Stylin' 929
NEWS
The credit crunch has squeezed its first major fashion victim as the UK branch of Italian label Miss Sixty goes into administration. Going into administration isn't necessarily the death bell for the fashion subsidiary, and a representative of the company remained optimistic for the brand's continued survival in the UK. Miss Sixty has 12 high street stores and is stocked in numerous boutiques throughout England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, none of which will change in the near future. The UK arm of the brand is the only one to falter significantly so far. This makes us feel more than a little afraid though, Miss Sixty are a strong brand who've retailed in the UK for well over a decade, and they advertise with most major fashion magazines. If they go down, who's next-
Australia's great white modelling hope, Catherine McNeil has had to sit out another fashion week due to 'personal issues'. McNeil also missed Milan, thanks to a recurring illness, but her reps had hopes she'd be fine to walk at Paris. These sadly went unfulfilled, meaning McNeil had to miss out on the runways that first made her major news. That being said, she looks stunning on the cover of this month's Vogue Australia. We wipe our noses with curiosity at the illnesses and issues that must have caused her to miss such a huge chunk of work.
Sacha Baron Cohen has been released without charges from a Milanese jail after crashing the catwalk at a minor fashion show. He was wearing an overly accessorised outfit (think shoes glued to pant thighs), which also included a black cloak. It was the second time Cohen - playing flamboyantly gay Austrian Bruno - had attempted to infiltrate Milan fashion week; he unsuccessfully rushed the catwalk at an event for Iceberg earlier in the week. We're wondering if he'll try anything at Paris- We doubt it though; the security at the Parisian events is likely to taze first, ask questions later, which is probably why we didn't hear from him at New York, too. Stunts aside, we can't wait for the ridiculously titled Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-shirt to hit our cinemas.
Alessandra Facchinetti no longer seems like an investment buy for Valentino. Vogue is reporting rumours that she may be ousted from her position as the label's creative director as early as next season, to be replaced by impressive Italian designer Giambattista Valli. Facchinetti's collections for Valentino received critical acclaim when they first appeared, but in terms of aesthetic and proven design experience, Valli certainly wins out. Vogue suggested that the move to replace Facchinetti so soon after appointing her was driven by a desire to keep Valli out of the spotlight; they wanted him to breeze in easily, rather than being the first to step into Valentino's very large shoes. All this wheeling and dealing is giving us a headache, a Liberal party leadership challenge would be less political than the Valentino offices.
FEATURE
TALKING ABOUT 'IT'
This 'it-girl' thing is getting out of hand. An it-girl should possess an inherent sense of style, floating effortlessly in that elusive realm between runway and street. She should mix with the underground elite. She must carry herself with nonchalance, despite finding herself in situations, as if by magic, that stir-up envy in us mere mortals.
Who didn't want to be Cory Kennedy during the demolition party in Paris- Oh, to be left alone in the dark with Kanye West and a hammer. How about Chloë Sevigny, who pre-guessed the return of the white Wayfarer- There is something so enchanting about it-girls that we don't even care when they make cameo appearances on TV shows or exploit our adoration by charging hundreds of dollars a piece for their clothing lines.
Yet for every Daisy Lowe and Lou Dillon, Aggy or Eddie, there are a plethora of tasteless aspirants. Can papa's money alone really capture the intangible cool factor- It seems the media is quick to label any teenager or 20-something with a Blackberry and a burnt-out rockstar / oil-CEO daddy as the next big thing, despite the fact that truly admirable it-girls are self made, not born. We call to 'itness' Kimberly Stewart, the Cali-girl fake baker who has just been dubbed the next Sienna Miller. Now that we think about it that might be true, Sienna Miller was a talentless pretender too.
This is the girl who once hung off Paris Hilton's undernourished elbow like a fake monogrammed handbag - a tackier, less attractive knock-off of the hotel heiress. This is the girl whose greatest professional achievement was designing and modeling for an Antzpantz underwear line - which isn't really an achievement at all when you think about it. Now look at this tawdry Californian, flitting around the privileged UK Primrose Hill party scene like some kind of stylist-crafted social butterfly.
At the ripe old age of 29, perhaps the queen of crass has merely decided to take on a more mature look. Does a cropped haircut and a change of country really equate to a complete metamorphosis- Are we, the unwashed, indecisive masses, willing to forget Kimberly's panty-flashing past and so easily allow her entry into Kate Moss' esteemed circle, without so much as a *cough*slapper*cough*- Miss Stewart will always belong in the trashy tabloid pages to us, censored genitals included, rather than front row at Vivienne Westwood, engaged in subliminal vitamin water product placements.
If we're talking about 'it' girls who aren't worth their weight in blogs, now would be the perfect opportunity to raise the heavy issue of Kelly Osbourne. Honestly though, the chubby girl will always be too easy a target- Then there are the Geldof girls: Fatty, Druggie and Sort Of Acceptable. Who died and made them cool- Oh, that's right, their mum.
EXHIBITION
Last week saw the launch of a book titled Fridays at Oasis. The book, featuring black and white photography by Kate Baker, aims to highlight the plight of Sydney's young homeless. The intimate portraits featured in the publication shed a new light on the city's downtrodden, neglected and ignored, and offer the young people featured a chance to share their story with dignity. Far from being a depressing read, Fridays at Oasis is imbued with a sense of hope; the people on display are real, tangible characters, not the pity cases or unpleasant clichés.
A not for profit initiative, all proceeds from the sale of Fridays at Oasis will go straight back into the Surry Hills centre, and thus directly benefit the people who allowed the book to happen.
For more information about the Oasis Centre, or to purchase the book, go to oasis.salvos.org.au/sydne. /
EVENTS
WHAT: Purdy Klampet online store opening
WHEN: 7:30pm, Thursday 9 October
WHERE: Piano Room, Corner Kings Cross and Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross
MORE: RSVP at purdyklampet.com/rsvp
WHAT: Finn Denim presents -Abyss
WHEN: 6pm, Thursday 9 October
WHERE: Medium Rare Gallery, 70 Regent St, Redfern
WHAT: C-90 (Cassette related artworks)
WHEN: 6pm, Thursday 9 October
WHERE: Palmer Projects, 2/238 Palmer St, Darlinghurst