Bill Curry ..Fashion icon & legend

http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/international-style-meet-a-legend-fashion-icon-bill-curry

With a resume that spans over 30 years and an ever evolving career, this man’s resume reads like a who’s who of photographers, designers,  brands, modeling  journalism and film.  Here is a sampling of all: GQ, Cosmo. Uomo Vogue, Vogue, Valentino, YSL, Dior, Zaharoff, Burberry, Avedon, Mapplethorpe, DeMarchelier, Meisel,  Elgort, Dances with Wolves , Bonjour, Old Spice, L’Oreal, Kohl’s and over 300 runway shows.  For me there are not many men or women who can boast the ubiquity (look it up)  of this man over decades of work, and so, I want to introduce Bill Curry to those who have never known the name that goes with the face and to those who do know him, he reveals a more private side of this exceptional  and legendary life. 

1-What is the most treasured possession in your wardrobe?

My Italian grandfather’s Borsalino hat

2-What is your most sterling trait?

Loyalty

3-What is your bliss?

My six year old daughter

4-What is your guilty secret?

I crave hand squeezed sour sop juice from  Port Antonio Jamaica.

5-Where is your ideal home?

Taos New Mexico with a view of the Sacred Mountain and the smell of sage after a spring shower

6-If you could not be doing your present job; what would you be doing?

Living in the high country of Northern New Mexico watching the light dance during the day and the plethora of stars shimmering at night

7-What is on your bedside table right now?

A lacquered box from India full of antique glass beads

8-What do you wear to bed?

My sandalwood essence oil

9-What if any, book are you reading now or last read?

LIFE OF PI, SHANTARAM

10-What’s your advice to the “newcomer?”  In modeling?

Use the business to expand your horizons with travel and intellectual exposure, never believe it is the real you in those magazine ads.

11-Who or what is your inspiration/style icon?

The men who were living the rarefied air as world class models when I began living in NYC in 1977. Tony Spinelli, Dennis LaMarsh, Rene White, Rob Yoh, Bob Menna, Ted Dawson, Peter Keating., Joe McDonald. All were gracious enough to teach me that modeling was about the clothes and presenting them with style.

12-Who is your favorite designer or ideal subject? 

Valentino has always been my favorite designer for women, Giorgio Armani for men.

As a photographer my Ideal subject is the one currently in front of my camera

13-In 3 words or less, describe the current state of fashion. 

FOR THE MASSES or FOR THE WEALTHY

14-If you could, would you ever approach one of your peers to employ? Who? Why?

Oh yes! I would hire Ellen Von Unwerth and watch how she creates the magical images that  translate into high SENSUAL art.

15-If you won a $200,000,000 power ball, what is the first thing you would buy or do?

Tell the IRS.

16-If you could invite up to 4 people for dinner, who would they be…dead or alive?

Nicolai Tesla, Mabel Dodge Luhan, Chief Dan George, Christy Turlington

17-What is your favorite movie and/or movie star?

My favorite film would be Little Big Man with Dustin Hoffman.

My favorite actors are DANIEL DAY LEWIS and Cate Blanchett

18-What is the one thing you would change about yourself?

My sentimentality

19-Whose opinion do you value most?

My mother

20-What store or which designer do you most like to shop in or wear ?

The Good Will Store in Beverly Hills

21-What’s your take on magazines, books versus the internet?

I enjoy holding A book OR magazine as I turn the pages, always a surprise awaiting.  I like the internet sites because the do not have fragrant strips every other page.

22-Do you have a dream collaborator?

Henri Cartier- Bresson.

23-If you could pick anyone as your client, who would you select and why?

As a model it would be Ralph Lauren

As a photographer it would be an on location assignment with National Geographic

24-What’s your music library like?

Lots of World Beat, Ambiant , BOB Marley and the smooth sounds of  SADE ,Hall and Oates, Spinners, Curtis Mayfield , Barry White, Marvin Gaye and AL GREEN,  and always James Brown to make me move.

25-What and where is your favorite meal ?

Rigatoni puntanesca in Roma.

