Daily Front Row

2011 April 8

Crushing on Emmy at Elie!

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Emmy Rossum, Elie Tahari... and "the Emmy"
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Emmy Rossum was gorge and glowing in pleated gold at the debut of her eponymous Elie Tahari bag at the designer's sleek West Broadway store last evening. The sweet and funny starlet discussed the carryall collab bearing her name and  'fessed up to her shameless habit. (Spoiler alert: it's not naughty in the slightest!)

What else would you love to have your name on?
I don't think hotels are in the future, though that would be interesting. I'm not really a branding kind of a person.

What was the process like to create the Emmy bag?
It took a couple of months from the idea to getting the samples, and then seeing the finished product. I just wanted to make something really usable for real women. So many bags are really big and heavy, and I wanted to design something lightweight that you could travel with that was truly seasonless.

What else would you like to design?
A child someday! Far in the future, I’d love to design a kid. Not too soon, but eventually.

What’s always in your bag?
I have this all-purpose balm, it’s called Grandma Minnie's The Big Brave Boo-Boo Balm. You can put it anywhere, it's great. I also take a water bottle from E.A.T. on the Upper East Side that says “keep calm and carry on,” my iPhone and my iPad. 

What are you shameless about?
I really suck at losing board games. I'm so competitive. Especially with Monopoly.

Who's the most shameless fashionista around?
Tilda Swinton; she's very cool.

Which iconic designer, past or present, would you want to dine with?
Coco Chanel. We’d eat steak frites.

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2011 April 8

Sergio Says! Weekly Musings from Marie Claire (and Beyond...)

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Getting inked on a Sunday evening
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For Sergio Kletnoy, the fiercest assistant to ever set foot in Hearst Tower, there are travel-planning fracas to iron out, an absurdly cool book party with a Patti Smith cameo, some tattoo action and so much more. The Daily's "The Assistant Files" kicked off with Kletnoy, and each week we're following his escapades as Marie Claire EIC Joanna Coles' gatekeeper. And don't forget to peruse the gallery of Sergio's fantastic photographic evidence!

Sunday, 6 p.m.
So there I am, in the tattoo artist’s chair when my phone rang. It was THE BOSS. Joanna calls from a Durango casino in Colorado, and all I could hear were slot machines in the background. The tattoo artist instructs me to keep still as the needle paints on Meditative Rose by Salvador Dali. I have been fascinated with Dali and his life ever since I spied a picture of his melting clocks in a magazine at age 12. I was instantly hooked. Then, I was suddenly transported to that scene in The Devil Wears Prada, when Miranda Priestly was stuck in Miami during a hurricane and needed to get home ASAP. Joanna was stuck in Telluride because of a snowstorm and had to be back in New York the next morning for her husband’s book party. Just picture it: I’m in the chair getting a tattoo on one arm, while at the same time frantically calling American Express, United, Frontier Airlines, and basically anyone else who could help me get Joanna out of Colorado. After begging and pleading, Amex finally saved my ass. And unlike Emily in the movie, I was able to get Joanna and her family the last available seats on a 7 a.m. flight the next morning. "That’s all."
 
Monday, 5:30 p.m.
Tonight I helped out at Joanna’s husband’s book party. Despite being a highly respected writer and journalist, with six critically acclaimed books, Peter Godwin is one of the most down-to-earth people I have ever met. To celebrate his book, The Fear: The Last Days of Robert Mugabe, he and Joanna threw an intimate party in an amazing, straight-out-of-a-movie loft in Tribeca. The place was filled with journalists, writers and fashion people. Then, out of nowhere, the door opens and one of my fave actors (and as it turns out, Peter’s biggest fan) Gabriel Byrne walks in demanding to meet Peter. I die. Two hours later, just when I thought that my night was over, MC’s senior fashion editor Zanna Roberts Rassi pushed me out the door to catch a performance by Patti Smith—yes, THE Patti Smith--at Steven Sebring’s gallery opening at Milk. I was whisked ahead of the line minutes before Michael Stipe took the stage to introduce his idol PATTI (OMFG!) SMITH.  What a rush; this is what NYC is all about! Patti was electrifying, reading poetry and performing a few songs, including an unforgettable version of "Everybody Hurts" with Stipe. My night ended on a natural high, singing Lou Reed’s "Perfect Day" with Patti, Michael and a few hundred lucky New Yorkers. Just a perfect day… By the end of the night, Zanna was so wiped she had to kick off her $600 Jil Sander pumps. Even a fashion warrior like Zanna has her limits.  
 
Tuesday, 10:15 a.m.
Guess who I ran in to at the Hearst cafeteria? My favorite Housewife, Jill Zarin, who ended up modeling her line of Spanx-like tights, called Skweez, for me. (I kid you not.) I had to cut it short, though, as Joanna was waiting for her latte. Just then, I saw an email on my iPhone informing everyone that Marie Claire is a finalist for an ASME award (the Oscars of magazines). It's pretty awesome to be recognized for all of our hard work. My only question: where’s my award for being the best assistant ever?   
 
