The Imitation Might be Better Than the Original

Tara Subkoff’s designs haven’t seen a runway since 2006, when she ended up selling her company, Imitation of Christ, and leaving shortly thereafter. The Last Days of Disco star was then diagnosed with a brain tumor requiring surgery, which she thankfully recovered from. Now, with her health and her company back, Tara has resurrected her old label as, simply, Imitation, to the extreme giddiness of her long-time fans (us). Our expectations were fairly high, and they were met.

First of all, the setting was lovely. Upon entering, I found myself in a subdued nighttime carnival. The lights were already down, as were several gauze screens upon which carnival footage was projected to a crackly soundtrack of French circus music. To be clear, the theme was no “imitation” of Wang’s after party. The mood was more nostalgic and dream-like than festive.

I’ve never attended an Imitation of Christ show before (I was 17 when the last collection was shown), but, from what I’ve heard, the clothing was often lost in a spectacle of irritating distractions. I wasn’t the least bit irritated and found this season’s setting appropriately entertaining and fitting for a nighttime show of simple, beautiful clothes.

The show began to a more updated soundtrack, which would range from Echo & The Bunnymen to Ed Sharpe to Arcade Fire. The barefoot models seemed to frolic down the astroturf runway in a collection that was almost too pretty for words. “Pretty” is a word I’ve found myself using a lot this week, as is “minimal,” “sheer,” “white,” and “neutral.” Tara Subkoff’s return to the runway was all of these things, but I’m going to go ahead and say she did it the best. Simple lace dresses and rompers with sweetheart necklines were shown that I could see myself waking up in just as easily as I could see myself at a summer cocktail party. Many were paired with sheer robe-like jackets. There were capes in jersey cotton with lace trims and shorter capes with hoods in full black or white lace. There were long, flowy dresses, many sheer below the waist or with plunging necklines and delicate ruffles. There were even jersey trench coats and army jackets. Everything was soft and tissue-thin. The makeup was minimal and models wore there hair in simple buns with just enough flyaways.

The final women’s look was a long, white jersey (wedding?) dress with a short lace veil and was followed by a group of cute boys in t-shirts who bombarded the runway smoking cigars, apparently a teaser of Imitation’s mens line, which will fully launch next season. We’re glad Tara is back and we think she went in a good direction. Her past collections, despite garnering the respect of art world cool kids, did not always do so well financially, but this line of super wearable (well, maybe not some of those capes), super affordable ($60-$250!), super pretty wears will (hopefully) poise the designer for run that lasts a bit longer than the last one. [Ed. note: I am SO excited.]

Adventures In Copyright: Another PS1 by…The Gap?

A reader tipped us off to yet another mass retailer selling a handbag that looks very similar to Proenza’s PS1. This time, surprisingly, it’s the Gap. Gap’s version seems to be denim and while the front buckles are a little different, it has the same top handle, shoulder strap and triangular flap as the original. It’s weird – Gap doesn’t usually do knock-offs, but I guess everyone wants in on this ridiculously popular messenger bag.

Behind the Scenes Video: Baillie Walsh Directs Kate Moss for AnOther Magazine

LONDON–And so it begins. London Fashion Week kicks off today, starting with a video installation entitled “KM3D-1,” brought to you by director Baillie Walsh, AnOther Magazine and Swarovski.

Walsh, maybe best known for creating that holographic film of Kate Moss shown at the end of Alexander McQueen’s Fall 2006 runway show, has re-teamed with Moss and AnOther Magazine‘s Jefferson Hack to create yet another theatrical vehicle for the model. This time around, Moss plays a mythical goddess who “shatters her self-image through an explosion of hundreds of tiny crystals.” (That’s where Swarovski comes in.) The film was shot with these fancy gadgets called “Phantom cameras,” which create a 3D, slow motion effect.

Last night Hack, Walsh, and friends debuted the film at Haunch of Venison at the Royal Academy, one of my favorite art spaces in London. If you’re here in the city, go see the video–it’s on exhibit today and tomorrow, as well as on Anothermag.com. And you can watch what went on behind the scenes right here.

Ten Questions For Project Runway

1) Is Heidi’s accent getting more pronounced? Maybe she’s spent a lot of time overseas recently.

2) Are you allowed to say camel toe on TV?

3) Can we add the word “hyperbole” to Ivy’s statement that her look was “stupendous,” “original,” and “expensive”?

4) Isn’t the new Tim Gunn dictionary feature helpful? Now we all know what “Waterloo” means. Thanks, producers.



5) Should I not be saying sarcastic things about Tim Gunn? The way he’s been trash-talking everyone lately, there’s no telling what he may dig up about me for his next book.

6) Why did the judges keep using the descriptor “mall” as if it was a bad thing? Annie’s Pretzels are in malls. And they are delicious.

