Kate Beckinsale is Classy in Cannes, While Diane Kruger and January Jones Keep it Casually Chic” y 10 mas

Kate Beckinsale is Classy in Cannes, While Diane Kruger and January Jones Keep it Casually Chic
We’re In Love with Natalie Joos’ Blog
Street Style: Sarah’s Summer Scarf
The Brain Behind H&M’s Fashion Against AIDS Talks Slogan T-Shirts, Harem Pants and Designer Condoms
Byrdie Bell, Genevieve Jones, and Becka Diamond in Moncler for Vanity Fair?
Racked Dealfeed: Nicholas K, Ron Herman, and More!
Next and Ford Sue Each Other Over Hot Models and Fast Bookers
Anne Christensen Tops T?
An Open Letter to Marc Jacobs Regarding “BANG”
Fashion News Roundup: Ugly Jeans, Sick Shades, and The Dalai Lama
Last Night’s Parties: Vintage Prada, Wu’s Sunnies and…Chuck Bass

Kate Beckinsale is Classy in Cannes, While Diane Kruger and January Jones Keep it Casually Chic

Posted: 21 May 2010 03:15 PM PDT

Diane Kruger wore J.Crew–with Lanvin heels–Kate Beckinsale wore Balmain, Rachel Bilson looked like a chic Parisian in Isabel Marant, Michelle Williams made us jealous in Suno and Naomi Watts shined in DVF.

We’re In Love with Natalie Joos’ Blog

Posted: 21 May 2010 02:36 PM PDT

In our constant tumbling around the internet, we re-discovered Natalie Joos’ blog, which has been around for quite some time now. Our thoughts? Not-to-be-missed.

Joos, who Tommy Ton named the most stylish casting director, is a fashion icon. She’s always chic and unique in Comme des Garcons and tons of vintage.

Her blog, Tales of Endearment, is an incredible glimpse into the lives of some of fashion’s favorite. On the first page you can see her vintage shopping trip with Irina Lazarenu and tour Fabiola Beracasa’s closet and apartment.

In older posts, Natalie goes vintage shopping with Phillip Lim, Hanneli Mustaparta, and visits the homes of Julia Restoin Roitfeld and Pamela Love.

If you want insight into excellent vintage and the entrance into the glorious wardrobes of the most stylish people, this is the blog for you.

Thanks, Natalie, for showing off your fashionable friends to the world!

Street Style: Sarah’s Summer Scarf

Posted: 21 May 2010 02:05 PM PDT

Name: Sarah

Age: 16

What is your favorite Magazine? Paper

If you could spend the day with anyone in the fashion industry who would it be? David LaChapelle

What is your favorite meal? Pork Tenderloin

Where are you headed now? Going to lunch…any suggestions?!

**All photos by Ashley Jahncke.

The Brain Behind H&M’s Fashion Against AIDS Talks Slogan T-Shirts, Harem Pants and Designer Condoms

Posted: 21 May 2010 01:30 PM PDT

BERLIN-Like Wednesday’s celebration in New York, H&M threw Fashion Against AIDS bashes all over Europe this week. Events this side of the pond, however, didn’t involve a Battle of the Bands contest.

So when the party started in Berlin last night, H&M’s new Festival collection garnered most of the attention. Case in point: There was a bigger crowd gathering around the racks of clothes, trying to snap up a pair of harem pants–the item that sold out the fastest last night–than there were guests mingling around the bar area.

Prior to the party, Fashionista chatted with Ninette Murk, original founder of Designers Against AIDS and initiator of H&M's Fashion Against AIDS, to hear how the project turned from a series of t-shirts to a themed collection.

Fashionista: You originally started Designers Against AIDS in 2004. Why’d you teamed up with H&M in 2007 instead of continuing to work on your own?
Ninette Murk: Well, H&M is better at selling t-shirts than we are. There's such a network behind it. Javier [Barcala, Murk's business partner] and I were two journalists trying to get our t-shirts out, but H&M was able to create the campaign; everyone was able to work at what they were good at.

How has the initiative evolve over the years?
The first two collections were only t-shirts and hoodies. That was the basic concept. Now for the third collection, since it's been two years, H&M suggested something different and that's how the Festival Collection–complete with sleeping bags and tents–came about. I actually told them to do condoms, too. Those are now in a little wash bag together with a towel, mirror and sleeping mask, but I really hope that next year, they'll be courageous enough to sell condoms separately in boxes. Then you could even have designers or celebrities create the packaging.

Are you attending any of the parties this week?
No, I live in Belgium, it's too small to throw a party here. But I went to see the collection launch at the Antwerp store this morning and was surprised at how many people bought the tents and sleeping bags. Some were even trying to put pieces on hold.

How much were you involved in the planning process of the events around the world?
I contacted the PRs in each country and asked if they'd like to invite representatives from AIDS charities and support groups. Japan and Germany were the only ones that wanted to do that. I think that's a missed opportunity for America–They can do with a bit of safe sex information. But H&M had its reasons not to do this there. I don't like that the safe sex message has disappeared this time. There should always be an element of raising awareness so I was thinking we should've had a slogan like 'Shop and Think' to go with the collection. However, I also know they're a fashion company concentrating on the clothes and we're glad to be involved because there's a donation.

