Legendary Bootmaker Of The American West, Lucchese, Announces New Collaborations And Retail Partnership With Neiman Marcus

Ralph Lauren, Brandon Maxwell, King Ranch, and Erin Wasson Help Mark the Brand’s 135th Year in Business

Lucchese Bootmaker, headquartered in El Paso Texas, is celebrating its 135th anniversary this year with a variety of partnerships and capsule collections. Known for making the finest cowboys boots on the planet, Lucchese has always balanced rugged, frontier traditions with an appeal to those focused on aesthetic.

Lucchese Fall News Press Release Image

Below are a few of the highlights of how Lucchese is marking its anniversary this year:

Erin Wasson in the Jacqueline Boot: Designed with Texas native Erin Wasson, the Jacqueline boot ($1,595 with free ground shipping) is a traditional western silhouette for the modern woman. The smooth black goat is accented by white stitch pull holes and piping. Single stitch welt construction. Leather sole. Handmade in Texas.

• ERIN WASSON: Continuing their presence in the style arena, Lucchese just released a limited collection of fashion-focused boots with model/designer Erin Wasson. The brand has partnered with another iconic Texas brand — Neiman Marcus – to provide wider access to both traditional boots and fashion boots alike. This move signifies a shift in consumer demand, as exotic cowboy boots are now becoming a staple in consumer wardrobes, available at a wider range of retailers ranging from Western-focused to luxury fashion.
  

  The King Ranch Barn Boot

• KING RANCH: Lucchese has partnered with another legendary Texas brand, the King Ranch, to produce a limited edition collection of boots that are rugged enough for the harsh environment of South Texas. In addition to this partnership, Lucchese has released a well-reviewed technical product called the Barn Boot, its first foray into the “work boot” category. The mud and grime releasing outsole and cushioned insole was an immediate hit with both new and long-time Lucchese loyalists.
• RALPH LAUREN: In addition to staying true to its roots with traditional products, Lucchese was in the spotlight during New York Fashion Week in September. Ralph Lauren, who has worn Lucchese boots for many years, selected them as his favorite bootmaker. Lucchese worked with Mr. Lauren to create co-branded boots which debuted in Central Park at the legendary designer’s 50th-anniversary collection show.
• BRANDON MAXWELL: Fashion designer and fellow Texan Brandon Maxwell used custom boots as the invite for guests at his Spring/Summer 2019 New York Fashion Week show.”It was a dream to work with Lucchese on our invitations,” said Brandon. “Lucchese is a quintessential Texas brand so to share this bit of my home state with our guests immediately showcased hospitality. Seeing videos of friends and guests receive this big Texas dose of generosity made it all the more special.“

Texas-based Lucchese is a legendary bootmaker and iconic brand of the American West. Applying the same craftsmanship principles and techniques since 1883, Lucchese artisans use only the finest leathers, preeminent materials and a proprietary twisted cone last to construct boots of unrivaled quality, fit, comfort and style.

Jacqueline de Ribes: The Essence of True Glamour and Style at The Met’s Costume Institute

“Style is what makes you different; it’s your own stamp, a message about yourself.” – Countess Jacqueline de Ribes.

The Costume Institute’s Fall 2015 exhibition, Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style, focuses on the internationally renowned style icon Countess Jacqueline de Ribes, whose originality and elegance established her as one of the most celebrated fashion personas of the 20th century.

Jacqueline de Ribes in Christian Dior, 1959. Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photograph by Roloff Beny, Roloff Beny Estate

“A close study of de Ribes’s life of creative expression yields illuminating insights into her strategies of style,” said Harold Koda, Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute, who organized the exhibition. “Her approach to dress as a statement of individuality can be seen as a kind of performance art. When she established her own fashion house, her friend Yves Saint Laurent gave his blessing to the venture as a welcome projection of her elegance.”

The press preview for Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style, was a somber affair. The guest of honor and the exhibition’s subject, Countess Jacqueline de Ribes, was not in attendance for obvious reasons. The Costume Institute released the following statement:

“Following the tragic events in Paris, Jacqueline de Ribes has canceled her trip to New York for the opening of Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. She would like to express her gratitude to all her friends at the Met with whom she has collaborated for so many months, and hopes that they will understand her decision.

Comtesse de Ribes also knows how much Americans share the deep sadness felt in France, which confirms the enduring bond between the two countries. She hopes the exhibition will represent the joy associated with the freedom of creation.”

Jacqueline de Ribes in her own design, 1983
Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photograph by Victor Skrebneski, Skrebneski
Photograph © 1983

As reported by Vanessa Friedman of The New York Times, the planned dinner on Wednesday, hosted by the House of Dior, in honor of the exhibition was downgraded to a cocktail reception in business dress.

While I was looking forward to seeing the Countess in person (having read so much about her in magazines and newspapers since the early 1980’s), I must also say that, even without her there, the exhibition fully represented her far-reaching talents, self-assuredness and strong belief in her own sense of what works for her and how her public life (and charitable works) changed the world around her. In a time when “style icons” are anointed based on the work of their Svengali-like stylists who tell them what to wear (usually obscenely expensive designer dresses borrowed for the night, including the jewelery AND the shoes), where to wear them (most often than not to red-carpet events) and how to wear them, the Countess is the REAL DEAL. Most everyone else is a pale imitation.

Jacqueline de Ribes, 1955, Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photograph by Richard Avedon,
©The Richard Avedon Foundation

“Elegance. It’s an attitude. A frame of mind. An intuition, a refusal, a rigor, a research, a knowledge. The attitude of elegance is also a way of behaving.”

Countess Jacqueline de Ribes (born 1929 in Paris to aristocratic parents) is seen by many as the ultimate personification of Parisian elegance. She was, with the American and Italian beauties Gloria Vanderbilt and Marella Agnelli, among the small flock of “Swans” photographed by Richard Avedon and written about by Truman Capote in 1959.

Married at age 19 to the late Édouard, Vicomte de Ribes (he became the Count de Ribes upon the death of his father in 1981), the traditions of her in-laws precluded her from becoming a career woman. However, as an independent spirit, she channeled her creativity into a series of ventures linked by fashion, theater, and style. In 1956, de Ribes was nominated for Eleanor Lambert’s Best-Dressed List. At the time, she had only a handful of couture dresses, as most of her wardrobe was comprised of her own designs, which she made herself or with a dressmaker. Four more nominations followed, and resulted in her induction into the International Best-Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1962.

Jacqueline de Ribes in her own design, 1986
Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photograph by Francesco
Scavullo, The Francesco Scavullo Foundation and The Estate of Francesco
Scavullo

“When I was a small child, there were two women I admired. One was a friend of my mother’s who was an ambassadress. The other was Coco Chanel. It seems I always wanted to be a designer.”

Photographed by the world’s leading talents including Slim Aarons, Richard Avedon, David Bailey, Cecil Beaton, Robert Doisneau, Horst, Jean Baptiste Mondino, Irving Penn, Francesco Scavullo, Victor Skrebneski, and Juergen Teller, her image came to define an effortless elegance and a sophisticated glamour, something you cannot say about so many of the women today that defines the term, “modern style icons.” As Carolina Herrera recently remarked in a newspaper interview (and I am paraphrasing here), “How can someone be a style icon when they are not wearing any clothes?” in reference to the trio of music and Hollywood stars who attended the recent Met Ball in “dresses” that left almost nothing to the imagination. And Mrs. Herrera is right. If you want to see what a TRUE style icon is, run, don’t walk, to The Met to see Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style.”

“You must remember that you’re never going to be sexy for everyone. You are sexy for someone and for someone else you are not. Being totally nude is not sexy. The art of being sexy is to suggest. To let people have fantasy.”

