The Shophound

Model Diversity UpdateMilan Welcomes Whitey Back

And we were doing so well.
A cursory observation would show that black models who have improved their visibility on the runway in New York hit a roadblock in Milan. Our statistics come from Style.com which routinely identifies models' names in its show coverage. Ironically, the home of Italian Vogue, which highlighted the topic with its "Black Issue" last year, has not been hospitable to models of color. Once again, Prada, arguably the city's most influential label, put on a show without a single black model, along with Jil Sander and Ferré. The two most popular black models, Jourdan Dunn and Chanel Iman have done a respective 7 and 5 shows in Milan so far compared to at least 20 and 11 shows in New York. Sessilee Lopez appears not to have done a single show in Milan, after around 20 in New York, making us wonder if she even made the trip there at all. Similarly other emerging faces like Georgie Badiel, Kinée Diouf and Aminata Niaria who were busy in New York were conspicuously absent, and Gracie Carvalho has made only a single trip down a runway at Albino. New star Arlenis Sosa has done only Bottega Veneta and Blumarine's shows. Inadian born Lakshmi Menon has done only Etro and Blumarine, and even Giorgio Armani put on an uncharacteristically all-white show.
Asian models have fared somewhat better, with the sleekly bobbed favorite Tao Okamoto doing 8 shows so far.
We hope that things will improve in Paris where Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood and Givenchy have been far more broad in their casting choices, but on the diversity front, Milan has been a disappointment where several journalists have been commenting that the relentless parade of nondescript eastern European teenagers is draining shows of much needed excitement.
UPDATE:
On the very last day of Milan's shows, Aminata Niaria made it down the runway twice at Fendi. It was her only major Milanese show. We don't know if it was an arranged exclusive or if it was the only house that was interested in her, but a nod from Fendi creative director Karl Lagerfeld is an immeasurable boost for any model. Perhaps we will see more of her in Paris. The show also included an appearance by curvy former Calvin Klein muse Jessica Miller. Perhaps things are moving in s healthier direction in general when it comes to models.

Fall 2009 New York Fashion Week: Final Fashion Week Thoughts

We are finished with one of the weirdest Fashion Weeks we have experienced.
Above are pictures from Rad Hourani's Fall show, our last, which we dashed to after Chado Ralph Rucci on Friday. It was our last chance to catch a glimpse of our favorite Sessile Lopez, who officially ascended to the top ranks of models this season. Hourani's collection was sleek and modern looking, and he always has an impressive model lineup. We had never managed to make it to his show before, partly because he holds it far away on Mulberry Street, but since we had no where to be afterward, we figured it was worth a shop.
As for the rest of the week, overall, there was an underlying tension to the proceedings, but everyone tried to put the best face on things that they possibly could. Nobody was bragging about how fabulous their business was, and a lot of press and buyers were naturally concerned about their professional futures. Many runway show regulars like Lynn Yaeger, formerly of the Village Voice, were operating in new capacities, and some other prominent characters were missing altogether.
The designers, however, faced with retailers' tightened budgets, generally stepped back and reassessed what their customers loved them for. This was not the season to lead them down a new and adventurous path, so many labels found themselves returning to their roots. This proved to be a good thing most of the time, as designers worked to make their lines as appealing as possible. Some designers, like Tracy Reese, cut their invite lists and moved their popular shows to smaller, less expensive venues, which worked better for some than others. Some opted for more casual presentations, which could either be highly efficient like at Generra or Spurr, or simply a crowded mess where you couldn't see the clothes, but you could have your fill of free drinks.
For Prabal Gurung (at right), the former Bill Blass assistant, a presentation was a smart way to debut his collection which was well received by the press especially the New York Times' Carthy Horyn, whom we saw getting a guided tour from the designer.
Last season, we spent a lot of time observing the disappointing representation of minorities in the ranks of runway models, which turned out to be something a lot of people were concerned about. We expected to cover it again, but it became clear after a few days that the situation had improved noticeably. Things may not be perfect yet, and many shows may not actually have had that many more Black or Asian models, but there were many more in the mix besides the usual three, Sessilee, Chanel Iman and Jouran Dunn. Designers were clearly making an effort to be more inclusive. In this economy, they need to reach out to every possible customer of every color. Black models Kinée Diouf, Georgie Badiel, Aminata Niaria, Joan Smalls and Gracie Carvahlo were much more visible, and Tao Okamoto emerged as a breakout star with her neo-Vidal Sassoon bob. In fact it seemed like only a few of the interesting new faces were white. We stopped calculating racial ratios pretty early on because it seemed obvious that things were moving in a better drection, and we were happy to reallocate our time.
The scene in the tents was noticeably austere. There were fewer gift bags, and they were even more often restricted to the front row. Many designers eschewed them altogether. While the tents at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week are usually full of sponsors throwing their products around, this was a dry season for swag. Even the big press bag had fewer items, and sponsors who have regularly had representatives distributing cookies, yogurt, cosmetics samples or even beer withheld their products this season. We definitely missed the comely individuals who used to hand out cold bottles of Peroni beer in the afternoons, and we may actually have to start buying our own shampoo again.
Ironically this lack of promotional activity made the tents feel a bit more civilized and less like a trade show, but we would totally exchange that for more free stuff.

