#906 The Department Store tour

I once worked for a department store. Ballantynes in Christchurch. Not actually in the Ballantynes section, but in the 'Contemporary Lounge'. Yes, it was really called that. They hired me because I'd come from Little Brother in Auckland and they wanted someone who knew something about menswear. In my first week I was put in the accessories section, the shoes section and the womenswear section. Everywhere but menswear. I lasted six weeks. Nevertheless, I do love a good department store, and The Department Store is a keeper. Karen Walker, Black Box, Flotsam and Jetsam, Simon James, The Marr Lab, Stephen Marr, Lucy and the Powder Room, Michael Lett Gallery and a little Supreme cafe. It's a good mix. Walking in, it feels like a whole bunch of pop up stores all sitting next to each other. The first couple of metres are a bit cluttered for my liking but by the time you've gotten past all the mannequins and into the actual mini shops, you can see how clever it all is. Black Box feels entirely different to Karen Walker which feels entirely different to Flotsam and Jetsam and Simon James etc etc. Each store is its own little world.

All the shots, and the best way to tour The Department Store below.

#905 Mad Men (better late than never)

Image /Mad Men

I have recently become obsessed with Mad Men. OBSESSED. I started watching about two weeks ago and I'm now almost done with the second season. I know, I'm a little late, but I'm not much of a TV watcher besides Entourage, Californication, Gossip Girl and The City. Of those shows I think Entourage is the most captivating - it's like Sex and the City for men - never have I felt such a strong connection to fictional characters in all my life; but Californication is definitely the best written. Hank Moody is my main man. When it comes to style though, Mad Men wins hands down.

#904 A thief in the night

All Images /James Lowe

So I pretty much have two new BFFs. Katherine Lowe of Katherine is Awesome fame, and her brother, the great white hope of Elam Fine Arts school, James Lowe. James is apparently quite famous - he won some big photography/art competition a while back and has been featured in all sorts of different publications. I heard about him for the first time two weeks ago. But I saw him before I heard about him. It was the day before the AUT Rookie show and I was eating Renkon with Dayne. I was standing outside on Pitt Street when a guy on a fixed gear bike (I know, ultimate hipster) came towards me. I had to shuffle a bit to get out of his way, and he gave me this really big smile like we knew each other.

#903 Rene Vaile exhibition opening tonight

All Images /Rene Vaile

Expat Kiwi photographer Rene Vaile is opening his first ever New Zealand exhibition tonight at Plaything Gallery on France Street. I ran into the man himself yesterday at Wunderkammer on Ponsonby Road (where he used to work - though he said it was more for the clothes than the money), wearing a bright orange puffer jacket, pink patterned Comme shirt, olive corduroy pants and tan desert boots. Amazing. Rene never ages. He swears he's somewhere around the 30 mark, but doesn't look a day over 25. He's like one of those annoying movie star looking guys who's forever suspended in time. He started out here in New Zealand as a skate photographer then transitioned to fashion, shooting for clients like Stephen Marr and Cybele, then moved to Sydney where he's shot for everyone from Oyster to Vogue. This exhibition is a showcase of his portraits of friends (like Olivia O'Driscoll above) and travel snaps. It runs until Saturday 14 November. But make sure you come tonight. It'll be a party.

#902 Debate time - online vs print

Image /Vogue Hommes Japan

The adults in my life are forever bemoaning the demise of the printed arts. 'Internet just isn't the same,' they say, 'it hurts our eyes and we like something tangible that can be held in our hands. Plus, you can't take a computer to the beach!' I've grown so used to reading things on the computer that books have become frustrating - no vertical scroll (kidding) - but when it comes to fashion, as much as I love blogs, there's nothing quite like a magazine or a coffee table book - computer screens don't do justice to beautiful photography or an amazing interview/profile. I'm far more interested in reading news and reviews online for both the immediacy and quality of writing available (Suzy Menkes, Tim Blanks etc), and it seems like even newspapers are a day behind now that the world has shifted online. But magazines have longevity that newspapers and blogs don't have - I can write something amazing on Isaac Likes and it'll be gone from the main page within a couple of days. I once asked Zambesi's Neville Findlay why he doesn't advertise online more often and his response was that he likes the idea that he can pick up a magazine in five years time and still see his advert in there.

