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Designer of the Moment: Gucci

FabSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:00:22 -0700

Bumble bees watch out . . . Hollywood's hottest ladies are posing serious threat in their black-and-yellow Gucci dresses. Celebs like Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Jessica Alba, Marion Cotillard, Eva Longoria, and Camilla Belle are all loving themselves some Gucci lately, and given the vibrant Spring '08 collection, it's plain to see why.

The line abounds with bright yellow, oversized abstract florals, and black and white. And who can resist the power of noir. Not Drew - she wore her frock with a piped belt to the Gucci/UNICEF event. There's more Gucci where that came from so gush away.

To see Gucci-clad Eva, Camilla (in a Fall '08 frock), Marion, Jessica, and Cameron, read more

View 5 Photos ›

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Designer of the Moment: Temperley London

FabSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 07:00:22 -0800

There's a British invasion on the red carpet and the initiator is Temperley London. Only this is an intrusion we're happy to embrace. The red carpet is thriving thanks to Eva Mendes, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Halle Berry, who have all chosen designer Alice Temperley's eye-catching, feminine and intricate creations for recent events. It's the vibrant turquoise of Sarah's gown, the criss-cross bodice on Eva's frock, and the papillon accent on Halley's LBD that bestows Temperley as the designer of the moment.

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Designer of the Moment: Catherine Malandrino

FabSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:00:22 -0700

Designer Catherine Malandrino is everywhere these days! Well, she's not around per se, but her ultra feminine and unique dresses sure are everywhere you look. Go to any Hollywood party and chances are you'll find at least one, if not two or three, actresses sporting a Catherine Malandrino frock. Among her celeb fans? Serena Williams, Lauren Conrad, Minnie Driver, Petra Nemcova, Maria Menounos, Brittany Snow, Nicole Richie, Beyonce, and the list goes on and on. I even have the same Malandrino cocktail dress as Lauren Conrad!

It's not hard to see why all the starlets are attracted to the designer's dresses. They are truly unique and seriously flattering. And best of all, they come in all sorts of colors, patterns and silhouettes, so no two Malandrino girls ever look alike. That is, unless they're wearing the exact same dress! Do you love the designer of the moment Catherine Malandrino as much as we do?

Source and Bauer-Griffin.

FabSugar Exclusive! Taylor Jacobson, A Lady Who Lunches . . . With an Edge

FabSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:45:22 -0800

All good things must come to an end. And that includes Rachel Zoe's work relationship with her platinum-blond style associate, Taylor Jacobson. You either loved her or hated her - but you have to admit you loved her wardrobe. I couldn't shut up about her awesome jackets; Chanel, Dries van Noten, Balenciaga, sigh. You may recall I spoke with Rachel at the beginning of this last season of The Rachel Zoe Project and she shared that Taylor has a heart of gold. I'm sure Taylor's leaving Rachel Zoe was melancholy for all parties involved - the two have worked together since January 2005. I know I will miss drooling over her jackets and watching her and Brad's banter.

We caught up with Taylor this week, and though she didn't divulge details about her departure, she has a positive outlook on life - something we seldom see from the show's supposed villain. And, can I just add, Taylor gives Fab favorite Diane Kruger props for having stellar style - great minds . . . Listen up.

What should we expect to see from you in the next year?

I look forward to exploring styling on my own and the new opportunities and experiences it is going to bring.

Who are your go-to designers right now?

Chris Benz, Alexander Wang, and Prabal Gurung.

Whose style do you admire?

I think Diane Kruger has great style and even more impressive is that she does it herself.

To read the rest of the interview and to see a gallery of Taylor on TRZP, read more.

How would you describe your style?

Ladies who lunch with an edge.

Has being on TV changed your style at all?

No. I think I have always been true to my sense of style.

What was your last big splurge?

I’m trying to be recession savvy at the moment.

What are the most ridiculous trends right now?

I don’t think that anything is ridiculous, you can always make something work with the right styling.

I will never be caught dead in . . .

There is nothing I won’t try.

Most overrated designer? Most underrated?

I respect the art form of design, and I think they should all be respected for sharing their art with us.

Have you ever considered designing your own line of clothing or accessories?

At this point I’m entertaining all ideas. I am walking into this new chapter with an open mind.

