Daily Front Row

2010 September 10

A Barbra Moment with The Ruffians

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Claude Morais and Brian Wolk
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Chic caught up with Ruffian's Brian Wolk and Claude Morais before their Spring 2011 show yesterday and chatted Barbra, Marlene, history lessons, and lots of family love...

How are you guys feeling this morning?
BW: Hold on one second, I need to switch sides; we always stand next to each other on the same side during interviews!
CM: [laughs] Okay, Barbra!

Are you having a Barbra moment today?
CM: I love her dearly, but no, not today.
BW: We do have really serious nails for the collection, which is kind of Barbra.
CM: Yes, she would probably wear it. We love her for her nails.
BW: I’d say I’m having a Marlene Dietrich moment, surrounded by army boys.

And there is a certain military element to the collection…
BW: It’s kind of a serious collection, in a way. It was inspired by a woman named Susan Travers, and she was the only woman ever to be in the French Foreign Legion. What’s really interesting is that she was the daughter of an English navy admiral and she grew up in the south of France. She ending up being a diplomat and the entire collection is inspired by this idea of diplomacy. It’s her dream wardrobe, as we imagined it. So there are elements of military, but in a diplomatic way, as opposed to an army way.
CM: It’s very modern, and it’s very now. This collection, more than ever, we wanted to give real clothes for real women, for the market, for everyone, for our buyers, for our friends.

The Susan Travers story is a bit of a history lesson!
BW: That’s a Ruffian show for you! You’ve got to learn something when you sit in the front row, otherwise, what’s the point?

What grade did you get in history class?
BW: My father was a history professor, actually. I’ve always been a complete history buff, and Claude and I are both research fanatics.
CM: A+! A+ for me in history. I’ve been traveling all my life, and so history and geography has always been a passion.

[Mrs. Wolk interjects] BW: Mom, we’re actually doing an interview right now. [Mrs. Wolk apologizes and walks away, laughing, “Oh okay, I’ll get out of here!"]

Your mom always supports you guys.
CM: Oh yes, and Brian’s father actually always shoots all our shows in the photo pit.
BW: Totally, that’s where he loves to be to get the best shot. My family is like a Woody Allen movie, essentially.

How diplomatic are you?
[both in unison] Very diplomatic!
BW: Diplomacy is getting someone to wear what you want them to wear.

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2010 September 9

Michael Kors and Jessica Simpson: Five Years Later

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Jessica Simpson and Michael Kors
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Above left: Jessica Simpson and Michael Kors at the Met Ball, May 2005. Above right: Jessica Simpson and Michael Kors at the Project Runway finale show, this morning. BFF alert!

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2010 September 9

Mommy Dearest

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Claude Morais, Brian Wolk
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“Yes mom, not right now, I'm doing an interview!” During the Ruffian show this afternoon Brain Wolk’s mother came out in full support of her son, giving both designers words of encouragement backstage, even during pre-show interviews! “Brian’s father always photographs all our shows in the photo pit to get the best shot,” laughed Claude Morais.

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2010 September 9

A Moment With...John Delucie

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John Delucie
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The chic cuisine impresario of the Waverly Inn and Lion fame is feeding you all week long at the Bon Appétit Café!

What’s on the menu Chez Carol?
A cauliflower soup with foraged mushrooms, for starters. Very seasonal and very chic.
What makes food chic?
In this case, the beautiful white color of the purée.
What’s the all-time chicest dish?
It depends on who’s eating it, for sure.
Is anything inherently unchic?
I think a pot pie is inherently unchic. Though when you have Karolina Kurkova eating it…
But Anna Wintour served pot pie at the last CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund dinner!
There you go. And I like to think I made it chic at the Waverly.
What are your Fashion Week plans?
I’m going to see some shows, like Simon Spurr and Catherine Malandrino. She’s a good friend of mine, and a great friend of The Lion. 
Do you ever feel out of your element?
Completely, but from a business perspective, we are thrilled to have such a great fashion clientele. I respect what they do so much.
Describe your personal style.
Street chic! I love G-Star denim and my Nikes. I’m also a slave to Gucci shoes.
What’s it take to get a res at The Lion?
It’s very simple. We have a wide-open reservation system. But to get a prime table at a good time? It could take many, many years in some cases. I’m kidding! A lot of people have my personal cell number. We have 100 seats, and we’re very, very welcoming. And the front tavern is first come, first served!

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2010 September 9

A Moment With...Whitney Pozgay

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Whitney Pozgay
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The Whit designer is showing at New York's Fashion Week for the first time.

Welcome to Fashion Week! How did you get here?
Before I started Whit, I was the women’s designer at Steven Alan. I oversaw the Lark & Wolff by Steven Alan collection for Urban Outfitters as well as his collaboration for Uniqlo. Before that, I was at Kate Spade for a little over four years. I climbed my way up the ladder doing apparel, novelty accessories, and hair accessories.
Where’s your studio?
We work out of my business partner’s apartment, but I design out of my kitchen in Williamsburg.
What does your aunt Kate [Spade] think?
She really likes it! Kate and Andy started their business before they were married, and my boyfriend is the other creative half of our team—I do design, but he oversees everything from the website to the look book. So they’ve given me great advice on how to have a good dialogue and working relationship. No matter what, it’s an interesting dynamic!

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2010 September 9

FNO's Must-Have Accessory

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Lustr
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Chic is still desperately trying to nail down our FNO plans and feeling, honestly, a bit lost. Bingo with Karolina Kurkova? Momofukou tastings with Jeffrey Steingarten? If your multiple maps and lists are weighing you done (and you're an Apple kind if chicster), then iPhone app Lustr just might save the day: the official Fashion’s Night Out App for 2010 is a searchable guide for the over 1,000 events happening in New York City tomorrow night. You're welcome.

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