jacquetta wheeler

>> Set on the French Riviera in Saint Tropez with the models arriving on motorboats from a yacht in the harbor, Chanel's Cruise 2011 show reflected the '70s throwback party atmosphere emulated in Karl Lagerfeld's short film shown last night. Natasha Poly opened barefoot in a pastel print dress, and Karolina Kurkova and Abbey Lee Kershaw danced down the runway in knits. Toni Garrn and Jacquetta Wheeler made runway returns, and Crystal Renn, riding the current "plus size model" wave, made a cameo.

For the finale, front rowers like Anna Mougalis, Carine Roitfeld, Andre Leon Talley in a green cape, Emmanuelle Alt, Diane Kruger, Vanessa Paradis, and Franca Sozzani witnessed Lagerfeld's bodyguard Sebastien Jondeau pulling up on a motorcycle (which temporarily stalled) with Georgia May Jagger on the back. Then, appropriately, to a Rolling Stones soundtrack, Lagerfeld appeared in a purple jacket for his bow — and Abbey Lee threw her arm around Karl's shoulder.

>> Last night's British Fashion Awards provided a forum for all kinds of announcements — Christopher Bailey, who accepted both BFC Designer Brand of the Year for Burberry and BFC Designer of the Year, confirmed that Burberry will show in London again for Fall 2010; and Victoria Beckham said she's planning to take an active role in the BFC that in which she would mentor young designers or serve as an ambassador.

Christopher Kane was awarded BFC British Collection of the Year, Kate Moss won the publicly-voted London 25 Award, Peter Pilotto nabbed the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award for Ready-to-wear, and Georgia May Jagger took the BFC Model of the Year award — "Thank you so much to the BFC for picking me. I'd just like to say [fellow nominees] Daisy [Lowe] and Rosie [Huntington-Whiteley] are amazing girls and amazing models. Thanks to my mum for being the biggest inspiration."

But the model who really stole the night was Karen Elson, who, when onstage to present Grace Coddington with the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, walked straight into the orchestra pit and fell four feet out of sight.  She emerged minutes later, ”I am the clumsiest person on this earth. I cannot believe I just did that. That is the worst fall I have ever had. I might have broken a rib, but I’m fine.” After presenting, she took to the emergency room to see about her injuries — including a sprained thumb.

>> Last night, with the help of keynote speaker Alber Elbaz, who doled out gems on the perils of success — "It's like a bottle of perfume. You smell it, you don't sniff it or drink it" — Alaia veteran and Michelle Obama favorite Sophie Theallet took home the 2009 Vogue/Fashion Fund prize of $200,000 and a year of mentoring.  Fellow nominees Patrik Ervell and Monique Pean were named runners-up, and received $50,000 each plus a business mentor.

In her speech, Anna Wintour said that in addition to the US, Italy, and the UK — which just started a similar talent-nurturing program — she just met with the French minister of culture about mirroring the contest there. "And Brazil, India, Russia, and China aren't far behind."

Theallet Tweeted of her win: "my american dream comes true tonight thanks and much love to all of you!xox."  Cathy Horyn, too, weighed in on the choice:

"The money and the mentoring will help Ms. Theallet because she needs to be able to offer more range in her collection, as well as expand her production options. She has such a distinctly feminine eye, and the skills, that I’ve often wondered why a big retailer doesn’t ask Ms. Theallet to design some blouses and summer dresses for them, using the store’s resources and manufacturing connections."

Videos of the nominees going through the competition and the awards ceremony last night can be seen here and here, respectively.

Anthropologie's November catalog is a surefire way to get in the holiday spirit. British model Jacquetta Wheeler — dressed in everything from pretty lace to cozy sweaters — is seen frolicking in (faux) snow. It's all so romantic. I can't help but be consumed by the impressive styling, and I'm sure CasaSugar is mesmerized by the rustic scene. Granted, not everyone wears shorts in the snow, but I adore Jacquetta's outfit here; a little checkers, a little wool, equals a lot of charm. Experience it for yourself.

>> Spring 2010 brings a number of firsts for Burberry: the first time Christopher Bailey has shown under the label in London instead of Milan and the first time the show was streamed live on the Internet — the video can be seen here.  It was a big bash for the likes of London — a guest list of 1,500 and a tent venue erected on the grounds of the Chelsea College of Art & Design — bringing front row faces like Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham, Mary-Kate Olsen, brand face Emma Watson, plus Mario Testino, Jacquetta Wheeler, Bruce Weber, and Agyness Deyn.

When the show was ready to start this evening, the venue — with Burberry check-embossed walls — went dark, and the Burberry logo lit up the runway until the stream of models, wearing pale-colored or metallic knotted, draped, and twisted variations on the classic trench and miniskirt, commenced.  A few furs were even thrown in, despite the Spring season. At the end, in celebration of the quintessential British brand's return to home turf, a rain of silver confetti streamed down.

>> Some thought that Vogue Paris's August 2009 cover with Daria Werbowy all decked out in Burberry check looked too blatantly like an advertisement, but in the context of Inez van Lamweerde and Vinoodh Matadin's 65-page accompanying editorial inside — with a plethora of models, each embodying a different brand's identity — it all makes sense.

It's a few of the magazine's usual suspects — Anja Rubik doing Gucci's "glam star" in fauxhawk, Kamila Filipcikova striking an eyepopping McQueen silhouette — plus a few new faces like Regina Feoktistova and Ranya Mordanova in Gianfranco Ferre and Junya Watanabe, respectively.  The trifecta of stylists that produced these images — Joe McKenna, Emmanuelle Alt, Carine Roitfeld — prove that there is creativity to be found within the bounds of a studio shoot, after all.

Full editorial here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; gallery below NSFW.