Thakoon Once Worked as the Fashion Features Assistant at Harper's Bazaar

One of my favorite parts of going back home to Maryland is looking through all the things that shaped my youth / adult ambition. I knew I wanted to work in fashion after a lifelong love affair with magazines.

And I kept a religious collection of them. 

Some of my favorite covers are from the Kate Betts' era Harper's Bazaar

But the funny part is glancing over the masthead I saw a familiar name



             

(Forgive: this is my very first attempt at Vine and I've got a shaky hand) 

From "Fashion Features Assistant" to Michelle Obama favorite. Guess I wasn't the only guy with a dream. 

"At 88, having worked with Richard Avedon, Diana Vreeland, Carmel Snow and Helmut Newton, what's on your bucket list now, Polly Mellen?"

"Christmas" 

- Fern Mallis gets Ms. Mellen's insight (and loud laughter) at the 92Y last nite 

No Doubt this is the Best Harper's Bazaar Cover in Ages

And the coy wink to Funny Face is very tongue in cheek indeed. Brava! 

Somebody Snatched up Tickets to See Polly Mellen Speak

Legendary editor Polly Mellen is giving a lecture with Fern Mallis at the 92Y in December and I cannot think of a better birthday present to myself.

Known for being an editor at Harper's Bazaar (back when it was good and not being run into the ground), American Vogue (under her mentor Diana Vreeland) and Allure, she was an early advocate of both Isaac Mizrahi and Todd Oldham.

And she's a real spitfire.

Can't wait. More tickets available: http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Polly-Mellen.aspx

Gettin' It: Eugene McGuinness 'Shotgun'

Moving in to a new home with a partner that shares my vintage aesthetic has me in a romantic, mid-century mood. Fresh air strolls in from windows left open and stirs up the sounds of Aretha and Frank filling the rooms.

I lounge on my hardwood floors, imagining Alexey Bodovitch, tie slightly undone, and Carmel Snow in her grey skirt suit pressed on the Hearst office floors debating the arrangement of the pages of the latest Bazaar while cooly nursing mid-day martinis.

Eugene McGuinness is sharing my daydreams right now with the Moffitt motif video for his song, "Shotgun"




Man, I want that arm chair in the opening shot.

Harper's Bazaar Wants to Party Like it's 1999

Cuz their much touted "re-design" resulted in not so fresh looking images like this subscriber only cover featuring 90's golden girl, Gwyneth (How fresh! how NOW!)

Doin' her best Toni Braxton at The Grammy's 

(Ok, it was 2001. So sue me.)

Ugh, Harper's ANOTHER missed opportunity! When will Hearst put real change into a once storied fashion publication. Diana, Polly, Carmel, Alexey, Liz, Kate.. they all made valuable contributions to make the magazine VOGUE's rightful rival.

This is no way to compete. Ugh.

Careful Popping that Hip Too Much, Madge

Looking amazing and in control (does she know any other way?!) on the subscriber cover of December's Harper's Bazaar. 

But alas! You're a lady of a certain age now, my dear and have a habit of popping hips a lot lately

You don't want "Give it to me" to be a plea for an Advil, darlin'!

DON'T: Computer Animated Beloved Cartoons are not Models (or Street Walkers)

Maybe I'm a bitter old man crushed to see a cartoon of my youth soiled by CGI or a once golden fashion magazine resort to stunt casting but this leaked image of Smurfette in Lanvin, Marc Jacobs and other Fall 2011 accessories makes me sad

It looks about as real, I guess, as any other fashion magazine model post-Photoshop, but, as Michael Kors would say, I question the taste level. These looks are more Julia Roberts' outfits before Richard Gere takes her off the streets and I'm sorry Smurfette was not three apples tall for any blowjob advantage!

Another step into the unemployment line, Glenda (although I enjoy the subtle wink to your Hogatha nickname)

Bergdorf's Windows are a Fright

Well they're actually just about PHOBIAS and feature paintings and sculptures by my friend, artist Mark Gagnon

Bergdorf had commissioned a whole windows worth of paintings from Mr Gagnon back in 2008 and it was such a successful collaboration, that they turned to him once more to paint fashionable interpretations of many common fears like spiders, drowning, tornadoes and Nuclear war

A talented painter, sculptor and mixed media artist, Gagnon's client list also includes (but limited to) Cartier, Barneys, Target and illustrations for publication such as The New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, Rolling Stone, Wallpaper and many more

Make sure to stop by Bergdorf Goodman's windows or pop over to their blog to check out more:

http://blog.bergdorfgoodman.com/windows/fearless


And to see more of Mark Gagnon's work, check out his Tumblr: http://markgagnon.tumblr.com/

Glenda Bailey Finally Getting the Boot?

Could it be that after years of making a muck of the once storied Harper's Bazaar, Glenda Bailey is finally getting the ax?

"Hogatha", as we refer to her at the M+G household (see: Smurfs Villian), has let the magazine go down the drain in both content and ad dollars and Hearst ain't having it no more according to rumours swirling around the Twitter and blog-a-sphere.

Not to be a "I told you so" and all, but here's hopin' these rumors prove true! Fresh blood is desperartly needed at Bazaar.

