| Spotted at a Fashion Show |
| January 31, 2002, 11:00 pm |
Source: Rocky Mountain News TO FALL FOR... ; SNUGGLY, ROMANTIC GARMENTS CREATE SHEER EXCITEMENT; [FINAL Edition] Lesley Kennedy News Fashion Editor. Rocky Mountain News. Denver, Colo.: Feb 21, 2002. pg. 3.D Section: Mile Highstyle, Newspaper Abstract (Document Summary) The most star-studded runway show of the week went to [Marc Jacobs], who drew [Anna Sui], American Pie's Natasha Leone, Kirsten Dunst, who sat with her Virgin Suicides director [Sophia Coppola], Anthony Keidis and [James Iha], music mogul and Phat Farm designer Russell Simmons, Fran Drescher (who mugged and mugged and mugged for the cameras with flat, ironed hair and a heaving bosom), [John Corbett], Derek Jeter and Lisa Ling. Kate Moss swept in at the last moment in a fur coat and miniskirt. Those who view fashion as theater would have loved Elisa Jimenez's collection, called a "fashion fantasy rock performance." Guests were greeted by models spewing the story of "Fancy," a character Jimenez based her fall line on. As the smell of essential oils clouded the room, the fashion show continued the story, with models dancing down the runway to the tunes of Melissa Auf Der Maur (Hole, Smashing Pumpkins). The performance culminated in the appearance of Aphrodite, played by fashion plate Shiva Rose McDermott (Dylan's wife). Color Photo (8), Photo (2); [Naomi Campbell] CAPTION: [Carmen Maria Hillestad] Hillstad CAPTION: John Corbett CAPTION: [Lorraine Bracco] CAPTION: Donna Karan CAPTION: In New York last week, [Jeremy Scott] showed, among other pieces, this cocktail dress, inspired by the Manhattan skyline. Conna Lecca / The New York Times CAPTION: At the [Betsey Johnson] show, company employees served as models. Here, a burnt sienna sweater over a chocolate tube top is shown with an orange velvet skirt. Suzanne Plunkett / Associated Press CAPTION: The tent erected at Bryant Park was designed by [Stephen Sprouse]. Sprouse will turn the stars and stripes theme into a new line of clothing and products at Target this summer. Stuart Ramson / Associated Press CAPTION: Men's fedoras, such as this one shown at Donna Karan's collection, were spotted on and off the runways. Associated Press CAPTION: Super long scarves in bright colors were also popular. This one is from Marc by Marc Jacobs. Associated Press Full Text (2597 words) Copyright Denver Publishing Company, Rocky Mountain News Feb 21, 2002 Contact Lesley Kennedy at (303) 892-5460 or by e-mail at [email protected] COLUMN NEW YORK 2002 FALL COLLECTIONS Related color photo p.3D It was eight days of fashion shows, with clothes ranging from super-snuggly hand-knit sweaters to romantic lace skirts to blouses so sheer you couldn't help but shiver as they were paraded in front of you. Fall Fashion Week once again was under way, a time when American designers show us what they're made of. Some of the ensembles were extraordinary - I don't think there was one outfit in newcomer Peter Som's collection I wouldn't adore wearing. Same goes for Donna Karan's gorgeous satin and velvet gowns. Some of the collections were completely wearable. Anne Klein's return to New York was much appreciated, with beautiful chunky sweaters paired with ballgown skirts (perfect for a Denver winter soiree). Others were, well, unusual. Celebrity favorite Elisa Jimenz' flight of fancy (read on) and Vivienne Tam's truly beautiful but quite bare "Buddah" styles will bring nightmares to dry cleaners everywhere. What emerged throughout all 90-plus shows held last week, though, was a sense of relief. We were able to get past the events that caused the cancellation of Fashion Week last September and get on with the shows. True, most of the clothes reflected a somber feeling - dark colors ruled and cozy sweaters (fashion's answer to comfort food) were everywhere. But there were several bright spots that reminded us that the world of fashion is really an art form, as well as an incredible source of entertainment. Bob Mackie's salute to Broadway had the audience grinning from ear to ear and singing along to songs from Oklahoma! to Whatever Lola Wants as amazing, show tune-inspired gowns were paraded by models not afraid to crack a smile. Betsey Johnson bounced down her cutting table - which was made into a runway - in her showroom, using her own employees as models. At DKNY, models lined up where a section of seats would normally be, as if they were posing for a class picture, before