26-Who is your perfect dinner companion?

The one whom I will soon meet in California
 

http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/international-style-meet-a-legend-fashion-icon-bill-curry

Mabille, Christiaens, Arora.. Spring 2013 Paris Collections

After having seen what seemed like 100’s of shows, one need to reconsider that there are designers who deserve a second look. By second look, I mean that they may not get the press or the limelight but there are talents there and one day they will receive the attention that they work for. I thought that I would single out 3 designers whose work is either brand new to me or whose body of work keeps my interest season after season and yet I am perplexed by their outpouring of talent.

**Alexis Mabille has been on my radar for a couple of years now and he still piques my interest. This is a man of many talents from menswear to haute couture and that alone sets him apart from the pack besides the fact that he is literally a new generation of designer. I am fascinated by his abilities and while his collections maybe not always strike the note, they nevertheless hold me waiting for the next one. One of my initial attractions to his work was his “bows’ which he usually features in his ready to wear and haute couture collections. The bow to me is a symbol of femininity and a vestige of many of the greatest couture designers of the 20th century. The clothes in general are clothes for the next generation of couture and ready to wear clients although every once in a while, Mr. Mabille sneaks in a few pieces that are most definitely” cross generational.”

 

View slideshow: International style; Paris Fashion Week Spring 2013... "Faire Attention"

**Steffie Christiaens is another designer who will lead the charge in the next generation of designers. She is young, inventive, creative and technologically savvy when it comes to designing clothes for the next generation. Ms. Christiaens needs a few seasons under her belt, so to speak, so that she can refine her craft and artistry and once that happens, she will most certainly be a designer to reckon with. One cannot help but be impressed with her abilities as well as her knowledge and once all of these elements solidify, there will be another first rate designer showing in Paris every season. Please “look beyond” the slides and see what I see … once tamed, the possibilities are endless.

**Manish Arora may not be a household name yet but keep your eyes on this man. He first came onto my radar during his “partnership” with the fabled brand of Paco Rabanne. That association ended this year and now he will unleash his talents with his eponymous label. Mr. Arora is a man who creates for those on the red carpet as well as those who are looking for clothes that cannot be confused with any other designer. He is also a designer who, when he takes on a theme or inspiration, he plays it out to the fullest affect! The evolution of this designer will keep me coming back for more. The clothes are beautiful yet an acquired taste that will eventually become a favorite for this savvy enough to know of him.

*** Please note that all slides are from the Spring 2013 collections*****

Louis Vuitton Spring 2013 Paris Collections

I am not sure if I was ever moved to review the Louis Vuitton collection but, without question, I would be remiss if I overlooked this particular season. Sometime, not long ago, I believe that Suzy Menkes made a comment with words to the effect that fashion is entertainment and she wanted to be entertained when she went to a show and well if that is the case, the Louis Vuitton Spring 2013 production is Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Palme D’Or worthy!

If there ever was a fashion moment, this was indeed a spectacle to rival any and to top it off, the collection was beautiful. Please keep in mind that I am not fan of the house, the brand or Mr. Jacobs other than his PR abilities with the media and Mr. Arnault. That said, this was truly stultifying in scale and theatrics and staging. 2 by 2 they came and 2 by 2 they departed and then en masse to staggering affect!

 

View slideshow: International style; Paris Fashion Week Louis Vuitton Spring 2013

One needs to watch the video of this presentation as it was beyond anything I have ever seen. Now, not only do they have an arsenal of new fabulous handbags which were amazing, they now have apparel that matches in beauty and breadth.

The darling of LVMH .. Marc Jacobs

 

Kudos top Mr. Jacobs, to whoever staged and “realized” this presentation and most of all to LVMH and Monsieur Arnault for bankrolling this extravaganza …. The bar has been raised!

http://www.louisvuitton.eu/front/#/eng_E1/Collections/Women/Ready-to-Wea...

