Fashion Notes by Walter Greene

FASHION NOTES

Coming to you live from New York City Fashion Week, Walter Greene.

Two new venues served as the base for New York Fashion Week this season. The stark, raw space of the old post office known as Skylight at Moynihan Studios, and the just as raw, Clarkson Studios, downtown Manhattan; both startling opposites to the tents at Lincoln Center. No plaza for the parade of show goers, no food court, no bloggers pit, no booths of freebies by show sponsors, no bins and cabinets of water or soda for guests. The actual show venues were stadium styled rows of backless benches and a plain catwalk, etched in great lighting. Sorry, no glamour here!

PICK AND CHOOSE So what did most designers do? Showcase in their own private venues, which made it a nightmare for us editors to get around town. My strategy was to only cover the few designers that I really liked, attend a few events that I wanted to support, and, be very selective—because it’s totally impossible to cover the some 200 designers who choose NY Fashion Week to showcase their Spring/Summer 2016 collections.

THE BLONDES In a gala celebration in conjunction with Rootstein—one of the world’s biggest mannequin makers—The Blonds, designers David and Phillipe Blond, showed a stunning retrospective of their work, including outfits worn by Beyonce and Brittany Spears. They also made

David Blond (right) and Phillipe Blond (centre) along with the historic mannequins.

history in a collaboration with Rootstein, by revealing the first ever gender fluid mannequin based entirely off of Phillipe Blond. The flamboyant design team has dressed most major celebrities, and they are known for their amazing jewelled pieces worn by several luminaries. When asked who is the “dream celebrity” that they have yet to dress; David beamed “Cher!”

BEVERLY JOHNSON CONVERSATIONS As part of it’s Public Programs Series, The Museum of the City of New York hosted “Beverly Johnson in Conversation with Andre Leon Talley”. The chit-chat revealed little known facts about the beautiful supermodel who made history as the first black model to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine. The ageless beauty, now a grandmother was also celebrating the release of her new book titled, The Face That Changed It All, which chronicles her life in and outside the world of fashion. It also includes a steamy affair with the late tennis star Arthur Ashe, and her late husband and Svengali music mogul Danny Simms. André on the other hand, spoke of his early days being mentored by Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, the launch of a new book on the late, great Oscar de la Renta, and his appearance in the new season of the hit TV show Empire.

Manolo Blahnik

AWARD FOR ARTISTRY Shoe designer Manolo Blahnik was presented with the “Award For Artistry”, for his 40-plus years of designing some of the world’s most fabulous shoes, by the Couture Council of the Museum of FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology). The annual luncheon and award was given at the David H.Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center. Most of the women in attendance wore their Manolo’s. The designer, who was born in the Canary Islands, was obviously overwhelmed with the attention, and said winning the award did not really register. “It’s a great time and a great moment,” he said. Among guests were New York’s most fashionable including former award winner and designer, Carolina Herrera; FIT President Dr. Joyce Brown; actress Uma Thurman, who presented the award; American

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour; Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology; Harper’s Bazaar editorin-chief, Glenda Bailey; Simon Doona, creative ambassador of the New York shopping landmark, Barney’s; Hamish Bowles, fashion journalist and European editor-at-large for American Vogue; Linda Fargo, director of women’s fashion at Bergdorf Goodman; designer Ralph Ricci, Amy Fine Collins, writer and Vanity Fair correspondent; designer Michael Kors; and editor of W magazine, Stefano Tunichi.

ELSEWHERE ON THE SCENE • Dashing Canadian singer/rapper Drake was front and centre at girlfriend’s Serena Williams’ fashion week show for HSN. • Stylist turned fashion designer Kithe Brewster opened his first boutique, located in the fashionable Greenwich Village area. Beverly Johnson breezed in early before the guests arrived and picked an electric blue “onesuit” for an upcoming television appearance. Model Yasmeen Warsume was also there trying on some of Kithe’s versatile, wearable clothes.

HARBISON Industry talk was about who will be the next designer of colour to make it big on the international fashion arena. The answer came by way of Harbison. He is clearly the hottest, buzz-worthy, new designer emerging on the fashion scene, and shutting it down. Born Charles Elliott Harbison in Lincolnton, North Carolina, Harbison studied fine art at North Carolina State University, before moving to New York where he sharpened his fashion skills at the Parsons School of Design. Holding key positions in major fashion houses like Luca Luca, Billy Reid and Michael Kors, prepared him for the next level of his career growth. Harbison launched his namesake collection in 2013. His unique eye for colour blocking and manipulation of different fabrics, made him an instant hit with fashionistas. Harbison's signature style is built on his amazing sense of proportion and harmony with a clean, modern silhouette serving as his design base. Beyonce wore head-to-toe Harbison at a New York fashion show and, as they say, the rest is history. "I am beyond grateful to Beyonce for taking a chance on a little designer like myself, on such an important platform," said the young designer as he prepared for his next collection.