Gallery View, Evening Wear
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The thematic exhibition features approximately 60 ensembles of haute couture and ready-to-wear primarily from de Ribes’s personal archive, dating from 1962 to the present. Also included are her creations for fancy dress balls, which she often made by cutting up and cannibalizing her haute couture gowns to create unexpected, thematic, and conceptually nuanced expressions of her aesthetic. These, along with photographs, video, and ephemera, tell the story of how her interest in fashion developed over decades, from childhood “dress-up” to the epitome of international style.

A muse to haute couture designers, they placed at her disposal their drapers, cutters, and fitters in acknowledgment of their esteem for her taste and originality. Ultimately, she used this talent and experience to create her own successful design business, which she directed from 1982 to 1995.

Gallery View, Evening Wear
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art

“My mirror, my only truthful advisor.”

While the exhibition explores her taste and style methodology, extensive documentation from her personal archives illustrates the range and depth of her professional life, including her roles as theatrical impresario, television producer, interior designer, and director and organizer of international charity events.

kate spade new york Unveils Expanded, Comprehensive Home Furnishings Collection

Iconic Lifestyle Brand Debuts Furniture, Lighting, Rugs and Fabric at High Point Market

Building on its success in the home category, kate spade new york announces significant expansion in the home furnishings category with the introduction of furniture, lighting, rugs and fabric. The comprehensive collection, comprised of 325 pieces across four categories, launches to the trade at the fall 2015 High Point Market in North Carolina (Ocotober 17-22), with a complete assortment of offerings for every room in the home.

kate spade new york launches a complete assortment of offerings for every room in the home, with furnishings, lighting, rugs and fabrics. (PRNewsFoto/kate spade new york)

The new kate spade new york home furnishings collection builds upon the brand’s successful offerings in tabletop, linens, bedding, stationery and giftware with Lenox, Town & Country Living, DWI Holdings and Lifeguard Press, respectively. Created in collaboration with best-in-class manufacturing partners, each category incorporates sophisticated design details and luxurious fabrications:

— Furniture (EJ Victor): colorful upholstered seating, dining, bedroom and occasional tables and mirrors featuring details ranging from hand-painted spots to a burl wood finish. E. J. Victor was founded by Edward W. Phifer III, Joseph B. Manderson and John Victor Jokinen in January 1990 to pursue the art of creating furniture excellence. To this day, E. J. Victor maintains an unwavering commitment to preserving time -honored quality construction methods used to create exquisite furniture for the home and offers several collections including Ralph Lauren, Kelly Wearstler, Aerin, Allison Paladino, Berber Kammlah, Jack Fhillips and Randall Tysinger.

— Lighting (Visual Comfort): brilliant sconces, table lamps and pendants with brass bows, spotted detailing and jewel-encrusted sputniks. Visual Comfort & Co. is the premiere resource for signature designer lighting, collaborating with the most influential names in design. Using authentic materials honed to meticulous standards, Visual Comfort delivers unparalleled quality and value.

— Rugs (Jaipur): timeless flat weave, hand-tufted and hand-knotted rugs in iconic animal, floral and geometric prints. Founded in 1978, Jaipur revolutionized the rug industry by creating an entirely new business model – working directly with artisans and uplifting their lives and communities as a result. Since then, the company have grown to become a global, award-winning brand, sharing our unique point of view through our range of rugs, textiles and other home decor products.

— Fabric (Kravet): clever fabrics and wallpapers in bright colors and signature motifs. Kravet Inc., established in 1918, is the industry leader in to-the-trade home furnishings. This fifth generation family business distributes fabrics, furniture, wall coverings, trimmings, carpets and accessories. The family’s commitment to innovation has helped the company transform from a small fabric house to a global leader, representing brands and designers from all over the world. In 2015, Kravet Inc. introduced CuratedKravet.com, a to-the-trade only e-commerce site offering designers unique furniture and accessories curated from around the globe.

The full home assortment will be available in spring 2016. The brand also accelerated nearly 60 signature items from the collection, which will be available for immediate purchase and shipping within the U.S. beginning October 16, 2015 on katespade.com. These select items range across categories and retail price points and include an iconic 9-x-12′ hand-knotted rose print rug ($14, 210), tufted pale aqua sofa ($5,950), a playful ampersand side accent table ($675), and a brass ribbon sconce ($380), among others.

“Each piece in our extensive collection reflects traditional and modern influences, but with a unique kate spade new york twist. We translated iconic kate spade new york designs like subtle bow accents, as well as signature colors and fabrics, such as shocking pink linen and turquoise velvet, into stylish and unique home items,” said Deborah Lloyd, President and Chief Creative Officer of kate spade new york. “We cannot wait to see how our customers layer our pieces into their homes to express their own interesting, personal style.“

Kate Spade & Company designs and markets accessories and apparel principally under two global, multichannel lifestyle brands: kate spade new york and Jack Spade. With collections spanning demographics, genders and geographies, the brands are intended to accent customers’ interesting lives and inspire adventure at each turn. The Company also owns the Adelington Design Group, a private brand jewelry design and development group that markets brands through department stores and serves jcpenney via exclusive supplier agreements for the Liz Claiborne and Monet jewelry lines. The Company also has a license for the Liz Claiborne New York brand, available at QVC, and Lizwear, which is distributed through the club store channel.

Costume Institute’s Fall Exhibition to Focus on Fashion Icon Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style

The Costume Institute’s Fall 2015 exhibition, Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style, will focus on the internationally renowned style icon Countess Jacqueline de Ribes, whose originality and elegance established her as one of the most celebrated fashion personas of the 20th century. The exhibition will be on view in The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Anna Wintour Costume Center from November 19, 2015 through February 21, 2016.  

“A close study of de Ribes’s life of creative expression yields illuminating insights into her strategies of style,” said Harold Koda, Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute, who is organizing the exhibition. “Her approach to dress as a statement of individuality can be seen as a kind of performance art. When she established her own fashion house, her friend Yves Saint Laurent gave his blessing to the venture as a welcome projection of her elegance.”

Countess Jacqueline de Ribes (born 1929 in Paris to aristocratic parents) is seen by many as the ultimate personification of Parisian elegance. She was, with the American and Italian beauties Gloria Vanderbilt and Marella Agnelli, among the small flock of “Swans” photographed by Richard Avedon and written about by Truman Capote in 1959. 

Married at age 19 to Édouard, Vicomte de Ribes (he became the Count de Ribes upon the death of his father in 1981), the traditions of her in-laws precluded her from becoming a career woman. An independent spirit, she channeled her creativity into a series of ventures linked by fashion, theater, and style. In 1956, de Ribes was nominated for Eleanor Lambert’s Best-Dressed List. At the time, she had only a handful of couture dresses, as most of her wardrobe was comprised of her own designs, which she made herself or with a dressmaker.  Four more nominations followed, and resulted in her induction into the International Best-Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1962.  

Photographed by the world’s leading talents including Slim Aarons, Richard Avedon, David Bailey, Cecil Beaton, Robert Doisneau, Horst, Jean Baptiste Mondino, Irving Penn, Francesco Scavullo, Victor Skrebneski, and Juergen Teller, her image came to define an effortless elegance and a sophisticated glamour.

In 1999, Jean Paul Gaultier dedicated his haute couture collection to her with the title “Divine Jacqueline,” and in 2010, she received the Légion d’Honneur from then French President Nicolas Sarkozy for her philanthropic and cultural contributions to France.

The thematic exhibition will feature approximately 60 ensembles of haute couture and ready-to-wear primarily from de Ribes’s personal archive, dating from 1959 to the present. Also included will be her creations for fancy dress balls, which she often made by cutting up and cannibalizing her haute couture gowns to create unexpected, thematic, and conceptually nuanced expressions of her aesthetic. These, along with photographs and ephemera, will tell the story of how her interest in fashion developed over decades, from childhood “dress-up” to the epitome of international style.  

