HEW Hotels
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The Fashion Fund gets Competitive
The Fashion Fund Preview from Ovation TelevisionFor the last few weeks, I’ve been glued to the television screen on Wednesday nights, and absolutely refused to miss an episode of the Fashion Fund. This amazing show offers a lively, at times snappy, behind the scenes, and on the scenes documentary-style footage of some of the most interesting fashion designers around. The Fashion Fund which airs on Wednesday, 10PM ET, stars legendary editor in chief of Vogue Magazine, Anna Wintour, who oversees a competition in which 10 designers get a chance to work alongside industry luminaries to prove they have what it takes to be named Fashion Fund Designer of the Year (this is major, it’s pretty much like winning an Oscar for fashion’s best “newcomer”). The victor will get an injection of $300,000 and a one-year mentorship with some of the biggest names in fashion.
In this video, fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg visits Misha Nonoo. Born in Bahrain and raised in London by an Iraqi father and English mother, Misha Nonoo’s style is modern with a clear tribute to a past that calls for easy elegance. Her design concept signifies a gentle time when simply dressing for grocery shopping was done with some panache and grace. Her daytime, and evening wear are quite terrific. I’ve got my eyes on her, and believe that she is set for victory. Here’s a few pictures of her collections. Are you watching America?
Nonoo
In addition to Nonoo, there are many other outstanding talents on the Fashion Fund.
Check out Anna Wintour’s visit to the dynamic duo, Tome. It is quite intriguing. -
Jean Paul Gaultier at The Brooklyn Museum Museum
Jean Paul Gaultier: From The Sidewalk to the Catwalk (Brooklyn Museum of Art)The Boudoir Prince Takes over BrooklynFrom The Sidewalk to the Catwalk is an eye-popping journey that is altogether superbly curated by fashion icon, Jean Paul Gaultier, and famed curator, Thierry-Maxime Lorio. The exhibition is running at the Brooklyn Museum. Last Friday night, I took a trip to Eastern Parkway to discover this exciting, ground-breaking show, and was also enchanted by the stimulating talk between the designer, and the curator. The conversation was deftly led by Wall Street Journal Magazine editor-in-chief, Kristina O’Neill. Jean Paul Gaultier is well-known for his designing Madonna’s infamous cone bra (he spoke passionately about his muse, and how she has been a constant source of inspiration for his work throughout his early career). The exhibit highlights a master couturier ahead of his game, and a front runner of the Haute Couture world and avant-garde fashion.
The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk” is open to the public from October 25, 2013- February 23, 2014. Word of advice: See it! The Brooklyn Museum is located at 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY.
Images by High End Weekly™All rights reserved - Architecture, Art, Art Deco, Bauhaus, Books, Design, Gifts, HEW Hotels, Shopping, The Metropolitan Museum, Vyna St Phard
Shopping at The Met with Vyna
The Metropolitan Museum Gift Store“To the making of many books there is no end…” And The Metropolitan Gift Shop is an authority on supplying the world’s most outstanding reading materials. After a recent visit to the New American Wing Galleries for Paintings, Sculpture, and Decorative Arts, I decided to commemorate the occasion by visiting the gift shop and adding a few more books to my home library. I’m in the process of doing some research for a garden that I’m designing, and dedicating to the memory of my mother, and found the Gardening section had the right amount of variety of designs and styles which were quite helpful. In addition, I picked up a number of books ranging from architecture, fashion, and decorative arts. Would you like to find out exactly which ones were my favorites? - BCBGMAXAZRIA, Desigual, HEW Hotels, Lincoln Center, Marissa Webb, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, New York, NYFW, Richard Chai, Tadashi Shoji
Spring 2014 Ready-To-Wear Collection
New York Fashion Week: Day 1RICHARD CHAI
The Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week in New York is a splendid time in the city. Editors, bloggers, models, and spectators brace the trip to the upper west side, all in the name of fashion. Fall is here, so we look towards the Spring Collection for 2014. So far, designers are serving a hot dish of black and white with a pop of color. The shows opened with a bang yesterday at Lincoln Center, and as usual BCBGMAXAZRIA spearheaded the event. On this blog post, we’re featuring eye catching looks from Richard Chai, BCBGMaxazria, Desigual, Marissa Webb, Tadashi Shoji, and Richard Chai.
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Artful Gifts with A Past
Sonia Delaunay’s fashionable gifts from The Met StoreNow is the the time to get a head start on your holiday shopping. After all, immediately following Labor Day comes a barrage of holidays, and if you love the arts, and have some of those hard to please artsy friends, we suggest you try the shopping experience from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual holiday catalogue. Once we looked through its pages we were delighted to find merchandise collections inspired by and evocative of objects in the Museum’s vast holdings.