New York Fashion Week Day 7: One Foot In Front Of The Other With Brian Reyes, PHI, Rebecca Taylor & Ports 1961

We simply do not know the true cause of the epidemic of falling models this season, but it seems the girls have learned to deal by simply stopping to remove their shoes before something worse happens. We can imagine the look of horror that must have passed over BRIAN REYES' face backstage on Thursday morning as model after model unshod herself mid-walk. He made the most of it by sending every girl out barefoot for the finale, but it was hell on the pacing of his show. We don't know what the great challenge was with the pumps Manolo Blahnik made for Reyes. Though certainly high and pointy, they lacked the vertiginous platforms that would appear to have foiled most of this week's tumblers. Our best guess is that they were just too big for most of the girls, and they were literally stepping out of them.
It's too bad that the shoe issue was such a distraction. Reyes had a light hand for Fall –so light it sometimes looked like Spring– but he offered a subdued, tailored alternative to the current rash of bold '80s looks, without looking out of step.

There were no wobbly walkers at PHI. As usual, designer Andreas Melbostad gathered the cream of the available models in the burgeoning brand's showroom. If the bolder side of the '80s is the order of the day, then here is an excellent place to start. Melbostad tends to alternate each season from looser shapes to form fitting ones, and if it's fall, it must be tight and sexy. There were zips and hardware aplenty, but softened with rich mixes of fabrics, furs and embroidery, often cinched with a wide triple buckle belt. The collection trod comfortable ground for PHI, but it was executed and presented with energy. When the trends fall directly on your sweet spot, it would be foolish to ignore them, and we know for a fact that there are no fools at PHI.
Next, at REBECCA TAYLOR, most of the commotion was caused by Tori Spelling, and a camera crew which may have been her own. Spelling joined Mena Suvari, Stacy London and a Kardashian in Celebrity Row. Taylor's stock in trade is flirty but not cloying, and for Fall she tempered it it with animal prints and added shine with studs instead of satin. Like most designers this season, Taylor is judiciously not looking for new directions, but instead refining and editing what she does best, as if to reassure loyal customers that she can be relied upon. It may be safe, but it is bringing out the best in many labels, and pushing them back to their roots.

PORTS 1961 has become an increasingly hot ticket. Designer Tia Cibani's productions have become can't miss events. This time, noting her Indian Mughal inspiration tis season, she had "dhol'n'brass" band Red Baraat Festival! provide live Bhangra rhythms. Anna Wintour was in her seat between waiting at 3:05, and the seats were fully filled by 3:15. There was only a smattering of open spots for lucky standing roomers, and the models were walking by 3:20, a shockingly timely start by Fashion Week standards, Marc Jacobs' newly maniacal punctuality notwithstanding. In a season of bold color, Cibani sent out some of the most vibrant and opulent, and only occasionally veered a bit too far into the sari shop.

More details after the jump

New York Fashion Week Day 5: Guest Star Edition with Pamella Roland,Dennis Basso Max Azria, G-Star Raw And Benecio Del Toro?

