Daily Front Row

2012 February 11

Favorite ABBA Song, Please!

Comments | | Print

Linda Evangelista and Stephen Gan
Patrick McMullan View Gallery

In honor of our mildly glorious Media Issue cover, Chic asked a few front row and red carpet folks for their fave ABBA jams.

Carol Alt: ‘Fernando.’ Because it’s so melancholy and nostalgic. There are times in life that call for that. I’m 51 years old, so I have a lot to remember!

Heidi Klum: I know ABBA’s songs, but I don’t have a favorite.

Lily Donaldson: ‘Waterloo.’ I had to dress up and sing that song when I was seven.

Erin Heatherton: ‘Dancing Queen.’ My signature move is the ‘vacuum cleaner’—it’s a good one! I like to dance alone, with only my dogs around. 

Stephen Gan: ‘Thank You for the Music.’ I love the message.

Linda Evangelista: I am a ‘Dancing Queen’…in the privacy of my own home.

Molly Sims: What don’t I like from ABBA?

Linda Evans: I don’t do favorites. I just appreciate the work.

Cindi Leive: ‘Money, Money, Money.’ Does that make me shallow?

Andrej Pejic: ‘Chiquitita.’[starts singing]

Read More »

2012 February 11

Author Talk! With Anna Bauer

Comments | | Print

Anna Bauer
Patrick McMullan View Gallery

In the early eves of NYFW (Is it only Saturday? And/or: How is it already Saturday?!), Interview hosted a book bash at The New Museum to celebrate Anna Bauer's new tome, Backstage:

How are you feeling?
Fantastic and grateful. From the makeup artists to the hair people,  I wouldn’t be here without the support of the industry.

Including designers like Simon Spurr.
Is he here? I love Simon. He’s got beautiful eyes.

What’s on your schedule this week?
I’m going to shoot Victoria Beckham’s show!

Ever meet David?
Not yet! But I’d really, really like to...

Read More »

2012 February 11

Who's The Fairest?

Comments | | Print

Ed Menicheschi
Giorgio Niro View Gallery

With the biggest masthead (and biggest budgets) at Condé, Vanity Fair requires a staggering amount of dough to stay flush. Good thing power publisher Ed Menicheschi is up  for the challenge!

How’s life with Graydon?
To use Hollywood terms, Graydon is the director and I am the producer. We’re like Billy Wilder and Sam Goldwyn, with less fighting.

We heard you were planning to cut back on your meals at The Waverly Inn.
I’ve been going less often because Graydon so thoughtfully opened The Monkey Bar, so I’m now splitting my time. 

Is Graydon still smoking?
No! But I know he has…Well, ‘no’ is the official party line.

What was life like pre-Condé?
Before GQ in the early nineties, I worked at Bidermann Industries in the fashion business. During the first big internet boom, from 1999 through 2001, I worked at a start-up entertainment business co-located in New York and Santa Monica called IAM.com, which was a bit ahead of its time. It was a talent search site that was kind of a digital precursor to American Idol. 

How’s business?
I’m fortunate because the brand is astonishing. I’ve been in this industry for about 25 years, and I hear ‘Vanity Fair is my favorite magazine’ more than ever.

From whom?
Interestingly, Mike Bloomberg! When I told him I was the publisher of Vanity Fair, he proceeded to tell me everything about the brand and why he loved it—in 30 seconds. He even knew the price he paid for his subscription.

Who else is reading VF?
It’s not a magazine for everybody, but it definitely finds you if you are interested in a range of subjects and you want the ‘A-version’ of those subjects, whether it’s Lady Gaga or the 99 percent. You have to be smart to appreciate this magazine.

How smart?
Educated, affluent, opinionated, and spending significant amounts of time outside the U.S.

What are the challenges of selling your favorite read?
We have a rule here, actually. If you aren’t as passionate about the brand as our readers are, you can’t actually be here.

