Fashion & Style



June 6, 2012, 1:31 pm

Happy Hour at Ugg

Tom Brady, the face (and feet) of Ugg’s advertising campaign as well as the quarterback of the New England Patriots.Owen Hoffmann/PatrickMcMullan.comTom Brady, the face (and feet) of Ugg’s advertising campaign as well as the quarterback of the New England Patriots.

Around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, inside the expanded Ugg store on Madison Avenue and 58th Street, preparations were underway to introduce what the company, well known for its shearling footwear, was describing as its first freestanding store for men. Actually, it’s attached to the two-year-old women’s store, but there’s a separate entrance.

For a news media preview, there was a lot to see, including the fall samples of the company’s upscale collection made in Italy, which includes a distressed-looking leather boot for around $995. (Guys don’t really go for the company’s signature shearling boots, said Connie Rishwain, the company’s president.) On another counter were displays of a limited-edition style of hand-made moccasins, made for Ugg by Quoddy, the century-old Maine footwear company. The $250 style is lined with Ugg shearling, a good value, but only a few dozen pairs were made. Read more…


June 5, 2012, 6:21 pm

A New Wedding App for the Modern Bride

The AppyCouple wedding app for iPhones, iPads and Androids.The Appy Couple wedding app for iPhones, iPads and Androids.

Gone are the days of sending multiple e-mails to your bridal party, calling family members with updates on wedding events, or sending mass texts to guests with directions to venues. Appy Couple, a new wedding app, can replace the traditional wedding planning methods, like building your own Web site, with an app for the tech-savvy, fast-moving and multitasking bride. You can stay in touch with your guests and organize events from your iPhones, iPads and Androids.

Unlike other wedding apps that focus on the planning aspects of a wedding, like iWedding Deluxe, Wedding Gawker and WeddingScan, Appy Couple focuses on creating an interactive experience where the bride and bridegroom can communicate with their bridal party and other guests. If you’re juggling multiple events, like an engagement party, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and a rehearsal dinner, this app may be worth downloading. Read more…


June 5, 2012, 2:19 pm

The Best Tweets From the #CFDA Awards

Emily Berl for The New York Times

June 5, 2012, 7:00 am

White T-Shirts Are Fashion and Function in Harlem Street Style


This week, we visit the home of the Apollo Theater, the Studio Museum and the shopping strip, 125th Street. We saw Ariel Weekes strolling up Lenox Avenue, at 121st Street, in Harlem wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and red sneakers.

Street Style

Highlighting looks and inspiration from the pavement.

With a red, sharpened No. 2 pencil tucked behind his ear, Mr. Weekes spoke of his love for James Baldwin, a Harlem native, and for the style and functionality of white T-shirts, a staple for many of Harlem’s native sons.

For generations, Harlem has been a trove of art, music and fashion inspiration because of its self-sufficient and insulated residents who produce movements like the Harlem Renaissance and the Harlem shake, and creatives like James Van Der Zee and Cam’ron. New Yorkers and tourists alike often refer to Harlem as a sixth borough.

Style is in its residents’ DNA, making Harlem the first pin on New York’s style map. Trends eventually trickle downtown and to the outer boroughs. The idea of being “dressed” has been passed down to the younger generations from the old guard. And although modern style ranges from eclectic to a uniform of polo shirts and white Ts, you can bet each look is its own. Mr. Weekes explains.

See Previous Intersection: Where Culture Meets Style Videos:

Video: Preppy in Forest Hills

Video: Vintage in Fort Greene


June 4, 2012, 11:25 pm

Fashion Awards, on Speed Dial

Ashley (left) and Mary-Kate Olsen with their award for Womenswear Designer of the Year at the 2012 Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Fashion Awards.Lucas Jackson/ReutersAshley (left) and Mary-Kate Olsen with their award for Womenswear Designer of the Year at the 2012 Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Fashion Awards.

Marc Jacobs may not have been a winner at the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s annual awards show on Monday night, but his dress was the star. Seth Meyers, the evening’s host, turned Mr. Jacobs’s black lace number — the Comme des Garcon shirt dress he wore at the recent Costume Institute party, over white boxers — into comic material. Later in the show, Mr. Meyers appeared in the dress, remarking, “This has such good ventilation.” He also joked that he had consumed 11 drinks since his opening monologue. Read more…


June 4, 2012, 12:59 pm

Can a Product be Carcinogen-Free?

Carcinogen-free products by Attitude.Chester Higgins Jr./The New York TimesCarcinogen-free products by Attitude.

Want to avoid applying known carcinogens to your skin and hair?
A new line of body-care products from Canada, called Attitude, aims to take the guesswork out of shopping for shampoo, lotion, soap and other products, with packaging that explicitly and rather boldly declares “Carcinogen Free.”

Jean-Francois Bernier, the founder of Bio-Spectra, Attitude’s parent company, said he was inspired to create the products after reading that scientists attribute only 5 to 10 percent of all cancers to genetics, with the other 90 to 95 percent rooted in environment and lifestyle variables.

“To me, it was an eye-opener,” Mr. Bernier said in a recent phone interview.

Beauty Spots

Beauty news, trends and backstage coverage.

“It means the choices we make today are going to have a real impact on the way we’re going to live our lives tomorrow, especially with these kinds of products that we use daily, over 30, 40, 50 years, our whole lives. So even though it’s a small quantity, it’s chronic exposure. So I thought, we have to create an alternative for people free of these cancer-causing chemicals.” Read more…


June 4, 2012, 7:50 am

Style Tumblrs We’re Loving

Don’t let the thousands of Tumblrs out there overwhelm you. Here are some suggestions worth a follow.


The Bengal Stripe

Mainly menswear posts, The Bengal Stripe features photos of vintage watches, men in tailored suits and fresh kicks.

Pomp & Circumstance
On Pomp & Circumstance, you’ll notice a strong appreciation for nature and style (sometimes displayed in the same photo), and intriguing art. The mash-up of visuals make you feel as if you entered the mind of the cool person you wish was your friend.

The Cosby Sweater Project
Reminisce on your favorite episodes of “The Cosby Show.” This Tumblr showcases a sweater on a different Cosby character alongside a sketch of the sweater’s print and a recap of the featured episode.

AnOther
The Tumblr for AnOther Magazine, a London-based glossy, is perfect for when you are feeling creatively bankrupt. The blog posts eye-catching photos from their fashion shoots that are sure to wake you from your daze.

Makeup FTW
On this blog you’ll find plenty of makeup tutorials and inspiration photos for the beauty obsessed. The posts range from simple, everyday makeup to all out Halloween makeup tricks. If you are looking for a new way to put on your face every morning, click away.

Last Minute
A mix of photos and videos, Last Magazine’s tumblr is all about bringing you what’s new and next in fashion, pop culture, design and music.

My Brain on Wax
J. “Quazi” King is the man behind My Brain on Wax. Explore his photo style diary, which spans cultures and subjects.

ModCloth
After scrolling through the ModCloth Tumblr,  you might be inspired to channel your inner Elizabeth Taylor or Bettie Page. There you’ll find an array of vintage, retro-inspired clothes, similar to what is sold on the ModCloth Web site. Some of the looks are shoppable and link back to ModCloth, or sites like Etsy.

Hold Your Colour
This Tumblr posts photos in “ROYGIBV” order (the same order as the rainbow). You can find an eclectic mix of photos from red velvet cake to Lana Del Ray’s blue hair.

Brokelyn
If you’re a newfound foodie but on a budget, Brokelyn has some of the best ideas, tips and events for exploring dining in Kings County for less. The Brokelyn Tumblr is a little splash of what the full Web site has to offer.

Textbook
Your favorite literary characters dressed in the best designer fashions just as you imagined them. Well, maybe not you, but Lucky magazine’s John Jannuzzi. Follow his adventures and watch him bring these characters to life.

Did You Get the Memo?
We’ve all done it or seen it — worn almost identical outfits to the office. This blog captures the mundane and makes it entertainment.

T On Tumblr
The New York Times Style Magazine is a dollop of T Magazine’s latest endeavors from behind the scenes at the latest fashion shows to the breathtaking views around the world.

Graffiti Art of the Day
This Tumblr features a new piece of graffiti art every day. You may be considering taking up tagging, or perhaps you are just interested in what new aesthetic artists are taking to the street. Either way, this Tumblr brings the street to you.

Asian Art Museum
The Asian Art Museum is the largest museum devoted to Asian art and culture in San Francisco, and its Tumblr is there for you to explore them.

The Beauty Model
The Beauty Model blogs a mix of fashion magazine editorial photos from then and now.

