Jeremy Scott’s Pop Culture Excess- the fall2011 Show and Swatch Watches

“….excuse me?

Yes? I’m on the list.

The list? ??There. Is no0000 guest list tonight!”

Text, Vivian Kelly

I found this opening “statement” from Jeremy Scott’s latest show soundtrack particularly meaningful.

SURE… there was “no guest list”. That’s why the line at MILK Studios snaked around and around the downstairs holding pen, cum. art gallery and into the street. “No tickie no laundry”, for sure on this one. We bumped into The Daily Beast’s Robin Givhan, who decided she just didn’t have the time to wait. Maybe it was Vanessa Hudgens‘ presence at the show that was partially responsible for the delay.

So far, not so good, but a good fashion show is always late.

Jeremy and Kelly Cutrone and the gang at Peoples Revolution always put on a good show. He’s not a designer to slave over the Pantone color chart and I love him for being an indie rebel designer at heart, even though he’s no longer “a young designer” or “emerging”.

He has not happily, “grown-up” and abandoned his fun aesthetic in order to make “saleable” clothes. He’s found another way – which we’ll talk about a little bit later in this post.

Hint: A good collaboration does wonders for one’s bottom line and coffers.

As far as the actual show, can you say fun and logo or maybe brand mania are the words I’m looking for? If you love Coke [“The Real Thing”], Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, this is it for you.

There’s some college girl wear here kicking back to the Eighties wear of my youth- big chunky sweaters t wear on cold days that are vaguely Fair Isle as well as striped sweaters and scarves.

For evening the vibe’s a bit Spanish Matador. My favorite is the finale Wonder Woman blue sparkly dress that was reminiscent of the invitation to the MET superhero exhibit a few years back.

There was also a reference to Gregg Araki’s film, “Nowhere”, [his 1997cult film]which had the LA slacker vibe and Valley Girl plasticity, which makes it perfectly acceptable to wear a red plastic miniskirt and a poofy angora sweater in bubble gum pink. I couldn’t tell if the girls were chewing Double Bubble gum, but it would have been a nice touch.

This time, he’s brought-in a commercial aspect – a collaboration with Swatch Watches. Collaborations don’t always work, but this one did. There are 3 fun watches to choose from – Lighting Flash, Winged Swatch, and Swatch Opulence. For $70 per, you get to participate in a little of pop culture excess –in a more understated way. Since scooping up the last Lightning Flash one at the Swatch store in Grand Central Terminal, I’ve indulged my inner Valley Girl and worn it every day.

>Robert Verdi’s Celebrity 2010 Gift Guide

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TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

Okay, I was happy with my 1st Annual FE Gift Guide, but I got my vicarious celebrity fix in when I checked-out Robert Verdi’s 2010 Gift Guide. Robert is a television personality, celebrity stylist, and general go-to guy of good taste. He’s also one of my most fabulous fashion acquaintances, whom I first met years ago at Mercedes Benz Miami Fashion Week Swim. At that time, he was the spokesperson for Sunglass Hut. Watching Robert working alternating pairs of Pradas, Guccis and Dolce frames gave me a whole new view on how a simple pair of sunnies could change your entire look. After that, I don’t have any trouble understanding why women will happily drop upwards of $350 for a pair of Chanel or Prada frames.

Robert’s one of the celebrity stylists who actually deserves the title. The names in his A-list orbit who he shares with us in his private Holiday gifting list video include: The Jolie-Pitts, Tina Fey, Robert Pattinson, Fergie, Beyonce, and more of that ilk. When you’re dealing with that crowd, you’d BETTER have some pretty great ideas. These A-listers have EVERYTHING, but Robert’s come-up with the just-right gets for each and every one of them.

Small surprise there. Robert’s CV includes co-creating and hosting Full Frontal Fashion,co-hosting Surprise by Design, with co-host, Rebecca Cole, where they redesigned a room/exterior space at someone’s home on a $2,500 budget, in only one day. [The show became the Discovery Channel’s highest rated daytime show.] Add to that, his gigs hosting Fashion Police, and styling Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria Parker, as well as designing two of her Los Angeles, California homes.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg and if this has served to whet your appetite,visit http://www.luxelaboratory.com.

In the meantime, don’t waste any more time and check-out Robert’s entertaining video and find-out all about who’s getting what. Robert’s a great showman and in this video he bears a bit of a resemblance to Mike Meyers, one of my favorite comedians.

