Marc Jacobs+ KCD Bribe Scandal

So I know this is old news (the story first leaked Feb. 8), but I just read the article. Apparently Marc Jacobs has been paying up to $30,000 to the superintendent ofLexington Avenue Armory, where Jacobs has held his shows over the past few years. KCD, a powerful PR firm that you will work with if you are interning in NYC this summer, has been the middleman for the transactions.
What a shame! New York Magazine and The New York Post have the full story.

Marie Antoinette: An Original Fashion Icon

Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser
458 pages. Anchor Books $16.95
ISBN 0-307-27774-7


In her informative and page-turning work Marie Antoinette: The Journey, Antonia Fraser tells the real story of the legendary French queen who played many roles. As a child, Marie Antoinette was a political pawn of her power-hungry mother, Empress Maria Theresa of the Hapsburg Empire.

When she was 18, she became the young Queen of France. For the next decade the public mocked her for her lavish parties, clothes, and lifestyle. Then, eight years into her marriage, she finally produced an heir and became the Mother of France. Marie Antoinette’s life took a tragic turn with the Revolution of 1789. Within two years, the queen went from riches to ruins, from living in castles to being confined to prisons. After her husband was beheaded, she faced her own death on the scaffold. As part of the last true monarchy of France, Marie Antoinette’s story leaves an important mark on history.

Marie Antoinette was betrothed in 1769 to the Dauphin of France to create an unprecedented alliance between the Hapsburg Empire and the French. She left Vienna when she was 14 years old to meet Louis Auguste in Paris. When she crossed into the French border she performed a ceremony that symbolized rejecting her Austrian heritage to become a true French dauphine. Even though Marie Antoinette performed this ceremony, the people still considered her an outsider.

When Marie Antoinette arrived at Versailles she immediately tried to gain the favor of King Louis XV to appease her mother’s political motives. Even at her young age she knew that her future success in the Parisian court and role as a political influence depended on the King’s favor. When Louis XV passed away on May 10, 1774, Marie Antoinette lost an ally and a father figure. The new young King and Queen uttered the words, “Dear God, guide us and protect us we are too young to reign." Marie Antoinette was eighteen years old. Her husband had just turned twenty.

The foremost duty of a queen is to produce a male heir. Unfortunately, the obese and timid King Louis XVI was not interested in spreading his seed. In fact, it took seven years to consummate their marriage. To cope with her husband’s lack of affection, the 18-year-old queen created a lively social circle to entertain her with music, clothes, gambling and parties. Marie Antoinette suffered vicious attacks from the media for her lavish lifestyle. Pamphlets circulated spreading rumors that she was a lesbian and was unfaithful to both her husband and France. While there were rumors that the Queen had affairs with various men of the court, they never pegged the right courtier. Fraser found many documents that refer to a lifetime affair between the Queen and the handsome Count Ferson from Switzerland. However, the Queen and Ferson were so discreet that it is impossible to confirm an affair.

The people called her “l’austrichienne”, the Austrian, because of her attempts to be a political influence on her husband for Austria. Yet it was not until 1789 when King Louis XVI became so depressed he could not rule, that the queen became involved in the political arena.

In December of 1778 Marie Antoinette gave birth to a little girl, Marie Therese. A year later, she fulfilled her duty as Queen by producing a male heir. Sadly, the little boy was born with tuberculosis and died when he was seven years old. She gave birth to two more children, Louis Charles, who became the dauphin when his brother passed away, and one baby girl, Sophie, who died three weeks short of her first birthday.

Marie Antoinette entered a new phase of her life when she became a mother. Although she still hosted lavish parties, she was more interested in cultivating her family life. She created Le Petit Trianon, a small village that resembled the Austrian countryside, to spend time with her children away from the courtiers. Her relationship with Louis XVI became stronger with the birth of their children and they truly appeared to be a happy royal family.

Yet their happiness was cut short by the French people’s dissatisfaction with the monarchy. While the royal family was living a luxurious lifestyle, the people were suffering. Bread and oil shortages led to marches on Versailles and the people began to talk of forming a new type of government. Even though Marie Antoinette never pronounced the infamous words “let them eat cake” in the time of a bread crisis, she was labeled an ignorant and evil queen. In a sense, Marie Antoinette became the scapegoat of her husband’s weak rule. The people blamed her for everything, from the bread crisis to the government’s shrinking National Treasury. Instead of focusing on popular opinion, the queen held her head high and busied herself with her children’s education.