Alexander McQueen, Spring 2013 Paris Collections

What does one say when one looks brilliance in the eye? How does one verbalize when one sees excruciatingly and palpable beauty? How many Queen Bees can there be … quite literally? So it is Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, who without question, answers the rallying cry of how does a house/brand perpetuate the original vision of its namesake designer? The only answers I can come up with are Sarah Burton and for a brief moment in time, Bill Gaytten.

The visual overload that Ms. Burton creates with this collection is an amazing feat of both technique and design abilities which are rarely seen on any runway or in any country. Yes, one might draw comparisons to Mugler, Krizia, Gaultier and maybe a little Charles James thrown in for even more drama but who cares when the end result is this!

 

View slideshow: International style; Paris Fashion Week Alexander McQueen Spring 2013

The honeycomb is the overriding pattern of choice here and tortoise is the backup accessory of choice. The only thing that came to mind is that there is a Queen bee in this hive and her name is Sarah Burton. If the raison d’etre for all presentations this season has been house codes, vocabulary and DNA, there is no one who has quite so skillfully “spoken” and “cloned” them. Do not think for one second that Ms. Burton has not played it forward as she has most certainly expanded upon the vision of Alexander McQueen in ways which one might find inconceivable.

The Queen Bee @ Alexander McQueen ... Sarah Burton

There are no details overlooked, not a misstep in the lineup and it is all unmistakably McQueen. What does one say when one is witness to fashion history?

CHANEL SPRING 2013 PARIS COLLECTIONS

As promised by Monsieur Lagerfeld at a press preview yesterday, there would be “no smoking” or more appropriately no smokings! True to his word, the collection that Mr. Lagerfeld presented today was all about the house codes or the brand’s DNA. The were pearls, mountainous necklaces and cuffs of them, jackets of every conceivable length, mostly abbreviated and tweed, which were actually tweeds or tweed that was embroidered and embellished to look like tweed and then there were the classic Chanel silhouettes that built this brand into a household name without ever losing its reputation for fashion and style.

View slideshow: International style; Paris Fashion Week Chanel Spring 2013 Part 1

From the very first exit, you knew there would be black and lots of it and there would be leather but just how much was kept a secret. Then there were the jumble pearl necklaces and then the pearl cuffs which appeared with almost every single passage. You could not help but notice the box bags and clutches as well as the ginormous crescent quilted piece which appeared with the solo swimwear style in the collection. What about the ginormous lazy susan sized plexi boaters? Lastly, there were the shoes which again were limited to a few styles and paraded out in abundance. I am still a fan of the classically grounded cap toe pumps which was shown in the last segment of evening wear.

Another point of interest here is the return of the shoulder which has been showing up on runways for weeks now and no doubt will make a formal return for Fall 2013. The bell sleeves and skirts or possibly the shaped skirts were present and accounted for here as were the skinny pants cum leggings which popped up at intervals during the presentation. Mr. Lagerfeld took a seasonal stab at denim again as he had for Resort but expanded his affection for the color blue which appeared frequently during the show. Can we talk how Mr. Lagerfeld felt compelled to show some of his evening pieces with hose which delights me no end and they looked pretty damned great.

Evening presented itself with probably the least challenges as the silhouettes remained quite simple and repetitive. There was the raised waist or possibly empire look and then simple classic columns and shapes that are emblematic of the house. Evening was mostly black which was no surprise but the exquisitely embellished white floral columns were spectacular in their simplicity as was the one long sleeved all white crepe column with dropped waist.

View slideshow: International style; Paris Fashion Week Chanel Spring 2013 Part 2

A few standouts were, as mentioned, the white gown, the dark and multi “eyelash” detailed pieces, the fabulous grey cotton shirt with flowers, the tweeds of varying construction and they was that Lagerfeld used his color after starting in that no color theme of the season. He judiciously used leather here and there without it ever becoming a major point and it is quite apparent that, no matter what, the classic Chanel customer is never ignored and that is commendable in this day and age when brand think their customers will switch to whatever look they are promoting that particular season.

Mr. Lagerfeld has indeed shaken the money tree one more time for Chanel!

