I'm laying out the dip, the cheese and nuts with the red carpet coverage on in the background. The stars are falling, well not exactly falling as that would imply ones wishes coming true. My wish would be for surprises, beauty and glamor. So far there are a hand full of stumbling actors in dresses that diminish more than enhance. Red is the turquoise of the evening but some other shades have jumped out as a result. Helen Mirren's grey green faille gown is the best she's looked ever. Lilac on Mila Kunis looked pretty good though all the cascading layers of lace were a bit overwrought. The sea of reds has been a nice blast as it's a color that looks great on most everyone. Some girls looked better than others mostly due to the cut than the color.Jennifer Lawrence is the winner of the red category in scarlet Calvin Klein. It is a supremely simple form fit gown on a girl with a beautiful body. Gwynneth Paltrow was beautiful in silver paillette covered Calvin Klein. Francisco Costa does minimal in the most minimal way and this dress is his maximal version of lean and mean. For me the hands down beauty is Michelle Williams in pearl grey Chanel haute couture. This dress does what every great dress should do. It takes a very pretty girl and elevates her to the stratosphere of BEAUTIFUL. Enjoy the show, I know I will.
Sitting here in my bathrobe this morning, I'm thinking about today, Academy awards day, and its importance in my life over the years. It started as a night to handicap films, see stars on the red carpet and steal a glimpse into a world that was far away from my own. As I grew older and became a designer it took on a different meaning and I became swept up in the handicapping of actresses and their sartorial splendor. Then one day I was a designer whose dresses were adorning actresses and somehow a part of that handicapping. The point of the Oscars was lost on me by then and the red carpet was the beginning and end of the night in my eyes. Fortunately for me, my time in Hollywood was one where glamor, chic and artistry were the order of the day. Young guns like Randolph Duke, the Badgley Mischkas, and a not so young Vera Wang were the designers to watch. Armani and Valentino were playing the game too. Now, so much is different and aesthetics have shifted from the sublime to the ridiculous in many cases, not all. Watching the Grammy awards a few weeks ago, it was abundantly clear that the paradigm shift was almost complete. Rihanna in Gaultier was little more than barely covered, Nicki Minaj in Givenchy haute couture looked like the down market distant cousin of Pebbles and Lady Gaga was just ugly. I'm not trying to dictate what fashion or style should be, only commenting on what it seems to have become.
Today I feel as though I've come full circle and am back to rooting for my favorite films and actors for the awards. We'll have friends over for a party but I doubt that my attention will be on the red carpet like before. Fashion and the players in Hollywood have gone from being haute cuisine to take out, supersized with a side of fries.
Dior John Galliano suspended, accused of racist and antisemitic insults
published on 25/02/2011 at 20:39
PARIS - The fashion house Dior has suspended its creator, Briton John Galliano, accused of uttering anti-Semitic and racist slurs on Thursday night in Paris, during an altercation with a couple, a version contradicted by his lawyer.
The famous fashion designer, while intoxicated, was arrested Thursday night following the altercation and heard " few hours "by police before being let free," said a police source.
But hours after the revelation of this affair, which occurred just days before the opening of " Fashion Week ", Dior decided to react.
" The House of Dior said with the utmost firmness the policy of zero tolerance in respect of any statements or anti-Semitic or racist attitudes. Pending the results of the survey, Christian Dior designer John Galliano has suspended from office , " said the CEO of Dior, Sidney Toledano said in a statement.
This decision, considered " excessive "by the designer's lawyer, Mr. Stephane Zerbib, has instead been greeted by the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) and the International League against Racism and Antisemitism (Licra).
Dior has not decided whether or not it canceled its fall-winter 2011 fashion show scheduled for Friday March 4 in Paris, said one of his spokesmen told AFP.
According to preliminary information gathered by the police, the scene took place Thursday around 21 hours on the terrace of a fashionable cafe, located in the Marais, the heart of the French capital, a historic Jewish community Paris.
An altercation broke out for unknown reasons between the designer, aged 50, and a couple seated next to him.
According to comments reported by the couple's Europe 1 radio, the designer would have launched in English: " Dirty jewish face, You Should Be Dead "(Sale of Jewish head, you should be dead) and" Asian Fucking bastard, I Will Kill you '(fucking bastard Asian, I will kill you).According to police sources, the designer also " cheerfully "insulted the woman committing" minor violence ".
Such insults, if true, would fall within the scope of public insult of a racial nature, according to the Penal Code, an offense punishable by six months in prison and 22,500 euros fine.
" Mr. Galliano denies anti-Semitic slurs , "responded Mr. Stephane Zerbib, adding:" There was an altercation, Mr. Galliano was verbally abused, but at no time did he utter such insults, we Moreover, evidence in this direction . "
The German magazine and website Sleek, specializing in fashion, cites witnesses who claim that the altercation erupted when Galliano attempted to start the conversation with this couple, who mistook him for a tramp.The witnesses said the couple had abused and insulted Galliano turn the woman.
Quickly arrested by police after the incident, the designer has been taken to the district to be heard before being left free.A medical examination revealed a blood alcohol level with a positive rate of 1.1 milligrams of alcohol per liter of breath.
Both victims filed a complaint at the district, police said.The prosecution was unable to confirm the filing of these complaints.
The British fashion designer who took the reins of creation for Dior in 1996, has emerged as one of the most inventive and creative, flamboyant, drawing inspiration from history and his travels around the world.
