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Show Wednesday, September 7, 2005 DAILY HERALD STYLE-PHILE BEAUTY, HOME AND FASHION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Making Vera bath time fun lor kids eeea of making the stars ok gooddesigner has a turn in the spotlight SamanthaCritchell THEASSOCIATED era Wang says that in fashion, you're only as good as your last collection. Lucky for her that her fall collection,full of floating dresses and luxe velvet Separates in a woodsy palette of greens, browns and golds,received rave reviews and earned her this year’s Council of Fashion Designers of America trophy as the top womenswear designer. Shepromises a spring collection worthy of “a 1950s heiress who visits exciting places — think Doris Duke.” Wangis a favorite with modern-daycelebrities. Just this year, Oprah Winfrey wore The kids’ bath time has become more thana struggle. The crying, the pleading — it’s anightly ritual. If only they enjoyed bath time. What can youdo?Pier 1 Kids has a suggestion. Ralph Lauren andthe elegant aesthetic she learned thereis Thechildren’s furniture store hasjust introducedits newBath Collection for boys and girls. Colorful, fun and kid- still an influence. Then, 15 years ago, she wentinto business for herself as a bridal designer. “I broughtcolorto bridal,” Wang says.“There was one whole seasonof blush. If you think about the bareness,the cool, the collection includes shower curtains, towels, bath rugs, soap dispensers and dishes, trash cans, tissue holders. toothbrush holders illusion (fabric), the corsets that didin bridal, they were trends in ready-to-wear,too.” She movedinto the eveningwear, fragrance and tabletop categories. This is only her and more. Theboys’ line features a sports motif and a camouflage theme. while thegirls’ second year doing ready-to- multistripe pattern. I've wanted to dosince the beginning.... I’m not a girl who current Pier 1 kids’ bedding and accessories. line offers a brightly colored wear. “Ready-to-wearis what All designs complement Prices range from$5 for spends mylife in a ballgcwn,’ Wangsays.“Clothing is a Multi Stripe Toothbrush Holderto $15 for a Soccer Ball Tissue Holderto $49 for a Camouflage Shower Curtain. much aboutlifestyle as art’"she adds. But most thingsin hercola gold, hand-embroidered offlection, including fall's teal and the-shoulder gownwitha tiered bronze brocade tank with a beaded bandaroundthe empire skirt to the Oscars, Melania waist and a jade satin gown Knauss Trumpchanged into a Wang dressfor her wedding re- with ruching at the bust and back and two gold beaded belts, ception, and Mariska Hargitay was in an asymmetrical, dusty- arestill more for well-heeled rose satin gown by Wang when women. She hopes to soon introduceat a lowerprice point she picked up her best-actress but, she explains, that won't Golden Globe. happen until she can ensure Andoneofthe bestall-time thoseclothes will be of the qualOscar fashion moments is Shaity she wants to be linked to. ron Stone's outfit from 1998 whenshe paired a crisp white men’sshirt with a lavender Vera Wang skirt. Wang's success hardly came overnight, though. Growingupin the 1960s, Itemsare available at wwwpier Ikids.comorat Pier 1 Kids. Color them easy Choosing newpaint shades is challeng- ing, frus- trating and often messy. You've had it with wet As a busy working mother, Wangherself needs clothes paint samples on your that fit — fit herlifestyle,fit her small frameandfit her needs. “Couture — loveit. But by definitionit almost means ‘important to own,important walls. You want a mess free way of testing an ar- Wangsays fashion was a big part ofherlife. She lived part ofthe timein Paris, the Beatles to wear.’ ... 1 prefer work by ray ofcolors. Impossible, whichis so beautifully made she was interested in everything from what Betsey John- and has rich details, but you can throw herpieces into your right? Not at all. Glidden just were making their splash and son was doing at Paraphernalia in Manhattan to whatBrigitte Bardot was wearingin St. Tropez. Butherfirst aspiration was to be an actress.“Buttherestill werenot manyroles for Asian women.I could only play Ophelia if | moved to Hong Kong.I madethe right career choice,” she says with a laugh. She wentto Sarah Lawrence College andstudied art history —andherlove and appreciation ofart is front and center in the clothes she makes. Fall, for example, was influenced by Flemishpainters and spring “is all about Matisse.” After graduation she wanted to go to the Fashion Institute of Technology for further study, but her father wouldn’t pay forit. She took a job at Vogue instead. “It's not a bad pe for an education,” Wang says. From Vogue, she moved to someonelike Miuccia Prada, introduced the Color(at) HomePeel & wardrobe.” Wangalsois a fan of Marni, Jil Sander and Yohji Yamamoto, and she mixes and matches pieces from their collections with her own. She also owns a bit of Louis Vuitton. “No one Stick paint samples. The self-adhesive, wearsonly me. Not even me!” and restuck as needed, un- repositionable swatches can be placed on awall, removed She also commits a cardinal sin of the uber-chic, high-fash- ion worldshelives in: Wang wearsleggings. And she wears them almostevery day. “When Gap stopped making them I didn’t know whatI was going: to do. Now I wear Danskin butI would like to get them in colors otherthan black. “They (leggings) are ae brainer for me. They're jeans, they become tiie: The fashion is on top, whateveris happening up there is what people will notice.It could be an undersized sweater, an oversized T, a deconstructed jacket.” “She's connected with the moment very well,” observes Sally MARYALTAFFER \s: Jated Press Designer Vera Wang gestures during an interviewin her studio. Wang'slatest collection is inspired by Matisse. Singer, Vogue's fashion news director. “Women's fashion right now isn't about