Past or future, Peggy's present is an all-time fashion must-have ...

On last night's ep of Mad Men, Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) enters her office to find that a gift has been delivered -- she unwraps the package, and ... a telltale orange box?!? The melding of fashion and pop culture on TV's hottest show is complete as Hermes makes its foray into the one watercooler program that is just as much about style as it is the well-structured, scintillating scripts.

Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) soon enters the scene, but forget about the childish, we-love-each-other/hate-each-other banter that ensues -- instead get rapturous over that which Peggy soon unfurls from the signature orange box: a Brides de Gala scarf, the most popular silk-twill creation ever crafted by Hermes. We show it here in red, while Peggy's was accented in pale blue. Following are all the stats to start you on the path to becoming a Brides aficionado:

Origin: The house's silk-twill scarves, or carre's, were first envisioned in 1937 by Robert Dumas, grandfather of current design director Pierre-Alexis Dumas. Eager to find some way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the house, Robert Dumas (founder Thierry Hermes's great-grandson by marriage) was fascinated by the notion of printing on silk, and so created a 90-centimeter-square carre titled Jeu des Omnibus et Dames blanches, which illustrated the debut of the Paris omnibus line from Madeleine to Bastille. Each carre continues to be hand-silkscreened in much the same way since 1937, while edges likewise continue to be hand-rolled, all from a factory in Lyon, France's home to the silk trade.

1957: Dumas by now is calling on acclaimed artists for his carre designs, and in this year enlists Hugo Grygkar to sketch the famed Brides de Gala, or "gala bridles," a tribute to the house's origins as a bridle, harness and saddle maker. In July 1963, the moment in which this episode is set, a Brides de Gala would be instantly recognized as a gift equal parts chic, luxe and timeless.

Grygkar would go on to become Hermes's most prolific scarf designer, while Brides de Gala continues to rank handily as the pinnacle of most-popular designs, indeed highly sought-after as a bona fide cult item for collectors. It's been reinterpreted in more than 70 colorways over 52 years, with embroidery and sequins also finding their way onto special-edition Brides de Gala designs. If there's only one Hermes scarf on which you can invest, this is it, no question; not unlike the expression on Peggy's face as she brushed the silk against her cheek, the allure of such an icon is, quite simply, unforgettable.

(scarf photo courtesy of David Hamsley)

Feelin' the blues ...

What's the hot color emerging on the Spring 2010 runways? Check out, from left, looks from Christian Siriano, Cynthia Steffe and Lacoste, each of whom has contributed to Spring's sea of beautiful blues ...

To check out highlights from each show, click here:

http://mbfashionweek.com/newyork/spring2010/designers/christian_siriano/index.html

Yigal's sexy polish ...

Yigal Azrouel's Spring 2010 women's collection was satisfying on many levels: fresh, exciting, forward and yet wearable. Beautifully textured minidresses and jackets that were artfully cut -- combined with his penchant for unique fabrications and techniques (such as washing his leathers so they're ultrasoft and slightly distressed), Azrouel simply is one of the most refreshing designers working today.







Click here to view highlights:
http://www.mbfashionweek.com/newyork/spring2010/designers/yigal_azrouel/index.html

(Un)civil actions ...

When did fashion shows lose all sense of civility? This question crossed my mind this morning in Bryant Park, when I noticed that most of the front row couldn’t be bothered to applaud as the models walked their finale carousel. This trend has been increasing in its frequency, and this morning it was shockingly obvious to me: Instead of polite applause, the majority of people were texting/checking email, stuffing programs into their bags, talking to their neighbors, or just plain looking bored. Here’s a newsflash: You don’t applaud only when the designer runs out for his or her bow; aren’t you also applauding the models for their work? Like any event, isn’t applause a courtesy to signal approval of the group effort? Oh, yeah, and thanks for the front-row seat? (To be fair, this behavior wasn’t exclusive to the front row and could be seen throughout the audience.)

My day finished with witnessing another questionable act, which started with an attendee who moved from her second-row seat to a first-row seat that wasn’t hers. At 30 minutes after the hour, as is the custom, the seats were “released,” which in fashion parlance means that those who possess a standing ticket are welcome to fill in the empty seats. The woman’s second-row seat was taken by a daily editor who hadn’t been shown much love by this particular designer – not surprising, as dailies are often given short shrift at the shows (apologies for the alliteration), while national mags bring layers upon layers of editors, all of whom are offered prime seats.

