Label Closures

Christian Lacroix's namesake house teetered on the brink of collapse for the better part of this year. After filing for bankruptcy in Paris this May, owners the Falic Group announced a "restructuring" plan that would see the couture house shuttered, and the Lacroix name live on only in ready-to-wear and accessories licenses. After it became known that the house of Lacroix had never turned a profit in 22 years of operation, Christian Lacroix told the press he was "too angry to cry," and that he had been working without pay for over a year.

A frenzied campaign to save the business ensued. One couture client made an offer to buy; but during the bankruptcy process, suitors like France's Bernard Krief Consulting and Italy's Borletti Group dropped out. A relative of the Sheikh of Ajman in the United Arab Emirates made a serious offer, and seemed to speak seriously of Christian Lacroix private jets and Christian Lacroix yachts and Christian Lacroix lifestyle products; for a while, it seemed all would end well, and a fantastic couture collection was shown in July despite the cash-strapped state of affairs. However, the sheikh could not provide financial assurances to the bankruptcy court, and on December 1, Falic Group's own worst-case-scenario plans were put into place. At least 100 people lost their jobs. Christian Lacroix lost the rights to his own name, and started designing uniforms for French railway workers.

Luella, the critically acclaimed and very popular British label founded in 1999 by Luella Bartley, closed less than 12 months after being named Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. The distributor withdrew its backing after the Italian company that produced Luella clothing went bankrupt. Bartley said at the time that she hopes to revive the label, when the credit crunch eases.

More avant-gard designers also have not fared well this year, as perhaps might be expected. Yohji Yamamoto announced it had filed for bankruptcy protection, with debts of around $68 million, in Japan this October. (It is continuing its operations while in bankruptcy.) Belgian designer Véronique Branquinho was forced to shutter her 12-year-old line in May. New York-based Phi, founded by billionaire's wife Susan Dell and designed by Andreas Melbostad, announced it would close up shop just this week.

Photo: A model in a 2004 Véronique Branquinho show in Paris.

Jennifer Lopez has had bad luck with her clothing lines. The star founded JLO clothing in 2007, and closed it two years later. Replacement label Justweet lasted two seasons. This June, her latest effort, Sweetface, also bit the dust. Good thing she's still raking in the dough from her perfumes.

You're Fired

After rumors swirled for months, Olivier Theyskens was finally fired from Nina Ricci. His last collection included towering heel-less Gothic boots, which later turned up in an evening ensemble worn by none other than Daphne Guinness. Peter Copping was his replacement. Anna Wintour, who allegedly gasped, "How could you do this to me?" when told the news, was so upset by the whole episode that she wrote a letter from the editor about it:

Olivier Theyskens's recent departure from Nina Ricci suggests to me that the vital role of artistic talent has been obscured in the current economic climate. My staff and I were shocked to learn that Theyskens's contract would not be renewed; and I am very concerned that the business of fashion is undervaluing the most important asset our industry requires: creative visionaries. There's a reason we continue to see Theyskens's influence everywhere, from catwalks to the mall. He'll be back, but fashion must hold its nerve. This is the mission that we at Vogue happily shoulder.

Despite this ringing endorsement, by the end of this year, all we've heard of the gifted Belgian is that he's writing a book and "discussing" a "retail concept" with Tory Burch's husband.

The whole situation at the house of Ungaro this year is just Kafkaesque in its web of intricate reversals of fortune and surprise non-sequiturs. After many strenuous denials that any such move might even be considered, might even be on the table, C.E.O. Mounir Moufarrige summarily fired young Colombian designer Esteban Cortazar for failing to generate sales and buzz for the esteemed, though somewhat dusty, fashion house — and, we later learned, for refusing to work with Lindsay Lohan.

New designer Estrella Archs was brought on board — with La Lohan as her "artistic adviser" sidekick. ("It could work," said Moufarrige.) Their collection of very short, very tight, and very embellished dresses was widely panned by critics and the line was dropped by most of its U.S. distributors; Lohan later distanced herself from the decision to style the show models with heart-shaped sparkly pasties over their nipples. Then the Times of London visited her and found a disturbing scene:

The room looks like the aftermath of one of those home-alone teen parties advertised on Facebook that then gets horribly out of hand. Chaos rules. Designer clothes are strewn everywhere; most of them from a sweep of the Emanuel Ungaro boutique that Lohan made upon her arrival in Paris, walking away with an estimated £90,000 worth of free clothes. Shoes, make-up, jewellery, even a stray lampshade obscure the hotel carpet. Her passport is in here somewhere. She's been looking for it for days.

