Jezebel: perry ellis

Brüno Takes The Cover, Takes Aim; Isabel Toledo To Dress Bo Obama?

TatianaTheAnonymousModel — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:30:00 EDT

British Marie Claire cover star Brüno gave the magazine a scintillating interview. On Naomi Campbell,: "She's amazing — twenty years in ze business und all ze pressure und fame hasn't changed her a bit — she's remained a total bitch."

In a fashion A-Z guide of his own invention, which Marie Claire ran with a disclaimer, he says:
"A is for Austria, ze most amazing place in Europe. Ve're all proud of our country und are raised to try and achieve ze Austrian dream - find a job, get a dungeon und raise a family in it."
H is for "High-vaisted Jeans. In terms of human tragedy on a mass scale, vy are zese not getting the attention zat Hurricane Katrina did?"
K is for "Kampf, mein... ze fashion bible written by Austria's black sheep Adolf Hitler. It literally translates as 'My Flamboyance'."
L is for "Little black child... thanks to Madonna... it's zis season's vardrobe essential."
S is for "September 11th 2001. Famous, of course, for being ze day on vich Oscar de la Renta reintroduced ze chambray peasant blouse."
Then, he compared Anna Wintour to "a pre-op trannie." [Marie Claire UK, Daily Mail, Telegraph]

Breaking: Versace C.E.O. Giancarlo di Risio is said to be stepping down this Friday. Di Risio has been the head of the company since 2004, but lately rumors of a rift with Donatella Versace have spread. Versace continues to struggle to make its wares attractive to consumers during this recession. [NY Times]
Karl Lagerfeld will be one of the voices of an animated French movie called Totally Spies. He's going to play a bad guy named Fabu. Which we think is Fab! [Reuters]
Isabel Toledo has already dressed Michelle Obama, but she still wants to take a crack at Bo. "I'd dress him in little booties!" said the designer. [NYDN]
Funny. She's got no beef with (or, perhaps, no rebuttal for) the coke stuff, but anyone who insinuates Kate Moss might be pregnant better watch it. She'll sue the pants off you. [WWD]
The will-I, won't-I, could-I-possibly dance comes to an end: Roberto Cavalli will sell a stake in his company. He signed a letter of intent to sell a 30% stake in Roberto Cavalli SpA to Italian private equity fund Clessidra SpA. How much the stake should be worth is something the two parties have until September 30 to determine. So, after months of teasing, this time it's totally going to happen. Except! The letter is non-binding. So our favorite gun-shy Italian could still beat a retreat at the last minute. [WSJ]
Tracey Ullman says her hosting gig at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards on June 15th will largely be an opportunity to explore how further and further derivations of celebrity affect the industry. "You can imagine Oscar de la Renta being shown a picture of Lauren Conrad, and saying, ‘Oh, if only we can get her to hold our purse!' " said Ullman. Then she did a pitch-perfect imitation of Diane von Furstenberg. [NY Times]
Fashion blogger Susie Bubble may get no love from Pam Hogg, but she still gets to preview Christopher Kane's autumn line for Topshop. "I defy people NOT to find something they like," raves Susie. The collection is apparently 40 pieces, includes shoes and bags, at a price range of approximately £40-£160. The lot hits stores across the chain this September. [Style Bubble]
Menswear designer Michael Bastian: "The hardest thing is to take something familiar and make it better. The easiest thing is to create something no one has ever seen before. There's a reason no one's ever seen it - because someone tried it, and it didn't work in the real world." [NY Times]
Perry Ellis is now sponsoring...an IndyCar driver. [Racked]
Despite the high prices, Thakoon Panichgul's just-launched second line, Thakoon Addition, is apparently doing brisk business. [Style.com]
It's in with the new and out with the old at Nina Ricci. To mark the departure of designer Olivier Theyskens, the French fashion house will be hosting a multi-season sample mega-sale, where shoes, clothing, and accessories will all move at fire sale prices. Like 40 Euros for a pair of shoes. [WWD]
Dissatisfied Saks shareholders managed to push through a resolution that will put company directors up for election annually, and require them to win their seats on the board by a simple majority, as opposed to a plurality of votes. Previously, directors had held staggered, 3-year terms. Supporting the plan was the hedge fund P. Schoenfield Asset Management, whose cry for more accountability from the board was apparently supported by such other shareholders as Carlos Slim Helú (who came to prominence in the U.S. when he invested $250 million in the New York Times earlier this year) and Tod's founder Diego Della Valle. [NY Times]
Meanwhile, Amy Odell over at The Cut takes a moment to remind everyone that fellow troubled luxury retailer Barneys still doesn't have a C.E.O. After more than a year. [The Cut]
British fashion house Aquascutum just took the first step toward laying off its entire 343-person staff. [Times of London]

