W articles from June 2004

W archives from June 2004

Versace: help wanted.(The Month in Fashion)
June 1, 2004... Amid growing fears that Versace is slipping into financial trouble, the company ended months of speculation about its business plans by confirming it has hired an investment bank to find a minority investor, with the eventual plan to take the...

Quiet right.(The Month in Fashion)
June 1, 2004... Recent Manhattan flagship openings like Louis Vuitton's 57th Street monolith, Salvatore Ferragamo's Fifth Avenue showcase and Asprey's $50 million overhaul up the street have each arrived with a bang, but for the new Garrard store in SoHo,...

Wrist action.(The Month in Fashion)
June 1, 2004... Aggressive competition in the luxury watch market has turned some star brands into lucrative takeover targets, the latest being Michele Watches. The Miami brand, which operates as Tempus International Corp., was acquired in March for $50...

Olympic hopefuls.(The Month in Fashion)
June 1, 2004... The athletes may just be warming up and the city of Athens hustling its behind-schedule construction, but fashion designers are well ahead of the curve for this summer's Olympic Games. Naturally, the usual suspects like Nike, Swatch, Tyr and...

Pret-a-Porter.(The Month in Fashion)
June 1, 2004... The Twenties--and all its over-the-top glitter and pared-down elegance--will come roaring back to life in July, if only in spirit, with the release of MGM's De-Lovely, starring Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd as Cole Porter and his fashion icon...

Now that's rich.(Flashback)
June 1, 2004... Richard Burton--that rugged, rakish specimen of genuine manliness--fascinated the editors at Women's Wear Daily, W's sister publication, throughout the Sixties. Its writers breathlessly trailed Burton and his on-again, off-again wife, Elizabeth...

A knight's tale.(Fast Forward)
June 1, 2004... If there's one remote segment of the moviegoing audience unlikely to make the radar of blockbuster-meister Jerry Bruckheimer, it's historical-miniseries addicts, those mild-mannered television viewers who thrill to spend 12 hours watching the...

Evolutionary theory.(Letter From the Editors)
June 1, 2004... June Judging by the deja vu effect of some weekly magazines, portions of the American public find certain celebrities endlessly fascinating. Here at W, we tend to get really excited about only three periods in the life cycle of a typical...

Belle epoque.(Readers React)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... The April issue is absolutely stunning, and I want to thank you for featuring a model on your cover and not another banal celebrity. Kudos to W for bucking this trend; as usual, you're ahead of the pack. Thanks also for the lovely inside layout...

Beyond borders.(Readers React)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... I can die a happy woman! Your fashion layout "Spring Break" (April) paid tribute to far more than just preppy wear. The models were so varied in their beauty that I looked at the spread and went back three times to review. I often wonder if the...

Anger management.(Readers React)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... The letter you printed in the March Readers React about Cheryl Hines was just plain mean. I don't understand why you felt it was worth printing--I actually gasped when I read it. Needless to say, I do not agree with your reader's assessment...

Right on.(Readers React)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... In the April Readers React, a reader criticized the Countess's recent column praising President Bush. But I'm glad to see the Countess hand a compliment to conservatives from time to time. Hers is not a political column, and she does not have...

An English manner.(Readers React)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... Thank you for your profile of Nick Foulkes and his new book on the great dandy Count d'Orsay ("Sugar Dandy," April). When asked if he has followed d'Orsay's lead and worn scented gloves, Mr. Foulkes declares, in true dandy fashion, "I haven't...

The urn return.(Uncensored)
June 1, 2004... The art world breathlessly awaits a decision from London's High Court--and the stakes go beyond the $4 million that Taylor Thomson, daughter of Canada's richest citizen, press baron Lord Thomson of Fleet, wants back from Christie's. That's the...

