J. Crew Party, “Preppy Meets Hipster” & Not Your Average Easter Egg

Welcome to a Friday.  We are brief today because of the holiday, thinking most readers have better things on their mind than our fashion frou-frou.

We begin with a look at Wednesday night’s big gala at J. Crew, the event honored the Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund. From WWD’s story about the party:

“The jovial spirit extended to the entire party, which feted the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, its 2010 winner Billy Reid, runners-up Gurung and Eddie Borgo and their limited edition collaborations with the multi-channel specialty retailer.”

Below we see Mr. Reid, he is amid fellow designers Eddie Borgo (L) and Prabal Gurung (R), as well as Anna Wintour.

Patrick McMullan via FashionEtc.com

J. Crew design heads Marissa Webb and Frank Muytjens were at the big do.

CLINT SPAULDING/PatrickMcMullan.com via Daily Front Row

Other gifted designers seen at J. Crew’s recently renovated Fifth Avenue store, Rebecca Minkoff (L), as well as Maria Cornejo and Sophie Theallet (R).

Below we see Ms. Wintour sharing a jovial moment with the designers.

Dario Cantatore/Getty Images

Billy Reid is the first of the three designers being showcased at the retailer.

Pieces from Mr. Reid’s collection are now available.

The popular retailer has quite a bit of new merchandise in stores and online. Below left we show the Tomboy Tunic, and the Barbour Antique Coastal Durham jacket.

There are also new pieces in the ‘Collections Dress’ line. On the left, the Oleander Lace Dress, the Gallerista Party Dress is on the right.

The company offers new features on its site as well.

J. Crew

Older features are still online, like Jenna’s Picks.

J. Crew

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The other big party in the city on Wednesday showcased Eddie Bauer’s fall collection. We loved reading Mara Siegler’s story about it:

“… the super hip crowd was treated to the short indie film Slanted and Enchanted and music by Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Nick Zinner and artist Nate Lowman. This seems…bizarre.

Maybe I am wrong about Eddie Bauer. While meant to be worn for outdoor adventuring, in my mind, it exclaims, screams, shouts in khaki pleated pants and fleece jackets, proud moms and dads at high school football games. Last night’s event was a far cry from your middle aged suburban night out.”

Mr. Zinner of the previously mentioned Yeah Yeah Yeah’s at work. (??)

Photo via Refinery29

Below, ‘it girl’ Hannah Bronfman (yes, those Bronfman’s), and on the right, pieces from the fall collection.

Back to Ms. Siegler’s reactions in her Guest of a Guest story:

“Obviously they are trying to re-brand as “cool,” and “urban,” and  their marketing team is on track when it comes to becoming associated with the right people. Whether it will work remains to be seen. We could be just weeks away from the Half Elastic Waist Weather Washed Chino Pants and Madras Plaid Bucket Hat being the new ironic Ned Flanders-styled look.”

The location was the very hip Milk Studios.

Refinery 29

We previously wrote about Eddie Bauer’s efforts to reinvigorate the brand here.

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We have a few more styles to show before wrapping up this spring’s Bridal Market, these are three of our favorites, all are by Carolina Herrera.

Photos Courtesy Carolina Herrera via FashionEtc.

Three by Vera Wang.

Vera Wang Courtesy Photos via Fashionetc.

It’s possible we have stashed away a few more wedding gown photos, but for the most part, those not fond of endless posts about bridal styles can breath a sigh of relief. For the most part. There is that silly little ceremony happening next week.

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We leave you with some amazing artwork of seasonal interest; while not what the youngsters will be looking for on their egg hunts, or what is in most Easter baskets, they are eggs nonetheless. The Beatles on Ed Sullivan.

John Lamourrane/Barcroft Media via The Telegraph

John Lamouranne is the man creating these amazing pieces from eggs.  Below, The Peanuts gang.

John Lamourrane/Barcroft Media via The Telegraph

Politicians and royalty make good subjects.

 

As do entertainers.

John

The Telegraph has images showing many of the most striking pieces; it’s good to see the artist knows not everyone is celebrating Easter.

Mr. Lamouranne also has an eBay store where he sells his work.

On that whimsical note, we send greetings of the season to all.

ADDITIONAL PHOTO CREDITS:

• Dario Cantatore/Getty Images (J. Crew Party)

Deeper & Differing Looks at Preppy Style & Mad Men Cookies

Hello-Hello, we hope everyone is enjoying a splendid start to the week.

