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Comme des Garcons

In New Interview, Rei Kawakubo Explains Why She Doesn't Like Interviews

Interviews with Comme des Garcons' legendary designer Rei Kawakubo are few and far between, and she offered an explanation as to why in the Fall 2013 issue of Style.com/Print.

Interviews with Comme des Garcons' legendary designer Rei Kawakubo are few and far between, and she offered an explanation as to why in the Fall 2013 issue of Style.com/Print.

More on the press-wary designer, here.

Link Time

Vogue UK's Redesign, Hedi Slimane's LA Life, and Jil Sander's Paper Bag

Those stories and more in today's news roundup.



Those stories and more in today's news roundup.

  • Chloe Sevigny covers the September issue of XOXO magazine in a photograph taken by Casey Spooner. [Design Scene]

  • A quick jaunt to British Vogue's new website reveals an updated design with a strong emphasis on large photos and text. "The redesigned site offers the user an experience which is closer to that of the print magazine, whilst continuing to capitalise on the timeliness, newsworthiness and excitement of the web," said the magazine's editor in chief Alexandra Shulman. [Vogue UK]

  • Yves Saint Laurent creative director Hedi Slimane is living the good life in Los Angeles. The designer occupies a "'60s Modern house in Beverly Hills and tools around town in a vintage 1980s black Rolls-Royce." [Vanity Fair]

  • A $293 paper bag featured in Jil Sander's Fall 2012 men's collection not only made its way into stores, but it's also now completely sold out. [LN-CC]

  • Anna Wintour reportedly approached Ann Romney for a profile in Vogue earlier this year, but the potential first lady declined the offer. [The New Republic]

  • Reformation will open a sustainably designed flagship store in New York City's SoHo neighborhood on Sept. 5 to join its other shop on the Lower East Side. [Fashionologie Inbox]

  • Style.com has finally asked the question the industry has been dying to get answered: "Is lesbian chic here to stay?" [The Cut]
style.com

CFDA Awards to Be Broadcast For the Very First Time (Updated)

On June 5, the CFDA Awards will be broadcast online, allowing a global audience unprecedented access to the ceremony for the first time in history.


On June 5, the CFDA Awards will be broadcast online, allowing a global audience unprecedented access to the ceremony for the first time in history.

The stream will air at noon EDT on Style.com's homepage and on a special section of the site dedicated to the CFDA, which celebrates is 50th anniversary this year. Everything from arrivals on the red carpet — where Tim Blanks will interview some of the industry's biggest names as they walk into the awards show — to designers' acceptance speeches will be shown in the broadcast. The awards ceremony itself will be held in Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall on June 4.

Style.com's special CFDA page launched on Thursday, featuring interviews with this year's honorees and a slideshow of photos from the past 30 years of CFDA Awards, which started in 1981.

"From the beginning, it has been the mission of Style.com to use technology to bring our global, fashion obsessed audience behind the closed doors of fashion," said the site's editor in chief Dirk Standen. "This 50th anniversary show gives us an opportunity to do just that while allowing us to celebrate and give broader exposure to the incredible work of American designers."

Update: The award show will not be broadcast until 5 pm, but the red carpet highlight reel is online and available for viewers.

Photo: CFDA Executive Director Steven Kolb at the 2012 CFDA Awards.

met gala

NowManifest's New Owner, Jean-Paul Gaultier's China Trip, and Rachel Roy's Met Gala Diary

Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.



Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

  • Fairchild Fashion Media, the company that owns WWD and Style.com, announced today that it has acquired Fashion Networks International LLC, which owns NowManifest. The site plays host to blogs written by Bryanboy, Anna Dello Russo, Elin Kling, and Derek Blasberg, among others. [Fashion Etc.]

  • Kristen Stewart wears both men's and women's clothing in the June issue of Elle. In one photo, she plays both a man in a tailored Balenciaga suit and a woman in a Tom Ford crocodile bustier. [Elle]

  • Jean Paul Gaultier took his first trip to China this week for a presentation of his Fall 2012 ready-to-wear and couture collections. The show drew a crowd of almost a thousand people. Gaultier joins Dior, Chanel, Burberry, and other European brands that have presented special shows or exhibitions in China, Taiwan, and Japan. [WWD]

  • Indonesia's national police have canceled Lady Gaga's June 3 concert in Jakarta after religious groups and conservative lawmakers protested against her sometimes racy choreography and stage costumes. The police said they decided to deny a permit because they couldn't guarantee security at the concert, which would have hosted the largest audience of Gaga's "Born This Way" tour in Asia. [The Cut]

  • Tyra Banks wrote an open letter to aspiring models in light of Vogue's new Health Initiative, encouraging women all over the world to embrace their flaws. "Vogue has the power to make and break—whether it's fashion trends, designers, models, and yes, even industry practices," Banks writes. "Their bold stance means that others will follow." [The Daily Beast]

