>> THE MODELIZER —A year ago, WWD reported that one-third of the New York shows didn't employ models of color, but according to Jezebel's calculations, spots given to models of color increased six percent this season. Among those shows with the highest diversity: Oscar de la Renta, Victoria Beckham, Tracy Reese, Sophie Theallet; those using no models of color included: Julian Louie, Koi Suwannagate, Temperley London, and Vera Wang Lavender Label. [Jezebel]
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>> Before jetting off to Milan, London fashion's finest gathered for a dinner last night at the Double Club, in honor of Another Magazine's newest issue featuring Tilda Swinton. Kate Moss, freshly returned from a safari in South Africa, made her first and only London Fashion Week appearance, dropping in with Jamie Hince for Jefferson Hack's Congolese family-style dinner. Lily Cole, who sat front row at Vivienne Westwood Red Label earlier this week and then walked in the Qasimi show before heading back to Cambridge, popped back into town for the party, where Peaches performed her Karoake favorites while Kate, Tilda Swinton, and Daphne Guiness all sang along.
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>> INSIDER WIRE —Now that Katie Grand is all settled with Love over at Conde Nast, it's time for Bauer to find her replacement at POP. Are you ready for a surprising choice? Gossip last night placed socialite, designer, and art-circuit extraordinaire Dasha Zhukova at the helm in Katie's old spot, with her artist best friend Olympia Scarry doing the creative direction. Wonder how Katie feels about that? She was worried "that POP could employ someone that I think is completely venomous." [Style.com]
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The Shrimpton Couture gave a salute to today's queen of fashion, that's right, Victoria Beckham. ..
Verbal Croquis posted a link to a podcast which features trend forecasters defending their place in fashion.
Wardrobe Oxygen received a check for 500 dollars thanks to a website that pays you to shop online.
Thrift Eye inspired us to get DIY with her vintage patterns for cute summer dresses.
Despite any previous definitions, in 2009, the little cocktail dress is quite an aggressive and serious thing. Marios Schwab perfectly captured that sentiment this season and confidently showed a trouser-less collection. Beautifully draped and bursting, in some cases, with jewels these imaginative frocks have pushed the designer into a much deserved higher status.
Last week Matthew Williamson opened his first US flagship downtown in New York to a packed Fashion Week crowd. With a large glass facade and poured concrete flooring the look of the space is modern and sleek. Williamson's colorful, vintage inspired aesthetic is not lost, however, not only do the clothes themselves add a jolt of color and vibrancy to the space so too do his furniture creations for The Rug Company and his bespoke wallpaper designs. Check out our first look at the new store, and, don't forget to check out Williamson's Fall 2009 collection as well.
Payless might be the reigning champion of low-priced footwear on the Fall 09 catwalks but Aldo came in a close second this season. Three designers, in fact, worked with Aldo to customize shoes for their runway shows. Frank Tell added black Swarovski crystals to platforms and booties, E.Y. Wada teamed up with stylist Michelle Cameron who customized Aldo pumps with beads, brooches, and spray paint, and Unconditional made Aldo boots more rugged by adding thick ankle straps. Fashion Week footwear has always been all about collaboration but never have so many been one-offs from the high street.
The duo behind Peter Pilotto always start a collection from two vantage points: natural wonders and the microscopic. This season it was, "rock crystal shapes, kaleidoscopic shards, and an artist’s tiny paintbrush daubs" which translated to heavy embellishments, rich prints, and texture tricks on a range of cocktail party wear. We see links to Rodarte (the intellectual, the minutia) and Balmain (beading, shoulders, legs for miles) in Peter Pilotto and we will always be on their side because of it.