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Photos courtesy of Bravo

FabSugar Exclusive! The Sartorialist Signs and Chats With Fab

FabSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:22 -0700

I've never seen such a thing in San Francisco: When we left the book signing of The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman at the Paul Smith store last night, the line to get in was down the block and around the corner. It's safe to say the street-style photog is a star. Book in hand, we approached the dapper Scott, who's completely handsome and respectable in person. He signed away, we chic chatted.
So why did he pick Julie, the New Yorker, for the cover? He explained how every time he posts Julie's picture on The Sartorialist, people comment about how perfect she is, so chic, so modern. But what they don't know is that she's less perfect than most because one leg is slightly shorter than the other. She's not traditionally perfect, but she knows how to work her imperfections and has a great pose. Selecting her for the cover had a deeper meaning than just someone who looked great.

To hear what else Scott told us, read more

Anyone who reads Scott's site knows that he's going out with French street-style photographer, Garance Doré. We mentioned to him how cute she is, and he corrected us, "she's totally hot!" He then proceeded to turn to page 314 of the book to show us the moment Garance fell in love with him two years ago. In the photo, she has a beaming, genuine smile. 'Tis love.

Favorite color? Blue!

Favorite designers? Dries Van Noten, Lanvin, Marni, and Marc Jacobs.

Favorite cocktail? Margarita.

East Coast or West Coast? East - gasp from the audience - what did you think I was going to say? But you guys are the most stylish crowd after Milan.

Be sure to check out the The Sartorialist. One Word. Love group in the FabSugar community!

FabSugar Exclusive: Rachel Zoe, The Morning After

FabSugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:01:50 -0700

Thrilling. That best describes The Rachel Zoe Project premiere last night. The glamour, the gowns, the jewels, the tension - I knew I would be hooked the second time around, what about you? Last night we witnessed the countdown to the Golden Globes, saw Team Zoe's new studio, met some new staff, and bit our nails over the lost pink Chanel haute couture dress. Or was that just me and Rachel? I caught up with the stylist extraordinaire this morning for some coffee talk. We mostly gushed about the gorgeous gowns on last night's show, but we also chatted Brad and Taylor. Here's last night's rehash . . .

Eva's white Dior was my favorite from this year's awards season. It wasn't on the runway, how did you find it?

"The PR people sent me photos even though it wasn't sent down the runway. I'll know that Eva has something coming up, I call it a check note. That necklace is probably my favorite piece of jewelry - ever. When I worked with Keira Knightley for the Oscars in '06, there was this vintage Bulgari piece and this brought that memory back to me. There's nothing like an incredible blob of turquoise. It's a dream scenario."

Speaking of jewelry, how did emeralds call out to you for Debra's navy Vera Wang?

"I love to see color. I don't want to do anything expected, or odd. The idea of emeralds with the navy is a younger, modern way to make something glamorous. You don't need diamonds for glamour. I love mixing colors, the less perfect the better."

To read about asking Karl to alter the Chanel and for some Brad and Taylor scoop,

Cameron's pink Chanel - have you asked designer's to alter before? Just not Karl? Why were you so nervous?

"Yes, I have, but Karl Lagerfeld is up there with my three heroes of all time. When you ask to make a change to an already-brilliant design, it's scary. What if it doesn't work? At the end of the day Cameron is my priority. I want to do what's politically correct, but also what's best for my client. You weigh your odds there. It was scary. Had he said no, I would have had to move on. The worst he could say is no."

New studio? Upgrade! And more staff?

"We actually have two studios now. One for the digital side of my business (The Zoe Report). We're growing Rachel Zoe Inc. And Jordan (the intern) and Marisa (Zoe's assistant). Poor Marisa is so innocent, she's the golden child of the group. She helps balance it out. Brad provides a lot of comic relief, when I'm having a really tense moment, Brad makes me laugh at it all."

It appears Brad and Taylor are getting along better. When they moved the desks downstairs, they banded together as brats. It was funny to see that banter.

"They are, but trust me they still have their moments. And they banter, for better or for worse."

When they talk about you, how does it make you feel?

