Appel & Frank brings together hip and trendy fashionistas with emerging designers for upscale shopping events filled with style and fashion.

Shop aisles filled with fabulous jewelry, clothing and accessories from 50 talented designers. Enjoy beauty treatments and coveted Appel & Frank goodie bags!

San Diego
Admission: $5 online or $10 at the door, and includes a goodie bag. 10% of the door proceeds will be donated to Dress for Success San Diego.
When: Sunday, March 9th. Noon - 4:00 p.m.
Where: The Abbey. 2825 Fifth Ave @ Olive (Near Balboa Park)

San Francisco
Admission: 2 for $15 online or $10 each at the door. A portion of the door proceed will be donated to Dress for Success.
When: Thursday, March 13th. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Where: The Regency Center, Sutter Room. 1270 Sutter Street @ Van Ness

Milan Fashion Week has been branded a “circus without sense” by Dolce & Gabbana amid fears that it rapidly falling behind Paris and London as a vital destination on the haute couture circuit.

Long delays, chaotic organisation and unseemly catfights led to this year’s edition of Italy’s most prestigious fashion showcase, which finishes today, being roundly attacked.

Due to fears that important fashion editors would leave Milan before the end of Fashion Week, an exorbitant number of shows were crammed into the first few days of the fashion event. In all, there were 103 catwalk shows — supposed to run over the course of a week plus some — featuring 95 different designers and labels.

Anna Wintour, the editor of American Vogue, said she had requested Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana to shift their shows so that she could return to America before Paris Fashion Week begins next Tuesday. As a result, a logjam of catwalk shows at the beginning of the week caused havoc.

The resulting scheduling created near-chaos and a very awkward calendar of events and shows. Furthermore, the rescheduling request evoked criticism from designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, claiming that the presige of Milan Fashion Week was being put into jeopardy and that the event may be “neglected in [the] future.”

Giorgio Armani vocalized his concerns, claiming that Wintour’s request showed her preference for French (and American) designers to the detriment of Italian talent.

Source: Daily Telegraph

Sunday, February 2008, the 24th
10:00 am JEFEN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
11:00 am LIE SANG BONG Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
12:00 pm CHER MICHEL KLEIN Intercontinental Paris Le Grand - 2 rue Scribe - Paris 9e
2:00 pm RAJESH PRATAP SINGH Espace Commines - 17 rue Commines - Paris 3e
3:00 pm BALMAIN Hôtel Westin - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er
4:00 pm BRUNO PIETERS Galerie Nikki Diana Marquardt - 9 place des Vosges - Paris 4e
5:00 pm MANISH ARORA BETC EURO RSCG - 85 rue du faubourg Saint-Martin - Paris 10e
6:00 pm RICK OWENS École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
7:00 pm BLESS 22 avenue Marx Dormoy - Paris 18e
8:00 pm AF VANDEVORST Maison des Métallos - 94 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud - Paris 11e

Monday, February 2008, the 25th
10:00 am ATSURO TAYAMA Salle Pleyel - 252 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré - Paris 8e
11:00 am VÉRONIQUE LEROY Espace Pierre Cardin - 1/3 avenue Gabriel - Paris 8e
12:00 pm GASPARD YURKIEVICH Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
1:00 pm ROBERT NORMAND Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
2:30 pm CHRISTIAN DIOR Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
3:30 pm ISABEL MARANT Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
4:30 pm SHARON WAUCHOB Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e
5:30 pm UNDERCOVER La Cigale - 120 boulevard Rochechouart - Paris 18e
6:30 pm MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy - Salle Marcel Cerdan - Porte 28 - 8 boulevard de Bercy - Paris 12e
7:30 pm VIVIENNE WESTWOOD Hôtel Westin - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er
8:30 pm YOHJI YAMAMOTO Palais de la Bourse - Place de la bourse - Paris 2e

Tuesday, February 2008, the 26th
09:30 am BALENCIAGA See invitation
10:30 am JUNYA WATANABE See invitation
11:30 am TSUMORI CHISATO Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
12:30 pm MARITHÉ & FRANCOIS GIRBAUD Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
1:30 pm LUTZ Espace Pierre Cardin - 1/3 avenue Gabriel - Paris 8e
2:30 pm VIKTOR & ROLF See invitation
3:30 pm ISSEY MIYAKE Musée de l’homme - 17 place du Trocadéro - Paris 16e
4:30 pm ANN DEMEULEMEESTER Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
5:30 pm COMME DES GARCONS See invitation
7:00 pm JEAN PAUL GAULTIER 325 rue Saint-Martin - Paris 3e
8:00 pm VÉRONIQUE BRANQUINHO Maison des Métallos - 94 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud - Paris 11e
9:00 pm LOEWE Opéra Comique - place Boieldieu - Paris 2e

