Monday, April 19, 2010

Fashion Diary: Lindsay Lohan’s 6126 stretches beyond leggings


The fashion line, which started with leggings (and still has plenty of them), introduces mini-dresses and more in its 280-piece fall collection.





Whether she's tweeting disapproval of her father's new fiancee or being caught by paparazzi with white powder in her shoes, Lindsay Lohan just can't stay out of the headlines.

But through it all, you have to admire her for continuing to pursue fashion, especially after taking such a beating from the press (me included) during her brief stint as artistic advisor to French luxury brand Ungaro. That takes courage and dedication.

For fall, she's expanding her leggings-only fashion line, 6126 by Lindsay Lohan, into a full collection of looks to take a woman from day to night. Well not quite ... more like from night to morning, and Lord knows the 23-year-old party-girl-turned-designer knows something about that.

Lohan, the brand's creative director, wasn't in her showroom to tell me about the collection during Los Angeles market week or available to chat over the phone. But she does appear in the fall look book, posing in thigh-high boots in one shot and in an outfit that could be described as a sequined jumper in another.

In a phone interview, Kristi Kaylor, president of 6126, says that Lohan is very involved in the design process, working with the five-person team to choose fabrics, trims and buttons and inspecting samples at the downtown L.A. studio. "She approves everything, down to invitations for events," Kaylor says. In two years, 6126 has gone from 200 to 500 retail outlets including Neiman Marcus, Kitson, Planet Blue and other specialty stores.


Jessica Simpson at Heels.com


The fall collection is all about "fabric mixing — leathers mixed with laces, a hard edge with a soft," Kaylor says. It is inspired, as is the name of the brand, by Marilyn Monroe. (6126 is Monroe's birth date.) "If you study her fashion sense, she had a lot of classic pieces but with a sexy, feminine edge." That meant borrowing design elements from intimate apparel: trimming a leather corset in chiffon and lace, for example.

The bread and butter of the collection is still leggings. ("Lindsay put leggings on the map," Kaylor says.) For fall, there are 65 styles — with leather or lace insets, studded details, a dusting of black sequins and more. The coolest pair appear to have tiny rips all over, but not in a raunchy way.

Mini-dresses, the kind you might wear out clubbing in Hollywood, are also key, the best one in black crocodile embossed leather (it comes with long sleeves or sleeveless). The leathers are all pretty likable, actually, including a drapey burnished gold leather jacket (it also comes as a vest). Chunky cardigans, sequin or lace-covered hoodies (you know how Lindsay likes to rock a hood), pencil skirts, T-shirts and tank tops, fur vests and nylon puffer jackets round out the 280-piece collection, which hits stores in July, priced at about $30 to $600.



A licensing deal has been signed for 6126 handbags, which will debut for spring 2011, and shoes and cosmetics will follow. "The goal is to build the ultimate lifestyle brand based on classic glamour with a fashion twist," says Kaylor, who has had plenty of experience with both celebrities and apparel. Before 6126, she ran the junior division of Warnaco Swim Group, launched Mandy Moore's Mblem clothing line and the company 2 Love, which produces celebrity-designed items sold to benefit charities.

Despite Lohan's relentlessly negative press, including recent comments by Dr. Drew Pinsky and others that she belongs back in rehab, Kaylor isn't worried.

"In two years, she's never let me down. She's never not returned an e-mail or a phone call," Kaylor says.

As for the high-profile stint at Ungaro, Kaylor says, "Lindsay was frustrated she didn't get to be as involved as she wanted to be, and yet she got all the" criticism.

"A lot of the media — I stopped reading it. They are so hard on her," Kaylor says. "There's such another story. I work with her, and she comes to every meeting on time. She's very engaged. It's such a different thing when you sit with her. You get a sense of her passion about fashion. … I believe she will always be there for the brand. At the end of the day, she has a heart of gold. She just needs people to believe in her."

But will they?

"Lindsay Lohan doesn't have the same love and adoration from fans as Taylor Swift," says Jane Buckingham, president of L.A.-based fashion and lifestyle trend consulting firm Trendera. "But she is a lightning rod. Love her or hate her, you definitely pay attention to her."

