CFDA Adds 26 new members

The CFDA just added 26 new members, which gives them a grand total of 427.

Here's the list of the newbies:

Joseph Altuzarra
Coomi Bhasin
Vince Camuto
Jean-Michel Cazabat
Emily Current
Carly Cushnie
Rachel Dooley
Meritt Elliott
Judy Gelb
Nili Lotan
Pamela Love
Paul Marlow
Jana Matheson
Yvan Mispelaere
Lauren Moffatt
Jeffrey Monteiro
LeAnn Nealz
Kerry O'Brien
Michelle Ochs
Shimon Ovadia
Gabriela Perezutti
Lisa Perry
Tadashi Shoji
Tabitha Simmons
Rachel Zoe

Congratulations all!

Best Dressed- Week of 10/13/12

Who's your best dressed this week?

Alexa Chung

Carine Roitfeld

Leandra Medine

CR Fashion Book

I just saw the first issue of Carine Roitfeld's CR Fashion Book.  I had been looking forward to seeing this for a while now, not knowing what to expect.  The magazine differs from other fashion magazines in several ways, but the most obvious is that it has two covers.  Kate Upton, sweetly holding several ducklings,  appears on one side, and then you flip the book over and see the other cover which features Audrey Harrelson, a little girl holding a baby.  Not what I expected from Roitfeld, known for her sexy editorials in French Vogue, edgy fashion sense and her signature smoky eye.  I wonder if the recent birth of her first grandchild had anything to do with all this sweetness.  I liked the covers, which were shot by Bruce Weber.  I also appreciated that the covers had no copy on them.  You didn't know what to expect on the pages of the magazine, which was fine with me.

CR had contributions by Kirsten Dunst, Tom Ford, Anne Hathaway and Karl Lagerfeld.  Some articles were in foreign languages (but were translated to English).  For the most part the ads were in alphabetical order, which I loved.  What a great idea!  There was a wide range of models in the magazine including some of today's best like Lara Stone, Lindsey Wixson, Constance Jablonski, Jacquelyn Jablonski and Cara Delevingne.  Also included were new faces like Kati Nescher, Stef Van Der Laan, Marte Mei van Haaster, Magda Laguinge, Tilda Lindstam, Ava Smith and Grace Mahary.  But the editorial that thrilled me the most was the one that featured Linda Evangelista, Stephanie Seymour and Carolyn Murphy.

For me the best part about CR Fashion Book was that it was pretty much celebrity free.  It wasn't promoting anyone's new movie or album.  It's only agenda seemed to be to delve into fashion.  WHat a novel idea for a fashion magazine.

Julia Nobis

Once again Julia Nobis ruled the runways.  She walked in more shows than any other model for the Fall/Winter 2012 shows.  I don't have the numbers for this past month's shows (Spring/SUmmer 2013), but she opened/closed at least ten major shows.  She is a great combination of gorgeous and cool, and it's easy to see why designers love her.

Pretty Powerful

I recently attended the launch of Bobbi Brown's new book, Pretty Powerful.  I'm such a sucker for these makeup manuals.  I still have my old Kevyn Aucoin book, and will pull them out occasionally.  That said, the reason I went was to see Alexa Ray Joel perform.  Alexa and I met multiple times during this past fashion week, where we were both working as fashion correspondents; she for JuliB.com, and me for fashionWATCH.com.  Not only was Alexa a model for the book, but she was the entertainment for the launch party.  She sang two of her original songs (and also played the keyboard).  She's super talented, gorgeous, and so incredibly cool that even though she has so much going for her, you couldn't possibly hate her!

The book is really good.  It's a very simple guide that anyone can follow.  I've seen some makeup books that are so complicated you might as well call the artist to just do your makeup.  Bobbi Brown has also featured women and their stories throughout, so the book is not just about makeup.  Brown is emphasizing who a woman is, not just what she looks like.

Alexa Ray showing her photos in Pretty Powerful

The New F Word

Why is Lady Gaga's weight gain a top news story?  Even though she gained a bit of weight she is still far from obese.

I am so tired of this scrutiny about people's weight (primarily women).  I am not immune to the societal pressure to be thin.  But what are we striving for?  Because when I really examine it, it's not thin I'm chasing.  I am thin.  I wear a size 2-4, and yet every single day I feel like I need to lose weight, and am constantly aware of what I eat.  What I'm really chasing is being super skinny.  Underweight.  Stomach virus skinny.  I don't think I'm the only one either.  This is where we are now.  Women's bodies have downsized.  I recently saw Working Girl and was shocked at how fat Melanie Griffith was in it.  But she wasn't fat at all back then; she was thin.

 I don't know how fat became the new F word, but it really needs to stop.  I don't know how much thinner we can get.

New York Fashion Week--Final Day of S/S 2013

My final show of the week was a real treat.  Cynthia Rowley showed off site on Beekman St.  Her installation was lovely.  I adored the voluminous dresses and pants. 

 The collection was wearable, yet fashion forward at the same time; always a great combination.  I also liked her kitschy glasses with chain attached.  

Springtime will be sunny, as yellow was the clear color of the season.  

Other highlights this week included the debut of Marissa Webb, Marc Jacobs' (somewhat) restrained collection, Viktor Luna's line, DKNY, Calvin Klein Collection and Chado Ralph Rucci.  But the best pat of Fashion Week is running into friends you don't see often enough.  I was thrilled to spend time with Phillip Block, my Project Runway friends, the Edward and Eamon of fashionWATCH.com, Randy Brooke and James Aguiar.

James Aguiar and me at Jill Stuart

I also want to acknowledge my assistant, Mark A. Lyons, who made sure everything I needed was taken care of and made my week easy breezy.

I'm already looking forward to the fall collections in February!