“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

Gee, tell me something that I couldn’t have told you over a year ago when the Halston land grab was originally getting under way. Women’s Wear Daily reports that Sarah Jessica Parker and Harvey Weinstein are out at Halston. Why isn’t anyone saying, “Why were they in, in the first place?” The celebrity fashion designer phenomenon was in full boom right after the economy tanked and by 2010, there were more celebrities hawking schmattas then members of the CFDA. My guess is that all it takes are two lame seasons and the proof is in the pudding. Sure, there will… Read More »

Look, I think Sarah Jessica Parker is great. Who does not love Sex and the City and who does not think her willingness to wear ridiculous hats makes her even more sympathetic…to the cause of fashion uber alles. But, today, Women’s Wear Daily is reporting the SJP is going to take an active role at the Halston Heritage Collection…whatever that is. Seriously, Halston must be turning in his grave. From Randolph Duke to the Rachel Zoe nonsense, to the current Marco Zanini, who will surely be overshadowed by SJP. I don’t know, perhaps Harvey Weinstein and Tamara Mellon should just… Read More »

It was “the only” time, and for sure, the best years of my life. Though it’s still not clear when or how, but at some point, I began running with the Beautiful People (BPs). … Read More »

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 »

What to wear when you are coming out of the closet?… Read More »

Just when you thought it was safe to come out from under the falling dead celebrity fashion collections—I mean where is Zooey Deschanel‘s crap, Katie Homes’ nonsense and Sarah Jessica Parker for Halston—comes the worst bit of fashion news yet. Gossip Girl, that Shakespearean television show is getting its own fashion collection. Yes, this is true. Now we will have to live through the painful process of extensive cross-marketing between retailers and a list of television shows-turned-fashion designers. I cannot wait to see what Fox, CBS, NBC, ABC and Bravo have in store for us. As you may know, the… Read More »

Let me be the first, well, perhaps the second person to congratulate Macy’s for doing a fashion-focused series of collaborations to generate heat and foot traffic. The newest collab is with Giambattista Valli for Impulse. All I can say is that creating fashion designer collaborations sure beats the celebrity-turned-designer nonsense from seasons past. Sure, Jessica Simpson is a billion dollar brand, but there will always be exceptions to every rule. With the demise of the Sarah Jessica Parker for Halston hullabaloo, maybe the fashion industry can rejoice and enjoy fashion designers again. And while I am at it, perhaps with… Read More »

Now Is The Summer Of My Discontent Two nice days back to back and summer is officially here. This just shows how desperately I to cling to the notion that the winter is finally over; though deep down I fear that there is one more cold snap lurking. There are two times that I have moved to Los Angeles, both after long, arduous, bitter winters. First in 1989, returning five years later and then again in 1998 until 2003. New York is a great city to live and a great city to leave. It’s a long story, not for now.… Read More »

Oh, admit it. You were just sitting there, waiting for Adam Levine from Maroon 5 to announce that he is doing a new clothing line. Right? Chances are you were not a tween and have nothing that you can purchase from Madonna’s Material Girl collection currently at Macy’s. And there was not much by way of smart tailoring at  Jay’s Z‘s or P. Diddy‘s collections that have you rushing to the stores either. And you are not a size 2, so squeezing into Posh Spice’s Victoria Beckham collection is not happening either. And like me, you are still holding on for… Read More »

Jil Sander was always the epitome of cool, chic, sophisticated, clean lines, muted palette. Perhaps that was when Jil Sander was actually Jil Sander. That story has turned upside down. The German-born designer, Sander, is now designing for Japan-based Uniqlo and Belgian-born Raf Simmons is at the helm of the Milan-based headquarters of Jil Sander, who sold out to Muccia Prada, which ultimately pissed off Jil Sander, causing her to split, hence her current deal with Uniqlo. The saving grace for Jil Sander in this scenario, as opposed to what happened to Halston when he sold the rights to his… Read More »