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Donatella Versace

Full Video: Anna Wintour on 60 Minutes, Plus Outtakes
Karl Lagerfeld

Full Video: Anna Wintour on 60 Minutes, Plus Outtakes

>> The months-in-the-making 60 Minutes profile of Anna Wintour finally aired last night, and besides the tired Devil Wears Prada and unauthorized biography references, a snarky Morley Safer provided a candid look at "Darth Vader in a frock" — except for the instances when she purposely evaded his question.  He even asked her if she thinks of herself as a b*tch: "I hope I'm not .
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>> The months-in-the-making 60 Minutes profile of Anna Wintour finally aired last night, and besides the tired Devil Wears Prada and unauthorized biography references, a snarky Morley Safer provided a candid look at "Darth Vader in a frock" — except for the instances when she purposely evaded his question.  He even asked her if she thinks of herself as a b*tch: "I hope I'm not . . . I try not to be, but I like people who represent the best of what they do and if that turns you into a perfectionist than maybe I am."

She laughs when asked if it's true that Vogue staffers are not allowed to speak to her on the elevator:

Oh yeah, I heard that, you're not allowed to get in the elevator with me. That's a complete exaggeration.  I guess in response I can only say that I've have so many people here that have worked with me fifteen, twenty years, and if I'm such a b*tch they must really be a glutton for punishment because they're still here.

She credits part of her success to her failures elsewhere: "I wasn't academically successful and maybe I've spent a lot of my career trying to make up for that."  But she's still the Anna whose daily hair and makeup bill, plus a rumored $200,000 annual clothing allowance, is all picked up by Conde Nast — and her view of "reasonable" clothing prices reflects that.  She visits Alexander Wang's showroom for a runthrough, and as a silver sequined minidress passes by, she asks Alexander how much it is. "This one retails for $1,200." Her reply?  With a little smile: "It's very reasonable."

But designers can irritate her: "If you see a collection that you feel the designer has been lazy or is taking inspiration from other designers, it doesn't as much as bore me as anger me."

Even Andre Leon Talley, one of those figures who have been at Vogue for years, feels the Wintour chill:

It's not like a tea party here, we work very hard.  Let's say that Anna can be intimidating, I think that's her armor, to intimidate, to give people a sense that she's in charge. She is not a person who's going to show you her emotions ever. She's like a doctor.  When she's looking at your work, it's like a medical analysis.  Some of us can't cope with that . . . we need to be loved.

But it's something to get used to — if Anna has any say, she'll be sticking around a while longer. "To me, this is a very interesting time to be in this position, and I think it would be, in a way, irresponsible not to put my best foot forward and lead us into a different time." Morley prods, asking her if when the time comes, she'll go quietly? She smiles. "Certainly, very quietly."

The full segment, plus outtakes! »

Donatella Versace

>> INSIDER WIRE —Since it's Friday, a little humor — JDivision put together a list of 10 Backgrounds that make Donatella Versace look less tan, with accompanying visual aids.  Think pictures of Valentino Garavani, Oompa Loompas, and tan leather.
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>> INSIDER WIRE —Since it's Friday, a little humor — JDivision put together a list of 10 Backgrounds that make Donatella Versace look less tan, with accompanying visual aids.  Think pictures of Valentino Garavani, Oompa Loompas, and tan leather. [JDivision]

Cannes Film Festival 2009: Carine Roitfeld Appearances, Chanel Movie Screenings, and Lily Cole Film Debuts
Chanel

Cannes Film Festival 2009: Carine Roitfeld Appearances, Chanel Movie Screenings, and Lily Cole Film Debuts

>> While fashion types are currently migrating to Venice for tomorrow's Chanel Cruise 2010 show — Karl Lagerfeld arrived Monday with Baptiste Giabiconi and his runway favorites Siri Tollerod, Heidi Mount, Liu Wen, Charlotte di Calypso, and Denisa Dvorakova are all already in town for fittings and the dinner Karl's hosting tonight — many are continuing on to the Cannes Film Festival, which opened today.
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>> While fashion types are currently migrating to Venice for tomorrow's Chanel Cruise 2010 show — Karl Lagerfeld arrived Monday with Baptiste Giabiconi and his runway favorites Siri Tollerod, Heidi Mount, Liu Wen, Charlotte di Calypso, and Denisa Dvorakova are all already in town for fittings and the dinner Karl's hosting tonight — many are continuing on to the Cannes Film Festival, which opened today.

In fact, the Chanel theme carries over in Cannes — Jan Kounen’s Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky, starring Anna Mouglalis and Mads Mikkelsen, screens May 24, the closing day.  In between now and then, Carine Roitfeld — as well as Donatella Versace and Kenneth Cole — will make her annual appearance at amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS benefit on May 21 at the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, which also features an exhibition by photographer Bruce Weber.