Wednesday, February 2008, the 27th
10:00 am KARL LAGERFELD Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
11:00 am ANDREW GN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
12:00 pm AKRIS Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
1:00 pm EMANUEL UNGARO Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
2:00 pm COSTUME NATIONAL Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
3:00 pm DRIES VAN NOTEN Manège du Grand Palais - entrée porte C - avenue Franklin Roosevelt - Paris 8e
4:00 pm CHRISTIAN LACROIX Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
5:00 pm REQUIEM Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
6:00 pm GIVENCHY Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e
7:30 pm HUSSEIN CHALAYAN See invitation
8:30 pm BERNHARD WILLHELM Maison des Métallos - 94 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud - Paris 11e

Thursday, February 2008, the 28th
09:30 am STELLA MCCARTNEY Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e
10:30 am VALENTINO Palais de Chaillot - 1 place du Trocadéro - Paris 16e
11:30 am LÉONARD Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
12:30 pm BARBARA BUI Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
1:30 pm ANNE VALÉRIE HASH Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
2:30 pm GIAMBATTISTA VALLI Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
3:30 pm ZUCCA École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
4:30 pm CELINE Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
5:30 pm HAIDER ACKERMANN Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
6:30 pm SOPHIA KOKOSALAKI Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e
8:00 pm YVES SAINT LAURENT Grand Palais - avenue Winston Churchill - Paris 8e

Friday, February 2008, the 29th
10:30 am CHANEL Grand Palais - avenue du Général Eisenhower - Paris 8e
11:30 am AGNÈS B. Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e
12:30 pm JEAN-CHARLES DE CASTELBAJAC Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
1:30 pm ALENA AKHMADULLINA Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
2:30 pm SONIA RYKIEL Espace Ephémère Tuileries – Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
3:30 pm JUNKO SHIMADA École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
4:30 pm RUE DU MAIL (by Martine Sitbon) Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
5:30 pm ES ORCHESTRES La Sorbonne - 47 rue des Ecoles - Paris 5e
7:00 pm JOSE CASTRO Parking du Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy - 8 boulevard de Bercy - Paris 12e
8:00 pm ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy - Salle Marcel Cerdan - Porte 28 - 8 boulevard de Bercy - Paris 12e

Saturday, March 2008, the 1st
10:30 am KENZO Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e
11:30 am ELIE SAAB Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme *
12:30 pm WUNDERKIND Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
1:30 pm PAUL & JOE Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
2:30 pm COMMUUN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
3:30 pm CHLOÉ Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries - Paris 1er
4:30 pm MARTIN GRANT École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
5:30 pm HERMÈS Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
6:30 pm LIMI FEU Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
8:00 pm JOHN GALLIANO Grande Halle de la Villette - 211 avenue Jean Jaurès - Paris 19e

Sunday, March 2008, the 2nd
10:00 am VANESSA BRUNO 8 rue de la Pierre Levée - Paris 11e
11:00 am NINA RICCI Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries - Paris 1er
12:00 pm CHAPURINLe Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
1:00 pm YUKI TORII Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
2:00 pm COLLETTE DINNIGAN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
3:00 pm LOUIS VUITTON See invitation
4:30 pm SAKINA M’SA Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
5:30 pm LANVIN Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
6:30 pm MOON YOUNG HEE École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
7:30 pm MIU MIU See invitation
8:30 pm CHADO RALPH RUCCI Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e

* Le Carrousel du Louvre, 99, rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris

Marc Jacobs kicked off Fashion Week with a documentary on the behind-the-scenes life of a designer - although many viewers would have likely been more interested in the secret tryst he’s been having with a porn star.

Jacobs has been quietly seeing adult film actor Erik Rhodes and whisking him away to secret locations, sources told Page Six. The new fling is likely the reason things have cooled again between Jacobs and former male escort Jason Preston, whom he’s dated on and off since 2005.

Sources said Jacobs’ affair with Rhodes - who describes himself as “Addictive. Wild. Open” on his ManNet.com profile - began last year when the designer invited Rhodes to join him and Preston for a three-way. Jacobs allegedly continued the fling with Rhodes one on one after that.

“Jason thought he and Marc were exclusive again,” said our insider. “But Marc is sleeping with this porn star behind his back, and sneaking him to Paris for hot sex.”

Rhodes seems an unlikely partner for the flamboyant fashionista, who counts Winona Ryder and Ashley Olsen as close friends. The guy-on-guy actor proudly wrote on his profile that he is “full-blown gay” and starred in adult movies such as “Flesh,” “Flex,” and “Beefcake.”