taking off in different directions down the catwalk. And at Marc Jacobs, the audience waited more than an hour for the show to start, but it got to star-gaze and gossip before seeing a collection of shiny sequins toned down by extra-long scarves and heavy velvet jackets. At Jacobs' show, as at many others, that mix of hard and soft abounded. Perhaps in reaction to Sept. 11, designers were showing the world that, yes, American women are sensual, sometimes even vulnerable, but despite all that's happened, we're as strong as ever. Jeremy Scott in good NY taste You might think Jeremy Scott, showing for the first time in New York (he normally shows in Paris), would experience fine dining in the city's many upscale eateries. Not so. The Kansas City, Mo., native, who sports a mullet and recently set up shop in L.A., was spied noshing on a calzone at a Sbarro in Times Square. The fast food must have been good fuel - Scott showed inspiring pastel mini dresses straight out of a Star Trek episode. His models showed some serious attitude, while sporting earrings that practically covered the entire ear and swinging their super-long ponytails from side to side. The packed house, which seemed to include half the fashion students in New York, hooted and hollered in appreciation. Naomi lives up to reputation Supermodel Naomi Campbell made a rare New York runway appearance at the Anna Sui show. Actor Vincent Gallo, director Sophia Coppola and musicians James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) and Anthony Keidis (Red Hot Chili Peppers) watched as she strutted her sassy, world-famous stuff. Compared to the other models, it's obvious why Naomi gets the "super" label. A face to remember Speaking of models, one gorgeous gal seen on nearly every runway was Carmen Maria Hillestad. She's been dubbed a "baby Barbra Streisand" by backstage insiders, as the blonde has a bigger-than- average nose. But she's no Jersey girl - she's half Mexican / half Norwegian and the face of Narciso Rodriguez' current campaign. Bouncing Betsey The great thing about Betsey Johnson is that you always know her show is going to be lively, colorful and a whole lot of fun. She didn't disappoint this season, even in the cramped confines of her showroom. Titled "Sisters," Johnson used her employees, or, as she called them, "family of women," to model her clothes. Even though they were still rail thin, it was refreshing to see clothes on bodies with a few curves on them. Johnson cartwheeled down the cutting table-turned-runway to kick off the show and remained there, holding up signs naming the employee doing the modeling. A receptionist named Mary wore a pagoda silk flapper dress; Jesika H., an account executive, wore an iguana print silk corset with a layered lace skirt; Marcy, a production assistant, wore an olive ombre silk ruched dress with a velvet coat; and Heather S., a salesgirl from East Hampton, wore a striped sweater with a mauve skirt. There were a lot of purple and fuchsia, velvets, motorcycle jackets and fringed skirts that begged to be danced in. The models couldn't resist as they shimmied down the runway. Watch for some of the clothes to shimmy into her boutique in the Cherry Creek mall. Sexy sightings Once front-row staples, the women of Sex and the City avoided most of the shows last week. Sarah Jessica Parker made it to one show (Ballenciaga), while Kim Catrall visited Oscar de la Renta. But luckily for us girls, John Corbett, who plays Carrie's ex-fiance Aiden, made enough rounds for all of them. The extra-tall actor strutted his adorable stuff at several parties and shows. And Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell, who recently has been linked to Corbett in the gossip columns, was at Cynthia Rowley in a long fur coat. Corbett's name was on a chair, but, alas, he was a no-show. The hunt for celebrities For the most part, celebrities at the shows were few and far between, with mostly B-list actors getting the attention from the cameras. At Cynthia Steffe, paparazzi with no one better to shoot went crazy over Joan Jett, who palled around with Oz actor Chuck Zito. The most star-studded runway show of the week went to Marc Jacobs, who drew Anna Sui, American Pie's Natasha Leone, Kirsten Dunst, who sat with her Virgin Suicides director Sophia Coppola, Anthony Keidis and James Iha, music mogul and Phat Farm designer Russell Simmons, Fran Drescher (who mugged and mugged and mugged for the cameras with