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Above is one of our Mercededes-Benz Fashion Week mascots, naturally, a Mercedes-Benz, specifically an AMG SL convertible. We are over getting annoyed that so much tent space is taken up by a couple of cars, and we can totally dig this cute little convertible. We didn't ask the price. We don't want to know.
Also take note of the Havaianas booth, one of the season's great disappointments. It turns out they aren't giving out flip-flops at all, and even if you win the spinning wheel game, all you get is a little shoulder tote. Maybe next season the giveaway will return? Did we mention the lack of food? We're still hungry. On to Tuesday's show schedule.
PAMELLA ROLAND has become a red carpet favorite for TV stars, and so it was no surprise that designer Pamella DeVos garnered the week's requisite celebrities, Kellie Pickler, Jessica Stroup, Michelle Trachtenberg and Kristin Bell. A combination of these starlets has become almost a given at so many shows already that we have begin to wonder if they didn't just make a package deal with IMG to show up at a required number of shows this season. They were upstaged across the runway, however, by another appearance by the incredible texting Hilton Sisters, who always seem to take but a cursory interest in whatever is being paraded in front of them, despite being seated with the designer's family. As for the clothes, De Vos cited Fabergé, Ninotchka and Russia in general as her inspirations so a Moscow street scene was projected on the backdrop, and faux snow began floating over the stage as the show began. Despite the extended section of day clothes in the whopping 56 look show, the label's fans were there for the evening looks which were sufficiently beaded, draped and bejeweled to keep the red carpet pundits debating over the merits of this neckline or that hem.

DENNIS BASSO routinely pulls in a crowd of  socialites, as shiny and waxy a crowd as ever. Most of them show their support by wearing their Basso furs. While some clients may have felt that this was not the time to watch a parade of furs, loyal customers like Jamee Gregory and Jennifer Creel turned up as usual. Anna Wintour is a regular here, in fur, but not Basso. We were standing in front of two Basso staffers, allowing for prime eavesdropping.According to them La Wintour always comes, but never wears Basso. Star Jones does, and she floated in amidst a squall of flashbulbs swathed in a Golden Sable cape. Does she even have a job now?
The show featured endless permutations and combination of furs and fabrics intricately worked. It's a good thing we wound up in the second row because this show warranted a close-up view of the masterful workmanship.
Curiously, there was no fur protest outside the tents. It seems the Peta folks would rather get publicity from harassing designers who use little fur anyway than waste their time with hard-core furriers like Basso whose stance on the issue are pretty intractable.
What can we say about CHOCHENG? Hasn't everyone learned from Tim Gunn and Nina Garcia about the dangers of sending an ill fitting gown down the runway? On the plus side, the final look was worn by veteran model Maggie Rizer who has been off the runways for a while now. It was nice to see Maggie again.
Next up was the third and final MAX AZRIA show of the season, for his luxe signature line. We saw the treacherous woodgrain runway mats, so Azria clearly had faith that there would be no more collapses. We have needled the popular designer show in the past for not differentiating enough between his two signature lines, but this time, Azria has a much clearer focus. The collection is still small and exclusive, so luxury and tailoring was successfully played up here with much success. This time, signature draping was punctuated with jeweled embroidery and lace. While there are aspects that vaguely recall a hot Parisian couture house (or two) the line looked as good as we have ever seen it.

Finally, we made our way to The Hammerstein Ballroom for G-STAR RAW. the Dutch based denim giant puts on an elaborate show, generating the kind of excitement with denim sportswear that more than a few would-be couturiers would envy. The ballroom was fitted with a triple runway set and immaculate lighting, and the celeb list include a few names we hadn't seen all over the place already including Rufus Wainwright and Natasha Bedingfield. Every permutation of denim was in display and the '80s made their appearance again. If G-Star has its way, we will be seeing a lot of baggy, tapered leg denim looks this fall. Extreme silhouettes aside, the show had a crisp, functional modernity. It featured mostly anonymous (but very good) models except for America's Next Top Model champ McKey, who is now, apparently, working under the name Brittany. Two pianists played live behind a sheer curtain, and just before the end of the show, a special guest star strode out to read the lyrics from Joy Division's  "Candidate". Was that Academy Award Winner Benicio Del Toro? Why, yes it was. We're not exactly sure of the performance's particular significance, but it was an exciting surprise.

more details after the jump

New York Fashion Week Day 4: Moving Right Along With Carlos Miele, Jill Stuart, Tony Cohen, Alice + Olivia & Generra