Audrey Takes A Holiday With Chanel; Valentino Tried To Suppress Documentary

TatianaTheAnonymousModel — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDT

Audrey Tautou reunited with Amélie director Jean Pierre Jeunet to star in an Orient Express-themed Chanel No. 5 ad, which took three weeks to shoot. The reel's not up till May 5. [WWD]

In some perfect fashion synergy, Liya Kebede and J. Crew are at work on a creative partnership. Liya will become the first model to lend her services to an entire catalog, front-to-back, and the company's children's line, Crewcuts, will stock pieces from the model's kids' line, Lemlem. Liya launched Lemlem in 2007; it's handmade in her native Ethiopia from cotton. [FWD]
W, Glamour, T The New York Times Style Magazine and Vogue are among the fashion magazines nominated for prizes at this year's National Magazine Awards. Whoever thinks Vogue is generally excellent — or that Glamour's essays are praiseworthy — is smoking something epic. [ASME]
More from Jil Sander, on her new role with the Japanese streetwear brand Uniqlo: "We are living in a small world today. People are in easy contact with each other. There is a new collective feeling of democracy. You can sense it everywhere. It is a wonderful challenge to dress this new world as attractively as possible. I am thinking of clothes that are comfortable for everyone, beautiful and not expensive. I am convinced that there can be luxury in simplicity. One glass of water doesn't equal another. One may just appease the thirst, the other you may enjoy thoroughly. In Japan, people know about this difference. Details are everything here. The challenge for me is to establish premium quality in a democratically priced brand: Quality for everyone." [On The Runway]
Prada's favorite architect, Rem Koolhaas produced the brand's spring look book. (Which, in further proof that falling on the runway doesn't have to hurt a model's career, features Katie Fogarty, one of the girls who fell so spectacularly during the brand's spring show last September.) Koolhaas' offering fits with the trend of ever more bizarre look books — there's a classical theme, with models Photoshopped to look like crumbling statuary and other weird and wonderful effects. [OMA]
This is what L.A. fashion week has been reduced to: "model-actress Molly Sims donned a bright cranberry colored one-shouldered dress custom-designed by [Kevan] Hall for the event and decorated with real, freeze-dried cranberries to promote a new cranberry body wash by Dial." [Yahoo! News]
André Leon Talley still bothered to show up. Or was his trip just in honor of the fact that he can only freely indulge in fast food when Anna's safely in another time zone? Someone spotted the Vogue editor-at-large eating at the airport Chili's. [P6]
L.A. kid Chanel Iman's new gig as a special correspondent on the revived House of Style might be a bridge to other slashy things. [Fashionologie]
But is Chanel prepared? She admitted to only YouTubing a few minutes of old host Cindy Crawford's footage since getting the job. "There's Cindy, and ... I forgot the other girls' names! But I know there's more. Cindy was the only one I found on YouTube when I did my research," said the model, unpromisingly. She also gave a false birth year in the same interview. Alas, I know very well why even a girl born in 1989 might start shaving a tad off her age in this industry. [The Cut]
Matt Tyrnauer, the Vanity Fair writer who directed the new documentary on Valentino, The Last Emperor, says that when the designer and his partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, first saw his film, they "freaked out." And tried to have scenes removed, despite having the fact that Tyrnauer held full creative control. But now, having seen audiences react positively to the portrait, they have come to appreciate Tyrnauer's efforts. [On The Runway]
That much hoped-for bail-out of the Italian garment industry looks like it will indeed come to pass: industry minister Claudio Scajola resumed his talks with industry heads last night. Italy exported $35 billion worth of fashion goods in 2008, making it the world's second-largest apparel exporter, and the center of manufacture for nearly all high-end handbags and shoes. The Italian fashion industry employs some 800,000 people. [Forbes]
Perry Ellis failed to meet even lowered expectations for the quarter, announcing a loss of $22.3 million, mainly due to write-downs. [WSJ]
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, paid $933.6 million in bonuses to about 1 million of its hourly staff yesterday, or about two-thirds of its total workforce. The bonus pool was increased by 46% on last year's. Occasionally a man does bite a dog, I guess. [WSJ]

