>> Along with their first full-blown shoe collection for Spring 2009, the boys at Proenza Schouler have their hands full with a new handbag line. They waited until they felt like they had something to say, according to Jack Hernandez, and they wanted "a bag that feels familiar but is completely different" and "would transcend seasons." Along with a good view of the upcoming offerings, Jack talks about their "secret bag" — "they're called the PS-1. No one has them yet, we just gave them to friends." An it bag in the making? It's possible, since Vanessa Traina already has one . . .
Vanessa Traina
New, New York, Talent: Joseph Altuzarra
>> He showed for the first time ever at New York Fashion Week — by appointment only — and already he's getting major buzz.
As Mickey Boardman at Paper put it, "The name all those in-the-know were dropping was Joseph Altuzarra. French Vogue . . . told Paper that Altuzarra, who worked previously at Proenza Schouler and Givenchy, is the one [to] watch from New York Fashion Week." Stores are vying for exclusives on his first collection — and he's got a lookbook model in Vanessa Traina, who chipped in her two cents: "The right magazines came to see his stuff, the right stores want to buy it—which means, personally, it’s been a pretty good week for the guy." And Julia Restoin-Roitfeld already wore one of his dresses to the Calvin Klein 40th Anniversary party last week.
But the part that really sticks with me is Vanessa Traina being in the lookbook — seems like Joseph is just where Alexander Wang was a couple of years ago, when he was just starting out and had Vanessa modeling in his lookbook.
*image: source, source, source
>> INSIDER WIRE —My interest was piqued yesterday when Vanessa Traina showed up among Elite's show packages: Would she walk the New York runways, rather than just spectate like she has in the past? Her agent says it's still unconfirmed, but if the right designer comes along, she's definitely into the idea. [Style File]
Vanessa Traina and Harley Viera-Newton, Coming to a Runway Near You?
»Vanessa Traina and Harley Viera-Newton have Elite+ show cards going out for Spring 2009 [Of the Minute]
»Paul Starr, makeup artist to Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Dolce & Gabbana, mysteriously passed away Tuesday [BellaSugar]
»Coco Rocha acts out for Barneys Fall catalog [The Cut]
»Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann has a new cause [FWD]
»Lakshmi Menon has some upcoming work in Vogue Paris [Models.com]
»Spring 2009 show packages galore: Supreme, Muse, Ford, Elite [Of the Minute]
Working for Rachel Comey Means Lobster Dinners and Carnival Rides
»Rachel Comey schleps her team out to Long Island house to work on her Spring 2009 collection (peeks involved!) [Refinery29]
»Vanessa Traina and Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld are co-hosting a Boucheron gala during New York Fashion Week [FWD]
»Kate Moss's Fall 2008 Topshop collection is dropping September 9 [Topshop]
»Hana Soukupova is hosting a Victoria's Secret preview at her Sag Harbor home this weekend [FWD]
»Net-a-Porter has started stocking Halston [Fashionista]
»Alessandro Nivola has been cast to play Boy Capel opposite Audrey Tautou in Coco avant Chanel [Vogue UK]
»Sean Avery's fledgling styling business is kaput now that he's moving to Dallas [Style File]
»Which Olympian should replace Roger Federer on Anna Wintour's arm? [The Cut]
»Alice Burdeu got banged [TFS]
Gareth Pugh for Topshop: The Collection That Could Have Been, But Won't Be
»Gareth Pugh was asked to do a range for Topshop, but turned it down because he "hate[s] the idea of being in Grazia" [Dazed Digital]
»Roberto Cavalli compares models to "pieces of wood" [The Cut]
»Vanessa Traina appears out and about in Balmain boots with Nicole Richie [PopSugar]
»Karl Lagerfeld, dressed in white with blue striped bib, and Amanda Harlech, spotted in Saint Tropez [Jezebel]
»Did Ralph Lauren's Olympic opening ceremony uniforms embarrass America? [Gawker]
»A recent Bill Blass alum is about to go solo [Style File]
»Anna Selezneva is the Spring 2009 girl to watch [TI]
»Charlotte Ronson, re-imagined as Eli Cash from The Royal Tenenbaums [FabSugar]
»Rodarte among finalists for prestigious Swiss Textiles Award [FWD]
»According to Richie Rich, Heatherette is just taking a breather [The Cut]
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Today Show Segment Highlights Disparity Between Vogue Italia Editorial, Advertisements
»Ignoring that the models featured in the July 2008 Vogue Italia were referred to as "African American" on a Today Show segment this morning even though many aren't, the interesting point was brought up that most of the ads in the magazine don't feature black women [Elite Clips]
»Sessilee Lopez: Before Vogue Italia, there was Project Runway [Fashionista]
»Oh hi Julia von Boehm, Vanessa Traina [The Sartorialist]
»Stefano Gabbana hosted Jennifer Lopez and family in Portofino over the weekend [PopSugar]
»A breakdown of Maison Martin Margiela couture pieces and how long each took to make [Danny Daily]
»Andre Leon Talley had a little knicker issue [Page Six]
»Agyness Deyn and Albert Hammond, Jr. caught snogging [Daily Mail]
>> INSIDER WIRE —It wouldn't be couture without a Traina sighting or two. Both Vanessa Traina, who is working as an assistant in the Vogue Paris offices, and Victoria Traina, who is working in the Lacroix atelier this summer, attended Christian Lacroix earlier today with Traina matriarch Danielle Steel (below). Is another sighting in the cards? Maybe: Both girls had also RSVPed to Givenchy, and Vanessa hit up Chanel this morning. [Style File]

*image: source
Trainas in Training for High-End Gigs
>> Victoria and Vanessa Traina's summer gigs sound very much like those of another set of sisters . . . three years ago. In the Summer of 2005, Ashley Olsen interned for Zac Posen and Mary-Kate Olsen worked with Annie Leibovitz; This summer, Victoria (left) is said to be working in Christian Lacroix's Parisian atelier, while her younger sister Vanessa (right), who just recently appeared in the May 2008 issue of Vogue Paris, is now working in the magazine's editorial department.
Funny how it's all connected — Vanessa styled a video for the Olsens' line The Row a year ago or so — does this bode a high-end line in the making for the Trainas in a few years time?
*image: source


