Lakshmi Menon

>> For the 2011 Pirelli calendar, which launched in Moscow today, Karl Lagerfeld said that he produced “the visual version of Homer. I did with my camera what he did with his pen, although we understand that he probably didn't use a pen.” Lagerfeld gathered 15 female models, 5 male models, and Julianne Moore in his Paris studio back in April to produce 36 black and white images of deities from ancient Greece and Rome for the calendar. “I wanted to do something different. I looked at all the other calendars,” he explained, adding: “With such a concept and boys and girls like this, it was an easy job.”

Lagerfeld was surrounded by a cadre of the models featured for the Moscow launch, including Natasha Poly sporting a new brunette hair color. But who did he cast as whom? Julianne Moore plays Hera, Brad Kroenig poses as Zeus, Lara Stone gives her best Aphrodite, Jeneil Williams channels Hades, and Baptiste Giabiconi embodies the roles of both Narcissus and Apollo.

The rest of the cast includes: Bianca Balti (as a Bacchante), Elisa Sednaoui (Flora, Echo), Freja Beha Erichsen (Apollo, Pollux, Orpheus), Isabeli Fontana (a Bacchante), Magdalena Frackowiak (Athena, Estia), Anja Rubik (Hermes, Terpsichore), Abbey Lee Kershaw (Echo, Castor, Eurydice), Lakshmi Menon (a Bacchante), Heidi Mount (Aurora, Amphitrite), Erin Wasson (Ajax, a Bacchante), Natasha Poly (Melpomene), Daria Werbowy (Artemis, Penthesilea), Iris Strubegger (Athena), Sebastien Jondeau (Mars), Garret Neff (Bacchus), and Jake Davis (Achilles).

A peek at the calendar and launch below.

>> Flora Gill and Alexa Adams say that their Fall 2010 collection resulted in a 300 percent jump in sales for Ohne Titel, but they're still attracting the art fashion crowd that has been with them from the beginning: pre-show, Cecilia Dean, wearing an Ohne Titel dress, tucked away a bicycle helmet into her bag, while Olivier Zahm arrived half an hour late — just after a curtain was dropped at the entrance — still stuffing change from a cab ride into his pocket. Carine Roitfeld, who's attended the past couple of seasons, was nowhere to be seen, however (It seems she had not yet arrived, as she was first spotted this morning at Derek Lam).

For Spring, Gill and Adams were inspired by the Japanese woodblock artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi — thanks to a Japan Society exhibit earlier this year — and sent out neoprene tanks (which will apparently be special order-only), Alaia-esque knit dresses with flared skirts, and oversized tailored vests, all on a womanly cast of models: Catherine McNeil, who opened, Cameron Russell in her first and only appearance so far this week, Emanuela de Paula (who hasn't walked a Fashion Week since Fall 2007), and Lakshmi Menon among them. The designers, who collaborated with the artist Tauba Auerbach on lucite and elastic-banded jewelry — marking her first time as a jeweler — also premiered their first handbags.

>> It was a three-tone show for Ohne Titel this morning: black, gray, or brown, but it contrasted quite nicely with the light, bright white space; the only pops of color in the room came from the varicolored macaroons being served beforehand.  Quite the show for the newly-minted 2009 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation winners.  The model cast was excitingly blue-chip — Liu Wen! Constance Jablonski! Lakshmi Menon! Eniko Mihalik! — it must be those unzipped knee-exposing stretch pants they're all gunning to take home; that and the over-the-knee, ruffled-top, lace-up back leather boots Alexa Adams and Flora Gill did in conjunction with Cesare Paciotti.

The designers say they went "darker" with "armorial" accents this season; along with the tight-fitting knit bondage dresses, the pieces fitted with studs, what looked like washers, and other assorted metallic elements organized in a pattern that reminded me of an art deco skyscraper, stood out.  Also of note: Alastair McKimm, who styled Alexander Wang last season and this season, also styled this show.
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>> Givenchy's couture revenue increased a whopping 80 percent last year — with another 20 percent increase forecasted for 2009 — and collections like this prove how it's done.  Mummy-wrapped shoes, rose petals covering both the runway and a print on two strappy bondage gowns, and a continued interest in chains, carried over from Fall 2008 ready-to-wear, carried forward the evolution of Riccardo Tisci's romantic gothic branding at the house.  And those veils — interestingly enough, the majority of Givenchy couture customers are based in the Middle East — so perhaps the head coverings were a nod to those ladies?  Catherine McNeil showed up sans the crutches than she was sporting earlier this month; All that was missing were two of the house's current faces — Mariacarla Boscono, Lakshmi Menon, where are you?
*image: source