Features — Page 48

Fashion Reverie’s Top Stories of 2015

December 31, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of fashiontimes.com, elle.com, and Henny Garfunkel, respectively

2015 was a year of shifts, new beginnings, promotions, and of course, controversy. From all the shakeup at Lanvin to Ines di Santo expanding into ready-to-wear to Misty Copeland’s promotion at American Ballet Theater, for those who love drama and excitement, 2015 did not disappoint.

Fashion Reverie was right there, bringing all the updates, feature stories, and in-depth coverage of all the important fashion stories of 2015. 2016 promises to be just as vibrant, mercurial, and ground shaking as 2015. Remember, this is the fashion industry, where change is always the order of the day.

Still, you cannot look forward without looking back. And in reflection of 2015, Fashion Reverie has listed its top stories.

Image courtesy of vogue.com

1) Shifts, re-direction, and change are constants in the fashion industry. However one of the most unexpected changes in 2015 was the exit of Alber Elbaz as creative director from the House of Lanvin. Hired by Taiwanese media magnate, Shaw-Lan Wang for the House of Lanvin in October 2001, Elbaz single handedly turned the esteemed French fashion house around. So, it was a surprise to the fashion world that in October of 2015, Elbaz was let go from his post after 14 years of superior work. Lanvin employees were so outraged that they took their anger over Elbaz’s dismissal to a French court. fashionreverie.com/?p=14299

Image courtesy of the Anderson Group

2) Fashion lovers adore a good fashion documentary. And fashion documentaries don’t get much better than Vlad Yudin’s “Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer.” Fashion Reverie was given the very unique opportunity to interview Vlad Yudin about this seminal work. fashionreverie.com/?p=14323

Image courtesy of ilovefashionretail.com

3) It had been rumored for a few years that Donna Karan would step down as creative director of her eponymous fashion brand. Well, it finally happened in June of 2015. fashionreverie.com/?p=13105

Image courtesy of Gene Schiavone

4) Ballet lovers have been waiting for years for Misty Copeland’s promotion to principal dancer at American Ballet Theater. After her debut performance as Odette/Odile in “Swan Lake” at the Metropolitan Opera House this past summer, Copeland was promoted to principal dancer, making her the first African American principal ballerina at ABT. Fashion Reverie’s Editor-at-Large, Karyn Collins reviewed Misty’s debut performance in “Swan Lake” for the publication. fashionreverie.com/?p=13092

Asaf Ganot spring 2016 images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

5) The inaugural season of New York Fashion Week: Men’s (NYFWM) debuted in NYC this past July. And Fashion Reverie provided detailed coverage of this historic fashion season. It’s about time menswear designers got their own fashion week!! fashionreverie.com/?p=13149

Image courtesy of parfumdepub.com

6) Though they share the same last name, our Editor-in-Chief, William S. Gooch, and novelist Brad Gooch are not related. Coincidentally, Brad Gooch in April released his memoir, “Smash Cut,” which details his life as a fashion model in the late 70s and early 80s, as well as his life with the late filmmaker Howard Bruckner. Fashion Reverie, again, was given the opportunity to interview Gooch about his life, the book and what the world of male modeling was like at that time.fashionreverie.com/?p=12687

Image courtesy of fashionbombdaily.com

7) Kanye West spurs lots of controversy. However, the controversy surrounding Kanye, the scheduling of his fashion show during NYFW: The Shows, and designer Anne Bowen was unmerited. Fashion Reverie penned it “much ado about nothing.” True to form, we gave our readers the real down low about this yellow journalistic attempt to ride the Kanye train!! fashionreverie.com/?p=13817

Images courtesy of Deborah Hughes, Inc.

8) Everyone loves Ines Di Santo’s couture-like bridal gowns. And after three decades in the bridal industry, Di Santo has taken the plunge into the ready-to-wear market. Her ready-to-wear collection is now in Bergdorfs. Fashion Reverie brought it readers that story. Much thanks Deborah Hughes!! fashionreverie.com/?p=12409

9) Though it was a late breaking story toward the end of 2015, the fashion world was so pleased that Ralph Rucci is back on the fashion calendar for the fall 2016 collections. Though there were not a lot of details about his impending show, Fashion Reverie still brought you the announcement!! fashionreverie.com/?p=14934

Image courtesy of starbuzz.com

10) The fashion world mourned the death of Arnold Scaasi on August 3. Fashion Reverie published a fashion flashback detailing highlights of this iconic designer. fashionreverie.com/?p=13627

Image courtesy of tumblr.com

11) The closing of the iconic Patricia Fields’ store has saddened us all!! But, as we all know, there is a season for everything. Good Luck in your next venture, Pat!! fashionreverie.com/?p=14753