Fashion Week kicked into full gear on Monday, but the tent scene is still remarkably subdued. The sponsors have pulled back considerably this season. The Havaianas booth is not the flip flop giveaway of seasons past, but a wheel of fortune game where you can possibly win a pair. Sony has left the lounge where it was promoting its new mini laptops with the live mannequins after only two days, and sustenance offerings so far have been limited to Diet Coke, which is being offered in mini-bottles that are at least cold. We pampered showgoers are felling a little shortchanged. Where are our cookies?
Anyway, we began our day at CARLOS MIELE, the Brazilian designer who last season presented singer Seu Jorge to accompany the show, this time asked musician Max de Castro to perform on the runway. As he sauntered down the catwalk amongst the models the photographers in the pit repeatedly howled at him to get the hell out of their way, which he graciously ignored. After all, he was probably only doing what he was asked to do. As for Miele, he presented his signature spiral cut gowns in sleek neutrals and pared down silhouettes that looked modern along with lots of furs which accounted for the bag inspections before the show.
JILL STUART presented her collection in the main hall of the New York Public Library Having now been invited there twice, we can say with certainty that despite its architectural beauty, the location is an atrocious place for a runway show, at least it is the way she arranges it. There are no risers, ruining the view for anyone behind the second row, and most of the show takes place on a hallway with not just columns, but large walls obstructing the view of anyone standing, which includes a large group.  As we waited for the show to begin, we could see an escalating paparazzi eruption, but had to wait for word to travel through the crowd to find out whom it was for. When the show started, we could see models for only a few seconds through an archway as they flashed past. Even those seated in what should have been good seats had to crane their necks to see the show. It is time for Ms. Stuart to consider a venue that will actually allow her guests to see the show.
Later on, we returned to the tents for Amsterdam based TONY COHEN's far more civilized show for his rough edged silk and leather separates. It was tunic and leggings time, confirming the return of the 80's aesthetic.

Stacey Bendet's ALICE + OLIVIA presentation was staged at her boutique, conveniently located across 40th street from Bryant Park, but while most presentations have been relatively easy affairs to slip in and out of, this one was a commotion. The store was packed, so the presentation was not particularly visible, but the champagne and cupcakes made up for that. What Bendet was really presenting was a glamorous cocktail party, featuring celebrity guests. We missed Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian and a gaggle of other starlets, but managed to catch Moby and our favorite petite starlet, Kristen Bell of Heroes and Veronica Mars, so it was worth it after all.
The it was a quick jump downtown for an actual presentation from GENERRA where 27 models were lined up on a platform for our perusal. The label's sportswear continues to appeal, especially on 27 cute models who we managed to catch before they got punchy from standing in the same spot for two hours.

New York Fashion Week Weekend Edition Part II: Non-Lazy Sunday With Lela Rose, Hervé Léger, Akiko Ogawa & Tuleh

What can we say? The main tent activity has been a little lacking so far this season. The Viactiv giveaway was as close as we have gotten to free snacking so far. There are no cloyingly sweet cookies from DHL, and last season's Lu Petit Écolier cookies are nowhere to be seen. We practically lived on those things last time around. Perhaps things will perk up later in the week, 'cause we get hungry. In our malnourished stupor, we are treated to a survey of Barbie through the years as we wait to get into the shows, so we have shared that with  you to compare and contrast. Which Barbie did you play with... or steal from you sister and render bald?
And yes, we are way behind in the age of liveblogging, but let's cover Sunday quickly.
Our day began with LELA ROSE in her usual Sunday Morning opener slot. This show regularly pulls in lots of clients in their own Roses, and Lela has developed a devoted cult, including fellow Texans from Neiman Marcus who were there in force along with their Yankee Bergdorf cousins. Rose has developed a recognizable sense of proportion and detail, and her layered petal shaped tiers have become a signature. This time she focused more on sportier looks but her cocktail styles were the crowd favorites. Her front row lineup included former American Idol Kellie Pickler, her hair tamed from the previous day, in a blue satin one shouldered sheath from Rose. She looked adorable and would have been perfectly turned out for cocktails at 6. It was however a bit much for the brunch hour, but as we will see later on at HERVÉ LÉGER, time of day has no bearing when you are being styled for the front row.
The Léger Show, unfortunately has gotten more press for the fact that not one but two models ate the runway than for the actual clothes (Jezebel has a detailed report here). We're not quite sure why this rash of tumbling models continues. The one time Naomi Campbell fell down on Vivienne Westwood's runway was a scandal that resonated for years afterward. Did anyone ever hear of Cindy Crawford or Linda Evangelista or Christy Turlington falling down? No. We don't think they or any of their fellow supermodels ever did. Maybe it's the fact that some of these girls are too young to be expected to walk with finesse in any shoes. Léger's tumblers are 15 and 17 years old. Maybe it's the fact that these models are being put into shoes so absurdly exaggerated that nobody should ever be asked to walk in them.
Aside from the runway incidents, our main question was whether or not Max Azria would be able to keep the classic Léger bandage dress looking fresh, and to our surprise, he succeeded in adding all sorts of treatments and embellishments to keep the tight, stretchy dresses appealing. Many have detected a Balmain influence, and we wouldn't argue otherwise. Azria's celebrity row included a gaggle of starlets poured into bandage sheaths led by Lucy Liu, a cut above the boilerplate fashion show B-listers we have come to expect, and January Jones, looking very un-Betty Draper.
The we skipped a few shows. Thuy, we're sorry, but we have a shred of sanity left to protect.

