Cartier Sues HauteLook for Over $2 Million” y 11 mas

Cartier Sues HauteLook for Over $2 Million
Street Style: Quentin is Actually Not Hot
Marc Jacobs To Do Plus Size?
Legendary Jewelry Designer Kenneth Jay Lane Collaborates With Via Spiga on a 25th Anniversary Shoe Collection
Fashion and Cats: A Love Affair
Lindsay Lohan Lands Yet Another Cover and Manages To Not Look Slutty in Maxim
Old Navy’s New Booty Reader Couldn’t Read My Booty
Ask Chris Benz: Help! I’m 13, Living in Fla., and Want to Be a Fashion Designer
Fashion News Roundup: Olivier Begins to Heal, Garance’s First Jobs, Plus British Vogue and British GQ’s Beautiful Cover Stars
Seven Questions for Dallin Chase Designer Jason Cauchi
Gaga, Diane Kruger, and Carey Mulligan Top Vanity Fair’s Annual Best Dressed List
Love is Blind. We are Not. Cat Blog Fight.

Cartier Sues HauteLook for Over $2 Million

Posted: 04 Aug 2010 07:00 AM PDT

There’s been lots of talk in the past few months about flash sales sites shilling fake or grey market merchandise. However, we never expected HauteLook, one of the most respectable–and successful–sites around, to be caught up in this mess.

Cartier, which is owned by luxury conglomerate Richemont, is suing the Los Angeles-based company for over $2 million, first reported this morning on SheFinds. According to court documents obtained by Fashionista–some of which you can review below–the Cartier watches sold by HauteLook are secondhand. One of Hautelook’s selling points is that they work directly with the brands, and that they sell new–not used–merchandise, so Cartier feels that HauteLook has made false claims when it comes to the brand.

To be clear, Cartier has not accused HauteLook of selling out-n-out fake products.

Could this be a case of a big company picking on a little company? Surely. But false claims are serious. We don’t feel so bad for Cartier, but we feel bad for HauteLook’s customers.

We reached out to HauteLook–for now, they have no comment. If we hear more from them, we’ll let you know.

Street Style: Quentin is Actually Not Hot

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 03:00 PM PDT

Name: Quentin

Age: 18

Occupation: Student

What is your favorite website? Streetetiquette.com

What is the most prominent color in your wardrobe? Navy

What is your current favorite song? “Sleep Paralysis” by Neon Indian

What is your favorite denim brand? Paul Smith

Who is your style icon? Fonzworth Bentley

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Pistachio

Where is your sweater from? Gap

Aren't you hot in your sweater? People keep asking me this, but I'm actually not!

Where is your belt from? It's a tie from Gap.

Where are your shoes from? Vero Cuoio

**All photos by Ashley Jahncke.

Marc Jacobs To Do Plus Size?

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 02:36 PM PDT

There has been a lot of discussion about plus size on the MarcJacobsInt twitter feed lately. Jacob’s biz partner, chronic over-twitterer Robert Duffy, is back at the helm and for the last couple of days, when he’s not twittering about his Paraguayan husband whom he met online, he’s been talking about Marc Jacobs potentially doing plus size. The latest tweets, posted just half an hour ago, suggest Jacobs will design for plus: “We are in talks now. For plus sizes,” and again, “Listen, we are in the very beginning stages of talking to a partner about plus sizes. Relax. It won’t be based on the collection line.”

We’re hoping twitter speaks the truth. We were encouraged by Saks’ decision to stock plus-size clothing from high fashion brands come fall. If Marc Jacobs does plus it could help change the impossible size zero standards of the industry.

To help catch you up on how these latest tweets, which make Marc Jacobs sound rather committed to doing plus size, came about here’s the whole twistory:

Interest in Plus sizes?Women are dyeing for fashion. Need to get the message out. But when we put 14 and 16 in the stores no takers.Stopped
Sun Aug 1 23:04:48 2010 via Echofon

I’m a big guy 6′4″ 210 lbs. Not easy for me to find clothes. Of course I can have them made.I know how everyone feels.I try to diet but….
Sun Aug 1 23:16:48 2010 via Echofon

Your right. We gotta do larger sizes. I’m with you. As soon as I get back to NY. I’m on it! It will take me about a year. But stay with us. Sun Aug 1 23:21:21 2010 via Echofon

Stores don’t always have them on the floor.We sell mostly smaller sizes but we have them.You may have to ask.Lots have them made. We do it! Sun Aug 1 23:39:15 2010 via Echofon

Ok.No more questions answered from direct tweets.To upsetting for some. Let’s not talk about larger sizes anymore today. Upsetting for many. Mon Aug 2 04:05:09 2010 via Echofon

We are in talks now. For plus sizes. For all you who seem to know my co. Better than me. Hope it works out. Lighten up! about 1 hour ago via Echofon

Listen, we are in the very beginning stages of talking to a partner about plus sizes. Relax. It won’t be based on the collection line. 19 minutes ago via Echofon

That’s it I’m getting on another plane.I’m never talking about plus sizes again. I love you girls. Remember that! No more talk! Now just bs. 9 minutes ago via Echofon

Fin.

Legendary Jewelry Designer Kenneth Jay Lane Collaborates With Via Spiga on a 25th Anniversary Shoe Collection

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 02:30 PM PDT

Kenneth Jay Lane, one of the most influential and successful American jewelry designers of our time, is lending his iconic style to Italian women’s footwear brand Via Spiga with a small capsule collection to commemorate the brand’s 25th anniversary.

Kenneth has been around forever. The RISD grad began his career with a stint in Vogue’s art department, where he started to realize his interest in accessory design. Although Lane’s time at Vogue predated Diana Vreeland, the EIC would later wear his jewelry frequently, along with royalty, first ladies, and movie stars. Other fun facts: He was filmed for one of Andy Warhol’s screen tests in 1966 and made Vanity Fair’s International Best Dressed List in 1974 (Perhaps Waris is following in his footsteps?). Also, before pioneering the elegant approach to costume jewelry that he would become known for, Lane designed shoes for Delman and Christian Dior, where he started playing around with rhinestone embellishments.

Decades later, the 80-year-old designer is still going strong. He continues to produce new collections of amazing jewelry while his vintage pieces are now treasured as collectibles. And while it’s hard to call them the Jacki O’s and Audrey Hepburns of today, Lane’s jewelry is still beloved by celebrities like Nicole Kidman, Britney Spears and Sarah Jessica Parker. But most recently, Lane got the opportunity to go back to his roots by collaborating with Via Spiga’s creative director Paola Venturi on two pairs of shoes, which we got to see last night at the brand’s 25th anniversary celebration on the rooftop of the Empire Hotel.

Since Kenneth had to leave early because of a foot injury (aw, old people), we spoke to Paola, who is this super chic and hip Italian woman, about the collaboration and where the brand is going. Paola, who joined Via Spiga about a year and a half ago, has nearly 20 years of experience ranging from Calvin Klein to Kate Spade to, most recently, Te Casan. As the brand’s first ever female creative director, she said if anything she has elevated the quality of the materials used to make the shoes and the image to something more upscale. We also think she embodies the Via Spiga customer more than anyone else would have been able to, which in itself has probably strengthened the brand’s identity. Paola, who now lives in Italy, knew she wanted to collaborate with an iconic American designer to create something special for the 25th anniversary and just knew Kenneth, who she had worked with before, would be the perfect fit.

Admittedly, most of the party-goers appeared to be at least 10 years our senior and, not surprisingly, the shoes are not something we would ever wear. Still, the two pairs of limited edition heels are pretty and classic and complement the brand’s current direction nicely. Plus, they’re pretty reasonably priced at $300/pair. We’re mostly just bummed we didn’t get to talk to Kenneth about Andy Warhol and what Vogue’s art department was like in the ’50s. Can you imagine?

Fashion and Cats: A Love Affair

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 01:30 PM PDT

From LOL Cats to Stuff on my Cat, it’s easy to poke fun at our culture’s obsession with felines. But fashion has its own special relationship with the fur balls. From United Bamboo’s $500 cat outfits–for sale at Opening Ceremony, if you’re interested–to more standard offerings, like leopard print, there are just too many cat-fashion parallels to even try denying this pet’s influence on the industry.

