The Nautica fall 2011 Presentation

TEXT, Vivian Kelly

Interview with Menswear Editor, Mark Behnke of www.fashiontribes.com

When it comes to mens’ fashion, Fashion has always suffered with being labeled “elitist”, “not for the regular guy” or “too edgy”, and even “scary”.

Normally, during NYFW, I’m drawn to just such “directional” collections such as Duckie Brown’s [a big favorite], Andrew Buckler, and Siki Im.

This season, though, I decided it was time to be more “democratic” and see just what bigger consumer brands such as Nautica were proposing men wear in 2011.

As I walked the crowded show space with Mark at the Lincoln Center Library, I was reminded of a long-ago Christmas in the early nineties.

I’d just returned from Neiman Marcus and with a pair of Gucci horse bit loafers for my conservatively minded first husband.  While in the thrill of the luxe buy, I’d reasoned to myself that they were “traditional” and that he’d approve.

I Was Wrong. Sad, but not really understanding WHY he wasn’t thrilled to receive them, I returned them on Boxing Day.

His explanation: He loved his Top Siders, always would and did not want to be “fashionable”.

My EX is one of legions of affluent guys who “want to look nice” but are not interested in clothes that would make them “stick-out” on the golf range, on a sail, sporting events, or Friday night poker night with the boys.

Nautica is a great choice for men of this ilk.
#1: It's no hassle- just go to Macy’s and you’re out in less than 20 minutes and back pursuing your leisure time activities.
#2L  Fit – nothing skintight here that requires you to be a gym rat in order to fit into the more avant-garde brands. Asparagus silhouette not required.

3.     #3: Traditional designs and themes. As Mark points out in our video, there’s a nautical theme that appeals to the traditional guy, and “safe” neutral colors.

None of the above is true if you happen to be a liberated metro-sexual type such as  Mark, whose morning grooming lotions and potions rival the most “high-maintenance” woman’s. And that’s great! It’s probably “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” that’s responsible for “regular guys” to start thinking in a more “directional” fashion and to consider fashion lines such as Duckie Brown, Buckler and Siki Im.

*The pre-show interview with the Duckies goes live here next week!

Naeem Khan’s s/s2011 Collection: Collectible Fashion

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

Many of the world’s best fashion designers are men. That’s always puzzled me as they can never actually try on the clothes and truly know what it feels like to wear them. It’s an argument Donna Karan made years ago when she brought out her iconic “five easy pieces” collection of black basics she felt all women needed for their busy lives. Obviously, there is a way around this problem, as there are some very talented male designers, such as Naeem Khan, who know just what their female clientele wants and have loyal followings as a result of getting it right.
In lieu of trying the clothes on for themselves, male designers rely on muses and feedback from the women they design for and retailers such as Neiman’s Ken Downing. Ken’s “girls”, he told us, [pointing to his blackberry] consult and confide in him, and tell him – really tell him – what clothes and accessories they love.

As far as muses go, Naeem has his wife, jewelry designer, Ranjana Khan,
to draw inspiration from on a daily basis, and perhaps, his show stylist, Mary Alice Stephenson. Ranjana is gorgeous and exotic and Mary Alice
is blonde and beautiful in that classic Old Hollywood way. Both women look very different, but both look fantastic in Naeem Khan.

The smart designers listen to “their girls” and deliver strong fashionable collections that move women to faithfully buy every season. Some clients even become collectors. Fashion design is like pulling off the perfect recipe in that there has to be a perfect balance of ingredients.
In our backstage chat, Naeem spoke about his philosophy. “My formula” he stated, is very simple: it’s classic, it’s glamorous, and I keep tweaking, every season. I want to deliver classic, wearable glamour that is so wonderful that it is worthy of collecting. I have lots and lots of women who collect me. People have been collecting these [pointing to a rack of the s/s2011 collection], maybe since the day I started, six or seven years ago.”

As I first replayed our interview, I considered Naeem’s philosophy. The words “classic” and “wearable” do not often go with “glamour”. Classic and wearable are in one camp, and glamour, falls in another. Right?
Naeem Khan, like Oscar de la Renta, is one of those rare designers who have made their careers by consistently delivering drop-dead head turning glamour that’s not even remotely vulgar.
Naeem is very aware of curbing any tendencies of excess. “In my case, because of the clothes being so intricate, you have to be really careful. You can really overdo it. Overdo it – really. When you keep cooking for 30 years, though, you become a master chef. I have to make sure that I give my customer newness every year, and that it’s to the time.”



You need self-confidence to wear one of Mr. Khan’s creations. The list of celebrities who wear Naeem Khan is diverse but all of these women have self-confidence oozing from their pores. Angie Harmon, Elizabeth Hurley,

Michelle Obama,
and Kim Cattrall all project extreme femininity and self-confidence whenever you see them in photographs. Put them in a Naeem Khan dress and the result is that classic glamour that all women look for when they tune in to watch their favorite celebs walk down the Red Carpet. If you’re a basic black girl who’s happy with her five easy pieces, you may want to look elsewhere. If though, you decide that you really are a Naeem Khan woman, rest assured that you will in no shape or form resemble a walking Christmas tree in one of his creations.
Naeem is extremely in tune with his clientele’s horror of looking foolish. “When you make fashion, you have to make clothes for the real woman. I make very very intricate clothing. When you are doing my kind of clothing, my philosophy is clothing has to be real, It’s going to land up in the store, and it has to sell.”

