Friday, 15 May 2009

Agyness Deyn for Uniqlo


Agyness Deyn has been hired to be the face of Jil Sander's line for Uniqlo, the photos above are previews that will be used in select magazines in the US and UK. I actually don't love the clothes but the pictures themselves are nice, and Deyn looks great. The campaign will feature Deyn alongside Halle Berry's boyfriend, Gabriel Aubry. I guess in this picture they figured that the clothes aren't that cute and they might as well take the "Abercrombie and Fitch" method of advertising and use nude, attractive, suggestive model. Is that seriously a pink terry cloth short sleeved zip up they are trying to sell? I think I owned that same item, but I was 11. And clearly had great taste. I also shopped at Abercrombie... Maybe they actually are trying to appeal to that audience?

Thursday, 14 May 2009

Hackers!

The Moment, a fashion blog from the New York Times, which has over 510,000 followers on Twitter, was attacked by SPAMMERS! GAHH! They broke into their account and posted the following message:

everyone visit http://tinyurl.com/nakedcam for 100% FREE webcam girls/guys doing anything you ask them in the chat, I love it personally.

Two hours later, The Moment regained control of their account and posted the following explanation for the out-of-character Tweet:

Opportunity............

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

What's in Your Closet?

Here are the rest of Will and Lizzie's answers, along with more pictures, from Danielle Nedivi's article "What's in Your Closet?" in our most recent issue of Contrast.

*(click the zoom in or full-screen option to see better)

Lizzie Crabb ('12)


Will Zichawo ('10)


Photos by Caroline Mills, Article by Danielle Nedivi

MATTHEW WILLIAMSON for H&M-Tomorrow!

Dear Vassar Stylistas,

Matthew Williamson, world-renowned English fashion designer, launches his vibrant summer collection for H&M TOMORROW! It's especially of interest for Poughkeepsie residents as our local and humble Poughkeepsie Galleria will be selling his wares as well as most other H&M throughout the country!



While many designer collaborations tend to be of limited quantity and released in major metropolises to create media hubbub, the second wave of MW's collection incorporating evening wear, swimwear, and accessories will be available in ample supply. Additionally, this collection exhibits MW's first venture into designing men's wear he describes as "the story of an English gentleman who travels to Cuba for vacation and returns via the Greek islands." SUPER HOT!

Vogue in a Recession

"In terms of our fashion choices ... racks and racks of clothes are wheeled into my office, and we discuss what's going to be in the magazine and what's not. And up until a year ago, we've been very free about the prices of clothes, and I probably didn't delve as deeply as I should have into what things cost. Now I ask the price of every single outfit that comes into the office, and I think a lot of my editors have been quite surprised about what a little sequin dress from an unnamed designer might be, and if it's $25,000, we'll say, ‘Okay, well, not this time.’ So we're looking at that, and at supporting younger designers — like Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler — that are more price-friendly ... But at the same time, we are who we are. We represent the fashion industry, and we have to show the best in the fashion industry, and that's not going to change."
-Anna Wintour on how she plans to keep Vogue current at this moment, via The Cut

Ann Demeulemeester Wannabe(s) PART II

I know I keep posting about these Ann Demeulemeester boots but I am both dismayed and excited about how quickly knock offs are popping up. Racked saw this knock off "in the window of Pixie Market LES." I also definitely saw a girl wearing the real deal this morning at Vassar. JEALOUS. I will definitely have to go pick these up!

Update: 5/15/09 There is a terrible copy by Steve Madden too. Oh Steve, if you are going to make a buisiness out of ripping off designers, at least do it well. They also have a tragic version of the Gucci Baboushka ankle boot.

The Perfect Summer Sandal

I love sandals, you love sandals, we all LOVE sandals. While it's easy to fall in love with a pair in a window display, it's sometimes difficult to gauge immediately what sandal style works best for you. The NYT blog recently posted an useful guide for finding your perfect pair.

