Anna Wintour spent seven days during Fashion Week cruising around New York with her trademark hair and glasses. But she was also sporting the hot new accessory for spring: a smile. What is making Anna so God-damned happy?
• A new survey finds that New York City is no longer the fashion capital of the universe. For the first time in five years, NYC came in second place and Milan snagged the top slot. Or at least this is what a research firm based in Austin, Texas is now claiming. [NYDN]
• The best and worst in July fashion mags. [Cut]
• It looks like Anna Wintour has decided to embrace The September Issue, the forthcoming doc about Vogue's inner workings: Anna herself will be hosting a "splashy" screening next month. [FWD]
• Jason Wu on his morning ritual (espresso at Starbucks, in the office by 10am) and his roommates (his two cats, Jinxy and Peaches). [Times UK]
• Christian Siriano's latest collaboration? It's with Starbucks, apparently. [Cut]
• The Calvin Klein billboard in Soho that has caused a bit of controversy recently has been replaced. Of course, just swapping out the ads could be part of the company's PR strategy to keep people talking about the ad campaign, in which case, well, it worked nicely. [GoaG]
• Rumor has it Anna Wintour has offered a Vogue internship to Prince William's girlfriend, Kate Middleton. [Grazia]
• Rumor also has it Emma Watson is designing a teen line. [Fashionista]
• Olivia Palermo plans to model now: She's signed with Wilhelmina. [P6]
• Isaac Mizrahi is opening a store on the Upper East Side in August. [WWD]
More than 1,200 people descended on Skylight Studios on Wednesday night for the Whitney's annual Art Party. Sponsored by BCBG Max Azria, the designer (left, with co-host Camilla Belle) and wife Lubov welcomed the likes of Lake Bell, Lydia Hearst, Gretchen Mol, Hilary Rhoda, Calvin Klein, Jason Wu, Tinsley Mortimer, Genevieve Jones, Fabiola Beracasa, Ali Larter, Lindsay Price, Stacey Bendet, Olivia Palermo, Meredith Melling Burke, Alexis Bryan Morgan, Ivanka Trump, Byrdie Bell, Bradley Cooper, Alexis Bledel, Selita Ebanks, Hana Soukupova, Claire Bernard, Amber Tamblyn, Adam Lippes, Alexandra Richards, Anne Slowey, Lydia Fenet, Roopal Patel, Gilles Mendel, Lela Rose, Brooklyn Decker, Zani Gugelmann, Allison Aston, Esteban Cortazar, Jessica Joffee, at least two members of the Willis clan (Tallulah and Scout), and the man who runs the show at Whitney, Adam Weinberg. [PMc, Wireimage, FWD, WWD, VF, Style.com, ArtInfo]
• More photos, commentary, and criticism from last night's Costume Institute Gala, assuming you're not totally sick of hearing about it by this point. [W, Pipeline, Glamour, NYM, NYT, SF]
• Rumor has it Kate Moss is planning to write her autobiography. We can't wait! [Grazia]
• Narciso Rodriguez, Thakoon Panichgul, and Maria Cornejo —all three of whom happen to have dressed Michelle Obama—have lovely things to say about the first lady's sense of style. [WWD]
• A tour of Jason Wu's apartment. [NYM]
• Eva Mendes and Jamie Dornan will be appearing in the new ad campaigns for Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear. [WWD]
• Salma Hayek wore a lovely gown by Balenciaga for her wedding to François-Henri Pinault, an entirely appropriate choice given Pinault's PPR happens to own Balenciaga. [Vogue UK, NYDN]
• Diane von Furstenberg says she's absolutely "mortified" that one of her jackets resembles an item designed by the Canadian label Mercy. A full investigation is underway, however. [WWD]
• "Washington, D.C., is the new New York," or so says Vogue's Billy Norwich. [Style.com]
• Sad, possibly true: "The client most crucial to luxury goods purveyors is no longer a Rockefeller but a Real Housewife of New York." [NYT]
• If your boyfriend/husband's birthday is coming up, be advised that Barneys is having a massive menswear sale next Monday. [Racked]
• The obsession with Michelle Obama's travel wardrobe continues: For an appearance today at the Royal Opera at Covent Garden, she wore a dress by Jason Wu and an asymmetrical cardigan by Junya Watanabe, which was either a "kooky combo" or her "edgiest fashion statement yet," depending on who you ask. [NYT, LAT]
• Speaking of Michelle in London today, can you believe that she and the Queen touched? The Queen "made the first move," reports the Daily Mail, although it was still "an electrifying moment of palpable majesté and a breach of centuries-long protocol." [DM]
• These may be difficult economic times, but Donna Karan would still very much appreciate it if you bought a pair of her new jeans for $595. [NYP]
• Roberto Cavalli can't decide if he wants to sell his company or not, but he's conducting discussions with investors anyway. [NYM]