When we saw Preston Thursday night at the Cinema Society bash sponsored by W magazine for the documentary “Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton,” he was keeping his distance from the designer.

The two were on opposite ends of the room, and a fellow party guest noted the duo seemed to be avoiding each other.

Jacobs has done a couple of stints in rehab for drug abuse, and Preston made waves when he had Jacobs’ full name tattooed on his forearm. The boytoy told HX magazine last year they were “engaged.”

Despite the hot designer’s extracurricular activities, we hear Preston still plans to attend tomorrow’s Jacobs show with Aly Hilfiger as his date.

Asked about Rhodes, Jacobs told Page Six through a spokesperson, “He’s a really nice guy and we are just friends.”

Source: NY Post: PageSix

 
 Karla Martinez, women’s fashion market director, had this to say about the show, which took place at the tents in Bryant Park:

About the clothes: Muted colors — a lot of beige, pale gray and plums. All very wearable silhouettes in the first part of the show and the finale dresses are great for ladies with great legs! Standouts: Gray wool long pleated dress. Pretty, delicate layered collars.

The California-based designer’s collection was the first major women’s catwalk show of New York Fashion Week. The collection featured lots of subdued neutral hues, though there were a few brighter colors here and there - like cranberry, golden yellow and teal. Many of the looks featured pleated details. Lots of the designs were paired with belts. And, of course, there were very short hemlines.

As usual, the designs that stood out the most from the Fall/Winter 2008 Collection were the dresses.

The collection, as a whole, is being called a “fresh departure” for BCBG Max Azria.

As expected, many celebrities attended the show, notably Joss Stone, Ana Ortiz, Sophia Bush and Christina Milan.

 
 
 
Sources: NY Times: The Moment; NY Post: Fashion Week

This February, The Heart Truth celebrates its sixth year at New York’s Fashion Week, commemorating the groundbreaking partnership with America’s fashion industry to bring the Red Dress to life in the national effort to raise awareness about women and heart disease. On National Wear Red Day—February 1, 2008—The Heart Truth will roll out the red carpet for more than 20 of today’s celebrated women donning one-of-a-kind Red Dresses by America’s top designers for women’s heart health.

Laura Bush, serving as The Heart Truth Ambassador, opened the show. “Nothing draws attention like a little red dress,” she said.

Furthermore, she notes that “Like many women, I assumed heart disease was a man’s disease and cancer was what we would fear the most. Yet heart disease kills more women in our country than all forms of cancer combined. When it comes to heart disease, education, prevention, and even a little red dress can save lives.”

Many different celebrities participated in the 6th annual event at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City, such as Allison Janney, Liza Minnelli, Joss Stone, Molly Sims, and many more.

Heidi Klum was adorable as she sashayed down the runway in a Marc Jacobs dress. Lisa Rinna looked awesome in a fringed Michael Kors number. Sara Ramirez was beautiful in her red dress.

The fashion show featured more than 20 celebrity women paired with the most prestigious fashion houses to debut The Heart Truth’s Red Dress Collection 2008.

Participating designers include:

• Ali Rahimi
• Badgley Mischka
• Bill Blass
• Calvin Klein
• Carmen Marc Valvo
• Carolina Herrera
• Catherine Malandrino
• Daniel Swarovski
• Diane von Furstenberg
• Donna Karan
• Doo.Ri
• L.A.M.B.
• L’Wren Scott
• Marc Jacobs
• Marchesa
• Michael Kors
• Monique Lhuillier
• Narciso Rodriguez
• Oscar de la Renta
• Rachel Roy
• Ralph Lauren
• Rodarte
• Tracy Reese
• Zac Posen

Source: NHBLI

Not many stars came to last year’s fashion shows, leaving the front row to D-listers. But this year, the A-list has flown in for seats in the Bryant Park tents and the chance to be swarmed by paparazzi.

“The Golden Globes were canceled, along with other awards shows - and possibly the Oscars - and the stars are going through red-carpet withdrawal,” one fashionista laughed. “They’ve got movies and TV shows to promote, and they need to get their faces into the magazines.”

Lisette Sand-Freeman, of Shadow P.R., put it more kindly: “With the strike, celebrities’ schedules are more open.” Kate Bosworth, Jessica Simpson, Beyoncé Knowles, Claire Danes, Rumer Willis and Courtney Love have all flown into town.

