In 2011, $1,965 on Luisaviaroma It is my opinion that Simone Cecchetto is the greatest shoemaker alive today. His shoes are expensive. Very expensive. And I’m proud to say that — in lieu of a nicer car or a larger apartment — I own three pairs (two purchased used). I’m also afraid to wear them, in spite of the message clearly stamped on the box that comes with every pair: “HANDMADE IN ITALY. DO NOT HANDLE WITH CARE.” So why buy them at all? Because, to me, they are the works of an artist. An artist whose medium just happens to beshoes.
They are the works of an artist whose medium just happens to beshoes.
There are several things I look for when buying clothes. One is quality: I would prefer to have one item that will last 20 years over 20 items that will last one year. Another is experience. When I touch something, I like to feel like it’s something: not another cloneform spat out of a giant machine. That — like an African mask or a vintage box — it has a story to tell, even if I can never know it.
And it’s also why the pair of shoes above riveted my attention back in 2014.
$2,000 for a pair of shoes with built-in duct tape? This is either the work of a charlatan, a prankster, or a genius. I was fascinated. As it turns out, however, it was just the tip of the iceberg.
The man behind the brand — originally called Augusta, now sometimes A Diciannoveventitre, or A1923 — is artist Simone Cecchetto. He’s also an original member of Carpe Diem, the studio created by Maurizio Altieri devoted to old world craftsmanship and experimental treatments with leather. The looks have been a smash with the avant garde (sometimes called “streetwear” or “dark fashion”) clothing set, sold by specialty purveyors such as H. Lorenzo in Los Angeles, Archive in San Francisco, PNP in Florence, Vertice in London, Anchoret in Beijing, Hide-M in Munich, and Darklands in Berlin (among others).
It intersects with other Carpe Diem graduates and offshoots such as Maurizio Amadei of M.A+ and Luca Laurini‘s Label Under Construction, and resonates in designers today from Incarnation to Boris Bidjan Saberi. On the more experimental side, he shares aesthetic (if not direct) kinship with artists such as Sruli Recht, famous for creating shark tooth gloves you can never take off (humorously named, “A Lasting Impression”).
“Soft spoken and passionate” is how Arthur of The Archive — the men’s designer boutique in San Francisco — describes Simone. “His shoes in my opinion exhibit what’s known as wabi-sabi: a Japanese term or philosophy of embracing natural irregularities: the scarring, textures, colors, how the hide absorbs the dye, etc.”
As a brand, A1923 also has its imitators. But Simone Cecchetto’s work and vision remains at the very forefront in terms of quality, originality and color.
Q: How did you become involved or interested in — or obsessed with — working with leather and shoes? How did that bring you to Carpe Diem?
While conducting my studies in History of Art I became preoccupied with the human body toward the end of my studies. Through my research on the human body I discovered my fascination with leather and the animal skin as a medium of expression. My research on leather did not bring me to Carpe Diem, but my interest in the human body and performance art.
While conducting my studies in History of Art I became preoccupied with animal skin as a medium of expression.
Q: I’ve always been so curious: what does “A Diciannoveventitre” mean? What does “A1923” mean? And why the name change?
The first name Augusta originates from my grandmother. The name was initially meant as homage to my grandmother, and A1923 is the continuation. She taught me the value of simplicity and understanding as well as appreciation for not only basics, but also what is elementary. In terms of what the name means, I believe it tries to embody some of those values.
My grandmother taught me what is elementary.
Q: Do you still make all shoes by hand, or do you have help now?
At this point, my time is spent mainly on sourcing of hides, development of leather through tanning, and the treatment and color process, along with working on prototypes through developing shapes. This is a process with incremental developments, and takes all of my time.
The stitching by hand of the shoes in production is today done by skilled artisans, which do not work in anything reminiscent of a factory. They are able to follow their own traditions and make their own structure in their workshops.
The sourcing of the leather, overseeing and controlling the tanning process — along with treatments and color — is still done by hand, by me, but there is simply not enough time to stitch them all by hand myself. This is a lengthy process, and a very skilled artisan is not often able to stitch more than a couple of pairs in one day.
A very skilled artisan is not often able to stitch more than a couple of pairs in one day.
Q: You’re a master colorist. I have a pair of SP1 ankle boots from you that are black, green, ash, or even eggplant colored, depending on the light. My girlfriend and I never get tired of talking about how they change from indoors to outdoors. How do you achieve a complex color effect like this?
Having conducted a lot of research — and working hands-on — has given me the understanding of how different leathers will take different colors. But as touched upon already, there will always be varieties even within the same style and leather for one season. This is due to the individual variation of the leather which becomes much more distinguishable through tanning in the way we do.
