Hairstylist Nick Arrojo to do reality series
Are you ready for another beauty/hair reality series?
Hairstylist Nick Arrojo, formerly of TLC’s “What Not to Wear,” has signed with NBC’s Peacock Productions for an upcoming reality series currently in development. No details on what the series will be about, so we’re left to wonder.
I interviewed Arrojo in the fall of ’08 for the launch of his new book. Here’s a link to some additional information I included on my blog, which also has a link to my story.
Arrojo is an acclaimed stylist and educator. In 2003, he formed ARROJO education and in 2007, he launched the ARROJO product. His first book, “Great Hair,” a self-help hairstyling handbook providing women with secrets for looking fabulous and feeling beautiful, was released in October 2008.
Born in Manchester, England, Arrojo’s career began as a Vidal Sassoon apprentice. He won the prestigious Young Hairdresser of the Year Award and, at 21, became Vidal’s youngest ever assistant.creative director. After 20 years in the industry, including stints at Wella International and Bumble and Bumble, he opened ARROJO studio in Manhattan’s SoHo district in 2001.
You really can walk in Oprah’s shoes
Now you really can walk in Oprah Winfrey’s shoes.
She cleaned out her closet and is donating clothes, shoes and accessories for a charity auction on eBay. Proceeds will benefit the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa.
The auction, featuring 150 pieces — from clothing to shoes to accessories, will be be from March 1-11.
The talk show host is parting with everything from a Barry Kiesselstein-Cord handbag to a jacket she wore as part of the Chicago delegation for the 2016 Olympic bid in Copenhagen. Through the cleaning, she developed a new perspective on her own style. “In the past, I’ve gotten talked into a lot of trends,” she said. “But I don’t have to be on anyone’s best-dressed list. I’m really just trying to become more of myself.”
While the closet-cleaning is for a a good cause, it also caused Winfrey a moment or two of reflection. “There was a time when I had to budget for clothes, and I still do so subconsciously,” she said. “Early in my career, when I was an anchor-woman, I had a beige suit, a navy suit and a black suit. Period. And I would just interchange them. Even now, wasting money on clothes makes me crazy.”
For more information on the auction, go online to oprah.com/oprahauction. All the money raised will go to Oprah’s Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. For a sneak preview at the items included in the Great Closet Cleanout, pick up the March issue of O,The Oprah Magazine.
Clothes for tall women and more on Thursday’s “Martha” show
If you’re tall, you may want to watch “The Martha Stewart Show” at 2 p.m. Thursday on KSBI-15 (Cox Channel). Dubbed “The Tall Show,” the segment will feature guess and audience members all over 6 feet tall.
The show marks the official U.S. debut of British retailer Long Tall Sally. Offering apparel and accessories for women over 5 feet 8 inches at LongTallSally.com, the retailer says its truly understands the fashion challenges of tall women. Long Tall Sally designs clothing from start to finish with a tall frame in mind. Extra inches are not simply added onto the hem of a pair of pants. Instead, pants, shirts, dresses and jackets are designed proportionally so knees, elbows, pockets and everything else fall in the proper place on a taller woman.
Lisa Butcher, a UK style expert, model and host of the BBC’s “What Not to Wear,” will give fashion tips for tall women with a Long Tall Sally fashion show modeled by gold medal winners from the 2008 U.S. Olympic rowing team.
Along with Long Tall Sally, the episode will feature the tallest cake in Martha history by pastry chef Alain Roby and tall facts from Arianne Cohen, author of “The Tall Book.”
Fashion Week: Rodarte, Vera Wang, Bebe, Marc by Marc Jacobs
More runway show reviews from the Associated Press. New York Fashion Week winds down on Thursday.
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Rodarte for fall 2010. AP PHOTO
RODARTE
The bittersweet drama that played out on the Rodarte runway reminded fashion insiders why Kate and Laura Mulleavy have become such a big deal in such a short time.
