L’Wren Scott’s Fashion Legacy: What Happens Now?
The shock of designer L’Wren Scott’s suicide on Monday has rocked the fashion world.
Anna Wintour, Naomi Campbell and other fashion high-flyers released tributes and statements about her vision, her talent and her influence.
But the question is now fresh: what will happen to her fashion empire?
Amid the grief, Scott’s financial situation is being investigated by the press and by police looking for a motive.
Her eponymous label was adored by celebrities – Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker and Christina Hendricks have all worn her to high-profile occasions, and Nicole Kidman, her friend of 25 years, took her gowns to the Oscars and Cannes.
However, her death is revealing that despite the celebrity endorsements, L’Wren’s fashion business, launched in 2006, wasn’t as strong as it looked.
She was nearly US$6 million in debt, a catastrophic amount for any label.
And reports are now trickling out after the tragedy that her business was in the process of collapsing, with workers and suppliers being left unpaid.
She cancelled her New York Fashion Week show in February, at the time saying that suppliers hadn’t brought fabrics in time, but it now seems that a mixture of money problems and her fragile mental health were to blame.
A huge collaboration with Banana Republic worth $US3 million was due to launch, but even that wouldn’t have rescued the ailing label. And Scott publicly and ferociously refused to accept help from her partner, Rolling Stone Mick Jagger. “It’s all my money,” she told the press.
Now a lot hangs in the balance. L’Wren Scott shops and suppliers all over the world are waiting to see how the elegant empire will be handled.
But it looks like, without its talented and troubled figurehead, L’Wren Scott’s fashion line may also be in danger of disappearing forever.
Image: L’Wren Scott, courtesy The Telegraph.
Jennifer Lopez Revisits Her Infamous Versace Dress For New Video
It was the moment that skyrocketed Jennifer Lopez to fashion icon.
And now she’s reproduced the infamous Versace cut-to-there dress that made her famous in her latest video, ‘Luh Yah Papi.’
At the 2000 Grammys, on the arm of Puff Daddy (who was still called Puff Daddy, that’s how long ago this was), Lopez turned up in a see-through, jungle-print Versace dress, held together by a single fastening at the crotch.
It made headlines, even though compared to Lady Gaga’s recent ensembles it looks charmingly tame.
In her new video, Lopez rocks the Versace jungle print again, this time in a jumpsuit slit to her navel – and the way she tells it, the echo was just an accident.
“We didn’t really even plan that,” she revealed. “The stylist just brought it in on the rack and I was like, ‘What’s the jungle print doing there?’… And she was like, ‘No, that’s in the stores right now.'”
It turns out Versace loves itself some Lopez too – because it’s reusing the same jungle print from 14 years ago in its latest collections.
“It just kind of worked out,” Lopez said.
What do you think – just as good as 2000, better, or worse?
Image: J.Lo from the 2000 Grammys and in the 2014 video.
Two Olsens Engaged: What Will They Wear?
Cue the Full House jokes: two of the Olsen sisters are engaged at the same time.
Mary-Kate Olsen is due to marry her French banker beau, Olivier Sarkozy, while younger sister Elizabeth is engaged to actor Boyd Holbrook.
And we’re predicting that the two sisters will have very different wedding styles. So let’s play: what will the sisters wear?
Mary-Kate’s always been fascinated by layers and 1920s-style draping: her red carpet style is never form-fitting or sexy.
She’ll probably go for long sleeves and a long, flowing cut – and maybe even pick up a vintage piece.
After all, her ring is from the 1950s – from Cartier, of course.
As a fashion designer, she and her sister’s label The Row has conquered high fashion – so perhaps she’ll design her own gown.
Their latest collection involves 90s-style plain dresses and lots of elaborate long coats, so we’re hoping she goes down the aisle in a two-piece ensemble. Beaded evening cape, anybody?
And, of course, she loves a headband, so we’re predicting a Cartier or vintage necklace wrapped around her head.
Elizabeth is the more traditional – and loves a girlie cut – so perhaps Elie Saab or Valentino might make her a gown to remember.
But she’s also a face of Mui Mui, so she might just pull a custom Prada (or, of course, a custom The Row gown, thanks to her talented sisters).
Which sister’s style do you prefer: vintage and draped or elegant and traditional?
Image: The three Olsen sisters (Mary-Kate, Elizabeth and Ashley), courtesy Us Magazine.
Rescu. Rates The Wearable Tech Trend
US news company CNBC produced a list of the top ‘fashion technology’ products for women last week.
Why? Because increasingly new tech products are being designed directly for women.
But does this actually mean they’re being dumbed down or stereotypical? Rescu. investigates their list.
Most of the tech products incorporate smartphone technology, but some are smarter than others. The Everpurse and emPOWERED both have the same idea: fashionable handbags that also charge any smartphone. This idea is a lifesaver and we all want one immediately.
Another fantastic idea is the Cuff, jewellery which protects children who wear it by sending an automated distress signal to a pre-picked phone.
But what about the two necklace pendants that blink when you have a phone notification? Or the Memi bracelet that vibrates when an important call comes through? It’s less annoying than a ringtone, but we’re not sure we want bits of us blinking and distracting our mates.
Others play on stereotypes. A jacket has been invented to guide women to their destination using LED lights and signals in the sleeves rather than looking at their GPS – and it is, of course, bright pink.
And the #healthies out there will be thrilled to hear their calorie counting is about to get a whole lot more stylish as iconic women’s fashion designer Tory Burch has collaborated in a partnership that will see an exclusive collection of wristbands and necklaces for the Fitbit Flex.
What we’d actually like to see: a Google Glass with fashionable frames so it sits properly on a user’s face.
Image: The Everpurse.