The rite of springs.(Uncensored)
June 1, 2004... For all the recent hype about the glamorization of Palm Springs, the town still doesn't have a world-class luxury hotel equipped with such mogul must-haves as, say, a helicopter pad. But with its purchase of the former Givenchy resort (owned by...

Under the Tuscan sun.(Uncensored)
June 1, 2004... Sting's sprawling villa in Tuscany--only half-jokingly dubbed "Chiantishire" by locals--may soon start living up to its name. The Grammy-winning artist has begun auditioning wine experts to plant and cultivate a working vineyard on his grounds....

A royal welcome.(Uncensored)
June 1, 2004... Who knew the Queen traveled coach? Well, not exactly, but she did take the Eurostar to Paris for her recent state visit celebrating 100 years of peace between England and France. President Jacques Chirac and his First Lady, Bernadette, summoned...

Foot fetish.(Uncensored)
June 1, 2004... If you're going to take the trouble to get regular pedicures, you might as well have a pair of $17,000 flip-flops to showcase your fancy feet. These one-of-a-kind rubber sandals-a collaboration between two Brazilian firms, H. Stern and...

Special Quai.(Uncensored)
June 1, 2004... Paris's stodgiest address may be the Quai Voltaire, populated by rickety fans of the Voltaire restaurant and ghosts of such past denizens as the writer himself. So the Quai's newest resident is all the more surprising: Mr. Moderne, Hedi...

Going to the dogs: celebrate the animal kingdom in all its glory this spring with quirky creature features.(Trend)
June 1, 2004... You don't need to be Noah to gather the animals. Fashion's got a spring menagerie for the girl who loves her pet, whether it's a cat, a dog or something a bit more exotic. While there's a certain kitsch factor to these critters--shiny...

Westward Ho: Tom Ford's farewell tour ends in Hollywood, where he intends to spend six months a year.(Fashion Flash)
June 1, 2004... Long goodbyes can take their toll. Just ask Tom Ford, who has lived in a protracted state of so-long since the final collapse of contract talks with Gucci Group. As everyone now knows, he and his partner in Gucci glory and pain, Domenico De...

Travels with Tommy: Tommy Hilfiger takes his new line, H, to the masses and shakes a few too many hands along the way.(Fashion Flash)
June 1, 2004... It's a perfect mid-spring day in Miami: buckets of sunshine and the gentlest breeze. But just inside the glass doors of the Aventura Mall, the scene is a bit less serene. For starters, there's a ponytailed preteen in hand-over-mouth hysterics....

High voltage: enchanting gems in romantic shapes and colors add a sensual electricity to the season.(Accessories Flash)
June 1, 2004... The most coveted baubles of the moment evoke the seductive Fifties and early Sixties. Perfect for an elegant garden party or a midnight masquerade, the newest crop of carats comes in the form of feminine pieces that cast a romantic spell. From...

Goin' South: speak softly--and celebrate your inner lady with effervescent accessories full of ruffles and bows.(Accessories Flash)
June 1, 2004... From garden tea parties to all-out debutante bashes, Southern hospitality is hard to beat. And there's nothing quite like the style of the region's legendary belles. Whether she's channeling Scarlett O'Hara or Blanche DuBois, her look is...

Design inspiration: an exotic locale, a celestial being, the beauty of a woman ... W takes a closer look at what inspires the creations of today's leading jewelry and watch designers.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... "My inspiration comes from a unique combination of fine watch-making coupled with high fashion." MICHELE WATCH--The [mw.sup.2] Diamond has 62 white diamonds set in the traditional MW style at both the 12 and 6 position--a sporty chic look...

High tea.(Shopping)
June 1, 2004... What could be better than a spot of tea? Try these chic treats inspired by the afternoon ritual 1 Hermes Porcelain and platinum teapot, $395, and cup and saucer set, $125, at Hermes nationwide; 800.238.5522 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

First blush.(Bridal Flash)
June 1, 2004... The softest colors lend an air of gentle romance to the season's ethereal bridal looks. Vera Wang's silk tulle gown, to order at Vera Wang, New York, 800.VEW.VERA; Laura Munder's 18k blackened gold, peridot, tsavorite, diamond and pearl...

