the
February 17, 2015
front row
accessories
rule!
It’s in the bag for Joseph
Altuzarra
plus! CAROLINA HERRERA • PRABAL GURUNG • DEREK LAM • DKNY • DVF •THAKOON
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TOOTING HORNS!
SELF-REFLECTION!
What’s new? I’ve started taking trumpet lessons. I used to play as a kid. I was expecting to get complaints from the neighbors, but it hasn’t happened yet. What songs are you playing? Christmas carols like “Jingle Bells.” I’m not very good yet. I want to learn jazz; I love going to jazz bars. How did you find a trumpet teacher? Online. I googled “Trumpet Lessons” and my teacher came very well-recommended, with a lot of great reviews. How much does a trumpet go for these days? About $400 on the lower end. I bought a less expensive one because I wasn’t sure if I was going to like getting back into it or not. Will we be seeing you in any parades? No, but maybe you’ll run into me moonlighting at a random jazz bar. That’s kind of my dream.
What was it like to see yourself on House of DVF? Very funny. It was fun and illuminating to work on. I never intended to do reality TV, and as filming progresses, you understand the nuances, and it becomes very fun. I had a great time watching it—I didn’t see it before it aired. Are you ever mistaken for Nicole Kidman? No, but sometimes people say that I look like her, which is very flattering. I soak it up, smile, and say thank you.
With Jessica Stam
With Jessica Joffe, style editor, DVF
DVF
AWW ALERT! With Malaika Firth
How was your Valentine’s Day? Very nice! My boyfriend [Nate Gill] and I went out to dinner and had oysters. Did you get a present? I got a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal and heart balloons, which were really cute. I got him customized M&M’s that said, “I love you, Nate!”
SAUCY TALK! With Diane von Furstenberg Always great to see you. I loved your feature on Michael Herz! What are we looking at for Fall? This collection is called Seduction. It’s about the woman who commands the room during the day and inspires fantasy at night. We started working on this six months ago, but it’s coming out at the same time as Fifty Shades of Grey, so we’re using the music from the film on the runway. Have you read Fifty Shades?
Some of it. Do you like those kinds of novels? Not unless they’re very well written, but I don’t mind them. What seduces you? Beauty, intelligence, honesty, generosity. Your docu TV series was renewed! It was very interesting, informative, and fun. People really liked it, and now I’m going to try to get girls with a little more experience. You can empower young girls and tell them that you don’t have to be a bitch to succeed.
FA S H I O N W E E K D A I L Y. C O M
your daily dose
DOLLY MOMENT!
SCENE
With Binx Walton
☛ There was a lot of backstage frenzy at DVF, as top models (Stam! Malaika! Kendall! Binx!) wriggled in and out of hair and makeup. Pat McGrath was the unofficial ringleader, mostly because she knew everyone’s names. “We’ve known a lot of them since the beginning of their careers,” she explained. As for how she prepped for Fashion Month? “Push-ups.” Meanwhile, Diane’s perpetually chic crowd was coalescing in the front row as the designer gave firm instructions to the assembly of models. “Don’t be afraid to smile!” she said. “What did I say again?” In unison, the beauties answered: “Smile!” ☛
REQUIRED READING! With Michael Herz, artistic director, DVF
When were you last seduced? I don’t know if I’ve ever been seduced! Have you ever seduced anybody? I don’t know if I’ve ever tried. Have you read Fifty Shades? I was at the airport and I picked up this book and had no idea what it was. I went to pay for it and the lady at the counter said it was selling so fast. I jokingly said, “It must be porn!” She laughed and said, “I think so!” I thought she was joking. I got on the plane and started reading, and I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I read the whole book and was kind of fantasizing that I was one of the characters. Then I bought the second book and got really bored within 10 pages.
Where are you from originally? Hawaii and Knoxville, Tennessee, where I spent most of my life. Such different places! They both had a big effect on why I’m so mellow. Knoxville is chill and I still go back all the time to see friends. How many times have you been to Dollywood? At least 50. My grandma used to get us season passes for Christmas. What’s your fave Dolly song? I don’t even know. Too many to say. I’m undecided. What’s yours? “Jolene” comes to mind… Of course! What’s your favorite Dollywood attraction? They just got new roller coasters! They have the first Wild Eagle roller coaster. What would you say to Dolly if you met her? I’ve heard she has an arm of tattoos, which is why she always wears long-sleeved shirts, so I’d ask her if that’s true or not.