Like the previous years before, The Met has continued a tradition that began in 1870, their merchandising staff work closely with art historians, master craftspeople, and responsible manufacturers to assure that each of their publications, reproductions, and adaptations offers superior design, quality and value. These holiday introductions (and many more) are also available at store.metmuseum.org and in the Met’s retail locations: 1000 Fifth Avenue (within the Museum) and Rockefeller Center (15 West 49th Street). - Fashion Review, Guest Blogger, HEW Hotels, Polly Guerin, Punk: Chaos to Culture, The Metropolitan Museum
When Punk Meets High Fashion
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, “Punk: Chaos to Culture”From left, looks from Yohji Yamamoto, Viktor & Rolf and Chanel.Photo by Thomas Iannaccone, via WWD.comJust what exactly defines the punk era? Is it anarchy, rebellion or a do-it-yourself venue that continues to engage and excite our imagination? In this compelling and outrageous exhibition, “PUNK: Chaos and Couture,” May 9 to August 14 at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute,curator Andrew Bolton argues high fashion has adopted punk style more than any other counter cultural movement. The exhibition examines punk’s impact on high fashion from the movement’sbirth in the 1970s through its continuing influence today.
Karl Lagerfeld for House of ChanelPhotograher: David Sims PUNK’S ORIGINSince its origins, punk has had an incendiary influence on fashion,” said Mr.Bolton. Punk began in the mid-1970s as youth movement centered on the music scene at New York, CBGB club and then moved to London and there it grew full blown and fashion-focused with designers Vivienne Westwood at the helm. Punk broke all the rules in a time when originality was celebrated and championed the individual’s individuality. The museum explores this visually with 100 designs for men and women.
COMPARISON VIEWSOriginal pink garments from the mid-1970s are juxtaposed with recent, directional fashion to illustrate how haute couture and ready-to-wear have borrowed punk’s visual symbols, with paillettes being replaced by safety pins, feathers with razor blades, and bugle beads with studs, and other hardware. The exhibit is organized around the materials, techniques and embellishments associated with the anti-establishment style.GALLERY PRESENTATIONSThe seven galleries, organized thematically have designated punkheroes. The first gallery is devoted to CBGB represented by Blondie, Richard Hell, The Ramones andPatti Smith., Next gallery is inspired by Malcolm McClaren and Vivienne Westwood and their Seditionaries boutique in London. The Clothes for Heroes examines designers who extend the visual language of punk, as it was originally articulated by McClaren and Westwood. Do-it-yourself, punk’s contribution to high fashion is explored in the four final galleries focus on couture’s use of studs, spikes, chains, zippers,padlocks, safety pins and razor blade with Sid Vicious as its icon.MUSIC and VIDEOSPresented as an immersive multimedia, multisensory experience, the clothes are animated with period music videos andsoundscaping audio techniques; original punk pieces and videos showing punk icons wearing their infamous looks. The designers includeVersace, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana and Karl Lagerfeld. It is interesting to note the couture and punk had value handcrafted, individual pieces. Bolton said, “Just as couture has made-to-measure one of a kind garments, punk would take a leather jacket and customize it so that you are the only person in the world who wears it.”
A book, Punk; Chaos To Couture, by Andrew Bolton with Prefaces by Three Punk Originals, Richard Hell, John Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols) and Jon Savage each contribute with enlightening and fascinating essays illustrated with photographs of vintage punks and high fashion. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
A Vivienne Westwood ensemble.Photo by Thomas Iannaccone, via WWD.com
Versace’s safety pin dress that created Elizabeth Hurley.Photo by Thomas Iannaccone, via WWD.com
A Stephen Sprouse dress works a graffiti vibe.Photo by Thomas Iannaccone, via WWD.com
Photo via The Epoch Times
Images via www.sentinelandenterprise.com
A series of Comme des Garçons dresses against a video wall featuring Johnny Rotten.Photo by Thomas Iannaccone, via WWD.comWritten by Polly Guerin -
Get the Look: Celebrities Wearing Pearl Jewelry
Natalie Portman in Audrey Hepburn modePhoto via Harper’s BazaarWritten by Rebecca JonesPearl jewellery has a certain allure and charm which has ensured that it has remained a timeless classic and firm favourite in our jewellery boxes. From Tinseltown to Buckingham Palace as well as the White House to the red carpet, celebrities, royalty and public figures alike have all been seen sporting these lustrous beauties.For a classic look, make like Scarlett Johansson and opt for a simple choker made from Akoya pearls. These pearls have been hugely popular since the 1920s when they first came on to the European jewellery scene, having originated within the cold waters off the coast of Japan. These exquisite pearls are renowned for their faultless, round shape and high quality lustre. An Akoya pearl necklace of this length will sit elegantly and comfortably below the collarbone, creating a stylish and timeless look. Due to it’s highly versatile nature, this necklace is perfect for everyday wear or to a formal occasion.