This season’s Fashion Week starts with the Red Dress show, which benefits research on heart disease (especially in women):

First Lady Laura Bush will be front row as Molly Sims (in Daniel Swarovski), Heidi Klum (in Marc Jacobs), Jenna Fisher (in Oscar de la Renta) and Emma Roberts (in Ralph Lauren) catwalk on the runway. Later today, Anne Hathaway and Emma Roberts are due at the Erin Fetherston show.

We’ll keep you posted as New York Fashion Week continues!

Source: PageSix

According to Women’s Wear Daily, the new Halston Collection will be on sale the day after the runway show at New York Fashion Week next month.

Net-A-Porter, an online retailer of designer clothing, has worked out a deal with Halston to feature exclusive coverage of the show and also to feature and ship items from the new collection starting 24 hours after the runway show on February 4, 2008.

“The pièce de résistance, though, marks a major departure in the cycle of fashion: The day after the show, Net-a-porter will begin selling two of Halston’s fall runway looks on its site, with same-day delivery in London and New York and anywhere else in the world the day after.”

This is a never-before seen event that could create big changes in the fashion industry. Designs from the runway shows are going to be accessible to the public must faster than has traditionally been the case.

“The move is groundbreaking in several ways. At a time when customers can see runway looks on fashion sites and blogs within hours of a designer’s final exit, and stores ask for earlier and earlier deliveries based on the strength of pre-collections, many industry executives are increasingly questioning the commercial validity of the much-hyped bi-annual runway extravaganzas. The clothes on the runways of New York, London, Milan and Paris typically hit retailers several months after the shows, long after the media buzz around them has faded and with plenty of time for copycat manufacturers to move in and offer similar looks at lower qualities and prices.”

Two items from the collection will be featured for sale: a daytime shirt dress and a silk evening dress. Net-A-Porter has distribution centers in New York and London, meaning the items will be available same-day, and the day after elsewhere in the world. Net-A-Porter has a global audience and provides worldwide express shipping.

“On Feb. 5, 24 hours after the Halston show, Net-a-porter will present a video clip including an interview with the brand’s current creative director, Marco Zanini. It is expected to highlight Halston’s relevance to the present day, and feature Zanini, a Versace alum, discussing his view of the brand and his inspirations for the fall collection. Net-a-porter also will separately feature edited video footage of the runway show. Shoppers can then click and buy two Halston looks, a $1,495 shirt dress for daytime, and a $1,795 evening silk dress. And in what is sure to be considered a fashion first, they can wear the looks out in London and New York, where Net-a-porter has shipping centers, that same day, and elsewhere the day after.”

Is such a bold new move a risk? How can Net-A-Porter feel secure that it will sell these items? Are there any concerns with buying so much inventory ahead of time?

“We buy because we know our customer,” Natalie Massenet, chairman and founder of Net-A-Porter, said. “We have an unbelievable knowledge of our customer and know what they liked in the past, what they tend to buy, we know their sizes, and through that, we can make educated decisions. But it does start with loving the product, and we feel confident that this will be a success.”

This will be a limited edition buy, so if you’re interested in buying one of the new dresses from the Halston collection (and can afford the price tag), we suggest buying early if you don’t want to have to wait for it to hit the stores.

Net-A-Porter envisions other similar deals in the future. (This one actually being the second: Net-A-Porter had a similar collaboration setup for Roland Mouret’s comeback collection, RM — again, 24 hours after the collection was first shown.) It’s a great way to offer customers instant gratification, along with changing the way that people shop.

Net-A-Porter

Source: WWD.

“RUSSIAN model Natalia Vodianova, 25, retired from the catwalk last week after walking in Valentino Garavani’s final show in Paris. To celebrate, the mother of three is taking Valentino to Moscow for a week and then to Brazil for Carnivale. “She may do another show in the future,” said a source, “but only for $500,000 or this large pink diamond she’s had her eye on.” The night of Valentino’s last show, his longtime right-hand man, Carlos Souza, also retired, and his head of public relations, Annelise Peterson, left to join Alberta Ferretti next month.”

Source: NY Post

Unfortunately, Valentino did not have kind words to mark his departure from the fashion world:

“This environment is no longer stimulating,” he sniffed to journalists after the launch of his final haute couture show in Paris. “I certainly won’t miss the fashion world. It’s ruined! Everybody’s doing the same things. What’s missing is challenge, creativity, cheerfulness. These days it’s all about numbers! To continue working in an environment which says nothing in particular to me would be a bore.”

At the end of the runway show, the catwalk was filled with models wearing the exact same red dress: a signature of Valentino’s contribution to fashion. It was a perfect send-off for Valentino!

More photos from the final Valentino women’s Haute Couture collection below:

 
Source: The Independent: