Darlene's Blog

Party Style: When Fashion Canoodles With Art

"IT'S NOT REALLY the setting to look at iPads," said entrepreneur Alexandra Chemla of the bohemian-themed party she threw last week in New York. The occasion was the launch of ArtBinder Viewer, a free app that gives the public access to gallery inventories around the world. (It's a version of ArtBinder, Ms. Chemla's 3-year-old app for art-world professionals.)

The décor was, indeed, the opposite of silicon slick. "What we did was very un-techy," said Madeline Weinrib, the home furnishings designer who turned the rooftop garden of Manhattan bar Gallow Green into a chic Moroccan veranda. Many of Ms. Chemla's friends, including Art Production Fund co-founder Yvonne Force Villareal and "Girls" star and painter Jemima Kirke, dressed accordingly in flowing dresses. Some finished the look with flower crowns—made-to-order at the party by alternative bridal atelier Stone Fox Bride.

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The dress code at the Vogue Paris Foundation's first black-tie gala was, by comparison, interpreted far more openly. The prescribed formality was often undone by a dose of runway-fresh fashion. Exhibit A: actress Adèle Exarchopoulos in a charming—yet not quite black-tie—floral dress with python trim straight from Louis Vuitton's recent resort show. And B: French model Caroline de Maigret, who wore bleached jeans from Anthony Vaccarello with stylishly casual disregard. No matter. Everything is valid in fashion circles this lofty, provided you do it well.

The gala, which benefited the fashion museum Palais Galliera, raised about $610,000, to be used for new archive acquisitions—that's on top of the $135,300 the foundation contributes annually and garments donated by design houses. "Thanks to [the donors] we have new pieces all the way from 1920s Lanvin to new-season Yohji Yamamoto," said museum director Olivier Saillard. Some were on display just for the evening. Guests also previewed "The 50s," Mr. Saillard's new exhibit of midcentury couture, open until November 2. At least one guest looked perfectly at home amid the mannequins: Monegasque royal (and granddaughter of Grace Kelly) Charlotte Casiraghi, who, in a white Gucci column with crystal trim, was retro Hollywood glamour incarnate.

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Who knew the promise and expectation of a big night out would make such fascinating material?

The influence of the style of David Bowie on football casuals, the radical beginnings of fashion brand Jaeger and a rare viewing of 1970s cult fan film, Roxette, are just some of the events being planned by curator Mairi MacKenzie in the Fashion Cultures strand, from July 24 to August 3.

It has been the perfect opportunity for the research fellow in fashion and textiles at Glasgow School of Art to explore why we love to dress up.

"It was the first thing I noticed when I moved to Glasgow. People make a lot of effort and I think there's a real love of fashion in the city," says Mairi, who grew up in Stranraer and moved here to study history at the University of Glasgow.

"I wanted to do something that was a celebration of fashion in the city and brought together retail, culture, history, performance, music and art. It sounds a very grand ambition, I know, but I just want to capture different aspects of fashion."

Plays and literature, especially the work of John Byrne, have perfectly captured the style of the city in all its glory.

"Glasgow has more boutiques than any city outside of London, the per capita spend is very high here in fashion retail," explains Mairi.

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"This is a celebration of fashion and to move it beyond the idea that it is just an object; it's a culture, an economy and a way of life.

"It is a part of everyone's identity, whether you want to engage with it or not."

Ms B Presents: Glam Rock, at The Corinthian on July 27, revels in the joy of fandom. Compered by artist Claire Biddles it is a one-off version of a series of events she runs regularly at The Old Hairdresser's, in Renfield Lane.

Combining performance and a lecture with music, the night is themed around glam rock, from David Bowie and Roxy Music to the New York Dolls.

"It's a really rich area for the surrounding culture," explains Claire.

"It's not just a band, it's the whole look, I see it as something that is still important now in pop, in the look of things and I see it as quite present. Obviously, David Bowie and Roxy Music are really influential on performers now because of the idea of creating a world. I think that's what my events celebrate - the world created around it."

