Celeb Spotting: Victoria Beckham

Spotted: Victoria Beckham decked in one of her own garments that was recently featured in her Spring/Summer 2010 collection during NY Fashion Week.

I definitely love this dress. Classic piece with a little twist on the neckline. Subtly sexy, sensual.

This is also another classic dress, very 50s with the full skirt. I am definitely a fan! And of course, no better way to draw publicity or promote your own brand/label than to wear your own creations! What do you think?

Marc Jacobs Collection Spring/Summer 2010

"If last season was a trip back in time to the eighties," Marc Jacobs continued, "this was a trip to the theater, the ballet, the opera."

Check out the backstage beauty makeover as defined by François Nars on the look for the runway show:

“Life is a cabaret, all the world’s a stage — and everything is beautiful at the ballet!” said Marc Jacobs, backstage.

Check out the runway video:

Some of the looks which caught my attention:

pics are all taken off style.com

I love the cut, the fabric, the texture, the colors of this collection! Yes, granted some of the looks/pieces that he sent down the runway were rather 'out there' but that's Marc Jacobs for you. He always likes to have some 'shock' factor in his shows. I think the chiffon, the ruffles, the frills, the sportswear jackets are perfection. Oh, the thing that I dig the most? No heels! Yes, the geisha influence for clogs were executed in flats and kitten heels. I know plenty of ladies/fashionistas are lamenting over this, but I think its pure ingenuity. To me, Marc has once again proved that he's ahead of the pack.

Looking for a (Long) Leg up in Fashion

In conjunction with Fashion Week in NY, I thought it would only be apt to feature an article on the evolution of the fashion industry among teens.

Into Clothes: From left, Media Brecher, Vanessa Stylianos, and Hope Brimelow, interns at Teen Vogue

TEN years ago, when Amy Astley, then the beauty director of Vogue, began working on a prototype of a spinoff magazine for teenagers, the question she was most commonly asked by potential readers was this: “How can I become a fashion model?”

“It was really depressing,” said Ms. Astley, now the editor of Teen Vogue.

They all wanted to be models, and of course they couldn’t, so Ms. Astley found herself offering teenagers a harsh dose of reality, rather than something positive or inspiring.

“That was the most visible career in fashion at the time,” she said. “But I’ve seen a really profound change. They don’t ask me anymore how to become a model, or if I’ve met Britney or Justin Timberlake.”

Now they ask how they can get her job.

What changed, Ms. Astley said, is that teenagers around the world have become interested in all sorts of careers in fashion as a result of the industry’s increasingly outsize place in popular culture. “Project Runway,” the designer competition originally set at Parsons the New School for Design, has alone been credited with causing a spike in applications to fashion schools. At Parsons, applications have gone up 41 percent over the last five years. At Pratt Institute, they have gone up 20 percent.

“We have tour buses stopping outside so tourists can take pictures of us,” said Simon Collins, the dean of fashion at Parsons. “They’re looking for Tim Gunn or Heidi Klum or something.”

And given the intense scrutiny directed at “The September Issue,” the behind-the-scenes documentary of a single issue of Vogue, and the ever-escalating coverage of Fashion Week, which begins Thursday in Bryant Park, it stands to reason that there will be even more interest to come. Feeding on the demand, Teen Vogue has its own book coming out next month called “The Teen Vogue Handbook,” a how-to guide for students dreaming of jobs as a designer, stylist, photographer or editor.

For much of America’s youth, fashion is where it’s at. But this wave of Anna Wintours and Michael Korses in training is coming at a moment when the industry is shrinking; retailers are collapsing; several magazines within Teen Vogue’s parent company, Condé Nast, have closed; and jobs, of any sort, are scarce. A report last month from the NPD Group estimated that 12 percent of fashion companies will not survive the recession.

The situation is not entirely grim for new fashion graduates, even though the National Association of Colleges and Employers said in March that employers expected to hire 22 percent fewer seniors graduating in 2009 for entry level positions. Normally about 90 percent of Parsons seniors find jobs, but that figure dipped by only 10 percent. At Pratt and at the Fashion Institute of Technology, they have remained about the same.

“But we are seeing a trend toward some jobs disappearing into unpaid internships, which is a little troubling,” said Judy Nylen, the director of career services at Pratt.

So what is a young person trying to break into fashion supposed to do?