Tom Ford Spring 2013

15 photosView the full slideshow »

I guess we should all genuflect given that we were permitted by special dispensation to see the Tom Ford collection for Spring 2013. My issues is what’s the big deal here; for me this is a case of “nothing to see here ...keep moving!”

For me, this is just another pile of overly hyped clothes designed by one of the media darlings, he of the perfectly affected pose and expression and the ultimate control freak who fancies himself provocateur. I found the collection hackneyed and trite, not to mention pretty tasteless for the most part with very few exceptions. If it didn’t fall into those categories it might have fallen into the category of revisited from other collection from 40 or 50 years ago as if no one might notice.

 

View slideshow:International style; Paris Fashion Week Tom Ford Spring 2013

These are clothes that are meant to provoke and shock for the mere emotional and visceral reaction that one has when they see them. These are not clothes that are meant to be worn other than by starlets, fashion victims or the latest overly moneyed crowd… the Russians and oh yeah, and Wendy Murdoch.

Tom Ford's pile of clothes

Photo credit:

getty images

For the most part, the bike short (think Demi Moore’s boner of an outfit at the Oscars) / athletic inspiration is as tired as Tom's sneer , open collared white shirt and 3 day growth. The gratuitous overtly sexy pieces are just that; they might as well come with neon signs that scream “look at me “complete with flashing arrows open 24 hours!. And then there is the vintage Cardin pierce and the heinous over the top gladiator stiletto book to be worn with all of.
In the end, one has to ask … what is refined or chic about any of it? And who needs this?

Saint Laurent Spring 2013 Paris Collections

I am so pleasantly surprised to see this collection.  I had huge reservations given Hedi Slimane’s proclivities.  Some of them came shining through and yet he showed what he is made of and what he sees when he mines the archives of YSL.  I believe that a part of the issue with this show is the styling which should have had more variation instead of the consistency that was used throughout the show.  I believe the gloves were an Yves moment but the excess of leather was a Hedi moment that should have been tempered.  Accessories always played a major role in each seasonal presentation and yet we were shown almost none.  I am a bit sorry he chose the Talitha Getty Bohemian period but part of my regret comes from the styling rather than the clothes themselves.

Mr. Slimane has shown us his tailoring chops before he ever got to St Laurent where the tailoring is essential but what he has now exposed to the world is his softer and more feminine side which he exhibited to great affect with the dresses and underpinnings.  The sheerness and ethereal quality of Yves was apparent as were the tiers and ruffles but with far less flourish than the master.  Mr. Slimane gave the clothes a louche quality whereas Mr. St Laurent rarely “espoused” that quality in his collections. 

http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/international-style-paris-fashion-week-saint-laurent-spring-2013-part-1

Let’s talk color or the lack thereof in this collection.  The choice of no color is surely a daring one for Spring even if St Laurent was a great proponent but with this lack of color and pattern, there is a loss suffered by the collection itself... namely it is difficult to appreciate what one is looking at when everything is so black.  More of those Yves moments occurred with the use of nude linings, that momentary hint of leopard or color, the point d’esprit, the tiers, the high/low hems and even the use of a hat.  Whereas Mr. Slimane chose a fedora in varying scale, Monsieur St Laurent would have used his boater or straw hats of substantial proportion.

http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/international-style-paris-fashion-week-saint-laurent-spring-2013-part-2

What has transpired here is a loosening of the codes of the house.  There is still that razor sharp tailoring but it is slimness rather than just a hard edge and the swagger of a St Laurent suit is altered to demonstrate the new found contemporary take on the suit.  Do I think there were too many pants... oh yes I do..., do I think he went a bit too black leather... oh yeah … am I sorry there was so much black... you bet... and most regrettably I was reminded of Rachel Zoe during the last color segment of the show.

Monsieur Slilmane certainly made a formidable outing for his premier collection for the legendary house/brand and he has certainly given us something to look forward to in seasons to come.  Last evening I had a premonition that there would be gypsy skirts and I was not far off.  Mr. Slimane may have indeed been able to marry himself to Monsieur St Laurent in a most complimentary way.

Bon Chance!

http://www.ysl.com/en_US/saintlaurentbabycat