• Men's retailers are hoping to get men to linger inside stores by handing out free booze. If anything is going to do the trick, that's probably it. [WSJ]
• Reloxin is kinda like Botox except it works quicker and lasts longer. [NYT]
• The fashionable women on line outside Topshop today. [Pipeline]
• The Obamas headed over to London today on their first trip overseas since Barack took office and the big topic of discussion is Michelle's wardrobe, of course: She was wearing Thakoon as she boarded the plane, but she emerged in a Jason Wu dress when she got off. But tomorrow she meets the Queen, so expect things to really get crazy. [NYM, SW, Style.com]
• Kate Moss will cut the ribbon at the Topshop opening on Thursday, naturally. [WWD]
• Tips on surviving the big opening from your pals across the pond. [Guardian]
• Richard Chai may be the new creative director at Bill Blass. [FWD]
• Agent Provocateur just launched its new swimwear collection. [Pipeline]
• One of the biggest sources of inspiration for designers in 2009 thus far: mid-20th century space-traveling superheroes. Naturally. [NYT]
• Thom Browne is denying media reports that his line is on the verge of going bust. [NYM]
• Speaking of financial trouble, Marc Ecko seems to be knee-deep in it: He may be forced to turn over his company to creditors if he doesn't fix things fast. [NYP]
• As expected, Fabrizio Freda is taking over for William Lauder as Estée Lauder's CEO. [BN]
• Jason Wu is not doing a reality show, sorry. [Fashionologie]
• Project Runway contestant Kenley Collins says she never assaulted her boyfriend with their cat. She just "plopped him" on the bed. Righto. [NYDN]
• Matthew Williamson's H&M line debuts in less than a month. [Vogue UK]
• Just in time for Easter, Giorgio Armani-branded chocolate eggs! [FWD]
• Interested in a $30 million diamond-encrusted dress? Perhaps not. [NYM]
• Lauren Conrad isn't folding her clothing line. She's just taking a "couple of seasons" off, silly. [SW]
• Topshop gave away free stuff today. [Racked, NYM]
• Jason Wu has yet to meet Michelle Obama in person! Clearly, this outrage must be rectified at once. Get to work, Desirée. [Vogue UK]
• Thom Browne has accumulated so much debt that he may lose control of his own company. [NYP]
• Is Filene's Basement about to go bust? [WWD]
• A law under discussion in Texas and Florida would require minors to get a doctor's note before using a tanning bed. And the Florida provision would ban tanning for anyone under the age of 16. Bastards! [Style.com]
Saks CEO Steve Sadove was honored at a fundraising gala for the Fashion Institute of Technology last night at Cipriani 42nd Street. Sadove was presented with an award from Michael Bloomberg ("This is an evening I like to call Saks and the City!") and guests including FIT president Joyce Brown, Olivia Chantecaille, Jason Wu (left), Carolina Herrera, Tom Florio, Fern Mallis, Robbie Myers, Joe Zee, Amy Astley, Peter Som, Stacey Bendet Eisner, Susan Fales-Hill, Dan Peres, Bill Cunningham, Scott Harrison, Steven Kolb, Saks President Ronald Frasch and his wife Georgia, former State Comptroller Carl McCall, and actress Sarah Wynter. [PMc, Wireimage, NYO, FWD]
The snowstorm didn't stop art and society scenesters from stopping off at the New York Academy of Art on Monday night. Guests at the Tribeca Ball included Liev Schreiber, Justin Timberlake, and event co-chair Eileen Guggenheim (left), along with Bill Clinton, Andre Balazs, Andy and Kate Spade, Adam Weinberg, Jason Wu, Nicole Miller and Kim Taipale, Monet Mazur, Alek Wek, Bettina Zilkha, Poppy de Villeneuve, Jennifer Creel, Jean-Pierre Roy, Ludwig Kuttner and Beatrix Ost, stylist Ric Pipino, Heather Mnuchin, Liam McMullan, Antoine and Maureen Chiquet, and artist Will Cotton. [PMc, Wireimage, VF, FWD, Style.com]
Given the impact she's had on the fashion industry—"Our shining hope for the future!" says Isaac Mizrahi—you won't be surprised to hear a Michelle Obama style guide is coming out in a few weeks. Glamour has a few pages from Michelle Style: Celebrating the First Lady of Fashion, which comes out on May 5 and features "designer sketches, interviews, and style tips" by the likes of Carolina Herrera, Sonia Rykiel, Jason Wu, Catherine Malandrino, Tommy Hilfiger, Behnaz Sarafpour, Isabel Toledo, and Tory Burch. "Michelle Obama is a true independent. She isn't locked into wearing couture or super expensive clothes," explains Nicole Miller. (She is, however, locked into wearing whatever happens to be carried by Ikram Goldman's store in Chicago, but that's another story.) A few sample pages are below.
