Chatter: Tom Ford

“It was like a divorce. I was bereft. But I have done a lot of work on myself and I am through it.”

-- Tom Ford on his departure from Gucci. 

Quickies: Kanye's Line, Rick Owens Sounds Off, Diesel Sale, +

Kanye West spent five months preparing four pieces of clothing for his Past Tell line, which could debut any second now. That's enough to convince Tim Blanks that Kanye is worthy of a life in fashion. [Flare] 

Rick Owens on working with youngsters: "Not to put young people down but I get portfolios and I get applications and C.V.s that have images and like collages and stuff. And what the fuck am I going to do with a collage? I know how to make a collage. I need old people who know how to make things." [Hint] 

Womenswear sales may have fallen 6%, but menswear sales are up! Even Tom Ford is doing ok. “Women move from brand to brand depending on who has done a particular trend," Ford explains. "Men go into a store and they will spend more money because they’ll buy for the whole season. They don’t look at shopping as a recreation the way women do.” [FT]

Andre Leon Talley mediated an audience Q&A with Valentino: The Last Emperor director Matt Tyrnauer. They talked about the man, the myth and, of course, the pugs. [The Cut] 

SALE ALERT: Diesel Black Friday! Save 30% on all merchandise at Diesel stores nationwide and online from April 17-19th. Now that's a stimulus package. [Diesel] 

Quickies: New York Fashion Week moves to Lincoln Center, Tom Ford shoots his new spring campaign and more

Photo: Getty Images

Say goodbye to Bryant Park (pictured) , NY Fashion Week. Beginning September 2019, The Tents will move to the Upper East Side to Lincoln Center. [WWD]

For his spring men's wear and eyewear campaign, Tom Ford not only art directed but also photographed it for the first time. The campaign features the label's signature male model (and Styelist favorite), Jon Kortajarena. [WWD]

You know who's really hurting in this economy? Models! The poor things aren't booking as many shows or are doing so at decreased rates. Boo! Hoo! [Reuters] 

Vincent Gallo is selling a $750 vinyl wallet on his website, vincentgallo.com. Of the money holder, called the "Lucky Buck Lucky [Bleep] Wallet," he says: "walking around with this wallet in your pants will open doors, garner respect, bring you good fortune, and get you laid. Guaranteed." We assume he's tested it. [Page Six] 

Who's cutting jobs now? Liz Claiborne by 750 (yikes) and Macy's by 7,000 (double yikes). [WWD]

Open for Business: Ermenegildo Zegna in Tokyo. 

Smell this: Tommy Summer by Tommy Hilfiger. 

-- SETH PLATTNER

Cure your economy blues with blues -- jeans that is

We learned yesterday that Tom Ford has a pair of $990 jeans for sale. Why so pricey? Pre-washed selvage Japanese denim, and 18-karat gold plated front button and pockets lined with fine silk -- that's why. While we'd gladly fall to our knees (in prayer) to try and get a pair, the economy and our meager editorial salaries sadly don't allow for such excess. Still though, we understand the importance of a great pair of jeans, even though typically "great" becomes synonymous with "expensive." 

Thankfully, times are a-changin' and, beyond the more affordable labels we know and love, some of our favorite designer denim brands have, to our homo-heart's content, introduced jean lines that come in at a lower price point but certainly don't sacrifice on style. 

 

Quickies: Neil Barrett teams with Herno, Rock & Republic slashes prices and more

Photo: Getty Images

Neil Barrett is getting down. Down jackets that is. He's joining forces with Herno, a high-end Italian sportswear specialist, to produce a co-branded capsule collection of eight down jackets called Neil Barrett for Herno.

First they cancel their runway show, now Rock & Republic is lowering its prices. Hey -- their loss, our gain. [WSJ]

Some of your fashion favorites share their New Year's resolutions. We like photographer Todd Selby's: "My New Year's resolution is I want to be able to touch my toes doing a forward bend." [Refinery 29]

Opening for Business: Tom Ford on Rodeo Drive.

-- SETH PLATTNER

Quickies: Michael Phelps Sports Illustrated Cover, Tom Ford does soap on a rope, and more

Dear God what happened to Michael Phelp's face on the cover of Sports Illustrated? Yowzers! [SI.com]

Tom Ford makes soap on a rope. It's $18, smells like his fragrance Tom Ford Man, and, yes, we're sure he'd be fine with you re-enacting a prison shower scene with it (check out the version he staged for Out for inspiration). [Haute Concept]

The Harry Winston boutique in Paris was robbed of $100 million worth of jewelry. The two men disguised as women were in and out in 15 minutes and are suspected to have been connected to someone inside. They knew secret hiding places for expensive jewels and called employees by name. It turns out this kind of stuff does actually happen outside of an Ocean's Eleven movie. [CNN]

New Yorkers, listen up: everyone's favorite vintage store, Housing Works, is selling vintage YSL. They’re hosting a cocktail party on Thursday, December 11th at their 23rd Street store featuring over 500 pieces of Yves Saint Laurent for purchase. So sip a cocktail and blow some cash. [Fashionista]

The RNC actually spent $180,000 on the Palin family wardrobe. Money well spent as far as we're concerned. [Politico]

-- SETH PLATTNER

Chatter: Tom Ford

"I hate the trend of short suit jackets. When a man’s butt is showing below the bottom of his jacket, I think it makes him look like a female flight attendant from the back -- not my idea of sexy."

-- Tom Ford weighs in on unsexy backs.

Chatter: Tom Ford

"I hope to have the eye to do it in such a way that I still look my age but maybe not have my neck swinging around when I go jogging."

-- Tom Ford discussing how he'll approach plastic surgery in a tasteful way.

Quickies: Tom Ford on set, Chanel making bank and more

Photo: Getty Images

Tom Ford has started shooting his new movie, A Single Man. Prancing around on set looking amazing with a bunch of shirtless guys looks like such hard work. [Fashionologie]

Karl Lagerfeld (pictured) designed specialty coins for France's Monnai de Paris. To celebrate the 125th anniversary of the birth of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, they're issuing, among others, a solid-gold coin with a face value of 5 euros, in reference to the house's iconic N°5 fragrance. At least somebody's making money. [Hint]

Marc Jacobs and bf Lorenzo Martone are all about the PDA. They were seen making out with each other at the the celebration dinner for the re-opening of the Mango store in SoHo. I guess if you can't do it at your own canceled holiday party you gotta take it somewhere else. We know we'd feel honored to have him lock lips at one of our parties. [NYP]

Open for business: Prada's London nightclub. Space 15 Twenty -- Urban Outfitters grand collaborative project on L.A.'s Cahuenga Corridor that includes not only Urban Outfitters, but also ALife and NYC vintage fave What Comes Around Goes Around.

-- SETH PLATTNER

Breaking Down Bond's Style: Accessories

Photo: Getty Images

In our mini-series dedicated to James Bond's spy style, we've looked at 007's khakis, his package in those khakis, and, of course, his tuxedo. The only thing left to finish off your espionage look? Accessories. Because no international agent is sartorially complete without the right underpinnings to polish everything off.

First up, watches. James Bond has been bolstering watches since the series began with Sean Connery, and while you'll usually find a Rolex or Omega on his wrist, you don't have to be nearly as exorbitant with your choice, but you will need at least two options. The first is your kick-ass watch -- ya know, the one you wear when you gotta rough someone up. It should be durable, heavy duty, but also classic. Multi-face is fine, but don't go overboard with gadgetry because, after all, you aren't solving any international mysteries (we think). For your evening watch, the one you wear with at tux, you want to switch to a leather band and keep the face as clean as possible, just like the tux.

Speaking of that tux, one of the most important accessories you'll need is cuff links. There is nothing sexier than a perfect pair of cuff links peeking out from under your tux jacket.  But, remember, less is more. No eight-balls or dice or other various wingdings that make you look like you're twelve. Just something sleek and understated, but not boring. It's always best to stick to the basic rules of composition: line, shape, texture, space, etc. And higher-end brands like Bottega Veneta down to basic department store labels make acceptable pairs.

Rounding at your Bond-age accessories are your shades, man. Being that the Bond franchise has basically started over, his style is back to classic, so aviators are your go-to sunglasses. You can never go wrong with a pair of Tom Ford plastic aviators, but, for Bond's on a budget, if you're doing everything else right with your look, any pair of knock-offs from H&M or some guy on the street will still look chic.

-- SETH PLATTNER