DON’T EXPECT TO START AT THE TOP

Let us take the example of Sang A Im-Propp, who was a pop star in Korea before she decided, while on a business trip to New York, that she wanted to be in fashion. This was nearly a decade ago, and Ms. Im-Propp’s command of English was tenuous, but she enrolled at Parsons and in short order found herself an internship with Victoria Bartlett, a noted stylist and designer whom she admired and hoped would introduce her to the glamorous world of design. Instead, Ms. Im-Propp found it difficult to understand Ms. Bartlett’s heavy British accent, and at first she thought she had misunderstood just what Ms. Bartlett was asking her to do. Get cupcakes?

Not just any cupcakes, but the glossy butter-cream confections from the Cupcake Cafe, which is a four-block crosstown walk from Ms. Bartlett’s studio through the dodgy garment district, and it was freezing outside.

“It made me cry a lot,” Ms. Im-Propp said. “Vicky is an amazing artist, but she can be difficult.”

But Ms. Im-Propp persisted, and after many cupcake runs, was entrusted with the research projects, location scouting and shopping collections Ms. Bartlett did not have time to see. When she decided in 2006 to start her own collection of handbags, under the label Sang A, Ms. Bartlett personally recommended her to a showroom.

Ms. Bartlett, reminded of the cupcake episodes, said she had been a deliberate taskmaster with interns, having encountered a few who did not live up to expectations. There was one who, without asking, borrowed her car on several occasions, and another who ran off to Los Angeles with the company computer.

“You can’t be a princess in this business,” she said. “People see fashion from the end result, which is kind of a false facade. They only see this beautiful, glamorous world, but I don’t think they realize it is one of the hardest careers out there.”

BE PREPARED TO SUFFER

This is a point that is made repeatedly in “The Teen Vogue Handbook,” which compiles stories of how many now-famous designers and editors got their starts. The common themes in the histories of Marc Jacobs, Ms. Wintour, Gucci Westman and Mario Testino are that hard work and persistence lead to opportunities to be seized — with a caveat, of course, that it’ll be a lot harder than that for anyone else. Karl Lagerfeld says that rather archly: “Are you ready to accept injustice? The idea of the fashion industry may look better from the outside. It can look like the world of dream jobs — for a very happy few.”

Still interested?

It’s a wonder, given the portrayal of fashion in “The Devil Wears Prada” and the counterpoint of “The September Issue,” that anyone would think this is a glamorous business. (There is the specter of Grace Coddington in the new film directing a colleague, “Don’t be too nice, not even to me, because you’ll lose.”)

In the real world, it’s just as tough. Prabal Gurung, the hot newcomer, said that his first job was working for a cuckoo designer in India who staged a fashion show with models eating chicken wings. Kelly Cutrone, the salty publicist and reality-show fixture, often starts a job interview by telling the applicant, “You’ll be very lucky if you start and end your career liking clothes.”

“The truth is,” said the designer Phillip Lim, “a lot of doors are shut right now, and no one is going to open them.” But Mr. Lim cited his own start as a reason not to give up hope. As a young salesman at Barneys in Los Angeles, he was so naïve that he simply picked up the phone and called the office of Katayone Adeli and asked for a job, which brings us to our next point.

NAÏVITÉ IS BLISS

“Don’t listen to other people,” Ms. Astley said. “If you want to work in fashion, you should do it. You should move to New York.”

Among the current crop of interns at Teen Vogue, there is little fear that the future of fashion will happen without their participation. They tell stories about 12-hour days of sorting through piles of shopping bags looking for a single skirt; or blisters from running garment bags around the city; or the bummer of being sent to a famous designer’s showroom and glimpsing only the messenger center. Or the thrill, in the case of Media Brecher, who is 20 and a student at Barnard College, of seeing a headline she suggested for a denim story, “Bleach Streak,” appear in the August issue.

(It does help to have connections, as Ms. Brecher is the daughter of The Wall Street Journal wine columnists Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher; and Hope Brimelow, another intern, met Teen Vogue editors in Paris while her mother, a producer on “60 Minutes,” was filming a profile of Anna Wintour. But Ms. Astley said that connections are not required at a publication that employs as many as 40 interns at a time.)

“Anyone can contribute to fashion now because of how accessible it has become,” said Vanessa Stylianos, 20, a New York University communications major who started working in the fashion closet last month.

ON THE OTHER HAND ...

Ms. Astley recalled a recent job applicant who was clearly unqualified to work at her magazine.