Choosing to live where the tanneries are, the creative process evolves organically through daily exchange with skilled craftsmen. Conducting research was always important in my process, and continues to be so. These craftsmen honor their traditions and know their history. While respecting this heritage, I am still able to question how things are done. Through working in this way, incremental changes in the process happen continuously.
Conducting research is always important in my process.
Q: The first time I gave my cobbler a pair of A1923 shoes to Vibram, he was amazed at the weight of the shoe, and at the quality. He kept saying, “This is SO MUCH leather!” What can you tell us about that aspect of the shoes. What makes them so high quality?
I believe the previous answers have touched upon the topics relevant for discussing the quality of the shoes. Different makers choose to work in different ways, both out of financial reasons as well as aesthetic concerns.
Through the process of creating our shoes I am the link through all the steps. There is no production line; no finished leather bought with a specified color. The process rests in my hands, instead of someone else’s. Many times these people are skilled craftsmen, but might not necessarily understand why a given end result is wanted, quality-wise or aesthetically.
There is no production line; no finished leather bought with a specified color.
Our process starts with sourcing the leather while it still has the fur on, untanned and un-dyed. My interest has always been in the leather, and by buying the leather in this state we are able to experiment and achieve the individual variation we do through conducting and monitoring the tanning and dyeing processes. Hopefully this shows through to the final product, and people like your cobbler might appreciate it or not.
Q: You have imitators now in the marketplace: brands making shoes that look almost identical to yours. What continues to set A1923 apart?
I do not want to be the judge over other people’s work. My wish is for people to understand more fully the process of crafting a shoe, and then decide what is important for them when deciding what to buy.
Q: What do you see for the future?
In my new project I’m working with the owner of a tannery. I have carte blanche over the tanning pools in a given period, allowing me to conduct research at a bigger scale. I am currently tanning leather for lengthy periods of time in order to get the results I want, similar to what used to be done traditionally, but a process which has been made faster in the last century.
The idea is to continue this accumulative research on this process by employing it on different animal hides to enhance the properties of the finished leather.
With the leather research project now reaching a point where the characteristics and quality are hard to dilute, I am open to share this accumulative research and see how other groups and individuals will interpret its properties through their work.
I am open to share my accumulative research and see how other groups and individuals will interpret its properties through their work.
In the world of fashion and entertainment, image is everything. But how do you create that “effortless cool” (almost never effortless IRL) when you don’t have the time … or don’t know where to start? You might want to hire someone like New York entrepreneur Ashley Mihelich of Summer School Creative.
Q: Tell us a about Summer School Creative.
Summer School is basically a one-stop shop for all things creative. Originally, it started out as a place to get content: from photo shoots and lookbooks to behind-the-scenes videos and social media content. Then we got involved with the development side, like creating logos and graphic design.
Summer School Creative is for people who don’t know how to present their image to the world. So we work together to create that vision, and then I go out and hire the models, find the location, and do all of the groundwork.
Summer School Creative is for people who don’t know how to present their image to the world. So we work together to create that vision.
Q: How did you get started?
My friend and I have a hair accessories company. We were creating our own photo shoots and, from that, we met this great network of photographers and makeup artists. I really enjoyed developing the creative direction for shoots, and so the whole concept grew organically. I then decided to offer my network and my services to other designers as either a full package or as à la carte services.
Q: What are you most looking forward to at NYFW this February?
The Internet has made everything so fast at New York Fashion Week. So I always enjoy seeing what brands are doing to make fashion new and innovative.
I always enjoy seeing what brands are doing to make fashion new and innovative.
Q: What’s your favorite trend this season?
I’m really drawn to the culotte trend, although I haven’t gotten into it myself just quite yet.
Q: What makes Summer School Creative special?
Summer School Creative is a one-stop shop, which makes it a really easy solution when you need extra time — or more help — with your brand. We work with a range of emerging designers and established brands to put the best content out there.
We work with a range of emerging designers and established brands.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about working in fashion?
I love looking at what everyone is bringing to the table for a brand. And because everyone has their opinion, making it all work is the most interesting aspect.
Q: How do you balance your vision with your clients’ visions?
I think it’s a matter of learning how to talk to people. When you can explain the reasoning behind your vision, people tend to meet you in the middle, and are willing to compromise on something you might have originally had opposing opinions about.
Q: Where do you see Summer School Creative in five years?
I would love to see the company have its own space where brands can speak to Summer School Creative consultants, take photoshoots, etc. So essentially bringing us to the same level as companies like Sandbox or Milk.