Since 1999, he oversees all the feminine lines of Dior and the leather and the brand image.He drew alongside her own collections.
“Dior affirms with the utmost conviction its policy of zero tolerance towards any antisemitic or racist words or behaviour,” Dior Chief Executive Sidney Toledano said in a statement.
”Pending the results of the inquiry, Christian Dior has suspended John Galliano from his responsibilities,” the fashion house, part of billionaire Bernard Arnault’s LVMH luxury empire, said in the statement.
And an eye witness account of what actually occured courtesy of Sleek Mag:
This morning, the press went wild spreading blown up reports of John Galliano having been arrested last night and accused of assaulting a couple and voicing antisemistic statements. However, as our witnesses who were at “La Perle” around 10 PM when this so-called drama happened tell us, the story is far less dramatic. Here’s their first-hand version:
On Thursday night at the posh fashion bar “La Perle” in Paris’ lively “Le Marais” quarter, the Dior head designer might have had a couple of glasses more than he should have. In fact, the designer was pretty drunk but rather in a jolly mood than in an aggressive one. Our witnesses tell us that the couple who sat next to him at the bar didn’t recognized the celebrity designer and started to insult him, mistaking him for a bum when he tried to strike up a conversation with them (Galliano’s personal style could be at fault here).On his joyful “cheers everybody!” the woman and her boyfriend replied “You’re ugly, you’re disgusting, move away from here!” as our eyewitnesses tell us.Galliano didn’t react to this statement and raised his glass with other bar guests. He then turned around to respond to the lady, saying: “You’re ugly and you’re fucking bag is ugly too.”The boyfriend of the women then got up from his chair and aggressively charged it to threaten the designer. Galliano’s bodyguard tried to quiet the situation, as did the staff from “La Perle”, but there was nothing more to do; Galliano and the couple exchanged further insults untill the couple called the police while Galliano calmed down and was peacefully smoking his cigarette.The end of the story, far less dramatic the the press reported, the police just talked to the designer while his bodyguard was on the phone with his lawyer and Galliano conceded to go with them to the police headquarters to give his version of the story, since the couple wanted to press charges. No big police arrest took place. As for the antisemistic statements, Galliano did call the man who threatened him with a chair “Asian”, which is indeed a racist statement.All in all, another dodgy fashionable night in the heart of Paris! What do we learn from this? Bad style can get you into legal trouble, and no matter how drunk, a designer can never see past an ugly bag! http://www.sleek-mag.com/news/galliano-vs-style-police/#more-10389
Just read Galliano was arrested last night in Paris.
Drunk and making anti-semitic remarks to a couple in a bistro.
Birdy".
What can I say. I'm just the messenger and it's a very slow week in case you didn't read in the NYT about pre-pubescent couturiers and Vena Cava teaming with Uniqlo. Whatevehs.........
"From YSL HQ in Paris… Pilati busy working on the next collection. All the rumors unfounded — he is here to stay."
So that's the word today from the YSL camp. It may be true today and false tomorrow. Truth seems to be as overrated as originality in this business. Either way, the bird is gone so you won't be getting anymore cheep shots from him. Sorry for the tempest in a tote bag.
I was playing in the garden a few moments ago on this bright sunny day. I've got such cabin fever that I just can't stand another moment inside. So what that the temp is cold enough to turn my little hairless balls to icy jaw breakers. Where was I? Oh, right, the garden. So I was frolicking amongst the bits of snow and frozen vegetation when I spied a little chickadee basking in the sun's rays. He didn't see me crouch and slink towards him soundlessly. Before he could let loose a cheep, I grabbed him with my Hermes gloved paws and began to contemplate his fate. A muffled sound caught my attention and I ceased my little game of cat and birdy. "Wait a minute." the chick cheeped. "Have you heard that Pilati is out at YSL?" he gasped. "Are you serious?" I asked. " You know, a well placed rumor will not save you. I'm hungry, am starting WeightWatchers tomorrow and intend to have my way with you", I exclaimed. " Just wait a bit and let me go. Look at the Internet and see that I'm telling the truth. You can tell your readers that a birdy told you". So, gang, the bird is sitting right here and we're both waiting to see if this is true. If it is, I'll just say a birdy told me. If not, well this birdy may not be spreading any more rumors. Bon Apetit!
I'm laying out the dip, the cheese and nuts with the red carpet coverage on in the background. The stars are falling, well not exactly falling as that would imply ones wishes coming true. My wish would be for surprises, beauty and glamor. So far there are a hand full of stumbling actors in dresses that diminish more than enhance. Red is the turquoise of the evening but some other shades have jumped out as a result. Helen Mirren's grey green faille gown is the best she's looked ever. Lilac on Mila Kunis looked pretty good though all the cascading layers of lace were a bit overwrought. The sea of reds has been a nice blast as it's a color that looks great on most everyone. Some girls looked better than others mostly due to the cut than the color.Jennifer Lawrence is the winner of the red category in scarlet Calvin Klei
n. It is a supremely
simple form fit gown on a girl with a beautiful body. Gwynneth Paltrow was beautiful in silver paillette covered Calvin Klein. Francisco Costa does minimal in the most minimal way and this dress is his maximal version of lean and mean. For me the hands down beauty is Michelle Williams in pearl grey Chanel haute couture. This dress does what every great dress should do. It takes a very pretty girl and elevates her to the stratosphere of BEAUTIFUL. Enjoy the show, I know I will.