“I interviewed someone who hadn’t seen ‘Twilight,’ ” she said. “You can’t work at Teen Vogue if you haven’t seen ‘Twilight.’ ”

With designers, too, it helps to be aware of their work, even wearing an item of their clothing to a job interview, but goodness, not head to toe. This is a blunder seen by Karen Harvey, a fashion headhunter, who said that it looks as if you are trying too hard.

“You want to demonstrate your personal style and then integrate something of theirs,” she said. “They want to see how your styles will connect.”

ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS

This can be tricky. Most employers value a go-getter who doesn’t need to be told what to do, but they also appreciate a display of interest. A suggestion from Kenneth Wyse, the president of licensing at Phillips-Van Heusen, who also is president of the Fashion Scholarship Fund, an industry group that helps mentor young people with internships: Submit a list of questions once a week.

“One of my favorite stories was that after working here for a summer, a young lady said to me, ‘Gee, I had no idea that a collection business could lose money,’ ” Mr. Wyse recalled.

BE PERSISTENT, AND IT HELPS TO BE CHARMING

It was March 1996 in the suburbs of Detroit, where Jamie Rubin, age 10, was doing her homework, writing a speech about what she wanted to be when she grew up. Ms. Rubin had no idea, but her favorite dress was a really simple gray jumper by Nicole Miller, and so, she said, “I just decided that’s what I wanted to do, to give little girls their favorite dress.”

As part of the assignment, Ms. Rubin filmed a video in which she charmingly announced, “When I grow up, I’m going to be the next Nicole Miller!” She was so convincing that her parents sent the video to the designer’s showroom in New York, where it became an office favorite. Ms. Miller was so taken by Ms. Rubin that she invited her for a tour of her showroom and, eight years later, when Ms. Rubin enrolled at Parsons, offered her an internship for a summer, working right by her side.

“I felt like I was meeting Oz,” Ms. Rubin said. “I couldn’t even speak when I first met her.”

If her story sounds too easy, Ms. Rubin, now 23, will point out that things were not so simple once she graduated. Even though she had also interned for Women’s Wear Daily and for Proenza Schouler, she had little response from the hundreds of résumés she sent out, except for one she sent to a showroom where she was dying to work, as she noted in a cover letter that she accidentally addressed to one of its competitors. “I got an e-mail back saying, ‘That’s nice, if you want to a job there, you should send them an application,’ ” Ms. Rubin said.

She did land an interview at Dolce & Gabbana and bought a blouse for the occasion, but it was loose-fitting and the reason Ms. Rubin suspects she never got a call back. After much persistence, she was offered a job at a creative agency that represents Tod’s, Hogan and other luxury brands.

“The door will close on you 900 times,” she said. “So you’ve got to keep your skin tough and your goals very focused. I walk into work every day and know I’m going to be challenged and inspired, and that’s the recipe for happiness in any job.”

*article taken from NY Times*

Fashion's Night Out PSA

Here's a clip on the upcoming Fashion's Night Out on Sept 10.

Also, a little more detail on the event:

>> The roster of events for Anna Wintour's international shopping extravaganza on Sept. 10, Fashion's Night Out, has been rolled out, and as Anna put it in the press release: “Little did I think when the idea of Fashion’s Night Out was first dreamed up this past March during the Paris collections that we would have over 700 and counting retailers, designers, and brands joining us on the night of September 10. There is so much planned that we could shop till dawn and still not see and do everything.”

Wintour kicks everything off, along with Michael Kors and "a surprise celebrity guest," at Macy's Queen Center location at 5 pm and will sign t-shirts for the first 50 customers. That event just so happens to be ten minutes away from a US Open tennis match Roger Federer will likely play that same day at 7 pm (and thus Anna will likely attend).

Vogue has sprinkled its editors all over town that night — from 8-9 pm at Bergdorf Goodman, Andre Leon Talley is hosting a game with teams led by Donna Karan and Linda Fargo; Grace Coddington is set to "tell an extraordinary visual story" throughout the Fifth Ave Prada store; Hamish Bowles will be "performing Noel Coward and other favorites" at Juicy Couture's Fifth Avenue store; and Lauren Santo Domingo will be popping by Alexander McQueen, Lord & Taylor, and Versace.

