CHANEL .. Resort 2015.. Dubai

Oh to be Karl! 

What a wondrous thing it must be to be Karl Lagerfeld. No one could be as lucky, as skilled, as adept, as manipulative, as sarcastic or as wildly imaginative as the Kaiser. He does what all else want to and what all else aspire to and alas no one, not even Raf nor Hedi, nor Nicholas nor can pull off because Karl never ever loses his sense of humor nor his ability to laugh at himself and his clients while running all the way to the bank.

If one tries to speak of this as strictly a fashion moment then one might just be unqualified to speak of it at all. This is a collection that plays to its audience as much as its locale. This is a collection that draws upon the mosaics of mosques, the indigenous wardrobes of the Middle East’s inhabitants and even native textile patterns. Karl also embraces  the “I Dream of Jeannie” aspect of Middle Eastern garb with harem pants and zouave pants which surely haven’t made a re appearance in the fashion continuum for some time .. with good reason!

This is a collection that only be marveled at in its dissection and while in the process you can see the prized possessions that are contained, if you are savvy enough, within the full body of an almost 100 piece collection! NO ONE has that kind of hubris or power or ability and no one could pull this off with the same reaction. Hubris in quantity and hubris in swatting fun at stereotypes and hubris in not caring one iota about what anyone thinks as I have said , Karl laughs at the pundits and dares them to make sense of it while he laughs about all of it  and at all of them !

And if you think that the gas can quilted bags are a joke …  see how long the waiting list will be and find out who is having the last laugh!!

Bottega Veneta .. resort 2015 by Tomas Maier

Every season I am reminded that Bottega Veneta by Tomas Maier is an acquired taste. Each season my eye adjusts a bit more and each season the clothes do not seem to be as strange as they were from seasons past.

Apparently, without the press release the 2 reviews I read would not have had a clue as to what the collection was about ... sadly the reviews were almost identical and they did not have a chance to speak of front rows or venue since the photos were sent by BV so it was all about spitting back the information that was fed to them.

Having had some experience with bleach, I understood the prints and the effects all too well. The prints can sort of be described as deductive or subtracted as that is what happens if you would paint with bleach. The authenticity of the procedure is enhanced greatly by the fact that you don’t get pure white but that pinky beige color when you apply the bleach.

Okay, enough of this, let’s talk clothes which were the usual fare of a somewhat artsy craftsy incarnation and yet very played down, very sort of retro 50’s suburban chic if you will. I hope that makes sense to you. Maier never loses sight of the luxe factor which he delivers in so many ways other than just the obvious bells and whistles. The palette is soft and very inviting not mention truly evocative of the season. Maier reminds us that the devil is always in the details and not always in your face screaming look at me! The serpentine bias tape detail on one dress is just superb as are the “stripes” and combinations of fabrics.

Bottega Veneta is not just about clothes and here is where Mr. Maier truly reminds us of the heritage of the brand. The shoes and handbags are just beautiful and very signature trademark Bottega intricato. The flats, the sandals, the heels, the totes, the hard constructed bags and the minaudieres are perfect no matter what you think of the clothes. 

That about wraps up resort 2015 from Bottega Veneta... The journey continues

Dior ..resort 2015

Paris, Milan, Abu Dhabi, Los Angeles or Timbuktu, the problem was that the collection belonged to Raf Simons and Dior. Even with all the hubbub about being shown in Brooklyn, which  is such a “me too” move that one can only laugh, the clothes remain the product or end game for a designer who would rather talk and enthuse and intellectualize than design flattering clothes that might even be vaguely associated with a brand that has survived world wars, endless fashion trends and even disgrace.

Supposedly the overriding inspiration was the scarf and supposedly this was some sort of exercise to extrapolate that into this mess of clothes that went from true Dior classics to this notion of the so called new modern  Raf era Dior. Frankly, the new Dior, if one is to judge from yet another yawn worthy collection, is one that seems to be generic as it could the clothes of any brand and any designer. The fawners will carry on about the prints which were surely less than stellar and newsworthy and the techno fabrics and all the nonsense that is part of parcel of Raf Simons but the end result is the same ... yah so?