Image courtesy of Stetson

12) Stetson celebrated its 150^th anniversary. No other fashion brand conjures up images of the American Frontier West with style, panache, and market sustainability better than Stetson. fashionreverie.com/?p=13637

Image courtesy of fashionmag.com

13) Elio Fiorucci transitioned this year. And true to form, Fashion Reverie published a fashion flashback on the designer and the Fiorucci brand’s style that was popular in the late 70s through the 1980s. fashionreverie.com/?p=13481

Images of VASSA fall 2015 courtesy of VASSA

14) At Fashion Reverie we always attempt to bring you comprehensive, current fashion stories from around the world. And our feature story on Russian fashion brand Vassa into the American market was a great find for us. Thanks Brian Cahill!! fashionreverie.com/?p=14782

15) Jennifer Lopez has been a fashion icon for decades. At 46 she looks better than ever. The 2015 American Music Awards was the perfect awards ceremony for her to prove that age aint nothing but a number. And the ten fabulous outfits she wore also helped. fashionreverie.com/?p=14626

—Staff

Happy Holidays 2015

December 23, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Fashion Reverie would like to wish happy holidays to all our online viewers, and fashion PR firms, designers, brands, model management companies and other industry professionals that have worked so diligently with us in 2015.

2015 has been an incredible year of change in the fashion industry. From Donna Karan stepping down from her iconic brand to Alber Elbaz being eased out of Lanvin to Kendall Jenner, Lucky Blue Smith, and Gigi Hadid using their social media proliferation to become the new “It” supermodels of 2015 to the shuttering of Lucky and Details magazines.

Though nothing in fashion stays the same for long, Fashion Reverie continues to bring its readers detailed coverage of all the happenings in the fashion industry. Fashion Reverie wishes that your dreams came true in 2015 and that 2016 will be a prosperous year for you. Again, Happy Holidays!!

—Staff

Fashion Reverie Exclusive: VASSA, A New Kind of Russian Fashion

December 8, 2015 by admin 1 Comment

If you are not embedded in the fashion industry you might be unaware of the innovative and fashion-forward collections coming out of Russia. Did I say, Russia, the land of samovars, Tatars, Putin, the Bolshoi Ballet, and St. Basil’s Cathedral? Yes, I did. Gone are the days of nervous Russian women who don boxy clothes from another decade—if you are old enough, you will remember Mrs. Khrushchev.

Still, Russian fashion has extended beyond the gaudy, over bedazzled fashion worn by some Russian émigrés a decade or two ago. (Remember, the reality show “Russian Dolls” with its label-obsessed, Russian fashionistas with way too much face paint and a lot of décolletage exposure.)

VASSA Fall 2015

Erase those images out of your mind. There is a more accurate fashion persona that mirrors how chic and sophisticated Russian women dress. Don’t forget IMG has had presented fashion weeks in Russian for several seasons. And the list of Russian designers—Julia Paskal, Maria Bekh, Julia and Alisa Ruban, and Ulyana Sergeenko, just to name a few— that are making a global impact is wide and extensive,

At the epicenter of this emerging Russian fashion phenomenon is VASSA. The name Vassa is an old Ukrainian name that denotes royalty—think Czar, Grand Duke, etc. For over 15 years VASSA has established itself as an international brand with a clear focus of marrying fashion with Modern Art. The brand now boasts 30 stores in Russia and the Ukraine.

With collections that have been inspired by Andy Warhol, Man Ray, Mondrian, and the photography of Helmut Newton, the brand’s oeuvre of re-interpreting primitivism, minimalism, pop art, and Russian constructivism through the lens of fashion-forward designs has set this brand apart from most of the current crop of Russian designers who have a global presence. And this incredible union of art and fashion is most evident in the brand’s spring 2016 collection.

VASSA Spring 2016

The inspiration for spring 2016 was drawn from Russian Constructivism and Sub-Primitivism. The colors are very important and reference Mondrian. Constructivism was very big in Russian art in the 20^th Century. I got the idea of the silhouette and some details from Constructivism; however, the color palette is from the colors seen in Mondrian paintings. …. Also, I love to use black and white neutrals, which are my favorite graphic colors. That said; for spring 2016 I was moved to go beyond neutrals and include more primary colors,” detailed VASSA’s creative director.

The bold rich color palette that incorporates cobalt blue, red, yellow, neutral tones, and some graphic prints are exquisitely combined with interesting asymmetrical shapes and silhouettes, all funneled through a prism of minimalistic modernity. “Again, I was strongly influenced by Russian Primitivism and that geometrical projection expresses the balance and imbalance of individuality in style that is also trending right now. Though there is the juxtaposition of symmetry and asymmetry, the garments are very wearable achieve that delicate balance between the opposing perspectives.”