A muse to haute couture designers, they placed at her disposal their drapers, cutters, and fitters in acknowledgment of their esteem for her taste and originality. Ultimately, she used this talent and experience to create her own successful design business, which she directed from 1982 to 1995.  

While the exhibition will focus on her taste and style methodology, extensive documentation from her personal archives will illustrate the range and depth of her professional life, including her roles as theatrical impresario, television producer, interior designer, architect, and director and organizer of international charity events.

Designers in the exhibition will include Giorgio Armani, Pierre Balmain, Bill Blass, Marc Bohan for House of Dior, Roberto Cavalli, Jacqueline de Ribes, John Galliano, Madame Grès (Alix Barton), Valentino Garavani, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Norma Kamali, Guy Laroche, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Rucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Fernando Sanchez for Révillon Frères, and Emanuel Ungaro.

Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style will run November 19, 2015–February 21, 2016 at the Anna Wintour Costume Center at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

 

China: Through the Looking Glass Exhibition Extended through September 7 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Gallery View: Anna Wintour Costume Center, Imperial China
Photo: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Gallery View:  Chinese Galleries, Astor Forecourt, Anna May Wong
Evening dress, John Galliano (British, born Gibraltar, 1960) for House of Dior
(French, founded 1947), autumn/winter 1998–99 haute couture; Courtesy of
Christian Dior Couture
Photo: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

China: Through the Looking Glass at The Metropolitan Museum of Art has been extended by three weeks through Labor Day, September 7. The exhibition, organized by The Costume Institute in collaboration with the Department of Asian Art, opened to the public on May 7, and has drawn more than 350,000 visitors in its first eight weeks.  To date, the exhibition’s attendance is pacing close to that of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (2011), which was the most visited Costume Institute exhibition ever, as well as the Met’s eighth most popular.

Chinese Galleries, Astor Forecourt, Anna May Wong
Ensemble, Paul Smith (British, born 1946), autumn/winter 2011-12; Courtesy of
Paul Smith
Photo: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Chinese Galleries, Douglas Dillon Galleries, Export Silk
Photo: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Chinese Galleries, Douglas Dillon Galleries, Chinoiserie
Photo: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Chinese Galleries, Douglas Dillon Galleries, Chinoiserie
Dress, 18th century; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Fédération de la
Soirie, 1950 (50.168.2a,b)
Photo: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Chinese Galleries, Charlotte C. Weber Galleries, Ancient China
Dress, House of Givenchy (French, founded 1952), autumn/winter 1997-98 haute
couture; Courtesy of Givenchy
Photo: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The exhibition, made possible by Yahoo, explores the impact of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. High fashion is juxtaposed with Chinese costumes, paintings, porcelains, and other art, including films, to reveal enchanting reflections of Chinese imagery. The exhibition, which was originally set to close on August 16, is curated by Andrew Bolton. Wong Kar Wai is artistic director and Nathan Crowley served as production designer.

Photo Credit: Phillip Johnson/www.fashionpluslifestyle.wordpress.com

Photo Credit: Phillip Johnson/www.fashionpluslifestyle.wordpress.com

Photo Credit: Phillip Johnson/www.fashionpluslifestyle.wordpress.com

Photo Credit: Phillip Johnson/www.fashionpluslifestyle.wordpress.com

Photo Credit: Phillip Johnson/www.fashionpluslifestyle.wordpress.com

Photo Credit: Phillip Johnson/www.fashionpluslifestyle.wordpress.com

Photo Credit: Phillip Johnson/www.fashionpluslifestyle.wordpress.com

Photo Credit: Phillip Johnson/www.fashionpluslifestyle.wordpress.com

This is The Costume Institute’s first collaboration with another curatorial department since AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion in 2006, a partnership with the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts. China: Through the Looking Glass features more than 140 examples of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to- wear alongside masterpieces of Chinese art. Filmic representations of China are incorporated throughout to reveal how our visions of China are shaped by narratives that draw upon popular culture, and to recognize the importance of cinema as a medium through which we understand the richness of Chinese history.

Jar with Dragon (Chinese), early 15th-century; The Metropolitan Museum of
Art, Gift of Robert E. Tod, 1937 (37.191.1)
Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photography © Plato

Festival robe worn by Emperor Qianlong, second half of 18th-century; The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1935 (35.84.8)
Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photography © Platon

Evening dress, Ralph Lauren (American, born 1939), autumn/winter 2011–12;
Courtesy of Ralph Lauren Collection
Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photography © Platon

Evening dress, Jean Paul Gaultier (French, born 1952), autumn/winter 2001-2
haute couture; Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier
Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photography © Platon

13.”Quiproquo” cocktail dress, Christian Dior (French, 1905–1957) for House of
Dior (French, founded 1947), 1951; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of
Mrs. Byron C. Foy, 1953 (C.I.53.40.38a-d)
Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photography © Platon
14.Film Still from In the Mood for Love, 2000; Courtesy of Block 2 Pictures Inc.
Photo: Courtesy

Dress, John Galliano (British, born Gibraltar, 1960) for House of Dior (French,
founded 1947), spring/summer 2003 haute couture; Courtesy of Christian Dior
Couture
Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photography © Platon

Encompassing approximately 30,000 square feet in 16 separate galleries in the Museum’s Chinese and Egyptian Galleries and Anna Wintour Costume Center, it is The Costume Institute’s largest special exhibition ever, and also one of the Museum’s largest. With gallery space three times the size of a typical Costume Institute major spring show, China has accommodated large numbers of visitors without lines.

Anna Wintour Costume Center, Imperial China
Photo: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Evening dress, Tom Ford (American, born 1961) for Yves Saint Laurent, Paris
(French, founded 1961), autumn/winter 2004–5; The Metropolitan Museum
of Art, Gift of Yves Saint Laurent, 2005 (2005.325.1)
Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photography © Platon

The Anna Wintour Costume Center’s Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Gallery presents a series of “mirrored reflections” focusing on Imperial China; the Republic of China, especially Shanghai in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s; and the People’s Republic of China. These reflections, as well as others in the exhibition, are illustrated with scenes from films by such groundbreaking Chinese directors as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Ang Lee, and Wong Kar Wai. Distinct vignettes are devoted to “women of style,” including Hu Die (known as Butterfly Wu), Oei Huilan (the former Madame Wellington Koo), and Soong Mei-Ling (Madame Chiang Kai-shek).

Directly above the Anna Wintour Costume Center, the Chinese Galleries on the second floor showcase fashion from the 1700s to the present, juxtaposed with decorative arts from Imperial China, including jade, bronze, lacquer, and blue-and-white porcelain, mostly drawn from the Met’s collection. The Astor Court features a thematic vignette dedicated to Chinese opera, focusing on John Galliano’s Spring 2003 Christian Dior Haute Couture Collection.

Designers in the exhibition include Cristobal Balenciaga, Travis Banton, Bulgari, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Callot Soeurs, Cartier, Roberto Cavalli, Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent, John Galliano for Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Valentino Garavani, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Picciolo for Valentino, Craig Green, Guo Pei, Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Jeanne Lanvin, Ralph Lauren, Christian Louboutin, Martin Margiela, Alexander McQueen, Alexander McQueen for Givenchy, Edward Molyneux, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Dries van Noten, Jean Patou, Paul Poiret, Yves Saint Laurent, Paul Smith, Van Cleef & Arpels, Vivienne Tam, Giambattista Valli, Vivienne Westwood, Jason Wu, and Laurence Xu.

“This exhibition is one of the most ambitious ever mounted by the Met, and I want as many people as possible to be able see it,” said Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of the Met. “It is a show that represents an extraordinary collaboration across the Museum, resulting in a fantastic exploration of China’s impact on creativity over centuries.”