Carolee Pearl Rope Necklace from Bloomingdale’sAlternatively, take a tip from America’s first lady and wear a pearl necklace doubled up to create a chunkier, choker look. To achieve this look, which is evocative of 1920s style and glamour, choose a long white Freshwater Pearl Rope Necklace from Winterson and double loop it around the neck. This will create a stunning look, perfect for formal evening affairs. Twin your pearl necklace with a strapless, black, floor-length dress and long satin black gloves for true elegance and sophistication.
Gold South Sea Pearl Necklace with Pave Diamonds & Yellow GoldFor a simple, refined yet immensely stylish look, stud pearl earrings are a great choice.These eye-catching, lustrous beauties will last a lifetime, never losing their allure and charm. Olivia Palermo nails this look with her hair neatly swept off her face in a bun, enabling her pearl earrings to take centre stage. Stud pearl earrings from Winterson are not only eye-catching but are also easy to wear, injecting a touch of understated glamour into your look. Perfect for everyday wear as well as more formal, evening dos.
Angelina Jolie, Kelly Rowland
First Lady Michelle Obama
Multi-coloured Tahitian Pearl Necklace with 18ct White Gold Ring Clasp
Bride wearing pearls
Luna Rose Tahitian Pearl Ring
Ferragamo Necklace
Californian Blogger, Emily SchumanPhoto via She Knows.com -
Paris in the Springtime
Capucine Café de la Paix, 1950The Art of Georges Dambier
One of the great things about photography, I think, is the fact that it places you in the “right here, right now” setting, no matter how long ago that setting was. It’s all about the scenes we are familiar with, places that we love to revisit. In this case, the place is Paris, and the photography is from Georges Dambier (1925-2011). During its cultural elevation – right at the end of the second world war, Dambier, then 20 years old, captured the city of lights, and all of its vibrant nightlife, glamorous celebrities, and the typical elegant Parisiens. After exploring all of his muses, and inspirations, with a penchant for graphic design and aesthetics, and his liking for refined mise-en-scene, he was lead towards the inevitable – fashion photography.
Karen Blanguernon Montmartre, Magazine Elle, 1959
Sophie Litvak bus stop, Magazine Elle, 1952
Sophie Litvak and little dog, Magazine Elle, 1952
Gunilla Parking
Marie Helene Arnaud the red fish, Magazine Elle, 1957
Simone d’Aillencourt MG Girl, 1957
Sophie Litvak Avenue Messine, Magazine Elle, 1953
Sophie Litvak sac à main
Catherine Hotel Palace Biarritz
Pin up Deauville
Catherine Surfboard Biarritz
Fille Colonne Morris Magazine Jardin des modes
Bettina Miro
Suzy Parker Tour Eiffel
Marie Helene Arnaud Cap d’Antibes Mirror
Suzy Parker with red tulips
Dorian Leigh Cheminée, Magazine Nouveau Fémina, 1954
Suzy Parker Casablanca Airport, Magazine Elle, 1953Images credited to Peter Fetterman Gallery -
Inspirations on the runway: Chanel Fall 2013
Chanel Fall 2013photo via VogueParis Fashion Week: Chanel Fall 2013 CollectionDo you ever ask yourself what it’s like to live the life of a Kaiser? I have a close friend who often does. When I refer to the Kaiser, I’m talking about Karl Lagerfeld, of course. For the last 30 years, he made no secrets about his serious design on taking Chanel, the luxury fashion brand, to the highest possible level. And judging from what we’ve seen in the past decades, he’s done just that. Further evidence was exhibited on the runways at the grand palais in Paris this past Tuesday afternoon. The 79-year old fashion designer made clear that the Chanel brand is like no other. I think it’s safe to say that his plan has always been to make the house that Coco built even bigger than his own line, and the Frendi line for that matter.So! Have you seen the Vogue video yet? It’s a must see, if you’re a Chanel fan. Models parading around an enormous globe, each one wearing colored mink cloche hats, heavy metal boots with chains (perhaps an inspiration from Peter Marino?), and traditional-like Chanel garbs with a strong sympathy to the punk movement. The entire look, although very elegant, had a streetwise quality to it. Nothing wrong with that, mind you. I was taken by the “high leather boots, jeans with tweed patches on the legs”, and the “new” little black dresses which I’ll never tire of. The commercial impact of Chanel is huge, no one can deny that, and even though the brand is not currently in every single corner of the world, the Kaiser is looking to change that. Real fast.