[Image via NYT 'The Moment' Blog]

Obviously, being a healthy male, my slightly 'muscular' leg immediately deemed strappy sandals 'inappropriate' for style-thristy feet. However, when I fell in love a pair of double-strap black gladiator sandals in Tokyo, nothing was going to stop me from making them mine.  Oh well, I guess you will have to make the call.

The Tyranny of the Majority

“The consumer is now tyrannized by trends. The market is saturated and people are beguiled, bedazzled and bewildered by ‘choice’. The irony of the situation is that in reality we have very little consumer choice at all….I believe that we are in one of the most conventional historical periods of all time. A glance down any high street in any country in the world will show how conformist and similar we now look. The combination of globalization, the rise of the internet and the domination of fast fashion means that, with a few rare exceptions, we really do all look the same.”
Charty Durrant, former fashion editor of The Sunday Times, the Observer, and British Vogue has plenty to say about fast fashion, globalization, and social ills in her article The Tyranny of Trends. She lambasts our current consumer culture, rails against the mini-trend, and points out the destructive practices that the fashion industry has all over the world, from sweat shops and water pollution to “green” fashion. It’s a great article that really sums up the social and ethical problems that have been facing the fashion industry for years.
I have to say, as someone who has never really followed trends, this article really summarized what I dislike about the fashion industry. I used to hate fashion with a fiery passion—why wasn’t my body type represented? Or my style? Nothing ever fit, nothing ever looked good on me. I learned to develop my style over time, but still have some social anxiety even when I look my best. The root of the problem? Definitely fast fashion and its ilk, which shames every consumer who doesn’t buy into the latest mini-trend. This conspicuous consumption, as described by Durrant, harms the planet, threatens culture, and kills the soul.

IT'S HERE!!!

Contrast's Spring 09 Issue is out!!!



It's around campus...so make sure to snatch one before they run out!

We will also be uploading the whole thing soon so you can download it if you didn't get a chance to get one.

Tell us what you think!

Contrast Team.

CARINE

Carine on Jeans:
"I only wear jeans and flat shoes when I am on holiday, never for work. Jeans suit me very well but it's not for me anymore. It's horrible to say but it has something to do with age. I have good legs, so I prefer my skirt lengths and my high heels. It's like my uniform. I never wear jeans. Jeans are for my assistants."

Carine on Cartier:
"Do you know why? Because Cartier is the jewelry you give to your mistress. It is not the jewelry you buy for your wife. I heard that and it might be totally wrong, but it is this idea and I love Cartier because of that"I love her. Carine Roitfeld (for those of you who don't know) is the Editor of French Vogue. She is also the best dressed woman in the world and has the most impeccable taste. She is a photographer and has been featured on The Sartorialist several times. Carine is the mother of Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, who has become a starlet herself in the fashion world. Anna Wintour Who????

Read more from the Goddess of all things Fashion here.

Sneakers: MMM vs. Kanye West for LV

Browsing through a few online stores, I came across the MMM (Maison Martin Margiela) white high top sneaker and suddenly a curious thought entered my mind. Does this sneaker not look, if merely just on a conceptual level, strinkingly similar to the overhyped wildly discussed Kanye West for Louis Vuitton Don sneakers  released earlier this month? 

Left: Maison Martin Margiela. Right: Kanye West for LV Sneaker.
Click thumbnail for larger image.

Taking into consideration Kanye West 's desire to become a "type of designer that inspires people, not follow other ideas," the basic silhouette of these two shoes are strikingly similar. The use of overlapping fabric as the top shoelace hole in nearly identical places, similar piping style throughout, hard-to-describe back shoe detail (not pictured above) all contributed to my hypothesis. Granted, sneakers are sneakers and to truly create something 'organic' from such standardized streetwear is difficult. However, I can't help but stare at both and wonder if this is a mere coincidence or if Kanye sought some inspiration from a certain avante garde designer in addition to "Dune."

Am I just lacking sufficient sleep due to finals therefore causing my common sense to fail me at 2 in the morning? Or do you share my sentiments? 

