+ let's play another game of musical chairs!

 Giles Deacon (image courtesy of indyposted.com)

  Olivier Theyskens (image courtesy of honeymag.com)

 Christophe Lemaire (image courtesy of sofeminine.co.uk)

 Sarah Burton (image courtesy of smh.com.au)

This past week has been an interesting week for certain fashion houses who named new creative directors. The first of many announcements came on Tuesday when the struggling Parisian fashion house of Emanuel Ungaro named British designer Giles Deacon as its new designer, replacing the failed duo of Estrella Archs and "creative advisor" Lindsay Lohan who were named for the same post less than a year ago. The annoucement has been well received since his namesake line has devoted followers like Kylie Minogue and Daphne Guinness, so this could be the morale boost the fashion house needs. Deacon will present his first collection with Ungaro this October for Spring 2011.

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Fans of haute couture extraordinaire designer Olivier Theyskens will be happy to know that he has just announced his collaboration with Theory for a capsule collection that will feature his signature aesthetics for Spring 2011. No other details were released on the collection, so we will await to see what is in store for Theory.

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One major announcement that rocked the fashion world though was the exit of Jean Paul Gaultier out of Hermès after seven years of breathing new life on the womenswear side of the fashion house, which is favored by the old money set. Gaultier's post will be filled oddly enough by Christophe Lemaire, who is the creative director of Lacoste. So why did Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the general artistic director of Hermès, make such an unconventional choice? Because Hermès is one of the few fashion houses in existence that is family-run, and does not need to answer to any stockholders and investors. In additon to this, Dumas wanted to take Hermès into a new direction - chic sportswear that serves a function, which he says was part of the Hermès heritage in the 1920s. Gaultier and his predecessor, Martin Margiela took Hermès into an avant garde direction with pieces that incorporated fine tailoring. Gaultier will present his last collection for Hermès this October for Spring 2011, and Lemaire's collection will debut in March for Fall 2011. It should be interesting to see how he combines functionality and luxury in his collections with the brand.

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A few months back we reported that rumours were going around that Gareth Pugh would become the creative director of Alexander McQueen. All those rumours have been silenced since Gucci Group announced yesterday that McQueen's new creative director would be Sarah Burton, a veteran at Alexander McQueen's design studio who started working for him back in 1996 when she was still a student at the Central Saint Martins school in London. Burton was McQueen's first assistant up to his death, and always had an intimate relationship with the brand, including working closely with pattern makers and technical people who produced work for the brand. This is very encouraging since Burton proves to be qualified by her intimate knowledge of the brand's heritage and craftsmanship. We await to see what her work will look like for the Spring 2011 collection!

+ work!

(images courtesy of livelyindeptmusicent.com)

Ciara not only has a hot video on air now called "Ride," she also has an new LP coming out soon and she is also going to be in an editorial spread in the upcoming July edition of Vogue Paris. The R&B singer, who is also a Wilhelmina model, has lost some extra weight and it seems like her work paid off now that Carine Roitfeld took notice of her. The editorial spread was shot in black and white by the photography duo of Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. The extra bonus was that the shoot was styled by Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy. We must say kudos to her for her stylistic evolution. Like one of her videos is titled, we say "work!"

+ one chop.

 (images courtesy of thefrisky.com)

British gothic avant garde designer Gareth Pugh has come out with an unconventional ring that is shaped like a scythe. A scythe is a sharp tool used by farmers to cut grass, and can do a lot of damage. This gunmetal ring can also do a lot of damage, if that is what you need it for. The ring is meant to be worn between the fingers. The ring is £95 (about $137) and can be found online here.

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This ring is perfect for a gay men in dangerous situations, and women who feel like they are being preyed on. Now you can be like Bon Qui Qui from Mad TV and say "Girl, I will cut YOU!"

+ bang bang.

(image courtesy of stylelist.com)

If you like the idea that sex sells then you will definitely like Marc Jacobs and his chiseled body in the ads of his new men's fragrance "Bang." Marc once again teamed up with Juergen Teller to shoot the ad in a background of mylar paper with Jacobs's oiled up body capturing all the attention only to have his manly bits covered by the jagged fragrance bottle. Jacobs came with the name "Bang" one day at the gym when he thought about the "sexual connotations and the immediacy of the word." The fragrance will have top notes of peppercorns, a heart of deep masculine woods, and a drydown of patchouli, vetiver, and white moss. The fragrance will debut at Bloomingdale's and all Marc Jacobs boutiques on July 30th. The 1.7 oz bottle will retail for $55, and the 3.4 oz bottle will sell for $75. There will also be a kit with the fragrance that will include an aftershave balm, hair and body wash, and deodorant.

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The ad campaign will be specifically tailored to the different sensibilities of the target markets - the American Midwestern states will see an ad with Jacobs from the shoulders up holding the fragrance bottle, while ads in the Middle East will just feature the fragrance bottle. Print ads will appear in September publications of various magazines. Our hope is that this fragrance does not become the signature fragrance for many Chelsea girls.

