La Vie En Rose

Project Rami, Part One

Before Rami Kashou became known as the swellegant guy with impeccable taste on the latest installment of Project Runway, he was the swellegant guy with impeccable taste from L.A.’s burgeoning Fashion--with a capital F--community. We first connected when he was staging his debut presentation inside a Deco apartment high-rise off old Wilshire, and I’d just jumped into the driver’s seat at the west coast bureau of Women’s Wear Daily.
Admittedly, season four of the hit Bravo show has me riveted (thank the gods for TiVo), in part because several of the contestants—Elisa Jimenez, Sweet P, Rami—are designers I chronicled in the early days. I caught up with Rami to learn more about his reasons for joining the fashion circus and his run-up to Project Runway.

RA: You were born and grew up in the West Bank of Jerusalem. What was your childhood like, and how did it contribute to your wanting to become a fashion designer?
RK: I had a difficult childhood growing up. My mother’s passing when I was 5 years old had a big impact on me. Yet, it also encouraged me to mature very quickly. I also grew up in a
politically tangled and complicated environment where there weren't many outlets for me to express myself--all which led me closer to my dream. I would simply imagine and escape the bitter reality of an Occupation and the passing of my mother by sketching and dreaming of beautiful clothes.

RA: You were only 18 when you picked up and relocated to Los Angeles. Why then?

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A Givenchy Skateboard?

“This is the big event,” Givenchy creative director Riccardo Tisci insists as we scan the intimate gathering at the Tudor-style Hancock Park home of our host Katherine Ross, the senior veep of communications for overlord LVMH. Christina Ricci and Riley Keough were among the bold-face pals who turned up, along with L.A. socials Rosetta Getty, Liz Goldwyn, Lena Wald, Jenni Kayne and Anne Crawford, and stylists Arianne Phillips, Elizabeth Stewart and Rachel Zoe.
“I generally don’t like fashion parties, although I very much like this one. I am super shy,” Riccardo tells me again during our chat. Like the other times before, I accept his comment with a pinch. The lovely Mr. Tisci, who signed on to Givenchy in early 2005, was instantly familiar when we kissed for the first time this evening, and he appeared to receive the rest of the guests with similar warmth. Wednesday night’s supper was the reason for his 40-hour swoop through L.A., and even though New York is his next, equally as brief, domestic stop, there are no other parties on the schedule.
Riccardo came to the U.S. on the bidding of Katherine. “She said you must come to L.A. and meet the women here. They will love you and you will love them.” It’s true, the women love Riccardo, who can celebrate a modern female like few can these days. Katherine is just such an individual, an incredibly chic, laid-back brunette who also happens to be wed to Michael Govan, the newish director—and touted savior--of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
A private tour through the new Dali show at LACMA will be one of Riccardo’s goals today, as will a visit to the Murakami exhibition downtown at MOCA. So, too, will be the requisite tour of the vintage Valhallas here (both Doris Raymond of the Way We Wore and Katy Rodriguez and Mark Haddawy of Resurrection were at the party).
“I was only here in L.A. before one other time, and an even shorter visit,” Riccardo adds, as we waited just a wee longer beyond the offical ending time to see if Courtney Love, his date at the V&A gala a couple months ago, would actually turn up as promised. (That would be a no.)
But it’s neither the old clothes nor new art that really interests him about Cali. “I always loved the skateboard culture that came out of here. It’s such a beautiful sport.” I’m stunned to find this 32-year-old Italian who’s become the critically lauded designer for a storied French house telling me this. Although, I suppose given my background, he revealed it to the right guest. “I kick box, sky dive. But skate?" he continues. "No. But I buy all the DVDs and watch.”
I return the surprise by telling him that Katy’s beau is Tony Alva. “Dogtown?” he responds excitedly. That alone made venturing out on this shivering evening, after such an endless day, worth it.

Christmas Comes Early

It doesn’t get any better—or worse!—than this. Five of L.A.’s finest are emptying their coffers this weekend with massively slashed sales.

On Friday, the doors at Smashbox Studios open to the public for a Thomas Wylde clearance that benefits the Cedars-Sinai Women's Cancer Research Institute. The Culver City studios are at 8549 Higuera Street. Score teeny weeny skull bikinis for $15 and those weighty leather purses for $200—that’s 80% off their original price. It goes through Sunday, but can’t imagine what will be left by then.

Also ringing in at such a deal are Jeremy Scott, Katy Rodriguez, Gregory Parkinson and Magda Berliner with their own sale this Sunday, Dec. 2. Clothes are up to 80% off, the music is provided by Katy’s squeeze/skate legend Tony Alva and a glass of Champers is promised at the finish line.

The marathon goes from noon to 5 at Katy’s vintage shop, Resurrection, 8006 Melrose Avenue, between Laurel and Edinburgh.