7) Was anyone else rooting for Andy to make the draped cargo pants succeed? Sigh. It would have been like Jackie O. in Alexander Wang.

8) Who else is getting really bored with Gretchen, both her designs and her pure snobbery?

9) Doesn’t January Jones have the best hair? Her makeup was spectacular and stupendous and amazing, too.

10) How proud are we of Mondo? Purple houndstooth and Jackie O. Love.

Trendspotting: Below-the-Knee Skirts

Trendspotting: Below-the-Knee Skirts: "

We love this look–and so do designers. Everyone from Rachel Roy to Matthew Ames to Marc by Marc Jacobs experimented with it. But it’s not the easiest to pull off. How will you style your below-the-knee skirt?

Gabourey Sidibe’s Elle Cover Sparks Controversy Over Skin Lightening

Elle is taking heat for their October issue over claims that the mag lightened cover girl Gabourey Sidibe’s skin.

Here’s the criticism: “Sidibe’s skin is noticeably lighter than usual. Elle clearly couldn’t handle Sidibe’s real skin color, and traded away her actual color for something dramatically lighter,” Julianne Hing wrote in ColorLines, an online magazine that tackles issues around racism and social justice.

Elle swiftly denied the accusations.

“We absolutely did not lighten her skin,” Elle’s EIC Robbie Myers told E! last night at the Oscar de la Renta show. “It’s not a controversy.”

Myers went on to explain the difference between studio photography and a red carpet snap: “At a photo shoot, in a studio, that is a fashion shoot, that’s glamorous, the lighting is different. The photography is different than a red carpet shot from a paparazzi.”

The magazine also issued a statement which reads: ““We have four separate covers this month and Gabby’s cover was not retouched any more or less than the others. We had 25 cover-worthy subjects in our portfolio and we chose Gabby because of who she is. We shot this as a story of exuberant young women changing the world. If you take a look at the portfolio, each of the women were shot in different ways and for different reasons.”

It’s Sidibe’s first major cover, and she’s one of four celebrities around the age of 25 that Elle chose to put on the cover to celebrate their 25th anniversary. Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, and Lauren Conrad also grace the cover.

But Sidibe’s cover girl co-stars were shot differently for their covers. While the plus-size Sidibe is cropped at the chest for her close-up cover, Fox, Sefriend and Conrad are all photographed from the knees-up. Critics are also crying foul over the cropping, faulting Elle for representing the Precious-star differently on account of her plus-size figure.

What’s your take? Is this “not a controversy,” as Myers said, or do the critics have a leg to stand on?

Take a Wild Ride With Betsey Johnson

With Betsey Johnson’s recent financial troubles the fate of her Spring/Summer 2011 was in question.

But rather than produce a small, modest SS11 show, Betsey went absolutely all out. From bicycles, video features, and blaring music, the show was more of a party than a proper runway show. Starting with a short movie of Betsey riding a bicycle around Lincoln Center, and later footage of Betsey and her daughter Lulu teaching Betsey’s granddaughter Layla, to ride a bike, it was the clear theme of the show. Models wore “RIDE ME” necklaces, bike hats, and bike chains as accessories.

If biking is not your scene, there were plenty of Betsey’s signature frilly dresses to hop around town in. Available in white, black, florals, and neons the array of over-the-top ensembles was just the kick that NYFW needed. In previous seasons Betsey has tried to tone down her kooky style into wearable options that never quite worked, but this season her crazy styles looked perfect coming down the runway. And for the critics who’ll say Betsey’s looks are completely unwearable for anyone over sixteen, there were plenty of looks for grown-ups.

Floral long dresses in bright colors were perfect for hot summer days, and a sheer black maxidress with tiny horizontal ruffles could be layered to create a cool look. The finale consisted of models in yellow tank dresses emblazoned with “Le Tour Betsey” and checkered flags as Betsey rode her bike down the runway. Capping it all off with her signature cartwheel, the show was a truly joyous experience.

Three Questions For…Jean-Michel Cazabat

Shoe designer Jean-Michel Cazabat undoubtedly has a certain “look.” It’s one of toughness, but with a certain sparkly glamor that only a Frenchman could pull off. For his inaugural New York Fashion Week presentation, the cobbler enlisted Rick Owens aficionado Becka Diamond as a spokesmodel of sorts. The scenester posed with Cazabat in a pair of sharp booties, further reinforcing the fashion crowd’s love of his aesthetic.

We caught up with Cazabat post-show:

Fashionista: What was it like to do your first presentation?
Jean-Michel Cazabat: It was really great to be able to show in a such beautiful environment [a Chelsea penthouse]. The light, the volume of the room, the high ceiling , the terrace…wonderful for showing your collection to press.

What was your focus for the season?
It was a mixed of organic materials, such as rope, leather-strap bondage, and the ocean (we used a lot of fish skin, such as Sting Ray and Tilapia).