Q: Any final thoughts?
We’re bringing our clients quality creative options at a very affordable price. We love helping brands successfully convey their vision to the masses.
While most people were glued to their television sets (and phones) watching the Golden Globe Arrivals Special, to see the dresses and outfits the celebrities were wearing on the red carpet — and posting/tweeting about which were the best and the worst dressed — I noticed something else.
It was exciting to see the amount of new designers worn by some of the younger and older generation of talented Hollywood actresses. Now by “new,” I mean designers other than the usual household names … names not typically recognized by non-fashion followers. These “new” designers are now infiltrating the red carpet.
“New” designers are now infiltrating the stream of typical red carpet exclusivity.
Since the late, great Joan Rivers made “Who are you wearing?” the most famous phrase on the red carpet, celebrity arrivals for award shows have now become an event into itself.
The 2016 Golden Globe Awards were no different … except that the names of designers being mentioned in the media now included Reem Acra, Elizabeth Kennedy, Thakoon (you may recognize his name from the infamous The September Issue movie-doc), Genny, Jenny Packham, Paule Ka, Andrew GN, Roland Mauret, and Zuhair Murad.
Genny Spring 2016
Of the Golden Globes, Vogue said: “As the first big night on the Hollywood calendar, all eyes are perennially on the Golden Globe Awards to set the trends — both in red-carpet fashion and for the names to watch this awards season.”
If that statement holds true, then the fashion trend coming in Hollywood is to search out new talent and new creativity from designers who have incredible work … but may have not yet received the fanfare of a household name.
Or maybe the new visibility of fashion week, an increased awareness of the breadth of talent out there, and a heightened interest in fashion by the public is also playing into it.
No matter what’s fueling the trend, this is great news for all upcoming designers: to know they could have a shot to outfit an “A-lister” on the red carpet.
Congrats to all the designers who received prime placement on these A-list actresses:
Laverne Cox (Orange is the New Black) – Elizabeth Kennedy
Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abby) – Reem Acra
Taylor Schilling (Orange is the New Black) – Thakoon
Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World) – Jenny Packham
Jaimie Alexander (NBC Blindspot) – Genny
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) – Jenny Packham
Patricia Arquette (CSI Cyber) – Paule Ka
Malin Akerman (Billions) – Reem Acra
Calista Flockhart (Supergirl) – Andrew GN
Jenna Dewan Tatum (Supergirl) – Zuhair Murad
Eva Green (Penny Dreadful) – Elie Saab
Maura Tierney (The Affair) – Elizabeth Kennedy
Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight) – Roland Mouret
What happens when two professional women leave top-tier careers to create an app that combines Polyvore with Pinterest? If Anisha Bhasin Mukherjee and Shradha Mehta are any example, they end up working with Gigi Hadid and helping men pick clothing with Sports Illustrated.
Story by Chris Collie, NY Senior Editorial Director
The holidays usually mean a time of joy among loved ones and cheerful gathering to celebrate a special occasion. On a particular winter evening in New York — with only a few days left before Christmas — the fashion community came together once again for a special collaboration between Tommy Hilfiger and GQ for some fashion cheer, a sneak peek of GQ selected Tommy Hilfiger pieces from the winter collection, along with some holiday special treatment.
After receiving an amazing shoe shine on the second floor of the flagship 5th Ave. Tommy Hilfiger store, I was stepping down from the chair and was stopped in my tracks by the sight of a beautiful vintage cream and tan blazer.
I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of a beautiful vintage cream and tan blazer.
Being the lover of vintage pieces paired correctly in an outfit, I had to find out the style aesthetic of the woman wearing it. After exchanging business cards and pleasantries, I realized I was speaking to the owner of one of the fastest growing fashion apps, Dress For The Day. After briefly discussing our viewpoints on the fashion industry, the state of New York Fashion Week and delving more into the workings of her app, I knew FWO’s readers needed to learn more about this revolutionary app and the journey of its owners.
In the following days we communicated back and forth through several emails, which led to a full interview at their beautiful Midtown Manhattan home office. Before reading the full interview of these two amazing women — who left their prominent careers to devote 100% of their time and effort to this app — read below some quick notes about Dress for the Day App.
Picture Polyvore and Pinterest wrapped into one user-friendly site and app, which takes the street style of what everyday people are wearing and breaks it down by each garment ready for individual purchasing.
Picture Polyvore and Pinterest wrapped into one user-friendly site and app.
Dress for the Day recently inked a deal with Sports Illustrated to facilitate questions from users on what to wear for different occasions, and the effective art of dressing to fit your personality and style.
