Daily Front Row

2011 April 7

Reed Krakoff Goes Back To School

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Reed and Simon
Photo via Billy Farrell Agency View Gallery

Reed Krakoff is being honored by the School of Fashion at Parsons The New School for Design next month, but a pre-party event was held at his Madison Avenue store to celebrate the designer and preview top collections of graduating Parsons students. We caught up with Reed and the coolest Dean in town, Parsons' very own Simon Collins, to discuss Reed's history as a student, his jocky past and Parsons' angelic students. 

In addition to Parsons, you went to Tufts. When did you graduate Tufts?

I graduated Tufts in '86 and Parsons in '88.

What was your major at Tufts?

I was at the Museum School in Boston, where I studied fine arts and then art history.

What were you like as a student?

I haven't thought about that in years. I was not overly serious. That's a nice way of saying it. I loved school. I was not a big study person. It was the first time I was living in a city, I loved that.  

Were you in a fraternity? 

No. 

Were you a party boy?

I hung out with the creative types. I was into art history. 

What was your least favorite subject?

I have a degree in economics, but it was accounting. I got a D-, but I passed.

How about gym class? 

I actually grew up playing a lot of sports. I was a hockey player, a tennis player, a lacrosse player. I was always into sports. I still love them! 

SO, SIMON COLLINS:

Why did you decide to honor Reed this year?

He went to our school, and we've watched his career grow over the last couple of decades. He's been such an impressive figure. 

Do you know what Reed was like as a student?

I don't! I did ask him. Of course he said he was a very good student, very studious, worked hard. He did our AAS (Associate in Applied Science) program, which is a post-graduate program. A lot of the students are paying their own way, so they are very focused on a means to an end. I have no doubt that he worked hard. 

Do you ever have to deal with students who misbehave?

All of our students are impeccably behaved at all times. All the ladies wear white gloves and all the gentlemen wear ties.

Riiight!

I've been interviewing all of our noted alumni over the last three months, including some of the naughty ones, and I've been asking them that. There was a period when Fridays were dedicated to making an outfit for the weekend, and they'd go out clubbing. If they weren't dressed in something completely and radically new on Friday night, it was all over. Through the years, we've added more and more to the curriculum, so now our students are much more focused on the realties of getting a job in the industry. There's so much more they need to learn, but I'm not convinced there aren't people who come in on Monday morning and haven't seen their apartment all weekend.

The Parsons Fashion Benefit takes place on May 9th at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers. For more information, please visit the website. 

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2011 April 7

Shot of The Daily: Barb!

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Barbara Currier and George Mallis
Photo Via Patrick McMullan View Gallery

Interview mag sponsored The New Museum's Spring Gala last night, honoring artist duo Gilbert and George as well as philanthropists and collectors Gael Neeson and Stefan Edlis. Chic faves Malcolm Carfrae, John Waters, Claude Morais, Brian Wolk and Dan Ragone attended, but we're utterly obsessed with (according to Patrick McMullan) Barbara Currier. Where has she been all of our life? This Madonna doppelgänger and her muff brought some razzle dazzle to the party. Now can someone please tell us who she is?

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2011 April 7

Getting To Know You...Donald Pliner

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It's Donald J. Pliner!
Photo Courtesy Of Donald J. Pliner View Gallery

He's dressed Cher (!) and Diana Ross (!!), and famously styled Ali MacGraw in an editorial shoot for Vogue, and now this shoe designer is giving his legendary brand a makeover. But priorities are priorities: Our questionnaire comes first! 

Name: Donald Pliner 

Age: 67 years young

Birthplace: Chicago, IL  

Current city: "Miami, but I also have residences in New York and Los Angeles."

Street of choice: "MacArthur Causeway where I do my runs over to Olivers."

Number: "7"

Toothpaste: "Arm and Hammer Whitening."

Word: "Yes, with emphasis on the 's,' and no with emphasis on the 'o.' Don’t masticate."

Entree: "Cream of spinach."             

Favorite recent magazine article: "Men’s Health's  'How to Talk to Your Dog' from the March 2011 issue."

Store of choice: "Donald J Pliner, of course."

Country song:  "I can’t say. I don’t listen to country much."

Ipad 1 or 2? "Ipad 1."

Blackberry or iPhone: "Blackberry"

Bottled water: "FIJI."

Intern: "Babydoll, my dog."

How often do you check Facebook a day? "Never. My schedule doesn’t allow for personal social media."

Allergy: "Cats and people that don’t find out the right information."