On October 6, 1789, a mob forced the king and queen to leave Versailles and live under house arrest in the Tuileries Palace. Within a matter of months Louis XVI was forced to sign away the monarchy. When the king felt he had no other option, he tried to escape with his family to Belgium. However, they were caught by a Nationalist guard in Varennes, a town next to the border of Belgium. The king and queen surrendered and returned to Paris followed by an angry mob.

The newly empowered National Assembly of France put the royal family in the Temple Tower, where they lived under tight security for over a year. On January 21, 1793 Louis XVI was taken from the Tower and beheaded in front of thousands of people in the royal square. Despite all of her sorrows, Marie Antoinette carried herself with dignity. After her husband was killed, Marie Antoinette was separated from her children and taken to an infamous prison called Le Concergerie where she was held until her trial. Marie Antoinette withstood 18-hour court days where she was accused of treason and sentenced to death. On October 16, 1793, Marie Antoinette was beheaded in the same royal square as her husband.

Fraser does an excellent job balancing the role of historian and novelist. She fills her book with historical information and makes it read like a page-turner at the same time. She also describes a different side of Marie Antoinette than other books. History has mainly painted Marie-Antoinette as an ignorant, selfish woman who had no interest in the welfare of the French. In reality, Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were the most frugal of all the other royal families living at Versailles at the time. Interesting tidbits like this make Fraser’s book worth reading.

Director Sofia Coppola was so inspired by Marie Antoinette: The Journey that she based her 2006 movie, Marie Antoinette off of it. The movie stars Kirsten Dunst and won a 2006 Academy Award for Best Costume.

Fraser has a long interest in historical nonfiction. In 1968 she achieved her first literary success with Mary Queen of Scotts. For decades she continued to write about England’s past. She peaked in 2000 with this informative and page-turning work. I highly recommend reading Maria Antoinette: The Journey if you are at all interested in learning about the life of one of France’s most gossiped-about historical figures.

Just make sure you have the time… it is 458 pages!

Gucci's Back to Its Roots

Remember last month how I complained about how Gucci had gone too commercial? Well hallelujah, Gucci is back! For the Autumn/Winter 2008 collection creative director Frida Giannini designed a stunning collection. Sarah Mower even called it "Giannini's most confident [collection] so far."

Whether you want to call it rock 'n roll, bohemian chic, or Russian gypsy, this collection rocks! Giannini used an array of silks, velvets and furs to make a statement. The rich fabrics turn a defiant cheek to the talk of a recession. And the looks are guaranteed to translate into marketable pieces for not only Gucci, but retail brands as well.

I tried to pick out a few of my favorite looks, but I ended up pulling half of the collection! As always, take a look at Style.com's lookbook for every piece.

Barbara Walters' Interview with Anna

Barbara Walters chose Anna Wintour as one of the top 10 most interesting people in 2006. I love this interview because it's the first time I've ever seen Wintour open ups to the reporter. She talks about what she really though of The Devil Wears Prada and about the rumors about working at Vogue: "We do expect, but do not dictate a certain style of dress" !

Newsflash: We're in a Recession

According to a CNN poll, 74% of Americans believe we are already in a recession. You mean the subprime mortgage rates, consumer reports, and plummeting stock market didn't tell us that?
I'm working on a piece about how the talk of a recession influenced designers autumn/winter '08 designs, and how it will also affect the retailers come September. Check back for it in a week!