I do indeed: Ann David and Nicky Reinhard are steering stylish brides through the minefield called a wedding.(Bridal Flash)
June 1, 2004... When Thelma Houston, the disco goddess who is now a motherly (paid) presence on the fancy-party party circuit, took her final deep bow after a scorching rendition of "Don't Leave Me This Way" and sashayed off the stage of Palm Beach's ritziest...

Doctors' orders: without due diligence, extreme makeovers could lead to extreme consequences.(Beauty Flash)
June 1, 2004... Just as Al Roker and Carnie Wilson turned the obscure gastric bypass into the operation du jour, extreme makeover shows from The Swan to MTV's new I Want a Famous Face are making plastic surgery seem as mainstream as a manicure. In 2003 alone,...

A new leaf.(Beauty Buzz)
June 1, 2004... Plastic surgeon Norman Leaf and nurse Rand Rusher noticed their patients had a knack for choosing dreadful skin care products. "They were spending so much on creams that stank, literally," recalls Rusher. "Plus, everyone's skin was really...

The natural.(Beauty Buzz)
June 1, 2004... There's a reason that the new aromatherapy line "This Works" has its name--it does, in fact, work. Created by former British Vogue beauty director Kathy Phillips with help from London's Aromatherapy Associates. This Works includes bath oils to...

Gym neighbors.(Beauty Buzz)
June 1, 2004... When they launched Equinox in the 1990s, Danny, Vito and Lavinia Errico made working out hip. Three years after selling the gym chain, they've reassessed the industry. "Fitness clubs need to focus beyond fitting into that bikini and concentrate...

Extra padding.(Beauty Buzz)
June 1, 2004... There's a new wrinkle filler making its way Stateside. Sculptra, a synthetic lactic acid polymer, has been used in Europe (under the name NewFill) since 1999. If greenlighted by the FDA, it will be approved in the United States for medicalp...

Sensory mother lode.(Beauty Buzz)
June 1, 2004... In tandem with the launch of its new skin care line, Kenzoki, Kenzo has just opened La Bulle Kenzo day spa in Paris. La Bulle (French for "bubble") offers five different massages, and indulgent treatments to jump-start the complexion....

Zen palace: Milan's meditative new Hotel Bulgari is more urban oasis than jewel box.(Going Out)
June 1, 2004... On a silent street behind La Scala, in the shadow of grand Art Deco apartment buildings and near Milan's lush botanical gardens, Bulgari is breaking new ground. The Roman jeweler famous for its Hollywood glam gold pieces and gemstones the size...

Critical eye: Alain de Botton's Status Anxiety ... more Morrissey ... and a novel that s for the birds.
June 1, 2004... The self-help category may be one of the brighter spots in the publishing industry, but for those who d sooner wear a velour tracksuit to the Costume Institute gala than be spotted reading such a book, there's Alain de Botton,...

Red alert.(Eye)
June 1, 2004... Guests at Valentino's Winter Ball for the Museum of the City of New York were asked to wear red, and nearly everyone--including Sally Albemarle and Jennifer Creel--obliged. Zani Gugelmann realized she had on an accessory that wasn't in keeping...

The Kerry chronicles: while her father runs for President, Alex Kerry pursues a daunting job of her own: filmmaker.(Eye)
June 1, 2004... In the pantheon of thankless jobs, the role of First Daughter holds a painfully prominent spot--just ask the Bush twins, Chelsea Clinton or Patti Davis (Playboy, July 1994). One of the few less rewarding occupations, in fact, is that of...

Out of the blue: with the lifting face serum and the lifting intensifier, La Mer goes straight to the source.(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... You have to admire the scientists at La Mer. They are always developing some can't-live-without potion from the ocean. While one man's sushi wrap is another man's miracle face cream, for their latest buzz-worthy breakthrough, they have come...