Lily Cole, Laetitia Casta have films debuting »

Donatella Versace Shyly Joins the Michelle Obama Fan Club
Donatella Versace

Donatella Versace Shyly Joins the Michelle Obama Fan Club

>> Michelle Obama's sartorial choices have caused a bit of a riff among designers, causing some to call others "dinosaurs," but over the weekend she was joined by favorites Narciso Rodriguez and Jason Wu — who apparently got carded by a bartender — at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, and earned herself a new designer fan.Donatella Versace, who attended as a guest of Vanity Fair, was excited to participate — she even blogged the experience for the Huffington Post, citing a pet peeve for Blackberrys.
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>> Michelle Obama's sartorial choices have caused a bit of a riff among designers, causing some to call others "dinosaurs," but over the weekend she was joined by favorites Narciso Rodriguez and Jason Wu — who apparently got carded by a bartender — at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, and earned herself a new designer fan.

Donatella Versace, who attended as a guest of Vanity Fair, was excited to participate — she even blogged the experience for the Huffington Post, citing a pet peeve for Blackberrys. "I follow politics. It's part of my life. I think if you're involved in the modern world — if you're a modern person — you need to know what's going on in the world.  My business is worldwide. I know German politics. I know French politics."

She even admitted to protesting during her university years. "I was very involved in politics and sit-ins. Students were fighting for things, and I think young people need to fight for their future."

But back to Michelle — particularly in France. "She looked fierce," Versace says. "They're a couple who knows how to dare. I'm sure she has people around her telling her it's too much. She looked great in Alaia."

Donatella only has one request: "I want to know her size. I want to send her clothes.  But I'm a bit shy."
*image: source

Highlights from Inside the 2009 Costume Institute Gala: Gisele Dumps Galliano for Versace, Carine Roitfeld Showed
Kate Moss

Highlights from Inside the 2009 Costume Institute Gala: Gisele Dumps Galliano for Versace, Carine Roitfeld Showed

>> Despite all the drama before and after, the Costume Institute Gala itself furnished plenty of notable and quotable moments; for those who were wondering, Carine Roitfeld did attend, even though it was reported that Julia Restoin-Roitfeld would not.Gisele Bundchen pulled out of John Galliano's table at the last minute, choosing to ride in with the Versace camp instead; it sounds like she might be returning as the label's Fall 2009 face — the New York Times reports that her custom Versace dress "was conceived while she was modeling for [Donatella’s] next ad campaign."
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>> Despite all the drama before and after, the Costume Institute Gala itself furnished plenty of notable and quotable moments; for those who were wondering, Carine Roitfeld did attend, even though it was reported that Julia Restoin-Roitfeld would not.

Gisele Bundchen pulled out of John Galliano's table at the last minute, choosing to ride in with the Versace camp instead; it sounds like she might be returning as the label's Fall 2009 face — the New York Times reports that her custom Versace dress "was conceived while she was modeling for [Donatella’s] next ad campaign." Helena Christensen, meanwhile, joked of her Zac Posen dress, which read "Vogue," the V formed by a plunging neckline: “It’s so I can remember whose party I’m at."

And while Kate Moss was on hostess duty (and presumably her best behavior) for Anna Wintour, she still managed to be herself, pulling a big wad of gum out of her mouth when asked about being a muse: “I’m amused.  I think it’s quite interesting for somebody to go outside of the box and think that a model actually has had some input into fashion. A lot of the time, the models don’t really get a say.”

But they do have a bathroom fascination »

2009 Costume Institute Gala Arrivals Have Started!
Mary-Kate Olsen

2009 Costume Institute Gala Arrivals Have Started!

>> It's official Costume Institute Gala time: Anna Wintour is already snubbing press in her black and white Chanel, Bee Shaffer has already had help navigating in her sheer navy chiffon Nina Ricci gown, and Andre Leon Talley who is wearing "20 pounds" of Roger Vivier jewelry, has already exclaimed "Goddess" upon sight of Kate Moss.
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>> It's official Costume Institute Gala time: Anna Wintour is already snubbing press in her black and white Chanel, Bee Shaffer has already had help navigating in her sheer navy chiffon Nina Ricci gown, and Andre Leon Talley who is wearing "20 pounds" of Roger Vivier jewelry, has already exclaimed "Goddess" upon sight of Kate Moss.

Gisele Bundchen has arrived in sequined Atelier Versace minidress — she says she picked it out herself and they had to make it two inches shorter for her.  Meanwhile, Eva Mendes grabbed Amber Valletta's booty on the red carpet, and Shalom Harlow, Amber, Natalia Vodianova, Eva Herzigova, and Stella Tennant have made a red carpet block while they stop to exchange air kisses.

