Jezebel: alice + olivia

Scary Loves Posh's Clothes; Jennifer Connelly Models Anti-Gravity Shoes

Jenna — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EDT

Did L.A. boutique Maxfield drop Victoria Beckham's dVb in favor of Holmes & Yang? Posh's people say Maxfield hasn't ordered the line for three seasons, and the decision had nothing to do with Katie Holmes, who is Posh's friend. [P6]

Luckily, old bandmate Mel B says she loves Posh's clothing lines. "I'm going out with Geri and Emma while I'm here — and I'll be wearing one of Victoria's dresses," the singer told a crowd in London. [Daily Mail]
American Apparel is laying off 1,500 workers — more than 10% of its total workforce — because of immigration violations. When ICE raided its factory in downtown L.A. two months ago, 1,600 workers were found to be unauthorized to work in the U.S., and a further 200 were found to have immigration irregularities. Company founder Dov Charney released a statement saying: "Many of you have been with me for so many years, and I just cry when I think that so many people will be leaving the company. It is my belief that immigrants bring prosperity to any economy." This is the latest in a long line of bad news for the company. From being dogged with sexual harassment lawsuits, to the $5 million settlement it had to pay Woody Allen in May after using his image on billboards without authorization, to this week's reprimand from the British Advertising Standards Authority for "sexualising a child," American Apparel can't seem to keep its house in order. [LATimes]
There are behind-the-scenes shots of Lily Allen working with Karl Lagerfeld on the new Chanel Cocoon bag campaign. [DailyMail]
We don't doubt that Patrick Demarchelier is planning to shoot 100 top models in Fashion's Night Out t-shirts outside Bryant Park on September 9, but somehow we think someone got confused when noting that "Iman and her daughter Chanel" would be among them. [WWD]
OMG! Modelfights on Project Runway: Models Of The Catwalk. [P6]
If you have any interest in beautiful, softly draped leather jackets, deconstructed tee shirts, or vaguely gothic skintight pants — or if you just want to know where that ubiquitous no-closure wraparound sweater, like a high-fashion snuggie ancestor, that everyone from Alice + Olivia to Eileen Fisher has knocked off came from originally — you need to learn about Rick Owens, now. And how his aesthetic is back in a big way just now. [NYTimes]
Speaking of which, peep Jennifer Connelly in the British InStyle in Rodarte thigh-high boots and Olivier Theyskens' gothic heel-less 8" runway shoes. [Daily Mail]
Also big for fall, at least in men's wear: Steve McQueen. [WSJ]
There's a rumor going around that Peter Som is set to become the first creative director of Tommy Hilfiger. [WWD]
Thom Browne is launching two new lower-priced lines for Spring 2010. [WWD]
Mark your calendars! She by Sheree, apparently some design offspring of a Real Housewife, is coming to Fashion Week. [People]
Juergen Teller, who shoots all of Marc Jacobs' campaigns, reports that only one set of images has ever caused any particular controversy — and it's not the ones of a then-12-year-old Dakota Fanning, which even the photographer calls "very hard-core." In Fall of 2006, Jacobs chose makeup artist Dick Page and his partner, James Gibbs, to star in the campaign, and Teller shot the couple making out in the woods outside their home. There was a furor: Men's Vogue even refused to run the ads. [The Moment]
Kenny Chesney says his new clothing line, Blue Chair Bay, is designed to reflect his life off the stage. "I would wear these clothes in Malibu, East Tennessee, where I'm from, or on my boat in St. John," the singer explained at MAGIC, the apparel trade conference that just ended in Las Vegas. Chesney's apparel partners had an airstream full of clothes and purposefully-weatherbeaten blue wicker chairs parked in their booth at the show. [WWD]
Daisy Lowe's jewelry line with Swarovski is said to feature pieces inspired by the stars, moon, and planets. [Elle UK]
Derek Lam's CEO, Jan Schottlman, denies the anonymous reports published by Page Six that the company is haemorrhaging money. [The Cut]
Dooney & Bourke are going back to models for their campaigns after seasons of using actresses. Hayden Panettiere is getting thrown over for Maggie Rizer. [WWD]
Georgia May Jagger, in her new denim ad: "Hudson jeans. Soft...and blue. And very tight." Descriptive! [TDB]
Richard Chai is doing a line with Keds. Chai's sneakers, which are canvas and leather in white, grey and black, have silver zippers between the rows of eyelets. They hit stores in January of next year, and pricing information isn't yet available. [WWD]
Someone painted an entire Spanish Colonial-style bungalow in Louis Vuitton's signature logo print. So long as Britney Spears doesn't use it as the set for her next video, we imagine these folks in Mexicali might be safe from LVMH's lawyers. [BoingBoing via hazmeelchingadofavor]