Museum Members will have early morning private access to the galleries from Wednesday, July 22, to Sunday, July 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., before the Museum opens to the public.

The Museum at FIT Explores “Global Fashion Capitals”

Fashion & Textile History Gallery, June 2 – November 14, 2015

All photographs © The Museum at FIT

The globalization of fashion has given rise to new fashion cities that now annually host hundreds of fashion weeks around the world. Each city’s cultural identity and particular economic, political, and social circumstances combine to elevate its designers to international attention. Global Fashion Capitals explores the history of the established fashion capitals, Paris, New York, Milan, and London, and the emergence of 16 new fashion cities (including Tokyo, Antwerp, Stockholm, Berlin, St. Petersburg/Moscow, Madrid, Sydney/Melbourne, Mexico City, Sao Paolo, Istanbul and Mumbai).

A fashion capital is a city which has a major influence on international fashion trends and in which the design, production and retailing of fashion products – plus events such as fashion weeks, awards and trade fairs – generate significant economic output. The cities considered the Big Four fashion capitals of the world are: London, Paris, Milan and New York.

Fashion capitals usually have a broad mix of business, financial, entertainment, cultural and leisure activities and are internationally recognised for having a unique and strong identity. It has also been noted that the status of a fashion capital has become increasingly linked to a city’s domestic and international profile. Fashion capitals are also likely be part of a wider design scene, with design schools, fashion magazines and a local market of affluent consumers.

The exhibition (at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Seventh Avenue at 27 Street, New York City 10001-5992) opens with a digital style map that geographically locates the fashion capitals and showcases their latest runway and street style photographs. Global Fashion Capitals continues city-by-city, starting with Paris, the birthplace of haute couture, represented by designs from Charles Frederick Worth, Gabrielle Chanel, Christian Dior, and the emerging couturier, Bouchra Jarrar.

Fashion has always existed at the crossroads of art and consumerism and never more so than in today’s society. The way we perceive our desires, bodies, and eras shapes fashion every season, as it shapes us. Paris fashion is at the center of it all. The French were the first to make an industry out of fashion, not just dress-making, and they have been exporting their style since the 17th century which is frankly before most of the world had even realized what fashion was. It all kicked off in the 17th century when the association of France with fashion and style was initiated by, surprise surprise, Louis XIV’s court.

The House of Worth, Cape, Circa 1890. Paris. Gift of the Estate of Elizabeth Arden. 69.160.9
Hip-length cape in cream lace with wide neckline border of black silk velvet; trimmed with black silk chenille bobble tassels

The House of Worth, Cape, Circa 1890. Paris. Gift of the Estate of Elizabeth Arden. 69.160.9
Hip-length cape in cream lace with wide neckline border of black silk velvet; trimmed with black silk chenille bobble tassels

The Sun King made it his business to be at the center of all that was beautiful in the world so the luxury goods industry in France became a royal commodity. The creation of the fashion press in the 1670s catapulted French fashion into the spotlight and the notions of different fashion “seasons” and the changing of styles became available to a bigger audience. Louis XIV himself was responsible for starting the trend for outrageous wigs of curled hair. The king was going bald so he over-compensated and the rest of the court followed suit.

Balenciaga , Cocktail dress , 1959, Paris. Gift of Kay Kerr Uebel. 75.170.1_20050512_01
Short evening dress in chartreuse ribbed silk with black chinÈ r; with bateau neckline; bubble skirt on hip yoke; and attached black satin ribbon tie; separate coordinating black satin ribbon sash

In fact, he moved the needle towards extravagant fashion even more so because of his wigs. The French Royal court turned into a farcical game of one-upmanship where fashion was concerned – Whose wig is the tallest? Whose skirt is the widest and most covered in tiny bows? In Paris fashion big was the rage. This was most evident in the french movie, Ridicule, the 1996 French film set in the 18th century at the decadent court of Versailles, where social status can rise and fall based on one’s ability to mete out witty insults and avoid ridicule oneself, as well as one’s ability to be the most preening peacock in the room. The story also examines the social injustices of late 18th century France, in showing the corruption and callousness of the aristocrats.

The rebels were, of course, very quick to change all this and went very fast towards the opposite direction — what before had been of a baroque, almost decadent, excess, now everything was simple — as per the ideas of the era and also because hygiene had improved wonders by now and people had to buy more fabric to have at least one piece of clothing to wear while they cleaned the other one. And then the 1800s came and department stores were opened, giving a boost to Paris fashion. Instead of courtiers, France now had the bourgeoisie and, as the driving force that made the economy move from hand to hand (as in, they could actually move money around), French fashion found its way into society.

It wasn’t long until the couturier (designer) was born. It is, of course, as usually with designers, a controversial statement, but a man from England named Charles Frederick Worth is more or less accepted into the popular vernacular as the man who totally dominated the industry. He was the first to be considered a designer and not just a dressmaker – he invented the fashion show and the fashion label as a status symbol. He went on to become so successful and respected, in fact, that he earned the final say on whatever their customers were going to wear, regardless of their opinion. He also came up with the idea of actually sketching the design before producing an expensive sample garment. He was hailed as a genius for that.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, the French fashion industry exploded (Vogue was founded in 1892) and Jacques Doucet and Madeline Vionnet founded fashion houses. They were influenced by Art Nouveau and Orientalist trends and so finally women were “liberated” from corsets and heavy petticoats and instead wore their whimsical designs with flowing bias-cut dresses. In 1925 a little known designer called Coco Chanel first came into prominence and revolutionized Paris fashion and then the world’s.

In 1947, the world’s attention was on Paris once more as Christian Dior unveiled his “New Look” – the clinched in waists contrasted with majestic busts and full skirts delighted the post-war clientele in its femininity. Hubert de Givenchy and Pierre Balmain both opened fashion houses soon after and Paris was the center of the world again.

The 1960s saw the Parisian youth becoming disillusioned with French fashion, (apparently too elegant and elaborate) favoring instead the casual style seen in London. In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent put Paris in the spotlight again with his a prêt-à-porter (“ready to wear”) line which made fashion accessible to the masses. In fact, even though Paco Rabanne and Pierre Cardin pushed fashion towards the future, creating bold shapes they always had to stay under YSL’s shadow. He was undoubtedly king of the latter part of the century. He pioneered the tuxedo suit for women, seducing everyone with his androgynous style and Left Bank beatnik chic.***

The New York section begins with a circa 1938 iridescent evening gown by Nettie Rosenstein and ends with Alexander Wang’s sporty spring/summer 2015 neon orange dress. New York also includes styles by Claire McCardell, Halston, and Ralph Lauren.

Nettie Rosenstein, Evening dress, Circa 1938, New York, Gift of Gloria Carr de Veynac. 76.32.1

Claire McCardell, Dress, 1954, New York . Gift of Sally Kirkland. 76.33.34_20080425_01
Sleeveless dress in beige muslin with black windowpane check; fitted midriff panel; calf-length flared skirt; wide wrap & tie sash

Milan claimed its place as Italy’s fashion capital during the 1970s. Milan has established a long history within the fields of fashion, textiles and design in general. Throughout the late 19th century, the Lombard capital was a major production centre, benefitting from its status as one of the country’s salient economic and industrial powerhouses. Milanese fashion, despite taking inspiration from the leading Parisian couture of the time, developed its own approach, which was by nature devoted to sobriety, simplicity and the quality of the fabric. Throughout the 20th century, the city expanded its role as a fashion centre, with a number of rising designers contributing to Milan’s image as a stylistic capital. Following this development, Milan emerged in the 1970s and 1980s as one of the world’s pre-eminent trendsetters, maintaining this stint well into the 1990s and 2000s and culminating with its entrenchment as one of the “big four” global fashion capitals. As of today, Milan is especially renowned for its role within the prêt-à-porter category of fashion.