Collection Line-Up and Stand-Outs

Save the best for last. That’s what fashion insiders say when they talk about Paris Fashion Week. Throughout the month of February designers, editors, buyers and fashion enthusiasts gather in the four proclaimed fashion capitals of the world: New York, London, Milan and Paris to view the Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 collections. Each city attracts a certain type of designer. New York is known for heralding American Chic, London for its out-there designs, Milan for its intricate fantastical creations, and Paris, with its high-end, yet wearable couture.
Paris Fashion Week began on Feb. 23, with four new, less known designers. Portugese designer Fatima Lopes showed at the Westin Hotel to an almost full house. Effervescent pink lighting shone down on models whose deer-in-the-headlights faces revealed their lack of experience. The front row was filled with French press, public relations’ people and a few famous Parisian faces.
Not many of the week’s international audience had arrived yet. Milan’s fashion week was wrapping up its final shows. And some of the celebrities who can be counted on to fill seats were in Los Angeles, attending the Academy Awards ceremony.
But fashion lovers did trickle in to view Rick Owen’s show on Feb. 24. Stacey Kosene attended the show to get an idea of the clothes she wanted in her Indianapolis-based boutique, French Pharmacie.
“This season he added to his layering 
effect with cashmere leggings and shorts with the most 
phenomenal boots that give a leather leggings look,” said Kosene, a mother of four in her fourties.
Style.com labeled Rick Owens as one of the top 10 collections for the fall. The site contributed his success to his structured jackets.
Kosene said he has always been famous for his jackets.
“ You can never go wrong with any style in
any one of his typical fabulous colors....dark shadow, pearl, black and 
dust,” she said. “If you buy just one piece get a jacket!”
Dior kicked off the tent events in the Tuileries on Feb. 25. Only big name designers like Dior, Christian Lacroix, Celine, Nina Ricci and Sonia Rykiel were able to attract audiences large enough to fill the white tents in the Tuileries gardens located between two grand monuments: the Louvre and Champs-Elysees.
Actress Lucy Liu walked in solo wearing a vintage white skirt suit by Dior. The next day, www.style.com and www.fashionweekdaily.com raved about Liu’s style.
Vivica A. Fox walked into Christian Lacroix on the arm of America’s Next Top Model judge J. Alexander. The magnificent pairing strutted past the paparazzi and straight to the tent entrance, not even bothering to show security their tickets.
After the show, Fox raved about the designer’s new collection to Style.com reporters.
“There was a lot of wow effect, which is exactly why I came to my very first Paris Fashion Week. There were jackets that I just thought were out of sight,” she told the online magazine.
Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga kicked off the Feb. 26 events at 9:30 a.m. at an undisclosed location. All but seven of the ninety designers revealed the location of their show on www.modeaparis.com. The designers that gave the words “see invitation” instead of an address on the website wanted to prevent an excessive number of uninvited photographers, journalists, and fashion students arriving at the show an hour beforehand to ask for tickets.
The true craziness of Paris Fashion Week began on Feb. 28 when a hooded Kanye West hustled past the paparazzi into the Stella McCartney show with fiancé Alexis Phiffer on his arm. The celebrity-supported designer and daughter of rock royalty Paul McCartney showcased form flattering velvet dresses and youthful, sheer tops.
Other stars made it to Paris for the weekend. On Friday, Feb. 29, Rihanna, Julianne Moore, and the Olsen twins watched as Chanel pumped out another successful show with a new twist on the classic tweed jacket. Designer Karl Lagerfeld left the hemming untrimmed on the jackets to make them appear more youthful.
On Mar. 2, Alber Elbaz capped off the end of fashion week with a stunning black and navy collection for Lanvin. Elbaz wound ribbon around the body to create tops, skirts, and dresses. The end result landed Lanvin on Style.com’s top 10 collections of fall 2008.
For more information about the Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 collections, visit Style.com

Students Experience the Shows Too!

A few SMU students studying abroad in Paris watched models strut down the runways of Paris Fashion Week, which started Feb. 23.
Paris was the last stop of a month-long preview of designers’ Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 collections. While there is no cost to attend the Paris shows, every person must have a ticket to enter. Students and journalists without tickets arrived an hour beforehand to wait outside the shows and try to sweet-talk the security guards or event coordinator to let them enter.
Brittany Connors, an SMU student studying in Paris, waited outside the Christian Lacroix show for a ticket.
If a designer’s show isn’t completely packed, students and journalists are allowed to stand behind the seats to give the appearance of a full house. Crowds of students and journalists waited hours for the slim chance of entering one of the more prestigious shows, like Louis Vuitton or Giambattista Valli.
“Even though I didn't end up getting tickets to the bigger name shows it didn't really matter because to me just experiencing the ambiance of fashion week is rewarding enough,” said Connors, a junior English major.
Connors was able to catch smaller, but equally famous, shows like Emanuel Ungaro and Costume Nationale at the Carrousel du Louvre. The Carrousel is located in the underground floor of the Louvre museum. Students can stand outside the entrance for twenty minutes and gain access to any one of the shows being featured in the Carrousel’s rooms.
During the month long fashion events, different designers showcased their collections in one of four cities: New York, London, Milan or Paris. Each city attracts a certain type of designer. New York is known for heralding American Chic, London for its edgy designs, Milan for its detail-focused creations, and Paris as the hometown of haute couture.
Savannah Engel, another SMU student studying in Paris, attended two shows with Connors.
“Waiting outside is not so fabulous. You are very vulnerable…but the people are amazing, watching them come in and organize everything,” said Engel, a 21-year-old Art History and Business major.
Engel said that standing outside was worth the wait after she got into Barbara Bui, her first ever fashion show.
“It was amazing, much shorter than one would imagine. I always thought the shows would last longer or go by a lot slower...but Barbara Bui lasted for only ten minutes!” she said.
One of the season’s new designers, Requiem, showed in the salle soufflot in the Carrousel du Louvre. Requiem’s designers Raffaele Borriello and Julien Desselle created high waisted pencil skirts and flowing sheer tops in a color palette of black, royal purple and mustard yellow.
Editors of Vogue’s website, www.style.com, said Requiem’s first Paris runway collection landed Borriello and Desselle a spot on the list of the top 10 up and coming designers.
Connors attended the Requiem show and was surprised they received the attention.
“I liked the ruffles and high-waisted ensembles… but I wasn't moved by it, nothing really seemed very innovative,” she said.