Many readers may have already seen the story we reference below, but with apologies to our Facebook fans, today we look at yesterday’s Fashion Diary column in the Times “Prep, Forward and Back“.  In his story, Guy Trebay looks at the return to heritage brands and styles:

“Ray-Bans were suddenly on a list of Old School must-haves and so were wool vests from the Filson, and Red Wing boots and Alden loafers and Gitman oxford cloth shirts and Sperry Top-Siders and Quoddy moccasins. Designers as varied as Thom Browne, Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders, Billy Reid and Frank Muytjens of J. Crew all made hay with the conservative classics. The style became so ubiquitous that, the designer Michael Bastian said, “The whole preppy machine requires a recalibration.”

If Mr. Trebay’s name sounds familiar, it is because we just featured the writer and his column on the needlepoint belt phenomenon, actually declaring him our hero for his comment about “…the sartorial horrors visited on us lately under the guise of a preppy revival,”. (Click here for that post.)

Back to the story in Sunday’s Times, “Studying the Preppy Look and its Reference Points“. Much of the piece looks at Take Ivy, the literary cult favorite we most recently chatted about here.

powerHouse Books

From Mr. Trebay’s story:

“Time, it develops, has done little to dim the allure of “Take Ivy,” with its guileless snapshots of handsome, fit and presumably bright young lugs disporting themselves in dining halls, on the College Green at Dartmouth, along Nassau Street in Princeton and in Harvard Yard.”

Teruyoshi Hayashida/powerHouse Books

The piece references another soon-to-be-released volume, True Prep.

““The reality is the people in that book at that time went to schools and belonged to clubs that most ordinary people couldn’t get into,” said Lisa Birnbach, an author of “The Official Preppy Handbook” and “True Prep.” ‘“Take Ivy,” Ms. Birnbach said, is a ruling class “look book,” a template for any budding Jay Gatsby.”

A slideshow accompanies the story, both are excellent reads.

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In a similar vein, The Gloss carried a post last week, Fashion 101: The New Preppy; the author approaches the topic from an entirely different perspective.

“I have never been preppy. When I was growing up, being labeled a ‘prep’ was almost as bad as being referred to as a ‘poser’, i.e. the uncoolest thing that could happen to you.  I avoided being preppy at all costs.”

“However, as we grow up and enter the business world, perhaps we have something to gain from tapping into the inner preppy.”

In her piece, Brooke Moreland visits the Puritan store on the Cape, long a staple in Chatham (and several other communities).

Brooke Moreland/The Gloss

The store’s manager, Michelle Wilson Blaze shared her perceptions on customers:

“Blaze explained to me that the men wear Polo. The old men wear the small horses and the youngs wear the big horses. They all wear khakis and if they are over 50, well, then it’s time to bust out the Tommy Bahama.

As well as impressions of those visiting the Cape: .

“Brands like Tory Burch and Burberry pop up in the store, adding a contemporary preppy twist on the classics. Ginghams, tunics and embroidered tops peer out from among the plaid and Bermuda shorts.”

And while most preps don’t pay attention to what is “in” or “out” at any given time, here is one last tidbit from Ms. Moreland’s story:

“The ‘it’ preppy shoe happens to coincide with the ‘it’ shoe of the rest of the world at the moment: the Sperry Top-Sider.”

To see Ms. Moreland’s entire story and learn her ultimate verdict on the merits of the style, click here.

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Our final item of note today deals with last night’s Mad Men season 4 premiere.

Michael Yarish/AMC-TV

It was divine.

Don’s still smoking, Pete remains sycophantic and clients don’t always concur with Don’s vision.

Michael Yarish/AMC-TV

There is continued recognition of the way women were treated in the early 1960’s.

AMC-TV

Betty seemed particularly petulant last night, and we remain concerned about little Sally Draper.  We love this shot of Betty, it seems to perfectly capture her simmering rage while also betraying her vulnerable and forlorn side.

Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC-TV

A quick rundown of stories fans might enjoy:

• An excellent review with a change of heart for one critic in the Baltimore Sun
• Alessandra Stanley’s look at the show in the Times
• The reaction to the episode in the Journal’s Speakeasy Blog
• “Why I Love Pete Campbell” (The Gloss)
• The LA Times’ review

How popular is the show? Enough that star Jon Hamm will be in an upcoming episode of the Simpsons, portraying an FBI agent.  The Toronto Sun has details.

We leave you with pictures of these amazing cookies created by our friend Pink Martini & Pearls, part of her Mad Men Quiz Giveaway post!

Courtesy Pink Martini & Pearls

Look at Joan and Betty’s dress cookies!

One of our favorites? The snappy argyle socks, surely not anything Don would wear, perhaps Harry?

Courtesy Pink Martini & Pearls

Until tomorrow!