FabSugar

Freaky or Fabulous: Barneys' Bloody Window Display

FabSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:00:22 -0700

If you happened to walk by Barneys New York on Madison Avenue earlier this week, this is one of the gory window displays you would have seen. Both A.L.C.'s and Helmut Lang's windows, featuring dying mannequins and splattered fake blood, appalled most passersby. Creative director Simon Doonan is usually the one that approves window displays, but he says he was away overseeing advertising shoots when they were installed. The displays were ordered to come down as soon as Doonan heard. Do you think it's freaky or still fabulous?

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Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan Describe Their Greenwich Village Home

CasaSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:00:27 -0700

Most of us describe our homes in fairly generic terms, tossing out "modern," "traditional with a twist," or "relaxed Regency," if pressed for a characterization. Well, leave it to Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan to turn dull description on its head.
To hear how they describe their home, read more.

In the June 22 issue of the New Yorker, Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan take writer Ariel Levy through a tour of their Greenwich Village apartment. While there weren't any photos of the apartment, the quotes were vibrant enough to paint quite the picture of their home (and if you're curious, check out these 2005 photos from the New York Times. In the meanwhile, I have to share my absolute favorite quotes from Jonathan and Simon, as they describe their style:

"Palatial gay fantasia." - Doonan
“Glamorous romper room . . . Because Johnny and I are very infantile."- Doonan
“This is the antithesis of the two-room flat where I grew up." - Doonan
"It's mantique-y" - Adler

Painting by Simona Galeckaité

Happy Father's Day!

CasaSugar — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:30:07 -0700

Happy Father's Day! I hope you've remembered to send your dear old dad a card or present. If you need some last-minute ideas for spending quality time with him today, check out my tips. I caught a great National Public Radio segment this week featuring Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan remembering their fathers. Since so many of you are Adler/Doonan fans, I thought you might enjoy listening to this Father's Day interview with Simon and Jonathan. It made me think about how I relate my favorite stories about my father, or describe him to friends who haven't made his acquaintance. So whether you're making a long-distance call to wish your father a good Father's Day, or spending the day with him, here's hoping you have a great day with your dad!

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This Week's Fab Favorite: Stella McCartney

FabSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:30:22 -0700

This week was a doozy with the Met Gala Monday night. But that didn't stop one fashion figure from plowing though the week in style. I have a fresh fondness for Stella after meeting her in SF, and I have since followed her pioneering footsteps. From her muses at the Met Gala to her trunk show at Barneys onto being honored by Time magazine, she stepped out in her own effortless, yet tailored, creations. And, don't forget, her capsule collection for Net-a-Porter launched this week. Let's call her Super Stella from now on . . . Source

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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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Best of 2008: Fashion Trailblazers

FabSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:00:22 -0800

This year a handful of ballsy designers, celebrities, and industry insiders broke free from their comfort zones and undertook revolutionary projects. Diane von Furstenberg created a Wonder Woman of a collection, Viktor & Rolf broke runway tradition, and Barneys New York's Simon Doonan tied the knot . . . with his boyfriend! But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Read on.

Viktor & Rolf sparked a new virtual runway trend.
Rihanna became the Gucci/UNICEF spokeswoman.
Vogue Italia published its first ever, all-black issue.
Simon Doonan married longtime beau Jonathan Adler.
Victoria Beckham did it all. She created a dress collection, judged Project Runway Season Four's finale, modeled for Marc Jacobs, and signed a deal with Emporio Armani underwear campaign.

To see more fashion trailblazing acts of 2008, read more

Diane von Furstenberg created a Wonder Woman collection, a comic book, launched her "Women We Can" campaign, and hosted a fabulous post-show dinner at New York Fashion Week where yours truly witnessed the action first hand.
Net-a-Porter sold Halston's comeback collection the day after the show, signed an exclusive deal with London house Preen, and created a limited-edition trend book.
Karl Lagerfeld staged another elaborate collection and created a Chanel mobile art pavilion.
Gwyneth Paltrow did a mini movie with Tod's and launched a lifestyle website, Goop.Cute!
The controversial April Vogue cover with Gisele Bundchen and LeBron James was accused of racially stereotyping.
The 2008 Costume Institute Gala went superhero on us.
CFDA made major strides. It announced its fashion award winners (Congrats Womenswear Designer of the Year Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein), backed the model health issue, gave Alexander Wang the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award, and threw two huge events: 2008 CFDA Awards in June, and 2008 CFDA Awards in November.