More images of the shoes in question:

Tuesday, 12 May 2009

WWD reports that Anna Wintour is working with Mayor Bloomberg on a program to get customers back in stores (it will be announced next week).

Details to follow...

A Night on the Town

Fun and fashion rocked Washington D.C. last Saturday night at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, given in honor of the journalists who cover political events in the nation’s capitol. The dinner traditionally involves the President making a stand-up routine followed by a professional comedian. Celebrities, journalists, and politicians mingle, creating what has got to be one of the best parties of the year. Some of you might remember when, two years ago, Stephen Colbert bravely railed against President Bush’s and the press corps’s failures at this event. Fortunately, thanks to some new faces in town, the party definitely had the sparkle that has been so desperately lacking these past few years.(Ah, you thought I’d illustrate this story with a picture of our First Lady, didn’t you? Well, since I’m going to be editor next year, I’m going to post as many pictures of my boyfriend as possible and there’s nothing you can do about it, so hahaha.) (P.S. He’s going to speak at Sarah Lawrence’s graduation ceremony next week. I’m tempted to crash.)

Bold faced names at the event included TomKat; Donatella Versace; Ed Westwick and Chase Crawford; Alicia Keys; designers Kenneth Cole, Jason Wu, and Narciso Rodriguez; my darling Rahm Emanuel (I couldn’t come because of finals, you see, but thanks for the invite, sweetie!); and of course First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama.

For the curious, Women’s Wear Daily has a great slideshow and, as always, Jezebel has a largish gallery.

Michelle Obama looked modern and chic, as always, in a pink Michael Kors shift. Most of the guests went in the opposite direction, sporting classical evening gowns with long trains. Demi Moore wore an absolutely gorgeous smoky Grecian frock. Andrea Mitchell sported my favorite, Oscar de la Renta. But I have to say, there was an interesting little trend at this event. Senior advisor Valerie Jarrett and White House Social Secretary DesirĆ©e Rogers, current D.C. fashion icons, both showed up in long, columnar gowns with an empire waist. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Barbara Walters both wore black lace. Could this be the beginning, as I’ve hoped since Chanel’s Spring 2009 RTW collection, of an Edwardian revival? Please say yes!

To help you with your studies, here’s a video of President Obama’s performance (about 20 minutes long) and Wanda Sykes’s performance (about 15 minutes long). Enjoy!
-Ceci Cholst

Monday, 11 May 2009

Tweety Fave

My new favorite person on Twitter is Christina Binkley. She is the Wall Street Journal Style Columnist. She tells personal anecdotes combined with interesting fashion trivia and news. She also tweets the perfect amount of times per day. I am obsessed with her. I want to be her. I had no idea that WSJ was so cool!

See her page here.

Sunday, 10 May 2009

Spring 09: Round Sunglasses

I know at least among my group of friends, this trend has been a hot topic of debate. Despite the never-ending John Lenon references directed at anyone donning such shades, they are quickly becoming a hot 'must-have' item for Spring 09. While I only recall a couple people who have successfully pulled this look off (Mary-Kate Olson, my friend Stevie who is a make-up artist..) " a diverse group of designers embraced the trend" this season including Proenza Schouler, House of Holland, and Ralph Lauren(!!). What do you readers think about this trend?

Proenza Schouler S09

Saturday, 9 May 2009

Olsens Anonymous

Speaking of favorite websites, the blog 'Olsens Anonymous' is one I follow on the daily. The website tracks down MK&A at both high profile celebrity events and casual encounters in LA/NY. It is updated nearly everyday creating both envy and inspiration for the MKA obsessed. Here's a picture of Ashley at the Met Ball...perfect.

WWWWD


This is my new favorite website, a must read. It is called: Worldwide Womenswear Digest: The Fashion Newspaper. This link is to the website's second issue, a special on the Met Ball. It has a mock timeline of the Met Ball, here is an example:Enjoy!