Gwyneth Goes For GOOP; Jesus Luz Earned $100 From W

TatianaTheAnonymousModel — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:30:00 EDT

Gwyneth Paltrow has tired of the cosmetics contract gravy train; no longer shall the actress concentrate on embodying the qualities of the Estée Lauder brand. Instead, she'll be the new, white Oprah! [Daily Mail]

Nanette Lepore has added her voice to the save the garment center chorus. [HuffPo]
According to Jesus Luz's Brazilian agent, Sergio Mattos, Luz was paid $100 for the two-day Steven Klein shoot with Madonna that ended up in W. Let me say this one more time: that kind of pay is entirely standard for an editorial shoot, no matter one's modeling experience or industry status. [NY Post]
Christina Aguilera looks, um, Photoshopped to high hell in the new Stephen Webster jewelry campaign. [Sun]
Jerry Hall got a $750,000 advance from HarperCollins to write a memoir that would include full details on her life with Mick Jagger. But the manuscript Hall rendered proved too tame and cagey on the subject of Jagger for the publisher's taste; the supermodel has agreed to return the advance. (Side note: how many times do you get to read a word like "priapic" in the Daily Mail?) [Daily Mail]
Terry Richardson just shot next year's Pirelli calendar in Trancoso, Bahia, Brazil. Georgina Stojiljkovic, Catherine McNeil, Abbey Lee Kershaw, and Daisy Lowe are purported to be featured, along with actual Brazilians Gracie Carvalho and Ana Beatriz Barros. Glamurama got a NSFW snap of Richardson in action, shooting a topless McNeil on a white horse. [Glamurama via Fashionologie]
Supposedly, Zac Posen is in the early stages of producing a scripted series for the CW network about the equestrian world. Might be a wise move to diversify, as we keep hearing wild rumors that his label is in trouble. [The Cut]
Erin Fetherston is also shooting a short film this week, starring Juliette Lewis, and her fall collection. Music is by Damon Dash. Her husband also confirmed that the designer will launch a line for home-shopping giant QVC this fall, probably during fashion week. [WWD]
Stacey Bendet Eisner — yes, last year she married the son of that Eisner — is the designer behind Alice + Olivia. And she says there are exciting things to come for the brand, including an expanded line of embellished t-shirts, a jewelry line with Erickson Beamon coming out this November, and a possible cosmetics deal. [Blackbook]
Macy's says not to expect deep markdowns this season — but it does want a lower-priced outlet store bearing its name, since Saks and Nordstrom both have them. [WWD]
Douglas Reker, one of the bracingly new designers I'm personally most excited about, has just been picked up for fall by Barneys Coop. [Crain's]
Now that Lakshmi Menon — two-time Indian Vogue covergirl — has had her only-girl editorial debut in American Vogue, industry commentators wonder aloud: Why has it taken so long for a South Asian supermodel to emerge? Sarah Doukas of London mega-agency Storm says it's because Indians are culturally conservative and don't want their daughters modeling; Menon says agencies don't have scouting networks on the subcontinent, and if you don't look for something, of course you won't find it. [Independent]
England's National Trust is in talks to buy the home of the late designer Laura Ashley. [Telegraph]
Leigh Lezark, who is a member of this preposterous thing called the MisShapes, but who nonetheless finds time in her busy schedule to "model", might be Matthew Williamson's new muse. Because a perpetually black-clad stony-stared New Yorker would be the perfect match for his exuberant tastes. [Fashionista]
Rosa Chá, which is just about the best-looking and best-fitting swimwear out there, barring perhaps Norma Kamali, and therefore heartbreaking for its extravagant price, is losing its founding designer, Amir Slama. Slama, who launched Rosa Chá over two decades ago, is going to start a namesake swim collection. Brazilian Alexandre Herchcovitz will take over at Rosa Chá. [WWD]
Diego Della Valle, the head of Italian leather goods brand Tod's, has doubled his investment stake in Saks Fifth Avenue, to 5.9%. [WWD]
Alberta Ferretti, Moschino, and Pollini are all lowering their prices. Their parent company, Italy's Aeffe SpA, experienced steep losses in the first quarter of this year, and has thus formulated a cost-cutting plan that is intended to save $13.6 million over the course of 2010. In addition to lowering prices, Aeffe is shrinking its collections and planning layoffs. [WWD]