Trained at the environmental art department at Glasgow School of Art, Yorkshire-born Claire hopes fans of Glam music, as well as people interested in fashion, will come along.

She says her events are as much a journey of discovery for herself as well as those attending.

"Mairi MacKenzie is doing a talk on David Bowie, about a certain look, in The Man Who Fell to Earth, which a lot of football casuals took inspiration from, and that was something I had no idea about," she says.

Studying environmental art encouraged Claire to get involved in public work and she says she sees her event in the Fashion Cultures strand as a work of art in itself.

"All my work is about fandom and popular culture and how people engage with popular culture, so I just see this as a way of facilitating that. I make a lot of works to do with karaoke, because I see that as a great way of engaging with pop culture. I will be doing some karaoke at this event."

The biggest coup for Claire's night is a rare screening of Roxette, made by John McManus in 1977 to document a group of Manchester art students who were Roxy Music fans getting ready to go to one of the band's gig.

"It's a fabulous film, I saw it at an exhibition at Tate Liverpool, so it's pretty amazing for us to get it," she says.

Other events staged at Fashion Cultures include a talk by Grace Woodward, of television's Britain's Next Top Model, an exhibition and pop-up shop by cult Scottish designer Pam Hogg, left, an exhibition of Pharrell Williams' Billionaire Boys Club fashion brand and work by former i-D magazine art director, Scott King.

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Accusations of sexual impropriety in the fashion industry are nothing new. The list of allegations against notorious photographer Terry Richardson recently grew so long that Richardson defended himself in a Huffington Post blog, then spoke out in a New York Magazine cover story.

Despite copious coverage of the disturbing accusations, model Nikia Phoenix says sexual abuse against models is still an unchecked reality in the fashion industry. During a conversation about gender and fashion, Phoenix told HuffPost Live's Ricky Camilleri that she "can't believe it's gone on for this long."

"It's been a rumor within the fashion industry for years and years and years that Terry Richardson is a sexual predator, along with Dov Charney, the former CEO of American Apparel," Phoenix said. "We've all known this, and I don't know why they've still been able to exist in the capacity they have."

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Phoenix said that the reputation of people like Richardson is well-known among women working in fashion.

"Models, we talk amongst ourselves. We tell our agents, 'Yes, working with this person may make my career, but do I really want to subject myself to a possible sexual predator?'" she said.

So why have the complaints not made more waves of change?

"I'm still completely baffled by it. I don't know if it's that no one wanted to press charges, or a lot of models feel like they don't have a voice, like they don't want to be the whistleblower in the situation because it may cost them jobs in the future," Phoenix said.

Phoenix isn't the first model to speak out against Richardson on HuffPost Live. Sara Ziff, the founder of Model Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting models' legal rights, said in February that after working with Richardson several times, she "wouldn't work with him" again.

"[Richardson] will ask you to take your clothes off at the casting, and in some cases, give him sexual favors," Ziff said.

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Chrissy Teigen is sort of the Jennifer Lawrence of the modeling world. No, she doesn't trip a lot (to my knowledge?) but she does toe the line between self-deprecating charm and foot-in-mouth chaos in that J.Law-patented way. Like onLate Night With Seth Meyers this week, when the Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Editioncover star was super-flip about her day job, joking "I am paid a good amount of money to not blink for 12 hours," and admitting that she doesn't take modeling very seriously. ("Listen, you get to travel, meet a lot of people, it's fun, but I don't take it very seriously, no.") Blasphemy! Somewhere Tyra Banks is voodoo-dolling Teigen for challenging the whole modeling is the most hardest thing ever ever notion, but still smize-ing while doing so because SHE IS A PROFESSIONAL.

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Anyyyywayy, then Chrissy's chat with Seth slid from that humble banter about her career choice into a hilarious confession about how drunk tweeting and professional modeling don't mix. Watch it at the 1:16 mark:"I had a razor campaign and I think I maybe had a little too much to drink one night and I was like 'I HATE RAZORS!'" Chrissy said, miming typing. "And that's not exactly good for endorsing any kind of brand," she laughed. She was probably referring to this tweet...