Why these designers can never hold these amazing sales during another season that doesn't involve so much shopping already, I’ll never understand. But I’ll still be ready to burn.

Since this posting: Monique Lhuiller is holding a sample sale behind her new salon at 708 N. La Cienaga Blvd. in L.A. next Wed., Dec. 5, and Thurs., Dec. 6, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Bridal gowns and ready to wear from 40 to 90% off.

Weekend DYI with Kelly Wearstler

Admittedly, I hadn't decided if I wanted to like Kelly Wearstler when I first got the assignment to profile her. But she proved one of the most gracious hosts, a straight talker who was really down to earth. So in the interest of those of you who might not be melting the plastic at your local mega sales on this Black Friday, but trying your luck at home improvements, I thought you might find flashes of inspiration in this profile I did for the November issue of Harper Bazaar's A Fashionable Life issue.

Click Here for the Rest of the Article

Gobsmacked: Anne Klein Disses Isabel Toledo

Just when you think the Great American Sportswear story is going to have a happy ending, the evil conglomerate rears its bottom line and stinks up the place. Or so that’s what it smelled like with the shocking news tonight that Anne Klein’s parent company Jones Apparel Group is cutting the designer collection and its creative director Isabel Toledo even before the second season could reach store shelves (which it’s not now).
Isabel is one of fashion’s greatest talents (and she and her husband, illustrator Ruben Toledo, whom I snapped here in Paris in early 2005, among the most loved). And the two runway collections she conceived for the newly launched, signature designer line were lauded by critics and retailers alike.
Now it appears that wasn’t enough for the big guns at the top. No indication what will happen to Isabel, who apparently has a year left on her contract.
Perhaps, this latest chapter shouldn’t come as any surprise. Since the founder’s death in 1974, the parade of designers filing through the place reads like a who’s who of fashion, including Patrick Robinson, Donna Karan, Richard Tyler, Louis Dell'Olio and Charles Nolan among others.
It’s a blow all around, both to women who would’ve finally been able to share in Isabel’s distinct aesthetic and for gifted designers who would otherwise have to exchange point of view for a steady paycheck.

No Swan Song for La Serena

Picking up a crystal-covered riding crop always felt a bit less salacious knowing the shop proprietor was a woman. Call it reverse sexism, but for legions of fans of Agent Provocateur, the naughty knicker firm based in London, the founding couple helming the ship was just as much of the appeal as anything.

With the marriage split up of founders Joseph Corre and Serena Rees, the plausibility of parting as business partners hung in the balance. And it was certainly a possibility after I left them earlier this summer.

Word finally came before the weekend that private equity firm 3i is set to acquire the company for £60m (that’s about $124.3 million U.S.). Both will keep minority stakes in AP, although Joe will remain on as creative director, while Serena has left.
The two were awarded MBEs this summer for their contribution to the fashion industry. Joe seemingly took a page out of his parents’ playbook (that would be rebels Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm Maclaren) and refused his title on the basis that he found then Prime Minister Tony Blair "morally corrupt.” The press lapped that one up.
No doubt this isn’t the last the media will hear from Serena either. With her mad style, distinct vision and relentless work ethic, this is just a matter of changing courses.

Feeling the Love

Apologies for the dirth in postings, but Andy and I have been neck deep in opening our second A+R freestanding shop, this one at 1121-1 Abbot Kinney Boulevard in the seaside town of Venice, CA. We're mighty proud of the results (so much so, in fact, that I'll be giving the Silverlake outpost a freshening up in the coming days...we'll be open again Friday). We've had an amazing welcome so far from the Dogtown locals and out-of-towners who flock here, and we've particularly appreciated the love from the press, including Sunday's listing in the L.A. Times Image section and recent postings on Daily Candy, Notcot, Urbandaddy and today's gem on Style.com.

Dior's Sweet 60

The Dior team came to town this week to toast the release of the mammoth tome timed to the Paris house’s 60th anniversary. The Assouline imprint is worth its weight (that of a couple of small poodles). And it succeeds in its claim as the definitive anthology with 384 pages of awe-inspiring sketches and photographs (Irving Penn, Nick Knight, Laziz Hamani, etal). The endless, gorgeous images evoke the genius of these celebrated men who’ve helmed the storied haute couture atelier, from the namesake to Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré and, now, John Galliano--heralded by his top boss Bernard Arnault in the preface as the second coming of Christian. There’s even a complete list of the 120 haute couture collections, including dates, themes and designers. Beat as I was when I got home late the evening before the Wednesday party at the Rodeo flagship, the copy waiting on my doorstep (wrapped in white glossy paper and a wide satin logo ribbon) might as well been a double shot of espresso. At least it made me forget John Stewart was relegated to reruns…

Project Runway's Round 1: Rami Takes All

CONGRATS to Rami Kashou for scoring the first round on tonight's premiere episode of Project Runway. Not that there should've been any doubt. Too many of the results on tonight's first installment of the Bravo hit brought into question why some of these contestants even made it this far. Maybe it was the hair? I certainly can lay claim to some crazy signature Sassoon chops in recent years, but the crowns on some of these contenders are just plain lame. Of course, it's all about telling a story, and the more colorful the characters, the better. In the case of Rami (pictured here at the recent L.A. Fashion Awards, with fellow finalist Jasmin Shokrian), the handsome Los Angeles designer has always been among the city's most talented--and least known--secrets. Hopefully, that will be history once the season turns.

