Private Parts

J.Crew President Jenna Lyons has been making headlines lately. Not because of her incredible success at the heritage brand, not because of her stunning Brooklyn townhouse or her gorgeous son, but because her marriage is crumbling.

Lyons photographed in her townhouse for Elle Decor

I have admired Lyons for years and can confess to having a major girl-crush on the Amazon. She is equal parts stylish and cooky, businesswoman and mother. She was the keynote speaker at a conference I attended a year ago and she was just so relatable, telling the audience about how she still can't send an attachment no matter how many times her assistant has taught her. I had the chance to speak with her briefly afterward and we talked about balancing motherhood with a busy career and how difficult it can be. In short, she is a real woman, a working mom who faces the same challenges that we all do (albeit with a much bigger budget, but I digress). 

Lyons in her office at J.Crew headquarters

She has become a glamorous yet relatable figurehead for J.Crew over the past few years (she's been with the company since 1990, but has only been in the spotlight since 2008 when the company introduced "Jenna's Picks", a feature in its catalogues and on its website), appearing on Oprah and in many shelter magazines and blogs. Sadly she is now rumored to be in the midst of a messy divorce from her husband, artist Vincent Mazeau, and many speculate that she has found love with a woman, Courtney Crangi (also a fashion executive and mother of three).

Lyons and Crangi

I can only hope that the public gives Lyons and her family some much-needed privacy in this difficult time. But in our media-starved world I doubt that will happen. But Lyons will, like everything else she has done, come out on top and with grace.

Neiman Marcus Christmas Book: Fantasy or Folly?

The Christmas spectacular from luxury retailer Neiman Marcus signals the beginning of the holiday season and this year it doesn't disappoint. The catalog is gorgeous--full of stunning models (hello, siren-haired model Karen Elson could sell just about anything), incredible art direction, and there's even a Table of Contents to help navigate the glossy. We looked at it online and the ability to click and buy makes this truly a modern magazine. 

Neiman Marcus Christmas Book 2011

Karen Elson frolicking on a ladder, in heels and a $2000 Stella McCartney dress

But let's cut to the chase here--this is a catalog for rich people, for the 0.0005 percent of the population not affected by the recession. The rest of us can think of  it as an opportunity to dream of what some people will be receiving on December 25th. When I saw this latest catalog I couldn't help thinking to myself, "WHO is buying this stuff?". Even if you do have that kind of disposable income sitting around (or more likely, gold bullion locked in a dungeon somewhere), don't you have better things to spend it on? A small island nation, maybe? 

All jokes aside, we appreciate luxury and even if we aren't laying down the big bucks these days that doesn't mean that we can't look, drool and get inspired. The catalog is divided into sections based on trends (red, fur, ski-inspired) and there's even a section titled "Under $100" full of jewelry, makeup and the customary annual tub of popcorn. There is a conscious mix of expensive gifts (A crocodile duffle bag for $6500? I can't wait to see how that holds up to the conveyer belts at TSA.) and more reasonable items like a pair of cozy slippers from Ugg for $100. But what really gets our liberal hearts beating is the "Fantasy" section. This is where you find gifts for the people who truly have everything. The folks down in Dallas have run the gamut with nine unique gifts, ranging from the WET Dancing Fountains for $1million to the bespoke Ferrari FF roadster for $395k (of which there are only ten, so no need to worry that your neighbor will pull up in the same ride). The little girl in me swooned over the "Dream Folly"--a yurt designed to look like the inside of Jeannie's bottle from the 1960s television classic. They say they'll install it on my "estate grounds". Hmm, wonder what they could do with my fire escape? To ease the guilt there is a charity component to each item ($10k will be donated to Water.org for the aforementioned fountains). 

WET Fountain

Fancy Yurt 

Crocodile duffle bag

November Rain

How fitting that on this particularly dreary fall day I came across runway shots from the most recent bridal shows. While bridal shows usually bore me to tears (I mean, come on, how many poufy white dresses can one person stand?), I saw this one from designer Anne Bowen and was stopped in my tracks:

Anne Bowen spring 2011

First of all, kudos to Bowen for using an African American model. I would so, so much rather see Liu Wen or Chanel Iman on the runway than another milquetoast blonde from Estonia. But what really drew me to this photo was its resemblance to one of the most iconic wedding dresses of all time, that of Stephanie Seymour in the seminal 90s video "November Rain" from Guns n' Roses:

Stephanie Seymour in November Rain

The video was released in 1992 and is the most expensive video ever recorded, at a staggering cost of $1.5MM. Maybe I'm jaded, but that doesn't seem like that much, but I digress. What teenaged girl didn't dream of wearing that dress on their wedding day? I sure did. The mix of the traditional pouffy sleeves and veil with the rock n' roll uber-short hemline was just genius. The dress is rumored to have cost $8000 (which, again, doesn't seem astronomical to me since you can find a skirt these days for $5000). Sadly I ended up wearing a traditional bridal gown when I married TheSaint, but if I were to do it again (uuuggghhh, no way, divorce is too expensive), you can bet I'd go with something like this:

Bianca Jagger Weds Mick Jagger in YSL, 1971

What about you? What's your dream wedding look?