...which she fired off while signed as the face of a brand new Gillette razor.

Obviously, to please her agents and the advertising people, she probably shouldn't have been tweeting about feeling anything less than PSYCHED about shaving because it's soooo fun. Except it's not, even for people who like those fancy moisture strip razors, like me—and Teigen tells it like it is. It may make her a "bad" model, but it does make her seem like a GOOD person to hang out with—which, like Jennifer Lawrence's appeal—makes her the kind of person who can most likely sell me things, anyway, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that. Keep doing what you're doing, Chrissy?

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Sia is one of the most unconventional pop stars on the planet. Though she's responsible for writing some of the catchiest pop songs of all time—Rihanna's "Diamonds," Beyoncé's "Pretty Hurts," and David Guetta's "Titanium" among them—she doesn’t want to be famous (hence the paper bag on her head in her official press portraits, having Lena Dunham perform as an avatar on Late Night with Seth Meyers, and her refusal to be photographed for a recent New York Timesprofile. But shyness be damned! We caught up with the Australian one-name-wonder to talk about sobriety, her dreams of working with David Bowie and Sting, and, oh yeah, her incredible new album, 1000 Forms of Fear:

Who is Sia as a person and an artist?

It’s very subjective; I have no idea. As a person, I’m a good person who shows up for my friends. I do my best to be good. As an artist, I have no idea. I just sort of show up for the process. It’s just channeling, really. I feel like it has nothing to do with me.

What’s behind the title of your new album, 1000 Forms of Fear?

I just heard someone say it once. One of my friends was having a baby and I asked her how she was doing and she said, 'Oh you know, the usual: a thousand forms of fear.' And I said, 'Can I call my album that?'

How would you describe this album in three words?

Awesome, poppier, and outstanding.

Exactly how I would describe you!

Such a fucker!

1000 Forms Of Fear is your sixth album. What do you want fans to take away from this particular body of work?

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No message at all. I believe that once I put music out, it’s owned by the listener. That’s what I like about music, when it gives me feelings. I want them to project whatever they want onto it and make it their own so that it marks a time in their life. I think that’s what everybody wants when they put out music: for people to connect to it.

Let’s talk about the first single, “Chandelier." Sonically and lyrically it’s at such different ends of the spectrum. "Sun is up/ I'm a mess:" Is this about your life?

I’m three-and-a-half years sober.

So this is who you used to be?

I guess this is one of those. When I’m writing a pop song I’ll just write formulaically, strategically. I had the title and the concept and as I wrote it, I was just like, 'This is cooler than usual' and then when I sang it I thought, 'Oh, this song’s for me.' It was one of those pop songs where I was like, 'I don't want to give this away because I actually relate to it.' A lot of the time I don’t actually relate to what I’m writing about in pop songs.

Was there a defining moment when you said to yourself: “I’m going to be a musician. There’s nothing else I would rather do…"

No. I thought I was going to be an actor. I liked entertaining. I was pretty much tap dancing for attention from a very early age. My family was kind of musical and there were people in the circus next door and actors across the road. I just enjoyed messing around with music growing up, but I really thought I was going to be an actor. I was maybe 17 or 18, I went to London and somebody heard me singing karaoke and offered me 50 pounds to write and sing on some house tracks. I did it and then I went back to Australia shortly thereafter and saw an old boyfriend on the street and he told me he was putting a band together. I said, randomly, because a few people had told me I had a good voice, 'Do you need a singer?' He asked, 'Are you one?' I just lied and said 'yes.' I was in the band and got offered a deal, but I stayed with the band because they didn't offer the band a deal and I was loyal. Then I ended up in London and got offered another record deal and by that point I was like, 'Okay, people just kept giving me money to sing.'

What was the song you sang at karaoke?