Fashion Show

Dodai — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:40:00 EDT

Fashion week has begun, and ladies aren't the only ones getting presented a new vision for fall: There are a few designers showing for men today. Perry Ellis (designed by John Crocco) pictures Spring 2009 as a parade of plaid shirts, seersucker suits and pink shorts. Would any guys you know dress like this? (Click the photo at left for a gallery of selected looks.)

George Clooney Is Not A Fashion Designer

Jennifer — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:30:00 EDT

Holy fuck: George Clooney, fashion designer?! [WWD, sub req'd]
No: Just a prank pulled by some douchey Italians. [WWD, 1st item]
Says Clooney: "This is a hoax. I have no connection whatsoever with any clothing line bearing my name, and more specifically GC Exclusive by George Clooney." Ok,ay well now we know. [Vogue UK]
And how did Vivienne Westwood celebrate Easter? By marching for nuclear disarmament, of course. [Vogue UK]
Whoah: they serve cake every Friday at the H&M design offices?! [WWD]
The Banana Republic green line is, um, literally green. [Nylon]
Nicole Richie is starting a jewelry line. Which is only a bit less offensive than starting a handbag line. [Off The Rack]

I can't tell if it makes me happy or sad that Topshop is going to be featuring Helmut Newton photos in their stores. [Fashion Week Daily]
Mazel tov to Saks Fifth Avenue for having the first-ever video catalog. Because now it's easier and more visually exciting to have expensive shit shilled at you! [MediaPost]
New York Fashion Week: Moving to to the Port Authority, probs. [NYMag]
Breaking news: Proctor & Gamble just bought Frederic Fekkai. [WSJ]
India Fashion Week brought all the boys to the yard. [WWD, sub req'd]
DSquared2: Doing eyewear. [Vogue UK]
Perry Ellis: Doing a bed and bath line. [MediaPost]
Versace helicopters! [Chic Report]
No money for beauty treatments because of the recession? Just wipe some aspirin across your face. [BellaSugar]
Leaping lizards, Batman! A smiling model! [Sassybella]
I would actually wear a bra if I had a Twin Peaks Bra. [UPI]

Christian Siriano Leads A Fashionable, Fame-Whorish Life

Jennifer — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:30:00 EDT

Christian Siriano for president! I mean, hell, if Sienna Miller, Eve, Brett Ratner, Becki Newton, and Brittany Murphy all like him, surely the's a uniter, not a divider. [Page Six]
Botkier is doing a line of bags for Target. [WWD, 1st item]
Designer Anna Sui on what she does: "My main objective was to design clothes for rock stars and people who went to rock concerts... The ultimate goal of making a show that is entertaining for people is always in the back of my mind. I also think, 'Is this collection going to be cool enough for people like Keith Richards to appreciate?'" [WWD, sub req'd]
And designer Isabel Toledo on what she does: "I try to interpret things. A garden can have a shape and I interpret that." [WWD, sub req'd]