The Lively Morgue
Travel back in time with The Lively Morgue. The blog is a throwback featuring the best New York Times vintage photographs.

 


June 1, 2012, 4:00 pm

Two Legs’ Best Friend

Tailored shorts with a blazer, by Bill Blass.Marilynn K. Yee/The New York TimesTailored shorts with a blazer, by Bill Blass.

EVERYBODY knows that “The Devil Wears Prada” was better as a movie than as a novel, thanks to the directing (David Frankel), the screenplay (Aline Brosh McKenna) and the marvelous duel of diva and dunce performed by Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. So the news that its author, Lauren Weisberger, is writing a sequel didn’t exactly produce a Rachel Zoe “I die!” moment.

It’s not that fashion has retracted its claws in the decade since Ms. Weisberger, a former assistant to Anna Wintour, published her first book, but the ground is well scored. And a sequel about an industry that is all about sequels seems almost punishment for our sins.

On Monday, the Council of Fashion Designers of America will hand out awards for achievement in design and general fabulousness. There has been some grumbling about the same-old nature of the C.F.D.A. awards, the sameness of the nominees, though I recall people making the same complaint in the 1990s.

So what else is new? The other day, Thursday, a beautiful day in New York, I was walking down Fifth Avenue and thinking that the industry has overlooked a serious challenger in the accessories-design category: the shopping-bag maker.

Shorts by Chloé Ready-to-Wear.Richard Bord/Getty ImagesShorts by Chloé Ready-to-Wear.

Pay attention the next time you are out to the number of people toting or cradling shopping bags with the air of an Hermès stakeholder. These bags are not the big sloppy paper sacks you typically get at department stores. Rather, they are pert, sharply creased models in heavy stock. Often they have grosgrain ribbons or twisted raffia for handles, and they sport not merely the name of the designer or store, but also stripes, polka dots, bright colors. They are rich with invitation and meaning (“I bought a cookie at Ladurée!”), yet, as we know, are worthless.

Nonetheless, amid the late-spring novelties (the newness, for instance, of silky but tailored shorts), I sensed that for many people, the fashionable paper bag did the work of the genius designer bag. To be sure, creamy shopping bags have been around for a while — they are an extension of a branded world — but they clearly signify something to people. The upscale paper bag also seems to function as a surrogate, as in “This’ll do.”

Near 61st Street I saw a woman waiting for the light to change. She had on a gray suit, and in one hand was a tote, the other a crisp polka-dot bag. A gust of wind caught her dark hair, making a landing strip of her part. When I reached the corner I glanced into her bag and — you guessed it — it was empty.

As I said, the brightest summer fashion is a pair of softly tailored shorts. They slightly hint of lingerie, or a chorus line. They look great with a camisole or a neat blazer.


May 31, 2012, 9:00 am

Mordekai Jewelry Line Now in Stores

A four-finger crown ring.Toto CullenA four-finger crown ring.

Ken Borochov, the brain behind Mordekai, a line of imaginative jewelry and headpieces, gets his ideas from the hardware he uses. “I search online for the most random materials, and that’s where I start,” Mr. Borochov said. He has constructed earrings that resemble blonde hair extensions from a horsetail, and believes his line stands out because of his fantastical design approach.

Browsing

Shopping snapshots.

His work has recently caught the eyes of buyers for Patricia Field in New York City and Ikram in Chicago, the first brick-and-mortar locations to sell Mordekai pieces. Now, shoppers looking to makeover their wardrobes can choose from his eye-catching necklaces, rings and headdresses.

His four-finger ring in the shape of a crown (in neon yellow and pink) and his elaborate eagle skull necklace have fared well for the three-year-old brand, which has found dedicated fans in Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga’s stylist, Nicola Formichetti. Ms. Minaj wore his custom diamond necklace in her video “Right By My Side”. Read more…


May 29, 2012, 7:09 pm

Fashion News We’re Reading Now

Models on the Etro runway at Milan Fashion Week in January.Olivier Morin/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesModels on the Etro runway at Milan Fashion Week in January.

The British Fashion Council has announced that there will be a men’s fashion week in London, starting in June.

David Beckham.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesDavid Beckham.

The CFDA Fashion Awards are on Monday, and Seth Meyers will be hosting.

David Beckham is the first man to be on the cover of Elle UK, all by his lonesome.