“Lean On Me” by Bill Withers. I guess I realized I enjoyed the act of singing. Over the course of the last 12 years, I realized I didn’t enjoy everything else that comes with it, which is why you’re like one of four interviews I’m doing.

You’ve worked with some amazing people over the years. Was there a song that you'd wish you kept for yourself?

No, not really.

Is there anyone you would love to collaborate with?

I don’t really care. There’s no one left. [Laughs] I guess it would be fun to do something with Stevie Wonder or David Bowie. I wouldn’t mind writing a song with Sting, like a really good ballad. It turns out I do care, I just didn’t know until you asked me.

What has been your proudest moment so far?

Meeting Letterman. He’s kind of like a fake dad.

What’s on your bucket list? What’s left?

I want see the pyramids, obviously now’s not a great time. I’d like to go to Hawaii. I’d like to take pottery classes. I want to see the spaying and neutering laws better enforced. I want to see the end of pets being crated in crates that they cant even turn around in. A lot of animal stuff. That’s not really a bucket list, sorry, I digress.

First thing on your mind when you wake up?

My dog.

Finish this sentence. “I can’t go to bed unless I’ve…”

Watched an enormous amount of television.

What’s your favorite show?

I really like Homeland. I also loved the Lindsay [Lohan] documentary.

Do you have a celebrity crush?

Not really. Is that weird? The people I find the most attractive are probably James Franco and Bradley Cooper. I find them interesting as opposed to having a crush.

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

I don’t feel guilty about it, but I do really like these Australian chocolates called Tim Tam Truffles.

Worst personality trait?

I’m critical.

Do you have a hidden talent?

I can put a short pencil in my belly button and write the alphabet and I can practically hold a dozen eggs on the top of my hands.

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Crayola Experience casting young designers and models for kids fashion show

Have your kids ever dreamed of being a professional model or designer? Now is their chance.

The Crayola Experience and New Jersey Fashion Week are coming together to present the second annual kids fashion show. According to a news release, the show will have a panel of judges, including Project Runway finalist Carol Hannah.

Designers and models will be competing for big prizes, including a modeling contract with New Jersey talent agency Jo Anderson Models, and a chance to spend the day with designer Carol Hannah in her New York City fashion house.

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This year's fashion show theme is "Wrapped in Color." The theme was inspired by the Crayola attraction "Wrap it up," where kids can name and wrap their own Crayola crayon. The fashion show will take place Sept. 13, according to the news release.

"This amazing project encourages, highlights and supports the creativity of young emerging fashion talent from across the country." New Jersey Fashion Week Founder Donnella Tilery said in the release, "And I'm so proud to be a part of it."

To participate in the fashion show, children ages 7 to 16 must attend a casting call. The casting calls take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 11-12 at The Crayola Experience. Although tickets are required to enter The Crayola Experience, 30 Centre Square in Easton, all children auditioning will get in free. Adults may purchase a special discounted ticket here. Children must bring the registration form to casting.

Designers should bring a mood board representing their vision, the release states. Models should have a headshot or photo and show off their runway walk.

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Just when you thought another impromptu celebrity elopement was improbable, Mrs. Johannes Huebl, otherwise known as socialite and street style icon Olivia Palermo, announced the news of her joyous nuptials. The affair couldn’t have been further from the highly publicized, glamorous affair Palermo’s public expected based on her recent interview with Brides magazine, but one thing which surprised no one was her insouciant bridal ensemble.

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As a fashion blogger, former Elle employee, and a celebrity spokeswoman for Tibi, Palermo certainly knows how to dress herself — and others — for success. The style expert loves to mix prints and patterns, favoring vintage-inspired silhouettes with a modern spin from pleated midi skirts to silk trousers, each accented with a signature belt and expertly mussed locks.

