Sarah Jessica Parker to Consult for Halston

Many media outlets are reporting news of film star and fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker's upcoming role as designer and/or consultant at the house of Halston. A source at Halston told PAPERMAG that SJP will actually be a member of the company's board and will receive equity in the company. Company insiders insist all designing will be handled by creative director Marios Schwab and shudder at comparisons to the House of Ungaro which has suffered ridicule for it's affiliation with actress Lindsay Lohan.

Source: PaperMag

Uniqlo Cashmere Now in Pantone Colors

Pantone has always had a special place in the hearts of designers, but about a year ago the NJ-based company realized its brand could use a little boost with the non-artsy set. Smartly, they started by opening a Japan division, and began partnering with a slew of companies to create products splashed with their signature colors.
Coming on the heels of their t-shirt collaboration with Uniqlo earlier this year, the latest is a line of delectable cashmere sweaters by the always-on-trend Japanese clothier. The sweaters come in 20 delectable Pantone colors (yes, it’s too indulgent to by all twenty, even though at $130 a pop, they’re still quite affordable), and the launch is set to coincide with Uniqlo’s London store opening in November.

Dream Academy

It's not always the case that family and business go hand and hand. But the three sisters behind up-and-coming Stockholm-based line House of Dagmar have successfully made their fashion gig a family affair, too. Named after Kristina Tjader, Sofia Malm, and Karin Soderlind's shared hero, their late grandmother, House of Dagmar brought the trio together over their love of fashion and their desire to give their similar style a distinctly familial twist. "Our grandmother was very feminine and chic," says Tjader, one of the two designers behind the label who, along with Malm, built the brand from its knitwear beginnings the full collection it is today (Soderlind opts to stay behind the scenes as the line's main press contact). "This is something that we remind ourselves of everyday."

Always looking to the past to find classic silhouettes to renew and retool, this fall the sisters took inspiration from "after-ski retro glamour of James Bond," says Soderlind, who along with her partners, mixed rich wools with classic winter cuts. The result is long, luxe cardigans in updated alpine patterns, modern variations on the skinny ski pant, and ribbed knit jumpers. And, it's their upcoming collection where the sisters hope to shine. Selected by Gen Art to present their spring/summer 2008 collection at the Fresh Faces fashion show during this past New York Fashion Week, the girls once again took cues from a bygone era, looking to the work of Abstract Expressionist Jackson Pollock. The collection features neutral-toned egg-shaped silhouettes, a nod to un-worked beige canvas, splattered with bright prints reminiscent of one of the Action painter's dribbles. "The common thread throughout the collection is the idea of a work in progress," says Tjader.
And with the collection already picked up by Opening Ceremony and Fred Segal, it seems that House of Dagmar has itself come along way from the trio's days growing up in Gothenburg, learning how to sew from their grandmother. "To see our clothes in New York and America is a dream that we never thought would come true," says Tjader. "It's amazing."
House of Dagmar is available at Opening Ceremony in both New York and Los Angeles. For more information, go to http://www.houseofdagmar.com/.

Take a Tour of Coco Chanel’s Apartment

Shortly after naming Keira Knightley the new face of Coco Mademoiselle (replacing a debased Kate Moss), Chanel has released a beautiful short film starring the actress as “a modern day Coco Chanel — a mysterious and independent woman that takes destiny into her own hands.”
You can watch the film on the perfume’s new interactive microsite, which also allows you to go behind the scenes of the filming, and – most impressively – take a tour of Coco Chanel’s actual Paris apartment. Coco was a revolutionary figure in her time, and her persona remains a powerful force in the fashion world to this day, so to get a glimpse into her apartment is a real treat.

Unforgivable Woman fragrance launch to broadcast live on MySpace

Sean "Diddy" Combs will make history on Wednesday, when he launches his first women's scent, Unforgivable Woman. It isn't that the rapper has stumbled upon a never-before-used top note, but rather, the launch party at a $35 million townhouse on New York's Upper East Side will be broadcast live on MySpace. Starting at 10 p.m., viewers who log onto www.myspace.com/diddy will have unlimited access to red carpet arrivals and select insider moments from guest celebrity hosts, who will guide viewers through the party with cameras set up on each floor of the manse to capture all the excitement and beats courtesy of DJ Soul. There goes the neighborhood.

CFDA Snapshots

Michael Bastian might know men’s clothing better than anyone. After holding the title of Bergdorf Goodman men’s fashion director for five years, he launched his own eponymous line three seasons ago. Now, after chalking up raves for designs effortlessly combining luxurious casuals with well-tailored formals, Bastian’s been nominated for his first CFDA honor, the Swarovski Award for Menswear.
So, are you excited about the nomination?
It’s a little bit surreal and happened so quickly to me. I’m just trying to absorb it all.

What do you think about the category and your fellow nominees?
What great about the category is that my fellow nominees are all pretty new to this like me. As much as I design, I seriously almost never shop, so I’m less than familiar with their designs.