VASSA also understands the Russian women’s scope and perspective on life in the post-Soviet years has changed dramatically. And the brand reflects this ever-evolving lifestyle direction and focus. “The Russian woman of the 21^st Century is timeless, elegant, spiritual and international, a direct contrast to the Russian woman of just a few decades ago that was provincial and usually not very traveled. Now, the Russia woman absorbs world cultures and her creativity and international perspective is reflected in her wardrobe.”

VASSA Black Square Collection

And that Russian women, as well as women internationally, are primed to embrace VASSA spring 2016 collection for its sensitivity to needs of the international consumer pricewise, as well as the clothes daily functionality. “Because of that delicate balance of proportion, symmetry, asymmetry, and design in this collection, a woman doesn’t have to have a perfect figure or look like a supermodel to wear these clothes. The emphasis in this collection is on the beauty of the cut and the linear construction. While some pieces are classic, the asymmetry of other pieces gives length to the body and is form enhancing … The construction of these garments allows the consumer to wear these pieces in a variety of different ways. There are removable elements in many of the pieces with some detachable and attachable elements like removable belts and collars and other details that facilitate a variety of ways to wear and layer many pieces throughout the day.”

Still, the core of the VASSA brand aesthetic is the marriage of Modern Art and fashion. And where some fashion brands that attempt to enter the US market mirror sportswear, and high-fashion collections that have been reproduced ad nauseam, VASSA strong aesthetic places the brand in a class by itself. “When I come to visit New York City one of the first things I do is go to the MOMA. I love to look at Picasso and I get very inspired and those inspirations end up in my collections. And you find that each season we have one motif and that motif will carry throughout the collection like in my “Black Square” collection from a few seasons ago … I emphasize simple, minimalism but strong silhouettes with minimal details mostly on black and white with a touch of color.”

Images courtesy of VASSA

Boxy clothes via Mrs. Khrushchev indeed!! VASSA is sold in its own stores in Russia and the Ukraine, stores in Berlin, Geneva, and specialty boutiques in New York and California. For more information, go to vassa.com.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion Reverie Spotlight: Moschino x Super Mario Brothers and Versace Spring 2016 Campaign

December 4, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of Steven Klein/lesfacons.com

Inspired by the urban warrior, Donatella Versace injected lots of camouflage and army fatigues in wide array of colors into the Versace spring 2016 collection. Donatella’s woman is a world traveler who has a need to be comfortable with a flexible wardrobe because of her constant travels. In the words of Donna Summer, “she’s a wanderer,” but a chic, sophisticated wanderer.

This rather sporty collection proves that Donatella can design collections that go beyond the sexy, chic modernism she has become famous for. And that stylish sporty aesthetic is ever present in the Versace spring 2016 campaign that features Gigi Hadid, Natasha Poly, and Raquel Zimmerman. “This is the Versace woman today, an individual who is proud of her own character. I love Gigi, Raquel, and Natasha and everything they stand for,” explained Donatella.

Image courtesy of Steven Klein/lesfacons.com

Steven Klein photographed the Versace spring 2016 campaigns, making this the first time Klein has shot advertisements for Versace. The vivid, strong or earthy tones of the clothes and accessories contrast with the location of the shoot, the Salt Flats of California, under a clear blue sky. And the inconspicuous muscled man in the background is martial arts expert Lukasz Grabowski.

Designer/Fashion Brand collaborations are all the rage. From Adidas collaborating with Kanye West and Jeremy Scott to Izzy Azalea x Steve Madden to all the H&M collaborations, a celebrity collaboration or mega store collaborating with famous design house can translate into big bucks for the brand with the collaborations selling out same day. Remember Target’s collaboration with Lilly Pulitzer!!

Images courtesy of Luigi and Iango/lesfacons.com

That said; “the People’s Designer,” Jeremy Scott of Moschino collaborates with Super Mario Brothers for their 30-year anniversary. Wow, Super Mario Brothers hits 30!!

The ‘Super Moschino’ project, conceived by Moschino in collaboration with Nintendo includes printed t-shirts and knitted sweaters, characterized by the graphic of the video games hero, along with a series of colorful bags and accessories in leather, ranging from backpacks to bucket bags, and from wallets to belts—all personalized with images of Luigi, Princess Peach, coins, stars and mushrooms that appear during Mario’s many adventures.

Images courtesy of Luigi and Iango/lesfacons.com

The ‘Super Moschino’ collection is now available on Moschino.com, at Moschino’s monobrand boutiques in Milan, Rome, Paris, New York, and Los Angeles, and at the world’s most prestigious multi-brand stores.

—Staff

Fashion Reverie Spotlight: Dwayne Wade’s Naked Truth

November 30, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

As menswear and men’s accessories markets continue to explode one of the challenges in a market that is becoming oversaturated is brand differentiation. Every menswear brand purports to be innovative, fashion forward with cutting-edge textile technology, reasonably affordable and accessible and designed with the consumer in mind.

