Jacques Helleu, the artistic director of Chanel, passed away after a long illness on Friday at the age of 69… Only three weeks ago we met Helleu in his Paris office and he was, in a word, a rockstar–everyone noticed how youthfully timeless he was…. Tall and lithe, he towered over everyone in the room… The perfume ad with Keira Knightley–the last one he did–played over and over on a flat screen on the wall. Everyone watched and clapped. I remember being mesmerized by his collection of Cannes Lions lined up on a shelf (it’s the Oscars in the advertising world)… Just imagine, he worked with artists like Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Luc Besson, Ridley Scott just to name a few and the most beautiful actresses… The world Jacque Helleu created for Chanel was so powerful and magical… His passing is a really big loss.

Explain the unexplainable: How is it possible that Mary-Kate Olsen looks so hot in candids and red carpet shots but like an ugly neckless monkey in Peter Lindberg editorials in Harper’s Bazaar? Why is that, Peter, why?!




Mary-Kate Olsen

Here’s a tried and true Chinese method: gallons and gallons of tea. Chamomile…. the only substance a lady should be abusing in case of dark undereye circles… Nothing else works–certainly not the horrid twenty dollar marching powder they sell to Jessica Stam on street corners…

Jessica looking rough at Versace S/S 2008

Something you’d love to wear:

Something you’ll never wear:

and a few knit numbers to make it all timeless, sensible and cohesive:

We’re Miuccia’s big fans…

Now that is a serious nod of approval: high-profile Parisian fashion editrix wearing Dov Charney. Unbelievable. Next thing you know Ms Roitfeld will be at Dov’s mansion in Beverly Hills posing for his website in lame leggins and a tan. (We can easily envision this one)

The world is coming to an end: Carine in AA and Dior shoes at Armani show in Milan

We know everyone thinks it’s our job to identify designer items worn by celebrities and all. But we don’t have the time to go through style.com (it’s one of those Burberry-Versace-Giles type collections). You get the general idea though: studded shoes=the hotness!

Mary-Kate Olsen

Sexy hot hot–the way only Testino+Bundchen can be. Naturally, we want the entire wardrobe …and those legs.

Studded belt, gladiator platforms, Eiffel tower purse and that crazy matchy coat+dress combination! What’s going on?! Click here for more

What are those shoes? Balenciaga? We want them!

The dress is bananas and we love it

London’s bringing desheveled chic back–ruffles are everywhere. (And was it ripped jeans that we just saw on the catwalk?)

^Christopher Kane

^Giles

^Matthew Williamson, Duro Olowu

One thing they don’t tell you about fashion is how tedious fashion people can be. You know that sour, disaffected look Anna Wintour has? Well, her little helpers can be even worse: too-trivial subject matters and waaay too much good taste. Stepford nightmare. That’s why we always liked Stephen Gan, the editor-in-chief of V and V Man–Gan’s got a wild side and he’s letting it show. Just look at those Brad covers!

New V (left), Stephen Gan at Mario Testino/V Magazine party (right)

My Chanel trip diary…

music credit: Yelle–Je veux te voir

You know what, if Ms. Jacobs really deserts New York Fashion Week for London one collection we’ll be looking forward to instead is 3.1 Phillip Lim. Seriously, as irreplacable as Marc may be we love Lim even more: fantastic clothes–minus the diva attitude. (And Phillip’s new shop on Mercer Street is genius too) So there…

3.1 Phillip Lim, Marc by Marc

Preen, Zero Maria Cornejo

Narciso Rodriguez, Ralph Lauren

We made sure to take a extra-long shower and spritz ourselves with Chanel before we met this man as we were standing literally two feet away from him in his highly clandestine perfume labarotory in Paris. Jacques Polge’s nose is worth gazillions in annual revenue to the Chanel Empire and we’re not exaggerating…. The creator of Chanel perfumes since 1978 he is unquestionably one of the most powerful men in fragrance industry (nevermind that we always had the hots for older French gentlemen)

Our head was exploding from how majorly important he is but we preteneded to be completely at ease and mannerly–like Lady Amanda Harlech. Monsieur Polge’s assistants (Christopher Sheldrake) were dipping tester strips into bottles with ingredients–jasmine, patchouli, vanilla, cut hay…..Patchouli=rich and earthy, jasmine=sweet and powdery… it all made us want to wear tweed jackets from Chanel Cruise collection and lunch at the Ritz….(and then we actually did have lunch the Ritz… don’t hate!)

Now we have a feeling we’ll never want to smell like anything but Chanel ever again.

P.S. well there is actually more to this story but we can’t tell you until tomorrow… le grand secret, you know.

Darlings, we’ve just returned from gay old Paree and we’re smelling of Chanel and Canadian beaver (long story…) It’s definitely an out-of-a-spin-and-into-a-twirl situation. In the meantime New York fashion week is on full steam: Masha Tyelna is scaring the living with her hungry eyes and Rachel Zoe’s sporting a new & improved face.
But what’s really rocking the fashion world is the new DVD from Fly–it’s been such a success insidefly.com keeps crashing from web traffic. Click play.

Italian fashion goddes Giovanna OR our favorite Hollywood chihuahua Mary-Kate Olsen…. do we even need to mention who we think wore them better?

Giovanna pic from The Sartorialist blog

They’ve been stopping foot traffic in London, Paris, Tokyo and New York lately. The woman sure knew a thing or two about life. Here are a few of my favorites–definitely a stop & think variety:

>>”Elegance is refusal”

>>”The more feminine a woman the stronger she is”

>>”Success is often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable”

>>”Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity”

>>”A woman has the age she deserves”

>>”My friends, there are no friends”

>>”The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud”