We first fell in love with the ladies of Sex and the City because of their love affair with New York City and high-end fashion.  Their move to the big screen has only intensified that love; they continue their love affair with Louboutin, YSL, Dior, Halston and Chanel in Sex and the City 2.  We’ve only gotten a glimpse of what’s in store from the movie trailer so far, and we are already coveting the wardrobe.  The label breakdown comes from Madison Avenue Spy:

• Opening clip Carrie in limited edition Mykita & Bernhard Willhelm sunglasses ($525 @ Patricia Field.)
• Carrie’s white dress- Halston; necklace- Solange Azagury-Partridge- about $200k.  shoes- Louboutin; clutch- Chanel (Look from movie poster shown on the left).
• Clip in front of Bergdorf Goodman- Samantha’s VBH bag ($1300);  black Ray Bans. Miranda- YSL Tribute heels. Charlotte- all pink Dior (including the bag); except shoes- Louboutin.

 Take another look at the trailer below:

The New Sex in the City Trailer Is a Little Loub Heavy [The Cut] Via [Madison Avenue Spy]

Related: ‘Sex and the City 2′ Trailer Preview: Video

Tights are definitely on trend this season, and no one loves them more than Sarah Jessica Parker.  The actress wore a pair of Chanel striped tights from the spring 2010 collection on The Today Show last week while doing press for Did You Hear About the Morgans.  The edgy tights balanced her girly crocheted Chanel look; a cross between bondage and sweet.  In October of 2008 Ms. Parker selected a pair of two-toned Chanel tights with a one-shoulder dress and cardigan for the Chanel Mobile Art event.  These tights looked more like a combination of biker shorts and stockings, and placed an exclamation point on a well-proportioned outfit.  Both looks were fun, daring and unconventional.  You should expect to see these pattern and textured tights everywhere this season and the next.

Sarah Jessica Parker Goes On A Textured Tights Kick  [Glamour.com]

Two-tone tights, uneven hem and a granny-style cardie… SJP adopts Carrie’s kooky style  [Daily Mail]

December 2009

October 2008

Some of the most established fashion designers might be considering their successors following their departure, but they’re not talking.  Designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani are all in their 70′s, and thoughts of retirement must weigh heavily.  Even if their successors have been named, the designers are keeping silent.  Lagerfeld has already decided that he will work forever, and Chanel has publically stated that “[h]is succession is not on the agenda.” Armani, de la Renta and Lauren are the founders of their respective houses and their departure will definitely leave a void.  Any successor will be confronted with a true legacy.

So far successors of other notable fashion houses have been faced with challenges that saw them leaving prematurely and/or unceremoniously.  Tom Ford had a negative experience at Yves Saint Laurent and Lars Nilsson was essentially forced out at Gianfranco Ferre.  For now, Martin Margiela is the only house to forgo the successor route; the founder Martin Margiela will not be replaced.  Will other fashion houses take this path?  The answer will likely be dependent on the next two or three seasons at Martin Margiela, and the Margiela experiment.

Tough to let go for 70-something fashion designers [Reuters]

Sources Say It’s ‘Inconceivable’ That Chanel Isn’t Thinking About Karl Lagerfeld’s Succession [The Cut]

Karl Lagerfeld has directed a new short film starring Edita Vilkeviciute as a young Coco Chanel.  The backdrop of the film is Shanghai; a bit of an homage to Chanel’s Pre-Fall 2010 collection aptly named Paris-Shanghai.  In keeping with the name, the collection took its inspiration from the city in China with beautiful coats, embellished dresses and accessories.  Most notable among the accessories are the hats which are authentic in shape and embellished with beadings and other appliques.  Paris-Shanghai made our Rollcall list this week.  The presentation is 22-minutes in length, watch and enjoy.

Part 1

 Part 2

 Part 3

Alexander McQueen Spring 2010

Luxury brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Givenchy have not embraced the idea of selling their apparel online.  Marc Jacobs is an American designer, and he is also the creative director of Louis Vuitton.  There appears to be a  divide betweeen U.S. high-end retailers and European retailers; the U.S. companies are far more open to e-commerce.   

European retailers are hesitant to take advantage of the online retail market amid concerns about brand exclusivity and brand dilution.  They are concerned about a deterioration in customer service online as well.  Some retail consultants argue that the ease and convenience of ordering online is really what quality service is all about. 

Many of these brands have certain exceptions like, U.K. based Alexander McQueen.  His website sells everything to his U.S. customers only.  Yves Saint Laurent will only allow accessories to be sold online to its U.S. customers.  Chanel sells its beauty products, and Louis Vuitton sells  leather goods and accessories, but neither will go beyond those specified items.

Luxury brands are not as averse to the Internet as before, many have ventured into the online social networking arena.  It’s a great way to connect with customers in an attempt to better address their needs.  Twitter, Facebook and other sites provide real-time feedback that, if used correctly, can be invaluable to these companies.

“More than 50% of the population has grown up with shopping on the Internet. It continues to be the biggest growth opportunity for fashion, and luxury in particular. They’re not going to see the same level of growth in traditional outlets,” says chief retail analyst Marshal Cohen.  Maybe the question to ask is, can luxury retail continue to shun e-commerce without serious financial implications?

Online Luxury Retail Remains Elusive [BusinessWeek]

The magazine publishing industry has been hit with the closing of several publications in 2009, but that has had no effect on Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel.  He is launching a new magazine for the label. Karl is not the only one venturing into the magazine business, Forever 21 makes its magazine debut on Friday.  Even Barneys is getting in on the act, the luxury retailer has plans to launch its own blog for fashion directors.  The only question is what took them so long?

It appears to be a logical extension of their respective businesses, and the timing of these ventures is pretty genius as well.  Designers and retailers have to be creative when it comes to their finances in this economic environment, and this is one way to conserve their advertising dollars.  I’m sure they will not abandon independent print organizations altogether, but this is a viable alternative for promoting their brands. 

I guess we know where the missing advertising dollars from print publications have gone, in-house.  Even so, I’m looking forward to both Chanel’s 31 Rue Cambon and Barneys’ blog.  You will be able to get your copy of the Chanel magazine in their stores worldwide.

Forever 21 Makes Mag, Olivier Zahm Does It for Chanel [Blackbook]

Karl Launches Chanel Magazine, Barneys to Get a Blog [The Cut]

It was a tale of two Paris, and now that the shows are over, fashion critics and journalist are asking, ‘does sex sell’?  The easy answer is a resounding, ‘yes’, but it’s a little more complicated than that.  Sex does sell, but who’s buying it?  There were some very sexy collections in Paris this season, but the shows that gripped the fashion world most were the ones where we were offered innovation and fully clothed models.  Of course Alexander McQueen’s show comes to mind with a look to the future, so does Louis Vuitton.  Both streamed their shows live and opened up this seemingly secret world to everyone.  Karl Lagerfeld even got Chanel into the act with a theme of farm and hay as the backdrop against the refined and polished looks of that house.  Contrasting the collection with the scenery made the clothes pop out.  The sexier collections used the clothes to do what McQueen and Vuitton used technology to do, get us talking.  Let’s face it, one of the purposes for the fashion weeks is to generate buzz.  Did this strategy work?  Maybe the sexier houses were betting that women wanted a change; that gamble would not have been too far fetched, but was translucent clothing the solution?  Dior and Giles Deacon took a calculated risk, but only time and sales will tell the full story.  For now, the strategy has proved itself effective because we are still talking about them.

At Paris Shows, Designers Hope That Sexy Sells [WSJ]

What Professional Woman Wants to Wear Lingerie As Clothing? [The Cut]

Karl Lagerfeld designed the costumes for the English National Ballet’s performance of Apollo.  When fashion and the Arts are combined you have magic.  The clean lines in the costumes are evident in the House of Chanel and in the designer himself.  Though the costumes are linear, they also have a romantic element.  Enjoy the views of the couture house; its beauty rivals any museum you would visit in Paris.  The mini performance of two principal dancers is also worth a view.

Lagerfeld’s Apollo [Vogue.com]