Even Ungaro himself spoke out to attack Archs and Lohan's efforts; Moufarrige denied the disastrous reception had caused any tensions, and said Lohan would stay. Then he himself abruptly quit. Stay tuned for what happens next!

That Old-Time Revival Feeling

Halston was revived. Again. This time designer Marios Schwab was chosen to helm it, and former designer Marco Zanini and stylist Rachel Zoe were ditched.

Halston book published by Phaidon


Former Valentino chief executive Matteo Marzotto and Marni chief executive Gianni Castiglioni bought the rights to the house of Vionnet in February. The clothes, when they came, were perhaps the biggest disappointment of the year. Hint to designers: There is so much you can do with Vionnet! The real Vionnet frikking invented cutting on the bias, okay? Have the temerity to at least try something daring.

Bill Blass was one of the recession's earliest casualties. The talented creative director, Peter Som, and all the other employees were fired unceremoniously just before Christmas last year; the bankrupt label was later sold, for a bargain basement price of $10 million. (In January of this year, just before his planned show at New York Fashion Week, Peter Som lost the financial backing for his own label, too.) Just this month, the new owners, Peacock Holdings, announced Jeffrey Monteiro would be taking over the designing reins. We'll see his first collection — the Times called Monteiro's clothes "nothing startling" — next winter.

Photo of a model wearing Peter Som's Fall 2008 collection for Bill Blass, the bankrupt company's most recent.


Biba. Again.

Beyond Biba documentary poster via FashionTribes


You're Hired!

Jil Sander has the unusual distinction of having been fired from her namesake label by its new owners not once, but twice. After being told her services were no longer required by Prada group owner Patrizio Bertelli for the second time, in 2004, the German designer began a long period of fashion exile. (Perhaps she had a non-compete clause to abide by.) This year, she was spotted at an industry textiles fair scouting for fabrics — and tongues started wagging. A collaboration with Uniqlo was the surprise result, and Sander's minimalist eye is now employed as the Japanese fast-fashion chain's creative director. Her second +J collection launches in the new year.

Clothing Lines Of The Stars

In 2009, everyone who was anyone got a clothing line. (Or that potentially even more remunerative consolation prize, a namesake perfume.) In the stormy waters of a recession, perhaps it's no surprise that plenty of megabrands would seek the safe harbor of a celebrity and her or his contractually obligated promotional heft.

Not one month after finally shuttering Christian Lacroix, the Falic Group announced the launch of an Eva Longoria perfume. Despite the fact that Longoria is allergic to perfume. Miley & Max Azria did a clothing line for Wal-Mart. Toby Keith sold plaid shirts; he had that much in common with the Kings of Leon. Kevin Federline announced a children's line. Mischa Barton said, of her headband line, "People want to see that you can deliver and do, like, a good job."

Richie Rich rebounded from the 2008 closure of Heatherette with an "eco-friendly" swimwear line he created with Pamela Anderson. (I actually saw the launch of this live, in New Zealand. Richie Rich rollerskated, and the runway show concluded with Anderson, clad only in a scarf, accidentally flashing the audience during her bow.) Brad and Angelina did a serpentine collection for the jewelers Asprey. It started at $525, for a baby spoon.


Whitney Port tried to get Bergdorf Goodman to buy her clothing line in the finale of The City. The Olsen twins, after a couple years hitting the top of the market with The Row and Elizabeth and James, returned to their mass tween roots with a JC Penney's collection called Olsenboye. Emma Watson said the idea of a perfume named after her made her want to vomit, but did an ethical clothing collection with People Tree. (Mischa's other line, Tree People, sadly remains hotly anticipated, at least by me.) Katie Holmes released weird jumpsuits with stylist Jeanne Yang under the label Holmes & Yang.

And I leave you with news of the strangest star collaboration of all 2009: the announcement, in June, that John Malkovich would show a line called Technobohemian at Milan's men's wear week. We may not be John Malkovich, but we can dress like him.

What will 2010 bring? This was the year of huge falls in sales and constant readjustments; 2010's shocks, coming after this raft of closures and downsizings and layoffs and consecutive quarters of declining year-on-year results will, hopefully, seem and be modest. Nobody in the fashion industry is out of the woods yet, but perhaps it's not naïve to hope that the rate of attrition should at least slow down.

The rate of stupid celebrity fashion collab debuts, however, is a trend I expect to remain strong. At least Lindsay Lohan's second collection for Ungaro should be worth watching.

