“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

Couple of weeks ago, with an itch to see a summer film, though the offering so far seems lackluster, we were this close to seeing Super 8 when a review in The New York Times by Manohla Dargis lead us to, of all places, Bad Teacher. According to Ms. Dargis, this film was one step away from a Carole Lombard screwball comedy directed by Howard Hawks. Clearly, someone drank the Kool-Aid or some kind of liquid substance before seeing this film, that not being me. Dumbstruck, we sat through the movie wondering what the attraction was for Manohla. Have I… Read More »

The Jean Paul Gaultier collection was fantastic and one of the funner elements was his inclusion of couture menswear, for those rich Manzies out there who want to wear a skirt or dress and are not feeling the recent collection by Rick Owens. Not sure if anyone saw some of the comments from my recent Paris menswear shows, but some anonymous person really has it out for me for being a hack. This person does not seem to think that we are all entitled to our own opinions. And (B), hack, is what I was doing (hacking) when I saw… Read More »

The more I looked at the Chanel Fall Couture show the more I like it for reasons of my own. Not that those chunky boucle looks won’t cover up a chub chub, which is a good thing, but more because as fashion leaders, Karl and Coco Chanel have/had the burden to move people forward in what they wear. For Karl, he is taking women a step back to a more sophisticated, elegant time when Hoochie Mama’s did not exist. What so many starlets wear these days is probably enough to make Coco Chanel turn in her grave. The somber quality… Read More »

While we Americans were chomping on barbeque, watermelon and “oohing” and “aahing” over the 4th of July fireworks, Paris was not sizzling as the Fall Couture Shows got under way. There is nothing sadder than looking through the images of Christian Dior, the one show that I waited for with bated breath each season, knowing that John Galliano would not disappoint. I even looked forward to what kind of drag he would sport at the end of the show. There was nothing of the sort for Fall. Or nothing of the short for fall. Fall short…get it? Surely the reviews… Read More »

Next week, Paris plays host to Couture Week where several extraordinary fashion designers will present their collections to a plethora of extremely wealthy women. The landscape of the Couture shows is ever changing to include a crop of new, younger designers such as Alexis Mabille, Ann Valérie Hash and Alexandre Vauthier. The world’s favorite couture collections by Chanel, Dior (sans actual designer), Givenchy and Valentino will surely be the highlights of the week, while the new guard will be out in force, hoping to snag the spotlight. The good news is that there is a rise of couture customers because… Read More »

Resort has become my favorite collection cycle since the fashion industry realized the value of this critical, transitional shipping period, and more importantly, key press moment. Throughout June, the 2012 Resort collections have made headlines to a fever pitch. Yesterday, Salvatore Ferragamo presented one of my favorite ready-to-wear collections this year, resort or otherwise. Creative director Massimiliano Giornetti conceived the collection with old-world glamour in mind, a nod to the Golden Age of Hollywood when Salvatore first made his name designing shoes for the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren.The collection is simple, elegant, and screams luxury. The company… Read More »

Let’s get off the Manzie Report for one minute and focus on the grooming during the recent Paris men’s shows. The iconic references were almost palpable. Some of the looks were clearly inspired by the biggest icons from our youth, be it movies, television, or books. There they were, front and center, sashaying down the runways like the ghosts of Christmas past. Follow us on Twitter.com/imeanwhat or Sally Field Us on Facebook.    … Read More »

You have designers like Kris Van Assche and Kris Van Assche showing perfect menswear collections and then there is Thom Browne, using Paris to show his US brand of retardo fashion. Whenever we go there it is never a good thing. Case in point Zac Posen. I don’t even want to go on and on about how pretentious the Thom Browne collection is. I have said it all before and will sadly continue into the future.  Browne is so hell bent on replacing John Galliano’s fashion bad boy reputation in light of the him missing from the scene, that it… Read More »

There are so many viable inclusions in the Manzie Report: Paris, that I can’t even write individual comments because it is Gay Pride weekend in New York City, we got the Gay Marriage Act approved last night and I’d rather participate in some festivities than sit here and yattle on about Walter Van Beirendonck’s Bird Bird ensembles or his pastel cotton candy numbers that double as topiaries. Just click through these images and you will see a plethora of nelly galore ditties from leather sports bras…yes…for men…and Givenchy’s bouquet of Bird of Paradise skirts. Alexis Mabille seems to have tried… Read More »

The Paris shows have barely gotten underway and already have not disappointed. Seems like Marc Jacobs has been wearing skirts long enough to have fully inspired designers like Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto, who featured more skirts in their Spring collections for men than any collection Jil Sander did for women, when she had her own eponymous line. SIDEBAR: Now that Jil and Uniqlo have parted ways, perhaps Ms. Sander can figure her way back to regaining control of her name and getting rid of Raf Simons, who besmirched and nellied up the brand, especially this season. Now that women… Read More »