The theme of their collection was the hazy state of consciousness that comes between sleep and being awake. Lovely, lace-draped dresses in a light, almost dusty palette captured the feeling of vintage lingerie and wallpaper prints, but there was something weighing on them, too — a seriousness, a respect.
The chunky knits, sometimes with yarn fringe, were just on the right side of looking well loved and worn in, yet luxurious in a way that a designer collection demands.
The layers that have been so popular at New York Fashion Week were certainly on this catwalk in a Chelsea artist space, but the Mulleavys had a lighter touch because of their airy fabrics and loose-weave knits.
“The draped dresses in gauze and lace were spectacular,” said Ikram Goldman, the Chicago retailer who advises first lady Michelle Obama on her wardrobe. “The way they were manipulated and draped to perfection on the body. … They were beautiful. They were perfect.”
VERA WANG
Black — at least the way Vera Wang does it — can be light.
Wang debuted her fall collection for the editors, stylists and retailers who have gotten quite used to seeing black over the past few days, but made them seem new.
The show’s title was “The Bride Wore Black,” but Wang said in her notes she was drawn to the color (or non-color, as it may be) because it’s “a contemporary metaphor for youth, romance and sophistication ringed ever so slightly with a sense of mystery.”
She opened with a menswear-style black jacket, turned feminine with oversized organza corsages on the lapel. That set the tone for the yin-and-yang vibe of most of the outfits: a featherweight faille bolero with rosettes was paired with a wool-knit jumpsuit with a tuxedo stripe down the side, for example, and a tightly tailored Nehru jacket had sexy sheer sleeves.
THE ROW
Without the paparazzi in sight — and just a few fashion photographers perched at the end of a black wooden runway — Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen presented their collection The Row to a small group of fashion insiders.
The small show, held far away from the Bryant Park tents, seemed an indication they wanted the headlines to be about the clothes, a strategy employed by fellow camera-magnet Victoria Beckham earlier this week. The Olsens appeared only briefly at the end to take a very quick bow in front of Carey Mulligan, Chloe Sevigny, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and her French Vogue counterpart, Carine Roitfeld.
The clothes were indeed quite serious — and sophisticated. The first model wore a simple black wrap coat that was belted and black trousers with flat gladiator sandals. Most of the collection was black, which has been the norm on many catwalks at New York Fashion Week.
Adding textural interest, though, has been a trick to making all the black more interesting — and the Olsens mastered it. An A-line carriage skirt in a croc pattern was worn with a slim shirt and a delicate spaghetti-strap camisole on top. Another look featured a buttery leather corset over a flowing, asymmetrical-hem dress.
HALSTON
The shoes to fill were big and expectations high, but Halston’s creative director Marios Schwab said he tried not to think about that pressure on his debut collection for the storied label.
He can now breathe a sigh of relief: He presented a warmly received series of dresses — and a handful of other silhouettes — Monday night. Sarah Jessica Parker, who will be designing a contemporary label called Halston Heritage, turned out to see what her new colleague had done.
Two of the most attention-worthy were done in the spirit of the house’s founder, the late Roy Halston Frowick. One was a slinky red jersey with cutouts around the bustline, and the other was a super-sexy yellow halter top with open sides and back.
But there was more than the liquidlike jersey looks that made Halston a powerhouse in the 1970s and ‘80s among the high-fashion crowd at Studio 54. For the woman who wears Halston in 2010, Schwab added fabrics such as neoprene, leather, cashmere and even a metallic cracked lame, used on an asymmetrical cropped jacket.
CHRIS BENZ
It seems Chris Benz drank the Kool-Aid that’s been served at New York Fashion Week, tapping into the rebel-schoolgirl look with outfits built around classic plaids, sometimes walking-short versions, and then shaking it up with bra tops and metallic biker jackets.
But Benz also spiked it with something a little extra: an adventurous attitude.
The models at his presentation Monday in an artist space wore acid-yellow and bright-purple fur mittens and trapper hats, too. A liquidlike metallic top with sweatpants pooling around the ankles and a fur vest with oversized hood, a poncho with a lame sheen and a cozy swirl-knit minidress probably would all make their way into the suitcase when Benz’s young hipster customer goes away to the “country” for the weekend.