A Day in the Life of a Runway Model

Bee Bouchard was in Paris for a total of two weeks. One week for fashion week's runway castings, the other for the actual shows. Within that two week period we only found one night where she was free to sit down and get coffee with me. But something went wrong. I was at one cafe waiting for her, and she was at one around the corner waiting for me! Since we didn't meet up, Bee was nice enough to do an online interview. Bee is from Woodstock, NY. She attended Columbia University in NYC before taking a break to model full time. For more information about Bee's work, check her out at Major Model Management.

Q: So Bee, I know this is a typical question, but how did you get into modeling?
A: When I first got into it I was actually 8 years old! I was this really tall lanky girl with massive eyes. I used to stand in as the model for my mother’s friend who worked at the New England School of Photography. I would stand for four hours and I loved it. There must have been 15 photographers in the class and each had this creative vision with how they wanted to work with me.I never signed a contract until last September.

Q: What did your parents and friends think about your career choice?
A: My mum had always posed the question if I wanted to do it. But then once it became official she kind of questioned it and still does today. My friends are so supportive. I love them dearly and I miss them, they are the people who keep me down to earth when I want to get caught up in the scene.


Q: Is it still as nerve-racking as it was when you first started walking the runway at fashion week?
A: When I first did a show I thought my heart was going to come out of my skin! I was ballistic, but when you get on the runway it's a different feeling, your living in the moment and all eyes are on you. You’re this diamond in a Tiffany’s shop window, and all the people are Hugh Grants and Audrey Hepburns!


Q: What is the craziest experience you've had as a model?
A: I have had so many crazy things happen, it happens on a day to day basis! Since you’re not inside your house protected by your warm blanket and earl grey tea, every day you have to face work and life right in the face! But the one time I will never forget is when a hairstylist hated the way my hair was reacting to the product she was using. So to fix it she decided to take me outside in nothing but a T-shirt in the freezing rain of Milan and take a hose to my hair. I turned so blue you would have thought I was a smurf. I was so embarrassed and very unhappy.


Q: How has your life changed since you started modeling?

A: Do I still have a life? Haha I feel sometimes that I'm not normal. I don't have time to go to the movies or get a pizza with friends, go on cross country road trips or even drive! I don't get to see my family a lot and I miss my friends back home and my small hometown of Woodstock and the marvelous ex-hippies! But I do travel the world and meet amazing people every day who have such a major impact on me, and the world, every day. I try to make the best out of every situation.

Q: There's no way you can do this and college, right? Do you plan to go back to Colombia and finish school?
A: Well I'm just starting to figure out what I want to do with my life. A lot of girls go to school and model on the side. It's not 
impossible! I would love to one day open my own record label though. That is my dream! To complete that I am, going to do a lot of internships and see where I go from there. During the summer I spend my time catching up with family and friends and studying. I haven't quit learning at all, I teach myself. Psychology, Art History, Photography, Mathematics, Science and World Affairs.

Q: So..do you have a boyfriend?
A: I do not have a boyfriend! Boys are such amazing creatures I can find something beautiful in all of them, even when their temper is raging. It's so hard to keep long distance relationships I can't do it. To be away from someone you love for long periods at a time... your heart just breaks in two. A lot of people stereotype male models. They’re not a different species... most of them are very grounded and nice to talk to. They’re just guys doing their job. They are mainly who you’re around most of the time in this business and I'm friends with many of them. If I had one type of guy I would never keep a long lasting relationship… haha.

Q: Where have you traveled for work? What was your favorite shoot?
A: I have traveled to London, Paris and Milan. My favorite shoot was with Oliver Rose he just told me to be myself and I was. I am not thekind of girl who likes to stand in front of a camera and pose how people tell me to. I like to play and act. You can find Olivier’s story in SO CHIC Magazine.

Q: So I know you had a shoot the other week that involved spending all day jumping up and down on a trampoline in heels. What was that like?