The success of 6216 long term will depend on the clothes. "It's like Britney Spears; there is a certain set who have been wanting Lindsay Lohan to come back for some time. But she keeps falling down again," says Buckingham, whose latest book is the upcoming "A Modern Girl's Guide to Sticky Situations. "You don't keep rooting for someone if they don't give you anything to root for."

Let's hope LiLo doesn't follow too closely in the footsteps of her idol Marilyn Monroe and is able to build a future in this industry or another. After all, fashion loves a comeback almost as much as Hollywood does.

Original Story: LA Times


Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The Power of the Feminine Factor


A mannish suit, worn with a bolero budding with roses, sent a clear message at the start of Diane von Furstenberg’s show: women can be masculine and feminine at the same time.

For the designer, the story behind this striking show was even more intriguing, because Ms. von Furstenberg is about to exchange her design director of eight years — Nathan Jenden — for another man.

“It seems right to be working with a man — even though 97 percent of my company are women,” said Ms. von Furstenberg, who has appointed Yvan Mispelaere, formerly at Gucci.

The female factor is a powerful influence in this city where fashion can still be a feminist issue. The Kiki Smith art exhibit, which opened at the Brooklyn Museum last Friday, is filled with references to fashionable embellishment, as though women are still defined by dress and adornment.

On the runways, from Victoria Beckham’s sensual, slender dresses through Behnaz Sarafpour’s easy, tailored pieces, a single thread binds women designers: They all tend to design for themselves.

“Definitely, it’s personal,” chorused Alexa Adams and Flora Gill, the duo behind the label Ohne Titel. “But we like to think that what we do is part of a feminist discussion.”

Ms. von Furstenberg seemed surprised that her collection had not turned out quite as she intended, saying, “I wanted it supermasculine, and it looked so feminine — did I overcompensate?”

The answer might be “yes” in reference to hats perched in a froth of tulle, but the general mood of the show was of a strong woman flaunting her femininity with floral dresses — but also asserting her tougher side in pinstriped pants, tweedy blazers and granddad cardigans.

Mr. Jenden has made a good job of his work for the DVF label, prising the image away from the inevitable wrap dress (although a black silk jersey dress stroking the body was a stunner). Another silver dress with a space-age gleam caught well 21st-century glamour.


At Ohne Titel, the design duo described the look as “Victorian sportswear,” referring to netting for dresses and sports mesh for hosiery. The lacy effects were interspersed with geometric forms and toughened up with leather attenuated aprons and curvy felted vests. From tailoring to soft drapes, the show was a fresh, sporty take on the male/female thing.

The Victoria Beckham collection is a projection of its founder’s spirit. Talking about dresses cut loose like oversize sweaters, a new focus on draping and the sophisticated mixes of fabrics, like liquid and ribbed jersey, Ms. Beckham admitted that she was referring to herself. That message ran through each outfit as surely as zippers dissected the cloth.

This celebrity designer is determined to hold up a mirror to her character. And since that is still bold, but now more relaxed, so were the clothes. Colors like emerald green and cobalt blue also made a statement, as did prints of pixilated cartoons that made a powerful, modern pattern on an evening gown.

Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. collection is another rare celebrity success. And there was no doubt that the collection was in her image, as the models wore the sporty separates with about as much makeup, fluffy blonde hair and tough but sexy boots (not to mention visible garter belts) as the inspirational singer.

“I love the process — and I put a lot of time into this,” said Ms. Stefani. “I see the same creative struggle and pressure to get there as in music, but fashion does not have the same level of emotional stress.”

Donna Karan might say the same thing about her DKNY collection, compared with the main line. The clothes looked like what they are — cheery pieces for young women who want a camel peacoat or a plaid jacket, to be teamed with a short skirt and a gilded scarf, sparkling with crystal embroidery or lamé stripes. Flower patterns, as if taken from Japanese prints, contrasted with geometric patterns, creating a collection aimed more at the new generation of the grandchildren she embraced on the runway, rather than on Ms. Karan’s personal aesthetic.

