Elle
Elle.Stardoll
Ellie Goulding, Sky Ferreira & Cory Kennedy at Jeremy Scott's spring show. Photo: Getty Images
Wet hair has been an emerging beauty trend for spring ’12 (call it the Hurricane Irene effect), but that wasn’t the reason for Sky Ferreira’s damp tresses at the Alexander Wang after-party. “No Jello shots for me,” she said of the frat-themed fete. “But I did get water poured on my head by Tyler, the Creator. It burned a little bit, but it was fun.” The musician-slash-model has been busy—“right now I’m just working on my album,” Ferreira said from the front row at Jeremy Scott—but she’s found time to see the collections of her favorite designers. “I only go to shows that I’m a fan of, that I like the clothes,” she noted (among the ones that made the cut were Scott as well as Theyskens‘ Theory). On the other hand, British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding—who was seated next to Ferreira—has been going to shows on the recommendation of her stylist. With appearances at Scott, Betsey Johnson, and Charlotte Ronson, Goulding admitted that she has been making a mental list of clothing she’d like to wear while performing. She added, however, that she’d ultimately love to be doing the designing herself: “I would definitely [start a label]. I see other people wearing stuff that helps them onstage, because it’s not easy to run around and sing and dance and still wear something really amazing. So, it’s finding that kind of outfit, really.” Ultimately, it wasn’t the established designers who wowed Goulding; the stand-out of her New York Fashion Week “was the ELLE [Fashion Next] show, because I saw some incredible stuff. I was just really inspired. Even though I’m a musician, it’s so good to see such amazing talent. Like, a dress made out of human hair? Amazing!”
- Elle.Stardoll
From left to right, Rachel Comey, Jill Stuart, Altuzarra & Alexander Wang. Photos: Imaxtree
Growing up, turtlenecks were a winter wardrobe affliction—a parental stipulation that was almost always uncomfortable and hot. So imagine our surprise when these pesky neck ringers started popping up on fall’s runways, sending a torturous off-season message: We’re Back. Cathy Horyn named the style one of this season’s five must-haves, and J.Crew’s littered their catalog with colorful versions. And now, based on the spring runways we’ve seen thus far, the turtleneck appears to be in it for the long haul. But the question is, will you still want to wear them when the sun comes back? A handful of New York’s darling’s included turtlenecks in their shows, some girly, some androgynous, and others meant for a sort of refined hipster. Alexander Wang’s interpretation was ultra-violet with Aztec detailing while Joseph Altuzarra’s chartreuse croptop looked destined for Lara Croft in Tomb Raver. Rachel Comey was beach-bound on an alternative vacation—her intarsia knit was paired with a bikini bottom and sand-friendly straw accessories. Jill Stuart’s was the most girly. Her rainbow color blocked option, peeping out from underneath a gold lurex jacket with hotpants , but with shorts that short it’s probably just best to conceal your neck. Maybe that’s what this trend is all about—an antidote to summer’s uncontrollable amount of nakedness? In that case, job well done.
- Elle.Stardoll
A look from Giles Deacon's first collection for Ungaro. Photo: Imaxtree
After just two seasons, Giles Deacon is out at Ungaro. The industry breathed a sigh of relief when the beloved British designer took over after a tumultuous few seasons in which Ungaro hired Esteban Cortazar (who critics thought was doing a pretty good job) and then ousted him to bring on Lindsay Lohan and Estrella Archs. The latter duo was, to put it mildly, not so well received. It looked like the brand was beyond repair until they finally sat up and hired a real designer. But Giles’ first collection, for spring 2011, didn’t earn great reviews either. Critics accused him of trying too hard and losing sight of the balance between the storied French brand and his own, funkier aesthetic. Ungaro’s fall collection may have earned better reviews, but the critics still save their biggest compliments for Giles’ eponymous line. There is also, of course, the question of who’s buying the clothes—it’s not even spotted on the most adventurous street style stars. An official statement says Giles and the house “mutually decided” to end their relationship, and that the spring collection presented in Paris next month will be designed by the in house team. But it’ll need more than that to get back on track.
