Nina Garcia Knows a Dior Can Change Everything

---- Marie Claire Creative Director, Nina Garcia, on her start at Mirabella Magazine and keeping perspective in this wacky career of fashion journalism  

Black and White and Rad All Over

My latest piece I wrote for VIRAL Fashion explores menswear's return to its black and white lifelong romance after seasons of splashy, colorful affairs

Linky Link: http://viralfashion.com/viralfashion/mens-fashion/2013/03/04/black-white-and-rad-all-over/

It Can't All Be Dior Celebrates Three Years!

It Can't All Be Dior is turning three! 

And instead of terrible, it's gonna be hot hot hot! 

But in retrospect let's take a look at some of our favorite "Three Makes it a Trend" posts 



1. He's a Brick... S***house 




Before Solange rocked the Moschino suit in her "Losing You" video

it was just part of a trend we picked up from men's Fall 2012 runways

2. Droppin' Tracks

Holiday 2010 had all kinds of folks 
dropping the ball. 


Well, actually it was more like they 
lights and mics. 












3. T**s Be Out

This trend continues on to this day. Every Winter windows show unfortunate broads (and a few gents) that can't come in from the cold. 

Jean Paul Gaultier is Firing on all Turbans

Man I love a turban and mix in a little Gualtier stripe and I'm in heaven 

Plus a sexy look for Mr Taurus 

MET Ball Throwdown

Uninspired comedians (here's looking at you, Chelsea) may toss around the tired trope of The Oscars being the super bowl of the gays, but for my money, The MET Ball brings all the boys to the yard.



THE GOOD

(Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Burberry)

A Lurex and Aqua Net wonder of 60's, Anglomania references

(Carey Mulligan in Prada) 

A bit Paco Rabanne, non? J'adore ca. 

(China Chow in Jean Paul Gaultier Haute couture)

My vote for best dressed. But then Ms, Chow is not unfamiliar with that accolade. 

THE BAD

(Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte)

Why did she go all Money Penny here? 

(Anja Rubik in Anthony Vaccarello)

You're a model and you have a perfect body that you work hard to maintain, honey, we get it. But that's a lot of skin to be showing when Rosie Hunt's complete covered up. 

(Beyoncé in Givenchy Haute Couture)

Umm... no. And shame on Givenchy for making this MACY's meets Carnivale look. 

THE UGLY

(Rennee Zellweger in Pucci)

Why must she always make that snot face. Ugh. 

And to cleanse the palate...

THE SEXY

(Swizz Beats in Givenchy)

Man, he fills a suit out well. Oh yeah, Alicia Keys be there too. I guess. 

It Can't All Be Dior's Birthday Present #2

Gaultier in at Dior.






No one is even throwing his name around and with today's news of Raf Simon's departure at Jil Sander, his rumored appointment seems inevitable now.



While Raf's stark, modern minimalism would definitely be interesting to see play out at a house long known for over the top ruffles and trim, my heart is still pining for Gaultier. He truly gets the the drama and artistic femininity of the brand and would create confections women would swoon over














My hopes are not high, but hell, didn't I just ask for Ryan Gosling?


Clearly reality is loose on this list.

Three Makes it a Trend: Brick S***house

                            (Moschino)                                                                                 (Jean Paul Gaultier)

Men have always felt the pressure to be built like a brick wall, but now that mandate is taking on a whole new meaning with this emerging trend on the Fall 2012 runways.

That Moschino look above would be great as a two piece suit or broken all up (how great a navy lightweight Merino wool turtleneck with those pants) and that hot ginger could sell me anything at Gaultier, but Jeremy Scott cranked up the color for a 90's feeling Pantone facade

Color and pattern are my game, but that is one tough look. I guess you could say the best way to play with this fashion concept is a little with classics or a full suit with balls. 

Date Movie: Spirits of the Dead

After weeks of holiday go, go, go, Mr G and I were due for a roommate nite in. What better excuse than leftover Christmas cookies and Jane Fonda?

More specifically Jane Fonda's wardrobe

After displaying his wife's ability to change and unchange in rapid succession in Barbarella, Roger Vadim once again takes full advantage of 60's peak Jane in this lush adaption of an Edgar Allen Poe tale, "Metzengerstein" (one of three. The other two directed by Fellini and Louis Malle)

(So Gaultier for Hermes, non?)

Man he loves to play Barbie with her. Makes you wonder what home life was like....

Mr G and I loved this mess with its inexplicable implied romance between Jane and a black horse that represents her dead lover (played by real life brother, Peter Fonda) she accidentally murdered when she burned his barn down after he spurned her advances.