He concluded our interview by saying that one-day, he hopes to have a retrospective of his work.
Maybe in a few decades, the MET’s Costume Institute would have one dedicated to the “Best Oscar Dresses, 1990-2020, featuring Naeem, Oscar, Armani, and Marchesa as some of the period’s top looks.
In the meantime, Naeem’s clients continue to buy and his presence on the Red Carpet continues to grow.

Jeweler Ranjana Khan, Backstage at the Naeem Khan s/s2011 Show

A great fashion show is memorable because of the clothes, the hair, the makeup, the styling and the accessories.
I’m dedicating this post to one of the supporting players who helped make the Naeem Khan s/s2011 show a memorable and fitting end to NYFW.


Like her husband, Naeem, Ranjana creates beautiful, high-end products, which are sold at top retailers Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Harrods.
Around two years ago, Ranjana made a career change and shut down her Phoenix Hand Embroidery Company, which worked with some of fashion’s top houses including: Stella McCartney, Jean Paul Gaultier and Lanvin. Remember those tulle-covered pearls at Lanvin? If you never got one of those wonderful bib Lanvin necklaces, don’t despair, Ranjana RK for HSN black ribbon bib necklace
at $229.90 qualifies as “fashion” for about one zero less at the end of the higher end version.
Before you wrinkle your nose at the name “HSN [Home Shopping Network] have a good look first. Her lower-priced RK for HSN represents the “low” end of the equation – but it, unlike Rachel Zoe’s faux coyote vest for QVC, looks anything but down-market.
On the "high" side of the spectrum is the Leather-trim bib with black lava rocks with marble and onyx stones in various shapes and sizes, available at Neiman's for $950.
These two necklaces, and the crystal silk drop earrings
exemplify how Ranjana has successfully straddled high-low accessorizing. And finally, at the very tip top of the high-end side are the unique pieces she collaborated on with Naeem for his latest collection. I got to see the ones that didn’t make it onto the runway and each and every one of them was a stunner.

Neiman Marcus' Ken Downing: Fashion V. Clothes, post #4

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY, w/ Contributions by Mark Behnke of www.fashiontribes.com

We caught up with Ken Downing, Neiman Marcus’ SVP and Director for Stores, to get a retailer’s perspective on Fashion V. Clothes outside the Catherine Malandrino presentation. I say “outside” which made it all the more frustrating, even for heavy-hitters such as Ken. The crowd of onlookers was so thick, that even Ken had problems getting into the cordoned-off viewing area. Once I secured a spot, it seemed that the media-genic Malandrino, who’s been tapped to design Lacoste, over-indulged her inner hippie. Much of what she designed appeared to be mostly crochet garments that looked…odd, even on the sub-size zero models posing in the Lincoln Center courtyard.




Ken made the droll comment, “Women do not want to look like they just dipped into a vintage trunk to get dressed.”


He went on to say that his customers text and email him constantly, asking him what he thinks is new and great, and most importantly, is there something for them he’s seen? They’re very conscious of what designers are showing, but they rely on him - heavily - to make sure they look trendy, but not like foolish fashion victims.
Ken’s experience at Neiman’s is similar to the one Ballietes’ co-owner, Bob Benham,
has but on a somewhat smaller scale.
Bob told us he also gets texts and calls on his phone about special pieces his best clients want after they’ve viewed the latest styles on sites such as www.style.com. He hedges his bets by collaborating with similar high-end specialty stores. Lela Rose is one of the biggest sellers in his Oklahoma City based boutique.


Fortuitously, right after our chat with Ken, I was able to get a good look at one section of the Malandrino presentation. What I saw was dismaying - crochet sweaters that were a way too literal take on the “flower power”
years, and frayed leggings


that looked like something a Bon Jovi groupie might have worn back in the eighties. It is extremely hard to believe that sophisticated women in New York, Boston, D.C., Chicago or Dallas would want to blast back so literally to the past. A reference is just that, a reference, not a straight-out reinterpretation of the past.
While it’s commendable to try something different, the risk is that a designer [as we witnessed at Sinister] can fall flat on their face doing so. This brings to mind joke about the "cutting-edge" sweater with three arms. Why?? Who is actually wearing that?

Vintage can be done right. Fashion has been preoccupied with vintage and many fashionable women have worn vintage pieces with pride and looked great. I'll be discussing that some more in a post later this week, which features Joanna Mastroianni and Elene Cassis. The Look On Line’s Marilyn Kirschner
always looks amazing and I can’t remember a day I haven’t seen her wearing something vintage. She is one of The New York Times Bill Cunningham’s favorite subjects to snap because of her highly individual style. The word “something” is key. Marilyn’s look works because she incorporates vintage into her look and does not wear it literally, or look like she fell into the vintage bin. In the end, if the women reject it [the collection], it’s clothes. If they accept it, it’s fashion.