Q: Thank you for having me in your beautiful Midtown home office; would you introduce yourselves to our readers?
ANISHA: Sure, it’s our pleasure! My name is Anisha Bhasin Mukherjee … a lot of names (laughing). I just got married, so have to throw that last name in there
Shradha Mehta and Anisha Bhasin Mukherjee
SHRADHA: … and my name is Shradha Mehta.
Q: So let’s start at the beginning: what inspired to even pursue fashion? Was it something you both took to in college?
ANISHA: I’ll let you start (referring to her partner and co-founder Shradha), since you actually did have the fashion background.
SHRADHA: Ok, I went to Parson’s School of Design and double majored in Design and Management; I have a business degree specifically catered to design industries. So after college, I worked with the Luxottica Group manufacturing eyewear, and then I oversaw global product management for Tory Burch eyewear, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, etc. Then I moved over to marketing and oversaw some more brands, where I added Miu Miu to my portfolio.
Fashion has always been something I knew wanted to get involved in; I did F.I.T. classes in high school, and I knew that was the route I wanted to take. With college, I really narrowed in on my skill set in terms of bridging creatives and business in a work environment; that’s kind of what the double major was for, and that’s how I pursued my career with Luxottica. It was, I want to say … my second or third year in at Luxottica when we decided to launch this company, and then we went full time about a year and a half after we launched.
We went full time about a year and a half after we launched.
ANISHA: And we’ll get to the fun little story about how it actually came to be. (Laughing) So, I did not have any of the fashion background by trade, but unfortunately my wallet will tell you I did by passion. (Laughing) So, I went to NYU undergrad and studied politics there, and then I went to law school at Fordham straight after that.
So I practiced law for four years within the music industry. I worked in-house at a music publishing company: we represented all the kings and queens of the jazz era, Billie Holiday, etc.; it was nice. We basically went against all the big labels who were underpaying royalties and negotiated their contracts, making everything current with Pandora and Spotify; making sure everyone was getting paid what they were supposed to.
I practiced law for four years within the music industry.
I loved it, and the music industry was exciting; it was glamorous; I loved fighting for the little guy against the big guy. BUT, something bigger and better came our way (smiles at her partner). Shradha and I have known each other for about 10 years. We met through a mutual friend. So we’ve known each other since we lived in Manhattan.
We hadn’t seen each other in a long time, and Shradha emailed me and said let’s go to dinner and catch up. So this was about two and half years ago, almost three years ago now which is crazy …
SHRADHA: Yeah (pondering), it was … maybe a little bit longer…
ANISHA: We both were happy with our 9-5 jobs, but I can’t say we were extremely passionate, and knew that that was going to be our calling for the rest of our lives. So we were just talking about all the different social events we had: weddings; baby showers; interviews. And it was just so frustrating trying to figure out what to wear with all of the complicated style boards and websites. We just wanted a quick, easy solution: What do I wear factoring in the weather, my budget, occasion, and my personal style? This exists in 10, 20 different platforms. So why can’t it exist in one? So we said to ourselves, let’s make it!
We just wanted a quick, easy solution: What do I wear factoring in the weather, my budget, occasion, and my personal style?
SHRADHA: We were literally outdoors at a little café during Labor Day weekend, caught up on drinks and all these amazing people were walking by us on the street, and we were like: “That’s the jacket I want; those are the shoes I want” … and it was really the everyday women that were inspiring us while we were outdoors. And that’s kind of how it came about: take bits and pieces off what’s walking around. How do I splurge on my shoes and go conservative on my shirt?
It was really the everyday women that were inspiring us.
ANISHA: I think that was a big thing: as lovers of fashion, we like to combine fast fashion with luxury. I think that’s the best way to do it.
SHRADHA: I mean honestly, who wears head-to-toe Chanel? Even Karl Lagerfeld doesn’t like that. (laughing) It’s nice to show off your personality with fashion: it doesn’t have to be designer labels everywhere. Of course you have your favorites, but it’s okay to mix it up.
We like to combine fast fashion with luxury. I mean honestly, who wears head-to-toe Chanel?
ANISHA: So that was how the brainchild came to. But of course, we still had our full-time jobs. We still were like, “How are we going to pull this off?” We basically wrote off our social lives for about a year. I basically would go to Shradha’s apartment every day, and on weekends, it was work, work, work. We wire-framed the design and the concept, but unfortunately we are not girls who code, so we needed an awesome tech team to back us up. So we connected with a fantastic team out of Miami and built the site together over the next six to eight months for it to take the shape visually that we desired.
We basically wrote off our social lives for about a year.
