“Sexy Preps”? & Those Chanel Bandages (Really)

Hello-Hello, and welcome to a Wednesday here at the Prepatorium, we hope your week is going well.

For someone as busy as your trusty scribe, staying up on all of the celebrities and their businesses, endorsements, 72-day marriages for money and what-not can be a daunting task.  So you’ll forgive us for not being intimately familiar with a gentleman named Brad Goreski. But repeatedly seeing his name followed by the words “sexy prep,” a term some might say is an oxymoron,  made our fingers do some walking, and we toddled off to visit his blog. This picture is on his “about me” page. (Darling!)

"Bradley"

Mr. Goreski hasn’t posted anything since August but he has other photos of himself scattered throughout the existing posts, including this one. (Double darling!)

"My First Post"

At any rate, on that ‘about me” page Mr. Goreski describes himself as a stylist in the fashion industry. That narrowed things down. We did some more online looking and discovered he used to be on a program called The Rachel Zoe Project every week. (We realize that in the time it took me to sort all of this out you have re-read War and Peace.)

It turns out Mr. Goreski is also the new face of Tommy Hilfiger’s just-launched Eau de Prep. (Because we’re big people here at The Prepatorium, we are temporarily setting aside our personal distaste for ‘preppy parfums’ in the interest of journalism.)  The accompanying PR blitz is what has prompted all of the stories about “sexy preps.” Here is more from Refinery 29‘s story about the perfume debut, “Brad Goreski Talks Sexy Preps And His (Almost) Hip-Hop Career“:

“…being the impeccably put together prepster that he is, Brad was the obvious choice to host. True to form, he was sporting tartan plaid pants, a polka-dot bow tie, blazer, and pocket square.”

The story has a Q&A format:

Did you wear the original Tommy fragrance?
I did. I wore all things Tommy Hilfiger. Tommy almost made me hip-hop.

What is so attractive about the prep lifestyle?
I like the idea of looking my best at all times. Whether it’s a wearing a bow tie, a blazer, and plaid pants or a polo, jeans, and lace ups. I think it’s important, no matter the time of day, to put that extra effort in and look your best because you never know who you’re going to run into.

Hmmm…hip-hop and preppy? Below we see Mr. Goreski at the Macy’s launch for the scents last Thursday.

Albert Michael/Shadow PR via Refinery 29

Back to that vital question in Refinery 29’s interview with the stylist:

Who would you say is the sexiest prep in history?
Jake Ryan from 16 Candles. He’s like the end all, be all.

People magazine also covered the launch:

“I consider myself extremely preppy,” stylist Brad Goreski tells PEOPLE. “I always have been. I’ve been looking at a lot of my baby pics, and I’m always in a three-piece suit and bowtie.”

In all seriousness, Mr. Goreski looks like a nice young man, evidently he is going to have a new show on the Bravo network in 2012.

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Here is one that is overqualified for our You Can’t Make This Stuff Up files, the oh-so-buzzed-about ‘Brandages’:

Via Sugoilife

Described as ‘all purpose designer bandages,‘ you can purchase your very own set for $7.95. Sadly, it took me a moment to make the leap: brand name + bandages = brandages.

Brandages via Sugoilife

Because nothing says tasteful like a Chanel bandage on one’s breasticles chest area.

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Because we like to end on a positive note, we leave you with this:

Scottish Fine Soaps

That is the Welly Boots soap from Scottish Fine Soaps, at $7.50 a darling hostess gift, no?

On that, goodbye until next time!

That New Preppy Style Book & When Anti-Preps Attack…Each Other

Hello-Hello, happy Thursday, it is another glorious day here at The Prepatorium, hopefully the sun is shining wherever you may be. (Unless you are in Texas, where we would wish a nice, steady moderate rainfall for you. TUWBVB, I Pick Pretty, Hopsy, all of you, we feel your pain.)

We begin today with an update on something we have chatted about previously, the upcoming release of Preppy: Cutivating Ivy Style.

Rizzoli

WWD carried a story about the book today; photos from the upcoming publication are shown, including this image of men from Deerfield‘s class of 1961.

Private Collection photo via WWD

(Can we talk about all of that fabulous madras?!)

The book remains on track for an October 4 release, David Lipke’s story is titled The Progression of Preppy Style, an apt description.

“The book, out in October, is a scholarly exploration of the roots of preppy style, enlivened with a treasure trove of historic photos and illustrations. The photos of boarding school students from decades past are particularly fascinating, as they show how consistent the look has been, even to this day.

Another image from the book, one that many readers will recognize, a still from the film Love Story with Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw.

