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Cathy Horyn

Jason Wu Expanding Full-Steam Ahead for Spring 2010; Cathy Horyn Unsure About All the Buzz
2010 Spring

Jason Wu Expanding Full-Steam Ahead for Spring 2010; Cathy Horyn Unsure About All the Buzz

>> In January, Jason Wu went from buzzy among the fashion community to internationally known, thanks to one Michelle Obama, and his Spring 2010 reflects the sudden change in pace: he's trying to go a little sexier, and little more modern to have an all-around broader ready-to-wear reach.
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>> In January, Jason Wu went from buzzy among the fashion community to internationally known, thanks to one Michelle Obama, and his Spring 2010 reflects the sudden change in pace: he's trying to go a little sexier, and little more modern to have an all-around broader ready-to-wear reach.  He added knitwear, outwear, and daywear, launched four styles of sunglasses, and hopes someday soon to get into handbags and accessories.  

Ymre Stiekema made her New York Fashion Week debut at the show, and Yulia Kharlaponova slipped and fell on recently-Windexed mirrored runway, but that wasn't the only slip-up in the collection, according to Cathy Horyn, who wrote in her review:

"Have you ever become completely irritated by a box of chocolate? You know the kind: concept chocolate, artfully arranged in a just-so box, flavors exotic and trying. I’m afraid that was my overall reaction to Jason Wu’s collection on Friday at the St. Regis Hotel . . . He should try a little less hard is the answer. Not everything in life is a spotless decorator interior or a magazine spread. He should loosen up a bit. And why the uniformly short hemlines, six inches above the knee? That in itself is the sign of a fairly conformist outlook."

 

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Prabal Gurung Definitely On the Verge with His Spring 2010 Collection
New York Fashion Week

Prabal Gurung Definitely On the Verge with His Spring 2010 Collection

>> Prabal Gurung is on the verge: Glenda Bailey stopped by this afternoon at his sunlit Flag Art Foundation presentation, Harper's Bazaar posse in tow, to schmooze with the designer; Meredith Melling Burke — in cropped Fashion's Night Out tee, natch — got a personal tour of the collection by the designer; fan Rachel Zoe — who recently dressed Demi Moore in Prabal — stopped by with assistant Brad Goreski, causing the usually imperturbable fashion crowd to collectively gawk; and Cathy Horyn stepped out of the elevator as I was leaving.
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Prabal Gurung Definitely On the Verge with His Spring 2010 Collection

>> Prabal Gurung is on the verge: Glenda Bailey stopped by this afternoon at his sunlit Flag Art Foundation presentation, Harper's Bazaar posse in tow, to schmooze with the designer; Meredith Melling Burke — in cropped Fashion's Night Out tee, natch — got a personal tour of the collection by the designer; fan Rachel Zoe — who recently dressed Demi Moore in Prabal — stopped by with assistant Brad Goreski, causing the usually imperturbable fashion crowd to collectively gawk; and Cathy Horyn stepped out of the elevator as I was leaving.  

For his second eponymous collection, the Bill Blass alum, inspired by "Maggie Betts, Zoe Saldana, and Indre Rockefeller," as listed in his show notes, stuck largely to what he does best: cocktail dresses, all in a palette of cobalt, white, and black.  The piece de resistance? A stunningly simple electric blue gown.   

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New York Fashion Week Tidbits: Juergen Teller To Make an Appearance, Zac Posen Explains Venue Change
Julie Haus

New York Fashion Week Tidbits: Juergen Teller To Make an Appearance, Zac Posen Explains Venue Change

>> New York Fashion Week is a little less than two weeks away, and the tidbits are flowing freely — a compilation of the highlights from the past couple of days: Juergen Teller is meeting Cathy Horyn for a free, open to the public, discussion about his work at New York's Visual Arts Theater Sept.
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>> New York Fashion Week is a little less than two weeks away, and the tidbits are flowing freely — a compilation of the highlights from the past couple of days:


  • Juergen Teller is meeting Cathy Horyn for a free, open to the public, discussion about his work at New York's Visual Arts Theater Sept. 12, 7 pm [On the Runway]

  • Zac Posen explains his move from the big Tent at Bryant Park to a smaller Altman Building show for 400: “For this collection, an intimacy between model, clothing and audience could only be achieved in a smaller space. I really enjoyed the experience of a more intimate show after Pre-Fall 2009, followed by our successful Resort 2010, which was held at my downtown atelier." [WWD]

    • Who's Kate Lanphear styling? »
Retailers Deem The Row "Perfect," But Don't Expect Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to Hold a Fashion Show
Mary-Kate Olsen

Retailers Deem The Row "Perfect," But Don't Expect Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to Hold a Fashion Show

>> Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen captured the hearts of fashion obsessives through The Row from the first collection — but who could have guessed that they would also win the heart Cathy Horyn, who prides herself on picking apart Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy, another industry favorite?Horyn blogged about her interview with the Olsens yesterday, and today comes her article, in which Jim Gold, chief executive of Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys fashion director Julie Gilhart both deem The Row "perfect": Gold because The Row "offers the perfect blank .
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>> Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen captured the hearts of fashion obsessives through The Row from the first collection — but who could have guessed that they would also win the heart Cathy Horyn, who prides herself on picking apart Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy, another industry favorite?

Horyn blogged about her interview with the Olsens yesterday, and today comes her article, in which Jim Gold, chief executive of Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys fashion director Julie Gilhart both deem The Row "perfect": Gold because The Row "offers the perfect blank . . . so many designers are intent on the next great trend that some of the basics are neglected" and Gilhart because of the timing — more and more women are looking for high-quality, classic pieces.  They probably also like that they never have to put The Row on sale, since the line doesn't go out of style.

The majority of The Row's customers are 35 to 60, Ashley says, adding that the line will break even this year. Annual sales are expected to be 30 percent, and total sales are estimated at $10 million — for comparison's sake, Alexander Wang just told W his business is around $20 million, which W called "small."  The Row is produced entirely in New York, with mostly Italian fabrics, and is designed with a precision concerning proportion — a black blazer, for example, has a high armhole, Horyn writes, "because the Olsens liked the way Paris couture jackets fit, with high armholes and narrow sleeves that make your arms look even skinnier and longer."  Neither of the Olsens are interested in staging a fashion show.

No tank tops for Mary-Kate »

Mary-Kate Olsen

>> Cathy Horyn Chats with Mary-Kate, Ashley Olsen about The Row —Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were recently inducted into the CFDA, a watershed moment for an industry that typically shuns celebrity lines, and now Cathy Horyn writes that she interviewed the Olsens for a New York Times piece on The Row, coming out tomorrow: "I was strangely pleased to discover that their two-room production office on W.
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>> Cathy Horyn Chats with Mary-Kate, Ashley Olsen about The Row —Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were recently inducted into the CFDA, a watershed moment for an industry that typically shuns celebrity lines, and now Cathy Horyn writes that she interviewed the Olsens for a New York Times piece on The Row, coming out tomorrow: "I was strangely pleased to discover that their two-room production office on W. 39th looked like a storage closet, it’s so crammed full of scuffed furniture, sketches, dress racks and plastic-sheathed bolts of fabric." Ashley's take: “I think people would be surprised that all the product is produced from the five people who work here,” Ashley said. “I think that would be shocking—that the brand seems much bigger than the actual process is.” [On the Runway]

What's Going to Happen to Vogue, Now That McKinsey Is Around?
Vogue

What's Going to Happen to Vogue, Now That McKinsey Is Around?

>> Conde Nast is expected to lose 5,000 ad pages as a whole this year, the New York Post reports, which translates to a loss of between $275 million and $350 million and a possible move into the red for the privately-held company.
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>> Conde Nast is expected to lose 5,000 ad pages as a whole this year, the New York Post reports, which translates to a loss of between $275 million and $350 million and a possible move into the red for the privately-held company.  Since management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. was brought in at the end of last month for a three month job, all of the editorial floor's receptionists have been laid off and all newspaper subscriptions have been canceled; larger changes are still expected.

The era represented by The September Issue — showcasing the making of Vogue's largest issue ever, 840 pages worth, in 2007 — when Grace Coddington complains, on camera, that Anna Wintour threw out "$50,000 worth of work" because it wasn't up to par, may be a thing of the past.  Especially when, by comparison, the page count for the September 2009 issue is only up to 427 so far — although those are just the ads (in Sept. 2007, the magazine had 727 ad pages).