  • Rachel Roy has revealed the details of how she and her date Solange Knowles got ready for the Met Gala. In between getting her makeup done and a final dress fitting, Roy squeezed in a "quick phone call to the office" and "a little negotiation on some fabric prices." [Stylelist]
Proenza Schouler

Catch a Peek Inside Style.com's New Magazine

>> Style.com's new magazine, Style.com/Print launches next Monday, Oct.
Style.com/Print Spring 2012

>> Style.com's new magazine, Style.com/Print launches next Monday, Oct. 31. Meant to be a distillation of the Spring 2012 shows which ended earlier this month, the magazine, Eric Wilson writes, "is a surprisingly effective product, one that reads with a swiftness that is not unlike the experience of clicking through multiple screens at a time. The first 100 pages can be read in five minutes."

“We wanted to give the reader a sense of what it is like to go through the journey of the shows, from New York to London to Milan to Paris,” said Dirk Standen, the editor of Style.com.

Inside, there's a profile of Proenza Schouler in which Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough talk expansion plans: "We want to create easier everyday stuff, like jeans and a collection of more wearable shoes." Theo Wenner followed Lindsey Wixson (who appears on the magazine's cover) from her home in Wichita, KS, through the month of shows, and then back home again for a 27-page portfolio. There's a Q&A with Azzedine Alaia, Tommy Ton's street-style photos, top-10 lists of most-viewed shows on Style.com (Chanel was No. 1 with 3.5 million pageviews, followed by Louis Vuitton, Prada, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana), Style.com's top 10 shows (Balenciaga came in first, followed by Lanvin, Prada, Givenchy, and Proenza Schouler). There are also lists of the most ubiquitous party people, "fashion maps of New York, London, Milan, and Paris," and "an illustrated guide to the world's fashion cliques — from Miuccia Prada to Aziz Ansari in six degrees or less."

The issue costs $14.99 on select newsstands across North America and Europe, including Kirna Zabete in New York, 10 Corso Como in Milan, and Colette in Paris, and costs $4.99 plus shipping to order online before Monday. (It will be $6.99 after.)

tim blanks

Style.com to Launch Magazine in October, Test E-Commerce

>> After much speculation, Style.com has confirmed it will launch its first print magazine on Oct.

>> After much speculation, Style.com has confirmed it will launch its first print magazine on Oct. 31, just a few weeks after the Spring 2012 shows finish. The first issue is "going to be very much focused on Spring/Summer 2012 collections," according to Style.com editor-in-chief Dirk Standen. "We are going to spotlight the most interesting people, places and clothes of the season, but beyond that we are hoping to convey to the reader what the experience of going through that intense four week cycle is like ... Starting today I will be using our Twitter feed to let our readers know what we’re up to as we shoot the photo shoots, meet the designers and models, and rush to put together the first issue."

The magazine's editorial staff — in addition to Standen — centers around Style.com executive editor Nicole Phelps and contributing editor Tim Blanks, while the creative team includes Fairchild Fashion Media editorial director Peter Kaplan and Style.com magazine creative director Lina Kutsovskaya, formerly of Nylon and Teen Vogue.

As for the reason why Style.com is moving into print? Standen explains: "If you look at the big picture I don’t think [media] brands can afford to be tied to one medium anymore. Obviously you see that with magazines paying a lot of attention to their websites now. But even on the web, it’s not enough to just have a website. You have to be on various digital devices. You need to be on the various social media sites. You want your content to be available in as many places as possible. Now that we are within the Fairchild umbrella, which has a lot of experience and a great deal of expertise in publishing, it became a natural extension for Style.com to do a magazine."

The website is also testing e-commerce, concurrent with the magazine launch, Standen says: "We are working with six New York City designers to be announced during fashion week. They are going to make a very limited number of pieces available directly from their Spring [2012] collection, so that people will be able to buy them right away. We are going to coordinate it with the launch of the magazine so, technically end of October. They will be able to buy it and will receive a nice package in the mail within days."

The Style.com magazine is currently available for pre-order and will be available on newsstands in select cities across North America and in Europe.

Gap

Gisele Bundchen Covers Vogue Italia December 2010; Valentino for Gap Available in United States, After All

Style.com's reality show North of Madison is rumored to run on the web only, rather than on television as previously thought [Fashionista] Steven Meisel photographed Gisele Bundchen for Vogue Italia's December 2010 cover [Models.com] The ruffle-filled Valentino for Gap collection — which was thought to be only available in Milan, London, Paris — can be ordered online through Colette [Nylon] Alexander Wang has appointed Rodrigo Bazan, who was VP and general manager of Europe, Middle East, and India at Marc Jacobs, president of his company.