It Can't All Be DIOR... Still

In the wake of Galliano-Gate, people keep asking me if I'm going to change the name of my blog ("I guess it can't all be Chanel, now, huh?") but like Tammy Wynette I'm gonna stand by my man.

Monsieur Dior, that is

Afterall, the house is named for the great couturier who changed fashion and emphasized shape and an hourglass silhouette

Dior was interested in the beauty and femininity of women creating "flower women" with his radical use of yards of rich, decadent fabric and sharp, wasp waists, both were in stark contrast to the austere ideas of the time and shocked people at first

Legendary eye for design talent, Carmel Snow was an early champion of the "New Look", a term she coined and used to promote his designs to Harper's Bazaar readers

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So while John Galliano's words may have been Pure Poison, and I may be in a Dune all my own, J'adore Dior and am still an Addict for that Dior-essence. Forever and Ever.

Hearst and Hachette Sittin' in a Tree

It's official: Hearst is making an honest and open bid for Elle's mama company, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S.




Hachette was looking to sell and internationally the titles of both "H" publishing empires have vast similarities, so a union in The States was the most logical path for the French company. Any growing pains should also be minimal, but will all titles emerge unscratched or meld into mutant hybrids? Afterall, Hearst has its anchor fashion bible in Bazaar and house and home title in Good Housekeeping, where do ELLE and Woman's Day fit? 





Yet it's all still very promising with Hearst's $$$ and ability to spin so many multi-media collabs and international editions successfully. Plus it'd all be worth it to see Nina Garcia's face when she runs into some old ELLE friends at the Hearst cafeteria

Harper's Bazaar Needs a New Year's Makeover

It's no secret that magazines and fashion haven't exactly been having a stellar time lately, but Harper's Bazaar seems to have had yet another particularly rough year.

At a time when they should be publishing flashy, attention grabbers, these are some of Bazaar's offerings in the last 12 months

Dismal

 And then 2010 ended with this

Fun to sparkle it up with Swarovski Crystals (the fashion instant picker upper) but the audacity of Bazaar copying an old VOGUE cover. Can't you just hear poor old Carmel Snow spinning?

("I am not amused")

And now 2011 doesn't seem to be starting off very well with this white on white cover

*****Now just let me preface this with I very much like the choice of Julianna Margulies*****

Having had the pleasure of working with her in real life I can vouch for Ms. Margulies being a very sweet, classy and smart woman (plus this spares us yet another month of Kate Hudson's bankable blankness)

It's a major strike against Bazaar that they don't showcase Julianna's strong, toned physique and striking beauty and comfort in her own skin in some formidable way. The whole thing is dull, uninspired and a waste of a different cover subject. 

So now, with a new year ahead of us, I have to put into words what we're all thinking

Bazaar: you've gotten soft. You're resting on your former glories and aren't living up to your star potential. You're out of touch and flabby and need to shed some dead weight. I suggest you resolve in the new year a complete make over, but not just visually. Yes, no one would argue that your house is in need of a fresh new coat of paint, but inside is where you're really hurting. If you don't work on you from within, you'll never reclaim and improve yourself. 

with much love and best wishes for 2011,

It Can't All Be Dior

Thanks for the Ad: Fall 2010 Fashion

It's one of my favorite times of the year again: September Fashion Magazine Time!

Now the editorial part long ago lost its allure to me after far too many disappointingly silly actresses against white backdrops modeling clothes that could be appealing if on a real model and not some dishwater tanned blonde girl from the latest interchangeable romantic comedy (this month's roster of Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston excel at proving my point!)

(Awkward pose with claw hands in a kimono)                                  (Random Barbara homage)  




So let's look at the ads! Cuz they still sell a fantasy land where you wear heels and and a full on Look to lounge on fire escapes and traipse around the city doing fabulously chic and indeterminate tasks

I've never been crazy about Natalia V (and that pose is sooooo Benny Ninja episode of America's Top Model), but DAMN if Karen and Christy aren't making a dramatic case for purchasing a vanity and a full skirt

Anja missed her train Friday afternoon, too wrapped up instead pondering why a raven is like a writing desk

Every August, the streets of New York City are filled with European tourists. Misleading ads like this are why every single one of those Euros is holding bags from mall brands like American Eagle, Express and Old Navy 

Speaking of Old Navy, kids,  Domenico and Stefano spent a lot of money to look real cheap. And that strategy only works for Dolly

I see Anna Wintour advised Ann Taylor to dump the models and sip from the dishwater blonde actress cup 

I was a fan of all the color blocking and 60's futurism Nicolas Ghesquiere used for Fall 2010, but this ad looks like you forced your sloppy, bratty teenage daughter to go to Sears for the annual family portrait

I LOVE Angela Lindvall!

Not a fan of Guess, but kinda loving this rockabilly meets Gina Lollobrigida imagery

And Moschino got the Colonial for Fall memo, although my version will have a whole lot less c**k rings involved. Yikes!

Read You Like A Book

Today's Read Across America Day. What's on your night stand?

Currently reading "A Dash of Daring" a biography on Harper's Bazaar editor in chief Carmel Snow. Debating re-reading "A Brave New World" after that.