Some menswear brands live up to these claims, others fall short. Still, brand identity is tough and the competition is fierce.

True to its name, Vancouver-based brand Naked originated from the design concept that when consumers wear undergarments they should feel as if they are wearing nothing, in other words, naked. Since 2010, Naked has been developing product and brands that feel like nothing else. Its intimate apparel, sleepwear, and loungewear is some of the most innovative and fashion forward product on the market.

With the launch of Naked Truth, featuring brand partner/NBA champion Dwayne Wade, the Naked Truth campaign expresses the core brand philosophy of Naked, “the freedom to be you,” celebrating the character, experiences and life philosophy of accomplished individuals like Wade who will serve as “Truth Tellers” and exemplify Naked’s brand ideals of freedom and authenticity.

“Freedom, authentic personal achievement, success on your own terms, these are the ideals Naked is celebrating with the Naked Truth campaign,” adds Dwyane Wade. “These are big, important ideas that really mean something to me and I hope to inspire people to stay true to themselves and live a life they’ll be proud of.”

“We developed the campaign to bring the Naked brand story to life and engage people in a powerful, thoughtful way,” says Sara Allard, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Case Study Brands. “To be naked is to be comfortable, unencumbered and free. To be Naked is to be yourself. The Naked Truth™ campaign will invite you to see a deeper side of inspirational ‘Truth Tellers’ like Dwyane Wade. Even more, it will ask you to write your own story, to challenge yourself to ask what is most important to you: What is your Naked Truth?”

Images courtesy of EFG PR

This splurge of truth telling will continue after the launch with consumers having the opportunity to share their own truths through the Naked website to receive exclusive promotions and discounts on product. After Dwyane Wade’s initial launch in November, new “Truth Tellers” will continue to be unveiled including actor Arjay Smith, social media influencer Joseph Knoop and Patrick Rummerfield, the first spinal cord injury quadriplegic to recover full physical mobility. Naked plans for The Naked Truth™ campaign to grow over time to feature men and women across a range of life stories and perspectives.

Hmm, and the truth be told that sounds like a win-win for all parties involved. And the bonus is you will feel great and can luxuriate in great loungewear, sleepwear, and undergarments.

To learn more about this campaign, go to wearnaked.com/thenakedtruth.

—Staff

Fashion Reverie Spotlight: Alexander Wang’s 2016 Resort x Denim Collection

November 27, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Alexander Wang’s market proliferation is undeniable. Since 2007, Alexander Wang has fascinated and stimulated the fashion industry with his perspective on urban wear and expert tailoring skills. From being the creative director for Balenciaga from 2012 through early 2015 to designing a collection for H&M in 2014, Wang’s collections are now sold in over 700 stores.

For this 2016 resort season, Alexander Wang has created a denim collection that harkens back to the 1990s in style and color palette. Think Alanis Morrisette of the early 90s mixed in with a bit more restrained Courtney Love of that era updated to 2016 and it’s easy to relate to the inspiration that Wang conjured up for this collection.

Expanding upon his first denim collection, which featured an edited range including everything from skinnies to a relaxed boyfriend cut, this time around the designer has added 14 new styles. New styles include the Bite Cut-Off Short, the Trap Boot-Cut Cropped Jean, the Daze Oversized Denim Jacket, and the Rave Wide-Leg Jean.

Ranging from slim fit to cropped flare and from light to black wash, the Wang woman has denim for just about every occasion, perfect for mixing and matching with other staples. The strongest pieces are the distinguished crop tops with unusual cutouts and shirts with the characteristic Wang barcode.

Images courtesy of lesfacons.com

Wang’s 2016 resort denim collection is modeled by Wang’s muse Anna Ewers. Discovered on a blog by Wang in 2013, Anna Ewers has inspired Wang for several seasons. Since 2015, Ewers has been featured in more than 100 editorials, campaigns, and lookbooks, including magazine covers for i-D, Numero China, Vogue China, Vogue Italy, Vogue Paris and W. She has walked the runway for over top 60 designers, notably Balenciaga, Balmain, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Dior, Donna Karan, Fendi, Lanvin, LouisVuitton, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Ralph Lauren, and Versace amongst many other. Anna Ewers is signed with Women Management and Storm Model Management.

—Staff

Campaign Feature: ELLERY Resort 2016

November 22, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

ELLERY recently released its Resort 2016 campaign with supermodel Amanda Murphy. Amanda Murphy has had recent editorials in American Vogue, Vogue Paris, Interview Germany, Vogue Australia, Vogue Japan, The New York Times magazine, and Pop Magazine, with campaigns for Trussardi Eyewear F/W 2015, Trussardi Jeans F/W 2015, Tru Trussardi F/W 2015, Trussardi F/W 2015, Public School S/S 2015 and Missoni S/S 2015, as well as walking in shows for Acne S/S 2016, Paco Rabanne S/S 2016, 3.1 Philip Lim S/S 2016, Chanel 2016 Cruise show, Louis Vuitton 2016 Cruise show, Louis Vuitton F/W 2015, Hermes F/W 2015, Elie Saab F/W 2015, Nina Ricci F/W 2015, Dior F/W 2015, and Lanvin F/W 2015.

