W articles from May 2003

W archives from May 2003

The month in fashion: as one designer is shown the door, another threatens to quit while ahead. (News).
May 1, 2003... Sure, the recent fall collections looked great, but the biggest drama of the season took place almost entirely off the runways. * SEVENTH AVENUE SHUFFLE Taking on the legacy of an established fashion house presents a daunting challenge...

W Personal Shopper. (Reader Service).
May 1, 2003... As your Personal Shopper, contact me at WPersonalShopper.com or call 1.800.428.1151. I'll be happy to help you with all your what-to-give, where-to-buy and where-to-go questions. May is the time to primp, pamper and plan for summer, Get in...

Earth to Paco. (Flashback).
May 1, 2003... With what Women's Wear Daily, W's sister publication, called "a merry click-clack," Paco Rabanne touched down onto the fashion scene in 1964 with a fleet of uber-Mod dresses made from plastic and metal discs that the former architect had...

Anna Magnetic. (Fast Forward).
May 1, 2003... When Anna Mouglalis auditioned for her breakthrough role, that of a piano student in Claude Chabrol's 2000 thriller Merci Pour le Chocolat, she almost didn't get the part "It was my voice," explains the actress, her svelte fingers slicing...

The world's a stage. (Letter from the Editors).
May 1, 2003... May The groundbreaking artist Robert Rauschenberg once said that his fascination with performance art had to do with the fact that we--all of us--are always performing. Every day, in settings intimate and public, private and professional,...

Letters.
May 1, 2003... Readers React Material Witness Wow! I'm sure that I'm not the first reader of W to use that word when describing the 44-page layout of Madonna, shot by Steven Klein (April). I was not surprised by the brilliance of the images,...

Malign drive. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... It's probably for the best that Gianni Agnelli isn't around to witness the strife brewing between Italy's Chamber of Fashion and the Italian government. At issue, of course, is money: Representatives at the Chamber of Fashion are fed up with...

Blond ambition. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... Michael Smith may be the undisputed king of interior design in Hollywood, but two of his former employees seem to be angling for the throne. Pretty young designers Schuyler Samperton and Anna Hackathorn recently left their longtime jobs as...

It's a Wonderful Wife. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... Third time's the charm for Samantha Kluge, who's decided to tie the knot again-to Frank Capra III, grandson of the director of It's a Wonderful Life. Kluge, who lives in Los Angeles, believes that New York is partly to blame for misbegotten...

Trade show. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... Celebrity has its ups and downs, as a new BBC Web site makes clear. The site, www.bbc.co.uk/celebdaq, is an online stock market in which stars like Jennifer Lopez, Madonna and Nicole Kidman are the stocks. They rise and fall based on column...

Bowles cut. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... It's no secret that posh Brits know how to pinch a pound, and Camilla Parker Bowles is no exception. During her regular visits to Jo Hansford's Mayfair salon, Bowles insists on blow-drying her own hair. It saves her $56, which she puts toward a...

Soctt's second act. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... Bad boy L.A. designer Jeremy Scott has had it with catwalks. Scott recently announced that he'll no longer be doing runway fashion and will move into costume design and directing instead. "There's just more there that I want to say," says...

The Victoria principle. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... Getting her CD collection snatched by creditors hasn't stopped British It girl Victoria en from pursuing her dreams as a rapper. In the late Nineties, her father, former Cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken, was convicted of perjury in what became...

Gaga over guga. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... Everyone knows tennis is a beauty pageant. but the constantly Googled Anna Kournikova has some stiff competition coming from the grandstands. In March, Gisele Bundchen hopped into her SUV and headed to Indian Wells, California, to serve up some...

Alliance Francaise. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... Never mind America's current distaste for bearnaise sauce and filet mignon, because the world's real tastemakers are still in love with Paris. Artist Anselm Kiefer has bought a large "hotel particulier" in the historic Marais district--to be...

Birthday suits. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... The "extra men" came from all over for American transplant Lee Radziwill's 70th birthday in Paris in March. Decorator Nicky Haslam, producer Doug Cramer, author Robert Harling and bon vivant Taki Theodoracopulos joined local walkers Gilles...

Space invaders. (Uncensored).
May 1, 2003... "I have too many houses, and they're all stuffed," says Karl Lagerfeld, one of France's greatest shoppers, who is cleaning house yet again. This time it's Biarritz and Monaco that will get a spring airing, when some 200 pieces of French...

Science class: beam me up, Scotty. Follow this fantastic voyaga into the world of science fiction. (Trend).
May 1, 2003... Searching for adventure? Look no further than fall's dose encounters of the chic kind. On the fashion frontier, there's a run on sleek, Lucite jewelry, Barbarella-esque over-the-knee boots and high-collared black leather coats worthy of...

Mad about it: fashion designers have fallen back in love with the idea of exuberant fashion--and it shows. (Fashion Flash).
May 1, 2003... Can fashion cure the world's ills? Certainly not. But as the fall collections got under way in Milan and Paris, designers refused to be forced into meekness by either the ever-souring economy or the promise of war that, as the collections wound...