A few teasers: Koolaburra “Victoria boots”

for Fergie [love!], a cool Timex for Robert Pattinson [a great watch does NOT have to be expensive-o], and my personal favorite, a bottle of Perrier-Jouet champagne for William and “Kate the Commoner”. It’s a great bottle of bubbly with the added bonus of beautiful white flowers [painted on the bottle] that will never die on you.
Cheers!

http://www.luxelaboratory.com/Gift_Guide/RVHoliday_2010.mp4
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>Skagen Denmark Watches and Sunglasses, Just in Time for Summer

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TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
Co-founders Charlotte Jorst and Henrik Jorst stick to the distinctly Danish philosophy: “Keep it simple. Seek out what you love and doggedly pursue your passions.”
Danish fashion, we’re told, is finally having its moment, and that, is a relief. I’m tired of “bling-bling” and simple designs like these sunnies and watches are a joy to behold, and so are the prices. The latest accessories range from $75 – 165, a bargain for classic pieces that have a thoroughly modern feel to them. There are of the moment styles on the line, such as the cat eye shape but minus the overly retro look that’s frankly too costume-y for real life. At the top of my list: the sporty mesh silver and stainless steel watch with a white face and some Swarovski crystals tastefully placed around the dial for $100.
I’m also partial to the medium sized square style with white textured leather inlayed in the temples. Since I’m going to Mercedes Benz Miami Swim, I put an order in this morning for a pair [$65 – no I didn’t forget the 1 or 2 in front of the $65]. In mid-July, I’ll need the 100% UV sunray protection the brown gradient CR39 lenses provide. Somehow, I don’t think the $5 pair I bought from the sunglass table in front of MOMA really provides the UV protection stamped on the stem, next to the “made in China” stamp.

There’s something to the claim that the pared back Danish style is having its moment. In spite of the recession and the crashed Euro, there are new Skagen stores in Denmark, and Hong Kong. Sales are especially strong in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia.
For more information on Skagen, visit www.skagen.com
*A nice little bennie – Skagen ships you your items for free.

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>Does World Cup Coaches’ Sideline Style Translate to Success on the Field?

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TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

We’ve always heard that you need to “dress for success”.
The idea really took-off in 1975, when John T. Molloy first published Dress For Success, his blockbuster best-selling how-to book. Molloy is credited for creating the idea of “power dressing”.
It’s pretty well established that you can “power dress” for the corporate world, but how about if you’re one of the coaches at the FIFA World Cup Games? The players are the players, and they’re resigned to wearing whatever the team colors are and jersey’s and shorts tied-into their sponsor affilates.

*THE COACHES though, are a different story.
Watching a few of the World Cup games, it occurred to me the difference in style of the Coaches.
Does “dressing for success” apply to the team coaches? Can we predict the success of the teams based on how their respective coaches dress?

DIEGO MARADONA, probably the most famous of the coaches, is now trying to lead his native Argentina to World Cup Glory. He wears watches on both wrists. I saw this on an early a.m. Google story and thought it looked stylish. Ever since he landed in the Louis Vuitton ad, this guy has gone WAY up in my standings.
Brooks Peck reports, “Maradona now wears a pair of his own Hublot special edition watches that feature a silhouette of the former No. 1raising his arms in victory (or perhaps to knock in a goal).”

Hublots ring-in at $11,000+. The watches were definitely styling, and Argentina defeated Nigeria: 1-0.
The designer suit looks serious too.
Image from Yahoo.com. 6/13/10

By contrast, Nigeria’s Coach, LARS LAGERBACK, favors tracksuits but he just can’t carry them the way CARLOS ALBERTO PARREIRA [who we examine next] can. Maybe it’s the total, package: the receding hairline, the specs and the less than fit physique. Then again, maybe it was the disheveled tee shirt.

These FIFA Games are the sixth World Cup Games CARLOS ALBERTO PARREIRA has coached. He’s here coaching the home team this time. So far, South Africa has tied Mexico in the opening game. Like MARADONA, he also looks in charge, dressed in a charcoal gray suit and tie, but the tracksuits he tends to favor also inspire confidence in both his players and the audience. Although he’s 67 years old, he looks very fit and like the kind of coach who might actually do some of the training workouts with his team. Coaches like this are Gods to their players, and as such, can get that extra bit out of them that can make the difference in the big game. I’m predicting some victories for Team South Africa.

And, finally, we get to the USA. Our Coach, BOB BRADLEY, favors tee shirts and his team track suit. He looks as rugged and totally buff, in that Special Forces Marine – Vin Diesel kind of way, striding-out on the field.

FABIO CAPPELLO, England’s Italian Coach, looks every bit the quintessential Milanese dressed in a snazzy suit, as he watches from the sidelines. Perhaps his penchant for designer suits comes from the time he spent playing for Milan from 1976-1988. That’s coincidentally the time that Italian designer, Giorgio Armani, started coming into his own, and becoming a household name.

So, in the end, what does it all mean? Does “dress for success” really matter? Does the suit make the man, and by extension, make for a winning team? We’ll know the answers to all of these questions a month from now, when it’s all over. In the meantime, keep on watching!

IMAGES:
L. Lagerback post Argentina-Nigeria FIFA game, from http://www.u.goal.com [holding yellow posts]
Carlos Alberto Parreira [in suit], from http://www2.unopar.br/unoparnews/imagens
C.A. Parreira in South African Team uniform, from,
http://blogs.jovempan.uol.com.br
Fabio Cappello in action on the field: http://footyfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/england-coach-fabio-capello.jpg
[F.Cappello on right],from http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/barwick_capello438x318.jpg%5D
http://footyfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/england-coach-fabio-capello.jpg

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