Marc by Marc Jacobs for fall 2010.
MARC BY MARC JACOBS
Pull down those hemlines, girls.
For his younger, less expensive diffusion line, Marc Jacobs eschewed the bubbliness of past collections to deliver a ladylike silhouette and proper gentlemen’s suiting.
It was the designer’s second show of the week to mark a dramatic about-face, as his namesake line shown Monday also dropped hems and buttoned up. Perhaps with the Great Recession moving on, Jacobs was echoing the historical change in attitudes and fashion that followed the Great Depression.
The designer, arguably the most influential in the country, took a page from the 1940s for Marc by Marc Jacobs. A palette of red, black and olive echoed military themes as models marched along sternly in knit separates and jackets. Tops featured ballooned sleeves and collar ties of secretaries past, and culottes ensembles were paired with flat leather wingtips.
Bebe Kardashians for fall 2010.
BEBE
Reality show stars Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian can now sell the clothes right off their backs to their fans.
The brunette sisters collaborated with fast-fashion chain bebe to offer a line inspired by pieces from the girls’ closets, a collection shown Tuesday during New York Fashion Week to another face made famous by reality TV: “Jersey Shore” diva Jenni “JWoww” Farley.
The line, which is available this month in bebe stores, consisted of basic jerseys, fitted blazers and leather separates devoid of embellishment or the company’s signature rhinestone branding. Kim Kardashian posed for cameras in one of the looks — a gray stretch mini dress under a cropped leather corset — that emphasized the assets for which she is known.
The tight and short silhouette was reiterated throughout, including spandex one-shoulder dresses with side cutouts and a stretch jersey-and-mesh tube dress so short that the model had to adjust the length mid-catwalk.
Fashion Week: Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Tracy Reese, Monique Lhuillier
Marc Jacobs for fall 2010. AP PHOTO
New York Fashion Week … heading into the stretch. More reviews from the Associated Press.
MARC JACOBS
Jacobs clearly has turned a new leaf from his more recent party-girl ‘80s-influenced collections. Monday’s dresses were mostly an A-line, adding a little volume, although one stunner was a body-hugging sweater covered on the front with shiny beading.
Jacobs also confirmed a longer-length hemline that had been seen as one of the season’s likely trends.
“These were gorgeous, real clothes that were beautifully done,” said Joe Zee, creative director for Elle magazine. “Don’t you walk away feeling elated? Isn’t that the whole point of fashion?”
These lovely ladies wore tweed, suede or boucle coats on a proper date — or perhaps a transparent trench with a hint of sparkle for a special occasion. For day, there were several suits, including a three-piece menswear plaid one and a gray-flannel culotte version — yes, culottes.
DONNA KARAN
Donna Karan fall 2010. AP PHOTO
When you’ve got the chic eye of Donna Karan, you don’t need a lot of glitz to celebrate fashion. In fact, the collection to mark the 25th anniversary of her label was almost entirely black, spare and highly sculptured.
And it looked great.
There was no better model for the modern, almost stiff, coats that really were the star of this runway than Karan herself, who is probably far more relatable to consumers than the tall, slender catwalkers. She wore it as she took her bow in front of a crowd that included Demi Moore and Brooke Shields.
The coats, which had a hint of origami influence to them, paired as well with a plunging-cowl evening gown as slim trousers. To feel really special, sometimes a separate ruffled collar was added on top — but it would be the wearer’s choice.
TRACY REESE
Tracy Reese is showing an edge she hasn’t shown before, with a taste for black lacquered fabrics and studding down the sides of pants. Even the pretty dresses and ladylike coats she’s known for have gotten the distressed treatment for next season.
Fashion went through a “cleaning house” period during the worst point of the economic downturn and turned out some toned-down styles, but it’s starting to get its groove back with more inventive and interesting looks, Reese said in an interview Monday just before models stepped onto the runway at New York Fashion Week.