ELLERY’s Resort 2016 campaign follows strongly on the heels of recent campaigns featuring Malgosia Bela, Julia Nobis, and Hanne Gaby Odeile. ELLERY Creative Director Kym Ellery shot the ELLERY Resort 2016 campaign on location in Hawaii.

Anita Pallenberg plays muse and heroine for ELLERY’s Resort 2016 collection. A focus on Pallenberg’s fascination with black magic steered the collection into a mystical realm. Detail and silhouettes nod to the nostalgic; with ruffles on crisp shirting, décolletage tops with deconstructed bell sleeves.

The Australian-based brand is the brainchild of New Zealander Kym Ellery who after doing her due designer diligence at the esteemed Central St. Martin’s in London worked for four years at an editor at Australia’s Russh magazine. In 2013 Kym translated her penchant for the avante garde and her fashion-forward sensibility into her eponymous brand ELLERY.

ELLERY Resort 2016 images courtesy of C&M Media

In just a few seasons ELLERY has become one of the most elite fashion brands in Australia gaining a sizable international audience. The ELLERY Resort 2016 collection is available in store now at the ELLERY flagship boutique in Paddington, Sydney, on the online boutique, elleryland.com/shop, as well as at various other high-end, specialty boutiques around the globe.

—Staff

Fashion Reverie Exclusive: “Project Runway Junior’s” Matt Sarafa

November 12, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of Brooke Mason/Anderson Group

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart started composing by age three, Pablo Picasso painted Picador at eight years of age, physicist and Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie taught herself French and Russian by age four, gymnast Nadia Comaneci won three Olympic gold medals by the age of fourteen, and Tatum O’Neal won an Oscar at age ten. All these prodigies demonstrated intellectual and creative brilliance at a very early age, and while some of these prodigies and others continued on their trajectory toward creative, physical, and intellectual superiority, others retracted and floundered.

Still, what’s evident about most child prodigies is not only their early talent but also support systems that facilitate the development of their intellectual and creative gifts. “Project Runway Junior” is attempting to provide that support to your fashion design prodigies.

Though this new and more youth-focused version mirrors the more well known, 10-year “Project Runway” reality competition show, “Project Runway Junior” seems fresher and essentially more joyous without some of the bad-tempered, over competitiveness that occasionally pops up on the veteran show. And without doubt, the fresh-faced, bright-eyed designers are not only infectious, but are also incredibly talented prodigies in their own right.

Matt Sarafa is one of the shining young beacons of design promise of “Project Runway Junior.” Though he has appeared on Lifetime’s “Threads” as a fashion design competitor a few seasons ago—at the tender age of 15—he is still ebullient, passionate, and a magnet of charm and fashion-forward sensibility.

On the eve of the premiere of “Project Runway Junior,” Matt Sarafa spoke with Fashion Reverie about his design aesthetic, his passion for fashion, and his future projections. Oh, to be so young again!!

Image courtesy of lifetime.com

Fashion Reverie: Now, you were on of “Project Runway Threads” previously, how did you get on ”Project Runway Junior”?

Matt Sarafa: I heard about the auditions for “Project Runway Junior” and it sounded so amazing. It sounded better than “Threads,” because on “Threads” you were only on for one episode and they picked a winner every episode. “Project Runway Junior” is similar to the regular “Project Runway.”

That said; I put together a design portfolio of some of my current work and I auditioned and I got the call that I had made. I was ecstatic because this is always what I wanted to do.

FR: How did you get involved in fashion?

Matt Sarafa: I stumbled upon watching “Project Runway” and the show immediately caught my attention. I had always loved painting and drawing. When I saw on “Project Runway” how designers are able to take their design concepts and take it from sketches to an actual garment I knew immediately that this is something I was meant to do. I started sketching and sewing and here I am today.

Image courtesy of Anderson Group

FR: Have you had any formal training?

Matt Sarafa: I have taken a couple of sewing classes, but I don’t attend a fashion and design high school like some of my competitors on the show. So, I haven’t had a lot of formal training; I have done most of this on my own.

FR: Do you plan to go to fashion school after high school?

Matt Sarafa: I do plan to go to college and study fashion design. My top choice is Rhode Island School of Design and Savannah College of Art and Design. I am now submitting applications to those select schools. It has been so crazy with the show, my last year in high school and getting ready for college. It is tough to balance it all.

FR: Who are your favorite designers?

Matt Sarafa: I love designers that are edgy and think out of the box. My all time favorite is Alexander McQueen. I also love Givenchy, Versace, and Jean-Paul Gaultier.

FR: How would you describe your design aesthetic?

Matt Sarafa: The overarching approach to my design principle is edgy, and pushing boundaries. Though as of late I have gotten into urban street wear and clothes that would appeal to the average consumers. I understand that everyone is not going to wear a red-carpet gown, so I am looking to craft garments for regular consumers.

FR: Now, you guys are making clothes very quickly on “Project Runway Junior.” How difficult is it to come up with a design and execute it so quickly?

Matt Sarafa: I am a perfectionist and it was very difficult to let go of that while filming “Project Runway Junior.” You only have one day with the challenges and they are very strict with the time limits. I had to accept that not every design is going to be 100 percent perfect and every seam doesn’t have to be absolutely straight. I definitely struggled with time management and my obsession with perfection.

Image of courtesy of Lifetime.com

FR: Who was your favorite judge on the show?

Matt Sarafa: All the judges are amazing. However, if I had to choose a favorite it would be Kelly Osborne or Hannah Davis. Hannah Davis is so sweet and I look up to Kelly Osborne as a fashion icon. She is so cool and her hair is amazing.

That said; all four judges were extremely nice and Tim Gunn was so supportive and he has been my idol since I started watching “Project Runway.” Getting coached by Tim Gunn and getting his critiques on my designs and my design process was worth its weight in gold.

FR: Could you talk about funny moments from the show?

Matt Sarafa: We are working under extreme conditions and getting very little sleep between filming. Coupled with having to create and execute runway worthy garments for every episode made for some pretty funny moments. We were all so tired that we couldn’t really think straight. We all made a lot of clumsy mistakes, myself included.

The whole experience was really fun. And there are lots of funny moments that you will see on the show. We did go to Mood to buy fabrics and other moments on the show I cannot talk about. Your readers will just have to wait and see.

FR: How is “Project Runway Junior” comparable to “Project Runway”?

Matt Sarafa: Being on “Project Runway Junior” helped me understand what designers on “Project Runway” go through. People make fun of people crying on reality competition shows but these shows are so hectic and intense that your emotions are always right on the surface. You are working so hard around the clock, and you have to improve significantly through out the competition and continue to make good product. It is really tough and now I understand how people can have mental breakdowns. I almost had one!!

Image courtesy of nyobserver.com

FR: What have you learned about fashion and what have you learned about yourself by being a contestant on ”Project Runway Junior”?

Matt Sarafa: Getting mentored by fashion icons is so valuable and has helped me grow as a designer. I loved getting constructive criticism from the judges because that is the best way to grow and learn. It was a great learning opportunity.

Tim Gunn’s critiques were really helpful. One thing that Tim Gunn said to me that has really stuck with me is that simplicity is just as powerful as lots of embellishments. Now, I really step back and examine my designs to see if there are too many ideas going on at the same time.

FR: What’s next for you?

Matt Sarafa: I just launched my own site, mattsarafa.com. My hope is to launch my own fashion line and my own cosmetics line. I do have a youtube channel, “Make Up by Matt,” where I give makeup, fashion, and beauty tips. I also have a few projects and collaborations I cannot talk about right now. But, if your viewers follow me on social media, they can get more details.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion Reverie Exclusive: Vlad Yudin Speaks about His Documentary “Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer”

October 19, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

How do you capture the creative genius, versatility and passion of fashion enfant terrible, Jeremy Scott? From his winged sneakers for Adidas to his debut McDonald’s-inspired collection for Moschino, Jeremy Scott has become many things to many people; especially young fashion consumers. But most of all, Jeremy Scott is true to himself and his design aesthetic.

Either you love or you hate him. There is no middle ground with Jeremy Scott. And Vlad Yudin captures Scott’s tenacious spirit and love of fashion brilliantly in his documentary “Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer.”

Jeremy Scott is a rebel with a cause and that cause is his perspective on what fashionable young people want to wear, even before they know that want to wear it. Only a true fashion visionary could boldly pronounce“ I don’t speak Italian, but I do speak Moschino.” And boy does he speak the Moschino of the present and the future.

Vlad Yudin

On the eve of the VOD release of “Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer,” Vlad Yudin spoke with Fashion Reverie about Jeremy Scott’s triumphs, his struggles, and why he chose this dynamic fashion talent as the subject of his documentary.

Fashion Reverie: You have gone from films and documentaries about young adult angst, to hip hop to the current bodybuilding scene. Now, you have delved into the world of fashion. Why a documentary about the fashion industry’s enfant terrible, Jeremy Scott?

