Fashion Houston

Anna Wintour Graces the Cover of WSJ Magazine

Vogue USA editor-in-chief Anna Wintour graces the front cover of the April 2011 issue of WSJ Magazine in a photograph shot by Mario Testino.

"She's a really powerful figure in America," editor Deborah Needleman, Wintour's former Conde Nast colleague (Needleman was editor of now-defunct Domino Magazine) tells the AP. Wintour is "someone whose power extends beyond what she does."

"You have to wonder, how does one person have such a broad influence?" says Needleman, adding: "She's basically a global brand."

Wintour's biggest feat yet might be the shopping phenomenon that is Fashion's Night Out, a huge-scale retail event she masterminded in 2009 in New York and made bigger last year to span the globe. She persuaded stores to host lavish parties mixing celebrities and shoppers, offer discounts and pour free champagne, then she nudged consumers to open their wallets despite the recession. "She basically created a holiday from scratch," Needleman says. "Who else has the power to take New York and create a holiday?"

Wintour works intuitively, obliquely and patiently. "Her genius," says fashion designer Marc Jacobs, "is picking people very astutely, whether in politics, movies, sports or fashion."

(Musician, fashion designer and actor) Justin Timberlake states that Wintour "understands fashion is a frame of mind, not just the clothes... She's figured out that all these small moving parts come into play to make a bigger picture."

Wintour has been editor of the American edition of Vogue since 1988, and by now it has become commonplace to call her "the most powerful woman in fashion."

Ann Taylor's Face Lift

First off, the new face for the Ann Taylor brand is (American actress) Katie Holmes. She is all over the print and outdoor advertisements for Ann Taylor’s Spring 2011 campaign, which was photographed by Tom Munro in Los Angeles. The advertisements have been set to launch in magazines this month!

Christine Beauchamp, president of Ann Taylor stores, said in a press release, "Katie [Holmes] personifies the Ann Taylor brand—smart, talented, incredibly chic, and living a full life with beauty and grace. We admire and respect Katie [Holmes] for her intellect, kindness, and enduring personal style."

Second off, Ann Taylor is changing its corporate name to a first-name basis of “Ann Inc.”

Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) reports – “[President and CEO Kay] Krill said the old one was clunky and the new one reflects the multichannel strategy. And the period in 'Ann Inc.' will change colors periodically to show support for causes backed by the company, like pink to support breast cancer research and purple for International Women’s Day.”

Also, according to Racked.com, Ann Inc. headquarters clarifies the change: "...the corporation changed its name from Ann Taylor Stores Corporation to Ann Inc. Under the Ann Inc. Corporation we have two brands, Ann Taylor and Loft, and multi channels. The Ann Taylor brand name has not changed."

According to Fashion Etc., though the actual store names will remain intact, the tweaked moniker reflects a company shift that will focus on introducing a new 4,000-square-foot prototype and an e-commerce expansion that includes international shipping and mobile commerce.

FUG Does Fancy and I Heart Reba.

I love the Fug girls. But what I really love is Reba freaking McEntire. A few of us even have an air band called the McEntires...granted we only play on wild nights, and we only play Reba. That's right. I dare you NOT to be jealous. Anyway, Go Fug Yourself brings us the best of both worlds, albeit at Jessica Simpson's expense. Thank you to our fashionable FashionHouston reader Carlisle for giving us the heads up.

 
"Okay, first of all, "FANCY NIGHTS: A sensual fragrance from Jessica Simpson" sounds distinctly like something being marketed to upscale prostitutes, at least in part because it always reminds me of the Reba McEntire song, "Fancy," which is about an upscale prostitute. Or, a woman from hardscrabble beginnings who become an upscale prostitute, anyway. And while that song is awesome, I am not sure if most women really want to smell the way Jessica Simpson envisions a hooker smelling..." [Click here for more from FUG the Ad: Jessica Simpson]

Clinton Kelly from TLC's What Not To Wear Makes Over Houston

 

Haute in the midst of the MAKEOVER AMERICA Tour, TLC's What Not To Wear's ultimate fashionisto Clinton Kelly is swooping into Macy's Memorial City this Saturday at 2pm to reinvent and style out 12 "self-proclaimed style-starved" women that are clearly now on the upswing of their fashionable luck!

Comparing the MAKEOVER Tour to a What Not To Wear on steroids, Kelly tells, "it's not necessarily about trends or shape -- but about finding a look that flatters a woman, fits into her lifestyle, and makes her feel beautiful from the inside out. Our task is to change the way 12 women see themselves within 48 hours!"

Having two moms, a slew of aunties, a handful of sisters, and a box of girlfriends whose moods dramatically rollercoaster on how fabulous they feel in certain outfits or shoes, this is sure to be an exciting and exhausting accomplishment for Clinton Kelly. Our minds are blown by his zest and cannot wait to interview him! Come, check out the event with us on Saturday!!

Fred Allard and Eric Daman Pick Out My Shoes!

Seriously. Creative Director(and designer) of Nine West, Fred Allard, along with Eric Daman, author, fashion stylist and costumer for Gossip Girl, assess my fashionality and select for me the perfect pair of shoes from the Nine West exclusively for Nordstrom collection. 

   

I think my favorite part had to be when it was decided that even though the Houston Nordstrom doesn't carry the selected Dalejr sandal in grey, I needed to "just order it darling; have it delivered!" 

 

And so I did, and I come home every day anxious to find my new pair of fabulous sandals waiting on my doorstep. Which is funny, because I'm already dreaming about my next purchase, and I'm thinking it's going to be the Stylefile sandal:

   
 
  

SO. I know the photo below isn't like the most flattering photo of myself trying on shoes and all, but who really thinks about posing for a camera when they are smack in the middle of having this kind of mentor-ship and honor?? Anyway, it's posted on the Nine West Facebook photo page, and some judgemental-comment-happy-ass-faces are intent on bringing my dream day down.

 

Photo via Nine West PR Gals

 SO ANOTHER CONTEST. Here's the deal. The commentators on the NW FB page think they can pick me out a better outfit AND BETTER SHOES THAN THE DESIGNER AND STYLIST THEMSELVES. "Whaaaaat?!" You may ask. I know, right? If you have an awesome ensemble for me based on my body shape and what you think my fashion/style personality is, send it with photos and comments to info@fashionhouston.com, subject line: Elan's New Outfit. The best ones will win a little something special. You have a few days. Maybe a week. Depends how I'm feeling. Good luck.

  Photo via Nine West PR Gals
Photographer Brett Chisholmand Elan at the Nine West for Nordstrom event. And on a side note, no, the rumors aren't true, we are not married. I believe Brett's husband, HoustonDogBlogger, Ryan would be a little upset.