Wednesday, 11:15 a.m.
I am a music fanatic. I eat, breathe and sleep music. Here are my new obsessions for the day: the new Britney Spears video, “Till The World Ends." You may ask, is it that good? Well for a change, she’s finally dancing. If we could only make last week’s GMA performance disappear forever. Also the new single and video from Kelly Rowland (always the bridesmaid, never the bride of Destiny’s Child – until now!) The song is called “Motivation" and features Lil Wayne. Kelly may finally get the monster hit she so deserves and take some of Beyonce’s heat! And finally, I saved the best for last: the third single from the English singer-songwriter CocknBullKid, called "Asthma Attack." This song is infectious, and the video will make you fall in love with this adorable Brit. If you love great pop music and are a fan of Lily Allen, you will love Anita Blay, aka CocknBullKid.
 
Thursday, 3:47 p.m.
Joanna is in D.C. for the biennial Hearst Editors Conference, so things have been fairly quiet today. (Not for Joanna, who is, at this very moment, meeting with President Obama.) So I’m at my desk doing my thing, when Joanna's phone rings. It’s Ethel Kennedy on the line. Yup, that Ethel Kennedy. After I regain my composure, I ended up talking to American royalty for literally 10 minutes. Topic of conversation is in the vault. That’s how the Kennedys roll, you know. I’ll just say this: Ethel may be one of the loveliest women on the planet.
 
Friday, 1 a.m.
After an endless dinner and amazing dessert with friends at Jeffrey’s Grocery in the West Village, we ended up at Monster working up a sweat on a dance floor. Don’t stop me now, no need to catch my breath, I can go on and on and on…

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2011 April 8

In Case You Missed It...

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What Were The Stories of The Week?
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Russian Fashion Week has your next outfit for the Gaga concert all sorted out. 

The CFDA pulls together an impressive auction to help Japan. DvF's home! A meeting with Graydon! A shopping spree with Tory Burch! We can't stand it. 

The Ruffian boys go to Fashion High. Meet your next CFDA winners....

Vivienne Westwood disses New York City. We still love her, but our feelings are hurt.

Naeem Khan reveals that he won't be playing any rock songs for Iris Apfel. Damn. 

Anna Wintour stays out later than you on a Wednesday. 

Christian Louboutin sues YSL over a red shoe. He wants more than $1 million in damages for trademark infringement. That's it? A measly $1 million?

Fashion's Night Out will make it easier to stay home. That's a subtle hint, New Jersey. 

Christophe Decarnin departs Balmain! Not showing up at your own show is what we'd consider a warning sign. 

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2011 April 8

Shot of The Daily: It's Karl's World!

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Karl! Karl! Karl!
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Can you spot the real Karl Lagerfeld? The Kaiser and his lookalikes unveiled his new Diet Coke bottles yesterday in Paris. The three designs will be available in Europe in April and the U.S. in June. It's safe to say this is the most affordable thing he's ever designed. 

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2011 April 8

Not a Look of The Daily: Perez Hilton in Mugler

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Perez and Paula.
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Perez Hilton and Paula Abdul presented at the NewNowNext Awards last night in Los Angeles, and the blogger that just won't quit wore custom head-to-toe Mugler. Why do we feel a little sad that Nicola Formichetti is spending his time making these outfits? 

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2011 April 8

Keeping it in the Family

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Greg Lauren SS 2011
Greg Lauren SS 2011 View Gallery

Despite the drizzle, Chic made it to a quaint East Village studio to meet Greg Lauren and view the latest collection for his eponymous outerwear line. There's no mistaking the handsome painter-turned-designer is the nephew of Ralph Lauren. (Those cheeks! That hair!) Don't expect the same polo-stick wielding aesthetic. Although he is a Princeton grad, this Ivy Leaguer steers clear of the iconic, preferring to riff on classics by practicing what the Japanese call Wabi-sabi--finding the beauty in imperfection. For men and women, expect patchwork jackets made of deconstructed military duffles or vintage army tents in olive or black. Destroyed chalk stripe blazers takeover as the modern pinstripe alternative, expertly tattered and ripped just so. Wardrobe staples like the Spine jacket, named for its functional button back, and the black cashmere Batman overcoat, featuring an asymmetrical collar and torn elbow patches, are desk-to-dinner essentials. Lauren completes each piece with a handwritten tag and makes sure there's something for every costumer whether it's a bleached denim cropped jacket, a fitted leather blazer in chocolate or "phonebook" red, or a basic tee for your Daily needs. There must be something in those genes. Greg Lauren is sold at Barney's New York and Maxfield. 

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