Above photos are credited to Vogue.com
Chanelphoto via Los Angeles Times
Karl Lagerfeldphoto via Vogue
79-year old fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld, circling the globe after his fashion showat the Grand Palais in ParisPhoto courtesy Los Angeles Times -
Oscar Worthy Couture Dresses By Maggie Norris
Illustrated By: Anna KiperIn the heels of a post Mercedes Benz Fashion Week closing party last week, I caught up with Maggie Norris at her atelier in midtown Manhattan. The veteran fashion designer was excited to reveal her latest projects, one of them being the launch of a mid-20th century sunglasses collection. Once a fashion designer at Ralph Lauren, Maggie has since become the go-to designer to a host of celebrities, top stylists, New York City’s socialites, philanthropists, and first lady, Michelle Obama, to name a few. Her romantic silhouettes, and costume-like couture is a celebration of femininity and speaks directly to the age of elegance.High End Weekly™: Congratulations, I heard that you are now a part of the Women & Fashion Film Festival at FIT.Maggie Norris: Thank you. The festival will be launch in late spring 2013, and the FIT students are already working hard on this project. It’s fascinating to be part of the Benefit Committee which include, Tony Award winning producer Catherine Schreiber, Alexis Doyle (Board Member of The New Group & Irish Repertory Theater), Nancy Jane Loewy, Zang Toi, and Rosina Rucci.
The belle of the ball
Maggie Norris CoutureHEW: You are also involved in FIT in other ways, aren’t you?MN: The school offers an excellent mentoring program, and I’ve been honored to participate in such a refreshing course. I always look forward to guide this next generation of fashion designers so that they too will have the opportunity to bring more beauty into the world. It’s been a pleasure to help guide them to clarify their own vision of design. Each year F.I.T. presents a runway show of its top graduating BFA design talent to a full house. Attendees include Industry luminaries and press, anxious to see the next emerging names in fashion design. Graduating fashion design students are mentored by respected designers who serve as industry critics, with each critic ‘matched’ to the relevant design concentration. Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Norma Kamali, Narciso Rodriguez, Diane von Furstenberg, Josie Natori, Dushane Noble for Helmut Lang and Alicia Sison for Betsey Johnson have each acted as advisors and critics to groups of graduating students.IN THE STUDIO
HEW: Now that I’m in your studio, tell me more about some of the elegant, and sleek lines that I’m seeing in your various collections.MN: We have several of our signature white shirts. The alluring lines that they cut are quite flattering to a woman’s body. What’s great about these shirts is that our clients have the options of applying different cuffs to them, if they so choose. They can go from day wear to evening wear by simply changing the appearance of their cuffs! Our variety of perfectly proportioned jackets, with their alluring embroidered cuffs are always in vogue. Most of the time, these cuffs are handmade with Chinese embroideries. Our jackets are made of satin, suede, and various flawless materials which clients have come to expect from us. Of course, we have our corsets which is part of our signature look. Some of them are made in Paris, but mostly all of our couture is done here in the United States. We’re so well known for our corsets, that clients sometimes bring their heirlooms to us, and we in turn artfully designed them. Nicole Kidman once wore a Maggie Norris Couture corset in one of her movies. But we’re always creating all the time, whether it’s an individually crafted wide-leg pants, or an elegantly appointed leather jacket
Eye-catching and timeless: A portrait by renowned painter Nelson Shanks on a model dressed in a corset by Maggie Norris Couture
HEW: You have some fetching boots displayed throughout the atelier. Who are they from?MN: They are custom-made from London by the same boot maker that makes similar ones for Queen Elizabeth II. We have also collaborated with Christian Louboutin in the past. Throughout my career, I’ve teamed up with a number of high-profile designers, and came to appreciate the resulting synergy.
RAISING THE BAR
“We have the option of offering our clients bespoke fashion. When a bride for instance come to us, we ask her about her vision for that special day. Does she want the dress to take her to the 1940s, the 1920s? Is it a tropical weeding, do they want hand painting? For example, if the wedding is in a place like Jamaica, we can custom made the flower that apply to that region…
We recently designed a crest for one of the women from The Forbes Family. She gave us her own tartan and we made an exquisite pair of pants for her. We love doing crests for our various clients.” Maggie NorrisON PRINT
Photographed By: Chris Craymer “Agathe Long Shirt Dress”
Joyce DiDonato, Stylist: Ashley PruittPhotographed By: Bill Phelps
Joyce DiDonato wearing Maggie Norris Couture ‘Natasha’ Evening Coatfeatured in “Yankee Diva” FLATT Magazine Issue #4 2013
A model wearing one of Maggie Norris coveted corset, Photographed By: Mario TestinoAs seen in the December 2012 issue of Allure MagazineON THE RUNWAY
HEW: You’re launching your first eye glasses collection next month, is that right?MN: We’re starting with a good start: one style and four colors. The glasses are made in Italy, and the materials have this old world craftsmanship about them.
Copyright images from Maggie NorrisAll rights reservedMaggie Norris Couture is open by appointment only at: 494 Eighth Avenue, Suite 1505, New York, NY 10001. She can be reached at (212) 239-3433. Visit her website at: www.maggienorriscouture.com
Photo courtesy High End Weekly™