flat, ironed hair and a heaving bosom), Corbett, Derek Jeter and Lisa Ling. Kate Moss swept in at the last moment in a fur coat and miniskirt. The Jacobs show, by the way, was held at the Lexington Armory, the place where family members of missing Sept. 11 victims gathered to file reports. ID's were checked and bags were searched before the show - as they were at Oscar de la Renta. Luca Luca was another big draw. Donald Trump and model girlfriend Melania Knauss were joined by Monica Lewinsky (who also attended Cynthia Rowley), Oksana Baiul (looking like a Marilyn Monroe impersonator with bleached blond hair and full-length fur), soap siren Susan Lucci and - go figure - Salman Rushdie. Bette Midler, Ian Schrager (of Studio 54 fame), Illeana Douglass and Alan Cumming showed up at Cynthia Rowley. Kyra Sedgwick kept her arm draped over husband Kevin Bacon at Chaiken. Bob Mackie's salute to Broadway brought some star wattage to his front row. Lucci wore a Valentine's Day-appropriate red suit, while Sopranos shrink Lorraine Bracco looked beautiful and oh-so-svelte in her front-row seat. Unfortunately, the seat saved for Molly Ringwald, now staring in Cabaret, remained empty. America the beautiful The tents at Bryant Park, which house two of the Fashion Week venues, have been designed by Stephen Sprouse for the past two seasons. This time around, the designer, known for his Day-Glo graffiti, covered the tents in stars and stripes. Come summer, Sprouse will bring his "Americaland" designs to Target stores nationwide. Boot-cut jeans, muscle T-shirts, picnic supplies, skateboards and more will be included in the line. Foil follies It was chilly in New York Thursday, and the Helmut Lang show, held in a wide-open warehouse, was quite drafty. Placed on each white folding chair was a large sheet of gold foil. I assume it was for decoration, but the foil sheets quickly became blankets and shawls for many guests. Others folded up the foil and tucked it in their totes. It was tinfoil, people! Apparently Helmut Lang tinfoil rates in the goody bag territory. The foil, incidentally, matched the gold lame inserts strategically placed in some of Lang's impeccably tailored white suits. Ford fashions Fashion designers teamed up with the auto industry Feb. 13 at a party hosted by Ford. The car company had designers create clothes inspired by the classic Thunderbird. Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Carolina Herrera, William Reid, John Bartlett, Jack Spade, Gene Meyer, Oliver Peoples and Lambertson Truex all participated in the event at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Most of the designers weren't spotted at the event, which was postponed after Sept. 11, but a sea of black-clad guests mingled while sipping green apple martinis, merlot and cosmopolitans, and waiters dressed in white coveralls passed foie gras and lobster hors d'oeuvres. It was mostly a crowd of wanna-be models and model chasers, but on the way out, I did spy Taye Diggs (Ally McBeal). The only way to describe the How Stella Got Her Groove Back actor is FINE. If you can brush by his shoulder without seriously having to resist the urge to reach out and grab him by the, uh, hand, you're a stronger person than I. The Thunderbird designs will be up for bid at www.ebay.com / fordtbirdfashion next month. Proceeds will go to New York Fashion Cares, a nonprofit organization that gives to breast cancer charities, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Grunge groans Several designers, notably DKNY and Marc Jacobs, went all the way back to (gasp!) 1991, bringing the grunge look to their collections. I wonder how Kurt Cobain would have reacted to the use of his Smells Like Teen Spirit, which was remixed at both fashion shows. Somehow I doubt he would have approved of his Gen-X anthem being mixed with Destiny's Child's Booty-licious. Britney brouhaha The screaming coming from the street after Donna Karan's showroom collection Friday wasn't for the designer's fabulous dresses, coats and suits. Rather, the squeals were for Britney Spears, making an appearance at MTV's "TRL" a couple of blocks away. Hundreds huddled outside the MTV studio waving signs ("Oops, I ditched school for Britney"; "I cut class for Carson") for the teen queen. Some `Fancy' footwork Those who view fashion as theater would have loved Elisa Jimenez's collection, called a "fashion fantasy rock performance." Guests were greeted by models spewing the story