Milan’s fashion history has evolved greatly throughout the years. Milan began as a center of fashion in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, as in Venice and Florence, the making of luxury goods was an industry of such importance that in the 16th century the city gave its name to the English word “milaner” or “millaner”, meaning fine wares like jewellery, cloth, hats and luxury apparel. By the 19th century, a later variant, “millinery”, had come to mean one who made or sold hats.

In the mid-19th century cheaper silk began to be imported from Asia and the pest phylloxera damaged silk and wine production. More land was subsequently given over to industrialisation. Textile production was followed by metal and mechanical and furniture manufacture. In 1865, the first major department store in the country opened in Milan by the Bocconi brothers (which was called Alle Città d’Italia and later in 1921 became La Rinascente). This was regarded as a novelty at the time with regards to retailing in Italy. Though, traditionally, artisans would sell the items they made directly or to small stores, the opening of these new department stores modernized the distributions of clothes in the city.

In the 1880s and late 19th century, the Milanese style was partially inspired by French fashion, which at the time was still dominant in terms of influence, yet adapted according to local tastes; this included a generally somber and simple style, which was moderate in terms of decoration and ornamentation, and put an emphasis on the quality of tailoring and the different fabrics and textiles. The general Milanese interest in styling was reflected in the number of fashion magazines which circulated in the city at the time, as well as the fact that the people were ready to follow trends; nevertheless, the Milanese style was relatively traditional. The city had several tailors and seamstresses which in 1881 amounted to 249 and in 1886 to 383 (which were listed in guides).

In this period, the city was one of the biggest industrial powerhouses in Italy, and had a diversified fashion and clothing economy which was mainly based on small workshops rather than large companies (highlighted in an 1881 census). The importance of this industry continued in the city into the early 20th century, where 42,711 out of 175,871 workers were in the clothing sector in 1911.

However, in the 1970s, Milan’s fashion image became more glamorous, and as Florentine designs were deemed to be “very formal and expensive”, the city became a more popular shopping destination, with numerous boutiques which sold both elegant and everyday clothes. Milanese designs were known for their practicality and simple elegance, and became more popular and affordable than Florentine and Parisian designs. The city became one of the main capitals for ready-to-wear female and male fashion in the 1970s.  Milan started to become an internationally successful and famous fashion capital towards the late-1980s and early 1990s.

Milan has been home to numerous fashion designers, including Giorgio Armani, Valentino Garavani, Gianni Versace, Gianfranco Ferrè,Domenico Dolce, Stefano Gabbana, Miuccia Prada, Mariuccia Mandelli alias Krizia, Antonio Marras, Alessandro Dell’Acqua, Franco Moschino, Gimmo Etro, Mila Schön, Nicola Trussardi, Ottavio Missoni, Donatella Versace, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Pierpaolo Piccioli and Giuseppe Zanotti in addition to Fausto Puglisi, Francesco Scognamiglio, Alessandra Facchinetti, Gabriele Colangelo, Simonetta Ravizza, Stella Jean and Marco De Vincenzo, just to name a few younger designers.

Prada , Ensemble , Fall 2007, Milan, Gift of Prada, 2007.20.1
Coat with black textured wool blazer fringed with plastic strips, stitched to orange fleece skirt with rust pile hem band; red silk ribknit toeless stockings; black satin shoes with hardware buckle, high curved heel and back covered in taupe satin

Most of the major Italian fashion houses and labels are based in Milan, even though many of them were founded in other cities. They include: Armani, Bottega Veneta, Canali, Costume National, Dolce & Gabbana, Dsquared2, Etro, Iceberg, Les Copains, Marni, Missoni, Miu Miu, Moncler, Frankie Morello, Moschino, MSGM, N°21, Prada, Fausto Puglisi, Tod’s, Trussardi, Valentino, Versace, Giuseppe Zanotti, Zagliani, Ermenegildo Zegna, and the eyewear company Luxottica.

Christopher Kane, Dress, Fall 2014, London, Museum Purchase, 2015.15.1

Christopher Kane, Dress, Fall 2014, London, Museum Purchase, 2015.15.1

London captured international attention with “youthquake” fashions during the 1960s. Provocative designers such as Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, and Alexander McQueen established London as a creative fashion hub during the decades since.

 

Manish Aurora, Ensemble, Spring 2006, New Delhi, Museum purchase. 2007.58.1

Manish Arora, Detail of top, Spring 2006, New Delhi, Museum purchase, 2007.58.1

Manish Aurora. Detail of sneakers. Spring 2006, New Delhi, Museum purchase, 2007.58.1

When selecting which emerging fashion capitals to include in the exhibition, the curators considered a number of indicators to show that a city’s fashion scene is growing. All the featured cities are home to forward-thinking designers who have achieved domestic success and attracted international interest. They also hold fashion weeks attended by international press and fashion buyers.

 

Alexandre Herchcovitch, Jumpsuit, Spring 2007, São Paulo, Gift of Alexandre Herchcovitch. 2007.49.1

Walter Van Beirendonck, Ensemble, Summer 2006, Antwerp, Gift of Walter Van Beirendonck. 2007.54.1

Carla Fernandez, Ensemble, 2009, Mexico City, Gift of Carla Fernandez/TallerFlora, 2009.48.1

Yohji Yamamoto, Corset , Fall 1991, Tokyo. Gift of Anonymous Donor, 2010.1.2

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Dress, Spring/Summer 2014. Madrid. Gift of Agatha Ruiz de la Prada. 2014.44.1

Big Park, Dress. Spring 2015, Seoul, Gift of Big Park, 2015.2.1

BACK, Ensemble, Spring 2015. Stockholm. Gift of Ann-Sofie Back. 2015.3.1

LIE SANGBONG, Ensemble , Fall 2006. Seoul. Gift of LIE SANGBONG. 2015.9.1

 

Several factors drive the development of a city’s fashion scene—politics, economics, and government support among them. For example, Johannesburg fashion blossomed during the post-apartheid era, led by designers such as Nkhensani Nkosi of Stoned Cherrie. Current events in Ukraine have ignited the creativity of designers such as Anton Belinskiy, who staged a photoshoot amid Kiev’s street protests.

China’s economic growth over the last decade created consumer demand for international fashion, developing into support for successful domestic designers, such as Shanghai’s Masha Ma. Nigeria’s economy, the largest in Africa, supports Lagos’ developing fashion industry and the growing international reach of brands like Maki Oh and Lisa Folwaiyo. The governments of Copenhagen and Seoul actively fund and promote their fashion industries.

On October 13, 2015, The Museum at FIT, in conjunction with CUNY Graduate Center, will host a one day symposium on the topic of global fashion capitals. The morning session will take place on the FIT campus and will consist of a student fair, where visitors can interact with members of the international fashion community. The morning will also include a fashion show featuring five designers from emerging fashion capitals and a panel discussion moderated by MFIT curators Ariele Elia and Elizabeth Way. The afternoon session will take place at the CUNY Graduate Center, details to follow.

Global Fashion Capitals is organized by Ariele Elia, assistant curator of costume and textiles, and Elizabeth Way, curatorial assistant, The Museum at FIT.