Friday, 8 May 2009

Isabel Toledo

FIT is hosting a mid-career retrospective of Toledo's designs. The exhibit will feature Michelle Obama's infamous lime inauguration outfit amongst other work. These dresses show the variety of her inspiration, from oragami to "liquid architecture."
“Isabel Toledo: Fashion from the Inside Out”
June 17-September 26.


Hell Yeah, I'm Chuck Bass


“Hell yeah these pants are red. Look how red my pants are! Nate could never wear pants this red. Nate doesn’t have enough personality for pants this exuberant, this delightfully whimsical. Though maybe I shouldn’t have gone with the green socks. Wait - what am I thinking? I’m Chuck Bass. Of course I should have.”

There is an entire blog dedicated to What Chuck Wore on Gossip Girl. Each ridiculous outfit is accompanied by a ridiculous fictional quotes by Chuck Bass on his outfit, like the one above. I secretly (well not anymore) watch Gossip Girl, and this season I have developed a certain fondness for Chuck. Emotionally complex and a snappy dresser? I'm down.

Thursday, 7 May 2009

Spring 09 Preview!

WAIT, DON"T THROW THAT AWAY!

"I have 60 chests of clothes in my archives – I’ve always been a hoarder. People shouldn’t spend just for the sake of it, so you need to rework existing pieces to work for this season. There’s no room for throwing things away any more."- Zandra Rhodes on why the cyclical nature of trends. She is 68, she knows.

Wednesday, 6 May 2009

Anna Sui to collaborate with Target!

The designer will follow in the steps of Alexander McQueen as the second designer in the Designer Collaboration series at Target. "I have always been a fan of designer partnerships with mass retailers. I think it is a great way to bring fashion to everyone," Sui, tells WWD. "It is an exciting challenge to try and interpret my aesthetic into a mass-produced product with a specific international source as the focus." Sui says that the looks are inspired by characters from the CW's Gossip Girl. Target claims that this line will be edgier and more fashion forward than any other collaboration they have previously participated in.

The line will debut September 13th, 2009 both online and in select stores. I can't wait!

Mad about Plaid

This look is from the Marni Fall 2009 collection. Make sure to check out our article about Vassar's take on plaid in the Contrast Spring 2009 issue coming out soon!

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

Dress of the Year?

I really like Kate Moss' designs for Topshop, but do you really think that this dress is the best design of the year? This is the award that has gone to innovators like John Galliano, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Giorgio Armani. Kate Moss isn't even a designer! This is just going to encourage models to become "designers" now.The economy was clearly the driving force behind this decision, this dress is in no way the most impressive or aesthetically pleasing dress of the year, but it is certainly popular and affordable. In the past, high fashion and couture dresses have been chose, this dress costs merely £60. Paula Reed, fashion journalist for Grazie magazine, said: "Great style is not about a bottomless budget: a high street dress can own its style credentials as convincingly as a couture one.We are living in extraordinary times: 2008 is likely to be seen by our children as a watershed moment – the end of a glittering party, when we consumed, celebrated and indulged ourselves like we were guests at a table groaning with good things that would never end. Circumstances demand we become wiser now"

I agree that innovation does not need to be reserved for the runways and super wealthy, I just wish this dress were... well... deserving of being "Dress of the Year".

OHHHHbama

Official White House Photograph by Pete Souza

Barack Obama is proving that Michelle isn't the only style icon. Here are some pictures of the president's first 100 days in office on flickr. Hey, if being president doesn't work out, there is always the possibility of a modeling career......
[the moment]

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Refinery29 has posted some really cute, Mexican inspired looks to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. They are not quite exactly authentic, buty they are really cute! Plus, it was the last day of classes today. You survived. Now, you get a treat, or at least some time to window shop....
Above, clockwise from left: Tsumori Chisato Embroidered Shoulder Bag, $1,150, available at Opening Ceremony; Rachel Comey Crochet Flats, $322, available at Creatures of Comfort; Antik Batik Helmut Beaded Top, $220, available at Bird. They had some other really cute stuff too! Click here to splurge and celebrate!