Charity: "Peace for the Children Foundation"         

Coffee order: "Regular with cream or espresso with sugar."

Exercise: "I run outside every day I’m in my Miami home. However, when I’m on the road, I put in an hour every day, no matter where I am. At least 352 days a year."

Gym: "The outside world."

Title of your autobiography? "Second, Third, Fourth Time Around and Never Say No."

Greatest expenditure: "My home on Star Island."

Escape plan: "Protection of the family."

Supermarket must-have: "At Whole Foods, the tandoori chicken and vegan buttermilk cookies.and Vegan buttermilk cookies."

How often do you drive? "Occasionally. Two or three times a week—I would do it more often if I wasn’t in a plane so much."

Illicit crush: "Julianne Moore."

When was the last time you were at the post office? "About two months ago"

What make you jealous? "People who succeed without working."

Best day of your life? "Meeting my wife Lisa, adopting my daughter, Starr, and getting my dog, Babydoll."

Dance: "Rod Stewart."

Monthly dry cleaning bill: "$250."

Nickname: "The other (real) Donald or Donny."

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2011 April 7

Bergdorf Goodman! The Movie!

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Bergdorf Goodman's Very Own Linda Fargo
Billy Farrell Agency View Gallery

After the success of The September Issue and Bill Cunningham New York, another must-see fashion documentary is coming your way. Director Matthew Miele starts production this month on Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf Goodman, a doc about the iconic Fifth Avenue store, and it will be released to coincide with the store's 111th anniversary next year. Bergdorf's neighbor, The Paris, is the obvi choice for the film's premiere, oui?

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2011 April 7

Your ABT Alternate...Underland!

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Stephen Petronio Company: Tara Lorenzen & Joshua Tuason (center) and Reed Luplau (floor)
Courtesy of Julie Lemberger View Gallery

(NEW YORK) Starving for a contemporary ballet experience? You must see Stephen Petronio's latest offering at The Joyce Theater, Underland. Boasting costumes by Imitation's Tara Subkoff and a darkly enchanting soundtrack by Nick Cave, it's a visual and audio masterpiece...and utterly in fashion. Opening night brought out not only Subkoff but Lou Reed, Vogue's Hamish Bowles, designer Patricia Field and a bevy of chicettes. Originally created for the Sydney Dance Company in 2003, this is Petronio's first restaging with eleven dancers cycling through songs including "Stagger Lee" and "The Mercy Seat." But it's a short run with the final performance on Sunday, April 10--don't miss it, get your tickets now starting at only $10!

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2011 April 7

The Queen of Travel Takes London (Again)

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Chic's Travel Queen
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It's Royal Wedding Month, so naturally, Chic's travel columnist Rebecca Minkoff was compelled to go to London. 

"If you’re a weekly reader of my column, you may be asking yourself, Wait, hasn’t Rebecca already taken me to London?” Yes, yes I did. But there's so much to say about London that I simply felt inclined to revisit. Twice.

While it’s true that the GBP is a little heftier than our USD, traveling to London can be done on a budget. In fact, you can eat like royalty for pretty cheap at Leon. I dream of the sweet potato falafel wraps and Moroccan meatballs – and you can’t beat the grilled chicken salad. Wagamama Japanese food rivals the best I’ve had in NYC. The chicken tama rice will make you lose your chopsticks. Do yourself a favor and go to The Wolseley for steak frites.  Mouth = watering.

Then, to help negate the caloriefest you just (thoroughly) enjoyed, make your way over to Broadway Market  to shop. Consider it the Williamsburg of London. It is, and always will be, my happy place. Go for the Farmer’s Market and stay for the commerce. Hit up Broadway Bookshop for a tome or two, followed by Stella Blunt for antiques. (Hi. My name is Rebecca and I’m an antique-a-holic.) Due to said vintage/antique addiction, I also stumbled into Future Vintage and found a treasury of gorgeous consignment. Zoe Lem’s My Sugarland is also a one-stop shop for serious fashion finds.  One-of-a-Kind on Portobello road is an absolute delight. with such an awe-inspiring cache of vintage pieces available at the ready, it includes Sienna, Kate and Naomi as regular patrons. Not bad company to have pawing through the racks. All of these would prove to be more than enough for most, but for me, it’s just not…I never board my NYC-bound flight without a pit stop at Rellik in Notting Hill. Trust me. GO.  

And we aren’t done yet. Check in next week for London 2.0, Part 2!  To hear more about my adventures and get up-to-the-minute updates on what I’m up to, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and on my Blog."

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