Are we all just crazy cat lovers? Here’s proof of the sad (?) truth. Brace yourselves.

Lindsay Lohan Lands Yet Another Cover and Manages To Not Look Slutty in Maxim

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 12:30 PM PDT

Somehow, between court appearances, jail time, and rehab, Lindsay Lohan keeps landing magazine covers. Which means despite (and because of) the utter chaos of her personal life, the girl can still move glossies.

Lilo recently covered German GQ and Complex and now she’s on Maxim’s September cover. You’d expect the men’s mag to exploit LiLo’s curves to their sluttiest extremes but the cover is actually pretty restrained. And her striped ruffled bikini is surprisingly cute. It offers more coverage than the nude balconette bra and panty set Katy Perry is wearing on the cover the August 16th issue of Rolling Stone and we love the girly bow details. So while the headline touts “LINDSAY UNTAMED,” she looks just the opposite (the vacant doll stare doesn’t hurt either).

Lohan shot the cover just a week before the court appearance that would later send her to jail. Even though Complex couldn’t land an interview with the troubled starlet, Maxim got the scoop. She told the mag that she was “feeling strong” and that in the coming year she hopes to “move all press on me to focus on the work I do.” Best of luck with that one Linds. Does this mean she’ll stop twittering about dubious flash sales?

Old Navy’s New Booty Reader Couldn’t Read My Booty

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 11:30 AM PDT

Old Navy’s latest gimmick is the “Booty Reader.” A fortune teller named Madame Eva reads tells you what kind of jeans are perfect for your rear and your rear’s lifestyle, after you’ve uploaded a photo of your ass.

“Welcome,” Madame Eva greets you. “I’m the booty reader, let me read your booty and I’ll reveal your denim destiny.”

So I figured I’d give Madame Eva a shot and let her read my booty. Only problem is the site doesn’t quite work.

I followed the steps carefully. First you choose some booty tarot cards to represent your booty’s lifestyle. Is your ass a “social bootyfly” or a “bum around bum”? Then you upload photos of your ass. Really. Lauren snapped some photos of my rear (the Booty Reader requires a straight on shot and a side profile) and I uploaded them and adjusted the photos between a pair of hands that I assume were meant to be Madame Eva’s. After you’ve uploaded your tush pix, you must adjust lines around your ass and waist so Madame Eva can give you an accurate reading of your booty’s denim destiny. Only problem is this stage doesn’t work. I tried and tried to adjust my “Mount Rumpicus” line and my “lunar shelf” line but to no avail. And following all that effort, I was pretty disappointed with my inaccurate reading.

What gives Madame Eva? I trusted you!

Anyone else have any luck?

Ask Chris Benz: Help! I’m 13, Living in Fla., and Want to Be a Fashion Designer

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 10:30 AM PDT

Dear Chris Benz,

I will be a freshman in high school next year and am interested in a career as a fashion designer. Because I live in a small town in Florida, there really aren’t a lot of opportunities to intern or find a job that would prepare me for the fashion industry. The closest mall is in the town south of mine and has less than 30 apparel stores, many of which are closing or on the verge of closing. Boutiques and other such stores are virtually non-existent and/or cater to Florida’s prominent senior citizen community. Without any real opportunities to explore a career in fashion design, it seems like the only thing I can do is to teach myself to sew, which I am currently doing. Also, I stay up-to-date with industry news and (try) to look at Style.com’s runway slideshows as much as possible.

As a successful fashion designer with your own label, what do you recommend I do if I want to be a fashion designer?

Thank-you,
Alissa

Dear Fashion-Minded Floridian -

Where you grow up, your surroundings, and all of your experiences will inform your designs for the rest of your life! It may seem like you are completely isolated now, but your creative mind will be able to spin this frustration into something dazzling sooner or later.