[racked]

omgomgomg

DailyCandy just emailed out a list of this week's sample sales. I am freaking out. Delman, Rebecca Minkoff, LAFCO and Guhran, Twinkle by Wenlan, Loeffler Randall, Botkier, J Rosen Showroom, Fred Perry, Tibi, Yigal Azrouƫl, Lela Rose, John Robshaw, Steven Alan, and Robert Clergrie. If you are lucky enough to be going into New York some time in the next week, click here for the list of addresses and dates.

Loomstate for Target


Rogan Gregory's line of organic cotton casual wear for men and womenis available now at Target. "For spring, Gregory will create a stand-alone collection for Target based on Loomstate, the eco-friendly line he launched with Scott MacKinlay Hahn in 2004. The Loomstate for Target line will offer men’s and women’s apparel, priced between $14.99 and $44.99. The collection uses environmentally sensitive materials such as 100 percent certified organic cotton and sustainable fibers including linen and silk. "

Rogan's other line, Rogan Select, is a fashion favorite that features more avant garde designs in contrast to the beachy aesthetic of Loomstate.
A recent interview with co-founder Rogan Gregory spilled the beans on the details of this collaboration including how Rogan's vision for 100% organic items were achieved in partnership with Target, a mass-market distributor of affordable clothing. While buzzwords such as "green" and "organic" have gained popularity within the fashion world, there is definitely some awareness that being environmentally conscious and fashionable is not cheap (anyone recall Barney's winter GREEN campaign? Organic dresses for $400..yikes!)

Luckily, this collaboration has "they’ve initiated one of the largest, if not the largest, runs of certified organic cotton ever...not only does it mean Target now has a system in place for perpetuating its commitment to organic clothes, but because of their clout, it also shows other mainstream retailers that sustainability is a realizable ideal."


Another interesting point of debate is whether Loomstate for Target will be up to par in terms of quality compared to its usual line. I found an interesting article from WSJ.com about mass-market collaborations for those who are wary of joining the 'collab-craze' taking place recently. The article puts to the test high-priced designer wares with the 'cheap-but-chic' pieces popping up everywhere. Personally, I'm a huge fan of collaborations since I see these well-designed and affordable clothes as a way for fashion designers to draw a wider audience while cutting a break for their cult followers who don't mind the ease on the wallet and a chance to score some limited edition items. (I DIED for the Comme Des Garcons/H&M collab!)

Support Independent Businesses

The 3/50 is an effort to harness consumer power in order to keep independent businesses viable by reminding us to support our favorite local businesses. The campaign's not about encouraging over-spending, but about promoting conscious spending. It really got us thinking about what businesses in our community we'd hate to see disappear.

Costume Institute Gala Benefit

WWD was at the Costume Institute Gala Benefit tweeting like crazy! They provided updates every few minutes about who was there, what they said, and most importantly: what they were wearing. It was almost like being there.They also already posted a slideshow of pictures from the event. Both Ciara and Ashley Olsen were rocking backless black and white floor length gowns:
Whose do you like better?

Sunday, 3 May 2009

Get Real


Tom Binns' latest collection is called “Get Real”. Made from photographs of rings, necklaces, earrings, and watches ripped from glossy magazines, the innovative designer then laminates them and reassembles the images, creating a new piece of jewelry. Binns is one of Michelle Obama's favorite designers, she has worn his necklaces on two separate occasions. Binns said about this collection, “Now you can get your diamonds, emeralds, and shit."

With his support from the First Lady, Binns is now ready to take his business to the next level — he says that could mean taking on a financial backer, making bags or T-shirts, or even, if Target was willing to go in with him, doing a mass retail collaboration. The pieces from his Get Real collection sold for around $100, meaning he is definitely open to doing items in a more affordable price range. This is a collaboration I would definitely make a trip to the Galleria for.