#901 No net

Hi all, sorry for the lack of posts over the last couple of days, the internet has been disconnected at my house and I'm waiting for it to go back online again. I'm currently sitting in a cafe on Ponsonby Road drinking tea, eating gluten free toast and stealing internet.

I LIKE YOU!

#900 Why I love Terry Richardson

I received this comment on Friday's post about Terry Richardson:

I'd love to know *why* you love him. I mean, this is basically soft porn, it's a pretty girl with her tits out and the photographer pretending to shag her.

Oh, with scarves.

Why do you love it/him? Is it clever in some way I can't understand? Ironic? Meta? Uhhhh... hotsexyalmostporn and that's enough?

No, really. Why can you dismiss PamAm for being trashy and yet this is somehow *fashion*?

Here's my response (below).

#899 Shot of the day - Afternoon delight

That's the view from my bedroom window. I'm getting off the computer at once. You should too.

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#898 Post show interview at Huffer with Greg Murrell

RYDER HUFFER FASHION WK 09 - NZ from Greg Murrell on Vimeo.

Ryder's Greg Murrell was running around backstage at NZ Fashion Week filming up a storm - interviewing people about hair, makeup, the clothes, styling and anything else that caught his interest. He asked me a few questions after the show, I'm on from 4:35.

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#897 Shot of the day - very Terry

Image /Fashion Gone Rogue

Terry Richardson shooting Natasha Poly (and Terry Richardson) for the Natasha Poly special edition of Muse. I can't figure out if Terry Richardson just loves getting up close and personal with the models or if he's a shameless self promoter. Either way, I love him. See the full editorial here.

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#896 Grace Coddington (and me) on super thin models

"It's a big problem. I remember when I was young [and still modeling], they told me that if I didn't lose weight, I'd be out of the show, so I spent a week living off of coffee. But I'm a very levelheaded person. These problems nowadays are with kids much, much younger than that, and that's most of the problem - when they're very young and vulnerable..."

Continued below

#895 Shot of the day - Katherine Likes

Image /Katherine is Awesome

My friend Katherine Lowe over at Katherine is Awesome has been teasing me for a week now about making a spoof of my website. Here it is. Amazing what you can do with photoshop and a spare hour. I think it's pretty safe to say that yes, Katherine IS awesome. Click the picture to see all the amazing details.

I LIKE YOU (Katherine)!

#894 Kanye West's new NSFW video by Spike Jonze

Check out Kanye West's new video for We Were Once A Fairytale directed by Spike Jonze. It is full on. FULL ON! But pretty amazing. Kanye plays himself, extremely intoxicated in a bar and making an awkward fool of himself, then sleeping with a girl, then performing Seppuku on himself in the bathroom. I'm a massive Kanye fan, but love him or hate him, you've got to respect a guy who'll make himself look this bad in a video. The clip premiered on his blog yesterday, but was taken down soon after. No doubt it's been banned, watch it, you'll see why.

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#893 Debate time part three - Made in New Zealand, who cares?

I was interested and quite surprised when I wrote about Jae Mills' new label Commoners Alike, that one of the main talking points in the comments was how it's all being manufactured in China. I come from a family of rag traders - on one side, my Auntie Debbie owns MOA in Grey Lynn, a company that's been trading for over 21 years, proudly (and fiercely) manufacturing locally since its inception. On the other side, my Uncle Brent owns a company that creates ranges for shops like EZIBUY and The Warehouse, all manufactured in China. My first foray into the fashion industry was working for Little Brother, another New Zealand made product. I had my own label for a while which was all made in Auckland.

#892 Snapped at 1am by 1AM

Image /1AM Magazine

1AM's latest issue has just hit the web, chocablock full of editorials, Fashion Week recaps and articles about up and coming NZ talent. Oh, and a little late night street style courtesy of Glenn Hunt. Glenn snapped me at Cassette after the Zambesi retrospective show. Joining me on the page are the lovely ladies from Fashion Behind the Scenes and Aych; my main man (and soon-to-be collaborator) Rufus Knight with Dallas Watkins from Zambesi; and Avril, Karlya and Karen IW - lighters, stylists and photographers to the stars.