• Apparently Thierry Mugler's doing Beyonce's tour costumes. This could go in one of two directions. [Style.com]
• Diddy: “I’m only about five minutes late because I was running around and spraying people." We think he's talking about his new "I Am King" fragrance — a monarch's gotta mark his territory! [WWD]
• Let's continue to pretend we have some impact on Michelle's inaugural gown selection and evaluate these choices. [Forbes]
• We kind of assumed it was confirmed, but yes! Katie Holmes for Miu Miu. She was shot by "Mert and Marcus," our new band name. [ElleUK]
• Not a trick question: what do moddles eat on Thanksgiving? Food! [New York]

• Extremely awesome Luella Bartlet wins "Designer of the Year" at British Fashion Awards. "Bartley is the mother of three children and lives in Cornwall with her surfer-fashion photographer partner, David Sims." Other honorees included milliner Stephen Jones, Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey, and photog Tim Walker. [Telegraph]
• Check out Luella's Spring line here. [VogueUK]
• And Jourdan Dunn upset Agyness for moddle honors! [New York]
• To add insult to injury, Agy and Lily Allen were strip-serached at Dubai airport! [The Sun]
• Meet the "Madison Avenue (Doll) House, a futuristic structure displayed from suspension hangers. It features four fully decorated floors, replete with miniature replicas of Calvin Klein apparel, accessories and home furnishings, from clothing to tabletop." [WWD]
• Talk of a SAG strike is bad news for the designers counting on awards season for a much-needed boost. [WWD]
• J. Crew is down 30% — but still better off than analysts expected! [The Street]
• About time: they say they're going to return to "more friendly price points for Spring." [WWD]
• Talbots posts a quarterly loss but hopes a new credit agreement will buoy them. [NY Times]
• Meanwhile, the Liz Claiborne slide continues as it's issued a "negative" rating. In case you're wondering, that's bad. [Crains]
• Glam David — designer Richie Rich — beats the Goliath who sued him to stop using the "Richie Rich" name after acquiring Heatherette. [Page Six Magazine]
• Lego fashion show considerably more awesome than real fashion show. [AdWeek]
• Ernest Sewn launches cheap room for the cash-strapped. [Fashionista]
• Black Friday looms extra-manic as stores play 'how low can you go?' [WWD]

• Punk queen Vivienne Westwood is releasing her first album! Well, sort of. "Conceptualised, compiled and art-directed by the designer personally, the album - which is being released by Mercury Records - features 16 of the favourite songs of fashion's grande dame, which, in typical Westwood style, are anything but predicable; think Last Night Was Made For Love by Billy Fury alongside Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers." [VogueUK]
• The fact that Christina Aguilera seems so totally stable these days doesn't bode well for her new fragrance, "Inspire." Aguilera says the scent "is a natural extension of herself." But who wants to smell like happily-married mom without a substance abuse problem these days? [USA Today]
• It's official! Debbie Phelps has signed an endorsement deal with Chico's! [WSJ]
• Kate Moss returns to the catwalk after four years! Again: Well, sorta. "Kate grabbed a top hat and cane to join Beth Ditto of The Gossip in the show which was hosted by Scissor Sisters' singer Ana Matronic, and attended by a cheering posse of the model's friends including boyfriend Jamie Hince." [This Is London]