SHRADHA: We originally launched it just for women, because that was our demographic and our market. We selfishly created it because we needed it, our friends needed it, their friends needed it, and we did all our research, and we did our M.V.P. — Minimum Viable Product — tested the viable product out and they all needed it. They wanted the simple resource for figuring out, “What do I wear to the black tie wedding, or to meet the parents, or if I’m sort of conservative but I don’t like spending a lot of money and it’s going to be 55 degrees?” So that was basically what we created for them. We started out working with bloggers, especially up-and-coming ones so we could help get the word out about them.
What do I wear to the wedding, or to meet the parents … if it’s 55 degrees
Q: What sets you apart from other fashion apps out there?
SHRADHA: Well, involving the fashion bloggers. We would take their street style, break it down head to toe, and then we would hand-curate … and we still do, to this day!
So one thing that sets us apart from our competitors is that we use no automated scraping tools. If you’re looking for a particular black handbag, we’ll go to twenty different retailers and hand select those black handbags.
100% curate: it is actually someone acting as a stylist for you and picking out the right products; it’s not like a tool where it says “black handbag looks like this” and then everything in Google images is now on the site. We don’t believe in that; our users do see there is relevance in the product along with the street style. It is not coordinated results of handbags that might be different shapes and sizes.
We hand-curate everything. We use no automated scraping tools. It is actually someone acting as a stylist for you.
ANISHA: Fashion should be about the human touch. As much as we want to bring things current and make it digital, there are some things that should be done by humans. The curating, we felt, no matter how labor intensive it was, or how much time it was going to take away from maybe pursuing other things, that was the one thing that we wanted to stay constant; we hand-select all the pieces.
We tag each street style for different occasions: like is this appropriate for work, for everyday, for brunch, or for the movies. Then we classify them by personal style … so we have about 5 personal styles for women. So all the tagging is done on our backend, which is also very user-friendly and that is something the tech team custom built.
Fashion should be about the human touch. We hand-select all the pieces.
Q: With the site and app being user friendly, how has that thought process shifted in working with bloggers and street style?
SHRADHA: We quickly realized some of the bloggers’ styles were unrealistic for our users, so we shifted our process to encompass all sizes and styles. Now if a blogger would like to upload their street style, that is how they exist in our realm for the most part; it’s not us going, “oh sure you’re a famous blogger, and we’re going to put you on our site.” Even some of the models and big names we have, such as Gigi Hadid along with our partners Sports Illustrated … they all know they’re being featured on Dress for the Day, instead of us using a picture we just found on Google.
Even some of the models and big names we have, such as Gigi Hadid … know they’re being featured on Dress for the Day.
ANISHA: Another thing with the fashion bloggers is that it has become so contrived. Obviously they’re getting paid to wear certain designers, and so it’s not as organic as what we wanted — as opposed to just snapping pictures outside, which is one hundred percent organic.
As Shradha mentioned, some of the big-name models that we do have on our site, those are completely done with the intention that is going to live on Dress for the Day.
That’s sort of what we want to do with the guys and especially with Sports Illustrated, because of the athletes. We want to take advantage and capitalize on the overlap of male athletes in fashion. They love fashion and some publications will do a cover of the athlete once in a while, but why can’t it be a constant thing?
So that’s what we’re doing with Sports Illustrated: we’re making fashion an everyday topic for guys, and also the stigma attached to men in fashion. It used to be something that they were so private about: they felt shy about being so into fashion, and now it’s like: if you want to talk about your new fancy fancy pocketsquare (referring to my Sebastian Cruz Couture pocketsquare), there’s no shame. It’s like do it! They’re proud and happy to do it.
With Sports Illustrated, we’re making fashion an everyday topic for guys.
Q: It’s funny you mention that, because I remember watching basketball games in the ’80s and ’90s, and there would never be a mention of the clothing, or footage of the players walking into the arena, as there is today. Today, because of the increase in attention to men’s fashion, it’s now routine to see the networks showing the NBA athletes walking into the arena … that walk is now like their runway.
ANISHA: Exactly! And think about the NFL draft: there’s so much “who’s wearing what” … it’s insane.
Think about the NFL draft: there’s so much “who’s wearing what”.
Q: How do you think street style changed the fashion industry in the sense of New York Fashion Week, and in the digital imprint structure of publications, since so many print versions are shutting down?
ANISHA: I think it’s everywhere now, street style. I don’t care if you’re out doing your errands or walking to a fancy cocktail party … what you’re wearing in New York City to some degree is always going to represent what your personality is that day; what you’re feeling; what your mindset is. So it’s not just about what you have on; it’s always about you, and not just the surface.
