Dennis Freedman

>> Carine Roitfeld was spotted a couple of days ago in New York, and it will likely be happening more often in the next few months. Barneys New York has asked Roitfeld to act as a guest editor, muse, and stylist for a multifaceted Fall 2011 initiative.

Roitfeld will style and edit Barneys' Fall 2011 catalogue, campaign (to be shot by Mario Sorrenti), and mailers, as well as put her touch on the retailer's Madison Avenue windows, to be unveiled in September. “It’s very exciting,” Roitfeld said. “It’s a new kind of project for me. It’s good to have a new life, because now I can do projects that I never dreamed of before. For me, Barneys has always been the biggest name in luxury department stores, so to be able to participate in this project with them, and be visible during the next fashion week in New York, is my dream come true. To a French girl, it’s a big, big dream.”

The collaboration came up after a conversation with Barneys CEO Mark Lee after Roitfeld announced she was leaving Vogue Paris. Barneys creative director Dennis Freedman explained that the campaign will reflect “the woman that [Roitfeld] is and her personal style, which we feel is the perfect reflection of our customer. She is the ideal muse as well as editor. She has a unique and extraordinary personal style. She appeals to all ages. She is independent and strong, and yet she is completely feminine. She is a woman of the world, which we like to think our customer is, as well.” It remains unclear whether Roitfeld herself will appear in the ad campaign.

Sorrenti is also expected to shoot a short film in New York and Paris for Barneys, with Roitfeld as the focus. “I am hoping to capture something very personal, a portrait of her in a way,” Sorrenti said. “When Carine and I are together, it’s fun, and she is really cool and really herself, and it’s that intimacy that I want to capture. She has a great sense of humor, and she is very provocative and very free in the way that she doesn’t plan about who she is and what she is going to say. She is very natural, which is great.”

This is Roitfeld's first publicly announced project since leaving Vogue Paris, and it sounds like she plans to stay a free agent for the time being. She says of recent rumors: “Each day it’s changing. One day I am going to Dior with Riccardo Tisci, the next day I am going to Saint Laurent with Hedi Slimane. I don’t think it’s very nice for the designer at Saint Laurent, and it’s just rumors. What I know is that I now have my freedom and I will keep my freedom forever. I am very excited to have this freedom and to have projects like the one at Barneys.”

As for what her future might actually hold, she says: “I am sure that one day I will, even if it’s not my own magazine, do special stories for magazines and maybe something on the Internet. I have projects and opportunities coming on. The only sure thing I know is that I will keep my freedom. I can be a muse for a designer, I can do work for some magazines, and do advertising, and maybe something like Barneys, but still keep my freedom.”

>> Vogue contributor Amanda Brooks was named Barneys' new fashion director, vice president succeeding Julie Gilhart last Friday and she starts in the role on Monday without much retail experience in her pocket (she was most recently director of fashion at William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, and in the past, a creative director at Hogan and Tuleh). But, when Barneys CEO Mark Lee was asked about his decision to hire Brooks and Dennis Freedman, former longtime W creative director, who also doesn't have a strong retail background, Cathy Horyn reports: "Mr. Lee said that Ms. Brooks brought a diverse background, as an editor, stylist and brand developer, to her post. 'We didn’t need more retail help,' he said. As for Mr. Freedman, Mr. Lee said, 'Great creativity is hard to find,' and that Barneys can benefit from Mr. Freedman’s ideas and knowledge of the worlds of art, design and architecture." [On the Runway]

• Rachel Zoe confirms she is having a baby boy — PopSugar
• "Visionary" Lady Gaga unveils her new Polaroid collection — People
• Alber Elbaz doesn't have email, but his Pre-Fall collection for Lanvin was born from the Internet — The Cut
• Dennis Freedman named Barneys creative director, Simon Doonan bumped to "creative ambassador-at-large" — Stylelist
• Behold: the Viktor & Rolf "It" bag — Nylon Blog
• Happy 1.11.11! Designers share their favorite numbers — Vogue Daily
• Fab looks from the Stella McCartney Autumn collection — FabSugar UK
• Vogue.com celebrates its 15th anniversary — Vogue UK
• Watch Karl Lagerfeld's latest Chanel short film, "Window World" — Fashionologie
• Alexander McQueen 3D Leaves Knuckle box clutch — Bag Snob
• Outfits under $100: stylish and comfy travel clothes — College Fashion

>> Former W creative director Dennis Freedman, who left the magazine in March after almost 20 years, has been tapped to replace Simon Doonan as creative director at Barneys. He will start at the retailer on Jan 17.

Doonan, whose contract with the retailer is reported to be up in May, and who is rumored to have tense relations with Barneys new CEO Mark Lee, is moving into a new role as creative ambassador-at-large for the retailer, effective immediately. The change in Doonan's position, which the retailer's announcement release frames as a "promotion," will involve him continuing to be "a key media spokesperson for the company," a contributor to "special window projects," a host of "special events with customers and media," and a "roving ambassador with links to all creative and communication areas including social media."

In the statement, Doonan says: “This exciting evolution of my role at Barneys is brilliant. Change has always been integral to the strength and vibrancy of the Barneys brand. I am delighted to be part of this new chapter." And Lee adds: "Simon has been an intrinsic part of the Barneys DNA for close to 25 years. I am thrilled to work with him and to have him continue to bring his unique wit and multifaceted talents to Barneys in this new role of creative ambassador-at-large.”