"Designer" Peaches Geldof Is Inspired By Bram Stoker, The Cure, Privilege

Sadie — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:30:00 EST

It girl, celeb spawn, columnist and designer Peaches Geldof's design inspirations: “I looked at icons like Siouxsie Sioux and Robert Smith, and took notes from Gothic novels like 'Dracula' — the cape came about while I read this.” [WWD]
Eric Clapton apparently has a custom Hermes, alligator-skin guitar case. It's "lined in blue silk velvet and is rumored to have cost more than $100,000." [Fashion Week Daliy]
Marc Jacobs has designed a stroller. It's black, exorbitant, and will turn your baby into the biggest snob in the world. Luckily, there are only 15 in existence. [Racked]
Matthew Williamson is doing not one but two lines for H&M! [WWD]
In her Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute voiceover, Sarah Jessica Parker "talks about art history with the same breathy relish and melodic rhythm she might deploy to deliver a pun-soaked voice-over as Carrie Bradshaw." [New York Times]

Some designers are staying out of the presidential inaugural fray: Michael Kors hasn't submitted designs, while a rep for Carmen Marc Valvo says, “we feel that she’s probably being inundated by designers." She is! [WSJ]
Zac Posen to guest-star on Ugly Betty. Is this considered compulsory? [New York]
"It’s practically impossible to turn on a TV without seeing a designer." [WWD]
Should you need to soak your clothing in water for two months straight (and surely some kind of marine scientist must), you're in luck: a new nanotech fabric, "made from polyester fibres coated with millions of tiny silicone filaments" that cause water to roll off, awesomely, like marbles, is the most water-repellent clothing-appropriate material ever created. [New Scientist]
Too bad fast fashion makes up 30% of Britain's landfills. [Daily Mail]
In addition, a new study finds that abuse of garment and textile workers is rampant. [WWD]
Downtown darling Imitation of Christ (Chloe S was a creative director) is folding. [Racked]
What does Salvador Dali have to do with breast cancer? Not much, but when has that stopped fashionistas? 12 designers have designed Dali-inspired pieces which will be auctioned for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. [Telegraph]
Stacey Bendet Eisner has given birth to a girl. "The alice + olivia designer, who spent the day before doing yoga and getting a pedicure, was supposed to deliver on Thanksgiving but got induced early because, 'If I wait 'til a holiday no doctors will be around!'" [New York Post]
Coco Rocha: “There are enough models out there who are gorgeous and good looking, but have nothing to bring...They can take good pictures, but after that, when you take the pictures, what do you have to say for yourself?” [WWD]
Italian designer Alessandro Dell’Acqua is launching a capsule collection, Alessandro Dell’Acqua Black Dress, composed exclusively of LBDs. [WWD]
A stylist who worked on Annie Liebowitz's Disney shoot is suing the famed lenswoman, claiming she wasn't compensated. [New York Post]
Fashions at the Crillon debutante ball seem undimmed by the economy. And that's what's important! [WWD]