The overlap of personality mixed with street style is something that I appreciate. People love talking about what they’re wearing, like “why I wore these pants,” or “why did I choose to wear this sweatshirt,” and not really care because I’m wearing these great sneakers and it compensates for the rest of the outfit. So it’s really great to get into that second layer of why you’re wearing what you’re wearing.
It’s really great to get into that second layer of why you’re wearing what you’re wearing.
SHRADHA: If you think about the fashion capitals of the world — Paris, Milan, and New York — just think of New York Fashion Week. Think how many photos are taken of street style. These three locations focus just as much on “off the runway” as they do “on the runway.” And when you look at these three locations it’s no longer celebrity endorsements: it’s that woman who is walking down the street, and you caught a glimpse of her in her great camel wool coat draping off her shoulders: it’s like, that’s it, everyone’s doing it. There’s an inspirational factor that you can’t see in a print ad: it’s not posed, it’s not created … it’s instant. You can post it now and have people start looking for it instantly.
There’s an inspirational factor that you can’t see in a print ad: it’s not posed, it’s not created … it’s instant.
Q: What have you found since developing the site and app that has surprised you?
SHRADHA: We spent a week with about 25-30 swimsuit models and became besties with everyone; they were so great and so fun. We did red carpet events with them and we did a whole Q&A fashion. With Gigi Hadid, I remember asking her, “What is your must-have winter accessory,” or “What’s your go-to?” She responded, “Jeans and a white t-shirt.”
She said, “I have to wear other things because I’m on the red carpet, but if it were me, the white t-shirt is so undersold. I just want to wear a white t-shirt, a cool beanie, and jeans.”
That’s what she walks in wearing to these things, and then everyone dolls her up and she’s in this amazing skin-tight cutout black dress. But behind shut doors, she’s just like us. And that was what all these models kept saying to us. It was so refreshing.
Gigi Hadid told me her go-to was “jeans and a white t-shirt.”
Q: In regard to your decision to go full time with the business, was it the possible return on investment leaning you that way, or was it a complete leap of faith?
ANISHA: It was a little of both. We both feel it was the best decision we could’ve made.
Q: If there was a small business or retailer reading this, how would they go about contacting you to have their products or clothing featured on your site or app?
DFTD: They can send an email to us at info@dressfortheday.com, or they can send a direct message via Instagram. And we of course will go check out their product, and make sure it’s a great fit. If they do have a mom-and-pop brick and mortar, we’d love to test out the product physically and make sure it’s the right fit for us.
More or less, we don’t discriminate when it comes to fashion, and that’s the best part of Dress for the Day. Whether you’re doing a fast fashion $20 tee shirt or the luxury handbag for $3,000, we cover both sides of the spectrum.
So in regard to price point, there is no discrimination whatsoever. We just want to make sure it’s an exciting product that our users are going to be happy to discover. We don’t everyone to be wearing the same J. Crew dress or the same jeans. Let’s have a little bit of uniqueness. So after this, we will then send them a proposal and go through the steps after that to secure a relationship in whatever form both parties see fit.
Q: In wrapping up, I’m going to do a lightning round with you both, some random questions that you answer with the first thought that comes to your mind. This gives our viewers a fun way of knowing more about you.
DFTD: No problem! This should be fun.
Q: First, dress or pants?
A & S (In unison): Dress. (chuckle)
Q: The funny part is, you both wore pants for this interview. (We all laugh at the irony.) Ice cream or coffee?
ANISHA: Coffee.
SHRADHA: Ice cream.
Q: Driving or flying?
ANISHA: Flying.
SHRADHA: Driving.
Q: A ball game or the opera?
DFTD: Ball game. (in unison)
Q: Champagne or hard liquor?
DFTD: Champagne! (They both laugh.)
Q: Street style for men or street style for women?
DFTD: Men!!!!
Q: Really?
SHRADHA: Yes! Men have been tearing it up! We have had an overload of street style from guys. Either them sending pictures in or our interns out taking pictures. The men are doing great! Let’s be honest: if a cute girl or sexy woman comes up to you to ask you to take a pic and discuss your outfit, not a lot of men are going to say no. (Laugh)
Men have been tearing it up! We have had an overload of street style from guys.
Q: Lastly, is there anything we haven’t discussed that you want out readers to know?
DFTD: Working with our non-profit, we have a partnership with Women’s Alliance which is actually now the Coalition for Men and Women. Basically they help men and women who have suffered economical adversity get back into the workforce. They do interview training, résumé training and — where we come in — we help dress them for interviews. That’s something that’s really important to us.
