“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

Matthew McConaughey What? Anyone who is anyone knows that I Mean What has been a voice against celebrity designers. These Johnny Come Lately non Academy Award winning, or Emmy, or Tony, or any any award winners try their hand, rather, they sell their name to a schmatta peddler and take some dosh. Lindsay Lohan, the slew of Kardashians, heck even Sarah Jessica Parker threw her hat in the ring at Halston, and today the news is that Matthew McConaughey has entered the ring for a bout of utter nonsense. This is more than anyone should bare. And when I say… Read More »

Oh man. Will the celebrity-turned-designer cycle ever stop? Or at least slow down? Everyday this week, Women’s Wear Daily has reported YET another celebrity-designer collaboration, which is beginning to make my skin crawl. Must every actress try her hand at designing (and I use that term loosely here) a capsule collection? The only capsule I am interested is one that can be washed down with fluids and alter my reality. But the new reality world of celebrity designers is like living in Bizarro World. We now have Sarah Jessica Parker heading up the Halston legacy (click link for yesterday’s IMW… Read More »

Not a day goes by that someone who simply has no business in the fashion business gets into the business of fashion. Today’s nonsensical entry into the schmatta business is the New York Knicks‘ 6 foot 10 inch forward, Amar’e Stoudemire. Surely you remember him from last season’s fashion week when Anna Wintour had him sit next to her and Hamish Bowles at the Tommy Hilfiger show. Now there was a trinella if I ever saw one. Word is that Amar’e and Rachel Roy are teaming up to design a women’s collection for Macy’s. Would somebody please stick a fork… Read More »

You know you have hit the big top when a fragrance bears your name, or your pet’s name, or your favorite childhood memory’s name of some such nonsense. You all know my aversion to celebrity fashion designers. Now I am officially adding celebrity schtoonk-meisters to the list of things that make me say fotz or “ewww”. Let me start by mentioning my favorite exception to this parade, none other than Dame Elizabeth Taylor. When Elizabeth created White Diamonds, she was pretty much out of the movie business, still  gorgeous and well…friggen Liz Taylor. Don’t even try to put Sarah Jessica… Read More »

Is it possible? I actually have fashion related news that does not include a celebrity? Yes, indeedy-doo. Today, Kate Spade has hired my freind Sylvie Bohrer to head up the women’s ready-to-wear division and it could not have happened to a groovier chick. Sylvie cut her teeth at Nanette Lapore and went on to be the head designer at Free People, a division of Urban Outfitters. Her easy, relaxed style will be a welcome addition to the Kate Spade look. Anyhoo, just wanted to give Sylvee a shout out on her first day on the job and wish her years… Read More »

The celebrity-turned designer situation has turned into a real situation and I don’t mean that “The Situation” situation, but a real situation that brings new meaning to the word situation. I just read that CAA, Creative Artists Agency, the powerhouse talent firm in Los Angeles, has jumped into the fray of the schmatta business.  Women’s Wear Daily reports today that CAA is buying into J Brand Jeans, that hot denim brand that probably grew too fast for its own britches. Since every celebrity is designing their own line of clothing or accessories, and celebrity capsule collections are falling off trees,… Read More »

As I lay here gazing at the geese swimming on the lake in upstate New York, rethinking my life, it’s meaning, my daily agenda, to the energy I put out to my clients and most importantly, to I MEAN..WHAT?!?, I was struck at the news flash about the upcoming “celebrity fashion” collection. What a buzz kill. Bebe, a clothing company that I still don’t quite get, hired the lovely Kardashian girls to do a capsule collection. Yes, that’s right. The sheer volume of red carpet traipsing these gals have done qualifies them as fashion designers…through osmosis…to Bebe anyway.… Read More »

Here we go again. Just what we need, another celebrity cum laude fashion designer. Enter Katie Holmes. When will the world learn that “celebrity designer” is an oxymoron. Yes, there are designers that by sheer virtue of their brilliance and craft become celebrities…and rightfully so. Karl Lagerfeld, John Galliano, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, you know who belongs on that list. And it’s really not that long a list either, if you ask me. Sure there are a lot of “designers” who are really good, and a slew who think they are brilliant. They are just over-glorified dress makers. For them,… Read More »

It has been a while since commenting on the bastardization of the term Fashion Week. Couple years ago, they seemed to be popping up in every God knows where and forsaken location on Earth. Reading back from older IMW posts, I found an entry which included a plan to put an end to all of them besides New York, London, Milan and Paris. Guess my plan never was activated because I just discovered another one… El Paseo Fashion Week. Where is that you ask? It just does not matter because it needs to stop now. Look, I understand that a… Read More »

With the passing of Elizabeth Taylor, there is a hole in the celebrity fragrance market that Justin Bieber can fill with the launch of his new product line, Justin Bieber Scented Dog Tags. Move over Jennifer Aniston with your Lolavie nonsense because The Biebs is here with a fresh take on how to smell. The celebrity fragrance and celebrity designer industry is alive and kicking and Justin’s dog tags are the best of both worlds. It is a fragrance that will spice up your wardrobe, while spicing up the way you smell. It is borderline brilliant in a kitsch kind… Read More »