"Kind" Blake Lively Sued By Disgruntled Tailor

Sadie — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:30:00 EDT

Blake Lively's being sued by a Brooklyn tailor who did $500 worth of alterations on her Teen Choice Awards frock. While the Gossip Girl star was apparently "extremely kind" during the fitting, she's yet to pay up. Now Blake's people say the tailor screwed up the dress and they're only willing to pay half. Sounds like a job for Judge Judy! [TMZ]
Heidi's peeps are saying Heidiwood wasn't discontinued; rather, the contract was only for one year! "We just felt that the one year was a great year for both of us, and we're looking into other options...We really found that we want to explore … what style really means to our girl … and that doesn't necessarily mean a celebrity brand. It really means fashion and comfort, and we can really accomplish that with our own brand." [New York Mag]
LiLo walks in sorta-sis-in-law Charlotte Ronson's Japan show. [New York Mag]

Obama's favorite Hartmax suit has become a bestseller. Being six feet plus helps, fellas. [UPI]
Vivienne Westwood's son the erotic photographer staged that protest "featuring bound-and-gagged models in fetish clothing" at the House of Commons. It has to do with protecting extreme pornography. [VogueUK]
APC introduces awesome denim recycling: trade in an old pair of the pricey raw denim, and get half off a new one. They'll fix up the old ones and sell them to those who want "re-worked" jeans. [BlackBook]
What to get the dictator who has everything? The new $154 bullet-proof pocket handkerchief! [UPI]
Tommy Hilfiger goes ever higher-end; sells exclusively to department stores. [Business Week]
Gucci "spy scandal?" Well, they're being investigated. [WWD]
Apparently traditional wedding gowns are so 20th century. Now spendthrift brides are doing three changes per wedding, celeb-style! [New York Post]
Payless brings it with lines by Lela Rose, Alice + Olivia. [Dallas Morning News]
The online look book for H&M's Comme des Garcons line makes it look waaay more wearable than the initial high fashion approach! [Racked]
In this economy, who doesn't want to sepnd thousands of pounds on a photo of Gisele in a war bonnet? [VogueUK]
Mia Farrow auctions a bunch of outfits from A Dandy In Aspic to help the children of Darfur. Guess they don't rate Rosemary's Baby. [WWD]
Fashion bigwigs meet in London for "Susatainable Fashion" summit. The extremely vague objective? To "articulate beauty, style beyond fashion, a new definition of luxury, considered design and a revolutionary and hence more sustainable approach to fashion." [ElleUK]
Maison Moschino, the fashion house's new boutique hotel, has bedspreads that look like they were made from Snuffalufagus' pelt. [Dazed Digital]

God Bless Ridiculous Fashion Folk, Every One Of Them

Jennifer — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:30:00 EDT

God bless Vivienne Westwood for being so undeniably herself. Says the fashion designer-cum-philosopher: "I'd like to do less, but there are people dependent on me now. My thing has always been, just let me finish this pair of trousers and then I can read my book. We've all got to wear something, I suppose. So my advice would be to buy quality. Choose well. I think there's a certain status in seeing someone wearing the same thing over and over again." [Vogue UK]
God bless Heidi Klum. She's just so wise: "[Take] time out for yourself so you can engage in an activity that you really enjoy. [Also, don't] neglect the romance in your life. [And] wear pretty lingerie if you don't want to feel schlumpy." [Vogue UK]
God bless Donatella Versace for saying at the Times Talks on Sunday that her fashion motto is "Don't let the rappers wear more bling than you do!" and that she hopes to be reincarnated as Maya Rudolph. [Fashion Week Daily]

God bless Agent Provocateur co-founder Joe Corre (who is, incidentally, also the son of Vivienne Westwood) for making his brand's latest advertising campaign, fronted by Kate Moss, actually about his feelings of disdain regarding the Vatican and Catholicism. The apple clearly does not fall far from the tree. [NYMag]
God bless the Project Runway producers for sticking to their guns and maintaining contracts with NBC rather than following their bastardized show to Lifetime. [Yahoo]
God bless Burberry for not using Agyness Deyn in its next advertising campaign. [Fashionista]
God bless Jack White and Karen Elson for seemingly non-stop sex. [Globe and Mail]
God bless model/tsunami survivor Petra Nemacova for making big money in real estate. [Page Six]
God bless Margerita Missoni for deigning to look at apartments in Alphabet City, NYC. [Fashionista]
God bless Giorgio Armani for sorta slighting the Met when talking about last night's Costume Institute Gala: "The superheroes theme is both topical and modern and will, I believe, attract a wider audience than usual to the Costume Institute. I am looking forward to welcoming everyone." (Let us not forget in his first press conference regarding the exhibit, he managed to insult Anna Wintour.) [Vogue UK]
God bless alice+olivia designer Stacey Bendet, who is reportedly pregnant with baby number one. [Page Six]