*** Excerpted from http://www.whatparis.com/paris-fashion.html

Costume Institute’s Spring 2015 Exhibition at Metropolitan Museum to Focus on Chinese Imagery in Art, Film, and Fashion

Chinese Whispers: Tales of the East in Art, Film, and Fashion

Exhibition Locations: Chinese Galleries and Anna Wintour Costume Center

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today that The Costume Institute’s spring 2015 exhibition, made possible by Yahoo, with additional support is provided by Condé Nast, will be Chinese Whispers: Tales of the East in Art, Film, and Fashion, on view from May 7 through August 16, 2015 (preceded on May 4 by The Costume Institute Benefit). Presented in the Museum’s Chinese Galleries and Anna Wintour Costume Center, the exhibition will explore how China has fueled the creative imagination for centuries, resulting in layers of cultural translations, re-translations, and mistranslations. In this collaboration between The Costume Institute and the Department of Asian Art, high fashion will be juxtaposed with Chinese costumes, paintings, porcelains, and other art, as well as Chinese films to reveal ongoing dialogues between East and West, past and present.

This is The Costume Institute’s first collaboration with another curatorial department since AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion in 2006, a partnership with the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts. Chinese Whispers will feature more than 100 examples of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear alongside Chinese art. Filmic representations of China will be incorporated throughout to reveal how our visions of China are framed by narratives that draw upon popular culture, and also to recognize the importance of cinema as a medium through which we understand the richness of Chinese history.

The exhibition, a collaboration between The Costume Institute and the Department of Asian Art, coincides with the Museum’s year-long centennial celebration of the Asian Art Department, which was created as a separate curatorial department in 1915. Chinese Whispers is organized by Andrew Bolton, Curator, with the support of Harold Koda, Curator in Charge, both of The Costume Institute. Additional support is provided by Maxwell Hearn, Douglas Dillon Chairman; Denise Patry Leidy, Curator; and Zhixin Jason Sun, Curator, all of the Department of Asian Art.

The Anna Wintour Costume Center’s Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Gallery will present a series of “whispers” or conversations through time and space, focusing on Imperial China; Nationalist China, especially Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s; and Communist China, with an emphasis on changing images of Chairman Mao. These ‘whispers,’ and others in the exhibition, will be illustrated with scenes from films by such groundbreaking Chinese directors as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Ang Lee, and Wong Kar Wai. Distinct vignettes will be devoted to “women of style,” including Madame Wellington Koo, Madame Chiang Kai-shek (Soong May-Ling), and Empress Dowager Cixi.

Directly above the Anna Wintour Costume Center, the Chinese Galleries on the second floor will showcase fashion from the 1700s to the present, juxtaposed with decorative arts from Imperial China, including jade, lacquer, cloisonné, and blue-and-white porcelain, mostly drawn from the Met’s collection. The Astor Court will feature a thematic vignette dedicated to Chinese opera, focusing on the celebrated performer Mei Lanfang, who inspired John Galliano’s spring 2003 Christian Dior Haute Couture Collection, ensembles from which will be showcased alongside Mr. Mei’s original opera costumes.

Designers in the exhibition will include Giorgio Armani, Sarah Burton (Alexander McQueen), Roberto Cavalli, Peter Dundas (Emilio Pucci), Tom Ford (Yves Saint Laurent), John Galliano (Dior), Jean Paul Gaultier, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Picciolo (Valentino), Craig Green, Ground-Zero, Guo Pei, Marc Jacobs (Louis Vuitton), Mary Katrantzou, Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel), Ralph Lauren, Ma Ke, Martin Margiela, Alexander McQueen (Givenchy), Kate and Laura Mulleavy (Rodarte), Anna Sui, Vivienne Tam, Isabel Toledo, Dries van Noten, Vivienne Westwood, Jason Wu, Laurence Xu, and others.

“I am excited about this partnership between these two forward-thinking departments that will undoubtedly reveal provocative new insights into the West’s fascination with Chinese aesthetics,” said Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of the Met. “The artistic direction of acclaimed filmmaker Wong Kar Wai will take visitors on a cinematic journey through our galleries, where high fashion will be shown alongside masterworks of Chinese art.”

“From the earliest period of European contact with China in the 16th century, the West has been enchanted with enigmatic objects and imagery from the East, providing inspiration for fashion designers from Paul Poiret to Yves Saint Laurent, whose fashions are infused at every turn with fantasy, romance, and nostalgia,” said Andrew Bolton, Curator in The Costume Institute. “In an intricate process of translation and mistranslation similar to the game of ‘Telephone’–which the British call ‘Chinese Whispers’–designers conjoin disparate stylistic references into a fantastic pastiche of Chinese aesthetic and cultural traditions.”

Internationally renowned filmmaker Wong Kar Wai will be the exhibition’s artistic director working with his longtime collaborator William Chang, who will supervise styling. Creative production company 59 Productions (exhibition designers for David Bowie is at the V&A Museum and video for the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony) will serve as the exhibition’s production designers.

“William Chang and I are pleased to be working in collaboration with The Costume Institute and the Asian Art Department of The Metropolitan Museum of Art on this exciting cross-cultural show,” said Wong. “Historically, there have been many cases of being ‘lost in translation’–with good and revealing results. As Chinese filmmakers we hope to create a show that is an Empire of Signs–filled with meaning for both East and West to discover and decipher.”

In celebration of the exhibition opening, the Museum’s Costume Institute Benefit will take place on Monday, May 4, 2015. Silas Chou will serve as Honorary Chair. The evening’s co-chairs will be Jennifer Lawrence, Gong Li, Marissa Mayer, Wendi Murdoch, and Anna Wintour. This event is The Costume Institute’s main source of annual funding for exhibitions, publications, acquisitions, and capital improvements. Additional financial support for the 2015 exhibition and benefit is provided by a group of Chinese donors. The design for the 2015 Costume Institute Gala Benefit will be created by Wong Kar Wai and William Chang with 59 Productions, and Raul Avila, who has produced the Benefit décor since 2007. A publication by Andrew Bolton will accompany the exhibition. It will be produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and distributed by Yale University Press, and will be available in early May.

amfAR’s CINEMA AGAINST AIDS GALA RAISES A RECORD BREAKING $35 MILLION FOR RESEARCH TO FIGHT HIV/AIDS AND TO HELP FIND A CURE

EVENT SPONSORED BY WORLDVIEW ENTERTAINMENT, BOLD FILMS, BVLGARI, MERCEDES-BENZ and THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

The 21^st annual Cinema Against AIDS raised a record $35 million last night, helping amfAR in its continued fight against HIV/AIDS. The star-studded black-tie event was held at the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc and was presented by Worldview Entertainment, Bold Films, and BVLGARI.

CAP D’ANTIBES, FRANCE – MAY 22: Harvey Weinstein and Heidi Klum speak onstage during amfAR’s 21st Cinema Against AIDS Gala Presented By WORLDVIEW, BOLD FILMS, And BVLGARI at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 22, 2014 in Cap d’Antibes, France. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for amfAR)

CAP D’ANTIBES, FRANCE – MAY 22: Dean Caten, Sharon Stone and Dan Caten attend amfAR’s 21st Cinema Against AIDS Gala Presented By WORLDVIEW, BOLD FILMS, And BVLGARI at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 22, 2014 in Cap d’Antibes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/amfAR14/WireImage)

Since amfAR’s late Founding International Chairman Dame Elizabeth Taylor hosted the first Cinema Against AIDS in 1993, the event has become the most coveted ticket in Cannes. Past events have been chaired by amfAR Global Fundraising Chairman Sharon Stone, President Bill Clinton, Demi Moore, Sir Elton John, and Madonna, among many others.

Like the epidemic itself, AIDS research knows no borders. amfAR’s programs have had a global reach since 1986, when the Foundation began awarding international grants. Today, amfAR continues to fund HIV/AIDS researchers worldwide and works to translate their research into effective policy, prevention, and treatment programs around the globe.