Still, there is a lingering lesson from the recession, she said: Create more “items” than outfits. “I have a lot of layered sportswear in this collection, which is versatile. It’s how people shop. They are looking for wardrobe-updating pieces.”
Her go-to items would be the cozy sweaters paired with contrasting stretch-suede skinny pants.
Tracy Reese fall 2010 collection. AP PHOTO
MONIQUE LHUILLIER
Monique Lhuillier found herself seduced by China as she was developing the fall collection she debuted on the runway Monday, interpreting warrior and military suits, traditional dragon motifs and, of course, Shanghai red.
The opening look at her New York Fashion Week show was a striking gown with gold-encrusted cuffs that incorporated all the above.
Other noteworthy looks included a navy chiffon halter gown with a braided belt in black-lacquered leather wrapped multiple times around the bodice and one-shouldered tulle gown covered in not-so-perfect roses. The finale red-satin gown draped tightly from the neckline to hips and exploding into big fabric flowers on the skirt also was a headline-grabber.
Monique Lhuillier fall fashion for 2010. AP PHOTO
Fashion Week: Carolina Herrera, Zac Posen, Luca Luca and more
Carolina Herrera for fall 2010. AP PHOTO
New York Fashion Week for fall 2010 continues through Thursday. Here are more reviews.
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CAROLINA HERRERA
For a while, it seemed Carolina Herrera was trying to court a more hipster customer but she showed Monday that she is firmly committed to the rarified world in which she lives and works.
There was luxury like a Prussian-blue, mosaic-print jacket with fur lining and a mink collar, worn with camel-colored suede pants, and a sky-and-steel blue gown with beaded leaves and a swath of tulle around the neck.
There was a hint of a Russian influence to the overall look of the show, in her color choices, fur and style of embroidery. The daywear models also wore full-brim hats.
The Herrera lady — “woman” doesn’t sound quite right — is a day-and-night dresser, not a day-to-night one. Look for her in a deep red wool sheath with asymmetrical vertical pleats for day, and a distinctly different black-and-metallic embossed organza gown with a hint of red framing the face in the evening.
ZAC POSEN
Zac Posen fall 2010. AP PHOTO
It’s the real world and now Zac Posen is living in it. The first model on his runway Monday morning wore a fully wearable, thoroughly sophisticated, portrait-neck cape in camel-colored felt, smart trousers and a creamy silk blouse.
In fact, the former flashy showman, who has recently chronicled in the press his struggles to lead a viable business, turned out a mostly understated, chic collection. It might not be full of head-turners, but the clothes aren’t as polarizing as, say, his tornado-inspired gowns a few seasons ago.
As wild as it got here were some copper metallics, pink-dot prints and magenta-colored fur — a refreshing break from the largely neutral palette that has been dominating this round of previews for stylists, editors and retailers.
Posen partnered with violinist Miri Ben-Ari to provide a live, serene soundtrack. He also seemed to stick to a recent commitment to seek out older models — by industry standards that means 18, maybe 16 — to avoid those who are too thin. And he seemed to stick by it, hiring veterans Alek Wek, Hana Soukupova, Sessilee Lopez and Coco Rocha.
RACHEL ROY
Rachel Roy’s outfits that demanded the most attention featured slightly tarnished metallics, including a gold, crochet-style dress and jacket, a black sheath decorated with gold, almost-serpentine beads, and a high-shine patchwork gold skirt worn with a gold-lace tank.
But daywear is the base of her collection that has steadily gained a following in recent seasons, spawning a secondary, more affordable line with Macy’s.
Rachel Roy fall 2010 collection. AP PHOTO
Stylish professional clothes included an open, pleated cashmere cardigan and cropped trousers (and a sheer jersey bodysuit for extra attention), a slouchy brick-red, wrap coat, and a delicate black lace blouse with high-waisted navy wool trousers. You’d need a blazer — of which there were several — on top of that last outfit for the office.
LUCA LUCA
A silver taffeta trench coat and a reversible gray one made partially of lacquered cotton are two nice bookends to the Luca Luca story for next season.