HAUTE HAIR ALERT! As for DVF’s killer buns? You have Orlando Pita and team Tresemmé to thank. The darling coiffeur spilled his secrets backstage… The look: “We were more inspired by this double agent–type woman at night, when she really turns on the seduction. She puts on the smoky eyes and pulls her hair back in a tight bun. It’s not done in a way that’s very ladylike or uptown. We used the Tresemmé Blow Dry Balm to blow dry the hair. I like how that product can be used on both wet and dry hair.”
TALES OF SEDUCTION, PART 1! With Fran Lebowitz
TALES OF SEDUCTION, PART 2! With Stephen Gan
Surviving the cold? I actually prefer the cold weather, but this is excessive. Have any vacation plans coming up? I don’t. There are people who might tell you that I don’t deserve one. The collection’s theme is seduction. I take Diane’s word for it. Any tips on how to seduce someone? Not publicly. Have you been seduced? Of course.
Any tips on how to seduce somebody? Oh, gosh. No. I’m really bad with that. I think not trying is the best thing. Do you recall anybody seducing you successfully? No. What’s new at V? Our new cover is coming out. It’s a musician, and she’s adorable! bfanyc.com (13); firstview (3)
DEEP CONFESSIONS! With Sally Singer
What’s your closet like? I’m not good at throwing things away, but I don’t buy much. I have clothes that I wore when I was 13 in my closet. What’s new at Vogue.com? We have a new directory that we just launched so when you land in London and Paris, you can find where to get a manicure or buy a vintage dress. We’re also doing a lot of innovative video. How is it working in the digital world compared to print? I’m very lucky, because I’m still in the print meetings and have a hand in both. The digital team is a lot of fun. I like to make a lot of stuff. More is more!
z z u B SENSIBLE SHOE ALERT!
Cathy Horyn trotted out some high-tread Nikes over the weekend. Way to watch out for that snow!
Fix
PRABAL GURUNG
THE DAILY WONDERS…
Who sits third row at Prabal Gurung? Meet blogger Zanita, behind zanita.com.au How did you come up with that name? I blame my mother. You’re Australian! But I work in Sweden. I’m back home in Sydney a lot. How many followers do you have? I have 196,000 Instagram followers. I don’t want to say how many hits my website gets, because it fluctuates. Are bloggers friendly with one another? I think so! Where do you sit front row? At all the Australian shows for Australian Fashion Week.
SCENE
☛ Sunday fun day! Too many great shows to count, but we’ll try… ☛ Thakoon is winning the award for most colorful set of the week (so far). His show at SIR Stage37 was awash in luminescent panels that made the clothes look even more stunningly vibrant. Bravo! ☛ Chicettes like Bella Hadid and Sofia Richie took in Donna Karan’s latest DKNY spectacular. ☛ Meanwhile, by the Prabal Gurung finale, the red haute coats had everybody feeling a bit more generous toward the cold weather and the fashion opportunities it presents.
SOCCER TALK!
With Lily Aldridge at Thakoon Are you walking in any shows? No, just sitting in the front row! It’s such a luxury! Have you been following the basketball stuff that went on this weekend? I am into basketball, but I was into it back when the Lakers were amazing. Like when Kobe and Shaq were a duo, back in the day. Is that your favorite sport? No, that would be soccer! Do you play on a league? No, I’m not as good now, but I played from the ages of 4 to 16. I was an all-star. I thought I was going to go to college for it, but then I became a model. Where did you want to go to college? I always went to UCLA soccer camp, so I wanted to go there!
OVERDUE CHAT!
With Jessica Michault, editor in chief, NOWFASHION
DKNY
TRIBECA TALK! With Virginia Smith
Nice to see you! How are you? I feel a little off my game—low energy level. Although there have been lots of Beckham sightings: It started out at Victoria’s show, and then Odell Beckham Jr. was at Public School. Remember him? The onehanded catcher for the New York Giants? Can’t say we do. Hey, you need to catch up on your news! How are you liking the new Condé building? I live in Tribeca, so it’s great. I walk my son to school and then stop in Whole Foods for a coffee. How are you dealing with the cold weather? I called a car very early on. It’s not a day to be a hero.