• Unsurprisingly, Jason Wu's show was a big hit today, and Anna herself made an appearance. [WSJ, NYM, WWD]
• Reports from Charlotte Ronson's show. [WWD, WWD, NYM, Racked]
• Reports from Yigal Azrouël's show. [WWD, NYM, Fashionologie]
• Fashion Week's official coffee, brought to you by McDonald's, is "actually not that bad." [Racked]
• Photos from Rachel Roy's fall collection. [Pipeline]
• Topshop has been delayed again; it's now scheduled for April. [WWD]
• Ally Hilfiger is planning to launch her own line. [NYO]
• Christian Siriano is covering Fashion Week for Time. [Time]
• Shoshanna will appear in the Judith Ripka's new ad campaign. [FWD]
• Diesel's Fifth Ave flagship opens next week. [FWD, Racked]
• Kelly Cutrone says normally at this time of year she'd be flying in a chef from India to cook for her. But this Fashion Week she's cutting back on account of the recession. Bring us a tissue! [WWD]
• Arnold Scaasi did not like Jason Wu's gown for Michelle Obama: "I don't think the inaugural gown was flattering in any way... She could have looked much better." Yeow. [NYT]
• Despite the rough economy, Justin Timberlake's William Rast label is holding up nicely. [NYM]
• Anna Sui has landed a book deal. [Fashionista]
• The plywood has been removed outside Topshop in Soho! [Racked]
• Marie Claire is giving away taxi rides to promote Running in Heels. [FWD]
• Istithmar may sell Barneys for less than half what they paid for it in '07. [BN]
• Rents are falling in the garment district, duh. [NYT]
• An alcoholic's guide to Fashion Week. [Pipeline]
• As you learned three weeks ago, Michelle Obama will appear on the March cover of Vogue. As for the magenta dress she wore for the Annie Leibovitz-lensed cover, it was designed by Jason Wu. [WaPo, WWD]
• A preview of the shows and parties planned for Fashion Week. [Style, NYM]
• Didn't get tix for the festivities next week? Try Craigslist. [NYM]
• It's still unclear what's going on with Olivier Theyskens and Nina Ricci. [WWD]
• Carine Roitfeld is designing a "youth-focused" edition of French Vogue. [FWD]
• Mandy Moore is shuttering her fashion line so she can focus on music. [WWD]
• Sales of wedding dresses and engagement rings are down. [WSJ]
• Georgina Chapman graces Harper's Bazaar's new issue alongside cheetahs and snakes, but not with other vicious animals like, say, her husband. [FWD]
Andrew Saffir's Cinema Society hosted a screening of He's Just Not That Into You at the Tribeca Grand on Wednesday night. Guests at the screening and after-party, hosted by Stardoll and Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, included Lindsay Price (left), Olivia Palermo and Johannes Huebl, Michael Kors, Amy Sacco, Anne Hearst and Jay McInerney, Rachel Roy, America Ferrera, Helena Christensen, Eva Amurri, Mamie Gummer, Cuba Gooding Jr., Maggie Rizer, Annelise Peterson, Zoe Kravitz, Lisa Bonet, Lorenzo Martone, Marina Rust Connor, Chris Benz, Christian Siriano, Reed Krakoff, Dori Cooperman, Taylor Momsen, Carson Kressley, Poppy Delevigne, Jane Seymour, Genevieve Jones, Patricia Clarkson, Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss, Irina Pantaeva, Dylan Lauren, Jeff Gordon, Kiera Chaplin, Liam McMullan, Derek Blasberg, and one of the stars of the film, Ginnifer Goodwin. [PMc, Wireimage, VF, Style.com, NYO, FWD]
• Jason Wu's Fashion Week show will be the second-hottest ticket in town right behind Marc Jacobs. [NYO]
• Isaac Mizrahi's debut collection for Liz Claiborne is now online and up for sale. [Fashionista]
• Not everyone is excited about Fashion Week moving to Lincoln Center. Like Anna Sui. [NYM]
• Anna Wintour is styling Adele for the Grammys. [NYM]
• Football player Stewart Bradley is interning at Elle. [Fashionista]
• Eric Wilson explains the difference between Hello Kitty and Barbie. [NYT]