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#891 Rookies to watch - Glenn Yungnickel and Celia Phillips

I was sitting next to Richard Kavanagh at the AUT Rookie show last Thursday night nervously tapping my feet moments before the show began. And not just out of excitement for the show. I was in dire need to pee. Like extreme dire need. It was pee or die. I got up and asked one of the organisers if I had time to run to the bathroom but they said no. I made my way back to my seat cursing the day I was born and tried to relax (but not too much) and watch the show. The 24 designer show. I survived four. As the fifth was about to begin her segment, I made a run for it. After exiting the catwalk, I made my way round to the right side of the building, found an usher and asked her to point me in the right direction. I'd gone the wrong way. That meant recrossing the catwalk in front of the photographers pit. How embarrasment. Egg on my face rating - three out of four.

Now, to the clothes.

#890 Join me on George FM

I'll be on with Nick D from 8:40am. Listen to it on 96.8FM if you're in Auckland. If not click here to hear it online. Topic of the day - NZ Fashion Week.

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#889 Stella by Sonny

All Images /Sonny Vandevelde

Just found these Sonny Vandevelde photos of Stella Maxwell backstage at Veronique Leroy. Some of you might notice that in the very last photo she bears a striking resemblance to our favourite friend The Wasp. Amazing.

#888 "GROW UP AND GET REAL" - Murray Crane on complaining ANZFW designers

Image /Crane Brothers

Weighing in on the Air New Zealand Fashion Week debate, Murray Crane had this to say on his blog:

"I have tried to be quite tight lipped over Fashion Week. Being involved in the past I have seen it from both sides as a guest and as a designer.

In this mornings Sunday Star Times there was an article that, in its precis form, was stating that there were designers unhappy with the amount of money they had spent on their shows and that in return they had received very little exposure and hadn't got any international orders.

These statements incense me so much!"

#887 Quote of the day - Rick Owens

Image /Steve Wood

"As the suit gave Marlene Dietrich extra allure, high heels on a guy give him a reckless virility. If there's an icy hauteur to a boxy black suit on a woman, there's a good-natured middle finger to heels on a guy, as if to say, 'I dare you to blink at me, motherf*cker'."

#886 Michael Whittaker for Pendleton x Opening Ceremony

Image /Oki-ni

It's been a while since we saw Michael Whittaker, last time I heard he'd shacked up with some Queens broad in Manhattan and was waiting for his U.S. visa to come in. The photo is for Opening Ceremony's new collaboration with Pendleton, a 100 year old woolen mill based in Oregon. I'm guessing the photo is old because of Michael's short haircut in it, but he could have recently had the chop. Hard to say, hard to say. Good to see him back in action either way. Thanks to my main man Nabil for the heads up.

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#885 Shot of the day - My next suit

Is this one. Heavy grey flannel. I'm obsessed.

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#884 Suggestions for improving Air New Zealand Fashion Week

Image /WWTDD

1. Change the date. Holding the event at the same time as London Fashion Week and then Milan Fashion Week means that we'll never get top media or buyers coming down here to see what NZ designers do. If New Zealand Fashion Week was held a few weeks before or after the NY/London/Milan/Paris circuit we might have some chance (small as it may be) of attracting influential editors or buyers.

2. Consolidate. Make ANZFW a three day event with non stop shows rather than a four day event with sometimes two or three hour gaps between shows. Get rid of the filler designers and hone it down so that we only have the cream of the crop of established designers or up and coming talent. No international media wants to have to sit through a 25 minute show targeted at middle aged women from the provinces.

3. Fly over one key VIP guest who has the influence to put ANZFW on the map. And not on the gossip blog map a la Pamela Anderson, but on the fashion map. Someone like Scott Schuman could be brought down and all he'd have to do is take a couple of pictures and they'd instantly go out to his 100,000 plus fashion obsessed readers per day. We need fashion people, not obscure international celebrities. Rumi Neely was a smart choice - she has a giant, fashion-specific audience. But Pamela Anderson? Really??

4. Get off the loudspeaker. It's all very good and well to tell people that they can move seats to the row in front, but telling them not to steal goodie bags or that the Moet bar is open (or the meat raffle has just been won) lowers the tone of the entire event. It's not a primary school fair, it's fashion week.

