MAC Creates Shadow Fashion Week

Pun intended. From The New York Times:

During the five years that MAC was the cosmetics sponsor of fashion shows in Bryant Park in New York, the makeup company made headlines with press conferences attended by supermodels and lithe young dancers who wore body paint in the place of clothing. But MAC, while spending millions, had to share a rather circuslike stage with other sponsors who were competing for attention, sometimes including makers of doughnuts, cameras, toilets and Big Macs.

Now the company has decided to end its support of that event — Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, as it’s called — and will instead present its own shows at Milk Studios in the meatpacking district. Depending on your perspective, it could be viewed as a complement to Fashion Week, or a new competitor. Proenza Schouler, Erin Fetherston and Alexander Wang are among the dozen designers who have already signed on.

The event, with the working title of MAC at Milk, will overlap with the established Fashion Week, beginning Sept. 10.

As John Demsey, the Estée Lauder group president who oversees MAC, described it, the idea was to create a space for emerging and international designers at a time when they need more corporate support. The designers will not be charged for the use of the studios, whereas the Bryant Park shows typically cost around $25,000 for the smallest space.

“Not everybody wants to be in a giant tent environment,” Mr. Demsey said. “And not everybody should be.”

Does this new forum mean that Anna Wintour will be getting the fewer shows that she wants? Ms. Wintour’s wishes aside, this seems to be a win-win situation for everyone; MAC gets their own sponsored event, and emerging designers will be given an affordable option for participating in Fashion Week.

Image credit: MAC Cosmetics

Impulse Buys: The Fit Flop

Impulse Buys is dedicated to those purchases that we sometimes agonize over, occasionally rue, and generally conceal from the critical eyes of society.

The FitFlop elicited a serious giggle from me when it was first released in the U.S. Don’t get me wrong: I am just as susceptible as any other red-blooded American woman to products that make wild weight loss/get fit promises without having to actually, you know, eat right and exercise (I can’t even begin to tell you what havoc the Mega-T Green Tea “burn belly fat!” commercials wreak on my subconscious). Even though I wanted to believe, there was just something a little too gushy and incredulous about the claims of “get a workout while you walk!” Yet, despite my skepticism, the FitFlop remained.

Then last week, my one pair of house Havaianas broke. As fate would have it, that same day I received a FitFlop-centric newsletter from one of my retail subscriptions, and I had to wonder…would it really be so terrible if I were to buy a pair, just for home usage?

It can be a slippery slope when you designate something comfortable yet unattractive as something that you “will only wear in the house.” Only around the house becomes a trip or three to the grocery store, and then one day you’re wearing these things out to Sunday brunch. And make no mistake: the FitFlop is still as ugly as sin, even if you do slap some sequins on it. User reviews seem to be fairly divided on the fitness claims of the FitFlop, but most seem to agree that they are orthopedically kind to feet.

Final judgment? I will probably break down and buy a pair, but with ghost of Coco Chanel as my witness, only to be worn around the house.

FitFlop’s Walkstar Classic Thong Sandal - $49.95

FitFlop’s Walkstar III Thong Sandal - $59.95

FitFlop’s Electra Thong Sandal - $59.95

Christian Siriano to Create Limited Edition Makeup Line for Victoria’s Secret

From People.com’s StyleWatch:

Christian Siriano is no stranger to fashion collaborations, having already created a clothing line with Bluefly.com and cheap-chic shoe collection for Payless since his Project Runway win.

But this fall the designer will be following in the stylish footsteps of the show’s supermodel host Heidi Klum, who has her own signature makeup collection with Victoria’s Secret, and branching into beauty with a glam new collection of his own for the brand.

The limited-edition Christian Siriano for VS Makeup will include five shadow shades, black liner, three gloss colors, a bronzer-highlighter, makeup brush and a ruffled cosmetic bag. Prices for the collection will start at $12 for eyeliner and top out at $32 for the luxe face brush.

Well, this strikes me as overkill. I personally don’t think the cosmetics industry is for dabblers - there is some science involved, and besides, once it’s on your face, it’s not like anyone is going to recognize it as a certain brand (“is that Christian Siriano eye shadow? AMAZING!”)

The packaging, with its gold stud containers and patterned shadows, is pretty cool, not that that’s any testament to the quality. Until I hear the reviews, the only thing that could seriously lure me away from my MAC is the totally adorable ruffled cosmetics bag.

Photo credit: People Magazine