TALLEY-ING UP: André Leon Talley has locked in the number-six slot on The New York Times’ bestseller list for hardcover nonfiction with his new memoir.
”The Chiffon Trenches” created a firestorm of publicity in recent weeks, primarily due to Talley’s critique of his former boss, Vogue’s Anna Wintour. The book centers on his storied career, but it also addresses other aspects of his life like sexual abuse, weight struggles and ageism. Consumer interest in the book was so strong that his publisher Ballantine moved up the release date to May 19 from September and greenlighted a second run before it was officially out. The strategy seems to have worked, given Talley’s swift ascent to the bestseller list. Glennon Doyle ranked first for “Untamed,” followed by Michelle Obama for “Becoming.”
Talley’s recent interviews with Gayle King on “CBS This Morning” and Tamron Hall on her eponymous talk show surely helped to sell a few books. But Talley said he was still surprised to make the bestseller list in seven days.
“Thrilled but kind of stunned by the whole thing,” Talley said, adding the accolade has been “somewhat distilled by this whole horror that has happened in Minneapolis [referring to the death of George Floyd
Category: Accessories
Celebrities may be just like us — that is, under quarantine — but there are several stars still generating interest online.
From brief paparazzi sightings, to tweets and videos urging everyone to stay at home, a new report by data trends provider, SEMrush has tallied the most-searched celebrities during the coronavirus quarantine.
Kylie Jenner received the top spot on the list with 450,000 Google searches after the reality TV star and beauty mogul was seen in paparazzi photos in late April going on a snack run in a tie-dye matching set with no makeup or shoes. Jenner went viral for her rare natural look, which is a stark contrast to the full makeup looks that she’s known for.
The way that Quarantine has turned Kylie Jenner back into a white girl pic.twitter.com/FQjlTEY95F
— B. Velvet (@BeyonceLeague) April 20, 2020
On a more controversial note, SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk received the second spot after his tweet stating “the coronavirus panic is dumb” from March 6 went viral. The tweet resulted in over 300,000 Google searches.
Other celebrities went viral for their at-home quarantine posts, including actor Samuel L. Jackson’s video reading the new book “Stay the F–k at Home,” which has over 3.1 million views,
Rodeo Drive Podcast Launches May 29
There’s a new podcast dedicated to Rodeo Drive launching May 29, just as the famed Beverly Hills shopping thoroughfare reopens for business.
“It has absolutely been an adjustment, and it took us by surprise,” Rodeo Drive Committee president Nicola Cagliata said of adapting to the new climate amid the coronavirus pandemic. “A lot of the boutiques are starting to put handbags back in the windows.”
Since Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti gave retailers the go-ahead to start reopening for in-person shopping on May 27, luxury giants Gucci, Saint Laurent, Dior and Louis Vuitton have resumed their boutique business, while Tom Ford, Fendi and Mikimoto are expected to follow Monday.
Now that the industry is hoping to ramp up consumer spending again, “It’s a good opportunity to tell the story of Rodeo Drive,” said Cagliata, adding that the podcast has actually been in the works for some time.
One of those stories will be that of Giorgio Beverly Hills, established in 1961 by “godfather of Rodeo Drive” Fred Hayman. The first episode will explore the story behind the luxury boutique and how it put Rodeo Drive on the map. Those sharing insights will include Hayman’s son, Robert; designer Zandra Rhodes, and Decades owner Cameron Silver.
“A
Flipping the traditional order of its fashion calendar, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode said it would stage an online version of Paris Couture Week from July 6 to 8.
The haute couture shows were originally slated for July 5 to 9, a week after men’s fashion week. But in May, French fashion’s organizing body set an online showcase for the men’s collections for July 9 to 13.
That means couture will kick off proceedings in Paris this season with a digital platform hinged on films and videos, the federation said, using wording identical to the earlier statement it issued regarding the men’s shows.
“This event will be structured around a dedicated platform. The principle of the official calendar is maintained,” it said.
“Each house will be represented in the form of a creative film/video. Additional content will be included in an editorialized section of the platform. All of this will be widely shared on the main international media networks,” it added.
It is understood the federation plans to involve several tech and other partners, to be revealed at a later date. In late March, as the coronavirus pandemic worsened in France, the federation canceled the summer runway shows. Men’s fashion
Over the last four years, TikTok has skyrocketed in popularity among the Gen Z demographic, who use the social media platform to record videos dancing to today’s most popular music or participate in different TikTok challenges.
As the coronavirus pandemic has drastically increased social media usage across the board, TikTok has also seen a jump in its user base. According to Sensor Tower, a mobile app data provider, TikTok saw 315 million downloads during the first quarter of 2020, the biggest download count in the app’s history. This brings TikTok’s total download count to two billion.
TikTok doesn’t plan to slow down its growth. The social media platform last month revealed the creation of its $5 million Creative Learning Fund, which WWD is participating in, that is growing the app’s original content.
Despite this recent surge in users, many fashion and beauty brands were early adopters of the app. Take Ralph Lauren, which launched its TikTok account last August in conjunction with its campaign for the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament. Other brands are creating dedicated initiatives solely for the app, such as Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, which launched a TikTok House where a rotating roster of influencers create content for the brand.
