YOU CAN SIT AND COUNT EMMANUELLE ALT’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO FASHION’S TIME CAPSULE: ROCK-CHIC, CROTCH-GRAZING BOOTS, MILITARY FLOURISHES. OR YOU CAN SCRAPBOOK THEM FROM THE PAGES OF VOGUE PARIS. SINCE TAKING OVER AS FASHION DIRECTOR IN 2000, SHE, ALONGSIDE CARINE ROITFELD, HAVE TURNED FASHION ON A SPIKED HEEL. REMEMBER PRADA’S EARLY-NOUGHTIES SOBRIETY? HOW EASILY ALT & CO. SHARP-SHOULDERED IT ASIDE. AND YET, SHE SHARES HER GREATEST CONTRIBUTION WITH MIUCCIA, AFTER ALL: THE UNIFORM. BUT IF PRADA AUTHORED THE TOME, ALT IS THE EMPIRICAL EDITOR. LIKE THE SUN-BLEACHED SIDEWALKS OF HER INSPIRATIONS, HER STREETWEAR AESTHETIC IS A STUDY IN NUANCE; ORGANIC, INCREASINGLY INEDIBLE AND IN HER CASE, INFLUENTIAL. PROOF? LAST YEAR, KANYE MADE LIKE AN (AHEM) ALT-AR BOY, DEVOTING AN ENTIRE BLOG POST TO THIS EDITRIX. CRAZY? NOT IN THE LEAST. DON’T FORGET, THIS IS THE WOMAN BEHIND THREE FRENCH FASHION BIBLES (BALMAIN, ISABEL MARANT, VOGUE PARIS).

BUT IF HER PARISIAN ÉLAN SEEMS EFFORTLESS, GUIDELINES PERSIST: ATTAINABLE BASICS (A.P.C. AND TOPSHOP), SHARP-SHOULDERED BALMAIN BLAZERS AND LUXE LEATHERS FROM GUCCI AND BALENCIAGA. ALL HAIL THE HEADMISTRESS.

-ADRIAN CORSIN

WHAT IS LA ROITFELD’S MUST HAVE ITEM FOR THE SEASON? THE CAPE!

SPOTTED IN VARIOUS CAPES BY CHLOÉ AND YVES SAINT LAURENT, LA ROITFELD LOVES A GOOD CAPE TO BLANKET HERSELF IN

TOM FORD’S FALL/WINTER 2003 COLLECTION FOR YSL IS DEFINITELY HAVING IT’S MOMENT IN THE STYLE SPOTLIGHT ONCE AGAIN. CARINE ROITFELD WAS SPOTTED IN LONDON AT THE BURBERRY SHOW SPORTING A LACE INSERT SKIRT AND THIS PAST WEEKEND IN MILAN, ANNA DELLO RUSSO WORE NOT ONE, NOT TWO BUT THREE PAIRS OF THE CHERRY SANDALS FROM THAT COLLECTION WITHIN A 24HR PERIOD.

DESIGNER JOSEPH ALTUZARRA (CENTER) WITH CAPITOL BUYER RUTH CALDWELL (LEFT) AND CAPITOL CLIENT CHANDRA JOHNSON (RIGHT) BOTH IN ALTUZARRA





I HAD THE ABSOLUTE PLEASURE OF BEING INVITED DOWN SOUTH TO CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA THIS PAST WEEK TO ATTEND A SPECIAL EVENT IN HONOR OF DESIGNER JOSEPH ALTUZARRA HOSTED BY LUXURY RETAILER, CAPITOL. THE EVENT DREW IN A SELECT GROUP OF ALTUZARRA DIE HARD FANS WEARING NOTHING BUT THE DESIGNER’S BODY CONSCIOUS DRESSES. THE MUCH BUZZED ABOUT DESIGNER CAN EASILY ATTRIBUTE HIS IMMEDIATE SUCCESS TO HIS CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF A WOMAN’S BODY AND HIS BODY CONTOURING DESIGNS THAT HAVE GENERATED A LOYAL FOLLOWING THAT INCLUDES THE LIKES OF VANESSA TRAINA, ANNA JAGODZINSKA AND OF COURSE CARINE ROITFELD.

