Couture Cult

Saturday, September 15, 2007

This Just In... Stores

The time has FINALLY come, Chloe Sevigny (who we LOVE!) has began to unveil her line! Check out this amazing article by Renata Espinosa for Fashion Wire Daily. I have yet to find images, but you KNOW the second they hit the net, I'll have the best ones right here for you to see!

Chloe Sevigny Debuts Collection for Opening Ceremony
Renata Espinosa
September 14th, 2007 @ 4:04 PM - New York

As a teen, when I first started raiding my mother's closet for all her carefully preserved vintage accessories – saved from her years spent living (in my mind) the jet set life of a TWA flight attendant – I used to think about my own wardrobe of acid-washed Chic jeans, polka dot stirrup pants and Express tunics and think to myself, "Oh, I should save this stuff, because it's going to come back for sure."

This was the early '90s and retro revival was in full swing, so while not a particularly original notion, it did get me thinking about how I might preserve, and potentially resurrect, my own history of dress one day.

So what if someone had packed away their junior high school ephemera in a time capsule a la Warhol, opened it up in the year 2007 and decided to create a collection inspired by their memorabilia and early years of fashion discovery?

The result might be something like Chloe Sevigny's collection for Opening Ceremony, which she presented to a handful of editors on September 10th during New York fashion week.

Back in May, amidst a flurry of celeb collection launches, Fashion Wire Daily asked Sevigny (at a Warhol-related event, coincidentally), whether she'd ever consider doing a line herself. Known for her unique vintage-influence style, she of anyone seemed a logical candidate.

She told us she'd been tossing around the idea of a one-off, in fact, with Humberto Leon of the downtown boutique Opening Ceremony, which carries small, directional labels by international designers.

Leon said when he saw the article, he called her up and asked, "So are you serious?"

She was, and before they knew it, their one-off had turned into a fully-developed 30+ piece collection, complete with a range of accessories that includes nine styles of shoes, a motorcycle cap made from recycled cassette tapes and cat-eye sunglasses produced in conjunction with Linda Farrow UK eyewear.

For inspiration, Sevigny looked to her teen years when she would shop at Unique on Broadway in New York, from "girls that I see on the street," and late '80s vintage fashion. A glass vitrine inspiration case displayed objects from her youth: Patti Smith and Kate Bush LPs, a photo of River Phoenix, zines, combat boots and even a picture of a young Sevigny at a school dance.

Like the Kate Moss collection for Topshop, Sevigny's collection is very true to her own sense of style – the grungy mixed with the feminine, sometimes deliberately clashing prints, high-waisted skirts mixed with blousy tops, vests and '80s-era blazers, Alaia-esque short black dresses in jersey with a cut-out back and mesh inserts, all of which might be paired with black zip-up ankle boots. ("I like a wedge – more support when I go out dancing!" she said).

There are lots of Liberty floral prints, as well, and one bustier cup sundress Sevignyy said was designed specifically because she was always looking for something like it but had yet to actually find it.

As she walked us through the collection, Sevigny called one of her friends over to show off a cute Liberty print shirt dress, like the kind a waitress in a diner might wear – flared at the waist with oversized side pockets, paired with black and white striped tights and black ankle boots all Seattle grunge-like.

"If I saw a girl walking down the street in that dress, I'd want to take her and put her in my pocket," laughed Sevigny.

She pointed to another friend wearing high-waisted black and white gingham pants with tapered legs, saying that she'd chosen particular silhouettes because they were what she preferred to wear, and also what she thinks are the most flattering for a range of body types. For example, you can get a black jersey dress in two versions – tight and curve-hugging, or in a looser, tent-like shape depending on your preference.

There are also tribal-inspired fabrics, and rounding out the line are skirts, dresses and T-shirts in black, a staple of every downtown girl's wardrobe.

"It's mix-and-match, day-to-night," she said, with all the pieces meant to be creatively layered.

Prices range from $150 to $595 and will be carried not only at Opening Ceremony in New York and LA, but also at selected boutiques in cities worldwide.

Chloe Sevigny is a sometimes controversial style icon, but in our opinion that just means she's got actual fashion sense and advanced taste, not something that can be said of most celebrity designers out there at the moment.

Labels: celebrities, chloe sevigny for opening ceremony, this just in... stores

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1 Comments

I found your blog from your commment on TMZ. Very nice blog.
As a guy, this is not really my thing. However, I like to learn.
The fashions displayed here are not innovative. Looking back to the days of "Bobby Sox" (40's and 50's),"Annie Hall"(Mid 70's)and the Awful "Grunge" look of the 80's can be done by anyone.
Also, these styles were the most unflattering for their respective time periods. Making them ill-fitting only worsens the situation.
I think women deserve to look good.
As "ZZ Top" said, "Every woman's crazy 'bout a sharped dressed man."
The converse is also true. Ask any guy.
Thank you, and once again, Nice Blog!
Bruce

By Anonymous, at November 13, 2007 12:04 PM