How long were you Suzy Menkes’ assistant? For 16 years. Wow! What did you learn from her? Everything! Her work ethic is bar none, and she speaks the truth. She’s an amazing woman. You both have very distinct hairstyles. Is that on purpose? For me, it was a necessity. I had three small girls and I needed to get out of the house fast, and I kept putting my hair back in a pony tail. I needed something more sophisticated than that, so I found some vintage hair combs and it all came together. Even when I’m wearing sweatpants, I look sophisticated with the hair. What does Suzy think of your hair? We’ve never really broached that subject. Do you have a name for it? Do you want to give it a name? Let me know what you come up with.
Warrior Princess
The force was with Mara Hoffman this season: To play off Hoffman’s Star Wars–inspired collection, makeup artist Lottie for Maybelline New York created a desert dweller look layering Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow in metallic shades of Bold Gold and Bad to the Bronze. Plus, cheek bones, the bridge of the nose, and cupid’s bow all got highlighted with the shadow. To further play up the futuristic feel, Lottie emphasized brows using Eye Studio Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara.
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HAVE NO RESERVATIONS Our Traveling Luxury Consumer purchases more fashion, accessories and luxury goods than all major fashion titles.
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DISCUSS! THE NEW LOCATION OF NYFW
Buzz
The Daily has heard that the new home of IMG’s Fashion Week, come September, will likely be the General Post Office/Moynihan Station, located on W. 33rd Street. Built in 1912 by McKim, Mead & White, it was designated a landmark in 1966, and has been used as an off-site venue for Skylight Studios. There are expected to be at least two venues, likely located in the former mail-sorting room and the postal dock, but expect more spaces to be built out—the building boasts 1.4 million square feet.
Gettin’ It a D ily!
Mazdack Rassi
SPOTTED! Ari Emanuel at Dion Lee’s show at MADE, accompanied by a protective crew of the venue’s administrators. Is the ink already dry on this mid-sevenfigures deal?
Fix
front row
Ivanka Trump + Joe Zee
MEANWHILE, AT MADE… Mazdack Rassi presented Mayor de Blasio to the fashion cognoscenti at MADE during a press conference discussing the economic impact of Fashion Week. No one can seem to remember if IMG or Lincoln Center were even mentioned, thus ensuring that MADE’s takeover of NYFW is complete—wait, are they acquiring IMG or vice versa?!
Bill de Blasio
Editor in Chief, CEO
Brandusa Niro Guillaume Bruneau Creative Director Peter Davis Group Executive Editor
Eddie Roche Deputy Editor
Managing Editor Tangie Silva Editor at Large Ashley Baker Features Editor Alexandra Ilyashov Fashion News Editor Paige Reddinger Writer/Reporter Dena Silver Art Director Teresa Platt Contributing Photographer Giorgio Niro Contributing Photo Editor Jessica Athanasiou-Piork Contributing Copy Editor Joseph Manghise Imaging Director George Maier President, Publisher Paul Turcotte
DAILY INVESTIGATION! Thoughts on the end of the Lincoln Center era? Vanessa Friedman: “Honestly, I think we’re going to have more of the same. I think the Tents could be located on Mars and 10 minutes later, people would want to go colonize Venus.” Eric Wilson: “I have a lot of thoughts, and I hope they take it as an opportunity to make it a smaller, more convenient, and Steven Kolb, Jenné Lombardo, Mayor Bill elegant affair.” de Blasio, Chirlane McCray, Diane von Jenna Lyons: “I might have a little more insight—I do sit on the Furstenberg, Mazdack Rassi, Keith Baptista board of the CFDA, so I hear a little bit. Obviously, it wouldn’t be appropriate of me to divulge anything, but I’m excited to move—traffic has been hard!” INTIMATES MOMENT! Chadwick Boseman: “It should be in a warehouse in Brooklyn!” Andrew Bevan: “Where should we go next? Chelsea Market, because there are Ever wonder who Jason Wu unlimited food options! You could just sit and eat all day!” turns to when he’s in need of
THE DAILY WONDERS…
WHICH OUT-OF-BUSINESS DESIGNER DO YOU MISS MOST? Virginia Smith: “Helmut Lang.” Eric Wilson: “Miguel Adrover.” Ed Filipowski: “Helmut Lang.” Anne Slowey: “Stephen Sprouse! Linda Wells: “Helmut Lang! It was Parachute! Christian Francis!” like going to church.” Robin Givhan: “He’s not out of business Jenna Lyons: “The really old-school but Isaac Mizrahi pops into my head. I miss ones, like Giorgio di Sant’ Angelo and his lovely and charming presentations.” Carmelo Pomodoro. I miss their spirit.” June Ambrose: “I’m going to miss Jean Sophie Auster: “I just met Daryl K. Paul Gaultier, who is only showing couture When I met her I told her that I loved now. I’m a huge fan.” her stuff and I missed it, she was like, Jessica Michault: “I adore Olivier ‘Well, we’re working on coming back.’ ” Theyskens, and I’d like to see him come Vanessa Friedman: “I miss many, but that back to Paris, because he’s such a talent doesn’t mean they should be revived. I think and that’s where he belongs.” it’s great for designers to Sally Singer: “Marco Zanini, who do their own thing, and just left Rochas, and Olivier Theyskens. That scale of talent I wish that more investors would back that.” really needs to be someLily Aldridge: “Mayle. where. I only wear fired There used to be a store designers. I got married in Soho, but it’s not there in Isaac Mizrahi.” anymore. It was my favorite ever!” Helmut Lang, Daryl K, Miguel Adrover, Olivier Theyskens FA S H I O N W E E K D A I L Y. C O M
the
some skivvies? Commando, bien sûr, whose microfiber boy shorts made a stellar appearance on the designer’s Spring ’15 runway.
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On the cover: Altuzarra Fall 2015, photographed by FirstView. Inset: PatrickMcMullan.com.
runway
Fall 2015
CAROLINA
HERRERA A wave of elegance washed over Carolina Herrera’s runway this season—the elegance part isn’t unusual, but the water motif was certainly novel. To wit: a light blue floorlength skirt with a cascading wave of fabric and silvery reflective embellishment. The key look was Karlie Kloss’s finale gown: a navy bodice and waveprint skirt.
FA S H I O N W E E K D A I L Y. C O M
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runway
Fall 2015
altuzarra Altuzarra’s luxurious Fall collection made fashion hearts flutter. Incredible furs aside, winning pieces include intricate lace dresses and blouses and velvet frocks with flecks of gold. Not to mention those lustworthy boots and bags. Très riche!
PRAbAL
GURUNG Chalet-ready knit sweaters, a printed fur, and a fiery orange toggle coat: You may want to take these clothes for a stroll down Madison Avenue rather than a hike in the mountains, but the latter served as Gurung’s inspiration. Last season it was the Himalayas; this season, upstate New York. Either way, it’s working! FA S H I O N W E E K D A I L Y. C O M
runway
Fall 2015 derek
lam Stylish, simple, versatile everyday wear is what Derek does best. A few musts: a strapless tealength cream dress, a sleek pantsuit in burnt orange, and his fresh take on the classic trench. One of each!
EDUN Danielle Sherman’s designs for Edun always look incredibly modern while referencing traditions. Take a sleek black wool overcoat, draped on one shoulder with handwoven tapestry that was made on a Moroccan loom dating back several centuries. It’s this aesthetic mixed with these unique techniques that had attendees like Anna Wintour paying close attention.
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SOLE Mate
“
I look at every shoe that every person is wearing!”
