New York Fashion Week Spring 2011, Day One

DAHLINGS -

So, yesterday was the first day of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week* in its new location at Lincoln Center. In the service of the God of Retail, most of the trees in Damrosch Park were chopped down, lest someone important in peeptoe platform boots trip over a root or something.

In any event, the main impression the central gives is HEIGHT. There is no central organizing entity, such as the Bryant Park fountain. So the room sprawls quite a bit. But it's a comfortable, well-lit sprawl. Your faithful correspondent was suitably impressed.

AND THEY HAVE FINALLY ENTERED THE COMPUTER AGE! NO MORE AGONIZING WAITS WHILE SOME POOR INTERN THUMBS THROUGH PAPER SHEETS TO FIND YOUR NAME! Some may think that barcodes render the event less human. Dahlings, it cuts down the amount of time and pretentiousness ("Don't you know who I am? I'm on the list!") by at least half.

The first day, I was more interested in exploring than in attending the shows. However, the Christian Siriano show was a MADHOUSE! I couldn't even locate my BFF, Tim Gunn! Some of it must have been spillover from the Project Runway show earlier.

The Project Runway show, for the record, showed TEN designers! That means TEN runway shows, and ONE HUNDRED LOOKS! I think I would have crawled out on my Max Azria clad knees, babbling incoherently.

In any event, after the spectacular show Christian put on last year, this one was a slight disappointment. From a young new designer, one hopes for a new young point of view. But this collection was rather safe, playing to well-worn fashion tropes and sillouhettes.


For instance, this lovely evening gown bears an eerie resemblance to the evening gowns he has done before, both on the runway and the red carpet.




This white dress is pretty, but a tad ho-hum.




However, I did rather like this suit. But if you look past the material, the construction is quite conventional.




It is this writer's guess that the reason Christian's clothes are so popular is that they are so wearable. For this collection, what it lacked in inspiration it more than made up for in "hanger appeal."


Speaking of Project Runway:


I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY GOT RID OF CASANOVA! I HAD FINALLY BEGUN TO STAND HIM!

Why not that annoying, bossy little Ivy?


And I cannot remember who won; only that it wasn't Andy or Valerie, who should have.


Until tomorrow,

Ciao,
Elisa & Bucky the Wonderdog


* If they hear you calling it New York Fashion Week, you are severely punished.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

New York Fashion Week, Day One, Part Two

DAHLINGS -

I've scrambled my chronology, completely forgetting that I attended the Vena Cava show down at Milk Studios, where the cool kids go to hang out.

Apparently the inspiration for the collection was a long weekend in Woodstock, although you couldn't tell by moi. This, apparently, is what the designers would wear in Woodstock, alternative capital of the United States:




Need I say more? Somehow there is supposed to be a 1970s influence, but there was not a trace of polyester to be found. Every outfit was accompanied by a squashed black hat, which makes me wonder if this is going to be another Funny Hat themed Fashion Week.

Back uptown, the Farah Angsana show in the Salon was beautiful, magical, and unoriginal. She knows her customer, and sent a parade of magnificent yet monotonous silk dresses, long and short, down the runway. Cobalt blue, rich red, hot pink...to be honest, I would order at least half of them. It seems unfair to criticize something I love, but the collection reminded me of a high-end Oscar de la Renta knock off.




One must be true to oneself, non?

Fashion Week Day Two consisted of lying in bed, coughing up phlegm, and feeling deeply envious that my assistant, wonderful though she is, got to attend the Christian Siriano show.

Damn.

Ciao,
Elisa & Bucky the Wonderdog

Photos courtesy of Wireimages and Getty Images

Fashion Week: Christian Siriano's Collection!

DAHLINGS -

Here is a slideshow I made of Christian Siriano's mouthwatering Spring 2010 collection. Please do forgive the quality of the photographs! At the end, the terribly shy designer gave a quick bow and ran offstage.

More photographs and information to follow later. In the audience was the fabulous Tim Gunn, sitting next to Kristen Johson, with Tori Spelling nearby. Fortunately for Tim, Tori wasn't too nearby. One did not want him to get any skank on his suit.

Ciao,
Elisa & Bucky the Wonderdog

Fashion Week Day Three: Where To Buy My Plus Size Vintage Look

DAHLINGS -

This afternoon I attended the Christian Siriano show, where there were (naturally) not only a celebrities but quite a few Project Runway alumns!

Here is your faithful correspondent backstage!



My beautiful oyster felt hat, trimmed with black ribbon, was custom made for me by Ellen Christine of Ellen Christine Millinery!

And my black two-piece suit with attached collar and cuffs is from Re/Dress New York, a phenomenal plus size vintage and contemporary boutique in Brooklyn! (There is an earlier entry in this blog-thing about their never-to-be-forgotten opening party.)



Their racks are packed full of a huge variety of clothes, from vintage eveningwear to contemporary work dresses, lingerie, all in sizes up to 4X and beyond! I cannot recommend this shop highly enough. During my day there, I felt like a child in a candy store. My driver took me there, but it's easy enough to get to on the (ugh) subway, so I'm told.