Photofest via WWD

More from Mr. Lipke’s review:

President Kennedy’s influence on preppy-dom is recounted, as are the contributions of other pillars of prep, such as Katharine Hepburn in her tweed skirts, Grace Kelly in her cashmere twinsets and Howard Hughes in his golf knickers. Edward, Prince of Wales, is of major import for many reasons, key among them that he popularized sporting clothes as casualwear and insisted on unstructured designs with minimal linings.

Getty Images & Rizzoli via WWD

The writers are Jeffrey Banks and Doria de La Chapelle, the duo co-authored “Tartan: Romancing the Plaid” back in 2007.

“Preppy isn’t just a way of dressing, it’s a culture and a language,” explained Banks, in a navy Lacoste shirt and red chinos. “It’s all about nuance.”

There is also a look at different interpretations of the style, below we see an image from the immensely popular blog Street Etiquette, the site did a piece last year on the “Black Ivy“.

Courtesy of Street Etiquette

On a related note, The Times has a story today with the founders of Street Etiquette, Joshua Kissi and Travis Gumbs. There is an accompanying photo essay, “The New Dandies: Prep Fashion With a Twist”.  From the story, “Pushing the Boundaries of Black Style“:

“Instead, this generation emphasizes the basics: great fabrics, aggressive tailoring, thoughtful accessorizing. It’s a return to style as a source of dignity, a theme that has run through generations of black American style, from Reconstruction to the Harlem Renaissance to the civil rights era to the mixed messages of the hip-hop era.”

Back to the book, more from the WWD story:

“Modern-day designers like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger have transformed preppy style with their own versions of the campus classics.

“Ralph Lauren made preppy lusher and more desirable,” said La Chapelle. “Every generation has its own interpretation of preppy.”

An advertising image from the 1997 Polo by Ralph Lauren collection is included.

Courtesy Polo by Ralph Lauren via WWD

We look forward to reading this one, it is available for pre-ordering through Amazon.  Rizzoli is also publishing Ralph Lauren’s eponymous book in October.

Via Rizzoli

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Speaking of Mr. Lauren, Women’s Wear Daily also had a brief preview of his spring 2012 mens’ collections:

“The flagship Polo collection continues to speak to the “diehard preppy,” Lauren said, with natural-shoulder three-button jackets with wider lapels and traditional patterns of herringbones, gabardines or plaids.

John Aquino/WWD

The trade publication noted there is a “country-club grouping with seersucker and patchwork patterns”.

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Finally today, something for our “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up” category. The story is about something we used to call ‘reverse compensation’ when working in tv; it refers to a practice that became common in the 1990s when local tv stations had to start paying the networks to be affiliates. In the former business model the networks paid stations to be affiliated with them.

At any rate, you can probably imagine where this is going: yesterday’s carefully timed publicity stunt news that über-AntiPrep retailer Abercrombie & Fitch has offered to pay another AntiPrep to *stop* wearing its clothing.  Really.

Elisabetta Villa /Getty Images via MSNBC

From an Abercrombie publicity release news release, evidently referencing someone referred to as “The Situation” from Jersey Shore. (The entire cast of this program have been declared AntiPreps.)

 “We are deeply concerned that Mr. Sorrentino’s association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image. We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans.”

The Times has a story on the topic, including these side-by-side photos of Abercrombie bags and Mr. Situation.

Benoit Tessier/Reuters (L) Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images (R) via The NY Times

Two things come to mind:

1. “Hello Pot? This is Kettle calling”.
2. They deserve each other.

On that note, goodbye until next time!

A New Line We Love & Gwyneth Paltrow “Tries to Join the 21st Century”

Hello-Hello, welcome to a bright and lovely Thursday, we hope your day is also filled with sunshine.

Today we look at a talented new designer, Katie Ermilio.

Katie Ermilio

We learned about the young lady and her creations via a post over at T Magazine (the NY Times‘ style magazine).

Courtesy Photos via The Moment

Below we see the designer in some of her own creations.

Courtesy Photo via Young Sophisticates

The piece is titled “The Vogue Intern/Katie Ermilio,” and Ms. Ermilio did in fact intern at Vogue, but her design pedigree reaches back generations. She grew up on the Main Line in Philadelphia, her grandfather Arthur was Grace Kelly’s personal clothier, and her father runs Ermilio Clothier & Specialty Shop, considered the preeminent equestrian tailoring shop in the country. Below we see Robert Ermilio, who is probably a bit busy this week, we are in the middle of the Devon Horse Show.

Via Main Line Today

At any rate, many of the styles are lovely, in rich hues and clean, unfussy lines. Of course we selected designs to show that are Pretty in Pink, but the group offers pieces in a broad palette.