Wacky worship: in his new book, fashion pundit Simon Doonan celebrates a world of eccentric women. (Fashion Flash).
May 1, 2003... People collect odd things--Lladro figurines, city snow globes, even Pez dispensers. But in the stranger-than-fiction department, none of it tops Simon Doonan's collection of wacky chicks. Serving up what is surely the definitive text on the...

Rainbow brights: live large. Choose from a kaleidoscope of big, bold rings in va-va-vivid hues. (Accessories Flash).
May 1, 2003... Any Auntie Maine worthy of the name knows that one way to get noticed is with a door-knocker--a gorgeous, grand-scale ring in an electric, eye-popping color. These days, the popularity of bling-bling continues to grow apace, influencing every...

Pearly whites: what gem can to a pearl? Not many say the watchmakers who are using their in this season. (Accessories Flash).
May 1, 2003... Pearls are among the gems with the richest histories in the world. They were treasured in ancient India, Egypt, China and the Roman Empire. There's something beguiling about these luminescent beauties, arguably the most ladylike of all jewels....

Best of lock: lock, be a lady tonight. Some of the most elegant new watches are keyed into the same detail. (Accessories Flash).
May 1, 2003... Remember your first diary--the one that guarded every secret with a delicate lock? Now that lock has grown up, and it's part of some luxurious new watches. Whimsical yet classy, these superbly crafted timepieces incorporate all the elements of...

Extended play: more is better, claim designers who are starting or expanding. (Accessories Flash).
May 1, 2003... Let It Glow Designer Regine Basba is ready for the world to see the light-literally-with her line of handbags. The pieces are defined by a subtle glow that outlines the silhouette or crisscrosses it, corset-style, with illumination created...

The weekender: taking a break? Don't leave home without packing these chic treats. (Shopping).
May 1, 2003... Banana Republic Canvas and leather camp stool, $125, at select Banana Republic stores; www.bananarepublic.com Penhaligon's Candle and case, $26 each, at Penhaligon's, New York and Los Angeles; www.penhaligons.com ...

Out of the box: in Los Angeles, the hippest new spa comes right to your hotel-room door. (Beauty Flash).
May 1, 2003... For the clients of Nestspa, the new mobile spa at the Standard Hotel in West Hollywood, room service is infinitely more soothing than just a midnight mac-and-cheese. Massage therapists roll a smooth, walnut box the size of a large steamer trunk...

Springboard: the season' beauty essentials are perfect for taking on holiday-or faking one at home. (Beauty Flash).
May 1, 2003... Savvy Traveler What would happen if the luxury leather company Lambertson Truex and the exceedingly indulgent La Mer skin care line mated? A makeup bag cool enough to flaunt independently of luggage and filled to the gills with eight cult...

Screen savers: a new school of sunscreen formulations promises better protection than ever. (Beauty Flash).
May 1, 2003... Nobody questions sunscreen's skin-saving powers, but rarely does anyone devote more than a moment to plucking some off the store shelf. That might soon change, however, thanks to a new crop of sophisticated products from the likes of Kiehl's...

The best in day spas and skin care salons. (Advertisement).
May 1, 2003... East Coast: Elizabeth Grady Skin Care Salons 1-800-FACIALS 30 salons in 5 states: CT, MA, NH, NY & RI website: www.elizabethgrady.com "Where Beauty Meets Medicine[TM]"--John P. Walsh, President Elizabeth Grady skin-care...

Design inspiration. (Special Advertising Section).
May 1, 2003... A line recalled. A memory captured. Artistic expressions that create the ultimate in luxury. W and Saks Fifth Avenue take a closer look at the designers and their inspirations behind today's most coveted jewelry and watch collections. "I...

Star system: France's hottest young chefs face the pressure of Michelin-fueled celebrity. (Going Out).
May 1, 2003... When the French are not talking about soccer or sex, they're talking about food. Dinner-party conversation can dwell for an hour on techniques for making a beurre blanc. So it comes as no surprise that the annual publication of the Michelin Red...

Critical eye: atwood's new masterpiece ... Pacino's new misstep ... and a rock 'n' roll joyride. (Reviews).
May 1, 2003... Frayed Genes/Books In her extraordinary new novel, ORYX AND CRAKE (Nan A. These/Doubleday), Booker Prizewinning author Margaret Atwood, the grande dame of Canadian letters, conjures a genetically engineered menagerie of mutant animals so...

W Personal Shopper. (Reader Service).
May 1, 2003... As your Personal Shopper, contact me at WPersonalShopper.com or call 1.800.428.1151. I'll be happy to help you with all your what-to-give, where-to-buy and where-to-go questions. W & De Beers Present the Awards Collection Oscar nominee...

Round and round. (Eye).
May 1, 2003... Leave it to the fashion crowd to turn everything topsy-turvy. As Zac Posen and his posse took over the Four Seasons Grill Room for a postshow bash thrown by Swarovski, truckloads of hipsters dirty-danced their way through the power-lunch spot...

