District L

An impeccable lineup of dresses with faceted leather jewels, feather trims, and caviar beads circled Joanna Mastroianni’s runway for an encore finale – the models gave an emotional applause as 90-year-old Iris Apfel closed the show alongside the designer. The conclusion was so moving that the stranger sitting next to me instinctively clutched my arm as the house lights came back up. But unbeknownst to us, 95-year-old Zelda Kaplan, who had fainted during the show, was rushed to the hospital minutes later and passed away shortly after.

A touching show to commemorate the life of one New York icon also became the last public appearance for another. Joanna Mastroianni’s beautiful collection, coincidentally inspired by a winter journey, became Kaplan’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening – inspiring last moments for a magnetic front row fixture.

Post by Amanda LaMela

Captain Kirk, at the brink of his midlife crisis, hired a younger, sexier yeoman to shake up the Empire. Shrouded in sculpted shoulders, mod silhouettes, and angular necklines, she’s secretly positioned herself to take over the starship.

Designer Geoffrey Mac indulged his crowd in futuristic-60s appeal with beehive hairstyles and swinging hemlines. Ultramodern contours and intense contrasts could be spotted from space, yet were objects of fantasy for decades. And on Sunday afternoon at Exit Art, Geoffrey was “…a dream that became a reality and spread throughout the stars.”

Post by Amanda LaMela

Flurries were falling as guests accumulated inside the Elsinore for Andrew Buckler’s presentation Tuesday evening. Belvedere gimlet in hand, we made our rounds, quietly wondering where the models would find sufficient space to pose for photographs inside the well-attended menswear event.

In a knit beanie and dark attire, Buckler hoisted himself up above to crowd to say a few words. He announced the presentation would actually take the form of a video installation. The collection, which was inspired by riots and public discontent, was reflected in the short film that played on loop for the remainder of the event.

After Buckler, we made our way west for the VICE Style party. Pulling a ‘Wintour’, we stayed for a short bit – two drinks to be exact – before heading back to prepare for the week ahead. So yes, we did miss the puppy-BDSM fashion show…

Post by Amanda LaMela

Occupy Wall Street has been an ongoing news story since September 17.For a month, morning shows have been flashing clips of disillusioned post-grads, the cynical unemployed, and angry hippies gathering with sleeping bags and signs for what appears to be some sort of time-warped, Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test-type gathering. After weeks of procrastinating, I decided it was time to post some coverage of what Occupy Wall Street really looks like. Besides, it might be interesting to see how anti-consumerists are dressing these days...

So armed with nothing more than an aggressive tube of lipstick, stilettos and a camera, I boldly set off to Zuccotti Park to capture the look of the zeitgeist.

Protests attract three types of people – tourists, police officers, and militant activists. And I wasn’t quite sure which group gave me the most anxiety. [Answer: Cops. Lady cops, especially.] But given my strong commitment to solid, investigative journalism [haha], I waited for my third brunch mimosa to kick in and slid to the other side of the barricade.

I found myself walking through a twisted Yippie-esque demonstration circa-1968, except this time the signs had #hashtags and the protesters had iPhones. Costumes, DIY lanyards, and candy-colored locks were the looks du jour. Oh, and remember that thing I said about throwing parties for a cause? Well, these people seem to have it figured out.

So, did I stumble upon any earth-shattering 70s-revival trend that I didn’t already anticipate? No. Did I tell the girl with the guitar that American Apparel is, in fact, a corporation? Of course, not.

But one thing is for certain: London and Paris still have us beat in the “riot” department... C’mon, 99%, step it up.

Post by Amanda LaMela