Gone are the days of $5,000 ad day catering? »

Young Designers Have to Put on a Show to Succeed These Days
Cathy Horyn

Young Designers Have to Put on a Show to Succeed These Days

>> Prabal Gurung, whose debut Fall 2009 collection earned him a spot on the designers-to-watch list, revealed to the New York Times that young designers can't just make chic clothes and succeed these days — there are various other factors. “I’ve certainly been told who I need to be hanging out with.”  And instead of showing buyers clothes in his tiny studio apartment, he previews his collection in an apartment that belongs to a rich friend.
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>> Prabal Gurung, whose debut Fall 2009 collection earned him a spot on the designers-to-watch list, revealed to the New York Times that young designers can't just make chic clothes and succeed these days — there are various other factors. “I’ve certainly been told who I need to be hanging out with.”  

And instead of showing buyers clothes in his tiny studio apartment, he previews his collection in an apartment that belongs to a rich friend. Cathy Horyn writes:

"Five or six years ago buyers expected to find a young designer sleeping in a hole next to his fabrics. That’s where they found Miguel Adrover. He had even stopped paying the rent, he was so down and out. Now, though, they expect to see a designer in a luxury apartment he can’t possibly afford."

Gurung, who uses cashmere and wool even though industry friends told him he should make clothes like Balmain ("[Balmain's] not my voice"), had those same buyers tell him they wanted "modern fabrics."  He thought they were making excuses not to place an order, so he asked them what they meant: "They answered, 'Some kind of modern feel.' [laughing] I think they meant some kind of techy fabric."

Fall 2009 Couture Bits: Christian Lacroix Paid Models 50 Euros, Cathy Horyn Warns Valentino Might Give Wearers "A Rash"
Chanel

Fall 2009 Couture Bits: Christian Lacroix Paid Models 50 Euros, Cathy Horyn Warns Valentino Might Give Wearers "A Rash"

Models fees are required in France, so Christian Lacroix chipped in to pay his 10 models 50 euros apiece.
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  • Models fees are required in France, so Christian Lacroix chipped in to pay his 10 models 50 euros apiece. Normal couture fees are said to be around 1300 euros per show for new faces — every year of experience earns a "raise" of about 1000 more euros. [Imaginary Socialite]

  • Jean Paul Gaultier had a 12-lb dress, Chanel had three seamstresses working on the bride look, and Maison Martin Margiela used 2,000 pen caps for a jacket: it's Fall 2009 couture by the numbers. [The Cut]

  • Cathy Horyn yearns for Alessandra Facchinett's Valentino; Of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli's couture, she says: "Frankly I’d be worried about getting too close to one of those prickly, encrusted numbers. You might get a rash." [On the Runway]
    • Couture clients, a video of Chanel couture in the making »
Karl Lagerfeld Says He's Not Retiring and That He Will Die in His Boots
Karl Lagerfeld

Fab Blab: Karl Shoots Down Retirement Rumors . . . Again

As you know, there have been rumors swirling about Karl Lagerfeld stepping down from his Chanel throne and Alber Elbaz stepping in.
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As you know, there have been rumors swirling about Karl Lagerfeld stepping down from his Chanel throne and Alber Elbaz stepping in. The New York Times' fashion writer Cathy Horyn spoke to Karl hours before his couture show, and let it be known, he isn't going anywhere:

"I asked Mr. Lagerfeld . . . about those blog reports that he would leave Chanel and be replaced by Alber Elbaz of Lanvin. Mr. Lagerfeld said to forget about it. He was going to die with his boots on." Way to stand your ground, Karl. Hope this finally puts rest to the rumor mill.


Chanel

>> Karl Lagerfeld Responds to Rumors of Chanel Retirement —Yesterday evening, Cathy Horyn asked Karl Lagerfeld about the veracity of the rumors that he might be stepping down at Chanel and be replaced by Alber Elbaz of Lanvin: "Mr. Lagerfeld said to forget about it.
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>> Karl Lagerfeld Responds to Rumors of Chanel Retirement —Yesterday evening, Cathy Horyn asked Karl Lagerfeld about the veracity of the rumors that he might be stepping down at Chanel and be replaced by Alber Elbaz of Lanvin: "Mr. Lagerfeld said to forget about it. He was going to die with his boots on. He also mentioned that Alain Wertheimer, whose family owns Chanel, said he would sell the house when the designer leaves. This might not be the case, Mr. Lagerfeld said, but it was a nice thing to be told." [On the Runway]