A: It was fun, but hard and I had very heavy long hair extensions and all the exercise made my body just overheat. But again it was me being myself jumping on a trampoline and I never had one as a child so I lived up my childhood in that moment! I shot this for HARPERS BAZAR and it was a story about these beautiful long, long dresses and movement, lots of accessories as well. It was stunning


Q: Another annoying, typical model question…. Do you think there is a growing eating disorder/ drug issue in the industry, or do you feel like it's improving? And is it as big of a deal as the media makes it?
A: If there are drugs you don't hear about it. It's a secret.. I have seen it a few times but not as much as the media makes it out to be. The media has this power to make the smallest situations hit the headlines and create quite an uproar. I don't get it.

Q: I'm curious…. the CFDA has made a big deal of how designers aren't using black models anymore. What do you think about that, from a behind-the-scenes perspective?
A: I am not sure about this question. I have not seen racial predjudices held against any girl because of her skin color. A lot of the black girls have the most expressive features you have ever seen and the most powerful walk you have ever laid eyes on. But I would hate to see anything held against someone because of their race, because the only race is the human race.

Q: What's it like working with these young teenage girls? Can you tell the age difference between you and them?
A: I think you have to learn to grow up very fast in this industry! I have learned to grow a very thick skin. Because you always feel like you need to protect yourself so you won’t be taken advantage of. A lot of the girls I meet I think are about 25 but turn out to be 16 or 17 years old. But you do see some girls who are young and they get caught up in this world that isn't quite so. You may have warned them, but they persisted and end up with nothing to show. Tis, sad to see young, beautiful girls waste their lives away.

Q: What is your advice for other young girls wanting to enter the modeling industry?
A: Think a lot before you jump at it. It's not as easy as you think. You will have moments when you want to cry and give up, moments when you just want to run off the earth and onto a cloud and float away. The smallest advice I can give I think before you act and keep a strong head on your shoulders!

Gov. Spitzer Resigns

Today at 11:45 a.m. EST New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned. If you didn't already know... he resigned because of his involvement in a high-priced prostitution ring. He will officially leave office on Monday, March 17.

Style.com's Paris Review

Style.com gives an opinion of fashion week through the eyes of fashion's most powerful influences.

Galliano's Show Magic

Check out a behind the scenes look of Galliano's fashion spectacle in Paris last week. The clip was posted on YouTube by The Daily Telegraph.

Flashback to Fashion Week

Oh! I am so tired. Paris Fashion Week is exhausting – even for a lil nobody like me who only attended the smaller shows! However, the beauty, the excitement, the fast, international pace is so alluring and enticing that it inspires you to stay up at all hours to take it all in.

Everyone stays up til the wee hours of the morning and then wakes up early to enter the 9:30 a.m. shows. My own fashion week experience started off with Fatima Lopes, and ended with Anne Valerie Hash. Between the no name shows I attended, I spotted Alber Ebaz, Hamish Bowles and Irina Lazereau at Le Baron. I also hid from a scary editor I worked for in the Tuileries (no, she would not remember me, but I dunno… she might be pissed about the time I cluelessly walked into her Mariah Carey shoot!); went to the Thomas Wylde showroom with buyer Stacey Kosene, and watched Vivica A. Fox walk past me with Jay Alexander into the Christian Lacroix show.

It is virtually impossible to get into the big-name shows like Lacroix, Balenciaga, Chanel, Chloe, and even Stella McCartney without securing tickets beforehand. Believe me, I tried. My girlfriend made it sound so easy, saying all she had to do to get into Lacroix was ask people if they had extra tickets.. but that's not the case! Unless you have the guts to go up to some fabulous editor to ask for her extra tickets, you probably wont get in. I think my friend just got extremely lucky!

Even though I arrived an hour before the shows and sweet-talked with the bouncers (which normally always works in Paris), I still was unable to get into Lacroix or McCartney. However, there are still perks to hanging around the tents. You watch the stars come in, like Kanye with his sweet fiancé Alexis Phiffer at Stella McCartney, and, if you dress fashionable enough, you are photographed by the paparazzi.

I found it extremely amusing that the Japanese press loved my camel coat I had custom made in China and I slightly embarrassing when I had to explain that no… my shoes are not Loubotins…. Just err…. BCBG pumps! Haha whatever. The paparazzi thing was quite new to my girlfriend and I, but it was fun. And funny. I really got a kick when one journalist asked my friend… wait your wearing Diane Von…. Who? Poor thing had never heard of great Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dress and was quite lost amidst all the tents and glamorous women. But yet, so were half of the people outside the tents... including me.