Yup

(Don't fuck with Jane)

Haunted by beastly brotherly love, she rides the black stallion off into a firestorm upon completion of a commissioned tapestry bearing his likeness

And butt be out! 

This is just the inspiring love story one needs to start the new year, right. 

As for the other two tales of this triptych, Bardot is stunning as a brunette and a young Terrance Stamp reminds me of an ex of mine, but both are equally tedious without the fag bait of a killer wardrobe. Skip. 

I Still Say Gaultier Should Get the Gig

In an interview in this week's New Yorker, jean Paul Gaultier tells how he once turned down John Galliano's open spot at Givenchy. Gaultier was holding out for Dior

“I thought Givenchy was very bourgeois,” [Gaultier] said. “I loved Saint Laurent, Dior, Cardin. Givenchy was not a dream of mine. So I told Mr. Arnault no, I was not dreaming of Givenchy.”

Perhaps LVMH could still see the opportunity to offer up Dior to this master couturier? He's been my front runner for awhile and is quite sharp at accessing the core spirit of a brand and turning it on its head with his wild touches (see: Hermes)

Revolving Diors

Ok with John Galliano suspended and obviously not coming back, a successor is needed for Christian Dior. Someone who can handle both the Ready to Wear and the Haute Couture.


Here's some of my suggestions




1. Jean Paul Gauliter

A very obvious choice what with his enfant terrible reputation and his love for the dramatic. He could easily carry Dior forward and is available for another house with fashion history to take on since he left Hermes.





2. Olivier Theyskens

I know he's busy with Theory and all, but after a triumphant turn at Nina Ricci and an equally dramatic oust, critical darling, Theyskiens, would be up for the challenge, I'm sure.





3. Stefano Pilati

With rumors swirling once more that the Gucci group is on the verge on letting him  go from Yves Saint Laurent, he'd be open for a job and obviously familiar with the pressures of taking on such a revered French fashion house.




4. Giambattista Valli

This man knows how to dress a woman so she is the epitome of glamour and sophistication. He has a large celebrity following, which LVMH will need to pull Dior's reputation back (there will unfortunately  be a negative view connected until someone is able to wipe the slate clean).



With so many talents around, though, there isn't a shortage of designers to take over and perhaps we can look at this as a breath of fresh air and forward momentum for Dior.

Work Blog: Sartorial String Art

I wrote this Roundabout Resale post on string art in fashion design, before I went on staycation 

Click the Jean Paul Gaultier skirt or the below link to go to the original article I wrote on Roundabout's blog:


http://roundaboutresale.tumblr.com/post/2698427442/sartorial-string-art

All About Liz

Tuesday nite I went to the theatre with Miss LG. "Finding Elizabeth Taylor" was a light and fun one woman show examining how a girl sharing La Liz's name also shares her struggles with body image and gender based expectations 

(me with Miss LG flank the star, Elizabeth Claire Taylor looking radiant in her white diamonds)

The show was really smart overlaying excerpts from "Elizabeth Takes Off" (Elizabeth Taylor's diet and self image book from 1987), phone interview's with Elizabeth Claire Taylor's dad and re-enactments of pivotal moments of E. Claire Taylor's career as a plus size model and her path of self-acceptance

And the nite was also a great excuse to see friends old and new

(the truly dashing Mr GY chats up Miss Taylor with a portrait of her glamour puss namesake)

(what a brilliant present of congratulations)

(And can the grandness of this Gaultier brooch even register? Doin' it!)

(my violet socks. In honor of Her Lizness, we all wore violet accents)

The pinnacle of amazingness happened outside in the pouring rain. Right as Mr GY opens his umbrella we hear a loud clang on the street

On the ground we eye a rather ornate fork

"Oh this is from my silver. It's a 19th Century fork given to me by a decedent of a founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. How'd that get in my umbrella?"

Love it!

Link to the exquisite Miss Taylor http://www.findingelizabethtaylor.com/

Erin O'Connor Makes a Paris Cameo for Gaultier

Swan necked English rose, Erin O'Connor, returned to the Paris runways this week for her pal, Jean Paul Gaultier's Hermes swan song

Looking unaffectedly refined (in that particularly cold way British women with money mature), Erin represents a perfect mix of hard and punky with a sleek heritage which, coincidentally, was also Gaultier's design mix while at the helm of Hermes

("I may be fabulously wealthy, but I like it a little dirty," she purred)

I'll miss JPG's Hermes tenure but was glad for one last hurrah!

(cutie)

Oh in Claude's Name!

Ok, if you're going to apply for a fashion focused career, please do your research. This resume REALLY came to my work. Yikes!

Is that Jean Paul's long lost evil twin?