Anne Hathaway For Lancome; Jennifer Connelly For Balenciaga

Jennifer — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:30:00 EDT

Anne Hathaway: Possible next face of Lancome, a brand already endorsed by "such luminaries as" Kate Winslet and Clive Owen. Wait, Clive Owen? Why can't they splash him all over our perfume advertisements? [WWD, 1st item]
And in other face-of-campaign news, Jennifer Connelly will be fronting Balenciaga for spring and the rumor mill is already going that Victoria Beckham is to be the face of Marc Jacobs. But Marc has already worked so tirelessly to alienate himself to the fashion community! [WWD, 1st item]
Speaking of Posh, did you think we were done hearing about Victoria Beckham's denim line, dVb? Ha ha ha, not a chance! For spring we have glitter denim headed our way! [WWD, 2nd item]

And still speaking of Posh, omg! Tonight at midnight, the Victoria's Secret website will be selling a limited number of the new Spice Girls album, which will be available only at the lingerie chain because all the music retailers went into liquidation. [Fashion Week Daily]
How precious: Sofia Coppola's 11-month old daughter played with all the shoes while the grown-ups looked at the private presentation Azzedine Alaia'c collection yesterday. We suppose a pile of Louboutins isn't all that different from the My Little Ponies of our youth. [WWD, 3rd item]
The CW network attempts to atone for canceling "Veronica Mars" with a new — scripted — drama featuring Isaac Mizrahi. It's called "The Collection," and will recount his experiences as a designer/famewhore or something. [FabSugar]
Uh-oh: Kate Moss for TopShop holiday line is available in the UK starting October 25. Which means stateside we can "look forward" to the flapper dresses and goth girl looks shortly thereafter. Will anyone care this time around? [Vogue UK]
Confirmation for anyone who ever suspected fashion design is a load of crap: Marchesa designer Keren Craig on her design partner (and Harvey Weinstein lady love) Georgina Chapman's design process: "George will call me up and say 'I'm in a taxi and I'm thinking, light boxes, tulle' - and suddenly a dress appears from nowhere!" [Vogue UK]
We like to eat fish. We are not sure yet if we would want to wear fish. Though we would if it just meant we would avoid agreeing with pain-in-the-ass Alice+Olivia designer Stacy Bendet. [NY Post]

Tom Ford Can Now Beat Off To His Very Own Internet Porn

Jennifer — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 10:00:00 EDT

Even skankier images then the ones we showed you from the Tom Ford for Men fragrance campaign go up on his website today. NSFW at all, but whatevs: You know you want to look. [Tom Ford via WWD]
Those god-awful crystal-skull printed jeans that had us screaming "Stop the inanity!" at the showing of Damien Hirst's line of Levi's on Saturday night? Set to retail for $4000. That's three zeroes! [WWD, 2nd item]
"I truly love and have a passion for fashion, but I only go to my friends' shows — Monique and Marc Jacobs," says Michele Trachtenberg. Wait a second — Harriet the Spy is friends with Marc? [WWD, 3rd item]
"Never did I think one of my daughters would be showing in Bryant Park," said Kathy Hilton at daughter Nicky's Nicholai show at Bryant Park. Hmm. Interesting. We wonder if Kathy found it less of a shocker to have one of her daughters show her pussy all over the internet and wind up in jail? [WWD, 1st item]

Take that, Molly Simms! Alice + Olivia serves cupcakes that say "Eat Me"? You really have to go back and research the origin of this ongoing feud to understand why this is funny or bitchy or just plain brain cell killing but if you're anything like us you probably just feel like a cupcake right about now. [WWD, 2nd item]
Celebs are doodling on Stuart Weitzman shoes to benefit ovarian cancer research. [Fashion Week Daily]
International Herald Tribune fashion critic Suzy Menkes eats carbs. [Fashion Week Daily]
Thank G-d: Today is the last day of New York Fashion Week! And, uh, Erev Rosh Hashana?