of "Fancy," a character Jimenez based her fall line on. As the smell of essential oils clouded the room, the fashion show continued the story, with models dancing down the runway to the tunes of Melissa Auf Der Maur (Hole, Smashing Pumpkins). The performance culminated in the appearance of Aphrodite, played by fashion plate Shiva Rose McDermott (Dylan's wife). Confused? You're not alone. But the show did add spice to the week's lineup of somber clothes. The models wore all white, black and gray, but McDermott's fuchsia number was a knockout. At the end, she summed up a feeling felt by many: "May we use our creativity and personal power to heal the Earth and make the world a better place." Denverites in the Apple I caught up with Charlie and Matthew Morris-Price of Planet Laboratories salon in Cherry Creek North at the Liz Collins show. Held at the Times Square Paramount Hotel, the event featured lots of gin martinis, tasty canapes and a few of Collins' Mad Max-style dresses displayed on mannequins. A dress by Collins, once worn by Lil' Kim for a photo shoot, was up for auction. The Planet duo went home with the pink and white dress. Fashion time foibles If you ever find yourself in a hurry during Fashion Week, take a deep breath and slow down. You see, fashion time runs just about an hour later than real time; always expect to sit and wait for a while. At Marc Jacobs and Catherine Malandrino, the wait was nearly an hour and a half. The problem is, once one show gets off to a late start, shows that follow must wait for editors and buyers to arrive. And then there's the models. Several models, for example, arrived at Malandrino's show at 8:30 p.m. - when the show was scheduled to begin. They had been in Diane von Furstenberg's 7 p.m. show (which didn't start until nearly 8) and had to have their hair and makeup redone before they could hit the next runway. Off the runways Audience trends: Women still were wearing pointy-toed stilettos with long dark-denim jeans. Fur coats and chubbies were everywhere, as was leather. Extra-long knitted scarves in bright colors adorned fashionable necks. Newsboy hats and fedoras were on men and women and were featured in many of the shows. Black was the color of choice and, curiously, I spotted at least four Poison T-shirts in the crowds. Hair for women was mostly long and slightly messy looking. For men, the most popular hair style was short, with some length on top that was gelled and spiked into a mohawk-like peak. This look was everywhere. New York love was all around - in the form of Yankees stocking hats, I (heart) NY T-shirts and FDNY caps. Narrow-cut tweed car coats also were popular. Oddest thing seen in New York: At a coffee shop in Greenwich Village before the Elisa Jimenez show, a man with long white hair and a long white beard with a flashlight as an earring stopped in for an espresso. The bottom of his lobe nearly touched his shoulder. The irony? The guy behind the counter told me he's a regular and his last name is Normal. Generous giveaways Advertisers and sponsors were obvious at the shows. Luna Bars were handed out at the tents, as were Winston cigarettes, plenty of Evian and chocolates from the Style network. But the ad award of the week goes to Completely Bare, a New York company that offers micro- dermabrasion and botox, among other services. Guests at several shows received $100 gift certificates for the clinic. Guess they know their audience, huh? [Illustration] Color Photo (8), Photo (2); Caption: Naomi Campbell CAPTION: Carmen Maria Hillstad CAPTION: John Corbett CAPTION: Lorraine Bracco CAPTION: Donna Karan CAPTION: In New York last week, Jeremy Scott showed, among other pieces, this cocktail dress, inspired by the Manhattan skyline. Conna Lecca / The New York Times CAPTION: At the Betsey Johnson show, company employees served as models. Here, a burnt sienna sweater over a chocolate tube top is shown with an orange velvet skirt. Suzanne Plunkett / Associated Press CAPTION: The tent erected at Bryant Park was designed by Stephen Sprouse. Sprouse will turn the stars and stripes theme into a new line of clothing and products at Target this summer. Stuart Ramson / Associated Press CAPTION: Men's fedoras, such as this one shown at Donna Karan's collection, were spotted on and off the runways. Associated Press CAPTION: Super long scarves in bright colors were also popular. This one is from Marc by Marc Jacobs. Associated Press Credit: Lesley Kennedy |