This fourth chapter, “Le Chef Chic”, takes place in Paris, France. “Le Chef Chic” is a positive and fresh story of a chef who is a sun worshipper. He comes alive when the sun shines. His two co-workers love to work and entertain their customers. The music was specially created by the COMING SOON band to highlight the happy swing to the story. This short colour film is directed by Max Vadukul.
It was filmed in anamorphic aspect with the new Arriflex 21 camera. He worked in collaboration with the French choreographer Hervé Koubi. The film stars seven dancers: Alexandra Besnier, Carlos Ferreira da Silva, David Guasgua, Min-Jeong Kim, Hervé Koubi, Guillaume Milhac, and Carla Portal.
Filmed in Paris, June 10th, 2009.

via: High Snobette

No I haven’t been necking more prosecco out of a teacup. I am a very imaginative (bit too much) lady. And I am very much looking forward to the Jeremy Scott for Adidas Originals SS10 collection. I should have taken pictures on my phone when I went to see it. SO PRETTY!

Zac Posen, if you don’t know already, is a American designer known for his fantabulous, OTT eveningwear. For example:

Yes we all know Carrie wore Vivienne Westwood but I bet you didn’t know her bridesmaids and maid of honour wore Zac Posen gowns.

Women have lamented and lusted over these gowns which start from about $12, 000 a pop. A year’s rent if you live in…Flatbush.

“The dresses — that’s something I can do with my eyes closed. This is about a new identity.”

- Zac Posen

His inspiration board is full of downtown imagery such as beaten-up Nike Dunks and a shot of Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle. A palette of neutrals with ample pops of kelly green, pink and red gives the clothes a retro vibe, or an “urban hipster quality” as Posen puts it, adding he could see these styles on a Lower East Side girl.

I’m feeling this piece here. See the whole slideshow here

Previews of the line reveal a clean, high-fashion rendition of basic silhouettes, with a few twists in the form of asymmetrical style lines and cut-outs with defined piping detail. Believe it or not, the line is actually street-inspired, but with Zac Posen’s magic touch, it becomes a luxury sportswear genre unto itself.

As usual available only to our fair American cousins over the pond, but with Bundle Box, shop galore, and live off minestrone for a month. Hey, lunch or shoes? I’d pick shoes anyday. Because us ladies, are resourceful and will never go hungry.

via: Refinery 29, WWD

However Vogue UK reports:

FOLLOWING filing for bankruptcy protection with the Tokyo District Court last Friday, Yohji Yamamoto Inc. has found itself a potential rescuer. Integral Corp., a Japanese private equity fund, will finance the company’s restructure, reports WWD.

“I’ve had my company for over 30 years, and I consider myself to be a designer first. I left many of the everyday business activities to others, but I think one reason that the company has come to this is that I left too much to others,” Yamamoto explained at a press conference on Friday evening, only a few hours after the initial announcement was made. “I was told about the positive things, but many of the bad things didn’t reach my ears.”

Shohei Otsuka, Yohji Yamamoto Inc.’s chief executive officer, noted the effect of the “tough economic climate of recent years, as well as by our overly ambitious approach to our international group companies and international operations.”

It is understood that Integral will create a special purpose company to acquire the Yamamoto business and assets and, following approval from the Tokyo District Court, this will become the new Yohji Yamamoto Inc. – with Yamamoto himself retaining a minority stake.

Hopefully a silver lining for this cloud will occur, but it would behoove the company not to get too complacent. Christian Lacroix was finally saved, but it will be a long road ahead for the house of Yohji Yamamoto.

via: Vogue UK

And also Happy 300th Post to esper!

Yohji Yamamoto, the haute couture house that thrust the minimalist style on to an unsuspecting fashion scene in the 1980s with Rei Kawakubo, the Japanese designer at Comme des Garçons has filed for bankruptcy protection in a Tokyo court. Yohji Yamamoto was formed by the designer of the same name in 1984, after his designs — described as unusually cut and often in black — turned heads at shows in Paris and New York. He became part of a group of designers from Japan, including Rei Kawakubo and Issey Miyake, who gained influence in the 1980s.

The firm listed debts totaling six billion yen, ($67m; £42m), according to a spokeswoman in Tokyo. The firm, which cited the soft global economy for the move, said it will continue to operate while under bankruptcy protection.

Under Japanese law, both the company and the eponymous founder will continue to operate as usual as the enterprise undergoes “rehabilitation”. The bankruptcy came days after Yamamoto had exhibited its spring collection in Paris.

The news comes just a week after his signature runway show in Paris, and under one month after a memorable Y-3 show in New York that featured an impromptu soccer game with a photographer from the photo pit. Yamamoto will continue to design the Y3 sportswear line for Adidas.

Investment firm Integral Corporation said it had signed a deal to sponsor the brand and provide a cash injection.

Source: BBC News, Wall Street Journal, Times Online, Bloomberg

In other more optimistic news, the house of Christian Lacroix has finally found a financial backer after going into administration earlier this year in May, after what was to be the last fashion show debuting the A/W ‘09 haute couture collection.

Gulf investor Hassan bin Ali al-Nuaimi, a nephew of the ruler of Ajman, part of the United Arab Emirates, submitted an offer for Christian Lacroix on Thursday, the administrator for the French fashion house said.

Al Nuaimi could be prepared to invest up to 100 million Euros, ‘ to provide the capital needed to develop the business and bolster Lacroix’s positioning’.

The designer behind the loss-making brand would become a minority shareholder in the company under the proposed deal, Regis Valliot told Reuters on Thursday.

“The offer has been formally lodged. It fulfils perfectly all the necessary criteria concerning maintaining the company’s business, safeguarding jobs and assuming debt,” Valliot said.

Al-Nuaimi faces rival proposals from France’s Bernard Krief Consulting (BKC) and the Financiere Saint-Germain holding company that owns the Daum and Lalique crystalware firms.

A French court is due to decide on the future of the fashion house by the end of the month.

Source: Reuters, WWD, Daily Mail