And did you have a word to say about the look of the collection?
Yes, I suggested some pieces. Like the harem pants. Those are originally mine, I had them at home and told them that you can't do a festival collection without harem pants. H&M then copied them. Well, except my originals don't have pockets.

What direction would you like Fashion Against AIDS in next year?
This morning I thought, “Wow, now we have an entire collection.” Next time, I would like to have a culmination of everything we’ve done so far: A complete collection, a safe sex slogan and celebrities speaking out. That would be my dream scenario.

Byrdie Bell, Genevieve Jones, and Becka Diamond in Moncler for Vanity Fair?

Posted: 21 May 2010 12:31 PM PDT

In the past couple of hours, Byrdie Bell has tweeted three times about her and Becka Diamond being shot in Moncler for Vanity Fair.

This photo of Becka in a puffer seems to prove it’s true. And Genevieve Jones is around, too. But we wonder, what are Byrdie Bell and Becka Diamond–who, unlike Jones, aren’t regulars–doing in Vanity Fair?

We’d expect to see the edgy duo in a mag like Jalouse, which featured Becka on its cover earlier this year, not VF which is essentially an upscale celebrity rag that usually features the likes of Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow, and the occasional Miley Cyrus. It’s read by plenty of people outside of the fashion industry. And that’s why we wonder about their choice of Byrdie Bell and Becka Diamond, who are essentially fashion scene socialites.

Besides going to fashion parties and fashion shows, we can’t really say that either has done anything that the non-fashion public would know. (Other than Byrdie’s appearance in Derek Blasberg’s book.)

Plus, we’d never associate Becka Diamond with Moncler, since we’re pretty sure her winter jacket is black leather. But we guess stranger things have happened. C’est la vie!

Racked Dealfeed: Nicholas K, Ron Herman, and More!

Posted: 21 May 2010 12:22 PM PDT

Nellie Partow, Nicholas K
Deal: 50% to 80% off clothing from both labels and Cardigan by Lynn Hiriak, plus hair accessories and jewelry by Candace Ang
When/Where: Thursday, May 20 through Sunday, May 23. Thurs—Fri 10am—8pm, Sat 11am—6pm, Sun 11am—4pm. 2 Great Jones St between Bowery and Lafayette, New York. (no phone)

Shoes.com
Deal: Enter code SUMMER at checkout to get 15% off your order
When/Where: Online!

Ron Herman
Deal: 30% off dresses from designers including Rachel Pally, Mink Pink and Bailey 44
When/Where: Online only

Next and Ford Sue Each Other Over Hot Models and Fast Bookers

Posted: 21 May 2010 11:10 AM PDT

It’s shaping up to be an interesting week in the modeling world.

First, Tyra Banks re-signs with IMG. Now, the New York Post reports that Next Management is suing Ford for poaching three of its models–Polish expats Anna Aleksandra Cywinska and Anna J., as well as Estonian Karmen Pedaru–after Next president Next President Joel Wilkenfeld petitioned Immigration and Naturalization Service to allow them to work in the US under contract.

In return, Ford is suing Next for poaching some of its best bookers and using those bookers to bring Ford models over to Next. (Ford has also sued Next three times over the past few years for “stealing” its models, including Kendra Spears.)

It doesn’t seem like a ceasefire will be called anytime soon, given that agencies are constantly, and viciously, at war over their girls. But we’ll be sure to keep you updated on any developments.

Anne Christensen Tops T?

Posted: 21 May 2010 10:30 AM PDT

We’ll admit it: The news that Anne Christensen will be taking over for Stefano Tonchi at T is a kind of like a dénouement without the climax. At least as far as fashion publishing dramas go.

While we’re sure Christensen’s a qualified choice for the job–she’s been T’s fashion director for quite some time–the idea that Sally Singer might be taking over the New York Times publication was just….beyond.

There are a lot of things wrong with Vogue (most disconcerting–its covers), but Singer is not one of them. Her intellectual approach to fashion would have brought T to another level.

Christensen’s first tasks will likely be to increase T’s digital presence–The Moment is great, but could be greater–find a new cover story writer (go-to Lynn Hirschberg is leaving the Times, presumably for W) and up those ad pages.

An Open Letter to Marc Jacobs Regarding “BANG”

Posted: 21 May 2010 09:45 AM PDT

Dear Marc,

This is a very difficult thing for us to say, since we’ve been your biggest fans forever. We’ve always idolized you for your creative independence, geekiness, and wallflower chic-meets-grunge aesthetic. As a geeks ourselves, we admired you for always being yourself, which is so uniquely cool, instead of being trendy or sexy.

So, this letter comes with a ton of love and respect.

Many expressed outrage as you morphed from chubby, awkward Marc to hot, buff, usually naked Marc. Adjusting to sexy Marc was difficult.

