If you climb to the top of the Galata Tower, which has been looming over this Istanbul neighborhood for the past 600-odd years, you will look out on a cobweb of vertiginous cobblestone streets and a panoramic view of the Golden Horn. But what you will not be able to discern from this height is that the winding paths below are increasingly playing host to a gaggle of fresh boutiques, making the area, also called Galata, Istanbul’s version of New York’s Williamsburg, or Paris’s haute Marais, or London’s Spitalfields—in other words, quarters that retain an air of gritty authenticity despite the encroaching presence of artists and free-thinking young professionals with their penchant for cafés, glassy restaurants, and of course, interesting shops. 

At Nes, a mosaic parapet gives way to a well-lighted space where a felted-wool (a traditional fabric here) shrug is 80 TL, or around $50; at Bahar Korçan the pastel sundresses—perfect for Istanbul’s steamy summers—are frequently decorated with small angel-wing appliqués (the jewelry counter offers diamond wings as well). Perhaps the best known of the new shops in the area is Laundromat, where a Fashion’s Night Out sign adorns the front door and the typical hallmarks of local high style you see in so many shops in other parts of town—frankly far too much brocade and spangles—are thankfully nowhere in evidence. Here the reigning aesthetic comes straight from the Lanvin/Rick Owens playbook—drapy suggestions in muted colors, but all bearing Turkish labels.   Continue reading ›

Past hologram-logoed doors, kiosks of Walkers potato chips, Haribo gummi candies, and assorted socks, and an old library cart with copies of McSweeney’s and Mad Libs, you’ll find the women’s clothes at the Ace Hotel’s entrance is on 29th, but OC’s entrance is on Broadway between 28th and 29th in NYC. Near the entry, a mannequin is outfitted in Acne’s Ganga jumpsuit ($589), which just so happens to be one of the most coveted pieces for fall. Turns out the OC outpost just started carrying Acne—and it’s been a wild success. Jumpsuit aside, other Acne best-sellers are the Rita shearling jacket ($1,799) and the Admire Shoe ($679), a dangerous-looking wedge heel covered in leather with a Velcro buckle. Assistant store manager Jimmy Jimeno points to a luggage rack filled with Alexander Wang’s fall offerings, which include the oft-requested Rocco mini bag ($965) and Devon open-toe bootie ($525). “People are just now getting excited about sweaters,” he says. Continue reading ›

With Labor Day on the horizon, Hamptonites spent a gorgeous Saturday afternoon celebrating the end of the season with the Last Song of Summer concert in Watermill. Guests like Anjelica Huston, Josephine de La Baume, and Lorenzo Martone congregated on the sprawling green grounds of the Watermill Center to enjoy the sounds of Rufus Wainwright and Kylie Minogue. Waris Ahluwalia, Mark Ronson, and Lisa Anastos could be found lounging on blankets by the open-air stage where Minogue and Wainwright performed a unique duet of “Don’t go Breaking My Heart.” DJ Rachel Chandler, in a white cut-out dress by Preen, spun between sets and at the backstage after-party, where VIP guests kept the party going well after sunset.

—Giovanna Campagna

In honor of Naomi Campbell’s quarter-century-long career, Dolce & Gabbana is launching a line of limited-edition T-shirts featuring the supermodel shot by photography greats Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Klein, David LaChapelle, Mario Testino, Paolo Roversi, Ellen von Unwerth, Bruce Weber, Steven Meisel, Herb Ritts, Fabrizio Ferri, Peter Lindbergh, Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, Tom Munro, and Sølve Sundsbø. Visit Dolce & Gabbana’s Madison Avenue boutique between 6:30 and 9:45 p.m. on Fashion’s Night Out, September 10, to see Naomi sign the covetable tees—and watch two surprise performances arranged by choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson of Lady Gaga fame. The collection of tees will continue rolling out to Dolce & Gabbana boutiques worldwide beginning in London on September 21, and proceeds benefit Campbell’s charity, Fashion for Relief.

—Louise McCready

A few months after her 29th birthday, emerging photographer—and former Vogue staffer—Claiborne Swanson Frank started shooting simple, sumptuous portraits of women in her life who inspire her, mainly her closest friends and family, including her sisters Veronica Swanson Beard and Alexis Swanson Traina. While her subjects are often photographed socially, she wanted to capture the women in their natural settings, wearing their own clothes and revealing a piece of their real worlds.

The portraits quickly turned into a larger idea of a book—and the book notion turned even more rapidly into an idea for an exhibition, Indigo Light. While you can’t get your hands on the whole project just yet, you can get a serious sneak peek at the Akris store on Madison Avenue from 6-10 p.m. when 29 of her portraits will be on display for the very first time. Also on hand to celebrate? The photographer, her subjects, plenty to see, sip, and shop, and—hopefully—you. 