FA S H I O N W E E K D A I L Y. C O M
just for
kicks Sarah Jessica Parker is synonymous with haute heels, so no wonder that her ßber-feminine, color-saturated foray into shoe design, SJP, is the real deal. (Getting Manolo mastermind George Malkemus on board didn’t hurt, either.) As the brand celebrates one year in business this month, we caught up with Parker about her NYFW debut, breaking into bridal and bags, and where she salvages her soles. BY ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV
C O U R T E S Y Z A p p os C O uture
SOLE Mate What was your first big-ticket shoe purchase? Manolo Blahniks. It was in the early ’80s in Los Angeles—my friend’s mother owned a store on Sunset Plaza, Madeleine Gallay. I had little-to-no money, but my friend said, “This shoe designer is coming to my mom’s store and he’s doing a trunk show,” so I went. It was Manolo Blahnik and George Malkemus. It was pouring rain; very few people showed up. I custom-ordered four or five pairs, and Manolo signed them all. Congrats on the first anniversary of your shoe line. I can’t believe how quickly the year has passed—it’s been lightning fast in terms of how much our little company has grown! It’s been thrilling, challenging, and an education. What kinds of retailers were on your short list? I’ve been very public about my affection for Nordstrom—we’d hoped to launch there, and that relationship has been really lovely. But expanding retail is satisfying: It allows us to tell more people about the brand, and how it was built on color and the single sole. Zappos Couture gives the opportunity to be a little more editorial, and they have a very different customer than Nordstrom. Neiman Marcus has a really different customer, too: She’s looking for sophistication and elegance, and she loves a seven-millimeter shoe. Who are your fashion industry mentors? Definitely George [Malkemus], Laura Mercier, Donna Karan, Narciso [Rodriguez], Sarah Burton, and Stella McCartney… What’s your design process like? I look at every shoe that every person is wearing! My eyes constantly scan the street or the airport when I travel, whether it’s a 2-year-old girl or a 70-year-old man. But for the most part, I’m sitting in a room thinking of new colors for our “essential” styles, like the Carrie and the Lady. Why did you decide to dabble in bridal? It happened by accident, honestly. We kept hearing that customers were wearing our shoes on their wedding days, in shades like pistachio and coral, and they started sending us pictures from their wedding days. We realized that there was space to rethink the wedding shoe. Women are breaking the rules these days! You’ve also branched out into bags. It’s been very successful, surprisingly! We recently coordinated the palette and materials of our shoes and bags, because the two don’t overlap in production. What else are you working on? We make really nice candles that sell really well, and I know why— they smell so freaking good. We also have a couple of other initiatives being investigated for down the road. We’re being prudent. We’re mindful of not growing too much, too fast, or too soon. You already sell your shoes in Dubai. Which other international markets are you eyeing? I think it’s inevitable that we’ll pick up one more retailer outside of the U.S. in 2015. I imagine Western Europe will be part of our plans soon, too. We’ve had all sorts of interesting opportunities. Is your line doing anything at NYFW this season? We’re doing the shoes for Tome’s show! We’ve built the shoes per their request; they picked beautiful colors. We considered a couple of designers, and I loved Tome’s collections—they have a real simplicity, and it’s a nice, doable opportunity. We wanted a partnership that felt authentic, not grabby. What’s your relationship like with New York Fashion Week? It changes all the time. This year I’ll go to Tome, and I have friends’ shows, like Narciso [Rodriguez], Francisco [Costa], Oscar [de la Renta], and DVF, that I see when I can. I’m intimidated by the press—I mean the actual press of bodies, all the photographers. But that goes away when you’re watching those minutes of total drama and excitement.
FA S H I O N W E E K D A I L Y. C O M
From top: At the Calvin Klein Spring ’15 show with Francisco Costa and Rooney Mara; with husband Matthew Broderick and their kids; winning Launch of the Year at the Footwear News Achievement Awards; SJP’s Instagram; with Yahoo Style’s Joe Zee.
What’s your office like? We have a temporary office space in Midtown, and we’re building an office space in the Flatiron area that will be open in a few months. You’ve walked in heels on and off sets for years. What are your solesaving secrets? Angel Feet on Perry Street is really lovely. It’s so quiet, and there are only two chairs. It’s a real indulgence; I don’t go a lot. I wish I went more! It’s miraculous that it’s still there, with soaring rents and all. Got any tricks for dealing with blisters? Oh, I’m the worst! I was a dancer so I’ve sort of always just slapped on a Band-Aid or walked on the outside of my foot. I have a very high tolerance for pain. Where do you sell your cast-offs? A lot of pieces are archived, and some clothes I give to my sisters, sisters-in-law, friends, and babysitters. A lot goes to charity, including items for auctions. Now and then, I’ll send something to Ina. Any shoes you wish you’d bought over the years? Probably a thrift store shoe that I’m sure I talked myself out of. You can’t say with any legitimacy, “Oh, God, I really need that shoe.” I’m not really good at shopping— I get a lot of anxiety afterward, and I just don’t have the time. Do you enjoy shopping for your daughters? The dirty little secret is that I don’t shop much for them, either! People send the girls things, which is really nice, and my older sister has a 9-year-old daughter, so we literally get bins of hand-me-downs. Also, my mom saved all our clothes, so she also sends those, too. I’ll only shop if there’s something super special. Like what? Well, Tabitha doesn’t like tight things. She won’t wear anything that shows her “diaper line,” as she calls it, even though she hasn’t worn diapers in years. She doesn’t like anything to feel tight there, including jeans, because they’re too stiff. Loretta won’t wear anything scratchy. She has super sensitive, pale skin; she’s, like, allergic to Band-Aids. She always asks for “cozy, cozy, cozy!” clothing. Are your girls as into shoes as you are? They’re into it, but it doesn’t seem to be any more or less than their peers—it seems to be developmentally pretty normal. They have absolute certainty about what looks and feels good. They choose for themselves every single day—I only step in when there are weather-related issues. If we’re going to the theater or ballet, I want them to look nice and be respectful of the performers. They like dressing up, anyway! Do you own any unabashedly ugly shoes? I’ve been wearing a certain weird waterproof boot a bunch lately. Some might call them ugly, but I have such affection for how they get me through the day. They make my feet look kind of big, but when I’m running around from subway to soccer practice with kids in the weather? I genuinely don’t care. You recently filmed All Roads Lead to Rome. What drew you to that flick? To be honest, I signed on because I really admire the director, Ella Lemhagen. I was hopeful she’d make it a worthwhile experience for being away from my family for that long. It was a complicated experience; I hope the movie turns out well!