Models, too, are contributing: Arlenis Sosa, Jessica Stam, Karolina Kurkova, Angela Lindvall, Adriana Lima, Stephanie Seymour, Julia Stegner, Caroline Trentini, Cindy Crawford, Erin Wasson, Caroline Winberg, Carmen Kass are all slated to make appearances (at currently unknown locations); DKNY is boasting of a "special performance by Coco Rocha from 9-11 pm"; Lily Donaldson is contributing music at the Burberry between Madison and Fifth Ave; Sasha Pivovarova is exhibiting her work at Henri Bendel; Daria Werbowy will be on hand at the Times Square Sunglass Hut, where guests can take photographs with her while trying on sunglasses; Chanel Iman, Hana Soukupova, and others will be at Versace; and Daria Strokous is hosting a cocktail party from 7-9 pm at Salvatore Ferragamo to celebrate the launch of her photo exhibition, a backstage visual diary of her New York Fashion Week experience.

In addition to Lauren Santo Domingo, a fair share of it-girls will be on the circuit, hosting parties : Harley Viera-Newton is DJing at Tom Binns; Margherita Missoni is hosting at Missoni; and Alexandra and Theodora Richards are hosting and DJing at French Connection.

Last but not least, the designers: Roberto Cavalli will personally host the ten-year anniversary of his boutique, featuring ten archival gowns; Manolo Blahnik is holding a meet-and-greet; Oscar de la Renta is planning to sing a few songs at his Madison Ave boutique; and Brian Atwood is playing his favorite music as DJ at Bally.

Other events of note (the Olsens are bartending, meet Steven Klein):

1. Barneys

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are bartending; Alexander Wang is giving runway lessons; Juan Carlos Obando is teaching salsa dancing; and Rodarte have conceived a "special performance"; also expected for the festivities are Rag & Bone, Waris Ahluwalia, Narciso Rodriguez, Proenza Schouler, Isabel Toledo, and Thom Browne.

2. Chanel

The Chanel boutique at 15 East 57th Street will have a Customized Handbag Studio, where customers can: "Enjoy sipping on champagne while collaborating with our specialists to design your personalized bag. Choose your favorite lambskin color, lining, hardware, and chain — and be among the first in the United States to own a customized, monogrammed Chanel classic bag."

3. Bergdorf Goodman

From 5-6 pm, Zac Posen is painting "one-of-a-kind" creations available for sale; from 6-7 pm, Peter Som, Cynthia Rowley, and others are going at it in a designer cook-off; Steven Klein, Annie Leibovitz, and Pat McGrath will all be on hand from 7-8 pm for a showing of Vogue's most provocative beauty images, and from 8-9 pm, Andre Leon Talley is hosting the aforementioned game show. Marchesa's Georgina Chapman is also making a personal appearance.

4. Kirna Zabete

Kirna Zebete is celebrating its tenth anniversary with hosts Narciso Rodriguez, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, Thakoon Panichgul, Jason Wu, and Peter Som, who will all be there in person to debut exclusive items: Peter Som limited-edition aprons, Proenza Schouler print tote bags, Thakoon one-of-a-kind dresses, Narciso Rodriguez photo collages, and Jason Wu fall 2009 fashion sketches.

5. Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony is going block party, transforming its store front into a collection of sidewalk shops. For the occasion, vintage cars have been customized to each participating designer's aesthetic — a classic convertible low-rider for Rodarte, a black van for Alexander Wang, a Volkswagon minibus for Proenza Schouler, a Thai truck for Scott Sternberg of Boy/Band of Outsiders — Delfina Delettrez Fendi is also among those involved — and goods made exclusively for the occasion will be sold out of them.

*article taken from Fashionologie here*

My parents are coming to visit so, I might just schedule for us to be in NY then! Heh.

Marc Jacobs Isn’t Looking Forward to Fashion Week

*Article is dated Aug 17, 2009*

Photo: Patrick McMullan

Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs stores are participating in Fashion's Night Out, but the designer himself told us on Saturday at the after-party for My One and Only in East Hampton that he was unsure of his Fashion's Night Out plans. The event occurs on the first night of Fashion Week, which only adds to the typically massive Fashion Week stress. Was Jacobs looking forward to Fashion Week? "No," he replied. Was he looking forward to seeing any shows? "No." Does he enjoy Fashion Week at all? "Enjoy? Enjoy is a weird word. It's work — work is more what it's about." So it's not fun? "No."

But fun things are on the horizon! Such as his wedding to Lorenzo Martone, which he promised will happen "soon." Don't expect a big affair: "[The wedding will be] very quiet, just the two of us. We're keeping it very simple." Jacobs added that no friends or family will attend the ceremony in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Unlike many in his industry, he doesn't frequent the Hamptons. "I haven't been here for years," he said. "We just got here today, so we're just hanging out at Larry [Gagosian's] house. It's just me and sunshine and good times."

*article taken from NY magazine here*