It makes sense, then, that Palermo should consistently appear in expertly styled ensembles with pieces by Tibi mixed in. For a recent red carpet appearance at the Yves Saint Laurent film premiere in New York, Palermo paired the brand’s Sonoran Eyelet Full Skirt with their Asphalt Stripe Cami and a gorgeous white blazer, polished off with a leopard belt and a pair very edgy Sergio Rossi heeled sandals. If you happen to have around $1,000 stashed in your savings for an occasion like this, you can replicate her ensemble from top to toes. However, if you’re looking for a similar look on a smaller budget, read on for the five pieces you’ll need to look just like Olivia.

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A rare collection of items from top designers amassed by an elderly 'shopaholic'' before she died are going under the hammer in Derby.

HANDED a sum of money to enjoy before she died, an elderly woman suffering from a terminal illness used every penny she had to purchase unique designer items.

From a Paul Smith football, Dolce and Gabbana jewellery and rare Versace handbags – the woman collected more than 500 items.

Now, the fascinating collection is being auctioned off at Bamford Auctioneers, in Derby, at an evening fashion sale on Tuesday.

Justine Hammond-Wiseman, saleroom manager at the auctioneers, said it was a "unique" collection.

She said: "As far as we can gather, the lady was diagnosed with a terminal illness and decided she wanted to live her life before she went.

"She was given money before she died and spent it on designer labels.

"She really was a shopaholic. We have never seen a collection like this before."

Justine said the huge collection was brought in to the auctioneers, in Chequers Road, by the woman's husband, who did not want to be identified.

It is not known where the woman stored the items, nor how much the total collection is worth.

Extensive research has been carried out by the auctioneers to find out more about the host of quirky items, which are packed into half a showroom at the site waiting to be viewed by the public.

Among them is a Union Flag Alexander McQueen clutch bag, embossed with a skull clasp, with matching Union Flag boots.

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Justine said: "The retail price of the clutch was £1,000 and, having done some research, the bag is being sold on eBay for a buy-it-now price of £750.

"There are thousands and thousands of pounds worth – retail price – but we have no idea how they will sell, which is why we have not put any estimates on the products or reserves."

Sought-after designers range from Vivienne Westwood to Marc Jacobs and Dolce and Gabbana.

"We also have a selection of wooden handbags from Enid Collins, a Texas designer, with samples of her work as well," said Justine.

"And, for those who enjoy sport, there is a Dolce and Gabbana football, which was signed by the Italian football team from a couple of years ago. Some of these items you just cannot buy!"

A black "bondage-style" Dolce and Gabbana dress laced with buckles is also among items on the dressing rail – still with its original price tag of £370.

A quirky range from Beverley Hills designer Timmy Woods is also up for grabs. They include unusual handbags in the form of a rabbit, frog, deck of cards, butterfly and monkey.

"There is also an Eiffel Tower-shaped bag, which is the same one that Carrie Bradshaw, out of Sex and the City, had in the TV series," said Justine.

The collection is to be sold in 310 different lots. More than 100 pairs of shoes are being sold, both individually and in lots.

But what would an elderly woman want with such expensive designer items? "From looking at the shoes, the sizes range from a woman's size five to seven," said Justine.

"There is the suggestion that she collected the items as opposed to wore them, although some do look worn.

"Many of the items are still in their dust bags and boxes and a lot of the jewellery and clothes still have their tags on. Some of it has never even been touched. This collection is a shopaholic's dream."

Justine said the sale was the first of its kind.

She said: "We do not know what to expect. We hope that people come along and, hopefully, get themselves a bargain."

DRESS TO IMPRESS

AN evening fashion sale will be held on Tuesday, July 1, at Bamfords Auctioneers, in Chequers Road, Derby.

More than 500 items will go under the hammer, including 100 pairs of shoes.

Designers range from Vivienne Westwood to Dolce and Gabbana.

The public can view the collection on Sunday from 2pm to 5pm at the auctioneers and on Tuesday from 1pm to 7pm. The sale takes place at 5pm on Tuesday. Nibbles and drinks will be served.