- Elle.Stardoll
Ashley Olsen at the Met ball in May, a look from Oscar de la Renta's spring collection. Photos: Getty Images, Imaxtree
So Ashley Olsen wasn’t the most surprising celebrity at Oscar de la Renta‘s spring show—that honor would go to Justin Timberlake or Nicki Minaj, neither of whom we can imagine rocking one of Oscar’s embroidered lace ballgowns—but as far as lady starlets go, Olsen wasn’t the most expected. As the designer sent out one gorgeous, frothy creation after another—embroidered silk, beaded jackets, feathered columns—we tried to imagine the petite Olsen peeking out from any one of the looks, until the off-the-shoulder pink dress emerged. The only other time we’d seen those sleeves this decade (outside of period films) was when Olsen rocked the hard-to-wear look on the Met Ball’s red carpet in May. So now we know, Oscar gets his inspiration where every other woman does: from the Olsens.
- Elle.Stardoll
Photo: Imaxtree
“She just wants excitement,” was how designer Nanette Lepore described the woman she imagined wearing her spring collection. One look at the pieces she showed on the runway on Wednesday and it’s clear what she meant: This collection injected jolts of color—electric yellow, neon pink, DayGlo orange—into Lepore’s trademark feminine designs. Stripped and floral patterns were so color-saturated that she actually had to approach them differently. “This season with the prints, it was like they weren’t saturated enough,” Lepore said backstage before her show. She added, “So finally we did this painting technique, this pigment, so they get this deep, deep color.” But while there were plenty of Betty Draper-on-acid pieces on display (among them, a creamsicle hued nipped-waist jacket and a full-skirted tank dress in bright lemon), it wasn’t all frills; Lepore cited the Venice Biennale at the American Pavilion as inspiration, with its “Olympic athletes performing on these crazy sculptures—that was exciting.” The body-hugging uniforms worn there were echoed in Lepore’s scuba-style cropped tops and dresses, accented with white piping and graphic, circular zipper pull detailing that you’re more likely to see on the beach than on the streets of New York’s Upper East Side. Perhaps part of this shift away from the pleats and bows that so often occupy her collections (and to be clear, there were still plenty in this one) has to do with where she sees the label going: “We’ve had bags and shoes for about a year—I really want to see them explode—[and] swim is doing really, really well. And I want to move into menswear eventually.” It may seem like an odd fit, but Lepore is just trying to reconnect with her design roots; as she explained, “[Menswear] is something we started off doing years ago, so I would love to get back to that because it was really fun.”
- Elle.Stardoll
From left to right, Costella Tagliapietra, Yigal Azrouel, Suno & The Row. Photos: Imaxtree
Bathrobes are turning out to be a sleeper hit for spring. Lines as diverse as Suno and Costello Tagliapietra have sent them down the runway without any bells and/or whistles and yet they look perfectly primed for a night out. The Row had the honor of being first. The Olsens offered a luxurious take on their short-lived college style, when they were often spotted in the post-shower staple. Theirs is the most pajama-like of all three thanks to a legitimate pair of PJ’s in the same patterned silk underneath. Mary-Kate may be the only person who could pull off this look, but over jeans, the robe could work on a non-Olsen. Max Osterweis and Erin Beatty of Suno sent out a Chinoiserie robe with a simple sash belt and heels—like a relaxed wrap dress like Costello Tagliapietra’s. Although fashioned of a dressed-up silk jersey the dress still screams robe. Is this a trend you’ll try?
Click here to see all the spring shows!