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TOTAL Revamp
Lucky Trio
Wondering what’s been going on with Lucky since Condé Nast spun off the glossy in a deal with BeachMint to form The Lucky Group—and build a stand-alone e-comm site—in August? Of course you were. We chatted up the venture’s CEO, Josh Berman, plus Lucky EIC Eva Chen (who now goes by chief creative officer) and publisher-cum-president Gillian Gorman Round for the full shopping-obsessed scoop. BY ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV
Josh Berman, CEO, The Lucky Group Why were you and BeachMint interested in Lucky? There was no better fit for us besides Lucky because it’s strictly about shopping— and the evolution of shopping is BeachMint’s mission. E-commerce isn’t easy: You want fantastic merchandisers, and inventory is a challenge. We’ve aligned with the right partners and vendors. The most difficult component is having a voice. We wanted incredible content with the right point of view, and an opportunity came up with the folks over at Condé Nast. They were intrigued about how e-commerce will evolve over the next decade. We began brainstorming with them about a year ago. What did you do before BeachMint? I’ve been working in media for about 20 years, since I finished business school. Man, I’m old! It’s kind of depressing. I did my first start-up in ’99, and have since done about five Internet deals. Myspace was a big success of mine, and it was sold to News Corp. What is BeachMint, exactly? I started BeachMint four and a half years ago with a close friend of mine who was also super interested in the e-commerce fashion space. We realized more women and men were purchasing online. We developed and private-labeled ShoeMint and StyleMint; for a long time, we were a member-only subscription service. MaryKate and Ashley Olsen are advisers, and they helped launch StyleMint. Kate Bosworth was involved when we launched JewelMint. How committed are you to Lucky in print? We believe in print, and it’s critical to us. We want to continue to have the print product. Also, we have some great print franchises that we’ll leverage online, like editor’s picks or lines we love. I’m learning a ton about the publishing world, and it’s super interesting. There’s a great editorial voice; Eva [Chen] leads the charge. What’s it like being the L.A.-based CEO of a bicoastal company? I definitely have a lot of early phone calls, and the New York team has a lot of late nights! A little more than half the company is in New York— the edit, sales, and creative teams. The developers and our e-mail marketing team focused on customer acquisition run operations out of Los Angeles. Have you considered moving the business completely to one coast? It’s all about having great people on both coasts. There’s no better place than New York to find the best fashion editors, and I’ve worked with some pretty amazing technologists, based in L.A., for the past 15 years who are still with me. There are definitely advantages to working in multiple locations. Do you see Lucky as a marketing vehicle? It doesn’t have that kind of role. We have really great plans for the magazine—we love the print publication! Tell us about the new e-comm site launching soon. It’s called LuckyShops.com, and it’s been the focal point of The Lucky Group since the merger. There have been sleepless nights around the clock gearing up for the site’s launch! It’ll be a key pillar of the business—a lot of what’s in the magazine will be available at LuckyShops. Not only the merchandise, but also the content. We’re hoping to grow exponentially. We won’t use Lucky to promote JewelMint, StyleMint, and ShoeMint—they’re separate sites, and by no means are we marketing FA S H I O N W E E K D A I L Y. C O M
PLUS! Eva Chen, The Lucky Group’s chief creative officer, explains more… our Mint stuff on Lucky. I don’t think the first launch [of LuckyShops] has any of our Mint stuff. What’s been the biggest learning curve? Calls and meeting with advertisers with Gill [Gorman Round]. It’s awesome to hear about our clients’ excitement level for what we’re doing. When I was at Myspace, I was in front of advertisers, and it’s great to do it again. There’s so much excitement in the marketplace. Are you involved with editorial hires (and fires)? We are all very involved on a macro level. On the hiring front, we’re onboarding people with digital DNA and cachet to help market and develop our product for a digital audience. We’ve brought on some exciting people already, and we’re looking to bring more onboard. We have huge ambitions. Think you’ll inspire copycats with LuckyShops? You’ll see other titles trying to give users much better shopping experiences. We’re in the first inning of how shopping will evolve on mobile. So many unbelievable technologies are coming out that will be better for shoppers. Do you work with Anna Wintour much in her adviser role at The Lucky Group? I’ve had exposure to Anna. She’s incredible, and she’s very important to Eva, who interacts with her constantly. Anna knows what we’re planning for LuckyShop’s site launch. She’s so excited—and intrigued—about what we’re doing. Anna was at the forefront of the talks about BeachMint and Condé Nast doing a deal. She helped us dream up this plan.
AND! The Lucky Group’s president, Gillian Gorman Round, weighs in… Anything you want to set straight about Lucky’s present and future? A common misconception is that Condé Nast sold Lucky… they didn’t! Rather, they invested in a new business model for us—and ultimately for them as well. Another thing people get wrong is the assumption that just because we are investing heavily in our digital presence, that this will come at the expense of print. It doesn’t, and it won’t. How is your gig different now that The Lucky Group exists? It’s an evolved set of responsibilities in a more "start-up-y,” independent environment! In addition to the revenue responsibility I’ve always had, I now have audience development, e-commerce revenue, partnerships…. It’s a long but really fulfilling and fun list. How is it different to sell ads now that you’re not with Condé Nast? We still work with Condé Nast Media Group as a key partner, and now we’re also able to work independently with clients. They love that we can negotiate directly and bring other elements to advertising partnerships that we might not have been able to before. How might Lucky’s new business model impact traditional magazine publishing? Every “traditional” industry is looking—if it’s smart—to evolve and contemporize. Our new business model, and all the new audience and advertiser capabilities it brings, radically shakes up the traditional media selling and buying approaches. It’s about time. We know that everyone’s looking closely at what we are doing. Do you expect other titles to try similar shake-ups? I think we’ll see a few “me too” attempts in the not-too-distant future at other titles. But they’d have to completely overhaul their business model and culture to be anywhere near what we’re doing.
How is a chief creative officer’s role different than an EIC? In the first 150 days or so since the deal came together, we signed on 150 brands to launch LuckyShops.com—that speaks to how my role has changed! I don’t pretend to be a buyer; I basically have no buying experience. I’m working with an amazing general merchandise manager based in L.A. Learning about retail has been an incredible adventure. I’ve learned so much about packaging, too—we literally chose the tissue paper, the return labels, all these things I never thought of. How’s that February blogger cover performing? It’s doing well—it’s tracking the same numbers of [all] our issues. I’ve been an outspoken supporter of the new generation of talent, including bloggers. I got the idea last February, when I saw a pretty well-known French actress and Chiara [Ferragni of The Blonde Salad] both exiting a show in New York, and the photographers were all trained on Chiara. Do constant murmurings about Lucky shuttering its print mag stress you out? It’s a persistent rumor that’s plagued Lucky for many years. It predates me, and it predates my predecessor [Brandon Holley]. It’s unfortunate. It really discounts the amazing work my team puts in. This is a partnership and joint venture with Condé Nast—they’ve invested in this. I deal by continuing to be a cheerleader for the brand. This is the new evolution of Lucky. It could be a model for the industry as a whole. Can you explain all those recent print layoffs? Lucky’s always offered a really unique point of view— truly shoppable content. Now, in addition to the print magazine, we’re fulfilling that point of view with LuckyShops.com. We’ve made changes to the team to accommodate this new layer. Is Anna Wintour’s adviser role different than her former artistic director capacity? Nothing has changed. Anna’s involvement with us is probably on par with all the Condé books she works on. She remains the most incredible source of advice and guidance, period. She’s very interested in the brands we’re signing on for the site, like Kenzo, Opening Ceremony, Marc by Marc, Prabal [Gurung], The Row…. Every time we score a great one, she’s so encouraging. When are you moving into The Lucky Group’s new HQ? Oh, my gosh, I’m so excited. We’re building an open loft space in the Flatiron, with the hallmarks of a tech company. We’ll move there from our temporary offices in a few months. The main reason we didn’t move to 1 World Trade Center is that we really needed our own digital studio.
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It could be a model for the industry as a whole.”
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY
VENUE Report
SPRING FORWARD
Spring Studios has been a London institution for the past 18 years, so no wonder the fashion set took notice when the 360-degree creative studio landed in New York City, officially opening in 2014. Soon enough, Fashion Week mainstays such as DVF, Michael Kors, and Calvin Klein Collection were gracing its digs, with many more to follow. CEO Mark Loy fills us in on the place where you’re spending so much of your time these days. BY PAIGE REDDINGER PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW BROOKE You’re opening several new parts of the studio in 2015. What can we expect? We’re opening our roof terrace, two cinemas, an outdoor shoot space, an outdoor show space, with capacity for 800 people, casting suites, and a restaurant and bar. We’re also developing a concept store, which shows how online, mobile, and a physical retail space can engage as a unified and always-on experience. And in addition to what we do for New York Fashion Week, we’ve just become the new home for the Tribeca Film Festival, which we’re really excited about. I can’t go into specifics yet, but we’re going to host one of New York’s fine-art fairs, a music festival, and other similar events that will really represent the best of New York and its culture. We’re also going to be taking memberships. It’s a really unique model. The full building will be completed in a year, but the main spaces will be finished in a month. What does the end of the Lincoln Center era mean for your business? Lincoln Center is effectively a bricksand-mortar venue with no further capabilities. It has a very cookie-cutter approach to holding a show. We have a large capacity to do shows at Spring, but not at that level—we won’t hold nearly as many shows as there are at Lincoln Center currently. Spring Studios is based on redefining communications, so we only want to work with brands who speak to innovation at their core and want to redefine what a show can be. And by that, you mean… We have our own media platform, we have our own technology team, we have our creative agency, we have digital web build and
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Spring Studios is based on redefining communications, so we only want to work with brands who speak to innovation at their core.”
A show space at Spring Studios. FA S H I O N W E E K D A I L Y. C O M
e-commerce teams, and we’ve been immersed in production for the past 20 years. Plus, Spring is also immersed in art, design, and editorial and has gallery directors and editorial teams. We want to apply that 360-degree thinking and those principles to show and create spectacles that are very much in line with our thinking. We are also interested in creating shoppable shows; brands are moving away from being so seasonal. How important are the shows to a brand’s overall business plan? Shows will always be hugely important at Spring. We’re doing six shows this season, and we will increase that number once all our areas are open. Of course, there are opportunities to do presentations, afterparties, and so on as well, but again, these have to be done in the right way. We have a clear vision and point of view, and you will see more of it in the coming season. Are Resort and Pre-Fall becoming big business for Spring? We see fashion as an “always-on” business. The creation of Resort, Pre-Fall, and Cruise are the fashion industry’s attempt to move toward an “always-on” production cycle and respond to customer demand. “Pronta Moda” production models like Zara take this to new levels, and we’re engaged in this type of communication for clients; but to be clear, you can’t have Fashion Week every week—no one has the appetite for that—so midseason collections and product launches have to be communicated in other ways, through content channels and campaigns. What kind of staff do you have? In London, we employ 250 people led by former British Vogue creative director Robin Derrick and former Rimmel creative director Robin Harvey. By the end of the year, we will have 200 employees in New York, who will be lead by former CoverGirl creative director Mark Fina and former creative director of The New York Times David Sebbah. Spring Creative provided the creative direction for Porter magazine and last year redesigned American Harper’s Bazaar and created the digital platform for Shop Bazaar. Spring Creative has also completed 360-degree communications for Target’s designer collaborations with Peter Pilotto and Phillip Lim as well as Calvin Klein Jeans and Tom Ford. The company culture creates a unique cross-fertilization and constant osmosis for our team. What do you envision for Spring in the next five to 10 years? We want to build a thoroughly modern business and sustain a standard that luxury brands have achieved historically for fashion shows and print campaigns—but with innovation. And together, with our partners, we have the ambition to expand globally.
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