“No smoking here”
Karl Lagerfeld
Lagerfeld is a PR genius. Love this WWD story of him handing out sketches of a tuxedo to editors garnished with the words ‘no smoking here’, a reference to YSL’s tuxedos and a confidence in Chanel’s own house codes. “We don’t have to do smoking,” Karl told said editors, “Hedi Slimane does it really well.”
Female designers are at the creative helm of some of the most successful luxury brands right now and coincidentally or not, a rather important trio of them has risen through the ranks of fashion via Chloé. Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo, and currently Clare Waight Keller are at the forefront of intelligent, female-friendly fashion, gifting women the multi-tasking wardrobe fundamentals that answer our everyday demands. (more…)
One of the things I love about watching the shows is sussing out the styling. The bigger brands use the best stylists in the biz to tell the ‘story’ of the collection and show how the clothes can be worn, something you’re just never going to get from seeing pieces hung on a rail. Those Prada tabi socks, the Dries Van Noten layers, the white sunglasses at Rochas, they’re all trends waiting to be translated to the street that will help the designers sell even more of their wares and chances are, those ideas come from the stylist. (more…)
This year I feel like I’ve bought more coffee table books than clothes. Books feel like a justafiable luxury as they’re educational as well as beautiful objects. For example this work of art:
Good news for bibliophiles like me then, that Marc Jacobs is opening *has opened a London outpost of his Bookmarc store in the basement of Marc by Marc Jacobs in South Audley Street. This store has always sold a great selection of art, fashion and photography books but Bookmarc will sell even more in its own designated area. As Marc Jacobs’ Robert Duffy says, “I find that people are buying [books] and they’re not questioning why they’re buying it. When you want a book, you want a book, and there’s a certain satisfaction you get. You can’t wait to get home to look at it.” Too true. Even better news; there’s a Paris branch to follow…
*UPDATE: According to Vogue, the store is already up and running
[Top photo: WWD]
