“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

In all my thousand years on Earth, I have not felt such a palpable energy about Paris Fashion Week. With Lanvin so breathtaking, Rick Owens beyond cool and Balenciaga so interesting, I am green with envy at the editors sitting front row at the upcoming Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior shows. Relegated to sitting behind my desk like many sad bloggers, I can at least rejoice at the heralded return to the glory days of Paris fashion. There was a time when New York Fashion Week stole a bit of the thunder, when celebrities were not ruining the front… Read More »

Paris is burning and I am not talking about Miss Thing and her House of LeBajia or Willi Ninja either. No, word is out that Marc Jacobs may take over the coveted spot at Christian Dior, which would be so fantastic, from a best choice perspective. That job must be given to a press darling, not a competent technician. As the rejiggering gets under way at LVMH, and Celine sweetheart Phoebe Philo is mentioned to replace Marc at Louis Vuitton, that would have the fashion industry have its cake and eat it too—as opposed to “let them eat cake”. This… 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 »

The ex-Kate Middleton got to wear two major dresses today. The wedding dress, which we liked, and then the party frock for the reception, which we like. Both were designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, and neither of which were done in the tradition of the House of McQueen. Instead, we have two very lovely, very simple and elegant dresses. The cocktail party dress with cropped sleeve angora sweater was tasteful and understated. You got to love Kate for insisting on simplicity, based on how challenging the British economy is. She played this out like a fiddle. And if… Read More »

Talk of Adolf Hitler rages on, between the recent John Galliano flap nightmare, coupled with the resurfaced, vintage footage of Francoise Dior, Christian’s lovely Nazi niece, chatting about how much she loves Hitler, too. My idea for an I Love Hitler T-shirt is not such a bad idea. Well, think of the press it would get. But I digress. The above picture is Eva ‘I Love Hitler’ Braun, pictured in black face, inspired by her favorite film The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson, the Jew. What is wrong with this picture? Besides everything. It is like the N-word in a… Read More »

In what is clearly the most insurmountable public relations snafu on Earth, well, fashion Earth anyway, Christian Dior was challenged to stay the course and host their fashion show today in Paris in spite of the debacle that is John Galliano. The above picture features the staff from Dior ateliers, who took the final bow at the show. This is the most fantastic, emotional, democratic, loving way to handle such an awkward moment and to thank those who attended the show. Yesterday The Huffington Post asked its zillions of readers whether or not the Dior and John Galliano shows should… Read More »

Spring is in the air. Well…maybe not the weather part but surely the Spring Couture Collections are in full regalia in Paris. Did you ever stop to wonder what you would do if you were a real lady who lunches and had the resources (and the old, fat, rich husband) to be one of those lucky few who can afford to buy couture each season? Ode to the good life. Winters in Gstaad, Christmas in Martinique with Mick Jagger and L’Wren Scott, pied-à-terres in Paris AND New York, villas in Bel-Air AND Lake Como next door to George Clooney. What… Read More »

The Paris Fall Couture Shows are under way and from the looks of it, my editing services were surely needed at all the shows, except maybe Christian Dior. A freind of mine asked me why I didn’t goof on the recent John Galliano men’s show in Paris, and my response was, “John Galliano can do no wrong”. He is such an incredible creative force that he could put doody in a bag, and I would say, “Brava, Maestro.” Anyhoo, back to the couture story at hand…rather… petites mains. Shall we start with Chanel? Look, I know he is the lion… Read More »

Well, shut my mouth. Her royal highness Suzy Menkes…who I adore…wrote an article in The International Herald Tribune (a.k.a. The New York Times Style) about how Fashion Films Became the Hottest New Accessories. Well, girl, I said that on December 1, 2009, when I reviewed Tom Ford’s, A Single Man. I just wanted to say that as someone who admires Ms. Menkes, it warms the cockles of my heart to be on her same page. As someone that works within digital and social media paradigm, we recognize the challenge is to seize the moment and enhance all forms of advertising… Read More »

The other day I wrote a piece about the lack of factual information being bandied about regarding the fees that celebrities are charging to attend the New York fashion shows. Fashionista.com did a really sloppy report on these supposed costs and random facts about talent. I just read Cathy Horyn‘s column in The New York Times Style, and she too, like fashionista.com has some information that is questionable and quotes from people that should just not be listened to. The worst part of all this is it is a bad reflection on the industry, which right now does not need… Read More »