Chatter: Vivienne Westwood

"I just think people buy too many clothes, whether they love fashion or whether they just want 12 t-shirts, all different colors, and 12 pairs of jeans all the same. People look a mess because they're buying too many clothes; they're not thinking. If you do buy something new, if you've got the money to afford it, then buy a beautiful piece."

-- Vivienne Westwood on what she thinks is the biggest issue facing fashion today.

Quickies: The $8,250 LV skateboard, Thom Browne's Florentine favorites, and more

Photo: Getty Images

A $8,250 Louis Vuitton skateboard? Sure. Why not? They're part of the Stephen Sprouse collaboration and you can pick up yours today at the Louis Vuitton Soho store with proceeds benefiting the Free Arts NYC program. [The Cut]

Now that Thom Browne (pictured) is at Pitti Uomo with his new collection, he has some Florentine favorites. And he'd like to share them with you. How thoughtful. [WWD]

WWD is reporting that European Luxe brands are bracing for 2009 with a return to basics... but they're also reporting that Pitti Uomo is going to be rife "with new brands and a fresh, contemporary edge." Make up your minds already! [WWD] 

Vivienne Westwood wants to write the new Sex & the City movie. As long as it doesn't involve another Carrie/Big break-up-make-up, we're OK with that. [The Cut]

Remember those Henry Holland t-shirts we mentioned a while back cartoonishly depicting the fashion elite in compromising poses and outfits? Well there's now a lookbook for said tees, and Agyness Deyn is modeling them. Surprise surprise. [The Fashionisto]

Heads up on Manhattan's Lower East Side: Greg Armas now does custom. The man behind crowd favorite shop Assembly is rolling out handmade creations in collaboration with some of his favorite brands, including pieces with Mary Ping and leather accessories label Makr. [Refinery 29]

-- SETH PLATTNER

Quickies: Hedi Slimane to shoot full time? Plus Vivienne Westwood's album, Michael Phelps' personal style and more

Photo: Getty Images

Stab-us-in-the-heart rumors are swirling that Hedi Slimane may be signing with the Art + Commerce agency, which already represents photographers such as Craig McDean, Steven Meisel, and Solve Sundsbo. We love Slimane's photography, but we love his styling more, so let's hope this doesn't mean he's making a firm move to the former as his career of choice. [Fashionologie]

It's always fun to see what Vivienne Westwood sends down the runway, and the same goes for what will be on her new album! Though she's not recording her own tracks, she did conceptualize and curate a compilation album of songs, titled Catwalk Breakdown, that inspire her as a fashion designer. But is there a song that sheds light on why she used that ogre of a gypsy model at the men's shows? [British Vogue]

After donating his $1 million Speedo chech to his charity, Michael Phelps fielded some questions about his own personal style. He wears "jeans, polos, button-downs, nothing too fancy." Wow, shocker. Interestingly though, he cites D&G as a favorite designer and he uses Kiehl's lotion. Try and fool us all you want, Mr. Phelps, but I see the inner fashionista through that frat-boy veneer. [The Cut] via [WWD]

Gawker poses the are-you-kidding question of the month: Has ELLE, a fashion magazine, gotten too gay? Fashion?! Gay?! Never... (Full disclosure: they pay my bills, too.) [Gawker]

When the economy takes a hit, fashion usually does too, with safer looks and more traditional styles. But there are still a few labels out there who can keep the fashion avant-garde on their game this Fall. [NYT]

-- SETH PLATTNER

Sports + fashion, together forever

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A new exhibition at London's Victoria and Albert Museum examines the romance between sports and fashion and its resulting street chic offspring, the tracksuit. Featuring 60 outfits, drawings, photographs, and films that showcases design elements, advertising campaigns, and fashion collections, "Fashion V Sport" reveals the ways in which sportswear has sprinted from the gym to the runway.

"More and more we are seeing fashion brands getting involved in sports like the Olympics or Wimbledon or the U.S. Open," curator Ligaya Salazar told Reuters. 

The show is divided into sections entitled "Dare," "Display," "Play," "Desire," and involves designs from high end names like Prada, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, and Yohji Yamamoto, who have created looks for companies including Adidas, Reebok, Nike, and Puma. It also investigates the role of sports celebrities, like hunky poster boys David Beckham and Roger Federer, in popularizing fashion trends off the field.

"Fashion and sport share a long history, but close collaboration only began about 10 years ago after designers noticed ordinary people wearing sports gear outside the gym in emulation of the stars of the sports and entertainment worlds," Salazar said.

And here we were willing to give all the credit to Richard Simmons.

The exhibition runs through January 4th, 2009.

Chatter

“We live in an age where young people are flattered into believing that they can do anything that they want. It’s not true. You have to have an aptitude for something. A talent for it. But ability alone is not enough, there must also be discipline to achieve success. The only important discipline is self-discipline.”

-- Vivienne Westwood, as quoted in the Times UK, August 10, 2008

Bears on the runway!

Photo: Getty Images

A look from Vivienne Westwood's Spring/Summer 2009 collection. Clearly she has also been annoyed by designers casting underdeveloped boys in their shows of late. The short length is key and spot on, though the grill could use some attention -- maybe from the crew at the Eagle this weekend.

(See more shots from the runway show here.)

YSL Kicks off Paris Fashion Week With Video Runway Show; Weird Models Continue to Walk the Runways; Hedi Slimane back to Dior Homme?!; Taming That Back Hair; Smell This: La Perla's Hedo White; Wedges for Men (No!); Clutches (Yes!)

