“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

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 »

As we continue with the Manzie Report in Paris, I had to first mention this little story that applies to the first designer being mentioned today. I was at Penn Station (don’t ask) and noticed this guy wearing Bermuda length shorts, a suit jacket, tie and white collar shirt with leather wind tip shoes. Now as quasi-acceptable as this look is, the guy was such a nelly queen as he scurried through Penn Station, that I wondered, “Could these Bermuda suits ever take off and go mainstream?”… Read More »

The Paris shows are where we loook for the answers to: What is fashion? What will we be wearing next season? What length will skirts be? Color palette? It’s really way to much pressure to put on one city. Especially when so much of what is shown is borderline nonsense. I wonder no more why so much of the editorial in Vogue centers around the main French houses, well, that because they are the ones worth featuring. I saw Jane Campion’s Bright Star last night and sobbed through the sheer beauty and majesty of her direction and costumes. The bright… 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 »

Just when you thought it was safe for Manzies to come out of the closet in droves from Milan, comes the newest crop of shows from Paris. And what a difference a city makes. Milan was uber-butch in comparison. Before I do my show and tell, the one major trend that kept appearing on the catwalks was “Men as women.” It seems to me that the statement is: since men fucked up our global economy (for the most part), why not dress them now as women so they feel castrated for their actions. At least that’s what I am taking… Read More »