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#883 Little Brother for Barkers, take two

First off, mad kudos to Murray Crane (or the creatives at Barkers) for taking a risk in casting Felix Terpstra as the new face of Little Brother for Barkers. He may not be the typical Kiwi bloke seen in the likes of a Hallensteins campaign - or even easy-to-relate-to for your average rugby loving clothes shopper, but he's certainly a step in the right direction. Hopefully more New Zealand commercial clothing companies will follow Barkers' lead and adopt a similar approach in their campaign casting. It'll remain to be seen.

#882 My interview with The Sartorialist for Pulp Magazine

Scott Schuman and Garance Dore out front at Salvatore Ferragamo, Milan Fashion Week

Nobody ever told me Scott Schuman was a small man. Not that size matters, but when I hear people talking about somebody in reverential tones I always imagine them to be... I don't know, big. Tall, powerful, all those things that go along with your typical, everyday successful-male-stereotypes. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw him in real life for the first time, outside the Rick Owens show in Paris in January, running about taking photos of the weird, the wacky and the wonderful, all... five foot nothing of him? But here was a case where stature did not equate to status. Wherever he walked people stiffened, attempting to look inconspicuously conspicuous in the hope that his well trained eye would notice some nuance of their appearance (that coat, those shoes). He's a fashionista's cryptonite - with a single glance he removes every trace of painstakingly cultivated nonchalance - it all sounds a bit ridiculous, I know, but in a world where image is everything, what greater validation exists than landing on the front page of The Sartorialist?

#881 Debate time part two - so how about New Zealand women?

Ladyhawke in hoody at the VNZMA /Stuff

Yesterday the New Zealand man's lack of sartorial savoir was picked apart, so today let's take a look at the ladies. I had a bit of a rant on George FM this morning about the shoddy effort put in by the Kiwis at the music awards. Specifically, all the ladies who went around in pants (oh, and gentleman, a mismatched black blazer and black jeans does not constitute a suit). An awards ceremony is supposed to be a dress up, formal event. But our top female vocalists weren't phased by anything so light hearted as a dress code. Ladyhawke - jeans and a hoody. Brooke Fraser - black pants. Gin Wigmore - jeans. Anika Moa - jeans and no shoes. I mean come on! How hard is it to wear a dress? Or at least take a leaf out of our favourite ex prime minister Helen Clarke's book and wear a damn pantsuit if you're that way inclined.

#880 Albert Hammond Jnr's maroon suit

Image /Katherine is Awesome

This one's been going around the blogosphere for a few days now, ever since men.style.com did a preview. Albert Hammond Jnr, member of The Strokes, boyfriend of Agyness Deyn and current rehabee, has just brought out a range of suits with LA store Confederacy. He describes them as,

"A good mix of old man, hunter, and seventies rock ‘n’ roll. I want to make suits that I’m going to have for myself. They’re for the person who needs his one suit for a wedding. He’d rather get something like this than go to Men’s Wearhouse, pay the same amount, and look like an out-of-date parent."

But I'm not interested in any of that. I just like it how he made a maroon suit. And, just while we're here, I wanted to go on the record and say that his solo music career absolutely kills anything The Strokes ever did.

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#879 Debate time - do New Zealand men dress badly?

Image /Hallensteins

"Few New Zealand men seem to enjoy an engagement with clothes at any level beyond the practical. Few enjoy clothes shopping and a surprisingly high number have their clothes bought for them, first by their mothers and then by their wives. Left alone, most men struggle to understand both size and fit. Men seldom understand the importance of clothes in the workplace, or the degree to which first impressions count. Kiwi men seldom take advantage of the ability of clothing to disguise faults or to enhance natural attributes."

So says Douglas Lloyd Jenkins in the 19 September issue of the Listener. His argument - Kiwi men are so afraid of being tarred with the Gay brush that they shy away from any clothing choices that might be considered in the slightest bit 'poofterish'. You know, colours other than black, grey, brown or blue; floral prints; suits that fit well; shorts that weren't meant for surfing; good shoes etc etc.

#878 Steve Wood's top ten girls of the S/S 2010 season

Backstage at Christian Dior /Stardust Fashion

Steve taunted me with a constant stream of emails and photos for the duration of the S/S season - "We're going to a little show this morning - Chanel - you really must come along," or "You really should think twice before not coming next season," that kept me simultaneously seething with jealousy and up to date with all the backstage action. In a four week show circuit, he'd spend upwards of 250 hours backstage with the top models in the world, so I thought I'd ask him for his favourites of the season.