Photo: Getty Images

To our heart's dismay, Stefano Pilati kicked off Paris Fashion Week with a video runway show featuring Jack Houston for YSL's Spring 09' collection.  Yes, it's so avant garde, but how dare they deprive us of our models! [The Cut]

First Vivienne Westwood sent that bear of a man down the runway, then DSquared2 showed their collection with a noticeable absensce of white models, and now, in Yohji Yamamoto's Paris show, he used old men as models.  Yes, we may be losing eye candy at the hands of social commentary, but I think designers are finally starting to make statements about the lack of diversity in the fashion world. [The Cut]

Ok, keep it together when I tell you this, but, It is with great anticipation that I report that Dior Homme is reportedly trying to get Hedi Slimane back at their label. [Fashionista]

Just in time for a less humiliating summer is The Mangroomer, a foldable back hair remover.  Isn't that what boyfriends and best friends are for?  [Haute Concept]

La Perla has just release a new men's fragrance called Hedo White.  The fragrance notes include lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, pear, watermelon, ginger, cardamom, cypress, patchouli, musk, tonka bean and cedar. Hooray, lots of fruit for fruits!  [Now Smell This]

I can handle the belted waist for men (it looks surprisingly masculine), but the wedges Fendi showed in their men's show?  Your Stylelist will have to veto. [Time UK]

But he approves the classy leather clutches that showed in Milan and continue to come down runways in Paris.  [Fashionista]

Check back after the weekend for more on all the fashion mayhem in Paris!

-- SETH PLATTNER

Vivienne Westwood's Gypsy Models; Justin Timberlake for Givenchy; Joshn Harnett in Armani Diamonds; New BFFs: Anna Wintour and Gerard Butler; Michael Jackson's Clothing Line?; Beguiling Buttons; Milan Trend Alert: Torso Tattoos; Milan in Review;

A member of the Milan council is lashing out against Vivienne Westwood's use of Roma gypsies in her most recent fashion show, saying she is adhering to a "romantic"   image of the Roma that "no longer corresponds to reality."  Romantic?  Last time I was in Rome my cellphone was snatched off a table by one of these gypsie folk, so I say put them on the catwalks and keep them off the streets! [Telegraph UK]

Perhaps one of the most anticipated campaigns in the fragrance world, Justin Timberlake's shots for Givenchy are getting out there.  Gosh, he's just done so well getting that pensive model look down that says "I'm better than you."  [Just Jared]

In other fragrance campaign news, now that JT is flaunting Givenchy, Josh Harnett has now been completely forgotten in the Armani Diamonds for Men ad.  Shafted again. [Now Smell This]

With Roger Federer hammering his way through Wimbledon right now, Anna Wintour has been seen gallivanting throughout Milan with 300 hottie Gerard Butler.  She claims it's to attend a Men's Vogue event in honor of Butler and also to scout a location for a Vogue photo exhibit, but, even the nastiest of succubus need to get some.  Go on and getcha some! [Fashionologie]

Rumors have been flying, and now they are substantiated that Michael Jackson is working on a unisex clothing line (collective "oh no..." please).  Working with Christian Audigier, the designer said “It’s the merging of the King of Pop with the king of fashion. Something explosive is going to happen.” Yeah, something explosive like diarrhea. [The Cut] via [Off the Rack]

It's not too often that men consider the "stance" of their shirt buttons, but Jerry Seinfeld didn't mention "the second button" in the final episode of the series for nothing.  As he said, “it literally makes or breaks the shirt.” [NY Times]

One of the biggest trends coming from Milan during the men's fashion shows? Torso tattoos. Yes, it turns out designers like Vivienne Westwood, Etro and Giorgio Armani are inking the tightly toned and tan bellies of their runway models.  Ugh, back to the gym. [The Cut]

Masculinity was the name of the game for most of Milan's designer fashions, and, as the shows have wrapped up, the reviews are now pouring in.  Take notes, boys.  Here comes Paris. [NY Times]

-- SETH PLATTNER

Vivienne Westwood Paunches Up The Runway; Smell This: Zirh Ikon; Donatella Versace's Muse: Barrack Obama; Naomi Does Menswear; Rag & Bone Gets Control; The Lates Trends from Milan

Photo: Getty Images

We love Milan fashion week for the onslaught of gorgeous male models who strut the runway in amazing clothes (and sometimes barely any clothes at all), but Vivienne Westwood turned the stereotypical male model on its head when she sent a balding, middle-aged, beefy, daddy stomping down the catwalk (see photo).  Seriously, I think this guy is my plumber.  [The Cut]

Men's grooming brand Zirh is looking to go from cult classic to household name with the launch of their first fragrance, Ikon.  With a name like that, someone sure has high hopes for themselves. [WWD]

U.S. politics continue their sweep of the world as Donatella Versace dedicates her Spring 09' men's line to Barrack Obama, saying her collection is for "a relaxed man who doesn't need to flex muscles to show he has power." But Miss Versace sure has to flex her marginal world knowledge to show she's not a complete moron. [The Canadian Press]

Naomi Campbell, fresh off her trial for that little incident at Heathrow, walked in Dolce & Gabbana's sleepwear inspired men's Spring 09' runway show.  Nice to see the boys at D&G making an appeal to the transgendered/sexual community. [British Vogue]

Rag & Bone have teased a holiday collection to debut in October that is inspired by the Ian Curtis biopic, Control.  Soon thereafter, they've promised a Manhattan retail location to display looks that delve deeper into the late-seventies and early-eighties U.K. music scene. "Mods, punks, rude boys, suedeheads—they all took their looks very seriously," says codesigner Marcus Wainwright.  And we will also be taking their looks very seriously. [Material Interest]   

The most, er, notable? trends for Spring 09 from Milan?  Pajamas and, yes, cinched waists.  Androgyny continues. [Fashionista (2)]

-- SETH PLATTNER