Has anyone been fired for lack of obsession?
There’s a pretty good screening process.

Ha!
I remember my first sales meeting when Graydon presented his editorial team. It was a murderer’s row of writers and editors, all in one room. There are media properties that would be lucky to have one or two or them—and we had 10. Afterwards, I turned to my publishing team and said, ‘If that doesn’t excite you and give you a sense of the privilege it is to represent this brand, then there’s the door.’ Everyone stayed!

You’re a Vogue alum. Most memorable Anna moment?
I was always struck by how much she adored Bee [Schaffer]. Anna just lit up whenever Bee was around. Anna is above and beyond being a brilliant editor—she’s an absolutely adoring mother.

How exactly do we pronounce your last name?
That is a very kind question. Thank you! It’s Men-eh-kes-ki.

Read More »

2012 February 11

Getting Skin-timate! With Dr. Pat Wexler

Comments | | Print

Dr. Pat Wexler
Patrick McMullan View Gallery

Just in time for NYFW, the doc is on call! We got the full face-saving scoop from Dr. Pat Wexler...

Who has the best skin in the fashion biz?
Marchesa’s Georgina. Tory Burch’s skin is flawless, too.

What are the worst things you can do?
Smoking is terrible—even being around tobacco irritates the skin. Drinking is bad, too. Also, overdone makeup! Your face is not a fashion trend.

Are runway lights cause for concern?
Believe it or not, sitting indoors under fluorescent lights can cause aging due to UVA rays. You should wear sunscreen to counter that—but it can deteriorate every two hours! Since you realistically don’t want to reapply that often, use powder makeups with sunscreen that have a minimum SPF 30.

Which cocktails are the most face-friendly?
Red wine is much more reactive to skin, so stick to white. Instead of drinking alcohol the entire night, switch to sparkling water every other drink. Blood vessels dilate after just one drink!

What does the typical NYFW diet do to the face?
With all those passed appetizers at every cocktail event, there’s lots of food you wouldn’t normally eat—which can cause rosacea. Immediately!

Besides a hiatus from hors d’oeuvres, how should we eat for a pretty visage?
Avoid shellfish because it has iodine, which makes you flush. Also, steer clear of spicy red sauces and peppers.

If someone only remembers to do one skin-salvaging thing all week, it should be…
Take off your makeup, even if you’re only sleeping for three hours! And it’s a great time to carry Purell. 

Read More »

2012 February 11

A Moment With…Gemma Redux’s Rachel Dooley

Comments | | Print

Rachel Dooley of Gemma Redux
Patrick McMullan View Gallery

CIRCA spotlight, cheris! A quick catch up with Gemma Redux’s Rachel Dooley...

What’s your story?
I was a mechanical engineer who moved to NY to go to law school but fell back in love with design. I was making jewelry as a hobby,and it slowly developed into an aesthetic that people responded to! I made a few pieces here and there, and I launched my line—Gemma Redux—four years ago.

What does the name mean?
It means ‘reconstructed gems’ in Latin. We take a lot of industrial materials and rough stones, which aren’t frequently used in jewelry, to create serpentine, feminine silhouettes.  

How does it feel to show your collection in the CIRCA Lounge at Lincoln Center?
Honestly, as an accessories designer, you almost think that showing at Lincoln Center is not an option. This is incredible!   

Read More »

2012 February 11

John Patrick on TV Dinners and M.I.A.

Comments | | Print

John Patrick
Patrick McMullan View Gallery

Gabbing with the homme behind Organic by John Patrick, who has far more free time than Chic due to his lack of a TV.

Who are your non-fashion contemporaries?
Ellsworth Kelly and M.I.A.—both radicals! 

You used a material made from old TV trays. When was your last TV dinner?
Probably in the 1970s. It was considered luxury food! 

What do you like to watch on television?
I don’t own a TV! 

What’s the last thing you did outdoors?
I like to yell in the street. About my work, usually!

Read More »