André Leon Talley, Vogue’s bigger-than-life fashionisto, has moved away a bit from the mega-magazine (he is no longer editor at large at Vogue but is instead editor at large at the Russian edition of Numero) and is now pursuing reality TV and, on the flip side, books. Mr. Talley will be signing his new 184-page Read More
There is something organized and memorable about the last day of fashion week. Despite the grueling pace, late nights, early mornings and simply divine personalities we endure, there is an orderly sense of energy at the Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein Collection shows. Publicists are graceful and polite, photo check-in is straightforward, seating disasters are delicately avoided and celebs are accessible, or, if not, polite about it.
Such was the case yesterday morning in West Soho when Mr. Lauren held his 80th runway presentation. His front row of stars dressed in his premium line included Jessica Alba, Olivia Wilde and most of the members of the Ralph Lauren Royal Family.
For spring 2013, Mr. Lauren progressed from something South American to ornate looks that were undeniably Catalan and Castilian, with tomato suede jackets, amethyst silk marocaine trousers, cotton ruffle shirting in white and beautiful scarlet dresses. There were black calf woven totes and hats. The styling seemed a bit overwrought, but the majority of this overload was eliminated when the evening wear flowed in.
Incredible brocade and beaded boleros influenced by los toreros of Spain, black double-faced wool jackets and dresses, a stunning, full-length beaded tulle skirt, and scarlet dresses with embroidery and beading. It was wearable and eternally elegant. Read More
Stooped, toothy and lovely, Bill Cunningham is a rare bird.
Platonically adored by the city’s leading ladies for decades, the flash of Mr. Cunningham’s camera is worth more than any cocktail hour compliment, a thousand-fold. While women have tripped over their trains, desperate to impress him for decades, Mr. Cunningham has remained unaffected, the dogged archivist of New York city’s ceaseless uptown carnival.
Yesterday evening, Mr. Cunningham’s frequent subjects congregated at the Waldorf-Astoria for a night in honor of their beloved photographer, who was receiving the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence. Read More
New York designers, editors and stylists could die if they held their breath, waiting for an invite to Vogue contributing editor Andre Leon Talley’s home in Westchester County. He never has guests, according to his “Dispatch” turn in the Times’ Sunday Review.
“It’s a sanctuary and I want it to be my own personal Ali Baba cave of delight,” he said.
The treasures therein include china and silver from Lena Horne’s estate sale and cupboards “jammed” with porcelain from Paris, linens, and crystal, but he’s never had a dinner or luncheon party.
If one does score the rare invitation (only in summer), he or she will be received on the front porch, with wicker trays found at Pottery Barn, and served iced beverages. There will be “a tray of canapes or Planters peanuts, jelliyied candy from Paris, and a good bottle of Sancerre.”
Among the other pleasures of the suburban life, according to Mr. Talley, is driving his S.U.V. to The Container Store at the Westchester mall. Read More
“Last time we were here, André said something that sort of stuck out to me,” said Shala Monroque, on the wintry eve of Fashion Week. “He said, ‘When I came to New York, I was very superficial. But it was O.K. to be superficial, because I had the brains behind it.’” Ms. Monroque and André Read More
The Internet was awash with reactions to the looks that graced the red carpet at last night’s Golden Globes, and it’s become increasingly difficult to siphon out the quality round-ups from the misguided and the knee-jerk ones. But André Leon Talley is a man we can trust. The Anna Wintour confidant and Vogue contributing editor Read More
The Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Verdi’s La Traviata may be starkly modern and minimalistic, but the nearly 400 lucky attendees of its New Year’s Eve opening-night gala were fortunate to find a party that was anything but. Held, per tradition, on the Mercedes T. Bass Grand Tier in the storied Lincoln Center opera house, Read More
SCENE: the biannual Manolo Blahnik sample sale at the Warwick Hotel.
ENTER, André Leon Talley — the man near Anna Wintour in the top Vogue echelon, America’s Next Top Model catchphrase-smith, giant icon of fashion.
(NEW YORK POST WRITER holds two pairs of the designer shoes: lime-green sandals and black evening shoes.)
ANDRÉ: Darling, darling… no, no, no… Read More
Natalia Vodianova has been given the lead role in a film version of Albert Cohen’s 1968 novel Belle du Seigneur, opposite Jonathan Rhys Myers. [Vogue UK]
The Local, a New York Times blog, has begun doing street style videos. Says Lewis the hipster: “This is a vintage Wrangler jean shirt.” [The Read More
Yesterday morning, Ralph Lauren held his show at Skylight Studios in Soho, far away from the tents at Lincoln Center. The front row was peppered with the heads of the city’s magazines — Anna Wintour, Graydon Carter, Adam Moss and Stefano Tonchi, to name a few — as well as members of the Lauren family.
Once Read More