Here's what he had to say.

#877 Yasmin Sewell sarted in SGC

Image /The Sartorialist

Just found this pic of Yasmin Sewell on The Sartorialist (she's the Creative Director of Liberty of London and one of Scott Schuman's favourite street style subjects) wearing Stolen Girlfriends Club's NO. 8 tee shirt. That's some pretty sweet exposure right there. According to Marc Moore, Liberty of London has just placed its first order with SGC (including the NO. 8 print and the Pacman eats heart print), to be shipped out in November.

#876 Shot of the day - from the VNZMA red carpet

Image /Chloe Powers

I had the time of my life at the Music Awards. Highlights - my hot date Anna Fitzpatrick (shwiiiing); hanging with Christobelle; unlimited bottles of Vitamin Water; chewing a lovely National MP's ear off about my love for Helen Clarke. Lowlights - slipping over like this in front of about 50 people then having to laugh through the tears.

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#875 Cathy Horyn on Phoebe Philo's first outing at Celine

"Yesterday afternoon, around 4p.m., the Place Vendôme was so jammed with cars that it recalled photographs of the square when parking was permitted. People were on their way to see Phoebe Philo’s first show for Celine, and the mood felt genuinely festive—not the mean celebrity scene that usually awaits you, with guards furiously telling store chiefs and editors to step aside for (inevitably) a minor celebrity. This happens so often that a friend of mine suggested that all the celebrity designers (Gwen Stefani, et al) get together with their friends and have Celebrity Fashion Week. They can get their business out of the way, knock themselves out, and then the rest of us can do ours."

[NY Times]

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#874 Backstage at ANZFW

Georgia Fowler and Emma Champtaloup at Zambesi - All Images /Guy Coombes

An email just came through from Guy Coombes containing a whole bunch of backstage photos from ANZFW, and it was so funny that instead of me writing anything I thought I'd just reproduce it here. It said:

"ISAAC
Some pretty dope backstage photos by this amazing photographer Guy Coombes are now up on his website www.guycoombes.com, just thought you and your readers might like them. Plus it's been a while since he's shamelessy promoted himself on your blog.
Attached are some shots, including one of some weirdo in a maroon sweater taking photo's with his blackberry. How'd he get back there?
xx Devoted Guy Coombes fan."

All the photos below.

#873 Shot of the day - rocking the Jew-fro at LV

Image /Steve Wood

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times. Big hair is good hair. Mr Jacobs must have been listening this season.

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#872 Bella Barber - Nova's new star

All Images /Chadwick

From the agency who brought you girls like Olivia O'Driscoll (where has she been!!) and Grace Hobson, comes Bella Barber. I know virtually nothing about Bella but apparently she hails from Dunedin, she's 5'9 with blonde hair and blue eyes, and she's been over in Sydney with Chadwick shooting up a storm for the past wee while (okay, so I actually know quite a lot). Her Isabella Blow themed Grazia editorial has just come out, and a Russh ed is on its way too. Could Nova have a new star?

All the Grazia shots below.

#871 The great PR debate

Here's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. We've got about four or five major PR agencies/showrooms here in New Zealand (Auckland specifically). As far as I can tell, they're all very good at their jobs. So good, in fact, that you can't pick up a magazine or a newspaper without seeing one of their clients in print. But does all this press correspond to increased stockists and sales for the labels? Most of the young designers I know are dirt poor, yet they're constantly being interviewed by the media, their collections forever being lauded. It's an odd phenomenon. In other much written about industries like acting, a lot of press would generally come as a result of a lot of work. You don't often see out of work actors on the front pages of weekend pullouts.

#870 Join me on George FM

I'll be on George FM at 8:40am NZ time talking with Nick D about a few different things. 96.8FM if you're in Auckland, otherwise listen to it online here.

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#869 Who wears short shorts?

