Signposts

• I’ve heard a bit about Fashion’s Night Out, as organised by Vogue, but I didn’t really understand what it was. So in the spirit of investigative journalism, I have tried to pry information out of the weirdly tight-lipped website and I’ve decided it is actually quite cool as there is a high chance of freebies: there are many, many events going on at various shops and department stores, which you can check the long list of here. There’s Luella, Kurt Geiger, Cos, Zara…the challenge now is to find what exactly each is doing. You can click on your favourite shop and if you’re lucky, there will be a little blurb about what’s going on there on the night. Kurt Geiger has champagne, discounts and prizes, for example.

• There’s an all-black coverful of models on the coming issue of iD. This may persuade me to buy it after many fails in the fashion/art magazine department, because a lot of magazine still wouldn’t be brave enough to try something like this – there’s a lot of rumour and mythology about what and what doesn’t make for a high-selling cover and I suspect black models miss out because they’re not considered mainstream enough. I’ll probably not enjoy it but I keep getting lured into buying these art/fashion magazines against my will.

S

Fashion nouveaux

Chloe Fall 2004, courtesy Style.com

1) Phoebe Philo coming back. Hadley Freeman over at the Guardian interviews her on her new gig designing for French house Celine. As pointed out in the article, it’s worth being excited about a Philo return even for those of us who can’t afford or have no inclination to buy designer clothes. Someone has to influence the highstreet and for most of the 2000s it was Philo. I loved Chloe under her, really desired her designs, and the styles made a definite impact on what was available to buy on the high street. I think shops like H&M in particular are crying out for something new and interesting to rip off because I never even go in there anymore.

It sounds like she will be catering to a slightly older demographic than the Chloe girl of the early 00s, which was all fresh faces and pretty spring frocks. She says, “There is absolutely a gap in the market for thirtysomething women and, the more I look at it, the more I feel there needs to be a sense of ease and choice. My favourite eras for styles are still the 70s and 40s, and there will be a few iconic pieces to build the wardrobe around, like there were at Chloé, but I want there to be a feel of mix-and-match. I don’t believe in making fashion difficult.” 

2) Teen Vogue PARIS! I love Teen Vogue US and as I think I’ve already mentioned elsewhere, I find American magazines incredibly materialist and stifling, as if young American girls have hardly moved on from the stereotype of the cheerleader and the preppy rich girl, which I’m sure doesn’t apply so strictly in real life. So based on complex fashion mathematics, a Teen Vogue Paris is going be a really satisfying guilty please. I hope they don’t make it too moody. French Vogue tends to feature a lot of simple black outfits. Come on Teen Vogue UK!

Courtesy popsugar.com

3) Speaking of Vogue and teenagers, London girl Pixie Geldof is on the cover of this month’s Vogue Italia, pictured left. Blogger reactions so far range from dismay to outrage.

S

Cheryl Cole and Coco Chanel

Two women, somewhat different outlooks. A pictorial roundup.

1. Cheryl Cole’s Vogue cover. Fail.

I am a fan of both Cheryl and British Vogue, which as A points out, it is far more enjoyable than the US version, which seems mainly aimed at women who like collecting endless Giorgio Armani cable-knit jumpers, although they do feature a lot of British designers. Teen Vogue is where all the fun is to be had in the US.

Having said that, this British Vogue is kind of bizarre: Cheryl, yes, excellent, but I can live happily outside the “world and life of Samantha Cameron”. Mainly this cover seems like a waste of an opportunity. Vogue rarely features populist clothes horses and I thought they would either make Cheryl look super-pretty or edgy in some way, just to have some fun with her public persona. She looks fine but I had hoped for more from the art direction – a huge couture gown with a stuffed raven headpiece or something. Perhaps the shoot inside will be more exciting. At any rate, I expect this issue of Vogue to be a big seller.

 

2. Audrey Tautou as Coco Chanel. I can’t wait for this film. The tailoring; the hat; the severe facial expression (“sew, mes petite filles, sew!”) I predict that after seeing it I will be trying to transform my flat into a rococo Parisian salon and nibbling on macaroons with my cafe au lait.

S

The Rumour Round Up

There were a few rumours doing the rounds late last year and the start of a new year seems the perfect opportunity to think about whether or not they might be true.

i) Christina Aguilera to design for Topshop; I am pro even if it is just

Christina on a rare casual day

 to see what it might look like. As with all popstrels, Xtina’s image is always changing, but unlike other popstrels, I like to think she has at least a little control over The Xtina Look. I hope it is more Fighter than Genie in A Bottle though.

ii) Anne Wintour to leave American Vogue; she is no doubt a fashion legend, but does anyone else think American Vogue is only so-so, especially compared to the British mags? That said, I rewatched The Devil Wears Prada at the weekend and where would that film be without Anna Wintour?!

This dress was the beginning of a very British love affair

 

iii) Cheryl Cole to design for Topshop; First, the Vogue cover and now THIS? She is a national sweetheart but is that enough for the clothes to be any good? I guess, whatever happens, they will sell like hot cakes and we can be thankful that Topshop will stay afloat *phew*

 

A

Rumour mill

Today’s biggest whisper is that Anne Wintour may be retiring (excuse the bold but this is big), sooner rather than later. I admire her even though I am not a huge fan of US Vogue – she’s sustained it’s popularity by sheer force of character and that’s something you have to acknowledge as a skill.

In other news, Eley Kishimoto, of fabulous print designing fame, are the latest to get the push from a big house after they have been let go from Cacharel after just one year. A lot of younger designers trying to fill founders’ shoes have fallen by the wayside in the past season, e.g. Marco Zanini, who designed for the relaunched Halston for one short season.

Cheryl Cole Vogue cover?

Cheryl in PPQ

Apparently Cheryl Cole is lined up for a Vogue UK cover. Heat’s source says it will be the February or March issue. No one from Vogue has confirmed it yet.

Cheryl is the prettiest girl in the whole world (S WILL NOT BROOK ANY ARGUMENT ON THIS TOPIC) so of course it makes sense to stick her on Vogue now that’s she’s apparently the nation’s sweetheart etc. I am intrigued as to what they will put her in: gossamer ballgowns? Challenging new designers? The only good bet is it won’t bear any resemblance to her Girls Aloud styling.

It’s interesting how Cheryl has suddenly become so popular. It’s not just the exposure. She has hit on something that happens to a starlet but once in their careers – she looks perfect for now, in a way Mischa Barton used to. Her gorgeous hair and lovely face fill me with both envy and affection. I think we were ready for some glossiness and for someone to show us how to be sexy and dressed-up after a few years of super-relaxed Kate Moss style.

S