In essence, since I don’t discuss front row and venue, the show was okay for me... nothing more and surely a lot less. Besides showing 66 pieces which were mostly far from earth shattering or exciting, one might say the show was extremely commercial and as always some very difficult to wear or very unflattering. In this case if you don’t take in to account all the intellectual gymnastics that are employed and accompany a Simons/Dior collection, you might say this collection is very Macys advanced sportswear!! Aside from a few beautiful jackets and coat dresses and coats this was just another “who cares” collection just not as confrontationally or blatantly unattractive.

The reaction is one more time the same... Take away the press release, all the cerebral exercises, and the front row and what’s left… ho hum!

Meet Sandy Linter .. a living legend of fashion

At a time when models were what magazine covers were all about and when models were indeed the high-water mark of beauty there was one of the unsung heroes, well heroines, well hero person ...  She painted ( like a Renaissance portraitist) the faces of some of the world’s most beautiful women. When I say painted, it is to say that Sandy Linter made the plain … beautiful, the beautiful … exquisite and the exquisite … masterpieces.

Ms. Linter’s resume reads like a who’s who of fashion when it comes to publications, photographers, stylists, colleagues, advertisers and editors. Her “canvasses” included the greats and legends of modelling and she has created some of the most memorable and iconic countenances that ever graced a magazine page. Let’s just say that to name names would be absurd as then there would be no space for the article and would seem like a terminal case of braggadocio.

Sandy is an enduring presence (Lancôme Beauty at Every Age spokesperson) in the world of fashion and make up and continues to dazzle us on a regular basis within all media , so rather than gush any further I present to you... Sandy Linter … legend of fashion.

What is the most treasured possession in your wardrobe?

Treasured possession in my wardrobe? A black cape with fox collar by Adrienne Landau. A gift from a close friend

What is your most sterling trait and what trait do you treasure most in your friendships?

 I treasure being able to trust someone... I guess I'm very honest, as a sterling trait.

What is your guilty secret?

I'm thin and my secret is I don't eat much at night. Now it's not a secret!

Where is your ideal home?

I'd love to live downtown. I've been living on 52nd street for over 30 years. Very nice, too

What would you say is your greatest accomplishment to date?

My first Vogue Cover 1974 and my first cosmetic contract with Lancôme 2008

What is on your bedside table right now?

Bedside table holds a glass of water for my cat Squeek a telephone, glasses ugh, the remote 

What do you wear to bed?

My favorite tee from the 1970's … but I will also wear pj's 

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

I love autobiographies I'm reading a bio about Johnny Carson

What’s your advice to the “newcomer?”

 Always say the job was terrific. Don't talk about any of its problems. 

Who or what is your inspiration/style icon?

My style icon had been Marilyn Monroe, then Debbie Harry and Michele Pfeiffer 

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

A free for all (which is good)

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

Pay the taxes on the money

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

 Gia, Chris von Wangenheim.... Johnny Ramone and Linda Ramone

What is your favorite movie /or movie star?

The Godfather and movie star 

What is the one thing you would change about yourself?

I'd like to be quicker in every aspect of my life. Or get over things quickly and move on

Whose opinion do you value most and why?

 Anyone who speaks the truth... Howard Stern for example and my friend Linda Ramone

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

 I love to wear Jill Stuart and love to shop the Versace and Miu Miu stores at the outlet malls

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

I love magazines and big art books. Although my apartment has no more space for the art books

Do you have a dream collaborator?

Hell no

What’s your music library like?

Oldies, Hendrix, Beatles, Stones, Neal Young, Blondie, 

What and where is your favorite meal?

Milo's on West 55 the street all the fish dishes divine. Patti Hansen took me there and so did Stacy Mackler from Lancôme

Harry King .. a living legend of fashion

Too often in fashion, when we read a fashion  magazine or even see a fashion image on our computer screens, we tend to only see what we think is most important .. Mainly the clothes and the accessories. We somehow take for granted the hair and makeup and usually only take note if the model is painted like an African tribal shaman or the hair is teased until it is skyscraper high. The point is simply that Harry King was probably responsible for how one wore their hair when fashion was at its apogee.