They're Like Rabbits

I was strolling in Soho with a friend yesterday and I kept pointing out models to her, to whom she was completely oblivious. I've been in fashion for a while so I notice them the way a botanist probably notices rare plant strains when walking through central park. If you are downtown on a weekday morning you are bound to see a few--they are always dashing here and there in clothes that you and I would only wear to a party--well, a very sexy party where leather pants and ripped sweatshirts are de rigeur. Other telltale signs include being incredibly tall and gangly, like a baby deer who can barely stand on its own legs, looking eastern european also helps since so many of them hail from Estonia and other places that I couldn't point out on a map if you paid me. And of course--ding ding ding!!--the model portfolio sticking out of their super-expensive and label-less handbag.

So there I was on the 6 train on a random Tuesday seated across from Britt Maren. (Oh, and if you think that models are too fancy for public transport, you're wrong. Most of them live communally in tiny apartments and scrape by until they land advertising campaigns that allow them to be abusive to their housekeepers.) Britt is a relatively new face on the scene, but with her flawless complexion (another thing that models usually DON'T posess--all that makeup takes its toll), amazingly high cheekbones and portfolio sticking out of her Alexander Wang bag she is hard to miss. The twenty-year-old Texan made a splash in the spring 2010 shows by opening for Alexander Wang and rounding out the season at Balenciaga in a platinum-cropped 'do courtesy of hair genius Guido.

Britt Maren before Guido chopped her locks

Britt Maren, bleached and cropped

Britt Maren does Model Off Duty pretty damn well

Looking at her (from behind my oversized glasses, bien sur. I'm not a stalker, not openly at least) I was reminded of another young Texan who has made her name walking all the major shows--Erin Wasson. Wasson debuted in the spring of 2000 and is known for being the original ambassador of Model Off Duty style (cutoffs and boots that would make us look dirty and lazy make her look gorgeous). She is also muse to wunderkind designer Alexander Wang, has been the face of Maybelline for seven years and she designs collections for French label Zadig&Voltaire.  I'll always remember her as the shy model we shot for Elle magazine with the word "shelter" tattooed on her back, who was married quite young (at 17!) and who used her looks as a launchpad for something much larger. She had this to say about being a model, “I have too much going on in my brain to just be a face, an image, without a voice behind it.”

Erin Wasson on the Tom Ford for Gucci spring 2000 catwalk

French Vogue April 2001

Wasson kills it in her MOD uniform

Master and Muse: Alexander Wang and Erin Wasson

Do you see the similarity between the two mannequins? We hope Britt sees the same kind of success that Erin has. 

This Reminds Me Of...Finn's Gold Knot Ring

As I was cruising around the internet today I came across this ring on The Cut.

Gabrielle Artigas gold knot ring

Designer Gabrielle Artigas used a thin 14-karat-gold band to fashion a simple, but very pretty piece of jewelry. At $180 it's not breaking the bank either. 

But I couldn't help but think of the girls behind downtown jewelry line Finn. Finn is known for its delicate pieces that beg to be layered one upon the next. I've been in their showroom (which is interior design porn, btw) and designer Soraya Silchenstedt has lamented about how the price of gold has shot up in the past few years thanks to the global recession, thus forcing her to raise the price of her pieces. (Quick econ lesson here, kids: Gold is considered to be a relatively stable asset, so when the stock market is shaky, people buy gold. The demand goes up, supply goes down and as a result the price rises. To think that I barely passed econ. Harrumph.) Check out her gold knot ring below:

Gold knot ring, $750 at finnjewelry.com

There's nothing new about a love knot--the simple design is meant to illustrate two souls bound by everlasting love (blech) and I guess this is what fashion and art is all about, how one designer interprets something versus the next. But I still find it too close for comfort. What about you?

Peacocks Everywhere

I went to the Bronx Zoo last week. Yep, out of work means you have time to do all those amazing things that people come to New York to do, but which New Yorkers never have time to do. So, there I am, mid-camel ride (you read that right) when I spotted a peacock. A peacock in the middle of the Bronx is pretty arresting and the fashionista in me was reminded of all the collections that had taken a cue from the gorgeous bird (which is male, by the way. In some strange twist of fate the female doesn't have those stunning "eye" feathers), starting with Proenza Schouler's spring 2005 collection.

