Hurricane Sandy may have delayed the Calvin Klein Spring 2013 Preview by a few weeks, but the show (make that presentation) went on as planned at the end of November and was – as always – an event to remember.

Last year marked the debut of the ck one color cosmetics line. This time around, the focus was squarely on the clothes, denim, accessories, and underwear.

Models posed prettily amid a structure billed as “a modernist house constructed of black frames,” which was “filtering light and casting shadows within a pure, all-white setting” while guests walked around enjoying tumblers of OJ and breakfast nibbles. The black frames reminded me of very chic prison cells, especially in conjunction with the bunker-like benches and graphic, black-and-white stripes (a huge trend for spring) worn by many of the models.

There were also a lot of 007-worthy pale grey suits and short-sleeved button-downs (for the gents), as well as colorblocked trousers and painterly print separates (for the ladies). Pale denim; sleek swimwear; chunky, heeled sandals; and handheld, fold-over bags completed the picture.

Worn beneath everything, of course, was Calvin Klein’s famous underwear, including the new Calvin Klein Concept line constructed from seamless, high-tech performance fabric.

On the way out, instead of the usual goodie bag, guests were offered their choice of a cropped denim jacket or a pair of sunglasses. Calvin Klein for everyone!

The Do-Gooder: Bobbi Brown
The Cause: Dress for Success (DFS)
The Mission: To promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

Lauren: How did you originally get involved with Dress for Success?
Bobbi: I first got involved in 2001 and joined the board in 2005. During my first introductory meeting with Dress for Success, I was so moved by the cause I remember that I took off the scarf I was wearing to donate it. My goal from the beginning of my career has been to empower women, so this cause aligns perfectly with that.

Lauren: What is it about Dress for Success that speaks to you, personally?
Bobbi: Dress for Success is an amazing organization because it gives women the tools and knowledge they need to look like, and eventually become, the person they hope to be. It empowers women to be self-sustaining and take care of themselves and their families, ultimately building their confidence and repairing their self-esteem.

Lauren: Can you describe the work that you do with them?
Bobbi: At the beginning, we were involved through in-kind donations and monetary support. Over the years, we’ve donated time and support in a variety of ways, including makeup lessons to teach women how to create work-appropriate makeup looks. The brand also donates $25,000 to DFS every time I appear on QVC. [Bobbi also cochaired the 2011 Something to Share gala, which raised a record-breaking $1.75 million.]

Lauren: What’s been your most memorable experience with Dress for Success?
Bobbi: It’s hard to choose just one. I look forward to chairing the annual galas and volunteering at the DFS Walk Fundraisers. Another great moment was when I actually hired a DFS client on the spot when I met her in 2010. She currently works in our NYC office with our Artistry team.

Lauren: How has your involvement inspired you, personally or professionally?
Bobbi: I firmly believe that the more you give in life, the more you get back. DFS is just one of the organizations I’ve been involved with over the years that I’ve gotten so much out of through my involvement. The reason that I started my brand was to empower women to be their best selves, so to be aligned with an organization that does this in another way is even more fulfilling.

Lauren: How can others get involved?
Bobbi: By volunteering your time, donating clothing, or even pledging money (think of it as a “gift that gives back” with the holidays coming up). The Dress for Success website is a great resource for all these things.

Lauren David Peden writes for Rue La La as a Contributing Editor.

Alvin Valley was crowned “The King of Pants” by Women’s Wear Daily in the mid-nineties thanks to his amazing trousers – beloved by women of all ages and sizes. The designer lost his business a decade later and took a hiatus, returning to the fashion fold earlier this year after buying back the rights to his name and relaunching his newly reconfigured line of pants for Fall 2012 as an online-only venture. I recently stopped by Alvin’s Garment District headquarters to get the lowdown on his typical day at work and the secret to his beautifully cut trousers.

“When I launched in August there was this overwhelming reaction, like, ‘Oh my god, the King of Pants is back,’ ” says the designer, who’s seated in a low-slung white leather chair in his glossy white showroom, dressed casually in jeans, moccasins, a Ralph Lauren sweater, and blue-tinted glasses. “Now I wonder, why didn’t anyone come after that market while I was gone, ’cause it was sitting there ready to be scooped up. It’s just a testament to how hard and intimidating it is to do pants and to really own it.”

