Milan Fashion Scoops
(MILAN) BARON'S BALANCING ACT: Ingrid Sischy and Sandra Brant aren't the only two who won't be in Milan come Friday, when the deal Brant made to sell her stake in Interview magazine to her ex-husband, Peter Brant, is expected to close. One half of the media duo's successor, former French Vogue creative director Fabien Baron, won't be in town either. Instead, he's had to send his regrets to Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, and Versace and is headed to Los Angeles on Wednesday for all the pre-Oscar hullabaloo. "Fashion and Hollywood, both are important!" Baron explained. "I'm sad to miss the Milan shows, but there's no choice about where I need to be." But don't expect to see Baron escorting Cate Blanchett down the red carpet come Sunday; he said that he's flying to L.A. to meet with some "big agents" for Interview and revealed that he's art directing an undisclosed campaign with a celebrity being shot by Craig McDean. But then it's back to Paris--in time for Dior on Monday afternoon. With all the extra air miles Baron will likely log in the coming year as he transitions into his new role, what will keep him sane? "British Airways, First Class," he smiled smugly.
MR. VERSACE: Donatella Versace has called a press conference for Thursday at 5 p.m., two-and-a-half hours before the start of the first of two back-to-back shows she traditionally stages at the Piazza Vetra. The invitation states that Versace, who sponsored the new Richard Avedon exhibition which opened on Monday at the Forma in Milan, will discuss her fall collection and "introduce a very special guest." That individual, as it turns out, is none other than Patrick Dempsey, the current star of the Versace men's campaign, who will be on hand for a meet-and-greet with the international press before sitting front row at the fashion show.
UNCLE STEFANO: If the front row in the American section at the Just Cavalli show looked a tad cozier than normal, blame it on Tommaso Meregalli. The 13-year-old nephew of T: The New York Times Style Magazine editor Stefano Tonchi joined his uncle at the Sunday shows, taking in Just Cavalli and Emporio Armani (where he sat fourth row). "I thought it would be longer, but I still had fun," he concluded at the end of the Emporio Armani show. "At home on television everything seems much bigger." Tonchi laughed when asked if he was training his nephew to follow in his fashionable footsteps. "I want to be a lawyer," Meregalli huffed.
JOFFE BY SEA: An effervescent redhead more in tune with the New York fashion show front row made a cameo at the Alberta Ferretti show Monday. "I literally slept for 2 1/2 hours, then took a water taxi here, so that's pretty much how I got here," said Jessica Joffe, who arrived straight from Venice, where she attended Barbara Wilhelm's wedding to Edward Dweck. She managed, however, to freshen up and slip on a beautiful pleated organza Ferretti spring collection dress with stone detail. Joffe said she was convinced to make the quick trip by her friend, and now Ferretti publicist, Annelise Peterson, who also attended the wedding. "I just couldn't say no," she offered as she slipped into her seat alongside other young socialites and actresses, including German actress Bettina Zimmermann, aristocrat Lavinia Borromeo, and Agnelli heir Ginevra Elkann.
Joffe also took the opportunity to weigh in on Alberta Ferretti's new fragrance, which is set to debut next spring and will likely carry the designer's name. "It should ideally smell not too sweet; she is very feminine and elegant so perhaps it should be similar to an Aqua Di Parma," said Joffe. "Super straightforward, simple, not too girly, but evocative of how she dresses women."
HOTEL HIJINKS: While waiting for the Just Cavalli show to start Sunday, Jefferson Hack took some time out to decipher editor's hotel language in Milan. "I stay at the Hotel Principe Di Savoia; most of the Brits stay there," said the Another Magazine and Dazed & Confused editor. "You find that in Milan most of the international press stays together according to country: the Brits stay at the Principe, the French stay at the Bulgari, and the Americans stay at the Four Seasons." As for which nation is the most "spirited?" "I have a hunch that most of the drinking goes on at our hotel," he smiled. Note to Hack: Carine Roitfeld is staying at the Four Seasons.
VOGUE M.I.A.: Milan is mourning the absence of a fashion front-rower. Gabriele Hackworthy, the stylist and fashion director-at-large for Vogue Japan and Vogue China, broke her collarbone snowboarding a few weeks ago and is under strict doctor's orders to stay in bed and not attend any fashion shows or parties. Fortunately, she should be recovered enough to make it to the Paris shows. "I have to wear a back and shoulder brace which, at a stretch, looks like Helmut Lang circa 1999," she said, sense of humor obviously unscathed. "But really it makes me look like the hunchback of Notre Dame."
DOLCE DULCE: Leave it to Dolce & Gabbana to inject high celebrity wattage into an otherwise star-free week. Sheryl Crow, Lindsay Lohan, Fergie, Naomi Campbell, and Monica Bellucci are all expected at the designer's show at the Metropol on Thursday.
BULGARI BREAK: Monday night, a slew of curious guests made their way to the Bulgari Hotel to preview the jewelry's fall collection of baubles and leathergoods, not to mention scope out the luxe accommodations. Christopher Bailey, Derek Lam, Nina Garcia, Hope Greenberg, and Anne Slowey are all staying at the posh five-star hotel, but others like Hal Rubenstein got a sneak peak at one of the tranquil rooms. "Might as well!" he laughed. Franca Sozzani admired the evening bags while others including Michael Roberts, Cindy Weber Cleary, and Ron Frasch enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Lucky VIPs left with the week's best swag thus far: leather zip-around Bulgari wallets. Perhaps an ideal place to start saving up for next season's reservations.
LAPO LOVE: Moschino turned to none other than Lapo Elkann to launch Love Moschino, the new name for the Moschino Jeans collection that debuts in June. Elkann's ising agency, Independent Ideas, has set up a dedicated Web site, lovemoschino.com, created a 2008 Love Calendar with unique messages month by month, and also a new ising campaign. "Lapo has always struck me for his love of 'Italianness..." Made in Italy, Fiat," said Moschino creative director Rossella Jardini. "I heard of his admiration for Moschino through mutual friends and thought that we could share ideas for a joint project. When I read an interview in which he announced the foundation of Independent Ideas, I immediately thought of Lapo as the perfect partner for the launch of Love Moschino." On Wednesday, a launch event will take place in Milan entitled the Love Parade, celebrating the birth of Love Moschino. Music, performances, and displays will be inspired by the search for love: "Wear is Love?" and feature music from The Dirty Dozen Brass Band from New Orleans, DJ Stylophonic, and Lorenzo Cherubini's bass guitarist, Saturnino.
