Tuesday, June 16, 2009

KARL vs KLUM


Original post: Fashionista


So this weekend Karl Lagerfeld took a “dig” at Heidi Klum, his second of the year.

In February he said, “Heidi is no runway model. She is simply too heavy and has too big a bust. And she always grins so stupidly. That is not avant-garde - that is commercial!” and now he claims not to know who she is, “I don’t know Heidi Klum. She was never known in France. Claudia Schiffer also doesn’t know who she is.”

First, you can’t break down someone’s body and then say you don’t know they exist. Second, which high fashion designer is more commercial than Karl Lagerfeld? Third, you don’t make money when Claudia Schiffer knows who you are, you make it when Middle America knows your name (though we don’t believe for a second that Schiffer’s never heard of Klum). Fourth, Lagerfeld makes gorgeous, brilliant clothes, but avant-garde at this stage? Non.

Most frustrating of all is the unfortunate truth that models don’t make major money walking Balenciaga or doing editorials for Purple, but from major beauty contracts, from Victoria’s Secret or J.Crew catalogs and eventually, from becoming a brand.

It’s kind of like how designers don’t make money by designing the most extreme avant-garde clothes, like say Gareth Pugh or Olivier Theyskens, but by hooking themselves up to a major brand, like say Fendi or Chanel and putting their name on overpriced teddy bears.

This article is so well written that it slaps Karl right back in his face. haha.

and the 2009 CFDA award goes to...

The 2009 CFDA Fashion awards was presented on Monday and we saw some of hottest emerging designers making it big this year. It looks like they are ready to take the fashion industry by storm. Amongst the winners, are some of my favoriates this season including the charming Alexander Wang, who received a Swarovski Award for Womenswear (love the edgy chic look) and Rodarte for Womenswear Designer of the Year (oh who can get over those thigh high boots!) Participant also include the much acclaimed designer Jason Wu for dressing Ms. Obama.

Kirsten Dunst with Kate and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte


Alexander Wang with Dree Hemingway
Jason Wu
Marc Jacobs
Zac Posen
Vera Wang
MK Olsen -love the vintage look but I wish it were more tailored to her tiny frame. She looks like she's drowning in that sea of redness.
Blake Lively- looking fabulous in this neon pink Michael Kors dress.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

NARS event with James Boehmer

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting the NARS senior stylist James Boehmer as he made an appearance at the Taipei Sogo NARS counter to introduce the summer trends of 2009. James is a staple at NY fashion week and often styles looks for celebrities and fashion shoots.

After the show, he stayed around to us give a few pointers on makeup techniques and also encouraged us to experiment with different color and texture, because after all, it is only makeup, and it all goes off at the end of the day anyway.
After I told James I always go for the "barely there nude look" with brown eyeliner and earth toned eyeshadow, he recommended me the London eyeliner (a matte grey), Paris eyeshadow duo (dark grey and a light shimmery grey), matched with The Multiple and Blush on the cheeks both in Orgasm (shimmery peach) and Belize lipgloss (shimmery pink). He finished the whole look within seconds and it is so simple that I am sure I would have no problem acheiving this look in the mornings. I am also glad that James encourages women, especially in Asia, to experiment with different color palettes to create different looks. The aesthetics in Asia are so stereotypical with emphasis often on dark smoky eyes, and cakey foundation. We often forget our natural beauty that is hidden behind all this overpowering makeup.
A big thanks to the NARS SAs Tiffany, Flora and Kelly for this wodnerful experience!


Tiffany and I



Cecilia, James, me, Tiffany