CFDA-Awards 2010

The CFDA-awards are considered to be the Oscars of the international fashionworld and is organised by the Council of Fashion designers of America. It’s one of the hottest tickets on the fashion calendar, and the awards are much coveted.

The Swarovski Awards, which are given to emerging talent, went to Jason Wu favourite of Michelle Obama.  He fought off competition from Joseph Altuzara and Prabal Gurung who won in the womenswear category. Richard Chai landed the menswear prize and Alexander Wang received the award for accessories.

The biggest prize of the night, Womenswear Designer of the Year, was won by Marc Jacobs. Christopher Bailey picked up the International Designer of the Year Prize.

There were also some special awards handed out. Michael Kors, the only winner to receive a standing ovation, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Anna Wintour. Legendary model Iman was given the Fashion Icon Award.

Sarah Jessica Parker, who was wearing an Alexander McQueen-dress hand-picked for her by the label’s new head of design, Sarah Burton led a tribute to the late, great designer.  She was followed by a parade of some of McQueen’s most iconic designs.

Fashion Focus: all about Alexander Wang

 

 

 

Name of the brand: Alexander Wang

Name(s ) of the designer(s):  Alexander Wang

About the designer(s):  Alexander Wang (1984) was born and raised in San Francisco. He moved to New York City at the age of eighteen to try his hand at designing clothes. He studied one year at Parsos and did an internship at Teen Vogue. Then he decided to quit school and launched his first collection. It was immediately very well received. Everyone loved his perfectly crafted cashmere sweaters.

Start of the brand: 2007

First collection: spring 2007

The Wang woman: has a streetchic style and likes to mix and match

Wang women: Rachel Bilson, Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan, Erin Wasson, Megan Fox, Mary-Kate Olsen, Nicole Richie and Gwyneth Paltrow

The clothes are: edgy, masculine, well taillored, casual, cool, sexy vs androgyny, French chic and rock grunge. They are always finished with a slouchy rolled-out-of-bed edge.

Type of clothes: Alexander Wang makes a full range of ready to wear pieces, from distressed boyfriend jeans and shrunken vests to, of course, covetable cozy cardigans. The inspiration comes from the street and thus the clothes have a downtown feeling.

Signature: model-off-duty style

Collaborations: Alexander Wang for Keds (Fall 2008), Alexander Wang for Uniqlo, capsule collection (May 2008).

Quotes:

• ‘There are pros and cons to starting so young. In the beginning, people said, ‘I’ve never heard of this person, he’s what, 21?’. There are stereotypes, but the greatest satisfaction has been proving them wrong.’
• I didn’t have any investors. My mum and I, my sister-in-law and my brother, we’re the four partners”
• It’s all those quirky people you just bump into that inspire me the most.’
• “When I started out, I wanted to pick one familiar item that evoked luxury—cashmere was perfect. But moving forward, I want to make it more of a lifestyle brand. I kind of want to be the new Theory.”

Awards: he won the CDFA Fashion Fund, which was 20.000 USD.

Extra:
Wang’s favorite outfit is skinny jeans, T-shirt and a backpack
He has a simple belief that has taken him very far: ‘I’m in New York City – I can do anything I put my heart to.’
He got an internship at Marc Jacobs
He always keeps in mind an advice Marc Jacobs gave to him: ‘Give them something that’s going to take time to sink in. By the time they get it, change it again – you’ve got to keep them guessing!’
He showed his first collection to an editor at Teen Vogue. She loved it
He was already cutting frocks at the age of fifteen
He named one of his shoe designs after Dutch Model Mirte Maas
(The pictures you see are of the fall/winter 2010/2011 collection)

Streetwear trend: trenchcoats

There is hardly any fashion piece that is worn as much and by as many diverse people as the trenchcoat. This iconic coat has a style that suits any person, no matter their age, gender, length, size or race.

Although Burberry claims they invented this coat, nowadays many large fashion labels have trenchcoats in their collections. And the fact that you can run itno someone wearing a trenchcoat every minute of the day proves these coats are still ultra-popular.

While we were in Milan, Paris and New York we ran into all kinds of people wearing the trenchcoat as well. They all wore the fashion piece  differently. So the saying that a trenchcoat tells you something about a person must be true.

If you – after watching our photos – haven’t yet got enough of the streetstyle trench you should take a look at The Art of Trench. Especially for Burberry fashion blogger Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist) took the most amazing streetwear trenchcoat photos and Burberry created a website around it.

We couldn’t picture a world without the trenchcoat. If you ask us it’s like with denim, it’s here to stay forever.

Topmodel of the Week: Sasha Pivovarova

Most people know this girl from Prada. She was the face of the brand for three years in a row. Yet this Russian beauty does so much more….

Name: Sasha Pivovarova
Age: 24
Date of Birth:  21 January, 1985
Place of Birth: Moscow, Russia
Discovered: Her friend, photographer Igor Vishnyakov took her picture in 2005 and sent it to IMG modelling agency. She was studying art history back then.