Proenza Schouler spring 2010

How stunning is this dress? I am sure it cost as much as a small car, but no matter, because it is truly a piece of art.

As I watched the peacock and admired its iridescent feathers I was reminded of another fashion moment, courtesy of Miuccia Prada. Her spring 2005 collection was full of feathered toppers and dresses that were a strange juxtaposition to the crocheted fabrics and patent leather loafers in the same looks.

Prada spring 2005

Designers will always take cues from nature. Thank goodness we haven't seen the pigeon's influence on any recent runways, though maybe it's just a matter of time?

The Chasm

I've been musing for a little while over this notion of "The Chasm". Over the past month I was let go from my job at a traditional glossy--a job I adored, mind you. I was quickly replaced with a lovely girl who is all of TWENTY-FIVE years old, and while she is highly educated and gorgeous (naturally) and is most likely paid a fraction of what I was paid, she lacks what we have worked for all these years--experience. During college we slaved at internships that paid nothing but were full of learning and laughing with fellow clueless interns. Once we had our degrees in hand we marched into the world, still clueless, hoping an editor would take pity and hire us. Once hired, we continued to slave in offices and on photo shoots for next to nothing (I'll never forget when I was hired at one of my first jobs. The conversation went something like this: Fancy fashion editor: "We can pay you $20." Me: "$20 an hour?". FFE: "No, $20 thousand a year.") Long hours, abusive bosses, but unbelievable experience. In my time I have worked on endless cover shoots (Mariah Carey only wants straws from McDonalds on set? Umm, ok. Janet Jackson MUST have all white flowers and candles in her dressing room. Not a problem.), I've worked on TV commercials, I've helped dress Cate Blanchett for the Oscars, I've worked on shoots for Inez and Vinoodh, Solve Sundsbo and Patrick Demarchelier and with stylists like Katie Grand, Brana Wolf and Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele to name a few. I've been inside countless designer studios, I've interviewed Karl Lagerfeld and I've written for Conde Nast.

Some of the world's most legendary stylists, shot by Steven Meisel for W. Anna Dello Russo, Marie-Amelie Sauve, Brana Wolf, Lori Goldstein, Polly Mellen and Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele.

But, here's the catch--I'm not done learning and I would never presume to be an expert. What happens when those of us who aren't legends, but are well-trained and have the experience and consequently, demand a proper salary, are replaced with 25-year-olds who have never worked for the best of the best? Whose writing is terrible, who don't know how to conduct themselves on set and who are anything but humble and respectful? They teach the next generation, that's what. And the art of fashion wanes.

I'm not saying today's youth isn't valuable--they absolutely are. Their grasp on social media and willingness to put themselves out there (sometimes too far out there, but that's another post) and to manipulate the tools available to them is incredibly savvy and we could all stand to learn from them. They are their own editor-in-chief, publisher, and publicist. They are innovative and embrace new technology with aplomb.

Tavi Gevinson, 15-years-old, author of Rookie.com and style darling (who sits front row at shows and often blocks the views of editors behind her due to her ridiculous headwear). 

I am aware that my grumblings sound bitter and curmudgeonly, but that's ok because this is my blog. But what about you? Which side of the chasm do you live on? Or, like me, are you looking up from the depths of the chasm and trying to claw your way out? Well, get in line because while I may be humble, respectful and trained by the best, I am still ambitious as hell and I won't apologize for my age because to quote the late great Aaliyah, "Age ain't nothing but a number." 

This Reminds Me Of...Dolce&Gabbana

Dolce&Gabbana has a rich heritage and a singular look. Animal print, lace, oversized cross and skin so tanned it looks like leather--that's your Dolce girl. It could also be the Cavalli girl, sometimes your Versace girl, but I digress. Dolce also does a mean pantsuit (especially with a lacy bra peeking out--hello Madonna in the early 90s. Oh, and I guess now too.) When I saw this look come down the Pucci spring 2012 runway, I was reminded of something I'd seen before.

Emilio Pucci spring 2012

Dolce & Gabbana fall 2001

Emilio Pucci founded his eponymous house in 1948 and is known for kaleidoscopic prints that women in Palm Beach live for (bonus points to anyone who knew that the storied designer had his Ph.D in political science and served as a torpedo bomber pilot in World War 2--you know, the usual background for a fashion designer). Peter Dundas, the current designer at Pucci, has hit it out of the park in recent seasons, and we've seen his creations on many red carpets. His appreciation for the female form is clear in his body conscious designs, and he's been credited for injecting a modern sensibility into the heritage brand. However, this look is pure Dolce, no matter how you slice it. The suit, the bra and the cross? Come on.