Copyright 2008 The New York Sun Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:59:18 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Pia Catton :: Stories from The New York Sun http://www.nysun.com/authors/Pia+Catton istoll@nysun.com (Ira Stoll) webmaster@nysun.com en-us PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/signs-of-spring-at-paris-fashion-week/86859/ Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST PARIS — This city doesn't need to rely on bright sunshine and fragrant fall breezes to make it beautiful. But yesterday, Paris had both. The Tuileries gardens were teeming with people lounging outside, making the most of the good weather. With so many languages, the city's international flavor was easy to capture: The world comes here to witness and share in something grand. And the same holds true for Paris fashion week. While the biggest draw of the day, Christian Dior, is a symbol of France... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/moving-fashion-forward/86836/ Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST What makes Paris fashion week the pinnacle of the industry is not just the collections from venerable French houses, such as Dior, Chanel, Balenciaga, and Lanvin. No matter the brand, the Paris shows cultivate a sense of tradition and respect for craft. It is a mood that is established by history and maintained by the efforts of the president of the Fédération Français de la Couture, Didier Grumbach, who if he had his way would make the week an even more civilized affair. While fashion week in... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/travel/only-in-tokyo-limited-edition-retro-louis-vuitton/86454/ Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST How far will you travel for a Louis Vuitton handbag? Well, if you want one of the limited edition bags designed by Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garçons, you'll have to hop a flight to Tokyo. Now through December, LVMH has a temporary shop set up within the Comme des Garçons store on Kottodori, Omotesando. And it is only there that shoppers can place an order for one of six designs. No phone or Internet orders are being taken. And there will be no buying in bulk: The shop is selling just... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/will-the-real-alyssa-milano-please-stand-up/86372/ Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST A bad dress is a bad dress, but let us lay blame at the right pair of platform heels. At the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards, actress Christina DeRosa showed up in the frightful concoction pictured here. Turns out that several news organizations — including E! Entertainment Television, the Associated Press, and The New York Sun — reported that the woman in white was Alyssa Milano. But we should have known better: Ms. Milano — who did not attend the ceremony or related events that night — would never... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/in-the-details/85913/ Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST The Ralph Lauren collection for fall 2008 is strong on outdoorsy themes and hunting motifs. And that extends to the accessories. Several handbags in the brand's most popular shapes, including the "Ricky" and the "Greenwich" (shown here, $2,995), are made in leather known as baranil, which is naturally tanned in France. The rich color of the leather — a light shade of brown nicknamed "RL Tan" — has made it a favorite of the designer himself, who has a Mercedes-Benz lined with it. The bags have a... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/color-safe-at-the-emmy-awards/86290/ Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Gowns in bold colors came down the red carpet as celebrities arrived at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards. Brooke Shields found a supremely flattering shade of magenta. Mariska Hargitay projected confidence in a marigold gown by Carolina Herrera. In a seafoam-green strapless gown by Calvin Klein, Cynthia Nixon appeared every bit the serious, talented professional she is. Mary-Louise Parker looked ready for fun in a bright blue spaghetti-strap gown... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/andree-putmans-masterful-output/86010/ Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST When the owners of high-end hotels want to make a splash, they hire celebrity fashion designers to create stylish interiors. But such collaborations weren't always de rigueur. In 1984, Morgans commissioned the French interior designer Andrée Putman to put the hotel on the map. And she did — with style so modern and glamorous it looks as though it could have been put up yesterday. One step into Morgans, which was recently restored, will give you a sense of Ms. Putman's sleek, yet warm design... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/so-hip-to-be-square/85738/ Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST It wasn't just minimalism that Francisco Costa delivered for the 40th anniversary collection at Calvin Klein. It was the geometry of minimalism. Squares and cubes were the defining shapes, which were gracefully twisted or wrapped around the body to form what we know as dresses. The three-dimensionality of the cubes was maintained by way of a corner or a whole line jutting out away from the body. In some cases, stiff, square panels were contrasted against curves that looked inspired by Frank... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/fashion-ticker-zang-toi/85710/ Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST In lieu of a runway show, Zang Toi rented out the restaurant Daniel and threw a combination fund-raiser-presentation to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation. A crowd of supporters and fans of Mr. Toi gathered in the bar area of the restaurant to sip Champagne and place silent bids on lots that included sketches by the designer. One guest, Janice Montanta, flew in from Arizona to attend. Wearing a silk organza white shirt by Zang Toi, she said she was introduced to the brand by a salesperson... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/calmed-by-fashion/85606/ Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Innovators are always easy to cheer for: They carve out a place at the forefront of their industry and, once there, determine the shape of things to come. But designers who are known for consistency also have a place in the collective fashion heart. Every season, Oscar de la Renta and Michael Kors, who both showed their spring 2009 collections yesterday, each receive a hero's welcome when they come out for a bow. Season after season they deliver collections that buoy the spirits during fashion... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/fashion-ticker-max-azria-malo/85608/ Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Max Azria's namesake collection was full of sexy draping. Dresses hung from one shoulder and fell over or under the mesh belts as if they — not the designer — had decided which way to go. Harem pants were present, as were supple leather jackets that lent an air of polish. The backs of several dresses were open, either in full or in dramatic, diagonal slits. Flat knits had form-fitting cuts; few beige cotton sweaters ever looked so attractive. Several hemlines and necklines were asymmetrical... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/marc-jacobs-reinterprets-american-life/85517/ Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST At the Marc Jacobs show on Monday night, the zippy, shifting strains of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" made for a stirring soundtrack. And the music was an astute choice. While Gershwin's score captures the bustle and glory of New York, Mr. Jacobs's clothes seem to celebrate the people who made not just this city, but America as a whole: immigrants. Model after model walked the runway like a live parade of American Girl dolls; there were historical references to the vast variety of clothing worn... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/summertime-brights/85408/ Tue, 9 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Fashion collections for the warm-weather seasons lend themselves to brighter colors than the cold-weather seasons. But even with all the bold shades, abstract prints, and floral patterns that designers have been showing during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, black and white turned up just as often. If color palettes rather than hemlines were read as a financial indicator, the message would simple: cautiously exuberant. At Carolina Herrera, suits and dresses in deep orange silk organza offered... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/suiting-up-in-one-piece/85329/ Mon, 8 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Strange but true: The one clear trend to emerge from the first few days of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is the presence of jumpsuits and rompers. These one-piece wonders have popped up in the spring 2009 collections from DKNY, Yigal Azrouël, BCBGMaxAzria, and more. While the proportions and styling differed enormously from runway to runway, the question remained the same: Will women really go for outfits intended for janitors and children? One has to guess that Donna Karan knows what she's doing... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/how-to-buy-a-seat-at-a-fashion-show/85190/ Thu, 4 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Twice a year, the giant white tents go up at Bryant Park, signaling the return of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. But while the location itself is central and visible, it's a bit of a tease for the public. Every season, passersby gather outside only to be turned away by burly security guards who have heard it all. What's a fashion obsessive to do? Short of trying to slip in or con someone at the door, which can get you summarily bounced, there's one move that always works: Spend your way in. At... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/fashion-central/84989/ Tue, 2 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST As the last of the summer sun settles on New York, fashion designers will present their spring 2009 collections at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, beginning on Friday in Bryant Park. The week will include America's most recognized designers — Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein. It also will showcase the designers, such as Phillip Lim, Tracy Reese, and Yigal Azrouël, who are building their brands and expanding their influence. And perhaps most important, it will... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/so-french-so-new-york/84575/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST The weak dollar may have put the kibosh on your summer trip to Paris, but that's no reason to skip a season's worth of Gallic style. Shopping in New York for French brands can give a sense of direction to an afternoon (or day) of browsing and, inevitably, buying. But cross-cultural exchange can take on many looks, from French-perfumed Uptown polish to Left Bank-SoHo chic. RELATED: French Shopping Guide. While some French brands have locations both north and south of 14th Street, the downtown... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/scan-to-shop/84113/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Polo Ralph Lauren is launching its 2008 U.S. Open Collection along with a new system that allows shoppers to purchase gear via cell phone. All that's necessary is a camera phone or hand-held device loaded with software that can read the black-and-white symbols known as Quick Response (QR) codes. Advertisements, store windows, and mailers will be printed with the codes; when scanned, they send the user to an Internet shopping portal, m.ralphlauren.com. The site also has software available for... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/aviators-and-wayfarers-take-to-the-street/84114/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Trends can peak and valley in ways that surprise the entire fashion industry. This summer's most notable disparity was between editorial coverage of sunglasses and the actual trend on the street. While fashion magazines (and certain newspapers) featured spreads with all manner of large plastic frames, New Yorkers seemed to favor lighter, metal styles, such as aviators, this summer. That's not to say that plastic frames are out. With so many high-profile fans of Ray-Ban's Wayfarer — including... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/deconstructing-the-classic-chanel-jacket/83652/ Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST In today's luxury economy, Chanel is identified with a lively, ebullient approach to fashion. This has much to do with its founding: In the early 20th century, Coco Chanel offered women a new way of dressing — one that introduced ease and comfort to feminine elegance. That legacy has endured in various ways, especially in the form of the classic Chanel jacket. Originally inspired by a traditional Austrian men's style, the jacket borrowed some masculine flair but was distinctly chic. Its loose... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/antiques/antique-rugs-with-stripes-and-stars/83247/ Wed, 6 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Though antique rugs are functional, they're also works of art. In appreciation of this duality, ABC Carpet & Home is organizing an exhibition and sale of rugs with a shared design motif: stars and stripes. On view — and available for purchase — this Friday, the rugs are far from symbols of American patriotism. Used in disparate nomadic cultures, the stripe designs come in every length and shape. And though stars may be thought of as religious imagery, they are more likely to have been inspired... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/antiques/wine-sun-shopping/81981/ Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST EAST HAMPTON — The East Hampton Antiques Show is only in its second year, but its benefit preview last weekend suggested that it is poised for success. Presented by the East Hampton Historical Society, the show included 60 dealers selected for their understanding of East End tastes. "We chose dealers who are based out here or who have a lot of clients here," the society's executive director, Richard Barons, said. "It's not Americana. We wanted something different. It had to be worth the trouble... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/paris-couture-week-opens-with-dior/80996/ Tue, 1 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST It's elegant. It's sumptuous. It's couture week in Paris. While the ready-to-wear collections in New York, Paris, and Milan are driven by commercial concerns, the couture shows are flights of sartorial fancy. Yesterday's shows included John Galliano's designs for the storied Paris house of Christian Dior, and Giorgio Armani's highest end-creations for Armani Privé. Dior's long, sweeping gowns in layers of asymmetrical tulle are enough to induce a dreamlike state. And the Armani sense of drama... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/refreshed-for-free-at-clarins/80535/ Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST Clarins is offering a must-try freebie. Within its SoHo location, Clarins has opened a cozy private space where it is offering complimentary 20-minute spa treatments. The goal is to introduce clients to the spa services available at its Upper East Side and Upper West Side locations. The four treatments to choose from are the Cleanse and Revive Facial (with no extractions), the Scalp, Neck & Shoulders Soother (a deep-tissue massage), the Purify Back Treatment (with a customized blend of... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/mozart-in-a-month/80452/ Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST Rather than plow through a list of must-hear works, a pleasant way to learn is by reading "Mozart: A Life" by Peter Gay (Penguin). The later half of this short book can serve as a listening guide to the composer's career. If you like symphonies, you can listen to the ones Mr. Gay mentions. You can do the same with his references to music for piano, opera, and religious ceremonies. This will place the works within the context of Mozart's life and times — and it will allow you to listen with some... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/correcting-a-mozart-deficit/80453/ Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST When you really don't know something, it's best just to admit it. And earlier this year, an embarrassing fact emerged: I didn't know Mozart's music as well as I thought I did. The catalyst for this admission came while at the barre during a ballet class. My teacher bellowed, in that way that only ballet teachers can, "Feel the music. This is Mozart." RELATED: Mozart in a Month. I thought I'd listen to the piece of music (which was the "Rondo alla turca" from the Piano Sonata, K. 331) at home... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/calendar/lets-go-out-tonight/80458/ Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST INDIAN SPICE This evening, American Ballet Theatre opens a week-long run of its "La Bayadère" at the Metropolitan Opera House. Tonight's cast is led by the majestic Veronika Part and Marcelo Gomes. This pairing is reason enough to snap up tickets, but there's more: ABT's corps de ballet brings stunning clarity and poise to the scene known as the "Kingdom of the Shades," in which a long line of dancers in white performs a meticulous procession. Set in India, the ballet is a tragic love triangle... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/art-shopping-with-the-azrias/80364/ Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST The Whitney Museum of American Art hosted its annual Art Party on Tuesday night at Skylight studio on Hudson Street. Sponsored by Max and Lubov Azria, proprietors of BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, the night consisted of drinks and dancing, as well as a silent auction of 70 works of art donated by contemporary artists. This was the second year that the Azrias — whose brands include BCBG, Max Azria, and Herve Leger — hosted the event. And just as many of the guests at the event did, the couple bid on the... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/get-smart-gets-fashion/80119/ Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST At a time when fashion is heading toward traditional silhouettes — hourglass figures, belted coats, and knee-length hemlines — along comes "Get Smart," the film adaptation and update of the 1960s television series of the same name, which opens on Friday. Our heroine is Agent 99. She's quick, competent, and attractive. No matter what manner of royal mess Maxwell Smart makes, she's there to back him up — looking flawlessly elegant, yet modern all the while. In the movie, Anne Hathaway wears a... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/shady-looks/80120/ Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST Whether you're on a covert mission or a coffee run, sometimes you just don't want to see or be seen. And as every Hollywood starlet on her way to rehab knows, the way to hide in public is behind a pair of big, dark sunglasses — which are not hard to find this season. Banana Republic has expanded its collection of sunglasses, which includes styles that offer full coverage. For stylish secrecy, the fashion brands Proenza Schouler and Thakoon have both launched debut collections, available at... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/choose-from-cruise-fiery-reds-dappled-prints/79631/ Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST You may still be shopping for summer 2008, but for the past few weeks, fashion designers have been presenting their pre-spring 2009 collections. Traditionally referred to as "resort" or "cruise," these collections give a gal something to wear on her trip to St. Barts in January and February — and they extend a designer's opportunity for selling warm-weather clothing. Although the looks shown here won't be available for months, the pre-spring 2009 collections can offer fashion addicts some hints... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/anne-fontaines-natural-world/79138/ Tue, 3 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST Fabric may seem like an obvious factor in fashion, but for designer Anne Fontaine it's the inspiration. "I am obsessed with natural textures," she said. "I love fabrics, and I want to work with natural fabrics." But make no mistake: She's not talking about hemp shoes with burlap trim. Since she opened her first shop in 1994, Anne Fontaine's stock-in-trade has been luxurious white shirts for women. They may range from frilly to simple, but they always convey elegance without pretension. Tonight... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/obituaries/fashion-legend-yves-saint-laurent-dies/79088/ Mon, 2 Jun 2008 07:24:59 EST In a consumer culture that burns through trends faster than they can emerge, it is almost impossible to imagine one fashion designer having an impact on an entire generation. Yves Saint Laurent, who died at 71 yesterday, did just that. His importance can be put in perspective with institutional markers: The French awarded him the Legion d'Honneur in 1985 and the Metropolitan Museum of Art made him the first living designer ever to have his own retrospective. He was tapped to helm the haute... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/contemporary-photography-in-a-cyber-gallery/79031/ Mon, 2 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST Contemporary photographers who straddle the line between art, fashion, and celebrity have a new home: Photographers LimitedEditions.com. Based in Vienna, Austria, this recently launched art gallery is entirely Web-based. Collectors can browse works from 17 artists. When an order comes in, the site's founder Andrea Preiss contacts the artist, who then ships Ms. Preiss a signed, limited-edition print from his or her studio. Ms. Preiss then sends the work anywhere in the world. The effort is... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/the-best-little-guidebooks-to-paris-and-london/78809/ Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 EST PARIS — Living the good life on a trip abroad requires at least a glance through a travel guide or two before the flight. And the Paris-based publisher Wilfried LeCarpentier wants to make that research as effortlessly elegant as the trip itself. Mr. LeCarpentier is the founder of Authentik, a new brand of niche travel books that targets an independent-minded cosmopolitan reader. "This is not for people who travel in groups. It's not just about, 'I am going to Paris to go to Paris,'" he said... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/functional-heel/76344/ Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 EST Ballerina flats have become the go-to casual shoe for New York women, but the dirty little secret is that hitting the pavement in flats can be severely uncomfortable. That's why footwear designer Faryl Robin Morse added a shoe with a gently raised heel to the spring collection of her line, Farylrobin. "This is New York City. If you stomp around in flat-flats all day, your feet are going to hurt as much as if you wore pumps," Ms. Morse said. The "Bing" slingback has a wedge heel and an... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/fashion-follows-art-in-sex-and-the-city/76248/ Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 EST "Sex and the City: The Movie," which opens May 30, is set to be a fashion lover's dream, with reportedly more than 80 costume changes for Carrie and 300 changes for the four leading ladies combined. But a narrative can't survive on clothes alone. During the course of six seasons on HBO, the women wore increasingly sophisticated clothes because they had increasingly important places to go. Their status in New York evolved — and in many cases, that status was indicated by their connection to... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/its-a-bird-its-a-plane-its-at-the-met/75913/ Tue, 6 May 2008 00:00:00 EST When Madonna wore her pointy-bra bodysuits onstage, circa 1990, the costumes were so outside the realm of normal human activity that they raised the question: Who but Madonna would wear such a thing? Likewise, when metallic leggings that made models look like the "Star Wars" droid C-3PO showed up at Balenciaga, it was fair to wonder: What's the point? The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute offers an answer: Its new exhibit, "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy," which opens Wednesday... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/skagen-in-sync-with-moma/75081/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Skagen Designs, the Danish-American brand known for sleek Modernist watches, has made its first foray into arts sponsorship with the Museum of Modern Art's new exhibit "Take your time: Olafur Eliasson." While the title of the exhibit is appropriate for a company that makes timepieces, the sponsorship works on more than one level — and it is an example of a smart linkage between design and art. Founded in the late 1980s by a husband-and-wife team of Danish émigrés, Charlotte and Henrik Jorst... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/fresh-updates-on-the-white-shirt/74709/ Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST The classic white shirt will have a new look today when the 2008 Gap Design Editions land in stores. For the second consecutive year, Gap has asked up-and-coming designers for their take on the white shirt. This year's designs were created by 3.1 Phillip Lim, Band of Outsiders, Michael Bastian, and threeASFOUR. The collection also includes jewelry for which Philip Crangi is the inaugural designer. For the shirts, each brand was free to reinterpret the classic in any way. The unifying element of... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/blow-but-dont-touch-that-horn/74483/ Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Sergeant Ernest Gabriel III, of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Department, has what is arguably the best beat in all of policedom. His duty is to guard the bejeweled Elysian Trumpet, a handcrafted, brushed-gold instrument that is played by jazz musician Irvin Mayfield Jr. The trumpet — which has been blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, inspected by President Bush, and insured by Lloyd's of London — is a traveling musical symbol of New Orleans. According to the terms of its creation and... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/shop-easy/74290/ Tue, 8 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Two new shops in downtown Manhattan are pointing toward the future of retailing. At John Varvatos and Banana Republic's Monogram, both of which recently opened along Bleecker Street, the emphasis is not only on engaging the shopper, but the shopper's companions, too. The new John Varvatos boutique, situated at the space once occupied by the music venue CBGB, includes the designer's spring men's collection, but it also pays homage to bands that once played the famous stage. Posters and albums... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/arts/young-unafraid/73945/ Tue, 1 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST HAMBURG, Germany — When the Hamburg State Opera performs its new production of "Das Rheingold" — the first opera in Richard Wagner's four-part "Ring" cycle — the opera is sung, as it is written, in German. Above the stage are surtitles, also in German. This seems logical enough, but when the opera's music director and general manager, Simone Young, began using titles with German operas, including Paul Hindemith's "Mathis der Maler," the outrage was immediate. As she describes it, the opposition... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/dior-biography-revisited/73979/ Tue, 1 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST The house of Christian Dior has been a leader in fashion since that celebrated day — February 12, 1947 — when a young, shy designer introduced what would come to be known as the New Look. With a nipped waist and full skirt, the style marked the return of beauty and refinement to postwar Europe. The importance of the iconic silhouette and the lasting impact of the man who created it were captured brilliantly by biographer Marie-France Pochna in her 1996 "Christian Dior: The Man Who Made the... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/connected-through-fashion/73084/ Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST When we last checked in with Israeli fashion designer Mirit Weinstock, she had launched her spring 2008 collection with the photographic work of artists she had never met. The designer contacted five individuals through the photo-sharing Web site Flickr and asked them to create self-portraits of themselves in her clothes. Now Ms. Weinstock, in Paris last week to introduce her fall collection to buyers at a trade show on the Avenue Montaigne, has launched a Web site where the photos from the... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/travel/new-way-on-the-bay/72778/ Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST SAN FRANCISCO — Ballet companies around the world struggle for a happy balance of past and present. At San Francisco Ballet, however, that balance is beautifully maintained — minus the struggle. Its artistic even keel is especially on offer this season, during which the company is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Since January, SFB has been performing repertory works ranging from "Giselle" to Jerome Robbins's "West Side Story Suite." But starting on April 22, the attention shifts forward. As a... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/travel/music-on-the-go/72733/ Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST You may not be a DJ, but you can travel like one. The luxury brand Longchamp has partnered with top fashion DJ Michel Gaubert, the man behind the music at runway shows for Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, and Michael Kors. The MG by Longchamp collection is a small group of accessories designed to keep up with the technical and practical needs of a globe-trotting sound designer — or anyone who loves to travel with music. The line includes an iPod case ($100), a CD holder ($230), carry-on bags ($450)... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/travel/from-beirut-to-beijing-with-louis-vuitton/72744/ Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST PARIS — When you're out for a sightseeing walk down the Champs-Elysees, Louis Vuitton's glittering palace of luxury goods stands out like a beacon. What's less noticeable, however, is that around the corner from the flagship store is the company's gallery, Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton. Currently on view is "The East Without Borders: From Beirut to Beijing in the Tracks of the Yellow Cruise," an exhibit that combines contemporary art with the history of travel — and a dash of early 20th-century... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/paris-pizzazz/72265/ Tue, 4 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST PARIS — If the top fashion houses are able to influence the public at large, there are a few silhouette choices that may hold sway this fall. During Paris fashion week, which ended Sunday, cropped pants seemed to turn up at regular intervals; it was somewhat surprising for fall collections. Marc Jacobs made them for Louis Vuitton in a tapered shape. Barbara Bui showed slim, ankle-length pants paired with her heeled sandals with high ankle straps. At Yves Saint Laurent, designer Stefano Pilati... PIA CATTON http://www.nysun.com/style/romancing-the-future-of-fashion/72168/ Mon, 3 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST PARIS — Marc Jacobs's fall 2008 collection for Louis Vuitton swayed beautifully between the contrasting poles of supreme romance and sleek futurism. At yesterday's show, a strong sense of classicism was represented by tea-length skirts, formfitting knee-length dresses with wide décolletage, and simple sweaters. But the future was bright, especially with a few of the coats. One light tan coat was cut close to the body, then flared out at the waist with a full handkerchief skirt. Skirts had wavy...