Designer Raul Melgoza said he wanted to offer a collection of fall clothes at New York Fashion Week that paid homage to “the diverse roles of women in society.”
The front row included the label’s founding designer Luca Orlandi and his wife, model Oluchi. The handoff of creative duties happened in 2008.
Melgoza honored the house’s signature cocktail dresses with a light, fluttery dress made of gray silk lame and wool, and a liquidlike silver lame gown with a deep cowl neck and open back.
Runway reality came in the form of more office-friendly styles, such as a blue wool sheath with pleated silk insets, and an old-school, ivory-colored georgette blouse paired with a black leather skirt that was neither too tight nor too short.
THAKOON
Thakoon for fall 2010 colleciton.
Is the fashion crowd going to cheer for Thakoon Panichgul’s pompoms?
The designer, whose label is known as just Thakoon, traded the colorful prints he’s used in recent seasons for texture, including fur, velvet, leather and those pompoms, which dangled from the hems of dresses and decorated a jacket worn over a knit, pompom and ruffle skirt.
Panichgul emphasized the mixed-fabric, layered look at his show on Sunday in a downtown studio space. It’s a trend that has emerged halfway through the fashion previews for the fall.
Fur also has had a strong presence, but, so far, no one but Panichgul colored it like tiger stripes.
Overall, this collection was somewhat uneven. Panichgul was seemingly torn between the “young designer” status he’s now had for so long, the name recognition he enjoys having dressed first lady Michelle Obama on many occasions, and the need to evolve into a more established craftsman who can cater to the fashion-forward and luxury market crowds.
REBECCA TAYLOR
Rebecca Taylor’s vision for fall 2010 means a healthy dose of masculinity.
The New Zealand native delivered a collection Sunday that tempered her girly look with touches of menswear.
The clothes, in navy, gray, olive and black, combined tweed with silk, mohair with chiffon, and feathery fringe with wool. Cozy brown cable sweaters, reminiscent of those worn by grandfathers of another era, were reimagined in shorter lengths with braided collar trims and backward V-necks.
Rebecca Taylor fall 2010 collection. AP PHOTO
The masculine feel was emphasized by oversized tuxedo blouses and skinny wool trousers that were paired with faux-fur jackets in animal prints. An oatmeal sweater, covered with layers of knit ruffles, was shown with a silk blouse that the designer called “granddad.” And more than a few models, their bombshell cat eyes emphasized by heavy liner, contrasted the look with black wool bowler hats and structured handbags in faded colors of nubuck.
Front-row admirers Carmen Electra, Kristen Bell, Michelle Trachtenberg, Mena Suvari and Sophia Bush, who applauded enthusiastically as Taylor took her finale bow.
DOO.RI
Doo.Ri Chung for fall is a study in contrast. Very sparkly, wearable contrast.
The designer took her favorite flowing jersey to an edgier place Friday in a collection of jackets, tops, down-to-the-floor skirts and a variety of dresses that were shirt-style, sheath and slouchy.
Fox fur and bold, plastic sequins — and a touch of leather — trimmed up a runway dominated by dark and steely blues, camel, grays and graphite, some shown over skinny, military-style pants and crystal leggings paired with heavy black and handpainted shoes.
Doo.Ri for fall 2010 collection. AP PHOTO
Chung also offered some fitted looks in sporty, asymmetrical blazers, with a few stunning pieces in color: A belted, red alpaca lapel coat over a silk pleated dress high on the list. Pleats, at the back of long skirts, in a geranium V-neck blouse and on suede jersey pants, loomed as large as the glittery lips on her models and her newfound aggression in trims.
CUSTO BARCELONA
Custo Barcelona has gone hairy.
The loud, colorful Spanish label showed a collection inspired by “hairy metal.” It was a mishmash of shaggy fur and patterns delivered in extremes: ultra-short minis, leather hotpants, extra-shaggy fur and cropped jackets with knuckle-grazing sleeves.