• "Even as you read this, New York Fashion Week, debuting the spring 2009 collections, is unfurling on the Bryant Park runways, all but oblivious to the fact that most Americans are too busy choosing between food and fuel to worry about foulards versus fan pleats." [Village Voice]
• Menswear designer takes a page from Italian Vogue: "Carlos Campos is showing his first women's collection Monday during Fashion Week, and he's just announced he'll use only black models in the runway show at the Altman Building." Great, but ultimately can't using a mix of models just become standard? [NY Mag]
• Does footwear herald changes in Republicanland? "Mrs. Bush opted for comfortable, unexciting slingbacks while Mrs. McCain went with considerably higher, coquettish black peep-toe pumps." Palin, of course, favors Ferrari-red heels. [Observer]
• In other sartorial convention news, conservatives, unsurprisingly, dress conservatively. "No untamed hair, no rumpled, loose-fitting skirts and trousers made from varying blends of linen, hemp and flax. On men, no shirttails hanging out or low-slung, baggy shorts and pants." [StarTribune]
• In Britain, meanwhile, female politicians stay resolutely dowdy. [Telegraph]
• Lauren Conrad: down but not out! The plucky polymath has some fall designs back up on her site. [OhNoTheyDidn't]
• Designer Yigral Azrouel branches into condoms: “Having grown up with five sisters, causes related to women’s health and wellness are close to my heart. I love being able to apply my passion for design to raise awareness for Planned Parenthood®. My business is largely founded on designing for women, so it is really about taking that mindset and applying it to a product like PROPER ATTIRE® to figure out what appeals to a woman." I guess they've given up on condoms appealing to men. [NY Mag]
• We're mad at Target for dropping Isaac Mizrahi, but maybe he'll jazz up Liz Claiborne? [WWD]
• Ethically-produced jeans have made the leap from worthy to wearable. [Guardian]
• Yet another college comes to its senses: UNC drops out of Victoria's Secret college line. [USNews]
• Check it: the Gisele for Max Factor ads. [People]
• More deets on the Vena Cava/Via Spiga collab! [Sassybella]
• We bring peace to the Middle East! And by "peace" I mean "Payless Shoes." [WSJ]
• Calvin Klein's successor Francisco Costa: “I never thought of filling anybody’s shoes...That was never a consideration. Calvin did what he did. Am I Calvin? Absolutely not. Am I respecting the label? Yes. Am I doing what I am supposed to do? I think I am. Am I respecting myself? Yes. Am I having fun? Yes. Do I like being here? I love being here." [WWD]
• Is he responsible for CK's astronomical growth? [WWD]
• We all know how designers love playing editor! (see: Tom Ford.) "For Elle's October issue, The London Issue, four British designers have created their ultimate Elle covers." They include Luella Bartley, Giles Deacon, Gareth Pugh, and Matthew Williamson. [ElleUK]

• Oh look! It's Melanie Griffith and her 17-year-old daughter Dakota, who is a model, entirely on her own merit. Oh what? You would rather have nepotism in charge of some less-influential realm of the public sphere? Hey, look who's on TV talking about the troop surge! So the scandal here is: does Dakota's modeling card lie about her size? [SassyBella]
  
• PETA crashed a private Alexander McQueen fashion show in New York last night with its signature blood-red paint and hollering protesters. The animal rights group was nicer to New York State's first lady, however, [PETA, NY Daily News]
  
• If Donna Karan is the like the crazy aunt who gave you your first joint, Diane von Furstenberg is the crazy aunt who bought your first vibrator. Says DVF: "Women inspire me... Sometimes, when people hear the word 'feminist', they think that means looking down on the idea of being feminine, but you can be feminine and feminist. But I do believe in the strength of women and I do believe that women can save the world." [Independent]
  
• A Chopard watch selling for $15,715 is totally unacceptable. Oh wait, it benefits the ASPCA: Nevermind! Yay for puppies! [Fashion Week Daily]

• The economy is shaking at its foundations and somehow H&M is still raking in the cash. [Times UK]
• We think that feathered corsets sound kinda freakish and, also: ugly. Knowing they will be worn by Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw in the upcoming Sex and the City movie confirms this feeling. [LA Times]
• Seriously, can someone explain to me why Carlos Santana has a women's shoe line? Really. The whole "universe is absurd" excuse can only go so far. [Dear Jen: the musician and the shoe designer are not the same person. -Ed.] [UPI]
• Remember when we asked last week, Who would want Heatherette for M.A.C. make-up? Well now we know! Former Top Model winner Caridee English. [Fashion Week Daily]
• Sass & Bide is going to do a diffusion line called s&b for the (rich) youngins. [News.com.au]
• Patsy and Edie's favorite designer Christian Lacroix is curating a photo exhibit on Arles, France. [News.com.au]
• Blah blah Luella Bartley collaborating with Tonic to do eco-aware tees blah blah helping children. [WWD, 3rd item]
• Rest assured, law enforcement is on top of the phony George Clooney clothing line. [WWD, sub req'd]

• Rachel Zoe is getting her own reality show on Bravo, set to air in either June or September of this year. The show promises to bring a much-needed behind-the-scenes glimpse of the secretive world of helping celebrities shop by following one of its most obscure-yet-fascinating practitioners as she goes about the...Ugh, please just end this writer's strike already. [Fashion Week Daily]
  
• But God is not altogether merciless! Stock in Crocs is in the shitter. [Rocky Mountain News]
  
• Frances Bean Cobain: the new face of Chanel? Hopefully Lagerfeld et al can make her look a little better than she does in the photo dug up here. [PopCrunch]
  
• In case you were wondering, Project Runway season 2 finalist Daniel Vosovic thinks that the contestants on the early seasons of the Bravo reality show were much more talented than those this season. We agree, albeit less arrogantly. [NY Mag]
  
• Jay-Z just bought a small London fashion house Artful Dodger, which may explain why he's been stocking up on European currency. [Mirror UK]

• Cosmetics company Jan Marini is being forced to take its Age Intervention Eyelash Conditioner off the market because it apparently contains the same (patented) ingredients as certain glaucoma medications. [WSJ]
• Writing it does not make it so: We refuse to believe shiny leggings are flattering. [NY Mag]
• Pharrell Williams to "design" a line of Louis Vuitton jewelry. [Fashion Week Daily]
• Vans is suing Sketchers, saying that only the skater slip-on shoemakers can use their iconic checkerboard print. We're sure suburban pseudo-punks everywhere agree. [NYT]
• Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Jil Sander, Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Narciso Rodriguez and Versace are just some of the designers participating in a "sustainable" fashion show on January 31st in New York. Why not just make their own fall shows sustainable, you ask? [WWD, sub req'd]
• In either really good or really bad news for the gays (and the people who love them): Everyone's favorite no-longer-in-love designers of almost-campy "sexy" fashion, Dominco Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, are releasing the first ever D & G calendar, replete with naked men. The designers say that women are super into it. [WWD, sub req'd]
• Good news! No one look like they're being raped in the spring Dolce & Gabbana ads. [FabSugar]
• John Galliano's Christmas cards show Christian Dior putting hot rollers in Johnny G's hair! [WWD, 1st item]
• Luella Bartley: Ain't gonna come back to New York for the Fall 2008 shows in February. Staying home in Mother England and showing there instead. [WWD, 3rd item]
• Yohji Yamamoto: Now doing casualwear. [Fashion Week Daily]
• Christian Louboutin: Appearing on Oprah January 18th. [Fashion Week Daily]
• The first Laura Ashley store to open in Ashley's home country of Wales is closing. Wherever shall the Welsh procure their Little House on the Prairie garb now? [Telegraph]

• Tory Burch is designing a line inspired by old pictures of Martha Stewart, back from when Martha Stewart looked sort of like a pretty version of Tory Burch. [As I'm sure you can imagine, Jennie, who loves both WASPs and fashion-pop culture collabos like the proverbial fat kid loves cake, is in a corner somewhere heaving in ecstasy. Hey Jennie, Ralph Lauren called, and he's got a message for you! "I Am Your Father." -Moe] [Fashion Week Daily]
  
• Ever wondered how Miuccia Prada transported herself from office to car in those heels? A giant slide. Sort of what you'd expect, but whoa. [Sassybella]
  
• Vivienne Westwood, Luella Bartley and others are designing dresses inspired by the Disney princesses as part of the celebration of Euro Disney's 15th anniversary. The dresses will be auctioned off with proceeds going to UNICEF, which is the part you should focus on, as opposed to whatever the fuck the guy who drops a few hundred grand on a Westwood-designed Ariel gown will actually be doing with it. [FemaleFirst]

• J. Mendel designer Gilles Mendel has a band called Born Again Baldwins. Um, quirky? [WWD, 2nd item]
• We love Julianne Moore. Which is why we're not exactly thrilled to bring you the news that Vogue sponsored the reading she held for her children's book Freckleface Ball yesterday, at the Hogan store. [WWD, 3rd item]
• M.A.C. raised $100 million in funds for the M.A.C. AIDS Foundation! Wait, you mean to tell us fashion does actually give back? [Fashion Week Daily]
• What has Elizabeth Hurley been up to? "I'm still working on my bikini line, but I've also started to work on my organic farming." Of course she has. [Fashion Week Daily]
• Don't you just hate when the claim that your overpriced line of yoga wear is made from seaweed turns out not to be true? [NYT]
• Tiffany's is after eBay, saying it is not doing anything to crack down on sellers of counterfeit Tiffany's baubles. [WSJ]
• Burberry profits are up 31%. They credit "accessories" which is investor relations speak for "accessibly priced crap that comes in that signature plaid, duh." [FT]
• Says fashion designer/sister of fashion photographer Mario Testino of the strong creative genes in their family: "I have a brother in Paris who works with Mario, a sister in New York who is an interior designer, another sister in Peru who designs jewellery but also works with Mario - in fact we all do a bit - we're his slaves!" Um, nevermind. Not strong genes. Strong chains. [Vogue UK]
• Prada. Limited edition. Keychains. Design taken from Prada archives from the '30's. Also, teddy bears. [Vogue UK]

• Tom Ford has purchased a large tract of land near his New Mexico home to prevent it from being sullied by oil harvesters. For what did we invade Iraq, if not to preserve the nation's country homes? [Vogue UK]
  
• The rumor mill reports that Jessica Simpson has inked a fragrance deal, and the scent will be on shelves by this summer. Top notes of Chicken Of The Sea, perhaps? [Sassybella]
  
• "I don't like cheap things usually, but this collection is nice and of good quality," says Anna Della Russo, who styled the Roberto Cavalli for H&M ads. [Fashion Week Daily]
  
• English designer Luella Bartley has decided that what the world needs now is...a line of femme-only surfwear that is both totally "street" and totally "70's" Ummm, whatever. Brazilian dance band CSS' frontwoman Lovefoxxx will be the face of the nonsensical line. [Vogue UK]

• Now that Karl Lagerfeld has graced China with his Fendi fashion show, the floodgates have opened! Yohji Yamamoto is headed to Beijing next. [WWD, 2nd item]
• The San Francisco Ballet and Saks Fifth Avenue are throwing a huge party for Patsy and Edina's favorite designer, Christian Lacroix! Which is why it's not really awkward that he told them he isn't going to be able to make it.... [WWD, 1st item]
• Tiffany & Co is branching out into eyewear. Sure to be spotted exclusively by 13- and 14-year old girls within, oh, 2 days of its launch. [WWD, sub req'd]
• Over 700 fans turned up to see Tom Ford in an appearance he made at a Milan department store, promoting his stupid fragrance Tom Ford for Men with its even stupider NSFW advertising campaign. [WWD, 1st item]
• Barney's Creative Director Simon Doonan is awesome but a complete liar: "[P]eople in the fashion industry are actually quite warm. They're always congregating and interacting. I honestly wish they were more bitchy, like the folks in the music business. But our flock is very sweet." [Fashion Week Daily]
• The children who were found in India making Gap clothing should be reunited with their families soon. In the meantime, Gap pays the expected lip service, thanking the media for exposing this problem and saying how of course they do not use nor support child labor. [MSNBC.com]
• More than 20 cities worldwide stage their own biannual fashion weeks, which means you could probably spend an entire year attending a fashion week every single day, which will probably be a really clever-sounding book proposal in a few weeks — the year I spent doing nothing but waiting in line and starving myself in 20 international destinations! — on the quirks of culture and globalization and the meaning of fashion, etc. Paging Lauren Goldstein Crowe! [Sassybella]

The Good:
Doru Lolwu makes us have 50's nostalgia; Paul Smith Woman finds a moment of Calvin Klein in a sea of nouveau prep; and and Marios Schwab keeps things tailored.
Luella Bartley makes sex look classy; Peter Jensen channels Jean Seberg; and TopShop keep everything crisp and clean.


The Bad:
Danielle Scutt went for the leopard / bondage look (Liza Minnelli on a bad day?); Louise Goldin took knitwear somewhere knitwear just shouldn't have gone; and Christopher Kane got lost in ruffles.


The Ugly:
Gareth Pugh. Wow: This just screams ready-to-wear to us, doesn't it?

[All images except TopShop via ELLE.com; TopShop images via Style.com.]

• Designer Alice Roi can't decide if she wants to commit to a permanent boutique so she's testing the waters with a pop-up store in New York, open today through Sunday. Roi-designed accessories, long-designed, but never sold, will also be featured. [WWD]
• The latest TV show about the fashion industry, The Fashionista Diaries, chronicles the process leading up to Charlotte Ronson's Spring/Summer 2007 show in September. Appropriately, the series will air on SoapNet, the soap opera channel.[WWD, final item]
• Tommy Hilfiger appeared on Oprah yesterday to denounce rumors that he doesn't want his designs purchased by minorities. [WWD, 1st item]

• Chloe meets Chloe! Actress Chloe Sevigny becomes the face of the new fragrance put out by the house of Chloe. [WWD]
• Luella Bartley is preparing for a homecoming: After presenting her designs in New York since 2001, she's decided to return to Mother England for her Spring/Summer collection this September. [Vogue UK]
• Snap! Gucci CEO Robert Polet puts down former Gucci designer, infamous narcisisst, and self-made man Tom Ford, opining that designers with celebrity personalities do nothing to enhance a brand. [Vogue UK]
• Italian designer Roberto Cavalli says he doesn't enjoy dressing actresses (they "don't like to look like a winner") instead preferring musicians (who are more apt to "show themselves"). [Houston Chronicle]