Courtesy Kate Ermilio

This marks Ms. Ermilio’s first foray into a full-scale collection, the line will be available nationally at Shopbop. More on the designer from the T post:

““To make extra money, I would put my dresses in my dad’s storefront and they started to sell,” she says. Ermilio designs with a classically tailored Gossip Girl in mind. Her fall 2011 debut, featured double-breasted velvet blazers, wide wool-satin trousers and flirty chiffon tees paired with big swing skirts.”

For those interested in learning more, click here for Chelsea Zalopany’s full post. To see the entire fall preview, click here to visit the Katie Ermilio site.

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Next, happy news for those social networkers fond of über-prep Gwyneth Paltrow: the actress is now Tweeting.

Via Twitter

And she has also launched a Facebook page:

Facebook

In her first Tweet and first FB post Ms. Paltrow shares a link that takes you to a brief video in which she explains she is “trying to join the 21st Century…,” joining Facebook and Twitter. In today’s posts (shared on both sites, it seems she will be replicating the content) she shows the kids (from the back) at a ‘super-secret Cold Play’ rehearsal.

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Two tidbits:

1) Look for a new line from Tommy Hilfiger, “Tommy Girl” is slated to debut in the Juniors departments at 150 Macy’s stores this July. WWD reports the new collection is aimed at 12- to 18-year-olds, and prices will run “from $32 for t-shirts to $129 for outerwear”.  We’re thinking we should really refer to the designer as “omni-Tommy,” media coverage of his various enterprises and the ‘rebirth’ of his core lines are everywhere, look for a post  on the topic in the not-too-distant-future.

2) Tiffany has launched another website, What Makes Love True.

Tiffany

The micro-site opens with a short film, Will You Marry Me?, showcasing different stories about marriage proposals. There are four segments on the site, “Love Stories,” “Tiffany’s New York,”something of a cultural guide to the city, “Love Is Everywhere,” an interactive map, and our favorite portion, “The Art of Romance,” with playlists of romantic songs and movies.

On that romantic image we say goodbye until next time!

A Gossip Girl at Prep World Launch & Kate’s Coming to California

Hello-Hello, we are just all adither, business and volunteer commitments have combined to make the time fly by, so we are brief.

We begin with a more in-depth look at the Prep World pop-up shop.

Tommy Hilfiger

From a NY Times story about the store:

“It could have come straight from the Hamptons or Martha’s Vineyard, or “The Wizard of Oz.” Instead, it came from a warehouse in Yonkers, a pop-up dwelling built to look like a fancy beach vacation house, and assembled in less than three days on newly planted sod in Gansevoort Plaza.”

The cottage/shop is designed to have a weathered feel.

Via Dazed Digital

The store opened with a party last night, bringing out a number of celebrities, below we see John Legend and Christine Teigen, as well as model Jessica Stam and Gossip Girl’s Jessica Szohr.

Steve Eichner/WWD

Prep World is a collaborative effort between “TOPH/True Prep” author Lisa Birnbach, and mass merchandiser Tommy Hilfiger.  Below we see the best selling author at last night’s party with actress Hayley Atwell, on the right, Mr. Hilfiger with his wife, Dee.

Steve Eichner/WWD

Teen Vogue has photos from inside the store.

Via Teen Vogue

Why do the limited edition line? More from the Liz Robbins story in the Times:

“The preppy lifestyle has gone global,” he said. “We feel that our business has grown so well because preppy travels so well. It’s all-American classic.”

Via Teen Vogue

Below, merchandise from the 60-piece collection, the Fabric Boat Shoe, and the Anchor Tote.

Via Tommy Hilfiger

More of Mr. Hilfiger’s thoughts on the designs from the Times story:

“When you’re wearing it, maybe you feel like you are a yachtsman,” Mr. Hilfiger said of the line. “Or if you’re wearing something madras, you feel like you’re out on the lawn playing croquet, or if you’re wearing something beachy, you feel like a surfer. It has a lot of different meanings to a lot of different people.”

Shot By Jake

That is true, the word definitely has very different connotations to people.  Just how different? Well, most preps we know wouldn’t even consider wearing these shoes, yet they have already proven to be very popular with the more fashionable crowd.

Tommy Hilfiger

More photos from the store may be found on the the Hilfiger Facebook page.

Tommy Hilfiger

Fortunately there are a number of the cottages, because the London shop in Covent Garden is opening as we type, with another Gossip Girl star on hand, Ed Westwick.  For more detailed background on the collaboration, click here for our original post.

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Our other tidbits involve Prince William and Kate (more formally The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge). St James’s Palace has verified the newlyweds will visit the US, spending three days in California. They are expected July 8-10, following almost ten days in Canada. From The Telegraph’s story:

“While on tour, the Duke and Duchess will take part in Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa on July 1. They are also expected to zigzag across then country, visiting the Arctic, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Alberta.

It will be the Duchess’s longest time in the public eye to date, with the world’s media scrutinising all that she wears, says and does.