It is great that you're learning about sewing, construction, and staying up-to-date on the most recent collections. Use all of this research and personal growth to imagine your own woman, who she is, where she lives, eats, travels, and of course what she is wearing while doing all of it. Savor the time you have to experiment and compile your materials.

I have always been a fan of scrapbooks, of which I have volumes. Start one while you have the time with anything and everything that inspires you – tearsheets, scraps of fabric, little sketches, ideas and questions. These will be imperative tools on which you can reflect in the future. Unique patterns will emerge when you are able to look back on them. Colorstories, mood, and proportion are all things that are integral to fashion design, and will be invaluable when, as an adult, you are able to reflect on your younger, subconscious self's work. These materials, too, will help showcase your design talent when applying for schools, getting design jobs, and the like. The more in-depth, thoughtful procedural work you are able to display, the better.

So many fashion designers started out on a completely different career path and many more have started very successful businesses in more isolated locations. In high school, I worked as a waiter at a café in my hometown, and it really helped me learn to be more outgoing, which in turn has helped in communication as a fashion designer. Working in any industry that is available to you will help you with life skills for your dreams. I can't say that there is any ideal 'preparation' for the fashion industry – it is weird and wonderful and completely different for everyone. What I can say is that any experience you can get, anywhere, will help you.

No matter where you start, keep your sights focused squarely on where you want to end up, you will get there.

xx
CB

Got a question for Chris? Email him on askchrisbenz@fashionista.com.

Fashion News Roundup: Olivier Begins to Heal, Garance’s First Jobs, Plus British Vogue and British GQ’s Beautiful Cover Stars

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 09:48 AM PDT

Inside Kate Moss’ 30th British Vogue Cover: British Vogue’s next issue will mark the the 30th time Kate Moss has covered the magazine and the 6th time she’s covered September in the past 10 years. She looks great on the cover (obviously), showcasing the “minimal chic” look in Burberry. Editor Alexandra Shulman predicts another big trend for Fall will be Fifties full-skirted silhouettes, which will be featured in a story called “God Created Woman”. Perhaps we have Mad Men to thank?
{Vogue UK}

Chelsea’s Wedding Dress Being Knocked Off Already: A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz didn’t waste any time recreating Chelsea’s Vera Wang look and they’re knocking off Hillary’s ODR gown while they’re at it. {The Daily Beast}

September 15 to become official Marc Jacobs Day: Not really, but it might as well. This September 15 will mark the designer’s Spring ‘11 runway show, the launch of a new e-commerce site, and the opening of Bookmarc, Jacobs’ new bookstore on Bleecker. They also may want to rename the west village Marc Jacobs Village. {The Thread}

Olivier Zahm to get closure: Yesterday, poor, sad Olivier gave sympathetic Purple Diary readers hope, as heartbreaker Natacha Ramsay has agreed to come down from her “love escape” in Maine to see him in New York. “This symbolic gesture will help me to peacefully let her go in her new life. I will do my best to start again with the Purple Diary.” The only posts between this and the initial break-up post were a picture of clouds, a picture of him and Terry Richardson titled “Love,” and a picture of some naked women in the new Purple Book. {Purple Diary}

Pick and Joos: Fashionista favorite Natalie Joos lists her top five fresh-faced models of the moment. We are pleased to hear from a major casting director that we really are moving away from the trend of three-pound waifs and that we can look forward to seeing more "Girls with a sexier, fuller figure; girls with pretty hair and lips, lips, lips!" {NOWNESS}

Garance’s Beginnings: In what appears to be a new occasional feature called My First Times, Garance Doré opens up about her first jobs and how they’ve contributed to where she is now. They include hilarious things like windsurfing instructor for nudists and selling croissants to sailors, but what we love is that she shows us a timid, hesitant, fumbling (but well-dressed girl) who got herself into an array of scary situations in which she basically had no idea what she was doing. But, she made the best of it and figured it out until it lead to something even better. And this is how people make it in the fashion industry. {Garance Doré}

Christina Talks Joan: British GQ’s September issue features a slightly more full-figured cover star than Vogue’s. Christina Hendricks looks amazing and is smart and charming as ever as she talks tight clothes, fake smoking, racism and what makes Joan special. {GQ UK}

Seven Questions for Dallin Chase Designer Jason Cauchi

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 09:05 AM PDT

Jason Cauchi designs clothes women actually want to wear. And that’s why his contemporary collection–named Dallin Chase after his two eldest children–is such a hit with a certain type of girl. You know, the type who doesn’t want to look too trendy, too forced, too “tries-too-hard.” (So essentially, everyone.)

