coutorture --

Fall 08 Studio Visit With James Coviello

coutorture — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:59:45 -0800

During this Fall 2008 Fashion Week we captured the backstage preparations for James Coviello's fashion show. This was when we fell in love, not only with Coviello's collection but with the energy, romance, and discipline the designer brings to his work. For today's exclusive Coutorture photo shoot we shot the hats in Coviello's collection, up close and personal. It's clear by now that millinery is making a huge comeback in fashion, and who better to speak with than someone with a strong background in this craft.

Coviello, in addition to designing his own line of hats from when he first graduated from Parson's in 1987, has also designed hats for Oscar de la Renta, Anna Sui, and Calvin Klein in the past. His knowledge of millinery work is impressive and his enthusiasm, therefore, is unwavering, "Everyone should have a hat! People are afraid of color but on an accessory like a hat it doesn't have to define you or your wardrobe...The hats [for Fall 08] added to each outfit and no one once said the word 'costume.' These hats don't feel like we are trying too hard. It felt new and fresh and honestly, it was nice to take a risk"

This Fall 08 season, Coviello turned to a rich 1940's art deco inspiration. The looks were ladylike and encouraged a strong posture and confident profile. It's the kind of fashion that begs for poise, something we're sure will make for a strong consumer response come Fall deliveries. As for the hats in the collection, Coviello tells us, "It's a nod to the avant garde. [To] make a statement. It's a phantasmagoria of color, the romance of the old blocks." But the collection didn't manifest from the hats, rather it was the other way around, "They weren't prepared until we started to do previews of the collection...Every night after a regular day of work I would sit down with the hats. It was my second shift. It got to be second nature. And then slowly but surely it came together. But then its second nature as I have been doing it for so long...Making the hats [for Fall 08] was like making another whole collection. In the past we had done one style but this season the hats felt like their own collection even as they enhanced what was going on in the clothing. "

Boy, did they ever. Our photo shoot with Coviello's hats below, along with links to the Fall 08 backstage photos, fashion show, and other Coutorture editorial.

Links:
James Coviello Fall 08 backstage photos
James Coviello Fall 08 fashion show

We also have impressive designer video interviews and original editorial spreads. May we cordially suggest perusing our selection? Enjoy New York Fashion Week Designer Video Interviews from Oscar De La Renta, Donna Karan for DKNY,Michael Kors, Isaac Mizrahi, Nicole Miller, Erin Fetherston, Ashleigh Verrier , Adam Lippes, James Coviello, John Varvatos , Monique Lhuillier, Joanna Mastroianni, Tory Burch, Neeam Khan

Look From London

coutorture — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:34:30 -0800

For today's shoot we picked up some Look From London tights to show that not all of the Fall 08 trends are idle until the season is upon us. Indeed, we've seen bright and printed tights making a steady climb towards a trend takeover so the look, as inexpensive as it is, is easy enough to jump on now. Look From London, despite their slightly misleading name, is a Brooklyn based company who has been in business for over twenty years. Their product appears everywhere from the biggest runway shows to the littlest boutiques. In fact, this Fall 08 Look From London supplied Anna Sui (those pictured in our Tasty shoot) and Narciso Rodriguez (oh, do we have a penchant for white tights) with their hosiery. The hosiery, is more or less dyed and made to order, as we discovered on our jaunt down the BQE to pick our pairs up. In a warehouse with the most amazing natural light ten women, when we arrived, were dying dandelion colored tights and hanging them on a line in the window. Sometimes the most simple fashion accessories come to mean a lot more when you consider their origin. Opaque, over the knee, vermillion, copper, tydye, it's all put together here in Brooklyn and all for less than twenty dollars a pair.

Coutorture Editorials

Trend Report Fall 2008: Tights Take Over

coutorture — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:05:33 -0800

The colored and printed tights phenomenon for Fall 08 is not to be missed. In fact, everyone from Charlotte Ronson, Paul Smith, Anna Sui, Proenza Schouler, Betty Jackson, Luella, and Narciso Rodriguez were in on it. We suppose it's a matter of convenience, to some extent, when cold weather clothes need a bit of a kick in the pants an interesting accessory makes a world of difference.

Lucky for us, as a few pairs of bold tights should punch up our wardrobe just as they did the runway shows.

Coutorture Editorials