conveying power and promotion and fabulosity, it’s aboutlifestyle clothes, clothes you wear to work, wear them out andpick up your kids in them.... It’s now about a seamless transition between professional life and family life. Veralives thatlife.” It also helps that Wanglikes to shop andlikes to look good, Singer notes. Her good taste has helped hersuccessfully launchjewelry, tabletop and clothing because she has the look that so many people want, she says. “They'renot collections based on an abstract definitionof pening. Her younger daughter has almost yuppietastes while inches by 6inches and come in six collections of 10 colors. Eachcollection features coordinating colorsto help in the 14-year-oldis “a frenzied fashionista” whosefavoritela- your selection of accent and trimshades Palettes include a bel is Mare by Mare Jacobs. Thefunnything is that Wang and her daughters all have withpinks at have beenin and pretty, it’s all what a sophis- ticated consumer would find the course of Wang's career. “There's nothing ‘new’ in fashion. I've livedthrough bellbottomsfiv times.” she old daughtersthat kee on in check about what's hip and hap- til youfind the ideal color schemes. Swatches measure 3 3/4 deadpans. ors, anda Color(at)Home Peel & tick paint samplessell for 99 perpalette at Home Depot stores Or purchase online at www. glidden.com. FASHION NOTES and shealso has abig bulletin Men's Vogue down: I'm alwayslayering one next generation of fashion TV, with young fashionistas eager to mimic the looks worn by Mischa Barton and RachelBilson. The Fox show,nowin its third season,is trying tofill the George Clooney is the cover modelfor the premiereissue of gapleft by “Sex andthe City.” But instead of sending fans to Men's Vogue,the male counexpensive New York boutiques terpart to the Conde Nast style bible. He's wearing a camel to find Carrie Bradshaw's overcoat, gray sweater and favorite shoes,“The O.C.” is working with Amazon.com ray trousers. and Necessary Objects designer “He(Clooney) conveys.imAdy Gluck-Frankelto create a mediately that this a men’s lineof clothes inspired by the magazine. He's the embodiment show's wardrobe. of the man we'retalking to The Website's dedicated secWu who has achieved tion features 12 pieces, includsome success and is looking to ing extended-tab gauchos,knit expandhis horizons,” says ediMARIO TESTINO/Vogue tops adorned with sequins and tor-in-chief Jay Fielden. MATT BARNES /FOX George Ch is the cover paillettes anda fulltength satin Men’s Vogueborrows the modelfor the inauguralissue peasantskirt that can serve as MischaBarton,left, and RachelBilson of Fox's “The 0.C.” A look of Vogue,using the same of Men's Vogue. a beach coverall during the day fashionline based on their characters’ wardrobeson the showis photographers,layouts, logo or be dressed up with the tiebeing launched on Amazon.com. and even typefaces,but the conbackhalter vest for an evening ierh ae to finance, sports ences,leaving menin their 30s look. The collection ranges in and 40s without a magazine for price ion$38 to $78. Stylish workspaces to stimulate my eye. There's oeeuibtthere’'s barely a dif“The draw of ‘The O.C.’ is them. somethingreally frozen about ference between fashion and “We wanted a magazine revas fee oe “tyes Fashion designers don't sit at still-ife room.If I live with style, ea that gap is emphathatlifestyle — they.want cookie-cutter cubicles. The new garded withtaste, worldliness, something for more than three sized her to aia and look like issue of Domino magazine offers months andgettired ofit, I “The chang arenot right off authority,great photography and great writing. To take a fabulous women on theaie show,” a glimpse into the creative work- moveit someplaceelse. The the ey” Fielden explains. says Gluck-Frankel. azine from scratch and spaces Coachpresident and wholeoffice gets redecorated and wearable. executive creative director Reed every six to eight months,” he that reputation would take Since the show's audience is tenot super extreme Euie but we could already a cen, and likes “re- Krakoff, Banana Republic extells Domino, ropean looks.” ‘ail immediacy,” it made sense ecutive vice president of design A large wood parsons table Weit if we built on Vogue,” This fall issue is a test to see ieldensays. Debor: Lloyd, and Delia’s creis the centerpiece of Lloyd's ie launch the clothing line onif the market for such a line, says Lisa Gregorian, senior ative director Ashley Sargent. office, She usesit to bring her zine exists. Fielden obvious! Krakoff's modernoffice is teamtogether. vice president oftelevision crethinksit does. He says other ‘0.C.’ spells fashion ative services for Warner Bros. always a workin progress. Sargent's space is filled with men’s magazines are targeting “The O.C.” hopes to be the, “I'm alwayslooking for things naturallight from big windows, Television. ealand younger audi- board to keepinspiring images in sight. “Nothing ever comes image over another,” Sargent says Fashion's richlist Giorgio Armaniis the wealthiest fashion designer, according to WWDScoop's “rich list.” Also on the fist are Ralph Lauren, DonnaKaran, Kar! Lagerfeld, Miuccia Prada, Pierre Cardin, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Yves Saint Laurent, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana,and Valentino. WWDScoop,produced by fashionand retail publisher Fairchild Publications, also points out that Kenneth Cole, Tom Ford and Reed Krakoff have madetheir millions through Wall Street by “inking sweetlicensing deals.” Armani, whois the sole shareholderof his business empire,is estimated to have a fortune worth about $4.6 billion, whichincludes a 150-foot yacht anda string of homes in Milan, Italy, as well as Paris, New York,and otherplaces. Laurenis second.His estimated wealthis $3billion. His salary and bonuses in fiscal 2005 totaled $14.3 million, The Associated Press, |