Suddenly, Victoria Beckham replaced Sofia Coppola in your ads, and your shows were full of celebrities outshining the usual art scene crowd of Rachel Feinstein and Cindy Sherman. But you’re an amazing designer who is internationally revered and loved, so your audience changed with you.

We’ve never had a problem with sexy Marc. You kept it quirky in kilts, tons of tattoos, and the occasional blue hair. And your designs stayed grungey, awkward, cute, and gorgeous.

But this is too much. You may be gay, sexy, and a famous fashion designer, but you are not Tom Ford.

And we’ll even quote you on that. "When I first went to Vuitton, I spent so much time comparing myself to Tom Ford, and Gucci was, like, this sexy thing…. More people understand what Tom does. It's so basic, and that's not a put-down. I think that's so incredibly smart and focused, but it's exactly what I shy away from. There's a first-degree no-brainer definition of what's sexy, but the reality of it is, what I find more interesting is someone who is more introverted or mysterious.”

So what’s this? We can’t find any mystery, intrigue, or subtlety in a photo of you lying naked on a Mylar sheet, a giant bottle of your new fragrance covering your man-bits. How is that any different from this Tom Ford ad?

We’re not asking you to change, or go back to “Old Marc.” All we’re saying is that your brand image has done a complete 180, and as loyal consumers we’re not willing to change ourselves for you.

When it comes to the clothes, you’re still speaking to us. Your Fall 2010 collection conjured the same feelings as some of favorite collections of yours ever–Fall 1998 and Fall 2006. And Louis Vuitton was just a pure masterpiece.

But this latest ad is a bit too much, especially for those girls–and potential clients–who haven’t been around over the last ten years to follow your career. If you’re okay with isolating the demographic that made you famous and moving on the to fame-hungry, sex-obsessed portion of the population, that’s fine. You’re running a business, and ultimately that’s about making money. In your place, we’re sure a lot of people would take a similar route.

It’s just that never, ever, in our lives did we think it would come to this. We miss the your signature awkwardness and rejection of pure sex-appeal, and we’re sure many others do too. Throw us nerds a bone here, we really want you back on our team.

With love,
Fashionista

Fashion News Roundup: Ugly Jeans, Sick Shades, and The Dalai Lama

Posted: 21 May 2010 09:00 AM PDT

Shield Your Eyes: This slideshow of ugly jeans will probably make you feel sick. It’s unbelievable what designs exist. {Refinery 29}

Shades to Die For: New sunglasses line Illesteva seeks to produce the illest shades ever. Their campaign models are old men from Miami. It’s unclear what definition of “ill” they’re going for. {Style.com}

Summer Love: Behati and her real life boyfriend, Jamie Strachan, get intimate for the summer issue of i-D. It’s steamy, sexy, and probably NSFW. {Fashion Gone Rogue}

Tyra Does McQueen: Tyra created a tribute spread to Lee McQueen in her online magazine. It features André Leon Talley, and Tyra, of course. {Tyra.com}

Colette Speaks: NOWNESS talks to Sarah Rousseaux, the woman behind Colette about her favorite brands, blogs, book. {NOWNESS}

Saving Abercrombie: A talk with A&F CFO Jonathan Ramsden about the brand’s financial future. No mentions of more shirtless boys. {Going Concern}

Dalai Lama Vreeland: Diana Vreeland’s grandson is a Buddhist monk. Why don’t you turn your monk’s robe into a chic wrap for a summer night? {NYT}

Last Night’s Parties: Vintage Prada, Wu’s Sunnies and…Chuck Bass

Posted: 21 May 2010 08:08 AM PDT

Last night we scampered around Manhattan, desperate for some good people watching and some great fashion. Fortunately, we were graced with both.

First, it was cocktails at Prada on Madison Ave., where those involved with charity New Yorkers for Children gathered to take in gorgeous re-issued vintage Prada dresses–we were smitten with a long, lingerie-inspired number–and fall 2010 runway looks re-imagined in rich burgundy, slate and black duchess satin. (The latter will be loaned by Prada to several women attending the gala.)

While we could have stayed at Prada all night–sipping cocktails mixed by The Carlyle Hotel’s famed bartender–Jason Wu was calling our names.

So it was off to the Ilori eyewear boutique in SoHo, where Mr. Wu and his team presented a new collection of cat-eye glasses, big ol’ glamorous shades, and everything in between. Each pair clearly conveyed Wu’s prim, 1960s-inspired aesthetic.

Next, we stopped by OAK, where throngs of hipsters stood in line to check out Surface to Air jewelry designer Daniel Jackson’s limited edition pieces and art installation.

One piece in particular–a jangly silver and copper braided bracelet–caught our eye, but at that point, it was time to head over to Eyebeam Studios, where Express was staging a runway show, hosted by Vogue and none-other than Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick.

While we don’t typically fawn over television actors, Westwick is an exception. The clothes were fine, but there’s no doubting “Chuck Bass” made our evening.