I could have done without Tom Ford’s cheesy infomercial but everything else about his new Tom Ford Beauty line is as lush and lavish as to be expected. Full disclosure: I’m a packaging whore so I’m all about the weighty almost-black (actually ‘mahongany’, which replaces the white and gold) lipsticks cases and golden compacts that have suitably luxe clunk-click closures. (more…)
A tweet From Jackie Collins inspired me to look up Hollywood Wives on YouTube. Boy am I glad I did. The music! The hair! The clothes! Interestingly all the close-ups of the store fronts are still relevant now (Celine, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Hermes ) and is it me or do the outfits scream ‘Tom Ford ss11’ ? Watch it here.
WORDS: Disneyrollergirl/Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGE: Hollywood Wives
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Just as we get nicely comfortable with the idea of fashion for all, the goal posts shift again. Fashion’s Night Out was a fabulously jolly affair with customers, celebs and designers all happily sharing the same breathing space. This round of fashion weeks will have more brands than ever live-streaming their shows, while a number of designers and CEOs also tweet from behind the scenes (hello @vbfashionweek, @MarcJacobsInt). Marc Jacobs’ tweeter, CEO Robert Duffy has also been giving away bags and surfboards (eh?) to lucky tweeters, creating quite the fashion frenzy. Very caring, very sharing.
But just when it was getting so cosy and democratic – BAM! – all change. Yes Burberry is live streaming its show online and broadcasting it on screens in-store but those in-store iPads aren’t just for any old civilian. No, the in-store treatment is for a select few privileged customers, so while they get to watch, shop and quaff champagne in the luxe surroundings of Burberry’s serene-but-sexy temples, the rest can press their noses against the window and like it will have to make do with their iPad at home on the DFS with a cup of PG Tips for company.
Tom Ford made his much anticipated and (not-very-well-kept) secret comeback yesterday during New York Fashion Week and what a to-do there was. No live-streaming for Ford. Instead there was a small salon-style show where only a handful of VIP press were present and they were strictly instructed that “all photographic and recording devices are prohibited. Thank you.”
Ford introduced each outfit modelled by an all-star cast including Beyonce, Lauren Hutton and Julianne Moore. How thrilling! And the outfits? Well we won’t be seeing those for quite some time, the official pictures were taken by Terry Richardson (allegedly for French Vogue) and are embargoed until next year. Blimey, New York Fashion Week has never been this exciting. Ford has clearly decided that all this ‘fashion for everyone’ guff has reached its tipping point and is leading the charge in the opposite direction. At his preposterously luxe end of the market, he’s making a case for super-exclusivity, the kind where customers are more than happy to pay for the privilege of wearing something that’s not been seen on every other Tom, Dick and Sharon.
Is Ford onto something here? It was noted recently that Chanel has scissored its sample sale guest list. The Chanel sample sale invitation is already one of the most coveted perks in the fashion and beauty business and invitations are like gold dust. The culling of the list sent out a firm message; for all that they may be embracing bloggers, setting up etail sites and interacting on Facebook, there’s no doubt that exclusivity still has meaning for luxury fashion brands. Just ask Tom.
As Jen at Mahalo fashion bemoans, every drop of interest has been squeezed out of the ’70s so what’s next on the retro rehash front? I hate to say it but the fact cannot be ignored, it’s time for the nineties revival proper. It’s had a couple of false starts, the latest being nu-rave, but I think we can start looking at the 90s revival from a grown-up point of view. As Fashionista reports that 1990s finest alterna-models Kirsten Owen and Stella Tennant are rumoured to be the faces of Marc Jacobs’ fall campaign, I’m thinking the following will start looking fresh now:
Skinny black suit trousers and pointy black ankle boots -very Helmut Lang/Jil Sander, very Alison Mosshart
Spiky kitten heels – Remember when Dolce & Gabbana did these? I can totally see Vicky Beckham working a kitten heel and sheath dress combo
Non-trashy silver: Who can forget Jean Colonna’s silver jeans, silver leather jackets, silver-sprayed Cons?
McQueen’s ‘ugly’ aesthetic – think edgy tailoring, angry walks, intricate details, elaborate shows
Tom Ford for Gucci’s smoky eye and liquid jersey dresses with punky patent boots (wow, was that really 10 years ago?)
Isaac Mizrahi’s AW04 ballskirt and tee combo – legendary!
Joseph – when did it all go wrong with Joseph? I used to lust after those big black slouchy knits like a junior fashionista possessed, not to mention the boyish trouser suits, luxe hoodies and flat-front trousers with trademark stripe up the side
Patrick Cox loafers – I’m still regretting that I could never afford the gold ones. With news that Patrick Cox has been bought by Eddie Davenport, may I suggest they revive these pretty sharpish?
Camel: AW 94/95 = Camel suits at Calvin Klein (complete with chignons and 60s eyeliner), camel Crombie-style coats at Helmut Lang, camel dresses at MaxMara and Ann Demeulemeester (with aforementioned black ankleboots)
1990s models – Supermodels aside, who doesn’t miss the golden greats: Emma Balfour, Bridget Hall, Lorraine Pascale, Kiara, Veronica Webb, Kirsty Hume, Cecelia Chancellor …
1990s photographers: Ellen von Unwerth, David Sims, Juergen Teller, Corinne Day
CK Jeans: That iconic ad is imprinted on my brain!
Agnes B garconne look – admittedly I never stopped rocking this look but I reckon it’s time for it to resurface. Agnes B has been under-the-radar for most of this decade so let’s hear it for the stripy tee, Black picot-edge cardi and beatnik sunnies. PS, old Agnes is opening up shop in Spitalfields Market soon too.
Pics:
CK One
CK One
Emma Balfour in iD
Juergen Teller for Katharine Hamnett Denim
iD cover with Lorraine Pascale
Milla Jovovich wears Alberto Biani in iD photographed by Bob Richardson
Elle