CARLOS FALCHI FOR MARK COSMETICS

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

FACT: CARLOS FALCHI IS A BRILLIANT BRAZILIAN HIGH-END BAG DESIGNER WHO'S NOT ALLERGIC TO COLLABORATING AT ALL ENDS OF THE PRICE SPECTRUM

FACT: MARK COSMETICS IS A STYLISH COSMETICS LINE GEARED TOWARDS THE TEEN VOGUE READER THAT THE AVERAGE TEEN CAN EASILY AFFORD

FACT: TODAY'S AVON IS WAY COOLER THAN THE FUSTY IMAGE WE HAD OF "THE AVON LADY CALLING" AND PTA MOMS WEARING THEIR SAFE BROWN-PINK LIPSTICK

A month or so ago, we dropped-into a Mark Cosmetics Event. After a long day of appointments in the City, we almost didn’t’ go. Always loathe to take a defeatist attitude, we hopped into THE TELEGRAPHE ESPRESSO BAR on 107 W
18th Street, and powered-up with a granita - the best in NYC.

THE EVENT HIGHLIGHT: Previewing the Limited Edition "Festa" Collection, and meeting Carlos, who is charming as only Brazilian men can be. HE's won the Accessories Council Lifetime Achievement Award, but he's as approachable and engaging as a newbie designer, who's eager to meet the press and make a good impression. Carlos is the best kind of designer there is: one who leaves his ego at the door and takes his talent with him wherever he goes – whether it’s designing a bags that sell at Neiman Marcus, or collaborating with Target or in this case, with Avon. The "Festa" line originated, he told us, with a watercolor illustrations he created of his native Brazil. The almost Van Gogh like colorful swirl pattern was evident in the 'flora' dress and 'brazilian beach bikini', with a retro-style 0-ring detail.

Happily, anyone can own a Carlos Falchi.
Over on www.target.com, you can still pick up one of the few bags he did for a recent GO collection that would run you less than filling up an economy car with “Regular” gas at the gas pump.
Mr. Falch, is one of the few GO/Target designers who successfully translated his top drawer aesthetic into "nice price" product. In fact, I bought my Mother his small green collage hobo for her Birthday. She liked it as much as the small chain link Chloe black leather bag I bought her back when I was an intern at Chloe, in Paris, in 1992. I ate take-out shredded carrots and raisins for a week to be able to pay for it, and that was WITH the company discount.
If you're in the market for a "I'll keep it forever piece", there's a killer Falchi yellow clutch for $395 at Neiman’s and a glazed python shoulder carryall, for $2595 that brought tears to our eyes [mortgage first!] on www.neimanmarcus.com.
If you can't score one of the Target bags, you can pick up his small gold 'take me to rio bag' in aby blue faux croc and/or the gold 'rio ready mini bag' on the Mark website.


FACT - TRYING MAKEUP ON TOGETHER IS ONE OF THE TOP MOTHER-DAUGHTER EXPERIENCES THERE IS
In Middle School, my Mother took me to Bloomingdales’ Stamford – now the UConn Business School Campus] -to buy makeup. That night, I left with “The Big Brown Bag”, filled with $200+ of Calvin Klein skincare and makeup. I felt like Brooke Shields in “Island of the Blue Lagoon”.
Twenty+ years later, with my own daughter and friends in tow, we sat down at a round table that starred a box filled to the brim with MARK cosmetics to play with.
The event concept was “Play with the makeup”, and play we did. My daughter and her friend over-indulged and posed delightedly for the Avon execs who snapped-away. Everyone was happy that night and excitedly Twittering-away. Ten minutes in, it sunk into my head that Mark is in fact, an Avon brand. Never has the phrase, “You’ve come a long way, baby!” been so apt.

After the four of us tested-out everything on the table at the event, we came-up with OUR TOP MARK PICS:

MARK Flat Eye LIner Brush - it's also great for eyebrows
MARK mark Totally Balmed SPF 15 Tinted Lip Balm
Best= “Totally Bare"= a neutral flesh pink for day and “Totally Hot” = crushed berry red, good for evening.

MARK Free for all Body lotion Acai Berry Blend/Shea Butter- the line contains super foods and super fruits in it.

***CARLOS FALCHI FOR MARK – “Getaway Beach Hat” - $16.
Why this is our #1 pick – unlike the cute bikini, you don’t have to strip down and try it on.

*What Needs Improvement – the makeup wipes. From years of testing, only removers that have oil in them really work when it comes to taking-off black eyeliner, mascara, and highly pigmented eye shadows, like the MAC Cosmetic ones I collect on my travels.


MORE ABOUT MARK
They're on their marketing game, having recently signed LAUREN CONRAD as a spokesperson.
To read more and to shop, visit www.meetmark.com