Masterpiece theater: smooth, sharp and a lethal salesman, Tobias Meyer is generating drama from the auction block.(Eye)
June 1, 2004... Tobias Meyer's favorite table at his favorite New York lunch pot, Cafe Boulud, stands in an intimate nook behind the bar, removed from the bright bustle of the dining room. In short, it's the perfect spot for Meyer to lean in, fix you with his...

Deco echoes.(Eye)
June 1, 2004... The Deco era returned--often via Narciso Rodriguez and Christian Dior gowns--to San Francisco when the Junior Committee of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco held its Art Deco gala at the Legion of Honor Museum. As ladies in silk, satin and...

We'll always have Ferris: marriage, fatherhood and gray hairs aside, Matthew Broderick hasn't changed a bit. Thank God.(Eye)
June 1, 2004... Matthew Broderick would like to clear something up: Contrary to Cindy Adams's report about his behavior on the set of his latest movie, The Stepford Wives, he did not feud with costar Nicole Kidman. "I swear on a stack of Bibles that's...

The best in day spas and skin care salons.(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... East Coast: Elizabeth Grady Skin Care Salons (800) FACIALS 30 salons in 5 states: CT, MA, NH, NY & RI website: www.elizabethgrady.com "The perfect gift for all occasions."--John P. Walsh, President Give one of the most special...

Oh, brother: using wit and humor, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec deliver furniture designs with a radical edge.(Eye)
June 1, 2004... Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are the indie rock stars of the furniture design world. It's not just their perfectly tousled hair, courtesy of a morning motorcycle ride to their small atelier on the gritty outskirts of Paris. It's that, in typical...

Cult following.(Eye)
June 1, 2004... They came in spiky punk hairdos and pirate hats with feathers as tall as sunflower stalks--but then, how else to honor Vivienne Westwood, who is enjoying an exhibition of her work at London's Victoria and Albert Museum? "I've loved Vivienne...

Dark and light.
June 1, 2004... Think femmes fatales and great eccentrics. The fashion of the moment has a cinematic side, and it's reflected in a variety, of looks replete with drama and dash. "Noir" features soigne hair and makeup, fur coats, bowed blouses and tight skirts...

Noir.
June 1, 2004... Think dark, sultry and wicked. There's nothing like the dressed-to-thrill look of a film-noir heroine to provide a heady hit of style. Marc Jacobs's blue cashmere sweater, at Marc Jacobs, New York and San Francisco, www.marcjacobs.com. ...

Fade to grey.
June 1, 2004... One part Pirate Jenny, one part young Boy George. Late-Seventies London style lives again in bowed, pleated, black and white looks that have a slightly sinister glamour. Henri Maupiou's black silk tulle wrap, at Henri Maupiou Tissus Haute...

Mister Koolhaas goes to Seattle: Rem Koolhaas, long architecture's great provocateur, finally proves he can build, too.
June 1, 2004... The soaring, marble-columned great hall of the Royal Institute of British Architects in London exudes permanence and solidity, long the cardinal virtues of the profession for which it was built. Which is probably the reason that Rein Koolhaas,...

Queen mum: Hollywood's reigning blond gets ready for motherhood--and daydreams of ditching stardom.(Profile)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2004... Every celebrity, no matter how lauded on the page, has an insider rep, the real deal privately passed on from one interviewer to the next. Advance word on Gwyneth Paltrow is good: She is nothing if not "professional." But the estimation sells...

Pure & simple: summertime, and the living is easy--and so is the beauty routine. Pare it back to these bare essentials.(Fashion)
June 1, 2004... As summer's heat descends, consider taking a vacation--from your usual elaborate beauty routine. It's a mason to lighten up and think minimally, to showcase a natural look with flawless skin and delicate, pale washes of color. "Summer's the...