We reserved energy for our evening shows, starting with AKIKO OGAWA. This is usually a fun show with over-the-top styling. This time, Ogawa filled the tent with blue mist to create an interesting atmospheric effect, but by 6:30, we had been sitting in it for over a half an hour. Our eyes were beginning to burn and the rest of the room was groaning.  On the plus side, the lovely people at Seventh House put us in the second row, a perfect vantage point. See, no heads covering the feet in our pictures. The collection had a Rick Owens meets Tinkerbell vibe, and once the smoke literally cleared, it was quite enjoyable. We noticed that a few of the girls sported black combat boots instead of the immense platform wedges, and then we realized that they were actually boys. That was the best way to differentiate the smatering of menswear looks in the show.
Next we speedwalked down to the Roubini Casa showroom in the New York Design Center on Lexington Avenue for TULEH. We got there just in time to catch Gossip Girl's Kelly Rutherford swan in dressed in full, soignée Lily Van Der Woodsen Bass mode.

We miss the convenience of seeing Tuleh in the tents, especially at 7 in the evening, but we have to admit that a spacious design showroom filled with carpets and ornate furniture couldn't have made for a better setting for the typically refined collection. The models snaked their way through the room, and seating was arranged so that nearly everyone was in the front row, or the second at the very worst. We can't help liking a show that opens with Sessilee Lopez, and for Fall, designer Bryan Bradley stuck with what he does best, the luxurious fanciful classics that his loyal customers expect. Anyone expecting luxury designers to reign in the opulence this season have missed the point. Bradley understands that the best way to retain his customers is to make his products as irresistibly appealing as possible, so he stuck to his label's signatures like extravagant fabrics and classically feminine silhouettes. His client-heavy audience got the message and appreciated it.
Our next show was E.J. Wada in the tents at 9PM. On Sunday.
We call this the death slot, partly because people like us often ditch it. And we did. As much as we like to see a new designer, our apologies go out to E.J. Wada. We have our limits, after all.

More details and pictures after the jump

New York Fashion Week Weekend Edition Part I:Fashion Overload Already? Adam, Spurr & Loden Dager

Saturday morning seems like so long ago.
Here in sensory overload FashionWeekLand, it takes a few days to pace ourselves, and we have already started skipping shows that are too far away or or too late. After all, we do need to leave ourselves some time to write...and sleep.
So Saturday started late for The Shophound at ADAM by Adam Lippes. We have always found his shows particularly enjoyable, and worth going out of our way for. This time we didn't have to do that, since Adam has bucked the trend and moved his show to Bryant Park. With everyone scaling back, it is heartening to see a designer make his show bigger. Lippes has taken the men's line off the runway, and for Fall, his unique sense of color made for an upbeat, collection that was enthusiastically received by the dramatically enlarged crowd. The only drawback here was the absence of pre-show cocktails that we enjoyed at Adam's off-site shows, but we suppose everything is a trade off in one way or another.

Later, we were off to Chelsea for Simon SPURR's menswear presentation at Milk Studios. Again, the advantage here was speed. We can get in and out of a presentation within five minutes, and we would have left directly after our perusal of the sleek collection, but we suddenly found ourselves in close proximity to Dutch model of the moment Lara Stone in a bathrobe. She was elaborately made up with a geometric hairpiece, for a photo shoot elsewhere at Milk, apparently, and had stopped by to take advantage of the bar, more than likely. When presentations serve cocktails on a Saturday afternoon, they run the risk of guests hanging around for an extra while longer, which was what happened at Spurr. Add a budding Supermodel in a bathrobe, and you've got quite an afternoon party.
On to LODEN DAGER, whose designers Oliver Helden, Paul Marlow and Alex Galan have been known for carefully choosing venues with a particular atmosphere. This time it was the library at The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen on West 44^th Street. There we had a nice chat with RACKED's Leslie Price, comparing notes on the shows so far. "There's a lot of facial hair here," she remarked, and it was true the crowd had a high hipster mustache quotient. It was a relaxed atmosphere, especially compared with the tent frenzy a couple of blocks downtown, and low key enough that Laura Dern and her husband Ben Harper could take their seats early, and without fuss instead of being ushered in from backstage amidst a papparazzi eruption, and graciously posing a picture if asked.
The show was concise and a nice evolution of the label's signature classical sportswear with quirks. There were even a few Loden Dager Ladies in the mix, but the women's line may take a few more seasons of refinement to find its voice.
Next, and last we skipped back to the tents for something called MONARCHY at the Promenade tent. It turned out to be the kind of L.A. based contemporary line that will style up their line to  make an entertaining show. Here we found a capacity crowd that appeared to include a lot of people there purely for entertainment rather than work. It as Saturday night after all. We found ourselves sitting next two a couple of charming gentlemen who may have arrive there via a bridge or a tunnel. Still, they were well behaved, though clearly a bit out of their element. When we say "L.A. based" we mean the collection is basically rooted in jeans with pockets and stitching that are just a bit too large paired with jackets featuring lots of trench and motorcycle details in combination. This was all barely hidden by the British equestrian styling (it's called Monarchy...get it?). It was all slickly produced featuring the requisite celebrities (New 90210's Anna Lynne McCord and our second Jennifer Love Hewitt sighting) but overall, like at Samantha Ronson, there was no real news there..

Details after the jump

New York Fashion Week Day 1: The Marathon Featuring Yigal Azrouël, Abaeté, Duckie Brown, Samantha Ronson & BCBG Maz Azria

As we mentioned earlier, our runway invitations are really front-loaded this season, so on Friday morning, we took a deep breath and plunged in.
We began our day at YIGAL AZROUËL, who made waves later in the afternoon by firing his PR company, Kelly Cutrone's People's Revolution for "mismanagement" (allegedly over Cutrone seating Gubernatorial Hooker Ashley Dupré in the front row) and promptly announcing it via mass email to the press.  This is generally considered poor form. After all, if you want to badmouth your PR firm, the fashion industry has a highly sophisticated gossip network that can effectively accomplish that task. We can't help wondering if this is some sort of set up for Cutrone's recently announced reality show.
Anyway, the show was full of cozy, oversized wraps mixed with sleek flange shouldered dresses with an '80s feeling. Everything has an '80s feeling these day, but Azrouël did it without seeming slavishly referential. The show was swag free, an unfortunate, but not unforeseen trend these days.
Next it was off to ABAETÉ at the Altman Building, our only off-site show of the day, which as we mentioned earlier was beautiful but perhaps a bit gloomy. Designer Laura Poretzky moved her show form its usual Bryant Park slot, and while we can't argue with the likely cost savings, we can't help suggesting that she may have sacrificed too much in attendance by moving her show. Commercial though they might seem, the tents have a way of pulling in a crowd that may not be so keen on making even the short trip down Sixth Avenue.
Back to the tents for DUCKIE BROWN, always a favorite of ours. Steven Cox and Daniel Silver have a clever way of commenting on the way men actually dress. This time, their collection was more classically proportioned, but punctuated with bright ski caps topped with giant pom poms. When paired with balaclavas, they had a surprisingly menacing Roman centurion look. Later models were swathed with comically oversized scarves. It's high time these guys got a UNIQLO collaboration deal, or another similar arrangement to raise their profile. Usually counted on for a gift bag full of products, this time the swag was a gift card from show sponsor McDonald's, one of Cox's first employers. We can think of few designers who will admit that they once regularly uttered the phrase "Would you like fries with that?", and the program included an amusing account of Cox's tenure there. $5 from McDonald's equals exactly two large orders of fries, and we can't complain about that.

Plowing through, it was on to CHARLOTTE RONSON, whose show we had never attended. Thank God we had a seat, because the pre-show action was centered around a game the photographers could call, "Find The Lohan". Lindsay Lohan is famously Charlotte's sister Samantha's current girlfriend, and inexplicably, the press fascination with her continues despite the fact that her last hit movie was, what, five years ago?
First La Lohan is spotted next to Samantha in the DJ booth. Then, when she made her way to the front row, a paparazzi frenzy erupted with a zeal that nearly trampled The New York Times' hapless Bill Cunningham, who certainly deserves more respectful treatment. Security was called in to break up the flashing mess, and remained as a phalanx shielding the starlet until the show began.
Ronson played '40s standards from Benny Goodman and the Andrews Sisters for her sister which was odd since the clothes really looked like '80s rocker wear followed by '90s grunge plaid. Go figure.
We had little time to contemplate this dichotomy before we hit BCBG, our first show in the big tent. This one is also a starlet magnet, and Max Azria likes to seat them all in a row which we found ourselves a few rows directly behind, knowing the flashbulbs were for someone, but not knowing exactly whom.
This was BCBG's runway line, which tends to be much more expensive than the bulk of the contemporary brand's offerings, and is only sold in select stores. Azria and his creative director wife Lubov have made a signature of loosely draped dresses, making a good case for them in jewel toned velvets that looked luxurious. Unfortunately, several patchwork pieced looks recalled last season's PHI show a little too closely. Most looks were finished off with gleaming gold tights. BCBG is usually a good showcase for the most in-demand models, and Azria didn't disappoint, promising business as usual this season with a cutting edge lineup that would easily pass muster at Prada.
By this time, we were ready for a break, and food. How handy was it that we had a McDonald's gift card right in our pocket?

New York Fashion Week Day 1: This Day/Arise Spares No Expense And Reaps The Rewards

