Friday, June 7, 2013

Heart and Sole: Sarah Jessica Parker Launches the SJP Collection


“In a silly way, I think it’s what people have expected of me most because of Carrie Bradshaw,” says Sarah Jessica Parker. But it’s not silly at all, this idea that the actress-mother-designer-business woman-multi-hyphenate could launch a serious shoe collection, which is exactly what she’s doing with partner George Malkemus, the longtime CEO at Manolo Blahnik. SJP, as it will be called, will be available exclusively at Nordstrom early next year and will include bags and a few trenches, too.

“It’s sort of soup to nuts,” Parker continues. “You put on a shoe and you put on a coat and you wear a bag and, on the outside, when you’re walking down the street, they really can tell the same story about yourself.” 
Of course, the last thing Parker herself or the world at large needs is more shoes and bags. That’s why her goal is to offer something different, something more in the vein—aesthetically and price-wise—of great old-school labels like Charles Jourdan and Maud Frizon.

 “We’re putting new colors together that people don’t typically do, just beautiful combinations that you wish existed in your closet,” she says. “And in terms of bags, thinking about that period of the seventies into the eighties, what those women were carrying, taking away the bells and the whistles and hardware and really making it about the bag.”

In other words, these are not the over-the-top crystals-and-marabou-covered confections that nearly pushed Carrie into bankruptcy. Single-sole pumps and flats will range from around $200 to $300, and bags will likely sell for under $700. Even better: Everything will be produced in Europe and New York City (though production location for the trenches is still being decided). “Because I got to play that role, I wore a lot of shoes,” Parker says, “and by default I learned an enormous amount. It’s hard to”—no pun intended—“walk away from that.”

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Hot Stuff by Fashiondella




SOUNDTRACK 1 / 2 / 3

My List: L'Wren Scott


7:30 A.M.  
I usually wake up at 7:30. I sleep in a little silk slip, or pajamas if it's freezing. I have some that I made for myself and some that I've bought from various places—Lanvin, Olatz—whatever accommodates my extra-long legs. The first thing I do in the morning is take my vitamins. I don't want to say which vitamins; I don't think you should push what you believe in. Doctors should do that, not fashion designers. I eat a big breakfast: granola with red fruits and Greek yogurt, and egg whites with an English muffin. I love to read The Independent and do the king-size crossword to make sure my brain's really going.

8:00 A.M.
 I don't have time to be that girl who does the super workout. But I try to be as fit as possible given my schedule. Even if I do 20 minutes a day, it's better than nothing. I do my elliptical, my stairs, my walk. Afterward I take a quick shower and start my day.

8:45 A.M. 
My list of trusted beauty products is long: Dr. Colbert's serum, Rodin Olio Lusso Face Oil, and a Boots No. 7 day cream and body cream for hydration. For my hair, I use a Serge Normant shampoo and conditioner. Or his dry shampoo and hair oil if my hair is really bad. I have dry hair, so I wash it only once a week. I also like Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray. For my face, I use Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, and I'm obsessed with her powder—the very fine one in a shade called Universal. And I love Lancôme Hypnôse Drama mascara, Givenchy Light Corrective concealer, Prescriptives black kohl eyeliner for night, my signature lip gloss from Lancôme, Le Rouge L'Wren, and last but not least, Rodin Olio Lusso Lip Balm—simply the best.

9:00 A.M.
It usually takes me about 15 minutes to get dressed. I can't overthink it. It depends on my mood. Like today I'm wearing a gold tweed tailleur with crazy colors; it just felt right for a fresh, sunny, bright day. If I were in my office [in London] designing, I would wear black. I hate distracting myself while I'm designing, because you're working so much on colors and palettes. I definitely have a work uniform—I go in phases: headmistress dress every day or a classic shift with a power cardigan. Or I do jeans with a more "rock" edge. I have a headmistress dress from every season if not two, so you could probably do the math. It's scary. And I have a lot of sequin sweaters. The stacks are getting higher. I love to open my cupboards and see the stack of sparkle in various gradations of color. I have one section in my closet that's dedicated to paler, cold colors, and the other section is dedicated to more mad, fun colors. I think a girl always needs a cardigan, and I tend to go for the sparkles. I have a minimum of 50 embellished cardigans. I'm not a believer in less is more; I'm sort of a believer in more is necessary. And did I mention shoes? Oh, my … I've never counted them, but I suppose I have about a hundred pairs, between my own and the ones I get at the Manolo Blahnik store by my office. They're scattered between every city I have a home in—London, Paris, and New York.

9:15 A.M.
I walk to work if I have time. I try not to carry anything, just my one workbag. (I'm very excited about my Doctor Lady bag right now.) Usually my first stop is Starbucks, where I get a grande skinny vanilla latte. If I don't walk, I'll take a cab, and catch up on e-mails and phone calls. I don't typically travel with other people, but if I'm traveling with a certain someone, he often might have this group with him … some band or another.