According to Hint Magazine, Ari Seth Cohen, the blogger behind Advanced Style wants to turn his work into a film.

WWD reports that Russell Simmons is restarting his men’s wear line Argyleculture with a new partner, Joseph Abboud.

More news on digital doctoring.


May 25, 2012, 5:38 pm

Cannes Chorus

Vampire makeup, pinched breasts and an onslaught of sequins sometimes define Cannes fashion, as it does this year. Group pictures of actresses are almost blinding, and tans under the hot lights look repellant. For this reason, minimally fussy gowns in sharp colors look best, like those on Kristen Stewart and Nicole Kidman (when does she ever look bad?), as do the short-and-skippy dresses worn by Lily Cole and Diane Kruger. Jeremy Irons looks like a musty boarder in his long jacket and vest, while Brad Pitt nicely surprises with a full Cleveland in his tan Gucci suit.

Slide Show: Best of Cannes Beauty


May 25, 2012, 1:42 pm

Charting the Rise of the King of Retail

RETAIL RICHES Mickey Drexler, the hands-on chief of J. Crew, with David Faber of CNBC.CNBCRETAIL RICHES Mickey Drexler, the hands-on chief of J. Crew, with David Faber of CNBC.

One thing that CNBC’s profile of Millard (Mickey) Drexler, the chief executive of J. Crew, made clear on Thursday night is that his life is not the stuff of novels. True, he had what sounded like a lousy childhood, sleeping in the foyer of his family’s Bronx apartment. And later, as a very rich man, he bought classy real estate, including Andy Warhol’s former compound at Montauk. And true, he got the boot from Gap, in 2002, after a mostly innovative 19-year run that included the creation of Old Navy. (According to a Wall Street Journal profile, Mr. Drexler collected around $350 million when he cashed out his Gap stake.)

Standing with the 67-year-old retail legend outside his old Bronx digs, the CNBC correspondent David Faber tried to do a Rosebud moment, and to a degree Mr. Drexler played along. (“I always wished I had a bedroom.”) But CNBC couldn’t avoid the obvious in its hourlong program, despite a jaunt to Italy and its Moses-like title, “J. Crew and the Man Who Dressed America.” The fact is, Mr. Drexler is the stuff of retailing. He’s a genius of merch.

Although I was bored by the time the crew shifted to Italy, dutifully surveying rolls of shirting (be honest: it was all about the pasta), television is a good medium to show Mr. Drexler’s enthusiasm and go-from-the-gut leadership. When he sees a product on display and says, “Love, love, love,” or something perhaps not as thrilling (“Oh, my God, hello. Hello?”), you’re sort of charmed.

Mr. Drexler is famous for his micromanagement. He personally responds to unhappy customers, as CNBC showed (and anyone familiar with Mr. Drexler knows), and uses a public-address system to speak to employees or summon a person to his office. The latter might sound overbearing, and may even be a source of office humor (“Here’s Mickey!”), but it’s probably efficient. Mr. Drexler wants to get the job done, and he wants J. Crew to stay on top — that’s abundantly clear.

My favorite moments in the program were with Jenna Lyons, the company’s creative director and president, and with members of the design team, whether they were talking about their boss or the creative process. Actually, I wanted to see more of that. In the sprawl of the piece, it was not sufficiently clear that what continues to drive J. Crew (and Mr. Drexler) is innovation. The most obvious example is the spinoff of J. Crew men’s stores, like The Liquor Store, and the development of well-made and well-priced suiting, like the popular Ludlow. The men’s wear focus has truly distinguished J. Crew. Not only was the timing perfect, but the products continue to be interesting.

In most respects, the CNBC profile followed the usual script. The Wall Street Journal article, by Tina Gaudoin, came out two years ago, and it covered the same Drexler turf, though more diligently, and included the chauffeur-driven trip to the Bronx. Before that, there were other magazine articles about Mr. Drexler. Obviously, for him, there might be an element of redemption in such adulatory coverage. But the next time someone asks, he might consider doing himself a favor and say no.


May 24, 2012, 1:57 pm

F.I.T. and ABC

Rick Owens, dress, sleeveless coat, hair comb, pale grey washed cotton, silk faille, resin, spring 2011, France, gift of Rick Owens.The Museum at FITRick Owens, dress, sleeveless coat, hair comb, pale grey washed cotton, silk faille, resin, spring 2011, France, gift of Rick Owens.