Along with reintroducing classic styles from his original collection, the designer added several new styles, all of which feature a patented built-in panel that hugs you in all the right places, making for a long, lean silhouette. “I hate the term ‘shapewear,’ ” confides the “pro-feminist” Alvin. “Because it makes it sound like women are out of shape. But it has an element of sculpting that makes you stand differently, in a strong and forceful stance.”

As for his typical day, the designer gets up early and works out every morning for at least an hour, arriving at the office around 9AM to attend a series of “long-ass meetings” with his five-person team that cover everything from design and merchandising to social media, branding, and PR.

Most days he has lunch with a client, friend, or stylist at the Japanese restaurant Koi, then heads back to the office for more meetings and private client fittings. Quitting time is around 7PM, at which point he either heads home to his Upper East Side apartment or out to dinner with friends. On Wednesday nights, he takes an in-depth photography class at the International Center of Photography, which allows him to be fluent in the language of the lens when discussing images with photographers he’s hired to shoot the collection.

Alvin’s social life is “a mix of everything” and finds him at a gritty venue on the Lower East Side as often as it does a black-tie charity gala uptown. “I’m not just in one corner of the world,” he says with a smile. “I really try to take in as much as I can from everyone. Because that’s really what I bring to the table when I come here – what I learned from someone the night before. So it’s sort of a good mix.”

Lauren David Peden writes for Rue La La as a Contributing Editor.

Jean Paul Gaultier paid tribute to iconic 20th-century pop stars – from Ziggy Stardust–era David Bowie to a cone-bra-and-corset bedecked Madonna, making the models look like ghosts of MTV Video Music Awards past. Karlie Kloss channeled Boy George with long braids, over-the-top makeup, and a colorful kimono jacket, while Joan Smalls tapped her inner Michael Jackson (complete with red leather jacket, high-water pants, a single glove, and a fedora-topped Jheri curl).

Things were decidedly less tongue-in-cheek at John Galliano, where creative director Bill Gaytten took the label in a more architectural direction for spring, vis-à-vis origami-esque tops and voluminous trousers, shorts, and kimono dresses, with many looks topped by flying saucer–sized headgear by milliner Stephen Jones.

Vivienne Westwood showed her collection at the British Ambassador’s residence in Paris, taking on the idea of “Climate Revolution” with lightweight corset dresses, bejeweled bustiers, and gossamer patchwork knits worn with elaborate updos, towering turbans, and otherworldly face paint.

Christian Dior has finally (finally!) found a new creative director in Raf Simons, who presented his first, highly anticipated Dior ready-to-wear collection. Was it worth the wait? From first look (a sleek black Le Smoking suit) to last (a modernized take on a classic, full-skirted ball gown) the answer is yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Simons took Monsieur Dior’s sartorial signatures – the nip-waist Bar jacket, New Look skirt, elaborate evening gown – and reimagined them for a new generation of high society fashion lovers.

In a twice-as-nice fashion month happening, Italian designer Isabella Tonchi presented her collection first in Milan and then again in Paris, outfitting mannequins in gothic/pop-inspired military jackets, cargo pants, gold-zippered dresses ,and optical print pieces.

Chanel‘s Karl Lagerfeld went all out this season with a “Neo Coco” collection replete with flirty A-line minis, wide-shouldered cropped boleros, and multicolor plaid day dresses, worn with uber chic striped platforms and circular, larger-than-life hats and bags. And then there were the tattered taffeta-trimmed pieces, including a pair of sheer, wide-legged hostess pajamas that looked like something Cher might’ve worn back in The Me Decade.

At Valentino, design duo Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli took inspiration from the vintage celebrity photos of Arturo Ghergo and their own memories of Rome, and riffed on the notion of female self-invention by way of contrast-bibbed tops, chiffon cocktail frocks, and delicately embroidered sundresses. Elsewhere, white eyelet shorts skewed more sophisticated than saccharine, while a prim white collar and cuffs lent a subtle naughty-librarian vibe to a lace-skirted day dress.

The esteemed French furrier Révillon unveiled the debut collection from designer Andrew Heather, who fashioned glossy leather into trim spring trench coats, rendered a short-sleeve cocoon in white astrakhan, and envisioned metallic python and laser-cut fuchsia ponyskin as sexy fitted jackets.

Lauren David Peden writes for Rue La La as a Contributing Editor.

Duckie Brown duo Steven Cox and Daniel Silver are two of the most inventive menswear designers around. I’ve interviewed them countless times over the years and have reviewed many of their Fashion Week shows (which are always held in the tents and attended by heavy-hitters from GQ, Details, The New York Times, etc.). And every season, I’m always blown away by their creativity and craftsmanship – Daniel and Steven (who are partners in love and work) turn out some of the most innovative and beautifully tailored menswear you’ll ever see.

So I was excited when they told me that our mutual friend, videographer Lina Plioplyte, had directed a short film on the making of their Fall 2011 collection. They unveiled the film last week at a private party at Norwood, the members-only social club in the Meatpacking District. After grabbing drinks at the plush bar on the second floor, about sixty of us went up to the screening room to see the film.

Titled “The Guts of Duckie Brown,” Lina’s camera follows the charming designers from first sketch through fabric and print development, pattern making, factory visits, sample manufacturing, model casting, and, finally, to their New York Fashion Week runway show (which you can read my original review of here).

During the film, we watch them collaborate, compromise (baked bean-print jacket or no baked bean-print jacket?), create, and, yes, bicker. Whether discussing “wonky” sweaters or homophobia, sneaking a cigarette, arguing over the merits of offering a $3,500 coat in the midst of a recession, getting misty-eyed when seeing their finished creations on the models, or pondering their next move, what emerges is a portrait of two men who are absolutely devoted to their craft – and to each other.

Lauren David Peden writes for Rue La La as a Contributing Editor.

BY LAUREN DAVID PEDEN/THE FASHION INFORMER

Mother Nature was in a great mood Monday night – great news for the fashion flock, who turned out en masse for the 2011 CFDA Awards at Lincoln Center, hosted by Anderson Cooper. They were dressed to the nines, of course, with Lady Gaga (this year’s Fashion Icon Award honoree) making the photogs gaga in her custom Nicola Formichetti for Mugler spiked bodystocking/corset/ball skirt ensemble, which revealed as much as it concealed (worn with a bobbed green wig and 24-inch black leather platforms, natch).

Other red carpet stunners included Miranda Kerr in Michael Kors, Karlie Kloss in Jason Wu, Phoebe Philo (the International Award honoree) in her own design for Celine, Alessandra Ambrosio in Prabal Gurung, Chloë Sevigny in a leather-and-lace look from her 2012 Resort collection for Opening Ceremony (what, you didn’t know she’s a designer now, too?), Guinevere van Seenus in vintage James Galanos with Eddie Borgo jewelry, Leelee Sobieski in a stunning white suit by her hubby Adam Kimmel, Liya Kebede in Derek Lam, Bergdorf Goodman’s Linda Fargo in a neon orange Jil Sander pantsuit, and Sofia Coppola in a white strapless Marc Jacobs dress (she was presenting her designer pal with the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, or “half-lifetime achievement award,” as she jokingly called it when introducing the 48-year-old Jacobs onstage).

The event was a veritable lovefest, with seemingly every American designer, editor, buyer, stylist, and fashion photographer in attendance (look, there’s Anna Wintour! And there’s Terry Richardson! Over there, it’s Inez and Vinoodh! There’s Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen! Hey, it’s Joseph Altuzarra! There’s Mary Ping and Sue Stemp! And isn’t that Haider Ackermann, Daphne Guinness, and Karlie Kloss?). And so it went.

Kanye West presented Phoebe Philo’s award, Vogue Creative Director Grace Coddington gave the Board of Directors’ Special Tribute Award to legendary lensman Arthur Elgort. A stunning (and very pregnant) Jessica Alba presented the Founder’s Eleanor Lambert Award to InStyle’s Hal Rubenstein, and veteran British journalist Hilary Alexander (who has been with the Telegraph for 25 years and is retiring in June to study archeology) was honored with the Eugenia Sheppard Media Award.

Lady Gaga told a hilarious story about getting a text from Anna congratulating her on being named 2011’s Fashion Icon, and she wrote back, “Yes, bitch, we did it!,” thinking it was her friend, Anna. Turns out it was Anna Wintour (d’oh!) who texted back, “That’s lovely.” Ha!

In more serious style news, the Swarovski Award for emerging talent went to Prabal Gurung (for womenswear), Robert Geller (for menswear), and Eddie Borgo (for accessories).

The CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year award was given to Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, with Michael Bastian nabbing the Menswear Designer of the Year award and Alexander Wang taking home the Accessory Designer of the Year prize.