After five runway shows in a row, The Shophound could just as easily stayed home and watched Battlestar Galactica, but sometimes the offbeat show that we have never been to will call to us, so back down to the tents we went for the This Day/Arise Magazine African Fashion Collective show, a new entry as far as we could tell, to be followed by the Academy of Art University show, to which we had been invited in the past, but somehow never managed to attend.
Much hand wringing has taken place over the suitability of lavish fashion shows are during the current economic challenge. Many designers have toned down their shows, cut their guest lists, canceled their parties and moved their shows to smaller, quieter venues in response to the climate of the moment. We cannot criticize anyone for cutting costs to protect business, which is certainly a major impetus for many of the changes, but some designers have taken on an oddly puritanical attitude, suddenly implying that excessive merriment over clothes is inappropriate, even if clothes are your business, and you have been being merry about it for years.
A new magazine has proved them dead wrong, sponsoring a show as lavish as we are likely to see this season.
Our first hint that the it would be a bit more than we expected was the giant video screen which served as the show's backdrop, reflected in a shiny, mirrored runway. These things don't come cheap.
Then we glanced at the model lineup, and while we expected to see a few prominent black models, we didn't count on an all-star team including Chanel Iman, Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Lakshmi Menon and even Lara Stone, the rising Dutch star who just had the most recent issue of French Vogue devoted to her alone. Add to that some popular faces who rarely grace the runways anymore like Alek Wek, Oluchi and '90s cult favorite Stacey McKenzie. Obviously having an all-black show would be just as inappropriate as an all-white one, so the cast was diverse, but naturally leaning towards models of color. Given the persistent state of things, race-wise, we are betting that this will be the only show all season that will have Chanel, Liya, Sessilee, Alek, Jaunel and rising newcomers Georgie, Aminata and Hollis among others less well known, all on the same runway at the same time. Of course including fair skinned Namibian star Behati Prinsloo reminds us that not everyone born in Africa is dark. But there were more surprises in store.
The show included four African labels: Stoned Cherrie, Tiffany Amber, Momo and XULY.Bët whom many will remember as a hot independent label from the early '90s.
XULY.Bët opened using the new Grace Jones video Corporate Cannibal as the backdrop. Ms. McKenzie's's return to the runway garnered a smattering of applause, which grew to loud cheers when Alek appeared alongside Tyson Beckford. Now that the cheering protocol had been busted, the audience leapt to their feet when the loopy Ms. Jones herself appeared for her own turn on the runway at the end of the segment, and as any diva would, she milked the crowd's ovation for all it was worth. Ordinarily, we would have have thought that this was front-loading the show with its most well-known designer and spoecial guest star, but the crowd was already amped up, and as the pumping house music continued, they were clapping and cheering at every possible provocation: for Chanel Iman, just for being there and for Liya and any other favorite model. One girl had to discard her ill fitting shoes. Applause! And it went on through the other three segments, with the audience doing everything that just isn't done at a runway show, and apparently loving every minute.
Who wouldn't want their audience to leave the show with a smile and their pulses raised? We could only compare it to another show earlier in the day. Designer Laura Poretzky moved her Abaeté show out of the tents to the Altman Building in Chelsea a popular off-site location; not an unreasonable cost cutting measure. But rather than showing her usual charming and upbeat collection, She had her models creep down the runway at a glacial pace accompanied by haunting, dirgelike music in the somberest looks we have ever seen her show. They were beautiful, to be sure, and highly salable, but the overall effect was not inspiring. The reference to current sadness, whether intentional or not, seemed in far worse taste than the extravagant but rollicking show we would see later in the evening.
Since we were back at the tents (and we knew we had a seat) we continued on to the Academy of Art show featuring six student designers, many of whom showed some very promising work, again on a dream cast of models. Here were, Anja Rubik, Karlie Kloss, Myf and Chanel Iman again doing what they do best, which is making the clothes (some of which were very student-y indeed) look good. No cheering here, though. It was back to basic, basé protocol.
Here is the message, though, for designers who have been convinced that the thing to do in the face of economic uncertainty is to suck the fun out of their shows and adopt a serious tone:
Don't do it.
In fact, do the opposite. You are still putting on a show, so do everything you can to be as upbeat and entertaining as your budget will allow.
Nobody wants to commiserate on a runway.

The Rundown after the jump

Milan Menswear Report:Runways Still Looking Pale In Milan

While we are just getting ready for Fall 2009 Fashion Week here in New York, Menswear shows have been well under way in Milan since last weekend. Last season, The Shophound paid extra attention to how minorities have been faring on the runways. While we plan to continue that sidebar, The New York Times' Guy Trebay weighed in this week on minority representation in the current round of shows in Milan, and found it disappointingly lacking, particularly in light of Italian Vogue's highly touted Black Issue last fall.
Where to lay blame appears to be in question, as designers claim that agents aren't sending them enough diverse models, and agents claim that they are sending out models of color who aren't getting hired. It sounds like a Catch-22 of apathy, with few designers willing to take a chance on even a few black male models, and standardbearers like Gucci and Prada continuing to present all-white, minority free shows. Trebay writes:

In an e-mail message, George Brown, an owner of the New York modeling agency Red, pointed out that, while he had flown some of his more promising black models — Shawn Sutton, Wendell Lissimore and Dominique Hollington—to Milan this season, the outcome has been dispiriting.“They had some amazing options, options I’d never seen before on black guys,” said Mr. Brown, referring to the industry practice of placing certain models on hold in advance of casting calls. Mr. Brown’s excitement at the prospect of black men appearing in the lineups at Jil Sander or Prada proved short-lived. “The options fell off and we found the same line-up of white guys doing all the major shows.”

Interestingly, as with the women's shows, it is the older generation of designers who are most likely to present a diverse model cast. It was at Versace and Giorgio Armani, who is probably the oldest designer to retain creative control at an Italian fashion house, where Trebay found anything close to a diversity of models. A quick glance at Men.Style.Com's runway reports bears this out.
We are betting that the Obama effect works to models' advantage in New York at the very least, and hopefully may have some influence on the European Women's shows that follow.
We're still watching.
Fashion Diary: In Milan, Models Still Come in Only One Color By Guy Trebay (NYTimes)