“These are clothes I really want to wear,” said Behnaz Sarafpour, explaining how in her ninth year of working, the collection had come full circle to herself. The result was a subtle play on textures and on masculine and feminine clothes, making sportswear tactile by contrasting a charmeuse blouse with tweed trousers, a blazer with pleated pants or mohair with stretch wool.

Catherine Malandrino was in a wild and woolly world where a goat’s-hair chair, constructed from animal horns, set the tone for furry, cocooning coats and distressed leather that was on the weird side of wearable.

The high clerical collars that caressed the necks at Alberta Ferretti’s Philosophy line were just one way that the Italian designer tenderized tailoring. There was a stronger-than-usual outer shell — a protective shield — coming between the lingerie-light underthings and the firm coats. Long skirts gave a monklike quality, although for every long military coat or belted jacket, there was a wisp of filmy fabric on view. Boots laced at the back were another gesture of hidden sensuality.

Ms. Ferretti assessed the female vision, saying: “Strong, romantic and delicate — a
real woman.”

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Friday, February 5, 2010

Which Stars Sell Fashion?

As Oscars Approach, Designers Vie to Dress Celebrities Who Will Inspire Viewers to Shop; When Star Power Won't Translate Into Sales

With the Academy Award nominations out this week, fashion designers are already jockeying to dress the stars for their big night. But rather than trying to pick the Oscar winners or the most fashionable celebrities, designers should be asking another question: Who will be the most effective at getting viewers to buy the clothes they see on the red carpet?
Red Carpet Best Sellers



Actress Jessica Alba has the highest click-throughs to apparel sales, according to StyleSpot.com.



Among this year's nominees, the "best seller" award is likely to go to a nominee whom few in the fashion world are discussing: Sandra Bullock. At StyleSpot.com, a Los Angeles-based Web site that links red-carpet photos to stores that sell the looks, Ms. Bullock's Vivienne Westwood dress at the People's Choice Awards ranked among the top of all red-carpet appearances this year in inspiring viewers to "click through" to retail sites.

One lesson: It isn't pure chic that moves clothes. "For the most part, celebrities that drive sales aren't necessarily the ones that get nominated" for awards, says Lily Hollander, editorial director of StyleSpot.com. The 45-year-old Ms. Bullock has a down-to-earth image that means millions of women relate to her.



By contrast, with her Best Actress Oscar nomination for "An Education" this week, Carey Mulligan has dozens of fashion designers vying to lend her baubles and gowns for the Oscars. The young actress with the pixie haircut is known as a sophisticated dresser. "Carey Mulligan will be the most watched on Vogue.com," says Hamish Bowles, Vogue's European editor at large, recalling a sparkling Prada dress the actress wore recently.

But despite Ms. Mulligan's fashion credibility, she may not be the savviest choice for product placement. At StyleSpot.com, Ms. Mulligan is not one of the stars who moves the most viewers to buy clothes. Ms. Mulligan wasn't available to comment.



Celebrity placement is more voodoo than science, but among this year's nominees, other Oscar sales influencers may include plus-sized Gabourey Sidibe and the classic Meryl Streep. Ms. Sidibe, the star of "Precious," is "an alternate paradigm for the red carpet, but she can carry these very strong colors," says Mr. Bowles. What's more, the plus-sized market is one of fashion's fastest growing.




Gabourey Sidibe, nominated for best actress for her work in 'Precious,' at the Critics' Choice Awards.



And Ms. Streep's maturity and demure style choices may appeal to women over 40, who spend more on fashion than other demographic groups.

Among top StyleSpot.com sellers who aren't current Oscar nominees, Kate Hudson and Drew Barrymore are in a sweet spot— fashionable, and young enough to inspire Internet shoppers, yet not so young that they're attracting teens or college-aged women, who don't have a lot of money for clothes.

A number of sites track what celebrities wear so that viewers can copy the styles. But red-carpet photos are at the heart of StyleSpot's strategy. The site, which launched last year, links celebrity red-carpet photos to online retail stores from Neiman Marcus and Barneys to Amazon.com. StyleSpot's database compiles images from red-carpet events and organizes them by star, event, and designer brand. The site, which estimates its unique monthly audience at around 10 million people, earns revenue as a percentage of sales when consumers click on a photo and purchase the related item.

