“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

Sure, the lackluster economy does not top the list. Nor does the endless coverage of Tiger Woods and his barrage of hookery-tramps. Today it is all about taking a deep breath and thinking back to what you have to be grateful for. Though this year was turbulent, your job is to identify where there was joy. Gratitude lists are very personal, and since I feel so close to many of you (except those kooks who were obsessed with Lindsay Lohan), herewith is my list. I urge you to make your own, because as the year comes to an end, it… Read More »

Many of you know that I love The Party’s Over, which is my reportage on events that consist of a big batch of people, that nobody knows…well…or as I like to refer to this segment, The Nobody News. Since I have been up to my eyeballs in World Fashion Week…still am…but need a little break…I thought…what better way to bring a smile to our lips than by doing the retail edition of The Party’s Over…or The Nobody News…because as you will see…both titles apply. Actually there’s a secondary theme here, which is the obligatory Saks Fifth Avenue in-store appearance party.… Read More »

Yes, the I Mean…What?!? fashion coverage is important to get out as it is news, but surely when I noticed the many style faux pas on the MTV Video Music Awards Red Carpet, I had to share this newsflash. Especially with some of the doozies I’ve noted. Part of what is so wrong with our world is that the youth centered awards shows have become a low-rent, tacky shit show. How do we expect to get back to a more genteel time, when the barometer of what is appropriate is so low? It’s why I’ve been saying, “The end of… Read More »

Just when I thought that my Manzie Reports were getting read by all the right people, being viewed on all the right laptops, iPhones and Blackberries, comes the reality that I am not fully doing my job. I know that the Manzie Report has been a source of laughter and hysteria by many of the industry’s top taste-makers, creatives and editors. But clearly, there are several stylists and fashion designers that must be deleting the IMW Manzie Report and clicking to CocoPerez.com. Big mistake girl. He is not going to steer you in the right direction. Perez will just feature… Read More »

Has your end-of-summer stomach ache started yet? Surely, you know that feeling. It started when we were kids, that huge knot in your tummy that makes you double over in physical and mental pain. The first time you experienced it was the night before starting school after a joyous, carefree summer. It hurt so bad, you pleaded with your mother to not go to school the next day. It never worked. That end-of-summer stomach ache hits like a ton of bricks, no matter how old we get. There is an I Mean..What?!? Remedy. It’s called Laughter WHILE Shopping. But you… Read More »

Many of you must know by now that I have coined the phrase “fotz”. There ‘s many applications to this term. But, what, do you ask, is FOTZ? Etymology: What started out as a sarcastic reference to something that is or someone that “thinks” they are fascinating. So, it went from fascinating to fotzinating to fotzy balloons to fotzy to the currently, most used…fotz. Here are a few good examples. Bing is fotz. What Madonna wore to the Costume Institute Gala was fotz. George Bush was fotz…still probably is. Most Republicans are fotz. Susan Boyle’s first makeover was fotz. People… Read More »

At the risk of being redundant to those of you who have been following my Manzie Reports for quite some time, I wanted to take this moment to review, remind, and introduce to the new readers, “What is a Manzie?” (pronounced man – zee) and why are we reporting on it? After reviewing the recent European Men’s shows, the overarching trend was something that I hadn’t seen in quite some time, actually ever. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, until I came up with the term Manzie, therefore declaring Spring ’10, the “Season of the Manzie”. To clarify,… Read More »

Anyone who knows me from childhood will tell you that I developed my own language, mostly words and expressions to describe things, people or activities that I found somewhat nonsensical. Now, I just say I Mean…Whaaaaat?!?! a lot, which captures the essence. One word is “okeedeer”. This is really just “OK, there”, but with a sardonic twist. Here’s a for instance. Say, The New York Times Style features a fashion spread of men’s clothing, shown on a heavily tattooed model, who looks like a wanna-be beatnik. We know he is a wanna-be, because he is in fact a model, rather… Read More »

One would have to be living under a rock not to know that I have taken issue with The New York Times Style section as of late. I have accused it of being not style conscious enough, behind the trend curve in its reporting, not fierce, old news, and under fabulous. And today is not any different. There are two stories that bugged me to no end starting with the lead article about “marijuana”.… Read More »

I Mean…What?!? presents the Paris Couture Shows. Lord knows I got the Manzie Report down…and two snaps up. However, man does not live by bad men’s fashion alone. Granted, it won’t be as knee-slapping as the Manzie Report due to the nature of this beast. But beasts there are, I can assure you. Now before I show you some highlights or “high”-lights from Alexis Mabille and Stéphane Rolland, I need to say something here. Couture is a unique business that services much of the hype and interest in the fashion industry. The couture customer is not the customer that buys… Read More »