Paper Mag's Happy Ending

It was all a bit fantastical sitting across from Joan Crawford, Lucille Ball and Marlene Dietrich amid the ruby glow of the Bar Marmont Sunday night, but this was just another installment of an already surreal week for Paper Project L.A. Paper Magazine's third annual L.A. invasion culminated Sunday night with a Last Supper that managed to trump the final fab meals of years before, not in the least due to the bevy of dragonettes channeling Hollywood's grand dames, flawlessly wardrobed by uberstylist Trish Summerville and maquillaged by the M.A.C. crew. Seated next to Paper editor Kim Hastreiter midway at the endless table, I couldn't resist thinking of her as a kind of benevolent, passionate savior of clubkid life and these queens her apostles in a room filled with admiring followers.

To wit, Kim was still reeling from "the religious experience," as she dubbed it, that was the Paper 24-Hour Department Store, featuring the likes of Colettte from Paris, Screamin' Mimi's from New York, Citizen-Citizen and Levi's for Damien Hirst from San Francisco and hometown draws such as Jeremy Scott, Show Pony, Rodarte, Cobrasnake and, yes, A+R, among a couple dozen other "shops." Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff turned up, but what was really amazing was seeing the likes of former Chanel bigwig Ari Kopelman and the throngs of other movers rubbing elbows with fabulously turned out kids who kept the place lively and loud through the wee hours and into the following afternoon (it ended at 6 p.m. Saturday). Even architect Barbara Bestor looked wowed by the scene, though she had a hand in it all by designing the space. Among the best sellers of the event: Undefeated's limited-edition white and gold basketball at $70 a pop, and the canvases by the artists of Creative Growth.

For Kim and her partner-in-Paper David Hershkovitz the pressure is turned way up to 11 as they look forward to next year's edition. Today, however, Kim can take a well deserved break and enjoy another spin around the sun. Happy birthday Kim! We kiss you.

Pulp Fiction: Paper Mag’s L.A. Stories

Phyllis Diller, Jeremy Scott and an army of clubby kids channeling Michael Jackson in “Thriller”? It can only spell one thing: Paper Magazine has invaded L.A.
Paper’s Los Angeles Project 3.0, the annual rite for the New York-based style bible, kicks off Wednesday night with an art opening of legendary comedienne-cum-portraitist Phyllis Diller’s work (including this one of Paper ed Kim Hastreiter) hosted by Mena Suvari, followed by a dance party given by legendary Paris boutique Collette and L.A. designing homeboy Jeremy Scott. From there, the schedule over the five days and nights are choc-a-bloc with a slew of kooky activities all over town, including a guitar shred-off, a beach party, a fashion mobile on the hunt for new talent, and a 24-hour department store with the most amazing collection of vendors, including ThreeAsFour, Levi’s for Damien Hirst, Ingo Mauer, Undefeated, Rodarte and yours truly, A+R, among many more. The Paper crew always outdoes themselves, which is why we were only too keen on participating—despite the mad hours we’ll have to keep manning the “store” through the wee hours this Friday night. Visit at 6 p.m. or visit us at 6 a.m. Saturday morning. We’ll be there. Read on for the full schedule and all the delicious details.

Click Here for the Paper Project 3.0 2007 Line-Up

All You Didn’t Know You Need to Know

How will you ever crunch every cultural tidbit you need to know to come off as chic as your pre-Anne Klein Isabel Toledo dress? Nancy MacDonell provides the Cliff Notes with her sophomore guide “In the Know: The Classic Guide to Being Cultured and Cool.”
What is great about this new pocket volume is that it doesn’t try to please everyone by offering the greatest hits of all time. Instead, it spells out what five or 10 people, places and things you need to be in the know about if you’re navigating a world where the currency is being able to name drop the 1969 film The Damned or Carla Sozzani or Tetsuya’s in Australia.
The snappy read splits among culture, fashion and lifestyle. And at-a-glance-sidebars demystify musical genres from glam to mashups; break down how to accurately pronounce Moleskin, Le Corbusier and Andre Balazs; and spell out who is the living designer behind the iconic labels.
So many of these kinds of guides try but invariably don’t pull it off, generally because the authors are outsiders trying desperately to be part of the It crowd. Now an editor at style.com, Nancy has been a contributor to British Vogue, Nylon, Elle and T, and she undeniably knows her stuff.