You’re Bergdorf Goodman’s former men’s fashion director. How did that experience translate into your designs?
My brand is finding that middle ground between designer consumer and luxury consumer. I cater to guys with a very good eye, who love that good suit and a tie while also wanting to wear that comfortable, well-made sportswear. The ideal consumer is a solid American guy who likes his clothes done on a luxurious level.
Why do think it’s Americans who understand that niche better than anyone?
We love real luxury. We love to buy something and feel like wearing it for ten years. I know American luxury has kind of become a hollow term, but the consumer could spot a right article of clothing from hundreds of brands that are out there.
What are your eventual goals with your company?
I really want my brand to grow organically and just let it develop in a sincere manner. We’ve added categories like bags and socks when it felt right and natural. But at times it can be like a snowball effect as the snow and demand just keeps on rolling.

Are you resting anywhere this summer before the showcase of your next big collection?
Yes, I need a real break! Preferably, I want to go to Arizona in July or August and not do anything at all.

Narciso Rodriguez and Liz Claiborne Inc. announced that they have agreed to enter into a multi-faceted partnership agreement. The $4.99 billion apparel giant is acquiring a 50 percent ownership interest in the Narciso Rodriguez name and trademarks from Rodriguez and will form a new company to develop the Narciso Rodriguez brand worldwide with Rodriguez as creative director.
"Narciso Rodriguez is one of the finest American designers today and we are thrilled to enter into a partnership with this extremely talented individual and his much heralded brand,” said William L. McComb, chief executive officer of Liz Claiborne Inc., said in a statement. “Narciso's strong following and high recognition level position his business well for considerable organic growth.”

Rodriguez said in a statement, "I am excited about the opportunities that this partnership will offer. Collaborating with Liz Claiborne will enable me to focus on my work and all of its possibilities. Bill McComb and his team have a clear understanding of my vision and are committed to help me realize my dream."

This is the first significant apparel deal for under McComb’s reign at Liz Claiborne, which currently counts Juicy Couture, Ellen Tracy, Dana Buchman, Sigrid Olsen, and Kate Spade in its portfolio of brands.

The Cuban-American designer is known for his women's and men's ready-to-wear collections (the latter of which was established in 2005), whose hallmarks include clean lines and precision tailoring. The Cuban-born designer and graduate of Parsons School of Design was the first recipient of two consecutive CFDA women’s wear design awards in 2002 and 2003 following the establishment of his eponymous brand in 1997.

What has also been clear in recent months is the deteriorating relationship between Rodriguez and Aeffe SpA, the Italian company that owns half of the operating company controlling his business. It remains unclear what this deal with Liz Claiborne Inc. means for his business agreement with Aeffe, who expressly made no mention of the designer in reports of its earnings last month.

After studying at Parsons, Rodriguez started his career at Anne Klein, where he worked under Donna Karan, followed by stints at Calvin Klein, Cerruti, and Loewe. Rodriguez, whose collections are carried at Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and key specialty stores worldwide and has an award-winning line of fragrances distributed worldwide under an existing license agreement with Beauté Prestige International, counts the likes of Salma Hayek, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Rachel Weisz, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Jessica Seinfeld among his loyal devotees. He became a household name in 1996 when Carolyn Bessette Kennedy wore his bias-cut gown at her wedding to John F. Kennedy Jr.

Despite all of Rodriguez’s achievements, the designer has also met with hurdles. Giorgio Armani chief operating officer Roberto Pesaro, who came on board as president and CEO last year, resigned less than 10 months later. The Narciso Rodriguez flagship in Milan also shut its doors around February.

“This is a totally different kind of deal than those we have done in the past,” continued McComb in a statement. “Unlike acquisitions of fully scaled businesses, here we are affiliating with one of the world's finest designers to organically build a broad business in a growing and profitable category that we do not currently operate in—the luxury designer segment—that is sold in productive and partnership-oriented upscale retailers. The chance to work with Narciso to significantly grow his business while retaining his unique vision of timeless elegance was right in line with our commitment to outstanding designers and design excellence. We were compelled to seize on this opportunity now."

ElixirAdvisors represented Rodriguez in the Claiborne deal.

More of the same or Plus one...

After Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Stella McCartney and many more, Top Model Kate Moss launched her new collection for the UK based, chic fashion boutique TopShop.
Hundreds of fashionistas queued
outside Topshop's flagship store in Oxford Street London to catch
a glimpse of this naughty supermodel, posing
as a mannequin in one of her dresses for the launch! No doubt they were
also there to grab a fashion designer bargain at the opening sale.
Well has I live in Portugal I was only able to see the new collection on the internet. I think it’s very beautiful and has Kate’s personal hand… however for me it doesn’t ads anything new to all we have already seen in stores like H&M, even Zara. But I can only speak from what I’ve seen on the site. It seem that a great number of fashionistas were there to buy first hand the items of the collection. I think that only happened because they all want to have something designed by Kate.
Here is a video of the event for you to see.
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