"Brad isn't really built that way. It's more important to me that they get along with one another than they get pleasure out of making fun of me or patronizing me. If they weren't doing their jobs the way they do, they wouldn't be there. I wouldn't put up with it. We all know where we stand with one another. I compare it to a real family. You take abuse and you make up as if nothing ever happened. Or we don't even make up and just move on. They are so loyal."

It seems this season is going to get heavy with Taylor questioning her loyalty.

"Oh yeah. She'll be doing all season what she did last night. She's bored to tears, but she's not going to complain. But you do see a lighter side of Taylor. She's not programmed that way. I prefer she is who she is on camera, and not pretending to be something she's not. She has a heart of gold, I promise you that." Photo courtesy of Bravo

Fab Face: Dree Hemingway

FabSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:50:22 -0700

Dree Hemingway. You surely recognize her surname. This model-of-the-moment's great grandfather is Ernest (the famous writer, yes) and her mother is actress Mariel Hemingway. She has connections, but that's not all she has.

The 21-year-old has made a name for herself in the world of fashion by being a non-conventional beauty. She's blond, but not what you would call "pretty." She has a strong square jaw, punky sensibility, and is pretty unavoidable these days. Check out any happening party and she's there, usually wearing fashion-forward pieces by Alexander Wang. In fact, the designer was her date for this year's CFDA Awards.

It's safe to say that Dree is doing her own thing - and doing it well - despite her famous last name.

Check out more photos of Dree.

Dolce and Gabbana Slashes Prices (!)

FabSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:00:22 -0700

Dolce and Gabbana customers, get ready for something major: 10 to 20 percent lower retail prices for both the main and D&G lines. The Italian designing duo has slashed its prices because of the current economic state. "In this moment of uncertainty, people spend more willingly on travel or spas rather than on a new dress. We want to work for the final consumer," Gabbana said.

But fret not, the quality of the clothes won't be sacrificed. Instead of hundreds of fabrics, the designers are now using dozens. Plus, constructions will be simpler, and alternative stitching techniques will be used. According to Dolce, "This is the only way to save the market and our companies. It’s time to turn the page." Agreed.
WireImage

Good News Bears

FabSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:30:22 -0700

Finally, some good news. If you have a subscription to WWD, you probably wake up every day to another company reporting negative profits. After months and months, it's quite the downer. True, rock-hard luxury companies like Louis Vuitton are keeping afloat, but how is everyone else doing? WWD surveyed top designers and retail executives, and the outlook was overly optimistic. If you need a pick-me-up or just want to be enlightened, check out my favorite quotes from the article.

Michael Kors: “The good news is in this crazy, terrible economy, I think people’s taste is getting better. They have to think about what they buy and they’re getting a more discerning eye because of it. There are no more shoes you can’t walk in, bags you can’t carry, dresses you can’t sit in. All of that’s finished. It’s like the beginning of Gone With the Wind, ‘This is about a time long, long ago.’ The handbag that’s so heavy I can’t lift it, the shoe I can’t get out of a car in, the dress I have to lean in - those are memories from a time that’s gone with the wind."

Karl Lagerfeld: "You have to have something very quality and fashion at the same time, and the names are the guarantee of all that. That’s why big names are important. That’s why it might be more difficult for smaller companies. Also, Chanel is beautifully run as a company. There are no debts. There’s no healthier business than Chanel."

To read what Marc Jacobs, Rachel Roy, Givenchy's CEO, and more are happy about, read more

Marc Jacobs: “The weather is beautiful. I’m in love. I’m engaged to be married. I’m working on building a new home, and working in the studio with Steven Meisel and Madonna on the next [Louis Vuitton] campaign. Then, I have two days of shooting with Juergen [Teller]. The Met is [tonight], which I’m excited about. I’m receiving a FiFi Award. Then, we receive the International CFDA award for Louis Vuitton. So, I kind of have really great stuff on a daily basis. I can’t find anything to be unhappy about at the moment."

Fabrizio Malverdi, CEO, Givenchy: “I’m just back from the Middle East. I went to Kuwait, Bahrain, and Dubai, and it’s good to see that the atmosphere is not as depressing as in other countries. The energy is really positive. For Givenchy, we are opening new stores with the new concept we introduced a year ago [in Paris on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré]. The reaction to this new concept is really good, and we have an existing partner that wants to open stores based on it. Europe and Russia are suffering a lot, but in general, Givenchy’s women’s prêt-à-porter is going well. The sell-throughs are good. And if the customer has fun buying it, that’s the real success. We have to inject a bit of life, a bit of fun, and a bit of coolness in the market. That’s the reason why people are still buying.”

Stefano Gabbana: “First of all, we feel hypercreative, reactive, excited, and stimulated. Strangely enough, given the times, we feel good and feel the urge to experiment. I think this crisis has bought back many core values, and fashion has achieved a more human and traditional aspect, which we appreciate. Many superfluous elements have been wiped away and it’s OK if people buy less because they have too much of everything. It’s useless to have too much of everything. It’s like sitting down to a five-course meal when a plate of pasta will do just fine. This reevaluation to me is good news.”

Dries van Noten: “We just won the Fashion Institute of Technology’s 2009 Couture Council Award For Artistry of Fashion. I’m very proud of that. We opened the store in Tokyo at the end of March. It was a decision that was made at the end of October, so it’s not something most people think, ‘Oh, it was made before the crisis started.’ It’s still totally the right moment to do something like that, because it’s unexpected. Why not at this moment? It’s difficult maybe for a lot of people, but still, life continues. Shopping and buying fashion and fashion itself, are just parts of life."

Phillip Lim: “Good news - my plants in my garden are happy and about to bloom. My dog Oliver has recently learned to lay down - on command. I am more inspired, and my focus is clearer then ever! Life is good, as it’s really the simple things that I have come back to. It’s been a reawakening."

Karen Katz, president and chief executive officer, Neiman Marcus Stores: “The customer is still engaged. When we present her with the right trends, she is responding. For our storewide focus on a color, we settled on the color pink. Our customers are feminine. Pink has been perfect for her; she has definitely embraced pink. She’s also been buying anything with a feminine detail.

Diane von Furstenberg: “I think there was too much of everything, and I feel like the whole industry had to take a laxative. We just had too much s-t, and therefore there’s a cleansing thing that happens. All of a sudden it’s not so much about marketing as it is about product. We kept on saying, ‘Oh, it will sell, you know, it doesn’t matter,’ and now we’re not like that anymore. Now we’re just being much more careful."

Simon Doonan, creative director, Barneys New York: “Having been through a number of depressed periods, most notably the '70s, I find a lot of explosive creativity comes out of these periods. The punk movement in England came out of the terrible, terrible economic depression that hit England in the early '70s. A creative rage can come out of [hard times], which is an immensely productive thing and has a huge impact on fashion design and marketing.

Rachel Roy: “The good news is having the opportunity to create the secondary line [Rachel Rachel Roy] for this younger customer. It gets my mind off of designer woes and all the hardships of getting your designer clothes into specialty stores and department stores right now. It’s a fun project - it’s younger, it’s fun, it’s a bit edgy, and certain things could be a bit naughty that I can’t do in designer."

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Fab Blab: Jason Wu Speaks of Michelle O, Meanwhile Is Really Focused

FabSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:56:59 -0700

There was lots of action amidst the rain at last night's NYC premiere of Grey Gardens. A couple fashion designers attended the fabulous event - Peter Som and Jason Wu - and we had the chance to chat it up with designer-of-the-moment Wu, here with model Hilary Rhoda in his design.

He spoke of his most famous fan, Michelle Obama, and on a more serious note, about managing in this ever-worsening economy. And for everyone wondering if he has anything in the works for the first lady, Wu replied, "You know it’s too early to say right now."

On making an iconic presidential dress:“It’s fantastic and to have a dress in the Smithsonian is not too shabby either.”
On being a young designer:“As a designer, I’m always creative. To me just right now I’m just buried in my work and haven’t had a moment to think about it. Someone pointed out to me, ‘Your dress is going to outlive you.’ And I’m like ‘That’s pretty great!'"

To read the rest, read more.

Thoughts on Michelle’s style:“I think Michelle Obama’s style is fantastic and it’s very timeless and it’s inspirational. She really owns it and I think that’s what a truly stylish woman is, someone who wears her clothes with confidence."
On Michelle's style during her European tour:"It was great she championed American designers - what more can we ask for, right?"
On doing anything differently with the looming economy:"I’m just really concentrating on the business. It’s clothes first, I’m just keeping really focused."

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