English model Daisy Lowe (aka - bastard lovechild of Gavin Rossdale and Pearl Lowe) is like the new Agyness and everyone wants her "style." [Vogue UK]
Marc Jacobs and Jason Preston are off. Again. [Perez Hilton]
J. Crew: pushing accessories hard. Which is almost like pushing drugs hard. Almost. [WWD, sub req'd]
Avon is in talks with crazy print-maker Marimekko to do a color cosmetics collection. Which seems weirdly enticing. [WWD, sub req'd]
Yeah this coat is really cool. [Vogue UK]
Want some freebie Ferragamo perfume? Than take a flight on Singapore Airlines. [Fashion Week Daily]

Nothing Says "Maturity" Quite Like Heidi Montag

Jennifer — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:30:00 EST

Clothing line Anchor Blue has signed Heidi Montag to be its new face. Because execs want to appeal to a "slightly older" demographic. No, really. [WWD, sub req'd]
Would you like to be Erin O'Connor's escort to a show during London Fashion Week? Well lucky for you she's holding a contest with Vogue UK. To win her hand (or, you know, the seat next to her) all you have to do is compose her a poem. Start work-shopping those dirty limericks here! [Vogue UK]
Thrilling/disturbing news: Steve & Barry's has inked a licensing deal allowing them to create and sell t-shirts bearing images and logos from The Little Rascals, The Andy Griffith Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Brady Bunch, The Love Boat, The Twilight Zone, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Cheers and Beverly Hills 90210. And if you feel a twinge of sadness that the average Steve & Barry's customer has probably never known the joy of watching an episode of Laverne & Shirley, just think of the poor children in China who will be sewing them. [WWD, sub req'd]

So the family of the actual Ossie Clark, whose namesake label was just revived during the opening of London Fashion Week, says they never gave anyone permission to use the house's name. And are now taking legal action. Awkward. [WWD, 4th item]
Talk about expensive shit! Remember those Van Cleef & Arpels-Earnest Sewn jeans we told you about? They retail for between $9,700 and $11,300. Also, they are fug. [Fashion Week Daily]
"I couldn't fit into my [Bill] Blass sample. I guess it's because I'm not an 18-year-old Russian." Socialite Plum Sykes: just like us! [Fashion Week Daily]
Ooh la la: Heidi Klum and Seal on the cover of French ELLE! [Sassybella]
Alessandra Gucci (daughter of dead Maurizio) is launching her own accessories line under the label AG, since the Gucci clan won't let any of its usurping-relatives use the family name to promote their own half-wit businesses. But Alessandra's business sounds less half-wit than most: It's all alligator handbags in pretty colors. And the girl does have a degree in economics, so good for her? [WWD, 2nd item]
Perry Ellis revenues are down. Insert instinctual defensive remark about the halycon days of Marc Jacobs and his grunge collection. [WWD, sub req'd]
Jones Apparel also doing not so good. That's a recession for you, folks! [Reuters]
Liz Claiborne is thisclose to selling off Ellen Tracy to (who else) a private equity firm. The sale will fetch $50 million, which...seems kind of low, albeit to someone who will never see that kind of cash ever. [NY Post]

Naomi Campbell Is Still Mad That Ethnic Models Aren't Working

Jennifer — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:30:00 EST

"Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington would go to big designers and say: 'If you don't want Naomi to be in your show, then I don't want to be in it'...Women of colour are not a trend...That's the bottom line." — Naomi Campbell, still fighting for the cause of models of color. [Vogue UK]
Speaking of women of color: Liya Kebede is looking to diversify! The model will be launching a children's clothing line made in Ethiopia but sold in the United States. [Chic Report]
Dylan McDermott on why he attended the Proenza Schouler show: "My publicist said I should come." We admire his honesty. [WWD, 1st item]
Saleisha from ANTM walked in the Tibi show yesterday. No one cared. [Fashion Week Daily]

