.” [WWD]
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have welcomed their third child, a son. [People]
Kate Moss appears topless in McQueen on Another Man‘s new limited-edition cover [Telegraph UK]
Speaking of Moss, here’s a profile of private chef Daniel de la Falaise, who catered her wedding dinner, [T]
Here are 80 new stills from the upcoming Hunger Games movie. [ONTD]
Abbey Lee Kershaw is having knee surgery today instead of walking in the Paris shows; she’s also rumored to be working on a Steven Spielberg film. [Frockwriter]
Colette is stocking the shoes from Kanye West’s first runway show. [Refinery29]
Giovanna Battaglia advanced her career by clubbing with Anna Dello Russo. [The Cut]
Ten American designers, including Prabal Gurung, Billy Reid, and Monique Péan, customized a Tommy Hilfiger trench coat which will go on sale Saturday to benefit the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. [WWD]
The new owners of French design house Courrèges have relaunched the brand in 25 select boutiques worldwide and online, but have no plans for a fashion show. [FT]
Banana Republic x Mad Men Gets In-Flight Fashion Show
Posted on February 29, 2012 |
Photo: Banana Republic Instagram
Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant is back in business with Banana Republic. To celebrate their sophomore collaboration — which hits stores tomorrow, March 1 (but already appears to be for sale online) — Banana Republic has partnered with Virgin America for an in-flight fashion show, hot on the heels of Chanel’s plane-set couture show.
Models walking down the plane aisle at 35,000 feet will debut four looks from the new Banana Republic Mad Men collection, all for the lucky passengers of Virgin America Flight 407 this morning. Since Virgin has Wi-Fi enabled planes, both Banana Republic (@bananarepublic) and Virgin America (@VIRGINAMERICA), will be live-tweeting the show, as will five invited fashion bloggers.
Shalom Harlow in the collection’s campaign, after the jump.
Photo: Banana Republic
LVMH Is Really Into Online Magazines Right Now
Posted on February 29, 2012 |
The home page of DiorMag.
Though fashion’s been distracted from its favorite guessing game of late—’Who will take over Dior?’ has taken a backseat to ‘Was Raf Simons fired?’ and ‘Where will Stefano Pilati go?’—Dior’s back in the spotlight for today, thanks to its new online magazine, DiorMag.
Set to launch this morning, the website has a proper (if unidentified) editor-in-chief and plans on posting new content daily. On Friday, the brand (which is noticeably absent from LVMH’s corporate website) will livestream its show for the first time and turn over its Twitter feed to Susie Bubble. When it’s not show time, updates will include Christian Dior-related trivia and a behind-the0scene’s look at the Parisian atelier.
Meanwhile, we hear that LVMH, which already has Nowness, is planning on launching another online magazine. This one will be more “Monocle-like,” with art, design and architecture rounding out the fashion coverage.