During Fashion Week, they are having their own alternative event:


Visit their website at http//www.redressnyc.com/. They also sell on Ebay. Watch for more in the days to come!

Here I am with PR alumn Jack Mackenroth, who patiently let a man take about 100 photos of us together because the man didn't understand how my camera worked.



For more pictures and information, please go to http://diaryofamadfashionistafashionweek.blogspot.com/ !


Ciao,
Elisa & Bucky the Wonderdog

Project Runway Unveils A Surprise: CHRIS MARCH!

DAHLINGS -

As we all know, Project Runway returns to the airwaves late in August. And then we can officially forget The Fashion Show ever existed. Sorry, Isaac, but indifference is the new black.

However, Internet chatter has it that the week before the actual "lost" season airs, Project Runway will have an All-Star Challenge, with my utterly adorable Chris March! I am beside myself, dahlings. The man can do no wrong in my eyes.



Also returning will be the immortal Santino, who I am sure will be doing his amazing Tim Gunn imitation at the drop of a fedora. Apparently Christian Siriano and Laura Bennett declined to return. Their loss, say I.



Your faithful correspondent does not know how the challenge will work yet, but will keep my professional snoop's nose to the ground (I'd do it myself but I don't like bending over. It's so undignified). In the meantime, here's a challenge for you: who is more airbrushed in this picture?



Ciao,
Elisa & Bucky the Wonderdog

Fashion Week Fall 2009 Trims The Fat But Not The Big Macs!

DAHLINGS –

What a week, vénérable mes lecteurs, what a week! On Wednesday your faithful correspondent attended a luncheon at Bergdorf Goodman (one of my beloved childhood department stores…dear darling Mama used to let me play at the fine jewelry counters because she knew how I cherished sparkly things).


The occasion was for the House of Dior, with several top executives there. If you have been following this blog with half an eye, you know my vast love for Dior! The lobster plates and champagne were courtesy of Dior executive Delphine Arnault-Gancia. It was attended by the typical pack of undernourished socialites and a model or two. Thank God I did not have to sit next to Tinsley Mortimer.


Photo of Delphine Arnault-Gancia and Jim Gold
copyright Patrick McMullan


(J'ai presque écrit socialistes, mais c'est le contraire, n'est-ce pas?) I wore a red velvet vintage Dior “spider hat” in honor of the occasion. Lovely how in this dreadful economy we can still look forward to the Dior Spring Line!

Speaking of the appalling economy, Fashion Week Fall 2009 has scaled back to an unprecedented level: fewer runway shows, and top designer names opting for “presentations” instead. It is something like putting live models in department store windows or something like that. They have to freeze in place for hours while fashion editors pluck at them. (cf. my post of January 26 2007 ‘Dead Brazilian Models: A Suggestion’.)

The most shocking development to your faithful correspondent was that menswear designer Duckie Brown has inked a deal with (ugh) McDonalds—speaking of places where never a model has been seen actually eating—holding the food does not count—to produce the show and have a “Mc-Cafe” backstage. So instead of snubbing the fruit bowls, the models can snub Chicken McNuggets. Well, one supposes that when you’re simply not used to ingesting food, an apple is the same thing as a Quarter Pounder With Cheese.

The star power in the front rows has also been considerably dimmed, if my experience is anything to go by. Where hast thou gone, Ashton and Demi? And why are you not missed?

Friday night I passed on the AMFAR benefit (one had quite enough of that sort of thing in Washington, thank you) to go to the actual Mercedes Benz opening party, held at Shang at the Thompson LES. Other than being extremely noisy, it was quite fun. I spotted Christian Siriano (one swears he would easily fit into Bucky’s Gucci dog carrier!).



One dearly wanted to thank the little imp for not being overly snarky on the Golden Globes Fashion Wrap-Up Show. Christian has strong opinions, but not the pure mean streak that many of the other commentators have. That might be because Christian actually has a functional talent in the real world…oh, dear, did I just write that? Mes plus sincères excuses. (Debbie Matenopolous’s dress on that show still baffles me…two, two, two necklines in one!)

Fern Mallis graciously took the stage to thank us all for being there. Things being what they are these days, she should have been grateful anyone was there. Nothing against Fern personally, of course. After all, she is the only woman who is allowed to look faintly normal at Fashion Week, presumably because it is her baby.

Photo of Fern Mallis copyright Patrick McMullan

A very loud band, The Virgins, took the stage, and I hied myself to my limo, along with a handsome waiter I’d met. I think his name might be Jose, or Julio, I can never remember these things. He was gone before daylight, which was the important thing.

There will be a great deal later, including reviews of the shows, but I have been far too busy and I must get some rest. Tomorrow: how Yigal Azrouel rocked my world, and ever so much more!

Here's hoping you all had a joyous Valentine's Day!

Ciao,

Elisa & Bucky the Wonderdog