The brand, which landed in the fashion world with its graphic T-shirt interpretations of California surfer-wear, has wandered far from its roots. Save for the brightly patterned leggings, everything else for this autumn was mired in just how many ways shaggy fur can be weaved into an outfit.
The result was a line that seemed to reference the movie “Where the Wild Things Are,” but only if Max had dreamed in swirls and metallics.
Custo Barcelona fall 2010 collection. AP PHOTO
New dance studio caters to wedding dances
Sure, the cake and the dresss and the favors and the food are all oh-so important. But what about that first dance? Yes, I’m talking to all you brides- and grooms-to-be. You can’t just stand on the dance floor, arms wrapped around each other and call it a dance.
Guests want to see a little twirl or twist or shimmy. Just in time to help all you brides and grooms comes Premier Wedding Dances, a new dance studio that opened in December. To give you a peek at what it offers, the dance studio’s grand opening will be March 21. Doors will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. at 2411 N Portland. Put that on your calendar.
During the grand opening, Premier Wedding Dances will be demonstrating four basic types of wedding dances: Slow Dance, Jazzy Rumba, Cinderella style, and of course “Rock the Reception.” Door prizes also will be giving away during the day, including, free dance lessons, DJ service, photography services and spa treatments.
Shelia Abbott, the owner and instructor, will be offering group and private lessons to make the wedding dance unforgettable — for the couple and the guests. The dance studio provides dancing lessons for couples who wish to have the first dance at their wedding professionally choreographed — or at least look and feel comfortable on the dance floor.
During the grand opening, Premier Wedding Dances will be demonstrating four basic types of wedding dances: Slow Dance, Jazzy Rumba, Cinderella style, and of course “Rock the Reception.” Door prizes also will be giving away during the day, including, free dance lessons, DJ service, photography services and spa treatments.
For more information, call 209-9830, e-mail sheila@premierweddingdances.com or go online to www.premierweddingdances.com
Contest: Do you deserve a Valentine’s Day redo?
Valentine’s Day isn’t always chocolate and roses, hugs and kisses.
Sometimes crummy things happen on this day of love. And that’s the stuff that Oklahoma City Cambria Suites wants to know about for its ”Valentine’s Day Redo” contest. The hotel launched www.valentinesdayredo.com today to find out the worst Valentine’s Day stories in Oklahoma City.
On Feb. 21, the best Valentine’s Day horror story will be chosen. The winner will receive a free two-night stay, along with dinner at Bricktown, two concert tickets to the Elton John and Billy Joel concert on Feb. 25, a limo ride, champagne and strawberries and morning breakfast.
Cambria Suites opened Jan. 11 at 4410 SW 19. The hotel features larger-than-average rooms, an upscale dining area called Reflect and a 1,200-square-foot gym. The hotel even has a car showroom, and on display is a 1985 Ferrari Testarossa European Model (compliments of car lover and owner John Lopez).
Isaac Mizrahi’s stylish lab coats for Good Housekeeping
Who you gonna call when you need stylish lab coats?
Good Housekeeping called fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi. Making a functional lab coat stylish might seem an impossible task, but the good folks at Good Housekeeping say Mizrahi succeeded.
In honor of Good Housekeeping’s 125th anniversary, a year-long celebration, Mizrahi redesigned the lab coats and chef coats for the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, the magazine’s product testing laboratory. The scientists, engineers, nutritionists and other experts who work at the Research Institute wear lab coats while they’re conducting tests to prevent contamination – and also to protect their clothing from some of the messy concoctions they create.
Fashion Week: Victoria Beckham, DKNY
Victoria Beckham for fall 2010. (AP PHOTO)
More mini reviews from New York Fashion Week. Take notes, ladies. These clothes will start showing up in stores in late August.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Fashionable women would do well to raid their boyfriends’ closets come fall, judging from the looks shown Sunday at New York Fashion Week.
Menswear influences were everywhere during the week of previews, from the trendsetting runway of Alexander Wang to the typically ultra-feminine Victoria Beckham, who included trenches in her fall collection, shown to a handful of reporters in a flower-filled uptown townhouse.