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Grooming a must: Office parties generally take place on Friday nights and at a time when the work pressure is not too high. So it is the opportune time for you to get some grooming done, so that even if you have to reach the venue directly from the office, you don't end up looking haggard and unkempt. Since you know the date in advance, don't miss your appointment at the beauty clinic!

Comfort should be your style: Clingy, suffocating dresses that do not even let you breathe and in which you are in perpetual fear of some wardrobe mishap, are best to avoid. Go for style that is easy to carry and elegant in appeal.

Heels on, but be careful: No doubt high heels add to the oomph and glamour of any outfit and they are almost always the right pick for evening parties. But if you plan to indulge in drinks and dance, wear high heels that you are confident about. It will not just be embarrassing to fall down at the party, but you might also end up breaking some of your bones.

It's not a wedding! If you have too many bright, ethnic dresses, keep them for a family wedding. Do not think to use them in the office party. They are not just crass and redundant for a place like this, but will also make you the butt of your colleagues' jokes if you try your hands at them.

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You are not here to work: This one is for plain Janes and a-bit-too-cool dudes who think -why change for the party when I am meeting the same people there! This is totally against the party spirit and will surely not earn you any points. Either you do not have party clothes at all, or you are an uninterested sadist, if you chose to go to office party in your daily clothes. You will in fact surely feel bad after a point seeing your dressed up colleagues. So better go differently dressed for the occasion-even if you choose to be subtle and mild in your style.

Paints look good on walls: Paints and colours look good on walls not on skin. Women mostly, strongly moved by the desire to look different go for make up that is over the top and boisterous. Instead of adding to their beauty, it makes them look scary and cheap. Layers of foundation will not make your skin fair, but will make it look cakey and flakey! And even if blazing red as lip colour is a roaring fashion, or fluorescent green eye shadow is the latest fad, please stick to decent tones, unless it is Haloween or a theme party! Instead of doing a Gaga act, look like yourself.

Stick to the theme, it will make things easy: Invest some time preparing for the party. It will make things easier. The safest bet is stick to the dress code. You might not necessarily go by the code as a rule of line, but you can certainly get inspired by it in your party ensemble. For example, if the theme is neon, you need not go and purchase a dress in same colour, but even neon hair band or ear rings would serve the purpose.

Don't be too revealing: The first mantra for dressing up is not to expose too much. Tank tops, backless, noodle straps, tube tops, minis-anything would do unless the skin show is not grotesque.

No funny designer clothes: A kaftan that looks like a nightie, a parallel pant that gives you the impression of a sleeping pyjama or a top that makes you look like a joker, should best be avoided even if they are from top designers. In a party like this people from various grades and departments assemble together and many might not just understand your sense of style and find it funny. So it is best to stick to an established norm.

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Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning dress for 'Maleficent' Tokyo premiere

Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning walked the red carpet at the Tokyo premiere of "Maleficent" on Monday, still dressing to match their characters. Jolie, who plays the title role, was in a skintight, sexy black cocktail dress by Atelier Versace. Fanning was demurely princess-like in a frothy white Alexander McQueen.

Lea Michele wore a black-and-white strapless gown by Paule Ka with Tiffany jewelry Saturday night when she sang a duet with Kristin Chenoweth at theHollywood Bowl's season opener.

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Juicy Couture has announced plans to close all its stores, but Kohl's will begin carrying the label this fall.

Thanks to a new promotional campaign forOld Navy, a brand new pair of flip-flops is only one Tweet away for folks in New York and L.A.

North West, daughter of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, celebrated her first birthday with a weekend "Kidchella" celebration featuring a karaoke stage, Ferris wheel and tie-dye birthday cake. The toddler wore a fringed dress that was either reminiscent of traditional Native American garb or festival boho, with a headband.

But pictures of her aunt Khloe Kardashian in a feathered war bonnet drew criticism from the Redhawk Native American Arts Council, whose spokesman called it "insensitive" for a celebrity to wear the headdress at a kid's party.

Nordstrom plans to open Bauble Bar counters in all of its U.S. stores and online this month.

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