9:30 A.M.
When I get to work, I review my schedule for the day and the week, then I go over my action list. I turn on some music, and start with my team. I'm very diverse in my music choices. I listen to everything from jazz to blues, R&B, classical, reggae—it just depends on how I feel.

1:30 P.M.
My typical lunch is fish and vegetables and potatoes, or pasta if I order from my local Italian. Otherwise we eat Thai food from a local noodle bar, the Phat Phuc. My only snack during the day is chocolate—I have a bar every day.

7:30 P.M. 
I leave by 7:30, so I can have my alone time. I like to cook if I have time. If not, I have someone else cook for me. When I have time to cook, it's usually Sunday; it's the only day I have off. Often on Saturday I'll work and catch up. I have a few little dishes, mostly simple Italian food. And I have this chicken dish—a whole roasted chicken that I baste and marinate for two hours and cook really slow. It's almost like a spicy kind of jerk chicken. Sometimes I like to watch TV, though I never get to watch any of the shows in real time. I'm a fan of Downton Abbey, Boardwalk Empire, and Boss. There's a British series called Luther, but in England they think a series means four episodes. And I like Mad Men. Otherwise it's always good to unwind with a book.

10:00 P.M.
I look at lots of things online. I've ordered on Barneys.com, Net-a-porter.com. I just bought a very cute pair of shoes—actually more than one—Tabitha Simmons boots, Manolo Blahniks, and Nikes for the gym. I get my groceries from Fresh Direct. I collect books: art books, first-edition photography books, lithograph books, architecture books, Cecil Beaton books; I think I have almost every one of his. I'm quite into interiors too, and like to look at old Georgian houses. I have different periods of time in architecture, and I also have a little obsession with gardens. Sometimes I look at old travel books. If I'm going somewhere in Asia, it's fun to buy an old first-edition book about someone's adventure traveling to Sri Lanka or somewhere. I like to read about the kind of mad adventures they had. As for pets, I have a dog named Star, her son Guinness, and a cat. They're just adopted mutts; I think they found us, really. They all have a very nice life because they live on an island where we have a home. I could take pets home everywhere I find them—it's a nightmare. I should definitely donate money to an animal shelter because I can't take them all home.

1:00 P.M. 
I unwind with a long bath, some reading, and a big piece of chocolate cake. For the bath, I use Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil. It's great—you put it in your bath, as much as you want, and you get out, put on your dressing robe, and you let it soak in. Your whole body feels incredible.

12:00 A.M.
The most important things in my bedroom are the Egyptian cotton sheets, a soft pillow, and a firm mattress. I can't predict when I'll go to sleep. If I need to fall asleep early, I do, and if I stay awake until 2 or 3 in the morning, I do. My main ritual, especially during manic fashion seasons, is to take my notebook and write down everything that's on my mind, anything that will wake me up in the middle of the night. I write it all down and close my book and know that it's [going to be] done.

Gianvito Rossi Gardenia Red Sandals


Sometimes you're dressed so hot it feels as if you're walking on fire, and other times you literally are. My feet ablaze in Gianvito Rossi's red suede sandals, a stroll down the street would be more fiery than a walk across coals. In addition to a spicy scarlet hue, embroidered patches turn a slinky ankle-strap into the wick to my flame. So I know, no matter what the temperature or how I'm dressed, I'll be burning up the sidewalk all summer.

$750; at Barney's New York

The Sweet Spot



“We always felt like there was a huge gap between brands like La Perla and brands like Victoria’s Secret,” says Monica Paganucci, the creative director of new intimates label Sweetly Inked, which launches tomorrow exclusively online. A meeting of minds, including NYC creative agency Playworkgroup, stylist Samira Nasr, and creative directors Paganucci and Rico and Michelle Garcia, Sweetly Inked’s eleven-piece all-black range is a play on tattoos. “The inspiration [for the initial collection] was to create a line that would highlight where most people would have artwork on their bodies. 


That inspired the theme of transparency,” Paganucci continued, noting that texture was a key element in the range. The designers will focus on one collection a year, but they plan to supplement their signature fits and cuts with limited-edition wares. “You should always be able to go back and find your favorite bra,” Paganucci reasons, albeit one with seductive sheer paneling and strategically placed exposure. As Sweetly Inked grows, so too will the collection—loungewear is set for a Fall launch. 


Sweetly Inked are available exclusively at www.sweetlyinked.com.

Borgo Goes For Gold


Eddie Borgo’s forte may be urban baubles with a bite, but having primarily worked with crystals and silver-, gunmetal-, and gold-plated metal since launching his eponymous range in 2008, it would seem the designer is embracing the even finer things in life—when it comes to materials, anyway. Tapped by Love Gold to create some one-of-a-kind pieces, Borgo has made his first foray into precious metals with a set of 18K gold cuffs. The wares are a decadent fusion of Borgo’s best-selling bracelets, including his cone bangles. Naturally, the designer’s got big plans for his new baubles’ debut—amfAR will be featuring the pieces in the Ultimate Gold Collection fashion show during its event in Cannes next week.