>> ASOS was all femme, all the time for its Spring 2011 in-house collection, but for Fall the collection can be summed up in three words: "Color. Coats. Clashing." Inspired by British shores and the Americas, the goods feature white-soled cobalt oxfords, a textural green-neon miniskirt, and a mustard pleated dress. The full collection, in the slideshow.
>> Launched in February during New York Fashion Week, Lauren Santo Domingo's online trunk show site, Moda Operandi, is now raising its second round of venture capital funding, co-founder and CEO Aslaug Magnusdottir confirmed yesterday. Magnusdottir declined to say how much was being raised, but noted that she had been approached by several investors as interest in online luxury retailers grows. "The recent successes of Gilt [Groupe], Rue La La, and Net-a-Porter being sold has really made this a much more interesting sector for a lot of investors," Magnusdottir said, referring to recent deals. MO received its first round of funding last year from Boston-based venture capital firm New Atlantic Ventures, and is expected to be profitable by the end of 2012, Magnusdottir said. She hopes that the site's membership will hit 100,000 by the end of this year, up from 15,000 now. [Reuters]
>> Not to say you shouldn't show off that amazing one-piece swimsuit or cute bikini, but for those times when you're out of the pool and not yet ready to put on real clothes, we suggest you elevate your postswim ensemble with options such as a silk printed cover caftan from Mara Hoffman, a bonny yellow dress from Vix, or a fancier bright teal dress from ASOS. The options are endless, but we edited it down to our 12 favorites — peep them all in the slideshow.
>> Erin Wasson's new collaboration — the Erin Meets Zadig line, done with French luxury lifestyle brand Zadig & Voltaire — is set to be introduced during Paris Couture Week in July. The presentation will have a strong musical element, according to Zadig & Voltaire founder Thierry Gillier, which comes as no surprise — when Wasson designed her RVCA line, those presentations often had a live band performance; the last two involved Gang Gang Dance and Yeasayer.
But the similarities between her RVCA and Zadig & Voltaire collaborations stop there, Wasson says: “Zadig & Voltaire is a sophisticated French brand. I was aware of this difference [from RVCA] when we started developing the collection. We worked with more luxurious fabrics and materials.” Erin Meets Zadig was inspired by “life, classic cars, and Rod Stewart,” Wasson adds: “The collection feels almost sensual. I wanted it to be about basic shapes with subtle texture."
Wasson features in the Zadig & Voltaire Spring 2011 and Fall 2011 ad campaigns, as well as the lookbook for Erin Meets Zadig, shot by Fred Meylan in the Hamptons (a few images in the slideshow). Gillier notes: “Erin’s capsule is really different from what we are doing today. It allows us to offer an even more distinctive product. We are rock ’n’ roll, but Erin is even more rock ’n’ roll.”
The 15-piece offering, which includes a studded suede jacket, leather pants, a cashmere jumpsuit, and a python bag and boots, ranges from 90 euros ($120) for a cotton tank to 1,050 euros ($1,400) for a foal skin coat. It will be launched exclusively on Net-a-Porter in September, before rolling out in 80 Zadig & Voltaire stores worldwide. Though it was originally intended to be a one-off, the capsule collection could evolve into another type of project in coming seasons, Gillier said: “We are already exploring different ideas to do something new next season with her and with other people.”
>> Estella Warren, a former Victoria's Secret model and face of Chanel No. 5, was arrested Monday night in LA for driving under the influence of alcohol. "Warren hit three parked cars in what was considered three separate collisions," according to a rep for the LA sheriff's department. The 32-year-old model failed to stop for police when they tried to pull her over near her home and later physically assaulted an officer. "She was uncooperative and demanding," the rep says. "She removed her handcuffs and fled the police station. She was captured and transported back." Warren — who appeared as Little Red Riding Hood in a series of Chanel No. 5 television commercials directed by Luc Besson in 1998 — was booked on a $100,000 bail following her arrest for hit and run, felony escape, and DUI. [People, Vogue UK]
>> Coming this Fall, a whole new line of Chanel bags to covet. Based on a hunting cartridge style originally carried by Coco Chanel herself, the new Chanel Boy bags are made to embody the androgynous charm the designer was known for.
“Chanel used men’s underwear to make dresses; she had this boyish attitude, in fact it is the very spirit of Chanel. She got it from Boy Capel, the great love of her life, which, incidentally, explains why the new bag is called the Boy Chanel,” Karl Lagerfeld explains of his inspiration. Available in a pared-down palette of red, grey, and ivory, these glazed calfskin clutches, purses, and totes range from $2500 to $4300 and hit Chanel boutiques in September.
>> Tiffany & Co. has made a $1 million gift to the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund: The resultant three-year partnership includes a one-time, $250,000 business development grant for one of the nine jewelry designers who has been a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist since the competition's 2004 launch. These designers include Eddie Borgo, Pamela Love, House of Waris's Waris Ahluwalia, Monique Pean, Irene Neuwirth, Philip Crangi, Subversive Jewelry's Justin Giunta, Anthony Nak's Nak Armstrong and Anthony Camargo (who shuttered their line last year), and Dean Harris. Each designer has received an application for the grant, and a winner will be named this Summer. “As a leader in the jewelry industry, it is important to us that the next generation of talented jewelry designers is able to succeed in the face of the many business challenges they face,” said Tiffany chairman and CEO Michael J. Kowalski. “Partnering with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, this grant is intended to continue to develop jewelry as an important field of design.” [WWD]