We do events with them twice a year, and we have a big one coming up in March. Bottomless Closet is the New York City hub, and we do Q&A, answer the audience’s questions about what they would wear to the interviews, what they should wear to work, and then we offer them advice and solutions.
These are women who are ready to work, and ready to change their lives, and we want to do everything we can to help them. We love helping them; you have to pay your blessings forward. These women and men are the real thing, and we love it.
We love helping them; you have to pay your blessings forward.
One more thing, on our app we have a fashion forum where you can post pictures, texts, and get the entire fashion community’s advice on what you want. We love having our users communicating with each other. We do not want to be a “fashion social app,” but we are so happy that our users are able to communicate.
Q: Wow, I must say, your site and app both pack a great punch for a fashion enthusiast or professional. I truly thank you for taking the time to speak with me and being so gracious. Your Midtown home office is beautiful! Thank you both!
She’ll be picking up the spot held by Cara Delevingne in 2015. The new campaign was shot in New York by acclaimed photographer Tyrone Lebon and styled by Topshop Creative Director Kate Phelan.
The new looks are very Topshop indeed: “everyday chic” with clean silhouettes that translate well into daily life.
The collection lands in stores in the coming weeks. W00t! (Felt like a “w00t” moment.)
If you’ve been following FWO regularly, you already know we’re not just about cutting-edge news (although — in the expression “cutting edge” — what exactly, is cutting what? The whole figure of speech is a bit confusing. We just see one of those jagged haircuts that implies the wearer is living “on the edge!” Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Anyway, please don’t ask to see our yearbook photos).
No, we’re also known for over-reaching editorials where we talk about stuff we have no business talking about. And on that note ….
But, what if we could take these ideas further in 2016?
So in 2016, we’re calling for the “Age of Us.”
But this is a special kind of “us.” “Us” usually appears in the context of “us vs. them.” But what is there is no “them,” and never has been?
But what is there is no “them,” and never has been?
What if we were all just here, supporting each other, regardless of differences in sexual orientation, body type, country of origin, or religion? What if the very same “race” invented classical music, country, jazz, and hip-hop, built the pyramids, put a rocket into space, and invented crêpes, tandoori, and sushi? What if, instead of saying “the Chinese culture” or “the Russian culture,” we said our African culture, or our Polynesian culture? What if all cultures on earth belong to all of us? What if, on the 2020 census, we crossed out all the racial options and wrote in “human.” Is that corny, or is that more accurate?
What if we were all just here, supporting each other?
What if money wasn’t as important as being happy? And what if happiness could come from biting into an apple, or simply walking down the street?
How would the world change? And how would a small investment in these new ways of thinking create a new world where we look out for one another? How many problems would simply disappear?
Remember Google Glass? Yeah, me neither. Apple watches on the other hand? Well they’ve sold 3.6m in Q2 alone. So what’s the diff? Does our dislike of Google Glass harken back to the days of being called four-eyes? Bandaging broken frames with athletic tape? (Unfortunately I’ve experienced both first-hand.)
Even with the Warby Parker empire growing daily, it seems the fashion world isn’t ready to render themselves “geeks” for the sake of hands-free Instagramming. But tech’s role in fashion hasn’t let up: in fact, it has grown. Just in subtler ways.
It’s no secret that tech has seeped into every facet of our lives, and so fashion has been forced to integrate tech into its fabric. Take Apple Music for example. After Apple acquired Beats, the leading audio lifestyle brand, they rolled out an entire marketing strategy to target the fashion set with music’s leading style icons: FKA Twigs, Sam Smith, Pharrell, among others. Though these ads do not showcase product, they do showcase the omnipresent power tech has in our cultured, stylish lives. Through association with these style icons and a slick user interface, Apple Music became the chicest streaming accessory of the season.
Fashion has been forced to integrate tech into its fabric.
Brands have also incorporated tech in other ways. Take Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel SS16 show, where models wore LED sneakers down the runway. While maybe not immediately recognizable as “tech” per se, these Tumblr-like aesthetics demonstrated how tech has creeped into the sartorial vocabulary.
CuteCircuit, a London-based brand, is another such example. Since 2004, Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz have been crafting clothing and accessories made of smart textiles and micro-electronics. From LED handbags that display tweets to USB powered dresses, Katy Perry’s endorsement of their growing label makes it clear fashion and tech are growing closer by the day.
Katy Perry’s endorsement of their growing label makes it clear fashion and tech are growing closer by the day.
So how do you make “geek” chic? Sound off in the comment section, or tell us on our social channels!
Normcore is a term founded in 2014 by K-Hole, a group of trend forecasters in New York, meaning to “move away from a coolness that relies on difference, to a post-authenticity coolness that opts into sameness.”