UPDATE: More designer and model pictures have been added to the gallery!
*image: source, source, WENN.com

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Fashion Fund 2009 Kicks Off with "Donatella Delight"
Jimmy Choo

Fashion Fund 2009 Kicks Off with "Donatella Delight"

>> One of Valentino Garavani's favorite models, Natalia Vodianova, missed the big premiere of his documentary; she was in London for the launch of the 2009 Fashion Fringe search for emerging British design talent — the UK's version of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award — instead.  In celebration of this year's honorary chairperson, Donatella Versace, who flew in from Milan for the event, guests like Claudia Schiffer, Roland Mouret, Jonathan Saunders, and Jacquetta Wheeler were served "Donatella Delight" cocktails.  Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet is also on the judging panel this year, as is Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon, who is overseeing the introduction of Fashion Fringe's first accessories prize.  The four as yet unnamed finalists will show capsule collections during Spring 2010 London Fashion Week, and the winner — who in the past has been Basso & Brooke and Erdem — receive upwards of £100,000 for a follow-up show.*image: source
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Claudia Schiffer, Donatella Versace, Natalia Vodianova

>> One of Valentino Garavani's favorite models, Natalia Vodianova, missed the big premiere of his documentary; she was in London for the launch of the 2009 Fashion Fringe search for emerging British design talent — the UK's version of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award — instead.  In celebration of this year's honorary chairperson, Donatella Versace, who flew in from Milan for the event, guests like Claudia Schiffer, Roland Mouret, Jonathan Saunders, and Jacquetta Wheeler were served "Donatella Delight" cocktails.  Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet is also on the judging panel this year, as is Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon, who is overseeing the introduction of Fashion Fringe's first accessories prize.  The four as yet unnamed finalists will show capsule collections during Spring 2010 London Fashion Week, and the winner — who in the past has been Basso & Brooke and Erdem — receive upwards of £100,000 for a follow-up show.
*image: source

<i>Vanity Fair</i>'s Elizabeth Saltzman Walker <i>Vanity Fair</i>'s Elizabeth Saltzman Walker Chris Brooke of Basso & Brooke, Colin McDowell, Donatella Versace, Eun Jeong Hong, Erdem Moralioglu of Erdem Claudia Schiffer Claudia Schiffer, Donatella Versace Claudia Schiffer, Donatella Versace, Natalia Vodianova Jacquetta Wheeler
View 15 Photos
Versace

>> INSIDER WIRE —The recent partnership between Donatella Versace and Christopher Kane for Versus was logical, since he's widely considered her protege, but according to Versace, it goes further than that: "Christopher reminds me of my brother Gianni when he was young.  He has the same energy.
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>> INSIDER WIRE —The recent partnership between Donatella Versace and Christopher Kane for Versus was logical, since he's widely considered her protege, but according to Versace, it goes further than that: "Christopher reminds me of my brother Gianni when he was young.  He has the same energy. That is why I asked him to work on Versus. It was the first collection that my brother Gianni let me work on, on my own, so it's very precious to me." [British Vogue]
*image: source

First Look: Christopher Kane's Crystal-Happy Versus Accessories
Versace

First Look: Christopher Kane's Crystal-Happy Versus Accessories

>> Yesterday, Christopher Kane apparently hid out of sight, nervous, while his 20-or-so-piece accessory capsule collaboration with mentor Donatella Versace for the newly-relaunched Versus line was presented.  Diane Pernet deemed the crystal studded sandals and bags "a huge success," and Donatella was also pleased — "Who better than Christopher to revive it?  He made so many sketches and they were all so good, we had a hard time editing" — so it seems Kane had nothing to worry about.  The collection ranges from $500-$1500, and will not be in freestanding Versace stores, because the hopes are that boutique and department stores will pick up the line; clothing follows for Spring 2010.*image: source, source, source
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First Look: Christopher Kane's Crystal-Happy Versus Accessories

>> Yesterday, Christopher Kane apparently hid out of sight, nervous, while his 20-or-so-piece accessory capsule collaboration with mentor Donatella Versace for the newly-relaunched Versus line was presented.  Diane Pernet deemed the crystal studded sandals and bags "a huge success," and Donatella was also pleased — "Who better than Christopher to revive it?  He made so many sketches and they were all so good, we had a hard time editing" — so it seems Kane had nothing to worry about.  The collection ranges from $500-$1500, and will not be in freestanding Versace stores, because the hopes are that boutique and department stores will pick up the line; clothing follows for Spring 2010.
*image: source, source, source

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Versace Relaunches Versus Line, Christopher Kane Leads the Accessory Line
Fashion Flash

Fab Flash: Versus' Comeback

I remember Versus from the '90s being Versace's youthful, rebellious younger line.
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I remember Versus from the '90s being Versace's youthful, rebellious younger line. The ads were cool; remember the twin series? While other companies are downsizing, Versace is reviving. Versus is making a comeback. At Milan Fashion Week this week, the Versace group is releasing a relaunch package. First up: An accessories line designed by Scottish boy genius Christopher Kane.

Handbags, shoes and steel jewelry, have a hard-edged, glam vibe. Black, white, and silver make up a renegade collection not for the faint of heart. Donatella spoke of her choice of Kane confidentially, "Christopher is a highly creative young designer and his work impressed me from the very beginning. His rock n roll style is very powerful, glamorous and sensual - perfectly in tune with the mood of Versus - which was always intended for young people who want clothes that project a personal style that is constantly evolving."


For a sneak peek of the accessories, read more