Freeman, for his part, will be responsible for the "photographic and video images, graphic design, store design and image, and visual merchandising" of Barneys, Co-Op, and Barneys.com, according to the release. He will also engage artists, designers, and creative collaborators — including Doonan — to curate the Barneys New York windows.

Freeman, in the statement, says: "For decades Barneys New York has stood for creative innovation.  I am thrilled by the opportunity to creatively lead the company forward.  Starting from New York which is the most culturally dynamic city in the world, I will strive to incorporate modern creative energy into the Barneys brand in the years ahead." And Lee adds: "Dennis is a visionary and innovator with great experience and talent across the worlds of fashion, photography, art, design, and architecture. He will bring his tremendous eye and impeccable taste to lead the new creative direction of Barneys New York."

>> Rumor: Anna Dello Russo to W? —Rumors are running around men's fashion week in Milan that Stefano Tonchi may be recruiting Anna Dello Russo for W's fashion director position. Although Tonchi said last week that he "should be set" regarding layoffs at the magazine, he and Dello Russo are longtime friends; plus, current fashion director Alex White is the sole figure still in place on the top of W's masthead from the pre-Tonchi era. Daily Front Row argues, "Dello Russo essentially hires photographers and stylists for Japanese Vogue...which someone's gotta do at W, right? (Without [former creative director] Dennis Freedman, who had twenty-year-old relationships with A-list photogs like Michael Thompson, Mert & Marcus, and Bruce Weber, there's a real void in that category.)" [DFR]

>> Just a week after Stefano Tonchi was confirmed as the new editor-in-chief of W, comes the announcement that, as expected, longtime creative director Dennis Freedman is leaving the magazine.

Freedman, who has been at W for almost twenty years, confirmed the news to WWD: “I have had the most extraordinary experience working with some of the most talented and brilliant photographers, artists and editors in the world, and these collaborations have brought me unbelievable joy and satisfaction. For me, this has been one of the greatest opportunities I could ever hope for.”

Camilla Nickerson to Vogue? »

>> When Stefano Tonchi was announced as W's new editor-in-chief yesterday, he said he only began talking with Conde Nast about the position last week. But WWD reports that Tonchi had been looking to leave T for more than a year, and was lobbying hard for a senior position at Conde Nast as well as looking at the possibility of a high-level position at Hearst or Time Inc.

Big changes for W under Tonchi are expected, and although he emphasized that the transition will be smooth — “Nothing is going to be traumatic. I don’t think there is any rush to make a revolution. It’s an evolution, it’s not a revolution” — those at the top of the W masthead — creative director Dennis Freedman, deputy editor Julie Belcove, and fashion director Alex White — are said to be in vulnerable positions.

White was reportedly interested in the editor gig »

>> While the new W editor-in-chief could be announced as early as today and Stefano Tonchi seems to be the man for the job, the New York Post reports that former W fashion director (and current Elle creative director) Joe Zee is "in a neck and neck race" with Tonchi. Meanwhile, Fashion Week Daily has a full list of potentials for the job — Tonchi, Zee, Carine Roitfeld, Kate Betts, Katie Grand.

But what about the rest of the W staff? The Daily reports that the departure of W editor and editorial director Patrick McCarthy came as a shock, and so far, there has not been a formal staff meeting about all the changes.  The Daily's sources are convinced that creative director Dennis Freedman, design director Edward Leida, and fashion director Alex White will all leave the magazine — and possibly deputy editor Julie Belcove, who is said to be "a wreck," as well.

Meanwhile, The Daily is surmising that W senior contributing fashion editor could stay on as fashion director, and Tonchi's close friend Anne Slowey, Elle's fashion news director, is a top contender for executive editor at W (or perhaps Tonchi's position at T).

>> In 2004, Terry Richardson told the Guardian UK: "I don't like to exploit anybody. That's not my bag. Everyone has fun on my shoots." But in the last couple of weeks, all kinds of lurid stories about his work habits are coming out of the woodwork.

It started last week when reports of Rie Rasmussen confronting the photographer on March 8 in Paris were published by the New York Post.  The model, who said that Richardson manipulates young girls into posing for pictures in compromising situations, told the newspaper: "I told [Richardson] what you do is completely degrading to women. I hope you know you only [bleep] girls because you have a camera, lots of fashion contacts and get your pictures in Vogue. Instead of arguing with me, Terry ran out of the bar. Then the next day, he called my agency and complained I called him names in front of clients in Paris. It was the most cowardly thing I have ever seen."

He's made no comment, but has removed certain pictures from his blog »

>> Last year, there was a huge push for more diversity in fashion, culminating in the publication of Vogue Italia's all-black July 2008 issue.  Unfortunately, attention on that issue has waned this year, even though there is still much work to be done; now, the issue du jour seems to be what has become a common practice among fashion magazines: heavy retouching.

Katie Grand, who while at POP was a huge proponent of the "super glossy" look, has since reigned in her reliance on Photoshop.  Of her first issue of LOVE, which came out in February, Katie told Interview, "It's not so retouched.  I just wanted to take pictures of iconic people without redrawing them." And she's continuing the tradition for her second issue, out Sept. 1 — she had Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott (whose aesthetic generally lends itself to a good bit of retouching) photograph cover girl Coco Sumner as she walked in off the street, no hair or makeup.  The Times UK wrote of that decision: "She is shrewdly tapping into the new spirit of the times — heavily airbrushed celebrities seem gauche and embarrassing during a recession."

David Bailey: "It’s f*cking ridiculous" »