In other words, if differentiation is no longer possible, find happiness in being like the people around you.
Normcore — often mistakenly associated with wearing plain clothes — actually means to suit yourself based on your current state, or to adapt. For example, mom/dad jeans is Normcore if you’re a mom/dad wearing jeans. Mom/dad jeans are not Normcore if you’re a hot young person looking to stand out in a sea of trendy skinny jeans. (Skinny jeans would be Normcore in that case.)
Lady Gaga Rocks the Meat Dress at the 2010 MTV VMAs
In terms of dressing for the red carpet, this mindset would motivate a star to blend in with a glamorous but easily digestible outfit, and to move on without a legacy (or one based in clothing, anyway). Camouflage yourself depending on your environment. Anticipate that your style may be forgotten, but that’s OK.
In a Man Repeller article from February of this year, writers Leandra Medine and Amelia Diamond posit, “normcore is a by-product of memes.” Their point is that celebrities may choose a neutral ensemble over a bright floral print with a big accessory in order to avoid becoming immortalized in an Internet meme. K-Hole says itself that the Internet and globalization are responsible for the lack of capacity for individuality that led to the Normcore revolution.
I’m going to try to add to the conversation by addressing the thought processes behind both red carpet choices and their effects. Let’s say a starlet is choosing her dress for the VMAs with her stylist. She can choose to wear a dress covered in meat (initial reaction: gross), or she can wear a rose Balenciaga gown (initial reaction: pretty). Say she opts for the meat dress. From the moment she makes this choice, she anticipates that she will get a lot of attention at the show. This prediction comes true.
An Internet artist may depict in a graphic the meat-clad starlet getting chased by a dog. This common association (meat and dogs) commemorates the outfit and the starlet, and she receives so much attention that she obtains a legacy in the American psyche. In fact, Lady Gaga has achieved her own Normcore to the point where people are surprised when she dresses “normal.”
This propulsion of a star’s name and face is easy and free publicity, so low status celebrities may dress for the sole purpose of standing out in order to gain momentum in the press. If nothing else, this red-carpet-to-meme conveyor belt expedites achieving fame.
What about the people who want to dress for the sole purpose of expressing themselves? Not only has the fear of Internet memes complicated the situation, but perhaps the fear of being a low status celebrity who needs the publicity from Internet memes has turned people with genuine fashion identities away from expressing them. Has the free speech of the Internet censored celebrities? Not exactly — the Internet has just become quite a loud voice in a previously tabloid-driven conversation. Like a big drunk brother at the holiday party, the Internet will continue to chime in with what it thinks necessary, and usually that means making fun of people (and sometimes, it’s funny!).
With this, we have a message for award show attendees on the fence re: expressing themselves this season: Your alcoholic Internet brother will most definitely say something to amuse himself, at your expense. Other people may also very well laugh. Don’t go sulk in your room! Go on, and make your own Normcore!
Don’t go sulk in your room! Go on, and make your own Normcore!
We’re not saying you won’t be made fun of; just understand that the Internet’s drunk and doesn’t mean it.
OK, it does mean it … but just try to ignore it.
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(Photo collage from items on Lyst. Lady Gaga by John Robert Charlton.)
Oh boy! Chronicling the changes of New York Fashion Week’s evolution every season might be considered a full-time job in and of itself.
Competing logos? Multiple producers? Brands, sponsors, and bears, oh my! (Okay, no bears. Yet.) Here at Fashion Week Online, we try to keep things simple.
Because when all is said and done, it is pretty simple. There are shows. Some stream live. And afterward, there are replays.
Mainly, there are clothes.
Okay, and some stuff that’s not just clothes. We don’t make any bones about loving the social element. That’s why we post NYFW Instagrams. Interviews. And obsessive news about our favorite NYFW personalities.
If this seems like an endless plug (which it should at this point, cough), we apologize. If you want “news news,” we could give you some about NYFW becoming more consumer-focused. Which sounds like a great thing to us.
But here’s the thing. We think New York Fashion Week should be fun. Not complicated.
So sit back and relax, as we gear up for a new season, with shows, live streams, and replays.
ANISHA: I think that was a big thing: as lovers of fashion, we like to combine fast fashion with luxury. I think that’s the best way to do it. 
ANISHA: Fashion should be about the human touch. As much as we want to bring things current and make it digital, there are some things that should be done by humans. The curating, we felt, no matter how labor intensive it was, or how much time it was going to take away from maybe pursuing other things, that was the one thing that we wanted to stay constant; we hand-select all the pieces. 