Even though they are known around the world for their robin’s egg blue, Tiffany & Co will be painting the town a glittering shade of yellow on Fashion’s Night Out with a party to fete their new Yellow Diamond Collection at their flagship store. The evening’s hostess, celebrity stylist Estee Stanley, will be on hand with advice on how to accessorize the beautifully hued gems—she’ll be pairing those diamonds (above) with gorgeous Oscar de la Renta gowns, just for starters, and Mark Ronson is on DJ duty for the night. Get their early to catch all the action as the party starts at 6 p.m., but we can’t think of a more beautiful way to kick off your weekend.  

—Chioma Nnadi

It goes without saying there are myriad beautiful ways in which the worlds of art and fashion collide, and nowhere will this be more evident than on Fashion’s Night Out at the Balenciaga flagship boutique in Chelsea, where the work of not one, not two, but three artists will be on display. First, starting at 8 p.m., the store will debut the US exhibition of the “Cindy Sherman: Untitled (Balenciaga)” series. The six large-scale photographs, which became original art when they were printed in 2008, are owned by François Pinault and depict familiar figures—from fashion victim to best friend—all wearing Balenciaga. The second artist-in-residence will be none other than the very talented Karen Elson, a longtime friend of and recent model (she was shot by Steven Meisel for the fall/winter ad campaign) for the house, who will be hosting a live performance. And the third artist, you ask? Well, as far as we are concerned, the fact that the masterful Nicolas Ghesquière, Creative Director of Balenciaga, will be playing host to all this merriment is reason enough to stop by on September 10 and raise a glass. 

—Caroline Palmer

It’s a gorgeous, sultry evening in Istanbul. A ridiculously full melon-colored moon is setting over the Bosporus, but the cool crowd outside the Dice Kayek exhibit on the second day of Istanbul Fashion Week is more interested in swilling champagne and eyeing each other’s outfits than gawking at lunar wonders.

The event, at the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, marks the opening night of “Istanbul Contrast,” by Ece and Ayşe Ege, creators of the Dice Kayek brand, a label that has been in business for nearly two decades, making it the venerable grande dame of Turkish fashion design. This is the third edition of IFW, which joins the ranks of Fashion Weeks from Rio to Seoul to Copenhagen, all presenting their interpretations of high fashion to an international crowd of press and buyers. The only problem: fitting in the full roster of catwalk shows between visits to the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, and of course the progenitor of all shopping centers, the legendary Grand Bazaar.

The revelers outside the Istanbul Modern appear to have spent plenty of time shopping: The best ensembles, like modern dressing everywhere around the globe, combine elements of illustrious labels salted with irreverent high-street finds, resulting in a glorious mélange of Bebe and McQueen, Topshop and Louboutin.

—Lynn Yaeger

If you’re a fan of all things Harajuku, head to Sephora in SoHo on September 10 for the launch of Harajuku Lovers’ newest fragrance collection, Wicked Style. Enter the store and travel to the Harajuku district in Tokyo—known for the lavishly dressed girls who hang out there—where you can sample sweet bubble teas and green tea ice cream, and get a Harajuku-inspired makeover (think ornate hair and bright makeup). Each perfume bottle is shaped like a Harajuku girl, inspired by L.A.M.B., the womenswear line by longtime Harajuku lover Gwen Stefani. But you’ll have to hurry: The collection—which hits stores in November—is only available during FNO in limited supply. To add to the excitement, the first 100 customers can get their perfume bottles signed by Gwen Stefani, who will be in the store at 10:00 p.m. But don’t worry—even if you miss the cutoff, you will still have a chance to enter to win tickets to the L.A.M.B. fashion show on September 16.

—Katherine Bernard

The excitement for New York Fashion Week is already palpable, but there’s another event on the horizon between now and when the collections kick off that’s equally as thrilling and similarly stylish: the U.S. Open. The strongest players are also the best-dressed, and last night hard hitters like Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Victoria Azarenka gathered at Pier 54 for Nike’s Primetime Knockout charity event, where they played some rousing points, debuted new looks from Nike, and talked about keeping court with their personal style. “I love coming to New York, where you can do something risqué and fun,” said Sharapova, who played in a chic plum dress to benefit New York’s youth tennis programs. “Why should tennis fashion have any boundaries?” Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and John McEnroe followed suit, showcasing fashion-forward menswear on center court. “I like to sit down and talk cuts and colors,” Federer said. “It’s a great opportunity for me to show some fashion sense!”
 
The tennis champs played and joked around in front of an audience of young fans. Williams, who looked lovely in an off-the-shoulder black dress and patent Nike sneakers, took a turn interviewing Nadal, asking, “Can we see your abs?” Nadal and his partner for the night, model Bar Refaeli, made stunning doubles partners, though ultimately they lost to Azarenka and the New York Giants’ Justin Tuck. The crowd cheered as Williams coached Bradley Cooper, Sharapova’s partner, from the edge of the court. “Poach the ball!” she shouted. He hit a perfect volley, and Federer laughed in surprise, looking incredibly sharp in a monogrammed navy ensemble. “I get good reviews,” Federer said later of his style choices—solidifying the U.S. Open’s place as the Fashion Week preliminaries for the sporty, style-obsessed set.

—Katherine Bernard