CAP D’ANTIBES, FRANCE – MAY 22: (L-R) Eva Herzigova and Sharon Stone speak onstage during amfAR’s 21st Cinema Against AIDS Gala Presented By WORLDVIEW, BOLD FILMS, And BVLGARI at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 22, 2014 in Cap d’Antibes, France. (Photo by Dominique Charriau/WireImage)

CAP D’ANTIBES, FRANCE – MAY 22: Kellan Lutz attends amfAR’s 21st Cinema Against AIDS Gala Presented By WORLDVIEW, BOLD FILMS, And BVLGARI at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 22, 2014 in Cap d’Antibes, France. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/amfAR14/WireImage)

Sharon Stone was once again a Chair of the event, along with Harvey Weinstein, amfAR ambassador Milla Jovovich, Heidi Klum, BVLGARI Ambassador Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, Carine Roitfeld, amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole, Bulgari Group Chief Executive Officer Jean-Christophe Babin, amfAR Global Fundraising Ambassador Milutin Gatsby, Michel Litvak, Vincent Roberti, Remo Ruffini, Worldview Entertainment chairman and CEO Christopher Woodrow, and Worldview Entertainment COO Molly Conners.

Academy of Arts University Fashion Design and Textile Design Students Shine at Fall/Winter 2014 New Fashion Week

Designer Profile and Inspiration Images by David Dooley/Runway Images by Randy Brooke/WireImage 

Every designer dreams of showing their collection at Mercedes- Benz Fashion Week, and on Friday, February 7th that dream came true for 13 designers from the School of Fashion at Academy of Art University. “Since 2005, the School of Fashion has premiered the collections of students and recent graduates during New York Fashion Week. Part of our commitment to our students is to help launch their careers and have their work seen by industry professionals,” said Dr. Elisa Stephens, President of Academy of Art University. “Debuting these designers’ collections during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is an incredible opportunity for each of them.”

With more than 18,000 students, Academy of Art University is the nation’s largest accredited private art and design university. Established in 1929, the school offers accredited A.A., B.A., B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A., and M.Arch degree programs in Acting, Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Architecture, Art Education, Art History, Fashion, Fine Art, Game Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Jewelry & Metal Arts, Landscape Architecture, Motion Pictures & Television, Multimedia Communications, Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media, Photography, Visual Development, and Web Design & New Media. Online degrees are offered in most areas. Academy of Art University is an accredited member of WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges), NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design), NAAB (Master of Architecture), and CIDA (Council for Interior Design Accreditation offered for BFA-IAD, MFA-IAD).

For the Fall 2014 season, 13 designers presented eight collections, four of which were collaborations between Fashion Design and Textile Design students. In total, six womenswear and two menswear collections were presented at the Academy of Art University Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week show.

Jaci Hodges, M.F.A. Fashion Design, collaborated with Nisha Hanna Btesh, B.F.A. Textile Design, on a 1960s-inspired womenswear collection that was created with the use of Shibori, the Japanese technique of resistance felting. Originally from Austin, TX, Jaci holds a B.B.A. in Marketing with a minor in Philosophy. Additionally, she recently completed a design internship with gr.dano, a Bay Area ready-to-wear company co-founded by fellow alumna Jill Giordano. Nisha is a California native, born and raised in San Diego. Jaci and Nisha were inspired by the excess of prints worn during the late 1960s, in particular to those seen on the Brady Bunch, and the costumes worn by Mia Farrow in the film Dandy in Aspic.

Frank Tsai, M.F.A. Fashion Design, collaborated with Andrea Nieto, B.F.A. Textile Design, on a menswear collection inspired by the mood and emotion of an international photography collection, “Beauty in Decay,” personal struggle, raw emotion, and the different stages of the healing process. Frank was born and raised in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, earned a B.S. Degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising, was awarded high honors for his undergraduate fashion show, and worked as the Marketing Manager for FU YU Clothing Company. Andrea grew up in Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, is on the Academy of Art University President’s Honor List, was awarded a $10,000 scholarship through the YMA Scholarship Fund as a Geoffrey Beene National Scholar, and recently finished a design internship at BCBGMAXAZRIA.

Macy’s Herald Square Beauty and Fragrance Department Unveils Its Biggest and Boldest Makeover Yet

Beauty Starts From the Inside with New Cosmetics, Skincare and Fragrance Brands, Fully Re-Designed Counters, All-New Shop-In-Shop Installations, And Salon Services

All Images Courtesy of Macy’s Inc.

A state-of-the-art and sophisticated shopping experience awaits shoppers as Macy’s Herald Square unveils a striking new look for its signature world of beauty and fragrances today. The long-awaited reveal has been months in the making, culminating with the most dramatic makeover of a beauty department in modern retail history. Re-fashioned within a brand-new 24,000 square-foot space and re-imagined within the grand architectural setting of the majestic Main Floor, the new Cosmetics and Fragrances department at Macy’s Herald Square will be the pre-eminent retail showcase for beauty brands and salon services. New luxury and prestige brands in color, treatment and skincare collections, as well as brand new counters, shops and bars for brows, blow-outs and nails will elevate the customer experience and exceed their expectations. Beauty will truly be in the eye of the beholder as Macy’s Herald Square restyles the world’s ultimate beauty destination.

“Beauty is always one of the most dynamic businesses and departments at Macy’s Herald Square,” said Muriel Gonzalez, executive vice president/general merchandise manager for cosmetics, fragrances and shoes. “With the renovation of our flagship store, we were able to completely re-imagine the space devoted to all things beauty, allowing us to bring in luxury brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Hermes, La Mer, Laura Mercier, Jo Malone London and Tom Ford, and for the first time, layer in salon services for nails, brows and hair all in one location. Macy’s Herald Square undeniably has the most powerful presentation for beauty in New York City.”

Macy’s Herald Square, New York City

She added, “In addition to the new color, skincare and fragrance collections being introduced, all of our existing vendors embraced the spectacular changes at Macy’s Herald Square with their own state-of-the-art installations that are unique, interactive and the most exciting cosmetics counters in the city.

Beauty indeed does start from within. Located in the heart of the store and at the crossroads of the Main Aisle and the newly opened Memorial Door Entrance off of 34th Street, the new Cosmetics and Fragrances department at Macy’s Herald Square is the crowning moment of the extensive Main Floor renovation begun last year. Redesigned with new architectural accents and structural elements, two sets of sweeping marble staircases along both the 34th and 35th Street sides of the store frame the stunning new department and create a spectacular arena for shopping. For the first time, show windows along 34th Street have been opened to provide vistas from the street into the store. Passersby can now experience the energy and excitement of the city’s most popular beauty destination as they travel along the bustling thoroughfare.

Once inside, shoppers enter a world of breathtaking beauty accented by modern design aesthetics and a sleek, modern sensibility. A brand-new Kiehl’s shop complete with its signature motorcycle display is offset by Macy’s award-winning Impulse Beauty concept. Steps away from 34th Street, an outpost for Blow, the New York Blow Dry Bar Express and everyone’s favorite trend-setting brands including Bare Escentuals, Benefit, butter LONDON, essie, Inglot, Lipstick Queen, Smashbox, Tarte, Too-Faced, and Urban Decay await the shopper inside. Providing express services and views from 34th Street, Blow’s new outpost will be first stop for fast blow-outs, up-dos and quick re-styles and then it is off to Benefit’s Brow Bar for a quick re-shape.