The Duchess will have more than enough time to prepare herself – and her wardrobe – for the trip.”

And for those curious about how photographers managed to keep the young bridesmaids and pages entertained while taking the formal photos, The Daily Mail has a cute story explaining the secret.

“…a £1 ‘wiggly worm’ which Camilla revealed yesterday had been bought by her stepson Prince Harry especially for the occasion.

Yesterday, the Duchess revealed that she had been ‘terribly worried’ that three-year-old Eliza and the other bridesmaids might find the event overwhelming.

AFP/Getty

“‘Harry pulled this wiggly worm out of his pocket in the carriage to keep them amused. Eliza loved it so much that she wouldn’t let go and it even made the official photographs.

‘Can you believe it? She was holding onto my finger but in her other hand was this worm.

The young lady was absolutely precious, and very well-behaved throughout the day’s events.

AFP/Getty

On that darling image we say goodbye until next time!

Oh, Those Party Frocks! And Prep World New York

Hello-Hello, it seems we might be back to “normal,” although ascertaining just what ‘normal’ is continues to evolve.

At the very least we return to more normal blather and bloviations topics, beginning with last night’s Met Ball. Considered by many as the fashion world’s Oscars, the night brings out the A-list.  As Hilary Alexander wrote in The Telegraph:

“In terms of style, effort, money and glamour, this red carpet mother of all fashion-fests, orchestrated by Anna Wintour for the last 13 years, outshines them all.

It was an occasion for the well dressed and the merely wealthy.”

Below we see Ms Wintour (yes, that is The André in all his regal splendor to her right) in a stunning Chanel couture gown. On the right she is with her daughter, Bee Shaffer, who wore Balenciaga.

Getty Images

The formal name for the event is the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala.  This year’s event coincides with tomorrow’s opening of the highly anticipated Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty show.

Met Photos via WWD

As one might imagine, coming on the heels of the royal wedding and the two Sarah Burton McQueen wedding gowns, the atmosphere was electric. Below, the woman of the hour, Ms. Burton.

AP/Getty Images

Sarah Jessica Parker was in vintage McQueen.

AP Photos

Hamish Bowles was in McQueen.

Via

For those not familiar with the Costume Institute, it is part of the Met, housing more than 75,000 costumes and accessories.  Below, part of the Lauren clan, left to right we see Dylan Lauren, David Lauren and Lauren Bush.

Getty Images

Jessica Alba also wore Ralph Lauren, she was radiant.

Getty Images

There were some figure-hugging creations; below left, Fergie in a Marchesa gown more reminiscent of a wedding dress, on the right we see Beyonce in Emilio Pucci with her husband, Jay-Z.

Getty Images

How snug was Beyonce’s dress? She was unable to climb the stairs in it,

Getty Images

The lights are blinding, Renée Zellweger is silhouetted below.

Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty

Some of our favorite faux-prepsters from Gossip Girl were on hand, Leighton Meester was in Louis Vuitton, Blake Lively in Grecian-inspired Chanel and Jessica Szohr in… in.. umm, we have lost our notes, eek!

AP/Getty/WWD

The level of detailing on these gowns is extraordinary.

AP/Getty/WWD

Below, Dakota and Elle Fanning, both wore Valentino.

Getty Images

Perhaps our favorite gown of the evening was Ashley Greene’s, custom Donna Karan.

Getty Images

It was exquisite.

Last night the first menswear from Tory Burch debuted, seen on Kanye West; the designer was in vintage Jean Patou that was gorgeous.

Mike Segar/Reuters

Tommy Hilfiger his wife, Dee,and Jessica Stam wore Hilfiger.

Reuters

It is a busy week for Mr. Hilfiger, the designer’s collaborative line with Lisa Birnbach, Prep World, launches its first pop-up store in the US.

Prep World/Tommy Hilfiger

As covered in this post, the first pop-up store was in Paris. The temporary stores are designed to look like a beachside cottage in the Hamptons, below we show the model store.

Courtesy Image

And here is the real deal under construction in the Meatpacking district, originally scheduled to open the 28th of April, now looking like it will be ready for a Thursday opening.

The capsule collection features an array of products, many of them appealing.

 

Some of the merchandise is available online.

http://usa.tommy.com/tommy/index.jsp?ctcampaign=871&ctkwd=tommyhilfiger&ctmatch=Exact&ctcreative=10700438385&gclid=CMGv_q2izKgCFUOo4AodOWuZpQ

For more background on the line, click here. If interested in seeing the Paris Prep World, click here.

Apologies for the brevity today, but we must race out the door!

ADDITIONAL PHOTO CREDITS:

• Kristin Somody Whalen/WWD
• Steve Eichner/WWD