Harry King is legend who rose to international fame and notoriety in a time when the names like Way Bandy, Diana Vreeland, Avedon, Polly Mellen, Penn, Suga, Vogue, Bazaar and many many more were the bellwethers of fashion. They were selling the fantasy and reality that was all part and parcel of fashion... as Grace Coddington said “when fashion came first” and I say when “fashion was fun.” The total look!

We boomers who were paying attention in those years know that Harry King was one of the great “hairstylists” of the 20^th century who counts more “important” credits in his portfolio than any 20 of today’s current crop.

With all this said Harry King has been an integral part of fashion for decades and continues to inspire those who are savvy enough to recognize the enormous contribution he made to fashion in the most glorious of eras. It is my pleasure and my honor to call him friend and to offer a peak into his “head!”

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

Maybe an Armani jacket I bought in the 70's from his first unconstructed collection

2-What is your most sterling trait and what trait do you treasure most in your friendships? Honesty

3-What is your bliss?

my dog Jet

4-What is your guilty secret?

too guilty to say

5-Where is your ideal home?

 the one I’m in now

6-What would you say is your greatest accomplishment to date?

possibly a social worker ( somehow I think Harry answered the wrong question here !!)

7-What is on your bedside table right now?

 a light, vaseline, jojoba oil,  clock

8-What do you wear to bed?

white tee shirt white cotton boxers

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

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

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

 leave your ego at home

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

all that is around me

12-What is the best advice you ever received?

 go for it

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

 not much

14-If you could select a dream project, what would  it be?

 If I was a retailer i would make sure I sold stuff I LOVE so I would wear it

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

 help my friends and family in need

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

 Frank Sinatra, Jesus, Marilyn Monroe, Charles Dickens

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

 too many to answer that

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

 hahaha my mind just went there!

19-Whose opinion do you value most and why?

 my best friends because they are honest with me

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

 Uniqlo

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

 don't really look at magazines much anymore, do like a book opposed to the internet but internet is so fast

22-Do you have a dream collaborator ?

 right now I would like to be able to collaborate with the illustrator Antonio

23-Have you ever wanted to just throw in the towel and why?

 I've had many highs in my career and couldn't pinpoint one but saying that it could have been the first day I started work when I was a shy 15 year old who didn't know his ass from his elbow or being able to work with the great photographers, models, editors, make-up artists, movie stars

24-What’s your music library like?

 eclectic many centuries, classical, Sinatra, Billy Holliday, Cole Porter, Jobim, jazz, Rolling Stones, Little Richard, Doris Day, Lambert Hendricks and Ross so much more

25-What and where is your favorite meal?

 at friends or chez moi

Harbingers of design.. Kerry MacBride

If you are unfamiliar with the name then it is time you get your savvy on and know who this jewelry virtuoso is!! For more than just a few years, Kerry has designed collections for women even though an odd piece here and there has shown up on a man or two. His jewelry has been seen in stores like Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf’s, Saks and in magazines such as Vogue, Bazaar and ELLE. His clients have included Bill Blass, Madonna and even Truman Capote.

 

His current focus is MEN!

The latest collection consists of primarily bracelets and may have been conceived with men in mind but I see them as wonderfully asexual and so in tune with the times we are now experiencing.

“My goal is to make jewelry as sexy and powerful as a great tattoo.”

As I just said, with the popularity of tattoos on everyone, this may the time to own “a sign of the times!”

 

With the onset of spring and so many reasons to give gifts (mother’s day, father’s day, graduation, and confirmation)... why not give a gift that is memorable, fashionable and most of all...original! …. and it is as easy as a click… here’s the link to the newest collections and while you are there have a look around… mine is only a sampling

www.kerrymacbride.com/pages/sterling-bronze

PS. If you tell him I sent you  ... I am pretty sure custom colors are available