Last night the CFDA Awards, the Oscars of the fashion world, took place and in New York at Alice Tully Hall and the winners are in. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen took away the big womenswear designer of the year award for The Row, Joseph Altuzarra won the Swarovski Award for womenswear and Phillip Lim for menswear and Tommy Hilfiger was awarded the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award.
Simon Spurr didn't end up winning the menswear designer of the year award, which was just as well considering all of the controversy surrounding his departure from his namesake line.
But I feel sometimes they [the press] kill things before they happen. Because by the time [the products] get to the stores, they've been so overexposed — because everybody shoots the same dress — it's old, nobody wants it. I think that's why some of the pre-collections are doing better than the main collections now because they don't get as much press, so they have longevity.
”Maria Cornejo said at the Cooper-Hewitt museum in New York as part of the “Voices in American Fashion” panel
Most of the time I say, 'You're too young, you're too skinny, you're too pretty, my daughter is older than you.' I don't want to endorse that idealism of a girl when I have a teenager. I don't want people to think, 'Oh my God, she's got an 18-year-old [daughter] and she's sending 15-year-old anorexics down the runway. But it's hard, we don't have the budget to cast somebody, fly them in and get them to just do that show. A lot of the older girls don't model anymore, they only come out by special appointment. The agency just sends you all the girls who are just trying to get into the business.
I have to say, the first show I did in New York, I did have all real people, only one model, and it bombed. The editors do not want to see the clothes on real women. It's more exciting for them [to see the clothes on models]. They want to be able to say: 'Oh, I shot her last week.
”She said at the Cooper-Hewitt museum in New York as part of the “Voices in American Fashion” panel
Chilean-born fashion designer Maria Cornejo knows full well what a difference a few years can make. She describes herself as a former fashion victim - though we say she's got it now - and today she finds herself dressing Michelle Obama, Tilda Swinton and Sofia Coppola. Her collection Zero + Maria Cornejo, which started as a retail concept, quickly became a insider top pick for its in-tune-with-reality architecture and uncomplicated sophistication.
Next spring will give Cornejo a chance to capitalize on her appeal; she'll launch menswear, swimwear and accessories all in one season. The menswear pieces were previewed at the Zero + Maria Cornejo Spring/Summer 2010 runway show, and judging on that selection of pieces (most of which could have gone unisex) we can expect comfortable chic for the guys, too.
This week, Cornejo invites The Fash Pack into her New York studio, on Bleeker and Bowery for you locals.
With the festive season firmly upon us, a large proportion of our waking moments more often than not have been spent racking our brains for gift ideas, whilst simultaneously trying to guess the types of pressies we will be receiving from our loved ones. With all this to think about, we decided to take time out to give some thought to what world-famous designers could possibly want for Christmas.
Luckily for us, The Cut have been wondering the same thing and have taken it upon themselves to find out what the creative minds of our generation hanker for Christmas. For example, Calvin Klein'sFrancisco Costa would be grateful for "a painting by artist Christopher Brooks, a first edition of Robert Maplethorpe's 'Flowers' book, a Calvin Klein Collection black wool and cashmere slash pocket overcoat, and black super-soft cashmere scarf." Some "antique red and white glass mushroom tree ornaments" and "a velveteen rabbit" are at the top of Rodarte's Kate and Laura Mulleavy's Christmas list, whilst Narciso Rodriguez has his heart set on "a set of small and large bronze egg vases and lanterns from Ted Muehling."
