While confessing to know nothing about rugby other than it features amazing men, we were still nonetheless excited to discover in the WSJthis morning that All Black, New Zealand’s national rugby team will continue to perform the Maori war dance (see video above and weep) prior to the start of games. Apparently the right to perform was brought under question when descendants of the Maori looked to legally control song lyrics. But no, not true, a representative for the tribe recently stated that the tribe has always supported All Black’s performance and takes great pride in it even. And thank god for that!
As a realistic fashion lover the protocol is supposed to be that you admire your favorite designers creations but always leave space for a little “I don’t like this” moment. With Rick Owens, I don’t think I can ever have that moment , whatever he does I find a way to rationalize and fall in love ( Is that an obsession?). Anyway, while the organza trimmed wedges can come off as a lot of shoe when footwear has gotten much lighter and sleek for Spring 2011, I find the flirty fabric makes up for the massiveness of the black wedge. Styling them with a one-shouldered dress like you can see on the flip is too on point to dislike, via Net-a-porter.
Another sneak peek from the upcoming film promoting Chanel’s frangrance, Coco Mademoiselle. Fronted by Keira Knightly and directed by Joe Wright, this spot features the actress in a beige Chanel jump suit about to take a spin on a Ducati 750SS Cafe Racer motorcycle. (A site dedicated to the Cafe Racer has stills of Knightly on the bike, which were taken during the making of the film.) The full feature will be shown on Chanel’s site on March 21st.
Recently discovered that the über talented trio of Trust Fun launched a capsule collection unique digitally printed silk kimonos on 20ltd. These beauties, I strongly advocate for layering with a catsuit and stunning heels , igniting the envy of the onlookers who would never dare… A closer look on the next page available on 20ltd.
For our many readers who are Christian Louboutin fans, check out Pigallepassions, a site entirely dedicated to worship of the brand’s Pigalle pump. The image with quote above is the one that heads the site. Given this is Louboutin’s signature profile, we were curious about the origins of the name Pigalle. According to Wiki, it’s an area in Paris, Quartier Pigalle, named after the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. However, it’s likely that Louboutin was inspired less by the artist and more the neighborhood, which is renowned for its sex shops and prostitute trade. Clever humor that Louboutin has!
On another note, the site in large part documents celebs spotted in the Pigalle. Not surprisingly, Rihanna has the most posts with 38! Not at all scientific, but check after the flip to see who follows her on the list.
CFDA announced its 2011 fashion award nominees and honoree recipients yesterday. The Womenswear Designer Award is the most coveted and this year the competition is super tight! There’s industry standard bearer Marc Jacobs (who won the award last year), crowd favorite Proenza Schouler (who we think “won” NY Fashion Week) and the king of Downtown New York, Alexander Wang, who was nominated for two additional awards, Accessory Designer Award and Swarovski Award for Menswear. Does Wang get it this year? You have to consider him the favorite if only because Jacobs has won it three times and the Proenza Schouler boys won it in 2007, and as such it might have the feel of a snub if he’s denied again.
See more nominees and recipients on the next page, including Lady Gaga who was awarded a well-deserved Fashion Icon Award.
Totally reminding us of Amidprivilege, the Jack Rogers store on Madison Avenue in New York, is an example of branding and positioning at its best. The footwear brand’s first ever boutique houses some of its greatest hits, exclusive sandal styles, apparel, children’s wear and footwear, a capsule signature jewellery assortment, as well as memorabilia from Jackie O, who notoriously wore the its famous Navajo-inspired looks. Of course the label hints to chic in the realm of the “ladies who lunch,” but in the Snob universe we say forget wearing this brand in the Hamptons and rock it to slum-around concerts in Williamsburg with beat up denim cutoffs and a sleek cashmere hoodie #flipthescript. On the next page enjoy a peek at what caught our eye including creative director Lauren Dupont.
Now available is Hunter’s version of the rubber ballerina, the Turks, a very welcomed addition to rain footwear becase let’s face, a tall rain boot really can’t work everywhere. Available here, while the brand also announced earlier this week their foray into outerwear, via WWD:
Given the 155-year-old Edinburgh-based company’s foothold in inclement weather, getting into jackets and coats was not such a reach. The brand got a major lift in 2009 when Kate Moss was photographed wearing a pair of Hunter boots with ultrashort shorts at the Glastonbury music festival.
For its latest fashion pursuit, Hunter is offering eight styles, including a trench with a zip-out red lining, a hooded white parka with fur trim and an A-line wool peacoat. Wendy Svarre, chief executive officer of Hunter Boot USA, said adding these extra layers was always part of the business strategy since she joined the brand two years ago.
“Outerwear was really a natural extension with the DNA of our brand. We are known for the outdoors and high-performance footwear,” she said. “It just took a while to find the right factories in Asia.”
In July, five major chains and 10 specialty stores are expected to carry the women’s collection, which will wholesale from $130 to $160. “What was most surprising to us is the stores really liked the wool pieces. We thought their buys would be more concentrated in the rainwear,” Svarre said. “What that says to me is that people see us as a fashion brand.”
