patrick robinson

>> In celebration of its fifth year collaborating with designers, Target will re-release 34 dresses from 17 past Go International participants — to hit most Target stores and online at Target.com on March 13, 2011.

The Go International Designer Collective line, as its being called, will feature signature dresses from the past Target lines of Luella Bartley, Tara Jarmon, Paul & Joe, Behnaz Sarafpour, Proenza Schouler, Libertine, Alice Temperley, Erin Fetherston, Jovovich-Hawk, Rogan, Richard Chai, Jonathan Saunders, Thakoon, Tracy Feith, Rodarte, Zac Posen, and Tucker. Only Patrick Robinson of Gap declined the opportunity to work with Target again, saying he had other commitments. Images of the collection, which will be in stores through April 10, 2011, are expected to be available in February.

• Did the designer from Harry Potter steal a dress from Alexander McQueen? — Refinery29
• Why Lara Stone prefers naughty photo shoots — Vogue UK
• Patrick Robinson doesn't want the Gap to be so heritage anymore — The Cut
• A video sneak peek at Kate Moss's last Topshop collection — Fashionologie
• Behind the scenes of the Art-Meets-Fashion performance series at MoMA's PS1 — Vogue Daily
• Elizabeth Banks and Olivia Palermo shop early for Spring '11, thanks to Ann Taylor — People
• Katy Perry marries Russell Brand in Elie Saab couture — Red Carpet Fashion Awards
• How to dress like a sexy school marm — Stylelist
• Express provides a runway first — Modelinia
• Madewell's Gigi Guerra's enviably original personal style — The Inside Source
• Our newest favorite ecommerce site: Agga B. — Lucky
• 3.1 Phillip Lim bags Spring 2011 — Bag Snob

Playing into this year's American Woman theme for the Costume Institute Gala is Gap's Patrick Robinson. The VP of global design has teamed up with some kickass CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winners — like Alexander Wang and Rodarte — to dress some of our Fab faves for the illustrious Met Gala coming up next Monday. Want to see who's wearing what? Here's the scoop.

• Zoë Kravitz will wear Alexander Wang for Gap.
• Kirsten Dunst will wear Rodarte for Gap.
• Kerry Washington will wear Thakoon for Gap.
• Jessica Alba will wear Sophie Theallet for Gap.

See the rest of the list.

>> The First Wave of Costume Institute Gala Intel —Gap may be sponsoring this year's Costume Institute Gala on May 3, but Patrick Robinson won't be dressing co-chair Oprah Winfrey — Oscar de la Renta is doing those honors. Instead, Robinson is focusing on other initiatives — Gap is working with past collaborators Thakoon, Rodarte, and Alexander Wang, plus Sophie Theallet, to "dress the evening's brightest stars," reports Vogue. "Expect to see guests like Natalie Portman, Jessica Alba, and M.I.A taking in the 'American Woman' exhibition in tulle-trellised and crystal-adorned creations, which will be auctioned afterward at Gap's White Space concept store to benefit the museum." Gap is also launching three shirts in May — the Heiress (and hourglass shape), the ruffled Flapper, and the draped Screen Siren — to coincide with the American Woman theme. [Fashionista, WWD, The Cut, @jimshi809, @jimshi809]

Following last season's denim obsession, Gap is focusing on 'premium pants' for fall 2010. Presented last night at Milk Studios in New York, the Patrick Robinson-designed pant collection offers polished styles for occasions when denim simply won't cut it. According to Robinson, “everything looks like it costs four to five times the price,” (which is $49.50 to $59.50) since his team spent months perfecting the fit, fabric, and tailoring. The seven women's styles range from Really Skinny (above right) to Boyfit (left) and will be sold with a collection of white blouses, cashmere sweaters, open-toe wedged boots by Pierre Hardy, and a standout shearling aviator jacket that we plan to buy as soon as the collection hits stores this August.

Let's see, this year we explored models as muses, the year before we dodged superheroes. 2010's Costume Institute will be all about American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity. “The story of the American woman is really a story of the power of fashion to shape and define identity,” said Andrew Bolton, curator of the Costume Institute. The exhibit will examine our country's fashion between 1890 and 1940 with articles transferred over from the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection. To go with the all-American theme, Oprah, Anna Wintour, and Gap's Patrick Robinson will act as co-chairs for the event. While we patiently wait for next year's red carpet, play our awesome Met Costume Institute Gala Faceoff and win cash prizes!

>> Rumors of slashed budgets and diminished celebrity attendance have already plagued the 2010 Costume Institute Gala for months, but we've finally got some concrete details about the first Met Ball that recently-appointed Vogue director of special events Sylvana Soto-Ward will spearhead.  Themed "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity," the gala will take place on Monday, May 3, 2010, with Gap's Patrick Robinson and Oprah Winfrey co-hosting alongside Anna Wintour.

The theme is already drawing questions of whether Michelle Obama will make an appearance, but for sure populating the exhibit are roughly 75 outfits, culled based on the idea of "how the American woman initiated style revolutions that mirrored her social, political, and sexual emancipation."  The pieces include designs by Coco Chanel, Jeanne Lanvin, Elsa Schiaparelli, Madeleine Vionnet, Madame Gres, and Paul Poiret and come exclusively from the new Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection; many haven't been on view to the public in over 30 years.

>> Scott "The Sartorialist" Schuman, whose first book came out last week, is about to add another Vogue edition to his resume: Vogue Italia.  Schuman has photographed for Vogue Paris in the past — Carine Roitfeld is a fan — and seems to have won over Franca Sozzani: he recently shot Rachel Rutt for Vogue Italia.

His girlfriend and fellow streetstyle photographer Garance Dore has also been amping up her reach: this Fall, she will have more frequent contributions on Vogue Paris's website and perhaps in the magazine, focusing on the magazine's "Une fille, un style" ("A girl, a style") column, plus "behind-the-scenes coverage of fashion shoots, profiles of stylish women around the world in collaboration with French Vogue editor in chief Carine Roitfeld and other subjects of her choosing."

And last week, Patrick Robinson announced that Garance would be collaborating with Gap on an exhibit in their London pop-up next month, with her sketches (like the one above, left) on T-shirts.