HAVING NOT BEEN TO NORTH CAROLINA BEFORE, I CAN EASILY SAY THAT THE SOUTHERN BELLES OF CHARLOTTE HAVE FLAWLESS TASTE AND IT CAN ONLY BE ATTRIBUTED TO CAPITOL’S LAURA VINROOT POOLE AND HER INCREDIBLE TEAM OF SAAVY FASHION INSIDERS. I WAS INITIALLY COMPLETELY TAKEN A BACK BY THE STORE’S GORGEOUS INTERIOR, DESIGNED BY HUSBAND PERRY POOLE, BUT IT’S LAURA AND HER TEAM’S IMPECCABLE EYE FOR FASHION THAT MAKES THE STORE SUCH A INTERNATIONAL MECCA FOR NOTHING BUT THE BEST FASHION. STOCKING EVERY DESIGNER FROM BALMAIN TO GIVENCHY TO NICHOLAS KIRKWOOD, CAPITOL IN MY EYES HAS ONE OF THE BEST SELECTIONS ON THIS SIDE OF THE ATLANTIC. THEY SIMPLY GET IT!

THIS POST IS MAY BE LONG OVERDUE BUT BETTER NOW THAN NEVER RIGHT. DESPITE HAVING BEEN OVER MONTHS AGO, I THOUGHT I’D SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU SOME IMAGES OF THE SPECTACULAR JOB THE FOLKS OVER AT LANE CRAWFORD DID FOR MY FIRST SOLO EXHIBITION. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CAMPAIGN I PHOTOGRAPHED, THE EXHIBITION AT THE HONG KONG FLAGSHIP PLAYED HOST TO MY BEST PHOTOS TO DATE ALONGSIDE THE STORE’S MERCHANDISE. IT WAS CLEVERLY COORDINATED SO THAT PARTICULAR ITEMS WOULD ACCENT THE STYLE OF CERTAIN WOMEN I FREQUENTLY PHOTOGRAPHED, IN PARTICULAR CARINE ROITFELD, KATE LANPHEAR AND OF COURSE SARAH RUTSON. THE SHOE INSTALLATION WAS TO DIE FOR AS WELL! MANY THANKS AGAIN TO LANE CRAWFORD FOR MAKING THIS DREAM COME TRUE!

CARINE ROITFELD AND HER MARGIELA SHOULDERS

CARINE ROITFELD WEARING A JOSEPH ALTUZARRA COAT

AFTER WATCHING THE CNN SPECIAL THIS MORNING, I FELT THE NEED TO MAKE THIS SPECIAL POST ON MY ALL TIME FAVORITE, CARINE ROITFELD. AFTER 5 SEASONS OF GOING TO FASHION MONTH, SHE’S STILL THE SAME INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL AND ENDEARING WOMAN THAT I’VE COME TO ADORE PHOTOGRAPHING. I ALSO LOVE THAT SHE DOESN’T TAKE FASHION SO SERIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY ON THE DAY THAT SHE WORE THESE ALAIA SHOES AND JINGLED HER FEET. J’ADORE! CATCH THE REVEALED SPECIAL ON CNN.COM IF YOU MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH IT ON TV

CARINE ROITFELD OUTSIDE BALENCIAGA WEARING A BALENCIAGA COAT AND BALMAIN LACE BLOUSE. PARFAIT!

MORE AMAZING POSTS TO COME FROM THIS AMAZING DAY OF SHOWS!

IT WAS A SATURDAY SHOULDER BONANZA HERE IN MILAN!

EMMANUELLE ALT IN BALMAIN

ANNA DELLO RUSSO IN DOLCE & GABBANA

CARINE ROITFELD IN MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA

ANYA ZIOUROVA OF VOGUE CHINA IN BALMAIN

CARINE KEEPS WARM IN HER FAVORITE COMME DES GARCONS CAPE