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Design Couple of 2008: Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:00:52 -0800

There's been no shortage of coverage of uber-cutie couple Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan this year on CasaSugar, because the pair has churned out a surplus of great design. From pottery to publishing, this couple has kept me on my toes tracking their creative movements! Check out the slideshow to review some of their greatest hits (and a few misses) from 2008. Source

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Halloween How-To: Simon Doonan

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:00:38 -0700

Yesterday, I showed you how your man can dress like Jonathan Adler this Halloween. Adler's wardrobe is an endless bucket of fun, so he's an ideal costume inspiration for any design fiend. But Adler's hubby Simon Doonan, creative director of Barneys New York and recent Top Design guest judge, is the go-to guy when it comes to fashion expertise, and never shows up at a party in anything less than eccentric. Doonan's signature look features a vibrant floral button-down, so that's a must for anyone trying to model himself on the man. Here are a few other finds to finish off the look:

Robert Graham Townsend Floral Shirt - $298.00	Stripe Web Belt - $39.50
Cheap Monday Autobahn Straight Leg Jeans in Unwash - $65.00	CO-OP Barneys New York Dot Tie- Forest - $55.00
Navy Velvet Blazer - $198.00	New Balance 420 Low Pro - $70.00
Bottega Veneta brown woven leather messenger bag - $2,120.00	Eccentric Glamour: Creating An Insanely More Fabulous You - $24.00
Simon & Schuster Wacky Chicks - $13.00

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FABTV: Fall Leather Tutorial by Simon Doonan and Julie Gilhart

FabSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:00:22 -0700

Simon Doonan and Fashion Director and Senior VP of Barneys New York Julie Gilhart have paired up to advise us on how to wear Fall's most desirable fashions. One segment preaches that black makes you more intelligent, but this one is more useful because wearing leather can be tricky. We certainly don't want to channel '80s rock stars in the year 2008. We also learn leather is not limited only to jackets; it's translating onto pants, skirts, dresses, jewelry, and vests, so perfecting it is a lot harder than it seems. Watch first, live la vida leather after.

Top Design, Episode Eight: "Light It Up"

CasaSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 07:45:24 -0700

Three men (Preston, Eddie, and Nathan) and two women (Ondine and Andrea) remain on Top Design. Right off the bat, we are treated to more homesickness from Andrea (in case you forgot, which it is literally impossible to do if you watch the show regularly, she's Ricky Schroder's wife). As the episode begins, Andrea receives flowers and a love poem from her hubz, which she says makes her even more homesick. Many of you have been anti-Andrea, but I was actually starting to warm up to her. However, this display of adorableness has made me change my mind yet again. (And was it just me, or did Ondine seem a little sarcastic when she said she was thrilled to have met her?)

But on to the design challenge! Things started with a switcheroo, as the designers were asked to complete a pop design challenge before moving on to the main challenge. Using Jonathan Adler accessories, the designers styled the same sets of beige sofas. Eddie won immunity for the challenge (I did love his fern and floral table arrangement). Still, he continues to be a cheeky and, dare I say, rude, dude.

To see who won, and who had to leave, read more.

This week, the designers were challenged to create a room around one focal point: Swarovski crystal lighting. The fixtures were absolutely stunning, and the designers had $22,000 to spend on their rooms. I was in love with Nathan's super-funky rich girl's bedroom - I admired his bold use of the wooden horse and the Keith Haring-esque pop art colors and designs on the wall.

And yay! Jonathan Adler's hubby Simon Doonan was the guest judge for this episode. Though, sadly, this meant that we were denied the opportunity to observe more of Kelly Wearstler's wacky style. Luckily, Nathan helped us out with his bling-bling silver leather jacket, which he wore at judging.

The judges hated Eddie's use of his Swarovski chandelier, which they said looked cheap, but they loved Nathan's room, as well as Preston's, and Preston's sleek living room was declared the winner of the challenge. Before they could declare a loser, though, Andrea offered to leave, since she was homesick for her kids and husband. Did they let her go? Absolutely.

What struck you about this episode? Were you more annoyed by Eddie's attitude, or his obsession with Martha Stewart? Do you get the impression that Preston is a sweet shy nerd who's being ostracized by the cool kids? Tell me in the comments.

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Photos courtesy of Bravo