I, for instance, fell in love with one of Jason’s chambray dresses a few years ago, and have been devoted ever since. Recently, I caught up with Jason to chat about his latest resort collection–and some other less serious stuff.

Fashionista: What’s up with resort? How is it different from your last collection and different from your next?
Jason Cauchi: Resort is my favorite season to design. We created the perfect wardrobe. We did great knit cardigans with a little bit of lurex and shine. The entire collection is bright and cheerful with nostalgic elements, like an easy crochet tank dress or our bread and butterfly print. Resort is a chance to escape into your clothes for a holiday, or to dream about the coming spring, so the clothes are more playful and light. For Fall, I tend to reference the city a lot and layer in pieces that could work for work or a weekend in the country. The perspective is totally different. Moving into Spring, the collection takes references the new year and a new mix of things to wear. Spring is a balance of escape and function–the ease of summer dressing allows us to add details and use color in unexpected ways.

How did you choose the model in your look book? She’s really unique. Our photographer, Peter Stanglmayr, and I had a go-see and Nicole Lichtenberg (who’s with Elite) really stood out. She had a warm personality and was excited about traveling to Singapore later this summer–and since our resort collection was all about travel, it felt like a fit! She fit the clothes perfectly and her casual attitude fit the idea of the Dallin Chase customer.

You’re married with three kids. Does your wife wear Dallin Chase exclusively? Not yet! I am working on it. I still need to make jeans. Grace wears Dallin Chase dresses and tops all the time. Her favorite pieces right now are the stripped Carter tank and the Greg dress. She can’t wait for the new leather jackets to come in. She wore them all winter.

What’s the best part about designing for women? Talking to them. We have this idea that we dress as a way of expressing ourselves, but when I talk to women about what they like and what they want never matches up. I get to look from the outside and suggest beautiful clothes. My wife, my sister, mom, and the women I work with are all a great help to me.

What were you up to before you launched Dallin Chase? I had been consulting for a label and Grace was pregnant with Merrit (my third child).

Ever think about doing a Dallin Chase collection for kids? Everyday…we did two capsule collections last year and it was great. It is in the pipeline…the girls keep asking me to make them stuff!

Okay, let’s forget about clothes for one second. If you had to pick one meal that would please everyone in your family, what would it be? Keeping in mind that we have a 7, 6 and 4 year old, it’s hard to make everyone happy all the time. But my wife is an amazing cook, and her old school homemade sauce with meatballs and Italian sausage over spaghetti is something all of us love.

Gaga, Diane Kruger, and Carey Mulligan Top Vanity Fair’s Annual Best Dressed List

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 08:25 AM PDT

Vanity Fair’s 2010 International Best Dressed List was released today, and it’s a mishmash of the obvious–Michelle Obama, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy–and the odd: Stacey Bendet Eisner, Dylan Lauren. (We know they look fine–but really, are they the best dressed in the world?)

Most Notable:
Cindy Leive, Glamour Editor-in-Chief
While Leive is known for her awesome editing skills, her style chops have yet to be tested. Could this be the beginning of her grooming for Vogue?

Nora Ephron, Writer
We love Ephron’s words, but we also love her Jil Sander wardrobe.

Waris Ahluwalia
Not only does Waris have impeccable style, he’s also a lovely person.

Most Missed (Really, how could VF have left these names off the list?)
Chloë Sevigny
She’s consistently stylish, with plenty of individuality to boot.

Alexa Chung
Half the world dresses like her. Does that mean nothing?

Tonne Goodman
Her Michael Kors skirt and blouse at the CFDAs deserved a nod.

Who is your pick for best dressed in 2010?