- Elle.Stardoll
Jessica Szohr, Ashlee Simpson & Katie Cassidy looking thrilled in the front row at Herve Leger yesterday. Photo: Getty Images
Almost exactly one year ago, Jessica Szohr and Leigh Lezark sat side-by-side at the Herve Leger by Max Azria spring ’11 show. With their face-framing raven hair, they almost looked like twins. At today’s spring ’12 show they weren’t neighbors, but both showed up rocking bangs. Lezark’s fringe, which she debuted this summer, takes the edge off of her normally severe look. Szohr, meanwhile, looked nearly unrecognizable with her new bob (if it weren’t for her electric blue bandage dress, she might have slipped under the radar). You could call the look, with its sweeping, jagged bangs, a break-up cut; after all, it was only recently confirmed that she and Gossip Girl had split. Her front row neighbor, Ashlee Simpson, could commiserate: She’s been rocking an Edie Sedgwick-style white-blonde pixie ‘do for about as long as she’s been separated from Pete Wentz. And what better way to get over a break-up than daydreaming about all the fun you’d have in a really sexy Herve Leger dress. “I loved the beading,” said Simpson of the macramé and woven second-skin ensembles shown on the runway, adding, “I thought it was beautiful.” But would the shoes, which wrapped up the knee, like a gladiator sandal, be comfortable enough to wear out? According to Simpson, “they actually did!”
- Elle.Stardoll
Dakota & Elle Fanning at yesterday's Rodarte show. Photo: Getty Images
At yesterday’s Rodarte show Kate and Laura Mulleavy revealed their Van Gogh-inspired spring collection. The inspiration was so obvious, and at times so literal, that it prompted one critic to worry about copyright issues. Suzy Menkes wasn’t a fan. She wrote, “Where did the Mulleavy sisters lose their touch at Rodarte? There were other outfits in vivid mixes of blue and green that had an allure — although not the dark undertone usually associated with the design duo, who said they were obsessed with the saturated, filmic colors of Disney’s 1959 Sleeping Beauty…but [they] did not push their concept forward enough to make it seem like more than just another floral frock,” but WWD loved it, “This collection bore evidence of a desire to be more commercial while protecting the artistry at the core of their work. If the designers felt the strain of compromise, it resulted in a beautiful thing.” The one thing no one’s debating? That Rodarte attracted the most star studded front row this week. Beyoncé (with Solange), Taylor Swift, Rooney Mara, Miranda July, and both Fannings brought A-list start power to the afternoon show. Elle and Dakota chose pretty different looks, so which one’s your favorite?
Click here to see all the spring shows!
- Elle.Stardoll
Beyoncé & Solange at Vera Wang's spring show. Photo: Getty Images
There are many unspoken rules of Fashion Week—who gets to sit where, who gets to go where, who gets to talk to whom—but few garner as much attention as who gets to wear what. With a gauntlet of street style photographers at the front of Lincoln Center and a cadre of paparazzi staked out in the back (never mind the rows and rows of eager editors with camera phones), it’s likely that if you are remotely recognizable, your picture will be taken and your outfit will be broadcast out and discussed as much as (if not more than) the actual clothing shown on the runway. This is especially the case for celebrities, and while there is no right way to dress for Fashion Week, you can usually break down their choices into three specific groups. Vera Wang’s spring ’12 show this morning is the perfect case study for this New York Fashion Week phenomenon: the Front Row Fashion Tribes.
- Elle.Stardoll
Chris Benz's SS12 collection. Photo: Imaxtree
Three very different designers hosted three very different presentations this week: Thom Browne invited editors to the New York Public Library while Chris Benz held court at Lincoln Center and the Lake and the Stars fittingly showed their hip swim and lingerie collection downtown at Milk Studios. Through the New York Public Library’s marble hallways and staircases we went to catch Thom Browne’s twenties-themed action. After being corralled behind velvet ropes we watched girls pose as household items. One, for example, was inside a birdcage resembling a cockatoo in a sheer white feathered dress while two others stood at attention, playing curtains to an invisible window. Another emerged in Browne’s signature avant-preppy clothes, fixing herself a drink as friends began piling into the room accompanied by human bouquets and extra-long cigarette holders gossiping (we guess) about suspended kilts and diagonally draped fringe dresses.