Molly Sims Doesn't Think Before She Speaks

Jennifer — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:00:00 EDT

Ooh, awkward! Alice+Olivia designer Stacey Bendet flew Molly Sims out to walk in her show today. Simms told New York magazine that the models at Alice+Olivia are underfed, in response to the magazine's statement that high-end shows have well-fed girls and low-end shows do not. Stacey Bendet = Pissed. Molly Sims = Stupid. [NY Post]
Do not fuck with Anna Sui. In the goody bags at her show yesterday, attendees were gifted with t-shirts which read: "Forever Wanted: Don Cassidy & The Sundance Jin, Reward $21,000. Thou shalt not steal; Exodus 20:15," a reference to Sui's current lawsuit against Forever 21 owners Don and Jin Chang and their hardcore Christianity. [WWD, 1st item]
Now Reese Witherspoon thinks she's a fashion designer too. The maybe-girlfriend of Jake Gyllenhaal is claiming to have played an integral part in designing Olivier Theyskens most recent collection for Nina Ricci. Delusional much? [Sassybella]

Burberry and Iconix: No longer fighting about prints in raincoats and copyright infringement. Us: No longer carrying about prints in raincoats and copyright infringement. [WWD, sub req'd]
Damon Dash might have sold his stake in Rocawear, but now he's establishing a partnership with Keds. Which is much, much cooler than seeing Mischa Barton's alien face hovering above a pair of slip-ons. [WWD, 2nd item]
A hearty welcome to Sarah Cristobel, who joins Harper's Bazaar online as their Senior Web Editor after having been Associate Editor at Style.com. We congratulate her on defecting from the tribe of Naste, and ask her to please brace herself for our wicked ways. [WWD, last item]
Elizabeth Smith is the new president of Avon, having formally been the head global marketing officer. We'll take some of that Super Shape Anti-Cellulite & Stretch Mark Creme, thanks! [WSJ]
Maggie Rizer threatens to destroy our street cred, and pride, with her blogging gig for ELLE.com, saying of her new gig, "Nothing about it is really hard. You just have to force yourself to sit down and type." This is the sound of our hearts breaking. [Fashion Week Daily]
Paging Oedipus? When asked for a comment about his father Ralph Lauren's 40th anniversary, David Lauren said, "Those shoes are too tough to fill!" Well, that is unless you kill your father and have sex with your mother. Just sayin'... [Fashion Week Daily]

The Godfather: Now Starring The House Of Valentino

Jennifer — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 10:14:28 EDT

The Sopranos is coming to an end, but the Valentino drama continues. Private equity firm Permira struck a deal over the weekend with the Marzotto family to buy the family's remaining shares in the fashion house. But what to do with the 20% of shares held by Antonio Favrin, a member of the Marzottos rival family? We hear James Gandolfini may be looking for work...[WWD]
Breaking news! English model Agyness Deyn's real name is... Laura Hollins. Christ. [Fashionista]
What did the two women vying for England's Labour Party's deputy leadership debate to prove their worth for the position? The cost of their handbags, of course. [Telegraph]
Versace is shifting its focus away from casino-casual clothing and towards the more-profitable gold-leaf, Medusa-head trashcan arena (also known as "home and lifestyle.") [WSJ]

Forget climate change: The most threatening environmental force right now might be English socialites' love of luxury goods. [Guardian]
More conflict in the Middle East: Gulf state private equity firms are jockeying to acquire luxury department store chain Barney's New York. [WWD, sub req'd]
Today in high-low collaborations you can't possibly still be interested in hearing about: Alice + Olivia, Payless Shoes. [WWD, sub req'd]