Strange brew. (Eye).
May 1, 2003... Photographer Romaine Orthwein's fascination with homes grew out of her lack of a stable one. The artist, who hails from the Busch clan of St. Louis, bounced between family homes in New York, palm Beach and Newport before heading to boarding...

Tales of Hoffman: Dustin Hoffman, appearing in three new films, has figured out how to age gracefully, if not quietly. (Eye).
May 1, 2003... You can ask Dustin Hoffman a simple question, but that hardly guarantees a straightforward or concise reply. (A stimulating one, yes.) In response to a routine query about his character in James Foley's new thriller, Confidence, for instance,...

Vintage kluge: remarried, rusticated and still very rich, Patricia Kluge reinvents herself as a world-class wine maker. (Eye).
May 1, 2003... There are two big names in Charlottesville, Virginia. The first, and holiest, belongs to Thomas Jefferson; Monticello lies only a few miles from the center of town, where people still piously say "Mr. Jefferson" when they refer to the third...

Shop talk. (Eye).
May 1, 2003... "I'm here for the party. I'm not even here for J. Records," confessed Justin Timberlake, who, along with Aretha Franklin and Danielle Steel, reserved the night before the Grammys for one bash and one bash only: record-label honcho Clive Davis'...

Sign of the times: taking a chance on a young outsider, the New York times makes Jodi Kantor its latest culture czar. (Eye).
May 1, 2003... It's not often that an interview subject, when asked her age, will be tempted to round the number up instead of down. But 27-year-old Jodi Kantor has a birthday coming up, and as far as she's concerned, the milestone can't arrive quickly...

Hollywood bill: can Bill Bratton, Los Angeles' new chief of police, fight crime as well as he woos the rich and famous? (Eye).
May 1, 2003... At first glance, a couple with a fondness for caviar, flashbulbs and dinners with Warren Beatty might not seem ideally suited to the job of wresting Los Angeles from its reputation as the murder capital of the United States. But L.A.'s new...

Social swirl. (Eye).
May 1, 2003... In New York, the junior jet set decked themselves out in their razzle-dazzle best and glided from one party to another. The Museum of the City of New York's Twenties-themed winter ball, sponsored by Chanel, drew more than 800 glamorous guests,...

Positive energy. (May).
May 1, 2003... Think great shapes. They're one of the defining notions of the spring couture, and they are summed up in our feature "Paris Scope," which showcases parabolic, dramatic evening dresses that cling to the figure or fluff out with abandon. And...

Paris scope: it's the shape of things to come-beautiful, curve-hugging Paris couture evening dresses.
May 1, 2003... Chanel's black sheer silk lace and tulle gown with embroidered and crystal camellia details. Yohji Yamamoto's black and write houndstooth wool and tulle dress and wool jacket. Atelier Versace's embroidered black patent leather bustier...

Body of work.
May 1, 2003... Pamela Anderson may not be your typical Helmut Lang girl, but when she puts his steller spring collection to the test, it shapes up as the sexiest surprise of the season. And it seems that only yesterday it was all about his pants. Helmut...

In living color: Ellsowrth Kelly has spent a lifetime turning the simplest things--a cigarette pack, a window -- into joyous abstractions.
May 1, 2003... The long farmer's table is set for three, and it is Ellsworth Kelly who gets the chair facing the window so he can gaze out on the late-winter storm dumping another foot of snow on Spencertown, New York, his home for more than 30 years. As he...

Beverly hillbilly: sure he's a crackpot--who in Hollywood isn't? But Billy Bob Thornton (filmmaker, actor, musician, men's wear designer) is a very gifted crack pot.
May 1, 2003... Most people think Billy Bob Thornton's a raging nutcase. And he hasn't exactly done a lot to change their minds. Profiles of him tend to list the wacky stuff up front: his odd eating habits, including a bout with anorexia (true) and a diet...

Chaingang: take some great chains and tailored jackets, put them together, and the result is sheer Sportswear magic, with a soupcon of je ne sais quoi.
May 1, 2003... Gucci's black leather jacket white cotton tank and black pinstripe wool pants, at select Gucci stores 800.234.8224. Vintage Chanel belt with chain; Tom Binns bracelets. Prada's cotton mandarin coat and cotton turtleneck, at select Saks...

G spot: with a grand, art-filled new apartment in Knightsbridge, Valentino chairman Giancarlo Giammetti follows his London calling.
May 1, 2003... Why would a native Roman swap the balmy air and hot-pink sunsets of his native city for the damp skies of London? Giancarlo Giammetti, who just finished decorating his new, Pop Art-packed home in Knightsbridge, has a lot of reasons, the most...

W Personal Shopper. (Reader Services).
May 1, 2003... As your Personal Shopper, contact me at WPersonalShopper.com or call I 1.800.428. 1151. I'll be happy to help you with all your what-to-give, where-to-buy and where-to-go questions. La Mer La Mer introduces The concentrate, now at Saks...