Vlad Yudin: When it comes to documentary filmmaking I love working on something that is new and unknown to me. I wanted to discover something that was uncharted territory for me and because I was new to the fashion industry, perhaps, I see things that people who are more familiar with the industry take for granted, and I see those things with a fresh perspective. I also wanted to learn about the process of fashion design and building a global fashion brand.

I became interested specifically in Jeremy Scott because in my opinion he is an innovative visionary. He represents the voice of the young generation. His fashion fan base is very progressive and project to the future. They are attracted to Jeremy Scott because he is creating so many new trends in fashion.

FR: Is that why you titled the documentary “Jeremy Scott: the People’s Designer”?

Vlad Yudin: That is one of the reasons. One of the key reasons I came up with that title is because Jeremy Scott is a regular dude from Kansas City. He was not a fashion insider, related to any major figure in fashion or the kid of a celebrity. He is really from the people. And because of his grassroots background he is more in touch with youth culture and that is expressed in his fashion brand.

FR: The fashion community can be a very closed community. How did you break into that world and get access to Jeremy Scott?

Vlad Yudin: I connected with Jeremy Scott and had a conversation with Jeremy and his team. We had a few meetings and I discussed with him what my vision was for the documentary. He told me more about himself and his own personal journey. I wanted to go deeper than just footage of his runway shows and backstage footage. Unfortunately, that’s what most fashion documentaries do.

I wanted to explore Jeremy’s background and his design process. My perspective impressed Jeremy and he also understood that I was a seasoned filmmaker. Once he agreed to the project, Jeremy opened the access doors for my team and me. It became an easy collaboration.

FR: This documentary has an edgy raw style, sometimes not showing fashion people at their best. You also have a lot of behind the scene footage from backstage, the the air travel, to model castings, fittings, garment construction, decision making about the collection to even the presentation to the Moschino execs. In other words, you show everything or almost everything. Why this approach?

Vlad Yudin: I believe it’s more interesting to show the rough edges. I appreciate other fashion documentaries, but showing beautiful clothes, runway footage and gorgeous models has been done to death and can be pretty boring, particularly to people outside of the fashion industry. You can look at that stuff on youtubes.

I wanted to show real side of fashion. Getting ready for a fashion show can be pretty chaotic. Even when you are established designer, there are still lots of challenges to overcome. Ultimately, the raw footage approach is more fun for me and for the audience.

FR: How would you describe your filmmaking style?

Vlad Yudin: For me it’s about making the film interesting. Jeremy Scott’s story is already interesting so for this documentary it was about getting the right moments of his story that would work well. The look and style is secondary. The most important thing to me is the story and how engaging that story will be to audiences.

FR: How acquainted were you with the fashion industry before you decided to do this documentary?

Vlad Yudin: I like to buy clothes but I was not connected to the fashion industry in any way. I was just an ordinary fashion consumer.

FR: So you wore Jeremy Scott before you decided to do this documentary?

Vlad Yudin: Yes, I did and still do have a few of his sneakers. In fact, I have never actually worn the sneakers because they are so unique that I didn’t want to spoil them in any way. They are like pieces of art.

FR: In the beginning of the film you show Jeremy working in all these international fashion capitals. Then, in the middle of the film you show him going back to Kansas City, his hometown, which is not a glamorous fashion capital. Why this juxtaposition?

Vlad Yudin: In the beginning of the film we show a few of images of Kansas City and speak a little bit about Jeremy getting rejected from FIT. Then we jump to the fact that he is an established designer, showing Jeremy working in NYC and Milan in chronological order of his runway presentation during New York Fashion Week and later filming his first season as creative director of Moschino during Milan Fashion Week.

What was extraordinary about this whole process was that as Jeremy Scott was presenting in NYC he was also prepping for Milan. We shot the footage from Kansas City after the Moschino Milan show that Jeremy Scott says was the biggest moment of his life.

Moschino is such a legendary brand and him acquiring the creative directorship of this Italian design house prompted us to go back and look at his very humble beginnings. Hence, the Kansas City footage, that in my opinion adds a different patina and scope to this film. He really had to show and prove to the fashion industry that he really possessed great talent and vision, so I felt it was really essential that we highlight his upbringing.

Even today a lot of fashion critics don’t believe in Jeremy Scott’s talent and don’t believe he should be at the helm of Moschino. So, one of the themes of this documentary is Jeremy Scott believing in his vision and dream and never giving up. He really marched to his own drummer and internal rhythms.

FR: You covered the spring 2015 and the fall 2015 fashion seasons in this documentary. That said; what is the actual length of time spent with Jeremy Scott in shooting and documenting him?

Vlad Yudin: It took almost three years including six months of editing. We did have to go back and shoot additional footage because Jeremy wasn’t always available because of prior commitments. There was the London collection, plus; collaboration with Miley Cyrus, as well as an award he received in Los Angeles, the Superbowl with Katie Perry. So there were some stops and starts.