  • Style.com's reality show North of Madison is rumored to run on the web only, rather than on television as previously thought [Fashionista]
  • Steven Meisel photographed Gisele Bundchen for Vogue Italia's December 2010 cover [Models.com]
  • The ruffle-filled Valentino for Gap collection — which was thought to be only available in Milan, London, Paris — can be ordered online through Colette [Nylon]
  • Alexander Wang has appointed Rodrigo Bazan, who was VP and general manager of Europe, Middle East, and India at Marc Jacobs, president of his company. Bazan joins the designer's brother and sister-in-law Dennis and Aimie Wang, who will remain chief principal officer and chief executive officer, respectively [WWD]
  • Miuccia Prada is rumored to be bringing former marathon Prada campaign face Sasha Pivovarova back, except this time she's said to be in the Spring 2011 Miu Miu campaign, alongside Querelle Jansen and Kasia Struss [TFS]
  • Crystal Renn wore prosthetic cheeks and lips for the plastic surgery-themed Vogue Paris shoot she worked on with Tom Ford; she also had Ford sign the gauze mask she wore: "It sits in my living room as we speak" [Fashionista]
  • Alexa Chung gives a video tour of her favorite Williamsburg haunts, proclaiming: "Williamsburg is sort of like my lover, whereas London is more like my husband. I love my husband, and I'll always be with him, but Williamsburg is so exciting." [Style.com]
  • Sophie Theallet, on her training under Azzedine Alaia: "All this time in NYC, still can't get around 2 think in INCHES -Mr.Alaia formed my eye on Millimeters-how 2 explain take 2 mm off in INCHES?" [@sophietheallet]
  • Hilary Swank said to be developing a fashion-themed game show, in which contestants will be tested on their fashion knowledge, for the CW [Vulture]
style.com

Style.com Moved from Conde Nast Digital to Under Fairchild's Wing

>> Condé Nast Digital isn't going to have Style.com and Vogue.com as friendly competitors, as was envisioned in August, after all.

>> Condé Nast Digital isn't going to have Style.com and Vogue.com as friendly competitors, as was envisioned in August, after all. Style.com and its staff of about 15 are moving from under Condé Nast Digital to Fairchild Fashion Group, the publisher of WWD. Gina Sanders, president and CEO of Fairchild, said she proposed the move a few months ago, because with Style.com, Fairchild will be able to “speak to both business executives and consumers obsessed with fashion." Style.com's editorial team, including editor Dirk Standen, will now report to Fairchild editorial director Peter Kaplan. [WWD, WSJ]

 

Derek Blasberg

Style.com's Reality Show Gets a Name — North of Madison; Plus, More Details

>> News broke that Style.com is developing a reality series pilot last month, and now the show — which at last record, had yet to be picked up by a network — has a working title: North of Madison.

>> News broke that Style.com is developing a reality series pilot last month, and now the show — which at last record, had yet to be picked up by a network — has a working title: North of Madison.

The casting call for the "docu-series" went out today, offering an "unprecedented opportunity to document your life and personal world as one of New York's most creative voices, minds, and points of view" to "those between the ages of 21 and 28 who express their love and hate for trends via any legitimate outlet."

It continues: "We've seen the fashion competition shows and the stylized reality soap operas . . . it's time we see the reality of what it truly means to be current, edgy, and on the forefront of trendsetting style. What it takes to get there is one thing. What it takes to stay there is another." Interviews are set to be held the first week of November in New York City.

From previous reports, the series is said to revolve around current Style.com staff as well as people from the New York party scene who don't necessarily work in fashion. "It could be four or five people," a source told the New York Daily News, with participants introduced via the site’s party coverage, and at least one "Style.com party reporter functioning as a central character."

To round out the cast, another source said, Style.com is seeking to hire a "preferably female" party reporter, who would serve as a possible romantic interest for current Style.com party reporter Darrell Hartman (above). Derek Blasberg, meanwhile, will reportedly have "limited" involvement in the show, “if at all.”

Proenza Schouler

Givenchy, Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang, Lanvin Tees — $45!

A laundry list of top-notch designers — the names above, plus Balmain, Calvin Klein, Christopher Kane, Prada, Rodarte, and Rick Owens — have lent their skills to designing tees, in honor of Style.com's 10th anniversary.

A laundry list of top-notch designers — the names above, plus Balmain, Calvin Klein, Christopher Kane, Prada, Rodarte, and Rick Owens — have lent their skills to designing tees, in honor of Style.com's 10th anniversary. For $45 a pop, you can sport a tee with the Roman numeral X on it, each with the designer's unique take. They're limited-edition, and only 400 of each style have been produced, so shop fast!

(Top L-R: Alexander Wang, Lanvin. Bottom L-R: Givenchy, Proenza Schouler)