This week, the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology opened the second part of its yearlong exhibition highlighting great works from its extensive holdings, alphabetically. Called “Fashion, A-Z,” the show is organized similarly to the first exhibition that closed on May 8. This time, the designers begin with Adrian and end with Zoran.

Alexander McQueen, dress, digital printed silk chiffon, spring 2010, England, museum purchase.The Museum at FITAlexander McQueen, dress, digital printed silk chiffon, spring 2010, England, museum purchase.

As with the first show, this approach results in some amusing adjacencies  as when you encounter the Hollywood glamour work of Norman Norell (under “N”) next to the goth complexity of Rick Owens (this show’s “O”). There are also some great moments of fashion history in Part 2, including a 1970 military coat from Calvin Klein that is a reminder of that designer’s early start; a trapeze dress from the 1958 collection that Yves Saint Laurent designed for Christian Dior; and some knockout pieces from the 1920s by Edward Molyneux and Jean Patou. From more recent fashion, there’s a Martin Margiela linen vest from his 1997 semi-couture collection, which resembles a dress form, and the big blue and white striped silk dress from Raf Simons’s spring 2011 show for Jil Sander.

Martin Margiela, sleeveless jacket, beige linen, spring 1997, France, museum purchase.The Museum at FITMartin Margiela, sleeveless jacket, beige linen, spring 1997, France, museum purchase.

It turns out there is some overlap with Part 1 in terms of who was included. Not surprisingly, those with surnames or labels beginning with “Q,” “U,” “X” and “Z” had all the luck, so audiences will again see works from Mary Quant, Undercover, Xuly.Bët and Zoran. The exhibition will run through Nov. 10, and a companion book being published by Taschen, originally scheduled for May, is now expected to be released in the fall.


May 22, 2012, 11:36 am

Sunday in the Park with Oscar

Oscar de la Renta, resort 2013.Thomas Concordia/Getty ImagesOscar de la Renta, resort 2013.

The resort season sure creeps up on you. One minute you’re shifting into a spring wardrobe and the next you’re looking at Oscar de la Renta in his new showroom on Bryant Park, facing a long row of editors ready to digest clothes that are destined for stores sometime around next January.

Mr. de la Renta’s was the first big runway show in New York for the inter-season collections, and it was a bright start to a prolonged period when designers informally show their most commercial work, basically all the way through June. So sit back and get ready to look at some clothes. Mr. de la Renta’s were especially fresh this season, evocative in some cases of a stroll in the park, and a lengthy one at that, with 57 outfits. He started with graphic black-and-white, like a blouse with black sequins in the shape of falling gardenia petals, an easily layered gingham ensemble and a series of decorous cocktail looks (wow to the black silk faille dress covered with a layer of white cotton guipure petal-shaped lace).

Oscar de la Renta, resort 2013.Thomas Concordia/Getty ImagesOscar de la Renta, resort 2013.

On the a colorful side, he showed a number of gingham and floral prints that looked slightly askew, like a red dress with a wrapped bodice that looked like a picnic tablecloth after the feast. And in one nod to casual, he showed a sequined silk baseball shirt with green sleeves, which was noted in the program as being available on TheFancy.com after the show.

Of course, taking a look at the shirt on that site, which requires creating an account, comes with good news and bad. The good news: It also comes in blue! The bad: It costs $2,490.


May 22, 2012, 2:09 am

Preppy Street Style in Forest Hills

This week, we went to Austin Street and Continental Avenue in Forest Hills, Queens. Austin Street is a hub within this quiet, residential neighborhood filled with Tudor homes and apartment buildings. It’s also home to a strip of boutiques, restaurants and bars that attracts patrons from neighboring areas like Middle Village and Jamaica.

Street Style

Highlighting looks and inspiration from the pavement.

In this pocket of Queens, khakis and plaid shirts are as common as Juicy Couture sweat pants and Dooney & Bourke bags.

Joseph Jameson’s chocolate brown suede oxfords with cobalt trim caught our eye from a block away. And early in our conversation with Mr. Jameson, we learned of his love affair with designer suits (although he has no where to wear them, he said). His sister, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, is his style consigliere, and among the guys in his neighborhood, he stands out. We agree.

Watch the previous Intersection video in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.