People love your look. Would you ever consider doing a mass capsule collection?
It’s something I always keep in the back of my mind. Definitely one day in the future.

Click through for a gallery of some looks from Jean-Michel Cazabat’s Spring 2011 collection.

Fashion News Roundup: Lily Allen’s Vintage Store, MK & A on Ellen and DVF Has a Home Collection

Lily Allen’s New Fashion Career: Allen and her sister Sarah Owen toasted the opening of Lucy in Disguise, the former musician’s new vintage retail venture. When asked why vintage, she responded, “Well a) we love vintage and b) we’re not clothing designers. It’s as simple as that really.” Fair enough. {Elle UK}

MK & A Do TV instead of FW: Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, who were noticeably absent from NYFW, will be on Ellen today to talk about “this season’s hottest styles.” {Ellen}

Shoe Mecca: Next Thursday, British department store Selfridges will open the largest shoe department in the world. The 4,000+ shoes will include over 30 exclusive styles. And that’s not all. An architect designed 11 individual “apartments” for major labels like Louboutin and Chanel. {Style List}

Gabourey Sits Front Row: Apparently, there was a plus-sized fashion show in New York on Wednesday night. Controversial cover girl Gabourey Sidibe sat front row and former ANTM contestant Toccara Jones walked the runway. {Daily Mail}

Who’s on W? W’s new EIC Stefano Tonchi dropped some hints about future cover stars at the party for “Walter Albini and His Times: All Power to the Imagination.” They’re too late for Lady Gaga and there will be “a great reality TV person.” {Refinery 29}

Fashion Designers Turned Interior Designers: The Aldyn, a fancy new building on the Upper West Side, invited a group of CFDA members do decorate rooms for charity. Starting September 21, you can see the showhouse, which includes a preview of the never before seen Diane von Furstenberg home collection. Admission is $25. {Racked}

Jeremy Scott Shows Collection Inspired by Trash (and Gaga?) to Star-Studded Front Row

The media frenzy at Jeremy Scott, orchestrated by the very hard-working Emily, Robyn and Kelly of People’s Revolution, just happened to take place in front of my section and lasted longer than the show itself. This was fine and completely entertaining.

Kelly seemed cheery and said to my section, “Is everyone good? You like my $100 Jeffrey Campbell shoes? Recession chic.” Kanye seemed pleasant and happy to be there and Solange looked pretty and really skinny. Oh and Waris Ahluwalia and Terence Koh sat across from me and are thus in every one of my pictures of boys in assless chaps and girls in trash bag outfits, which I find pretty amazing.

The collection appeared to be inspired by trash. Or was it a literal interpretation of “streetwear?” There were shirts that said “Help Wanted” and “For Rent,” others that looked like movie ticket stubs and grocery bag-inspired dresses that said “Thank You For Shopping Here!” and “F*ck You” (without the asterisk) instead of “Thank You.” There were dresses with skid marks and rain coats with footprints.

There were also cone bras and lots of black leather and the hair and makeup was so exactly what Gaga is doing right now (on her off-time, like when she’s at baseball games or the airport) and there just had to be some sort of connection because Jeremy Scott showed two outfits that appeared to be made out of bacon.

Oh, and the last look was a straight jacket wedding dress. The whole situation was ridiculous and amazing. Easily the most entertaining show of the week.

Yigal Azrouël’s Cleaned Up Cool

If the spelling and grammatical errors in Yigal Azrouël’s press materials were an indicator of a collection that has not been completely thought out, there were enough innovations, and engaging pieces, to let this failing slide.

The Israeli-born Azrouël, whose toying with vintage in the late nineties led him to a women’s line in 2003, followed by his first men’s collection in 2007, is known for his well-worn, salvaged, and distressed looking garments. And while he hasn’t moved too far from his base with Spring/Summer 2011, he’s playing with a cleaner look.

None of the sleeveless jackets I had seen this year made much of an impression on me (same goes for the tunics, ugh), but Azrouël’s green sleeveless trench had the right balance of military and modernity, and gave me pause. His take on the short-sleeved chambray, using separate materials for the sleeves as the body, was a miss, as were his oddly zippered sheepskin vest and his dropstitch crewneck sweater. But his woven, white, roomy tees were appealing, as were his gingham apron pocket shorts (ending mid-thigh), their jersey knit counterparts, and my personal favorite, a boy’s romper, which he called a “jumpsuit” but was short sleeved and cut off at the knees (more on that later).

His collarless motorcycle jacket, a highlight, is dead sexy.

These are clothes for a relaxed, but very confident downtown kind of guy. Maybe an actor. Maybe a graffiti writer. Maybe a carpenter. He’s someone who knows where the good bars are, but his rooftop is where you really want to hang out.

**All photos by Monica Feudi from GQ.com