DKNY showed boyfriend jackets and Rag & Bone had a collection rooted in tailored suits. Oddly enough, the look melded seamlessly with school girl styles also popular in the fourth day of fall runway previews.
VICTORIA BECKHAM
From the personal greeting she gave to her two dozen guests to the thoughtful answers to questions about her designs, Victoria Beckham staged an intimate preview that was all class and polish.
The series of 26 dresses maintained her signature sleek, slim shape while adding new elements such as draping and textured fabrics. One of the gowns — a tan silk jersey with a touch of embroidery on one shoulder — is a contender for Beckham to wear to the upcoming Oscars.
Her favorite dress, though, was a strapless minidress in a beige print that was hand-tucked to mimic the airiness of a cloud.
“I wanted to push myself and work with structure and drapery,” Beckham said. She wore dress No. 12, a gray wool tunic that, she said, “you can just throw on.”
For inspiration, she studied the style of 1940s-era comic-strip detective characters and Hollywood femmes fatales. You could see the Dick Tracy-influence in the trench-style pieces, and in the newsprint smudges in the blurred pixel print on the finale asymmetric column gown.
Prabal Gurung for fall 2010. (AP PHOTO)
PRABAL GURUNG
Prabal Gurung’s catwalk show was one of the hottest tickets of New York Fashion Week, with a a front row that included Zoe Saldana of “Avatar,” designer Cynthia Rowley and celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe.
He turned out a polished, cohesive collection, only the third under his own name, confirming the status of his label as one to watch. There were many graphic elements to the clothes with an emphasis on contrast colors — one outfit paired a camel-and-black jacket with capelike sleeves with a camel-and-black seamed pant.
The star pieces were a black-and-white, motocross-style dress with crystals, pearls and pailettes that was certainly red-carpet worthy, and a delicate strapless dress in camel and white tulle with laser-cut gazar, organza petals, ostrich feathers and crystals.
It was, however, the chic everyday wear that was most impressive. He created unfussy dresses and coats, including a camel cashmere sheath with white, asymmetrical insets, and a fur-and-crocodile layered jacket.
Still, Gurung is hardly a household name. The one person with the power to change that — even more than a a movie star like Saldana or a power player like Zoe — would be first lady Michelle Obama, who has a reputation of championing new designer names.
She might want to consider the iridescent black-and-white tweed dress.
Band of Outsiders for fall 2010. (AP PHOTO)
BAND OF OUTSIDERS
A favorite phrase of fashion insiders is “classics with a twist.” It seemed the mantra of Band of Outsiders.
Designer Scott Sternberg is best known for menswear, winning the Council of Fashion Designers of America prize in that category last year. He continues to shrink preppy trousers and jackets, and, in a winter-vacation moment, added some parkas, flannel workshirts and wool sweatpants.
Those Americana looks, displayed among skis, vintage luggage trunks and even an old Jaguar at the gallery space of Milk Studios, are Band of Outsiders’ bread and butter.
What was more unexpected were the dressier looks for women, including a lovely black-and-gold silk V-neck top, a pencil skirt with zipper details, a tie-front skirt — worn with an enviable shearling coat — and a black wool pantsuit.
DKNY
Donna Karan again reinvented her beloved young New York muse, dressing her in a patchwork of grid patterns, Art Deco sequins, equestrian plaids and schoolgirl sweetness.
DKNY for fall 2010. AP PHOTO
Some of the best looks were drop-waist minis that emphasized a long, lean shape with boyfriend jackets on top. The palette was very prep school: black, gray, brown and brick red. Sparkly blue beading turned up in unexpected places, giving some pops of energy.
Yet, as youthful as the collection was, it was missing some of the bounce that DKNY usually weaves into its look.
Karan, however, had more than a little spring in her step as she took her bow, holding the hands of her grandchildren. She wore the “To Haiti With Love” T-shirt that the fashion industry is using as a vehicle to raise money for earthquake relief efforts.