Red carpets have become a primary marketing channel for fashion. The Academy Award nominees' photos will be plastered from Boise to Bombay after the March 7 awards show, which will be watched by something north of 35 million television viewers—and seen on a gazillion blogs. It's an irresistible advertising medium. In Los Angeles, designers employ VIP handlers, who work to get the designers' clothes on celebrities who might be photographed in them.

The fashion industry does this because it works. After Sienna Miller wore Thakoon's spring bustier jumper to the premiere of the fashion documentary "The September Issue," every store that bought the piece sold out, says a spokeswoman for designer Thakoon Panichgul.

Yet success, for a designer, is a delicate balance of star power and timing. After Jessica Alba presented an award at the People's Choice awards last month, her Burberry Prorsum knotted platform sandals generated the most click-throughs to retail sites of any red-carpet appearance this season on StyleSpot.


Burberry Check Print T-Strap Patent Leather Espadrille - Nordstrom
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Burberry Check Print T-Strap Patent Leather Espadrille
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Burberry Check Print T-Strap Patent Leather Espadrille

Muted check print patterns a buckled strap at the base of a chic espadrille sandal crafted from glossy metallic leather.
  • Adjustable strap with buckle closure.
  • Approx. heel height: 3" with 3/4" platform.
  • PVC and leather upper/leather lining and sole.
  • Imported.
  • Salon Shoes. 
  • Color: Dark Nickel.



Unfortunately for Burberry, those spring-season shoes won't be available in stores for another month. So shoppers had to settle for similar looks offered on the site by Robert Clergerie and Callisto.


Callisto Knotted Wedge Sandal - Nordstrom
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Callisto Knotted Wedge Sandal

Knotted straps cut from supple nappa leather fashion a comfortable wedge-heeled sandal.
  • Padded footbed.
  • Approx. heel height: 3" with 1" platform.
  • Leather upper/synthetic lining/polyurethane sole.
  • By Callisto; imported.
  • BP. Shoes. 
  • Colors: Black and Pewter.



Callisto Women's Grande Sandal - Shop Endless.com

Callisto Women's Grande Sandal
Callisto Women's Grande Sandal
Callisto's Grande sandal was made to show off. Its high, wedged platform will add flattering height to your silhouette and attitude to your stride, while its prettily wrapped leather upper gets attention.









Of course, there are ancillary benefits. High-profile fashion publicist Karla Otto, who recently opened a Los Angeles VIP office, says any appearance by an A-List actress "sells product from clothing to accessories and, if the consumer can't afford the attire, they might buy the fragrance or the beauty products."

Brands' publicists fire off press releases the minute their star steps outside. During last Sunday's Grammy Awards, Emilio Pucci announced that singer/actress Fergie appeared in its blue strapless dress, while Judith Leiber announced she carried a Leiber clutch. Each time Fergie wore Missoni in Cannes last week, the brand shot out a release. "I hope that others will be influenced by her great personal style," said designer Angela Missoni in an email.

Nothing is too minor for mention. Stylist Mark Townsend announced that he set actress January Jones's hair in a French twist for the Golden Globes, blow drying her hair "with a round brush" and securing "it with about 10 bobby pins." He also named hair products and prices: Moroccanoil Treatment, $39 for 3.4 fl. oz.

Dressing Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathaway and Kyra Sedgwick in one-of-a-kind vintage gowns has rubbed off in sales of totally unrelated clothes, says Juliana Cairone, owner of the New York vintage boutique Rare. "They are not looking for the same item," she says, "they just want something from us."

Having jealously noted these benefits, menswear labels are starting to go after male artists. At last week's Grammy's, members of Kings of Leon appeared in Burberry and John Varvatos.

So who's the Oscars' Actor Most Likely to Sell Fashion—the guy with Ms. Bullock's combination of attractive looks and guy-next-door accessibility?

No, not Jeremy Renner, the sexy star of "The Hurt Locker." The street money's on Best Supporting Actor nominee Woody Harrelson.

Original Article - Wall Street Journal