Then 21 designers took to the stage to honor Nadja Swarovski for her ongoing support of young talent. The lineup of past Swarovski Award winners – Alexander Wang, Doo.Ri Chung, Zac Posen, Rag & Bone, Derek Lam, Proenza Schouler, Shipley & Halmos, Devi Kroell, Brian Atwood, Jessie Randall, Phillip Lim, Eugenia Kim, Justin Giunta, and Philip Crangi (among others) – drove home the point that today’s fashion newbies are tomorrow’s fashion stars.

CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg closed the show (explaining that Anderson Cooper had to leave early to deal with “a Weiner matter”). And then it was on to the Boom Boom Room at the Standard Hotel for the CFDA After Party, where Gaga removed the remaining outer layers of her outfit to reveal a sheer unitard with black pasties and a G-string, and belted out a duet with Patti LaBelle. No rest for the wicked, my lovelies!

Lauren David Peden writes for Rue La La as a Contributing Editor. ]]> http://www.ruelala.com/blog/2011/06/09/celebrating-fashion-at-the-2011-cfda-awards/feed/ 1 http://www.ruelala.com/blog/2011/02/24/nyfw-2011-trend-alert-%e2%80%93-red-hot/ http://www.ruelala.com/blog/2011/02/24/nyfw-2011-trend-alert-%e2%80%93-red-hot/#comments Thu, 24 Feb 2011 10:28:10 +0000 Lauren David Peden http://www.ruelala.com/blog/?p=3578

BY LAUREN DAVID PEDEN/THE FASHION INFORMER

I first spied it at Wes Gordon’s presentation at the St. Regis hotel on Thursday afternoon. Sixty minutes later, it was standing on a podium at Mara Hoffman’s NYFW outing at The Box. Two hours after that, there it was again stalking the runway at Wayne’s show at Milk Studios. It made a brief appearance at the W Hotels Global Glam event at Lincoln Center later that evening, and reappeared yet again at Tess Giberson’s presentation (also at The Box) the following morning.

By the time it showed up on Costello Tagliapietra’s runway Friday afternoon — less than a full day after New York Fashion Week had officially begun — I knew we we’d gone beyond the “three’s a trend” rule and into bona fide fashion phenomenon territory.

The “it” of which I speak is, of course, the color red — make that RED! — an eye-popping, take-no-prisoners, crimson-meets-vermillion hue of the fire engine/“Addicted to Love” variety.

I’m not sure if it was in honor of Valentine’s Day (which fell during New York Fashion Week) or in tribute to the Heart Truth Red Dress event (which takes place the night before NYFW officially begins) or if this brutally cold winter had every designer in New York gravitating toward a shade that by its very nature signals “heat.” Whatever the reason, red is the color of the Fall 2011 season.

Not for the faint of heart, this bold and beautiful shade turned up on the runways of designers both emerging and established, including Tess Giberson, Chado Ralph Rucci, Mara Hoffman, Diane von Furstenberg, Milly, Altuzarra, Rodarte, Reed Krakoff, DKNY, Michael Kors, Derek Lam, Marchesa, Cynthia Rowley, Proenza Schouler, Prabal Gurung, Peter Som, Carolina Herrera, BCBG, Giulietta, Victoria Beckham, Julian Louie, Tibi, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and… well, need I go on?

There were red skirts, red pants, red dresses, red gowns, red kimonos, red blouses, red vests, red sweaters, red jackets, red coats — even red furs (and a surprising number of them, from different designers). On the accessories front, red turned up on shoes, on boots, on jewelry, on handbags, on gloves, on scarves, on tights, on leggings, and on belts. At Elise Øverland’s Ice Capades extravaganza, one model wore a red plastic (read: cellophane) neckerchief to ward off the chill while Johnny Weir skated in circles around her. Isaac Mizrahi even sent a red cake down the runway (yes, you read that right: a cake).

And let’s not forget the glossy red lips, nails, and eyes (see: Thakoon), which were also in abundance on the New York runways this week. All of which makes me think it’s going to be unseasonably h-o-t come fall. Bring it on!

Lauren David Peden has been hired by Rue La La for her reporting at New York Fashion Week. ]]> http://www.ruelala.com/blog/2011/02/24/nyfw-2011-trend-alert-%e2%80%93-red-hot/feed/ 0