Here, WWD looks
As summer camps are canceled, at least unhappy campers can leaf through a new photography book about the beloved, parent-free ritual. Today’s Gen Z campers will get a chuckle at their forebears’ fashion sense in “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah: Andy Sweet’s Summer Camp 1977,” a follow-up to the late Florida photographer’s “Shtetl in the Sun: Andy Sweet’s South Beach 1977-1980.” Aside from feathered hair and tube socks — the real-life version of the movie “Meatballs,” which was released in 1979 — readers will discover that not much has changed about the sleepaway camp experience since Sweet documented Camp Mountain Lake in Hendersonville, N.C.
“The camp I grew up attending, Timber Lake in the Catskills, was exactly like Andy’s camp,” said Brett Sokol, the book’s editor and cofounder of Letter16 Press, which releases it, with the option to add a custom, retro camp T-shirt, on May 26. “The culture of secular Judaism is the same. He saw a younger version of himself in these middle-class Jewish kids.”
Sweet had a long history with the camp. He went from a camper to a counselor to the photography teacher during the summer of 1977, while he captured camp life for his MFA thesis. Since all
LATE SHOW: Amid serial cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic, one major fashion event has confirmed it will hold a physical edition this year: the Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography will take place from Oct. 15 to 19, organizers said Wednesday.
The 35th edition of the festival was initially scheduled for April 23 to 27, but Jean-Pierre Blanc, the festival’s founder and general director, said in March that it would be postponed until October. Unlike other events that were initially postponed, and then ultimately canceled their 2020 editions, Hyères is now set to go ahead.
The program is unchanged: Jonathan Anderson will head the fashion jury of the festival; Paolo Roversi will lead the photography panel, and Hubert Barrère, artistic director of Chanel-owned embroiderer Maison Lesage, will take the lead for the accessories prize.
The accompanying exhibitions will stay open until Nov. 29 at the Villa Noailles, the modernist villa built in the Twenties that hosts the annual event, and other locations around the Mediterranean town. France partially lifted its lockdown measures on May 11, and the Villa Noailles reopened to the public on May 15.
Sponsors of the Hyères prizes include Chanel, Hermès, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Kering, Chloé, Première
While creatives and brands alike are leaning into and sharing new hobbies and activities during quarantine, New York City-based designer Susan Korn of the vibrant and playful brand Susan Alexandra is opening up a branded DIY for her customers. To engage her community and share her love of beading baubles, the designer has launched “The Bead Box,” a DIY-kit for creating jewelry at home. “The Bead Box” retails for $65 and includes an elastic cord, two hand enameled floral clasps and signature Susan Alexandra colorful and kitschy beads.
“I’ve been collecting beads and making beaded baubles my entire life. My work is an extension of a childhood hobby that I pursued and shaped into a career path. One of the best ways to find connection is to create together,” Korn explained. “When our studio is open, we love to have guests over to make jewelry. This is our way of continuing that community and connection by making a portable version of our studio experience.”
In addition to the DIY kits, Korn will soon be launching an extension of her handmade, made-to-order jewelry.
With the coronavirus pandemic causing what’s expected to be a socially distant summer, several fashion brands are trying to add some excitement to the season with collaborations.
One of the most anticipated fashion collaborations is coming from Target, which is continuing its tradition of teaming with buzzy designers. This summer the retailer is tapping three female-led fashion labels — LoveShackFancy, Cushnie and Lisa Marie Fernandez — for a summer dress collection that evokes the feminine style each brand is known for.
As at home workouts are on the rise amid the COVID-19 quarantine, other brands are launching activewear collections that combine fashion with function. Take Staud designer Sarah Staudinger, who is making her first entry into activewear with a colorful collection with New Balance.
Here, WWD looks at five summer 2020 fashion collaborations to watch out for. Read on for more.
1. Target’s the Designer Dress Collection
Target x Lisa Marie Fernandez as part of the retailer’s Designer Dress Collection.
Target is upping the ante on its latest designer collaboration, this time teaming with three female-led fashion brands for a collection of dresses fit for the summer. The retailer is working with fashion brands LoveShackFancy, Cushnie and Lisa Marie Fernandez for a collection of more than
The pandemic might have forced Gold’s Gym into bankruptcy court, but that hasn’t stopped the fitness brand from forging ahead.
The company has teamed with Puma for the first time on a performance apparel and footwear collection intended to be worn both in the gym and on the streets.
The Puma x Gold’s Gym limited-edition collection features men’s, women’s and unisex apparel line as well as training footwear and retro-inspired apparel and accessories. That includes the LQD Cell Hydra Gold’s Gym Shoe, which features a stable, cushioned midsole, rubber outsole and lateral wrap-ups for stability.
The apparel offering includes a unisex tank featuring the Gold’s Gym logo and a removable patch at the front hem, along with DryCell technology to keep the wearer dry. There is also a hoodie with a relaxed silhouette, roomy sleeves, raw-edge detail and a vintage-inspired Gold’s Gym design. A bodysuit features an inner bra with elastic taping detail and a Puma x Gold’s Gym graphic in the center. Other pieces include cropped tops, tank tops and woven jackets and pants along with a gym bag and backpack.
The collection will retail from $40 to $100 and be sold beginning today on the Puma and Gold’s Gym e-commerce sites and