THE WEEK IN FASHION: JUNE 3rd- 7th

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large

A weekend of sunshine awaits us but before that let's get you all up to speed with all the fashion happenings this week...

John Galliano has given his first interview since the anti-semitic rant which saw him fired from Dior. In the Vanity Fair exclusive, he talks to Ingrid Sischy about his feelings when he saw the video of his tirade (he threw up), what he's been up to in the past two years and what the future holds.

On life as Dior Creative Director, he says:

“I lived in a bubble. I would be backstage and there would be a queue of five people to help me. One person would have a cigarette for me. The next person would have the lighter. I did not know how to use the A.T.M.”

Kate Moss on the wedding dress he designed for her soon into his recovery:

“When my dad gave his speech he thanked everyone and then he referred to the genius of Galliano, who made his daughter’s dress. Everyone stood up and gave John a standing ovation. It was the most moving thing, because suddenly John realized he wasn’t on his own.”

It was off to Earl's Court earlier in the week for Graduate Fashion Week where new talent from across the country gathered to show off their work to the press, public and industry. Sadly I couldn't make it to every single college's show but I hugely enjoyed seeing all the finalists on Wednesday and particularly loved Angus Chiang's bright silk kilts and tuxedoes, Jospehine Pettman's badge covered biker jackets and William Baxter's printed suits. Melanie also discovered some great talents when she judged the media award- we're excited to see winner Rebecca Chambers' Annie magazine go online soon. Suzy Menkes, who was honoured with a lifetime achievement award, wrote about the winners and the ever-changing nature of the UK's creative output here.

The Proenza Schouler boys with their CFDA (image via telegraph.co.uk)

Congratulations to Proenza Schouler boys Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez who won their third CFDA womenswear award on Monday night. The accolade comes as the duo prepare to re-release their legendary first collection which was snapped up by Barney's before they'd even graduated ten years ago. Tim Blanks was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the CFDAs which prompted Imran Ahmed from Business of Fashion to write this letter which I think echoes the feelings of fashion-obsessed kids everywhere. See the rest of the CFDA winners here.

A bustier and skirt from the first ever Proenza Schouler collection (image via wad.com)

Givenchy won't be showing at Couture Week in July, after also skipping last season. Riccardo Tisci is too busy to organise a show but the atelier is continuing to take commissions, should you be interested.

A new book for your coffee table: Raf Simons. It's edited by i-D creator Terry Jones with beautiful imagery interspersed amongst essays and interviews.

Karlie Kloss might be getting in on the Daft Punk hype by starring in a video with them.

Film star and swimmer Esther Williams passed away yesterday at the grand old age of 91. In tribute, Harper's Bazaar have complied this beautiful gallery of shots of the Dangerous When Wet star.

Esther Williams (via harpersbazaar.co.uk)

This week marked 15 years since the beginning of Sex and the City. Sarah Jessica Parker decided to mark the occasion by announcing that she is working with Manolo Blahnik CEO George Malkemus on a new line of shoes, bags and trench coats which will be available at Nordstrom next year. SJP (as the line will be called)will be about new and surprising fabrics which recall the old-school charm of labels such as Maud Frizon and Charles Jourdan.

SJP will be inspired by styles like these by Maud Frizon (image via etsy.com)

A date for the diary... Next Sunday, London Collections: Mens will take place for the third time. The three days of show are set to be brilliant. If you'd like to get in on the action then the only place to be is Thomas Pink's Jermyn Street store which will be transformed as part of LVMH's Les Journées Particulières series. There will be the chance to explore the artisanship behind Thomas Pink's signature shirts with made-to-order consultations, live seamstress demonstrations, personalised monogramming and much more. Get down to Thomas Pink on Saturday and Sunday to get involved.

Finally, begin your weekend with Dior's delightful Versailles film, showcasing the beautiful AW13 collection.

MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY FEEL THE CFDA FASHION LOVE IN NEW YORK

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

It was the CFDAs last night. or Council of Fashion Designer of America Awards. Yeah, the acronym is much easier. Just wanted to point this out really.  Also that for the first time ever, the CFDAs are available from right about now to view on Style.com, with my friend and neighbour Tim Blanks hosting from the red carpet. According to the CFDA itself, the actual digital broadcast “will feature the awards ceremony from red carpet highlights and interviews through the final bow of the night."
It's a big deal in NYC, and always interesting to see who wins what, even just to understand the politics of the occasion. The winners are below, and definitely reflect the more populist format it has adopted with Style.com. Interesting to see Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist) and his girlfriend Garance Dore  win a joint award for their separate blogs. Also the billionaire former child star twin sisters Mary Kate and Ashley were deemed worthy of the Womenswear Designer of the Year title for their luxury fashion brand The Row. The last item of theirs I loved was a white leather rucksack with gold hardware which cost $17k. I didn't buy. In Britain the equivalent award last year went to Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. Hmm. I like The Row stuff, and the Olsen's have fantastic taste, but Designers of the Year? Rei Kawakubo of Commes des Garcons picked up the International Award, but the designer considers awards as irrelevent, so didn't come to pick it up.

Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen of The Row looking very chuffed with their award last night (via myfdb.com)

THE CFDA WINNERS

Womenswear Designer of the Year Award: Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen for the Row
Menswear Designer of the Year Award: Billy Reid
Accessory Designer of the Year Award: Reed Krakoff
Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent in Womenswear: Joseph Altuzarra
Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent in Menswear: Phillip Lim
Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent in Accessory Design: Tabitha Simmons
The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award: Tommy Hilfiger
The Media Award, in honor of Eugenia Sheppard: Scott Schuman and Garance Doré
The Fashion Icon Award: Johnny Depp
The Founders Award, given in honor of Eleanor Lambert: Andrew Rosen
The International Award: Rei Kawakubo

ALL ABOUT JOSEPH ALTUZARRA & HIS TOP FIVE FALL/AUTUMN PIECES

Posted by Melanie Fashion Editor at Large

I had the pleasure of meeting up with the NewYork based designer Joseph Altuzarra this afternoon at Browns where he was doing a trunk show and meeting customers and members of the press. 

                             

Me and Mr A

Still only 28 years old,  Joseph is currently on the kind of awesome - and it has to be said pretty mental - upward trajectory which only happens to one designer every few years. Joseph (never Joe) is the current recipient of the Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund and won $300,000 last year to grow his four year old business. He is also, much to his chagrin, a bit of a fashion IT boy. Well, you've gotta love a designer who poses draped over a chair in one of his own snakeskin dresses, right?  

Hawt! Joseph Altuzarra shot for W Magazine

Don't let his chair work or penchant for wearing dresses give you the idea that he is a good time boy; Mr Altuzarra is certainly no intellectual lightweight and he is a worker, obsessed with his craft and constantly pushing personal boundaries with his work.  When I ask if he is happy being in the public eye, he admits "I don't want to be 'the hot designer' because that means one day the limelight will move onto someone else. I want a slow and steady progression. Look," he says leaning closer, "doing press is part of the job, but to be honest my favourite place to be is at home with my boyfriend [Seth a property dude)]and my [Schnauzer] dog Bean, watching TV.  Joseph used his prize money extremely wisely. Both his parents are investment bankers, so he knew exactly what to do, which was to move to larger offices and hire a production manager. Smart. 

That he spent the first 18 years of his life in Paris with his Chinese American mother and French father proved the starting point for today's conversation, which swiftly took us from French parochialism onto the inspiration behind his accomplished and trend-setting Autumn/Winter 2012 collection, one of my personal highlights of New York Fashion Week. 

Joseph Altuzarra Autumn Fall/Winter 2012 

One of the best everyday fashion looks for the forthcoming Autumn, hands down.

JOSEPH ON HIS FALL/WINTER 2012 COLLECTION + FRENCH PAROCHIALISM

"The starting point for me was looking at the way France is evolving as a nation. I think there are a lot of problems relating to national identity emerging as a result of the elections. French style, for example, is heavily influenced by North Africa and Asia, but actual French society is obstinately French. I guess they are focusing too much on immigration, instead of looking at integration. In the UK and USA I see 

integration. This whole idea of integration fascinated me, which reminded me of a cartoon character from my childhood called Corto Maltese. He is an iconic figure in French culture, a quintessentially French sailor who travels the world to brings back new ideas." 

As you can see Corto Maltese also likes a pea-coat, which happens to be one of the key motifs of Altuzarra's new collection. 

Corto Maltese 

ALTUZARRA ON HIS DESIGN PROCESS 

"When I am designing I try to take the best of the European and American sensibilities. There are great ideas on both sides of the pond. The design process for me involves pushing ideas through to their ultimate conclusion. Pushing the fashion hard, you know?  I guess, though, ultimately I always start with the idea of desirability. The idea of 'If I were a woman what would I want to wear right now?'   

JOSEPH ALTUZARRA'S "IF I WERE A WOMAN" PERSONAL TOP FIVE FROM HIS FALL/WINTER 2012 

"A pea coat, buttoned up and looking strict"

"Cargo pants tucked into a knee boot."

"I loved the white sweater with the fringing and coins"

"The Indian tiered dress. This a good example of taking it to the max. We pushed it with the cut and controlled drape of this dress, then just kept pushing it further and further. We pushed shape, fabric, embroidery and print. We got there. That's where the opulence in my collection came from. I've pushed things before like our cone breast cups, and these did not work at retail, but have been popular with the press. So in the end it became a strong brand statement. You've got to push, even if you end up at a dead end. " 

"My cheongsam inspired dress with the white cravat and thigh split; I love the controlled elegance of it."

With that, the IT designer whose greatest fear is being an IT designer, leaps up to meet two customers who have booked in to see him. Tonight he is off out for dinner with his good friend and London based designer Erdem.

WHAT TO BUY FROM JOSEPH ALTUZARRA NOW: all from Browns 

 Jersey panelled skater Dress £895

Chunky cotton knit lime Jumper £540

Techno Nylon jacket £1515 

All from BrownsFashion.com

With thanks to Zoe and Sarah at Zoe Communications & Browns