+ shopping paradise.

This past week Joshua won a contest from Stylecaster for Hautelook and DecadesTwo's sale for outfits inspired by the upcoming Sex and the City 2 movie. Jorge also came along with him and these are the things that we encountered when we arrived to the loft where the sale took place on a warm Friday afternoon. There were not too many avant garde piece left when we arrived since the night before many important people came by for an intimate shopping event and took such pieces from designers like Balmain and Rick Owens. We were lucky though to find a few lovely pieces like the gold-embellished vest from Dries Van Noten, a sequined vest from Vera Wang, raw denim jeans from Balmain, and a lightweight asymmetrical jacket from Rick Owens. The intimate sale also had pieces based on the Sex and the City characters: many Chanel tweed blazers inspired by Charlotte, colorful handbags and dresses from Gucci and Prada for Samantha Jones's taste, and some black blazers from Yves Saint Laurent for Miranda. Carrie's type of items were the ones that were mostly sold out by the time we arrived. We would like to thank the folks from Stylecaster, Hautelook, and Decadestwo for their time and patience in taking care of us!

+minimalist aesthetics with a hint of navy.

(images courtesy of refinery29.com)

If you are a minimal aesthete who adores making fashion statements in pieces from Helmut Lang and Raf Simons, you will love Jil Sander's new capsule collection named Jil Sander Navy. The line will be carried right alongside to the more expensive Jil Sander at Barney's, which is a statement in itself. Expect the same boxy dresses, trench coats, and shirt-dresses that are typical of the higher end line in Jil Sander, but with a brighter palette of colors, and very little navy. The materials in this collection are also very intricate, like cotton voile, micro twill, and techno gabardine. The prices will start at around $125 and cap at $1000, and this pre-spring 2011 collection will not hit Barney's until December of this year. The line is being more targeted to the American and Japanese markets, where Jil Sander sales have gone up in the last year.

+ the british are coming!

 

(selected styles courtesy of www.us.allsaints.com)

The Brits are coming this year again to SoHo, this time with the opening of a new high street shop called AllSaints Spitalfields. The store's location is on 512 Broadway between Spring Street and Broome Street, which also happens to be the same block where Topshop, another British fashion export, is located. Up till now the brand only had an American presence in Bloomingdale's, and it also opened boutiques in Los Angeles and Miami last year. The brand's iconic punk/rock n' roll chic outfits will now be available for the stylish New Yorker to splurge on beginning May 20th. The boutique is reported to have in its interior decorations vintage Singer sewing machines from the Chatham dockyards of London and searchlights recovered from the Suez Canal, all which is an ode to British industrial and naval history. AllSaints derives its name from a famous 1960s British television icon nicknamed "the Saint," and also for the famous All Saints Road in the Notting Hill district of London. The brand started as a menswear line in 1994, and expanded to womenswear in 1998. In the United Kingdom they have enjoyed wide success from collaborations with some musicians such as U2, Robbie Williams, and Kelis on some collections.

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The footwear does not go above $250, and the average price for a leather jacket is $500. Handbags for men and women start at $40 and do not go above $250. Kudos to the people from AllSaints Spitalfields for finally gracing their presence in the New York fashion scene. We look forward to more from this brand!

- i'm not myself (again).

(images courtesy of out.com)

  Christina Aguilera in Versace Spring/Summer 2003 ad. (image courtesy of aguileraworld.com)

Do we smell a poseur? Pop style-biter songstress Christina Aguilera is on the cover for June's edition of Out Magazine. The photography was done by the very accomplished Ellen von Unwerth. The editorial spread is a regurgitation of Lady Gaga's style, but interestingly enough the interview is where the question of journalist bias comes in when allegedly she gets catty when asked about her opinion of the avant-garde Gaga. She is quoted saying "Oh, the newcomer? I think she is fun to look at." Ouch! Even the slogan on the cover of Out Magazine is stolen from Lady Gaga. The front cover reads "Christina Aguilera Reclaims the Fame" (Lady Gaga has used the words "the fame" many times in her album.) Among other things Christina chats about is about her musical collaborations for her upcoming album, Bionic, with Linda Perry, Sia, and Goldfrapp, as well as her upcoming film debut in "Burlesque" which will feature her alongside Stanley Tucci and Cher.To read the entire interview you can go here.

While the article seems to be written by a queer writer in an acerbic tone, he does give praise to Aguilera's voice. The sad reality to Aguilera's career though is that she has always been "keeping up with the Joneses." In her early career, she was always under the shadow of Britney Spears, and now that she had come out of hiding, she is trying to reclaim her place in the sun. This time however the Queen Bee is Lady Gaga. It would be nice if Xtina could just get her own style, and just be herself again. She looked stylish and comfortable in her own skin in 2003 when she was the face of Versace's Spring/Summer 2003 ad campaigns.

+ men, show a little skin.

men.

+ oak black label 

black net poncho

$178

+ wrath arcane 

grey concept shoe

$134

+ cmrtyz 
white mondo shredder tee
$110

for these looks, click here.

+ krossover kouture.

(images courtesy of kls.com)

Kimora Lee-Simmons is quite the entrepreneur these days. She has a reality television show, "Life in the Fab Lane," She is the creative director for Baby Phat, and now is launching a youthful, trendy line for 'tweens called "Kouture by Kimora." The line will be sold in Macy's and is meant to have a broad appeal to all girls regardless of race or ethnicity. The line is also going to be affordable, keeping in mind that the average tween does not have much disposable income. She said that the line will feature jeans priced as low as $19.99, and cocktail dresses as low as $39.99. Kudos to Kimora for being a great entrepreneur, who understands also that looking good and stylish should NOT be expensive!

+ white space.

interior.

+ Fluye Studio

The undetected ceramics are fully integrated in space and boasts storage capacity within them.  This storage area is barely visible and looks like it could possibly be the bathroom of Maison Martin Margiela.

+ money talks.

(Armani Dubai Hotel image courtesy of goburjkhalifa.com)

( Harrods London image courtesy of timesonline.co.uk)

News came recently that Giorgio Armani opened up a luxury hotel in the Burj-al-Khalifa towers located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The towers are known for being currently the tallest buildings in the world.This opening came just as news has been emerging of the emirate's debt crisis, but Armani plans to help the local economy with the opening of his hotel which will feature his trademark minimalist aesthetics. The hotel is said to be decorated in beige and other earth tones, which is very much unlike the rest of Dubai, which is like the flamboyant Las Vegas of the Middle East. The prices of a standard room is worth 4,000 dirhams (approximately $1,089) per night. A luxury suite on the other hand, will go for 40,000 dirhams (around $146,800) a night. If you do not carry an American Express Black card you might as well say your money is not welcome.

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Dubai is not the only emirate in the news lately; the Royal Family Qatar made news in London recently when they brought out Harrods of London from Mohamed Al-Fayed, who decided to retire after running the department store for 25 years. Qatar Holding, the investment firm that is owned by the Royal Family of Qatar, brought the store for £1.5 billion. Al-Fayed believes that the new owners will handle well the business as long as they understand that Harrods is a cherished treasure to the British people, and also an asset to tourism in London.

+ style sightings 2010.05.15

+ Gia looks fabulous in a Swarovski crystal scarf paired with a vintage distressed DIY v-neck and a Rony Kobo striped skirt.  It doesn't end here; she wears the Alexander Wang Abbey high heel sandals in Tobacco and Black perfectly.  Distressed is all the rage for 2010.

+ follow Gia on twitter:

 http://twitter.com/Shopthefarout

+ a sandal made for a warrior.

+ Pixie Market

(image courtesy of pixiemarket.com)

+ So I must say, I'm in love with these.  Usually I'm not a fan of color but with these, it’s so necessary.  What a marvelous pair of Aztec inspired sandals for those muggy summer days or even the humid nights in New York.  Priced reasonably at $128, this industry flat lace up sandal with tribal faux lizard texture is a must have for the summer.

- when art and its message gets lost.

 (images courtesy of fashionologie.com)

About a week ago j + j featured the upcoming Interview Magazine because of Madonna making the cover and being photographed with crosses. Little did we know we would feature this magazine again for controversy - one involving race. The editorial pages of this magazine feature images for a spread called "Let's Get Lost," photographed by Mikael Janssen. The photos feature Daria Werbowy (a white model) who is juxtaposed over some black male models, eliciting the age old stereotypes of "jungle fever" and adding fuel to the stereotype that black men take white women and take sexual advantage of them. To begin with, this concept of having a belle blonde enter an exotic world of brown-skinned men and women is cliche. Another gripe we have with this editorial spread is that Daria Werbowy's outfits stand out from the other models. Why is it that all the other models are wearing outfits that look raggedy? Did they hire these black models only to use them as props, just like furniture? It seems as if they are just a supporting cast that only serve to illuminate Daria only. The whole editorial has heavy sexual undertones that only make black people look hypersexual.

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This lowbrow incident from Interview Magazine is unexpected and disappointing from a magazine which has produced memorable publications. People in the fashion industry have an ethical obligation to take sensitivites of this kind into account and remember that some wounds take longer to heal. Some in fact have been told from their parents of cases where lynchings occurred because of these stereotypes. If you have not heard about what happened to Emmett Till in 1955, then you do not understand why we still make a big deal about this.

+ short shorts.

(image courtesy of hanneli.com)

+ Hanneli Mustaparta shows us how to wear short leather shorts for the summer. The shorts and and black lace up boots are from Guilty Brotherhood paired with a simple white Alexander Wang bra and a oversized denim button up shirt from Ralph Lauren, add black leggings and vintage rings, and well, you have yourself a recipe for success.