But when the real owner of the front-row seat unexpectedly appeared at the last minute, the woman who had moved wanted her second-row seat back. She was supported in her thinking by her co-workers in the nearby seats, all of whom descended upon the now-horrified daily editor with fury and indignation. I happened to be sitting next to this woman (and thus hope to eliminate any speculation that this was me), and having witnessed the entire episode, I told her to stay; the mover was forced to stand. If you decide your seat is inadequate and you take the chance to sit in someone else’s, then you risk losing your original seat if the release has indeed taken place. Don’t get me wrong: I have moved – did so this morning, in fact, to sit next to a friend. But I do this knowing it may backfire, so it’s rare that I move (also because, with few exceptions, my seat is typically more than satisfactory).

When combined with the earlier show’s lack of applause, however, I was left wondering: What has happened to simple etiquette? A fashion show used to be one of the most civilized environments you could enter, but no longer. To be sure, it’s still a far more glamorous way to earn a living than the vast majority of jobs out there – but lately, due to far too many incidents such as this, I’ve been thinking it isn’t as much fun as it used to be. Largely it’s exhaustive and infuriating, filled with pushing and shoving, ego and attitude, and hopefully you’re rewarded by seeing a beautiful show here and there, something fresh and forward that leaves you excited about witnessing that particular moment.

When I spied the offended group in the lobby after the show, still in a tizzy and soothing the mover as though she had been physically assaulted, I couldn’t help myself: As I passed by, I smiled and without a trace of snarkiness said, “Have a lovely evening.” I have never felt more civilized.

What’s your opinion of both episodes? Feel free to
weigh in …

No, no, no, no, no, no, no ...

My head about exploded last night when I read the news that Emanuel Ungaro CEO Mounir Moufarrige had signed Lindsay Lohan as "artistic advisor." As one friend texted, "That's just so many ways of wrong."

The melding of fashion and pop culture is undeniable and valid -- but there are limits. For those of us who actually respect fashion, who believe that to direct and influence one must possess some sense of perspective, history and technique through study and practice, the appointment of a questionable tabloid celebrity whose chief attribute is that she's managed to bankroll an impressive closet -- I'm sorry, that is wrong. I'm all for the fashion muse, whose influence upon a designer has resulted in some of the greatest relationships and collaborations, from Hubert de Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn to Yves Saint Laurent and Catherine Deneuve to Marc Jacobs and Sofia Coppola. But let's be honest -- that's not what this is, not even a little bit. Lohan has no relationship to Estrella Archs, who was named creative director in the same moment Lohan's cushy title was announced. Archs' previous work includes solid stints at Nina Ricci, Prada and with Christian Lacroix while he was at Pucci, so surely she also must be wondering why the bottle-blonde tabloid celeb is needed at the revered French fashion house. Even their publicity photo looks uncomfortable. Muse? No one is amused. (And gosh, what an imaginative outfit to herald her introduction: a gray jacket over -- wait for it -- a black T-shirt.)

Every house at one time or another has struggled with the notion that its customer base is aging right alongside the label; indeed, history is littered with the tales of panicky, youth-driven moves that didn't pan out: Galliano muscling out Hubert de Givenchy and Badgley Mischka choosing the Olsen twins for their ad campaign are two past debacles that spring to mind.

Moufarrige already had proven he possesses zero patience for allowing a designer to settle in and build a following. Since Emanuel Ungaro retired in 2004, three designers -- the insanely gifted Giambattista Valli, as well as Vincent Darre and Peter Dundas -- had been shuttled through the house in as many years. The young, effervescent Esteban Cortazar, named to the post in 2007, is a talented designer who after three short seasons was finding his footing at Ungaro, with his latest F/W collection drawing solid reviews from many. Fashion is going through challenging times, to be sure, but the schizophrenic, revolving-door mood currently driving Ungaro has done nothing to help it build a younger customer base, as women simply aren't given the chance to develop a sense of the label or the heart of its aesthetic.

We've already lost the House of Lacroix because commerce triumphed over art; as Moufarrige clutches desperately for the immediacy of tabloid frenzy over solid talent, we sadly -- and inevitably -- watch Ungaro follow.

The shoe I'm loving for Fall ...

I'm not a big Renee Zellweger fan, and let's face it, My One and Only does not serve her well. George Hamilton's early-years biopic is a lovely story with fab retro fashion -- unfortunately Zellweger's faded Southern belle Mama is lacking depth, not to mention poorly lit. But the same can't be said for her spate of appearances to promote the flick -- in addition to sporting the requisite Herrera (love the gray dress with the tie neck from the Resort collection), she's also working my favorite footwear look of the moment: fab beige pumps with a nude leg, a look that is at once ultrasexy and lengthens the leg. Love it!

The adjective in my head after "The September Issue" ...