I wear short shorts! Kate Sylvester was kind enough to gift them to me last week and I've been waiting for any opportunity to wear them out. I'm obsessed. It's been a bit cold so far but I braved the 8 degrees here in Diamond Harbour this morning to take the picture. Come to think of it, every item I'm wearing was a gift. Dad's sweater (not so much a gift as a take), Pantharella socks courtesy of Crane Brothers and birthday Chucks from my flatmates. Thank you to all my benevolent benefactors.

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#868 Lindsay Lohan for Ungaro (taking a leaf out of the ANZFW book) UPDATED!

All Images /Steve Wood

It would seem that New Zealanders aren't the only ones who believe in the power of celebrity to give their fashion events some top spin. Over in Paris, Ungaro had their first Lindsay Lohan headed show yesterday. Steve Wood was on hand to capture the moment, and here's what he had to say about it all. The guy should have been a gossip columnist.

"A sick-looking Lindsay Lohan was mobbed backstage at her debut show in Paris today by hundreds of paparazzi photographers who had infiltrated the building by all means, sneaking through secret passages in the old Louvre building. Security were no match for the hungry French paparazzi. Racks of clothes were crushed and security left helplessly on the floor when a rush of 70 photographers and the new wave of video paparazzi demolished a temporary wall in the backstage of the show. Lindsay, unable to come from the backstage cabin which was isolated in the corner of the backstage area came out when screams of video paparazzi anchor-women demanded that she be interviewed. Unable to leave the building by any other means she posed although looking shaken and bewildered."

UPDATE: Just like Pamela Anderson-gate, Lindsay Lohan's debut has been ravaged by the critics. Here's what they had to say:

From style.com "[It was] a bad joke of a fashion show, one with questionable color combinations, "bad eighties" draped silk jackets and drop-crotch pants, old-fashioned and ill-judged fur stoles, and, yes, tasteless sequin pasties. To top it off, the fabrics and the construction lacked the finesse you expect from a famous Avenue Montaigne brand."

From WWD "Lindsay, it’s time to get serious about reviving the acting career. After just one season, one show, Mounir Moufarrige’s Lindsay-plus-one experiment is off to a troubled start. Lindsay Lohan, the house’s “creative director,” and designer Estrella Archs, (who probably got the job in part for her willingness to sketch in Lohan’s shadow, and probably took it for its high-profile heritage), made their joint debut on Sunday in an effort that was, quite simply, an embarrassment."

It just goes to show, gimmicks and stunts never work on the catwalk. When will people learn?

More photos below.

#867 Looking to Lyttelton

I'm in Diamond Harbour with my family right now catching up on sleep and eating some much needed home cooked meals. My parents have a house over here with a view out to Lyttelton port so when I'm not walking around the hills I sit in the sun watching the ships roll in. And listen to 80s rock ballads. It's a good time.

I LIKE YOU!

#865 Backstage panic

Natalia Vodianova - All Images /Sonny Vandevelde

There are two types of moods backstage at fashion shows. The first is smooth and speedy - everyone's calm, knows where they're supposed to be going and hops to it. The second is panic - dressers are getting outfits wrong, models have too many changes and the designers are having nervous breakdowns. You can usually tell which is which from the off-the-catwalk photos. If things are calm, the girls will perform for the photographers in between looks. If things are bedlam, they'll knock the photographers out of the way to run to their racks. I just saw these photos from the Ermanno Scervino show on Sonny Vandevelde's blog. Natasha Poly's frowning, Chanel Iman's screaming, things look stressful. I love it.

#864 Stella Maxwell's Japanese liaison

There was no sign of Stella Maxwell in Milan that I could see - perhaps she skipped it after London, perhaps I wasn't looking hard enough or perhaps she didn't book any shows - but thanks to expert model spotter Lilly Andersen we've just found her in Paris on the catwalk at Issey Miyake. The Japanese love those blonde Kiwi girls - some of you might remember last year that Olivia O'Driscoll's major show at Paris Fashion Week was Yohji Yamamoto. I'll keep a closer eye out to see what Stella does for the rest of the week.

#863 Levi Clarke for SGC

All Images /Guy Coombes

After I posted about Levi Clarke appearing on The Ones 2 Watch yesterday, Luke Harwood from Stolen Girlfriends Club sent me through the following message:

"Saw your piece on Levi! We want to see the kid go big places, if thats his calling... kid's fresh we've used him for our last two look books, he's loose I like it."