Runway debut: Prada, the brand immediately signed an exclusive three-year contract with Sasha.
Fashion shows: Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Pringle of Scotland, Rag & Bone, Rodarte, Max Mara, PHI, Christian Dior (couture), Elie Saab(couture), Valentino (couture).She opened last season’s (fall/winter 2010/2011)shows for: Jean Paul Gaultier
Covers:  American Vogue, Greek Vogue, Russian Vogue, British Vogue and Australian Vogue.In May 2007 Vogue named her as one of the new ‘supermodels’ together with models like Doutzen Kroes, Jessica Stam and Chanel Iman. As one of the favorite models of Steven Meisel, she appeared on the cover of the Italian Vogue five times.

In 2009 Pivovarova was ranked second on the Models.com top 50, together with Natasha Poly.
Vogue declared her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.
She won the Best International Model award in Shanghai in 2006

Ad campaigns:  Pirelli 2008, Armani, Longchamp, Chanel, H&M, Mulberry

Agencies:  IMG models (NY), Unique (Denmark), Donna Models (Tokyo)

Quotes:

• ‘I was on board  of 148 airline flights in 2008!’
• ’I’m not a person who likes waking up early’

Extra:

• Sasha loves to paint and draw.
• Her paintings have been published in French Vogue.
• She uses anything as a canvas hotel papers, casting and itinerary papers.
• She is working with Miuccia Prada to produce a book of her own artwork.
• She is also illustrating a book for Karl Lagerfeld based on Russian fairy tales.
• She is married to long-time friend and photographer Igor Vishnyakov.
• She practices Kung Fu.
• She recreated her wedding for a Vogue spread
• She has a very strong Russian accent

Streetstyle vs. Catwalk fashion

Each fashion season we all get very much inspired by the collections presented on the catwalk. After New York, London, Milan and Paris we have new creative ideas and we have picked up the trends we will probably be wearing a season later. So there’s no doubt fashion designers create trends or at least a certain style.

Yet it’s also true that a big part of  fashion starts on the street. What people wear in their daily lives is a starting point for fashion too. Whether it’s your grandma walking her dog in a floral printed skirt, your father in one of his suits or your neighbour is a pair of old school jeans. Every kind of streetwear can be the beginning of a fashion trend.

During the fashion weeks our team always spots the most fashionable people outside the fashion shows. They wear clothes not everyone dares to wear. Their streetstyle is often bright-colored, crazy-shaped and remarkably printed. Not to mention their shoes and accessories.

To show you that streetwear can be an inspiration for fashion designers we selected six outfits that were seen in the streets as well as on the runway.

The fashion we’re gonna see this summer is very lady-like and romantic. Pastel shades and ruffles therefore are unmissable in your summer wardrobe. In need of inspiration? The Valentino show has some great ruffle examples.

Victoria Beckham was one of the first who started wearing bleached denim again last year. And it proves she was right about this denim trend.

Milla Jovovich ones again showed the popularity of the navy trend. Anna dello Russo worked a splendid (Balmain) jacket with silver embellishments (as seen at Anna Sui). And one of the girls we spotted on the street, showed she had guts with a pair of checked pants (which might just be inspired by the Watanabe show that was full of the black and white checked print).

And by the way… Did you know that olive green (Celine) can look this great?

Streetwear trend: pretty in pink

Not only on the runway you see the strangest fashion pieces being worn. On the streets special designs and unexpected trends can be seen as well.

For example this candy pink trend. All of a sudden it seems this color is a huge hit on the streets. Yet we never noticed before it was this popular.

While we were reporting on the pastelshades that are a big fashion trend this summer, this pink popularity most have slipped right through.

On the streets we saw trenchcoats, boots, dresses and tops in pink. Those outfits really stood out in between all the other streetfashion. It looked so fresh we are thinking about hitting the stores ourselves.

Yet of course this color is not for everyone. Only with the right skintone you can look pretty in this kinda pink.

Topmodel of the Week: Abbey Lee Kershaw

This topmodel from down under is unstoppable. She walks in all the big fashion shows, was a Victoria’s Secret angel twice, was a model for the famous Pirelli calender and did a tv commercial for Gucci. You might wanna read more about this Australian beauty…

Name: Abbey Lee Kershaw
Age: 22
Date of Birth: June 12, 1987
Place of Birth: Melbourne, Australia
Discovered: While she was on the beach with her grandma in Australia. After that she took part in a modelling competition and won.
Runway debut: Milan, Gucci. She was booked exclusively for Gucci.
City: New York
Fashion shows: almost any fashion brand; one season Abbey walked in 84 shows.
She was a Victoria’s Secret angel for two years (2008 & 2009).
Last season (fall/winter 2010/2011) she opened the shows of Chanel, Michael Kors, Isaac Mizrahi, Issa, John Rocha and Pucci.
Covers:  Australian Vogue, Japanese Vogue, V, Dazed & Confused, Muse, Numéro. In 2008 Style.com named her one of the top ten newcomers.
Abbey Lee is ranked 8th on the Top 50 Models Women list by models.com.
Ad campaigns:  Gucci, D&G, CK Jeans, H&M, Levi’s, Lord & Taylor, See by Chloé, Guilty Brotherhood, Express Jeans and Pirelli Calender 2010.
TV Commercials: Gucci fragrance Flora
Agencies:  Next Management (London, New York, Paris), Chic Management (Sydney), 2pm Model Management (Copenhagen)
Quotes:

• ‘I like my hands. They do most of the talking.’
• ‘Let’s just say, if I weren’t a model, I’d be a walking collage. I see my body as a blank canvas that’s aching to be decorated; I find it all very fascinating.’
• ‘TV will never be something I commit to.’
• ‘I didn’t even know modelling existed as a job’
• ‘In New York you have to be very ambitious to stay ahead of everyone, otherwise you get lost in the crowd.’

Extra:

• Abbey Lee worked in the bakery section at Newmarket Safeway before.
• She has a pierced nose and a pierced nipple.
• During Paris Fashion Week Abbey Lee fainted at the Alexander McQueen runway right before she was to exit the runway.
• She is currently seeing Puerto Rican fashion director, producer, and runway coach Daniel E. Rivera.
• She fell at a spring Rodarte show in New York (2008)
• She had to skip a whole fashion season due to a knee injury.
• She smokes.
• She said no when Alexander McQueen asked her to walk in the spring/summer show in the crazy Armadillo shoes

Streetstyle vs. Catwalk fashion

Each fashion season we all get very much inspired by the collections presented on the catwalk. After New York, London, Milan and Paris we have new creative ideas and we have picked up the trends we will probably be wearing a season later. So there’s no doubt fashion designers create trends or at least a certain style.

Yet it’s also true that a big part of  fashion starts on the street. What people wear in their daily lives is a starting point for fashion too. Whether it’s your grandma walking her dog in a floral printed skirt, your father in one of his suits or your neighbour is a pair of old school jeans. Every kind of streetwear can be the beginning of a fashion trend.

During the fashion weeks our team always spots the most fashionable people outside the fashion shows. They wear clothes not everyone dares to wear. Their streetstyle is often bright-colored, crazy-shaped and remarkably printed. Not to mention their shoes and accessories.

To show you that streetwear can be an inspiration for fashion designers we selected six outfits that were seen in the streets as well as on the runway.

The leopard print (Paul Smith) has been a huge hit for many seasons. No wonder we still saw it on the runway and on the street. Yet the fact that snake prints are taking over was already visible in the streetstyle as well. A snake-printed coat (seen at Pucci) seems to be the new must-have of the season.

Another popular trend: ruffles. You can chose for the plain ones, but as we saw at Valentino big floral details can be very cool too. And as Balmain showed: you can never go wrong with a pair of skinny pants and a tight, shoulder accentuated jacket.

Streetwear trend: casual cape

We didn’t really see this one coming. Yet all of a sudden they were everywhere: capes. This most striking outerwear fashion piece is back in style.

And we’re not just talking about any cape. No it’s a particular cape that’s the new hit of the season. It has a natural color like beige or light brown and more than often it has a small darkbrown edge as a finishing detail.

On the streets of Milan and Paris we spotted many of those fashionable capes. They were worn with leggings or trousers, never with a skirt or a dress.

Between the fashionista’s who wore them, were Anna dello Russo and our own fashion blogger Tess.

What do you think of this fashionable trend? Is it here to stay?
Or should capes just be worn by superheroes?

Streetstyle vs. Catwalk fashion

Each fashion season we all get very much inspired by the collections presented on the catwalk. After New York, London, Milan and Paris we have new creative ideas and we have picked up the trends we will probably be wearing a season later. So there’s no doubt fashion designers create trends or at least a certain style.

Yet it’s also true that a big part of  fashion starts on the street. What people wear in their daily lives is a starting point for fashion too. Whether it’s your grandma walking her dog in a floral printed skirt, your father in one of his suits or your neighbour is a pair of old school jeans. Every kind of streetwear can be the beginning of a fashion trend.

During the fashion weeks our team always spots the most fashionable people outside the fashion shows. They wear clothes not everyone dares to wear. Their streetstyle is often bright-colored, crazy-shaped and remarkably printed. Not to mention their shoes and accessories.

To show you that streetwear can be an inspiration for fashion designers we selected six outfits that were seen in the streets as well as on the runway.

The navy theme was a big inspiration for catwalk fashion and streetstyle. Next to the blue and white we could spot a lot of red and white stripes. Anna Sui used the Tartan check in one of her outfits; a comparable blue check could be seen on the streets. For the summer of 2010 Iceberg and Jeremy Scott were inspired by Mickey Mouse (mostly his ears). One of the fashionista’s we spotted also proved to be a fan of the Disney character. And if you are planning to buy any fur these season, it seems hairy blue is the style you should be going for….

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