Ralph Lauren Celebrates The Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris

Images Photographed by Julien Hekimian/Getty Images for Ralph Lauren, Carter Berg and Chris Allerton

Andrew Lauren, Dylan Lauren, Ralph Lauren, Ricky Lauren, David Lauren, Lauren Bush Lauren – Dinner Space (Phot Credit: Carter Berg)

On Tuesday October 8th,Ralph Lauren to hosted an exclusive viewing of his fall/winter 2013 Collection show and private black-tie dinner in celebration of his patron sponsorship and commitment to a 2-year restoration program of L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts (The [French] National School of Fine Arts) in Paris at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (13 quai Malaquais – Paris 6e)

Guests included members of the Ralph Lauren Family (Mrs. Ricky Lauren in Ralph Lauren Collection black silk taffeta skirt and black jersey bodysuit, Mr. David Lauren, Mrs. Dylan Lauren in Ralph Lauren Collection silk georgette bustier evening dress, Mr. Andrew Lauren, Mrs. Lauren Bush Lauren in Ralph Lauren Collection black silk cady evening dress), H.S.H. The Princess Charlene of Monaco (in Ralph Lauren Collection custom amethyst silk taffeta evening dress with organza and organdy silk layers), Princess Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (in Ralph Lauren black silk dress with beading), US Ambassador to France Mr. Charles H. Rivkin, Mrs. Susan Tolson in Ralph Lauren Collection fuchsia satin evening dress, Ms Catherine Deneuve in Ralph Lauren Collection beaded evening skirt and cashmere top, Mrs. Charlotte Gainsbourg in Ralph Lauren Collection black textured crepe jacket and over-the-knee black boots with Ralph Lauren Black Label leather leggings and cashmere tank top, Mr. Lambert Wilson (in Ralph Lauren Purple Label navy tuxedo), Mr. Laurent Lafitte (in Ralph Lauren Purple Label velvet tuxedo jacket, tuxedo pants), Mrs. Alice Taglioni in Ralph Lauren Blue Label velvet suit and Ralph Lauren Black Label lace shirt, Mrs. Elin Kling in Ralph Lauren Collection black silk faille embroidered jacket, Mrs. Laurence Ferrari in Ralph Lauren Collection silk evening dress, Mr. Renaud Capuçon, Mrs. Arielle Dombasle, Mr. Jean-Jacques Aillagon, Mr. Frédéric Mitterrand, Mrs. Cherie Chung (in Ralph Lauren Collection black sable evening strapless dress, Ralph Lauren Fine Jewelry Monogram choker and Ralph Lauren Fine Watchmaking Slim Classique in 18K rose gold and white diamonds), Suzy Menkes, Mrs. Eriko Nakamura Barthes (in Ralph Lauren Collection ivory tulle beaded dress, Ralph Lauren Fine Watchmaking Slim Classique in 18K white gold with diamond baguette and white satin strap) and many other distinguished guests

Ralph Lauren, Catherine Deneuve, Ricky Lauren (Carter Berg)

Dylan Lauren, Andrew Lauren, Catherine Deneuve, Ricky Lauren, David Lauren (Carter Berg)

Chantal Henckes, Ralph Lauren, Ricky Lauren, Geoffrey de Shapper Bruggeman (Carter Berg)

The École des Beaux-Arts (The School of Fine Arts) is one of a number of influential art schools in France, the most famous being the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, at 14 rue Bonaparte (in the 6th arrondissement). The school has a history spanning more than 350 years, and have trained many of the great artists in Europe.

Ralph Lauren acknowledges applause following the presentation of the Ralph Lauren Fall 13 Collection Show at Les Beaux-Arts de Paris on October 8, 2013 in Paris, France. On this occasion Ralph Lauren celebrates the restoration project and patron sponsorship of L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts. (Photo by Julien Hekimian/Getty Images for Ralph Lauren)

The origins of the school go back to 1648 when the Académie des Beaux-Arts was founded by Cardinal Mazarin to educate the most talented students in drawing, painting, sculpture, engraving, architecture and other media. Louis XIV was known to select graduates from the school to decorate the royal apartments at Versailles, and in 1863 Napoleon III granted the school independence from the government, changing the name to “L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts“. Women were admitted beginning in 1897. In October 1898 after her third try, Julia Morgan of San Francisco, California, was accepted as the first woman to be enrolled in the Architecture Department.

Ralph Lauren Paris Beaux Arts Event (Photos by Chris Allerton)

Ralph Lauren Paris Beaux Arts Event (Photos by Chris Allerton)

Ralph Lauren Paris Beaux Arts Event (Photos by Chris Allerton)

Ralph Lauren Paris Beaux Arts Event (Photos by Chris Allerton)

Ralph Lauren Paris Beaux Arts Event (Photos by Chris Allerton)

Carter Berg

The curriculum was divided into the “Academy of Painting and Sculpture” and the “Academy of Architecture“. Both programs focused on classical arts and architecture from Ancient Greek and Roman culture. All students were required to prove their skills with basic drawing tasks before advancing to figure drawing and painting. This culminated in a competition for the Grand Prix de Rome, awarding a full scholarship to study in Rome. The three trials to obtain the prize lasted for nearly three months. Many of the most famous artists in Europe were trained here, to name but a few, they include Géricault, Degas, Delacroix, Fragonard, Ingres, Monet, Moreau, Renoir, Seurat, Cassandre, and Sisley. Rodin however, famously applied on three occasions but was refused entry.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Announces Preliminary Schedule for the new York Spring/Summer 2014 Collections

Summer may be almost over, but the fashion industry is kicking into high gear as the 2014 Spring/Summer New York Fashion Shows are just a few weeks away from their debut. Mercedes-Benz Fashion (New York) Week draws hundreds of thousands of fashion fans to New York City, and today IMG Fashion, owners and producers of the Event, announced the preliminary line up of designers who will take center-stage at Lincoln Center, September 5-12, 2013.

“Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week truly embodies the global scale of the fashion industry and highlights the limitless boundaries of design. A leader in the global fashion event circuit; Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York has the highest number of international designers who choose to make this Event the home for their Collection debuts,” says Christina Neault, Executive Producer, IMG Fashion Events and Properties. “As well, with three fashion schools and numerous emerging designers presenting alongside their established colleagues, Lincoln Center is the place to discover the next rising star.”

“Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York is internationally recognized as the world’s stage to premier the latest developments in cutting-edge fashion to the global fashion industry,” said Stephanie Zimmer, Manager of Brand Experience Marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA. “The excitement is building in anticipation of what will hit the runways from both the well-known designers and emerging talent showing this season.”

Over 100,000 guests, journalists, buyers and members of the industry make Lincoln Center become the heartbeat of the city for the 8 days of shows and events. Title sponsor Mercedes-Benz is joined by DHL, American Express®, Maybelline New York, TRESemmé, Samsung, Reel Code, Style Network, WGSN, Beck’s Sapphire, The New York Times, as well as Women’s Wear Daily and Getty Images.

September 5th

• 9AM NICHOLAS K at STUDIO
• 10AM BCBGMAXAZRIA at THEATRE
• 11AMR ICHARD CHAI at STAGE
• 1PM SUPIMA at STUDIO
• 2PM TADASHI SHOJI at STAGE
• 2:30-3:30PMC ANDELA at BOX
• 3PM DESIGUAL at THEATRE
• 5PM MARISSA WEBB at STUDIO

DREW BARRYMORE, WALMART and MAESA Launch Drew Barrymore FLOWER COSMETICS, a Premium Cosmetics Line that focuses on luxury brand quality at an affordable price

PORTFOLIO CONSISTS OF EYE, FACE, LIP AND NAIL PRODUCTS RANGING FROM $4.98 TO $13.98

“Women no longer have to spend a lot of money to get the quality cosmetics they want and deserve.” – Drew Barrymore

DREW BARRYMORE FLOWER Cosmetics available exclusively at Wal-Mart and online at http://www.walmart.com

Today, DREW BARRYMORE, WALMART and MAESA announced the launch of FLOWER, an exclusive cosmetics line custom formulated with the same quality ingredients found in department store luxury brands, but sold for a fraction of the price. The portfolio consists of more than 181 eye, face, lip and nail products ranging from $4.98 to $13.98, and will be available in more than 1,500 Walmart stores and on Walmart.com by the end of January.