As Fashion Week is looming, I'm organizing a group of out-of-town friends, and we'll find some two-hour hole in the schedule and duck over to Empire 25, an easy walk from Bryant Park, to see The September Issue. This will be my second viewing -- a friend and I caught it opening night at Landmark in SoHo amid what was clearly a fashion-savvy audience (even an icy pause from Anna drew laughter, not from her action, but in our shared sympathy of knowing what it's like to be on the receiving end of such a moment, whether the editor is Anna -- or more likely not). But with Fashion Week about to kick off, here's the thought I can't help but wonder: I walked away from September Issue liking Anna more than I thought I might -- not merely for revealing the warmth beneath the steely veneer, but especially because the movie exposes equally and graciously both her deep well of talent and her fearless command. And Grace Coddington? Well, Grace has always been a hero, but largely to fashion insiders -- she is the field general while Anna is Patton, George C. Scott standing in front of the giant American flag (insert symbolism here). With all that in mind, and given the rhapsodic reaction to the film, I'll be keeping an eye out in the tents to see whether the invisible wall that prevents people from approaching Anna will remain so impenetrable. Not unlike any documentary or reality show -- though she surely would shudder at the latter notion -- don't we all think we know Anna a bit more now? By throwing open the doors to the inner sanctum, has she torn down the walls around her front-row seat as well? It's highly unlikely, but a delightful and entertaining exercise nonetheless as we wait for shows to begin.

Finally, that adjective -- it's a simple one: Inspired. Watching Grace work simply inspired me. Sure, bottomless-pit budgets are the most heavenly and enviable of luxuries, especially these days, but I still took away lessons about the adjectives she employs, like "artful" and "cinematic," on a daily basis, and roll them around in my head as I'm planning work in the future. Ultimately, September Issue wasn't an expose about the meanest of all Mean Girls or the perils of putting together the most fabled issue of all fashion magazines. Rather, it was simply about inspiring me to raise my game just a bit more as well.

Michael Tonello brings his Birkin (talk) to NYC

I was charmed by Michael Tonello's book, "Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World's Most Coveted Handbag" (Harper, $14.99 in softcover), not only because he exposed one of fashion's greatest conundrums -- how exactly does one walk into Hermes and walk out with the pinnacle of status handbags? -- but also because his story inspired my wanderlust, leaving me eager to check out Hermes boutiques from Barcelona to Capri to the south of France. New Yorkers or those in town for Fashion Week can kick off Fashion's Night Out by stopping at Borders in the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle this Thursday, Sept. 10th, where Tonello will do a reading and book signing at 7 pm. Prior to getting on yet another plane, Tonello was kind enough to answer a few questions about the book and his adventures:

Have you heard any reaction from Hermes since the book was published? Being a reseller is far from illegal, but I can't imagine they were excited that you were exposing some of their "secrets” …
Hermes seems quite pleased by all the publicity. My book has brought their brand name and Birkins to mainstream middle America. I've only been told good things by some of the Hermes store managers.

The book features great illustrations and a glossary of terms; I'm happy to say I learned some key terms heretofore unknown to me! Tell me about the balance of telling your own story with imparting a little bit of fashion history ...
After I finished the manuscript and read through it, I realized many of the terms would be utterly foreign to the average reader. I went through the book and rewrote numerous portions to make them somewhat informative or educational, without reading that way.

Do you feel any of the history or sense of craftsmanship crept into your soul?
Oh, yes. I really prefer to own one finely made item rather than a pile of “stuff.” Quality stands the test of time and this is especially nice now that times are tough.

Given the current state of the economy, do you feel as though you got out at just the right time? I occasionally search Hermes on eBay, and I'm not seeing items move as fast as they once did.
Most definitely. The entire world of Hermes, starting back in 1999, has been total kismet and serendipity for me. I'm just going with the flow ...

Do you ever feel the tug to return to your Hermes adventures?
No. It served its purpose and brought me to other opportunities. The rights to the book have been optioned for film, and I'm working on my second book. I’m also working on a series of kids' books based on my two cats, Gala and Dali. Everything happens for a reason!

Finally, how much Hermes is presently in your own closet, and what goes through your mind when you walk past (or into?) an Hermes boutique?
I own two pair of Hermes chino trousers that I wear like five days a week. When I first purchased them I had one pair hemmed with a traditional plain hem and the other with a two-inch cuff. I never really liked the way either looked. One day in a bit of a fit I took a pair of scissors and cut the bottom of both pairs of trousers, and now they are all frayed and I adore them. In addition, I have a few pieces of Hermes cashmere since they often do offbeat colors and I really like (and look good in) chartreuse and acid greens.
Listen, Hermes changed my life, so as I walk by one of their stores I smile big and keep walking ...