Coutorture

Quote Of The Day: Suzy Menkes On 1940's French Wartime Fashion

coutorture — Tue, 26 May 2009 05:31:32 -0700

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The 1940s look also pinpoints the defiant glamour of Paris during the occupation. Those wartime clothes - the strict, tailored jackets or floral dresses, set off with whimsical hats, scarlet lips and shoes made from any material other than rationed leather - represent to the French the “R word”: Résistance. But a new exhibition tucked away behind the Gare Montparnasse in Paris suggests something more intriguing. That it is R for recession that brings out utilitarian elegance and creative ingenuity that we are again experiencing in 2009.

”"Recession Looks-1940s and Now", International Herald Tribune

Quote Of The Day: Suzy Menkes Analyzes Michelle Obama's Style

coutorture — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 08:34:39 -0700

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Although she exudes pride both in being the wife of the first African-American president and as a mother of two girls, the only fashion message she seems eager to convey is that she is her own woman. ..The first lady is making her own contribution to fashion history by dressing as a woman of strong character - rather than as a presidential wife.

”"The End Of Wife Wear", International Herald Tribune

Quote Of The Day: Louis Vuitton Leads Africa Trends For Spring

coutorture — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:45:51 -0700

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When it appeared on the runway at the Louis Vuitton show in October, who could have believed that the fantastical footwear - selling at €1,250 to €2,250 (about $1,650 to $3,000) a pair - could be the hottest item for summer 2009? No wonder that the designer Marc Jacobs baptized it the “Spicy,” giving a name to the shoe, as had previously been the custom with the now-fading It bags. To spice up this footwear, the designer added everything but the kitchen sink - as long as it was out of Africa.

”"Out of Africa" Suzy Menkes for the International Herald Tribune.

Quote Of The Day: Stella McCartney On Sustainable Living

coutorture — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 07:53:42 -0700

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We [at Stella McCartney] don't believe that it's about all or nothing, but that something is better than nothing. I think that when it comes to trying to look at the environment and trying to work responsibly with it in business, I think it's good to know that you can just do a little bit and it's better than nothing. It's very hard when you're looking at that kind of question to feel like you're doing everything perfectly. I can work with an organic fabric from Japan, but I still have to fly it around the world to get it into a store. You're always faced with problems.

”"Stella McCartney On Ecology, Luxury, and Life", International Herld Tribune

Quote Of The Day: Suzy Menkes Covers Fashion Weeks In India

coutorture — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 08:01:57 -0700

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Although the Wills week and its competing Indian fashion events may not yet have made a global impact, designers in this 21st century should be able to thrive on craft and creativity, which are increasingly prized in a fashion world saturated with cookie-cutter brands. "Craft in patchwork, craft in beading - whether I like it or not, all Indian designers are different and they don't do what everyone else has done," said Julie Gilhart, fashion director of Barneys New York. She was front-row-watching Indian fashion for the first time and fascinated by the individuality and verve. "I don't know if we will buy it - Barneys is so focused," Ms. Gilhart said. "But there is not one show where I didn't see a piece that I liked."

”"Indian Designers Make Their Mark With Craft", International Herald Tribune

Fashion In 50 Seconds 11/10/08

coutorture — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:03:39 -0800

The Spring 09 Marc Jacobs ad campaign, shot once again by Juergen Teller, will feature model Raquel Zimmerman for Women's, socialite and model Daisy Lowe for Marc by Marc Jacobs, and artist Ryan McGinley (left) for Men's. Perfectly cast if you ask us.

Forever 21 is building a new space in Times Square which will span 100,000 square feet; an unimaginable amount of space by New York standards. The store will replace Tower Records although the slated opening date has yet to be announced.

Young socialite Peaches Geldof designed a capsule collection for PPQ and our Network Partner, Catwalk Queen, was one of the first to break the news. The collection is getting mixed reviews from the hipsters in New York which shouldn't really matter save for the fact that Peaches lives in Williamsburg.

Just in case you missed it, The International Herlad Tribune wrote a nice piece on the matter of "Price On Request" and the common myths surrounding the expression. Namely, the one that goes--if you have to ask, you can't afford it.

Designers Barely Know How To Google Themselves

coutorture — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:14:40 -0800

It's true. In Monday's "Computerphobia: Is It Undermining The Fashion Industry" penned by Suzy Menkes for the International Herald Tribune, the point is most definitely driven home. Sure, we've all heard the redundant Lagerfeld sound-bite about how he owns fifty ipods which he hasn't the slightest idea how to use (conjure the mental image, now shiver) but Menkes offers a much broader scope of the technophobia at work in the fashion industry. In summation, no one really knows how to "surf the net" and the fact that they didn't respond to this question by laughing proves the point. It will be unfair to spend the next five hundred words making such easy fun ("I have two screens on my desk - one for Google, the other for e-mail and I surf the Net for an hour a day." says chief executive of PPR's Gucci Group) and likewise time-wasting to speculate whether it is undermining the fashion industry. As usual, Menkes wrote a fine article, but this time with a news-y title that didn't fit the bill. It's not like Nicholas Ghesquiere need to post myspace bulletins about Blenciaga's new Fall 08 collection, or Raf Simons need to send off nasty emails to the Jil Sander interns. That is, the combination of being up front about their lack of interest and being of a generation in which they do not think with the internet in the first place saves them the responsibility of staying current. Does it undermine the fashion industry? Probably not. Surely, someone is checking the email (and making sure the campaign videos make it on to YouTube). And someone, that is, thinking up the clothes. Multitasking is for the young!

Suzy Menkes and Sir Philip Green At London Fashion Week

coutorture — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:10:13 -0800

All together now, P-O-W-E-R-H-O-U-S-E. That's right, it's the International Herald Tribune's Suzy Menkes and Britian's seventh richest man, Sir Philip Green. Here, Green tells Menkes about Topshop's generous (we're talking the big break) support of young designers like Christopher Kane and Marios Schwab. And even though he has to take out a piece of paper to remember their names, we don't doubt that he means what he says. Otherwise, the British wouldn't have knighted him!

Video courtesy of the International Herald Tribune