And this is why I can't get enough of wunderkind designer Chris Benz: "Fall was kind of inspired by the time when I was staying in the 8th arrondissement in Paris...and there were these amazing old women with their slips showing, who would wear a hat from 1952 that they just pulled out. It was very Carol Channing. This will be known as the granny collection!" (Though Benz told me at his presentation on Monday night that the collection was inspired by The Royal Tenenbaums, but whatevs.) [Fashion Week Daily]
Natalia Vodianova isn't really retiring! Says the Russian model, "I think maybe I'll do one a year. I don't want to get rusty." [FabSugar]
Marie Claire editor-in-chief Joanna Coles on the Halston show: "I actually thought a lot of the models were too young to wear the clothes!" Obvs. [Chic Report]
Rihanna on why she designed her umbrella line for Totes, "We ladies hate walking around with clumsy umbrellas all the time." True 'dat. [WWD, 2nd item]
Why Rachel Zoe claims to have not been at the Halston show on Monday, "I have five clients in town and my television show, and my day job comes first." Haha — bitch totally got fired. [WWD, 5th item]
Through the magic of Facebook, spoiled teens (and bored bloggers who spend way too much time on Facebook) can tell all the world if they prefer Barneys to Coach and Marc Jacobs to Victoria's Secret. [WWD, sub req'd]
Cole Haan's new CEO wants the label to re-invent itself and become super-cool. LOL! [WWD, sub req'd]
In case you still haven't heard: The economy's really bad. Which is why Macy's is thinking of consolidating its regional operations. [WWD, sub req'd]
Liz Claiborne has sold Laundry by Design and C&C California to Perry Ellis. We hope they're happy together. [WWD, sub req'd]
Ralph Lauren's net income: Up by 2%. People still love that stupid little polo horse? [WSJ]
Wish you were at Monday night's Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony launch party? Pretend that you were with this video. [NYT]
And watch the Proenza Schouler show for yourself here. [Sassybella]

Nicole Miller Follows In Footsteps Of Anna Wintour, Pisses PETA Off

Jennifer — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:00:00 EDT

PETA will be protesting outside of Nicole Miller's Fashion Week show because of her use of fur. And in a (failed) preemptive strike, Miller has issued a statement promising that only 12 of 150,000 pieces to be manufactured from the Spring/Summer 2008 collection being shown will contain fur trim. She also promises to be fur-free starting with her Fall/Winter 2008 collection to be shown in February. [WWD, sub req'd]
MySpace continues its foray into fashionmania, partners with InStyle, airs release of Paris Hilton's clothing line at LA's Kitson. Oh yeah: This is definitely what the road to success looks like. [WWD, 2nd item]
Paper magazine has hired thirteen developmentally-challenged artists to create a window display for Barneys interpreting the Fall/Winter 207 collections. [WWD, 2nd item]
Crocs: The clothing line? Noooooooooooooooooooooo. [WSJ]

Uniqlo! Contest! T-shirt design! $866,290 (approx) prize. Dude, we've never designed anything, but sure as hell are gonna try now. [Vogue UK]
A bunch of designers — including, um, Scarlett Johansson — have created charms for a limited-edition charm bracelet on sale to benefit Cancer Research UK. [Vogue UK]
We sorta love the idea of a clothing lined named "To Sir With Love." [Vogue UK]
The CEO of Perry Ellis says they're trying to catch the trend first and go green with their designs. Uh, hasn't Stella McCartney been doing this for like the past 7 years? [NYT]
Case in point: Purchase of organic clothing and cosmetics are up by 20% this year in the UK. [Telegraph]
Kinda barfy fashion news of the day: Lancome's chief make-up artist Gucci Westman designed a signature lipstick for designer Thakoon to showcase during his upcoming Spring/Summer 2008 collection. And it's called Pout-a-Porter. Ew. [Sassybella]
Pee-your-pants quote-of-the-day: Designer Lela Rose on her favorite look from her upcoming Spring/Summer 2008 collection: "One of my favorites is a sporty taffeta anorak paired with a sweetheart dress made of guipure lace over burlap linen." [The Fashion Informer]