The latest lookbook is the one for their Winter 2010 collection Welcome to Nowhere shown last week at ANZFW.

#862 Guestlist at Balmain

All Images /Steve Wood

Who knows what Steve was doing out front at Balmain yesterday (maybe they didn't let him backstage) but he's just sent me through a whole bunch of photos of the guests arriving at the show. I wouldn't usually post this sort of thing but he had a picture of the guy above in the mix so I had to. I first saw him at the Rick Owens show at Paris menswear. He was sitting in front of me wearing a bright yellow Galliano leather jacket with a big banana printed on the back and a snakeskin cowboy hat. Since then I've seen him everywhere. All over Paris (including Le Baron at 4am), at New York Fashion Week and in tons of pictures online. But I only just found out who we is yesterday. His name is James Goldstein and he's a mysterious millionaire from Los Angeles. Nobody quite knows how he made his money, but he's famous for attending every LA Lakers and LA Clippers game played (something like 115 per season) and basically every show of the Fashion Week circuit (men's and women's). He wears leather jeans everyday of the week. What's not to love?

More below, including Carine Roitfeld, Rihanna, Julia Restoin Roitfeld and Olivier Zahm.

#861 Jak and Jil's Tommy Ton on negative comments

Image /Jak and Jil

"DEAR JAK & JIL READERS,

BEFORE I BEGIN POSTING IMAGES FROM PARIS FASHION WEEK, I WANTED TO MAKE A SHORT STATEMENT AND I WOULD HIGHLY APPRECIATE IT IF EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO READS THIS BLOG TAKES IT INTO CONSIDERATION. I DON’T MODERATE THE COMMENTS THAT MUCH ON THIS BLOG BECAUSE IN ALL FAIRNESS I WANTED TO WELCOME ALL CRITICISM OF ALL SORTS. IN AN EFFORT TO BE FAIR TO ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO VOLUNTARILY ALLOW ME TO PHOTOGRAPH THEM AND POST THEIR PICTURE ON MY BLOG, I’D LIKE TO PUT AN END TO ALL OF THE HARSH AND NEGATIVE COMMENTS. I CREATED THIS BLOG TO CELEBRATE FASHION, NOT TO PUBLICLY PUT SOMEONE’S IMAGE OUT THERE TO BE NEGATIVELY JUDGED. YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO YOUR NEGATIVITY, JUST NOT HERE ON JAK & JIL BLOG. THANK YOU."

He can read minds.

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#860 MRKT by Fabric

Marty and Antonia out front at MRKT by Fabric

It would be easy to walk past Fabric's new location on Teed Street in Newmarket. Besides the letters M, R, K and T and a small grated window bearing the word fabric, there's nothing to suggest that a store lies behind the frosted glass doors at street front. "We'll keep the doors open for the first few days," said Marty, part-owner of Fabric, "but after that we'll leave them closed." It's a cue taken from the Japanese approach to retail - at many of Comme Des Garcons' flagship stores it's seemingly impossible to find your way in, and if you can't, the staff will leave you stranded outside. But I can't imagine they'll be that hard-line when it comes to the average Newmarket shopper. The M, R, K and T are pronounced Market (yes, as in Newmarket), and the store's full name is MRKT by Fabric. "We didn't want to just call this store Fabric," said Marty, "and if we open any other ones in different locations we'll call them all something different."

#859 The Ones 2 Watch(ing) Levi Clarke

Image /62 Models

My mate Levi Clarke has just shown up on The Ones 2 Watch. I was still working as a booker at 62 Models the day he first walked in the door. Everybody was incredibly excited over this 14 year old guy who'd been on holiday with his mum in London when he was scouted by an agent from FM. Within 10 days he'd shot everything from Dazed & Confused and i-D to the Topman campaign. I remember him being an incredibly skinny, incredibly tall, shy kid from the North Shore with the best Mexican moustache you've ever seen. I drove him around for a day of go-sees and castings and we passed the time talking about Snoop Dogg. Hilarious. According to The Ones 2 Watch he's planning on heading to New York next month. Not a moment too soon. Boys like Levi are wasted in New Zealand - besides Fashion Week and the odd editorial, there's just not enough work to sustain them. I say get him on the show circuit!