FR: There were a few instances in the documentary were some pop artists contend that Jeremy Scott was the first designer to successfully combine street culture/pop art with fashion. We know that’s an incorrect statement. That said; were you concerned what some fashion purists and critics might say about this film?

Vlad Yudin: No, I was not that wary of fashion critics or fashion journalists’ opinion. I wanted the film to be authentic. The opinions expressed in this film were some young artists’ opinion, even if it was uninformed. If Rita Ora believes what she says and if that is what she knows based her youth, then so be it. She has discovered something through Jeremy Scott that speaks to her and that is a good thing.

FR: You have a lot of interesting personalities in the documentaries Katy Perry, Rita Ora, Suzy Menkes, Vanessa Friedman, Joe Zee, Michel Gaubert, Matthew Schneier, etc. How did you get these celebs and industry professionals to participate?

Vlad Yudin: They are in the film because most of them are friends of Jeremy Scott, love his work, and believe in his vision. Many of these people have worked with Jeremy, worn his designs, or reviewed his collections. They are a reflection of his circle of influence.

Jeremy knew Katy Perry before she was a big pop star. Many of these artists were his friends before they became household names. Vanessa Friedman is the Fashion Director at The New York Times and not a fan of Jeremy Scott’s first collection for Moschino. I really wanted to have that perspective in the film. Jeremy does have critics and she represents a divergent point of view. People love Jeremy or hate his perspective on fashion. There is really no in-between with Jeremy Scott.

Images courtesy of The Anderson Group

FR: What do you want the viewer who is not a part of the fashion industry to get from this documentary?

Vlad Yudin: I want this film to be for an audience that is not enamored with the fashion industry. I think audiences will be inspired by his story. He came from a place where is talent and genius was not appreciated or understood. He resisted, he was persistent, and he has triumphed. He did not let his flame die out. This is universal story that is very relatable.

FR: What’s next for you?

Vlad Yudin: I have documentary coming out next year called “The Hurt Business.” It is about the competitive world of mixed martial arts and anime. It features artists such as George St. Pierre, John Jones, and Rashada Evans.

“Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer is available on VOD October 20. For more information, go to https://vimeo.com/ondemand/jeremyscott

—William S. Gooch

Fashion Reverie Juxtaposition: The New DKNY Versus the Former

October 13, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Donna Karan is no longer at the helm of DKNY. A new team is in town. And though Donna Karan was in the audience of DKNY’s spring 2016 and she is now transitioning into her new role as creative consultant, if DKNY’s spring 2016 collection is any indication of the new direction of the brand, will Donna Karan’s signature aesthetic be at core of the brand?

Only time will tell. However, Fashion Reverie felt that it would be interesting to juxtapose DKNY’s spring 2016 collection—with Public School’s creative of Maxwell Osborne and Dao Yi Chow as the new creative force behind the brand—against DKNY’s spring 2015—with Donna Karan still at the helm.

DKNY spring 2015 campaign image courtesy of fashiongonerogue.com

Still, it’s important to establish the DKNY signature aesthetic. DKNY was established in 1989 as a younger, more affordable diffusion line to run aside the already existing Donna Karan New York label. The company became a publicly traded venture in 1996, and in 2001 DKNY was purchased by French corporation Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH).

The design aesthetics of the brand are clothes that transition seamlessly from day to night for the younger consumer who is still finding herself and her sense of style. That said; DKNY’s DNA is noticeably more eclectic and fashion forward than Donna Karan New York, and it appeals to the younger female consumer who needs items in her wardrobe that she can mix and match throughout the season.

DKNY spring 2015 images courtesy of annexmagazine.com

DKNY spring 2015 was inspired by the multi-cultural nature of New York City. Themed ‘New York Nation,’ the spring 2015 collection was a mix of rugby stripes and kaleidoscopic prints that embrace tribal-inspired graphics. This inclusive, street cred collection may not have had many looks that could transition easily from day to night; however, this collection was on brand for youthful, fashion-forward exuberance.

As the recently anointed creative directors of DKNY, Dao Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne bring a design aesthetic that’s heavily grounded in street wear with a nod toward the avant-garde. Their color palette is mostly in neutrals with black being their central color. And though the looks in the collection, to some extent, fit DKNY’s DNA of garments that can work both at work and a night out, the look of the 2016 spring collection was removed from the brand’s signature design aesthetic.

DKNY spring 2016 images courtesy of wwd.com

With Osborne and Chow now being the de facto design team behind DKNY for spring 2016 the brand’s color palette didn’t extend much beyond black, white, and grey. Will Chow and Osborne give more retail viability that places the brand as the go-to brand it once was in the 90s? We will have to wait and see. And though some fashion pundits contend the Osborne and Chow are an odd choice to replace Karan, the creative mien might just work for DKNY. Stay tuned!!

—Staff