Diane Von Furstenberg | The New York Observer

Burnham, Baby, Burnham: Harper Honcho Falls at Literary Bee

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:58:02 -0400

Village Voice columnist Michael Musto, Harper publisher Jonathan Burnham, artist Maira Kalman, author James Frey, Vogue editor Sally Singer and others gathered at Diane von Furstenberg’s studio beneath the High Line on Monday, Oct. 26, for a spelling bee to support the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses and independent publishing.

“I’m so damn, D-A-M-N, nervous,” Ms. Kalman told the judge, Jesse Sheidlower, the soft-spoken editor at large for the Oxford English Dictionary.

Eva-Licious! Actress Topples Tray; Designers Weave Through Festive Week

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:54:43 -0400

Big week for the fashion crowd!

On the eighth floor of Saks on Oct. 20, CFDA president Steven Kolb hosted a party for his organization’s American Fashion Cookbook, now in its second printing, though Mr. Kolb admitted: “If we were to do a recipe quiz with all the designers in the cookbook and asked them to make it, I don’t think they would pass.” And himself? “I’m good at opening a tub of hummus...

Gossip Girls, Geldof, Graydon Converge at Gypsy-Inspired DVF Show

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:22:51 -0400

Diane von Furstenberg's afternoon show yesterday drew the usual glamorous crowd--though several audience members were spotted drinking Peroni beers right from the bottle, tac-ky!

Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter sat next Valentino's Giancarlo Giammetti who sat next to actress Candice Bergen and her daughter, Chloe. Daily Beast editor Tina Brown was right across the aisle. Francesco Clemente arrived with daughter, Chiara, and sat next to hotelier Andre Balazs. There were Gossip Girls (Michelle Trachtenberg, Blake...

She's Mayoress of Tent City!

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:57:38 -0400

Examining the Spring 2010 Fashion Weekschedule—and how futuristic that date seems; why are we not walking around in plastic spacesuits as Courrèges forecast?—one is struck by how designerly the whole affair has become—not about Cindys and Lindas and Naomis but Doo.Ri and Charlotte Ronson and Tory Burch.

This is partly thanks to idiot shows like Project Runway, of course (now anyone, from Alabama to Antwerp, can make clothes). But a symbolic debt is also...

At CFDA Town Meeting, Wintour Proposes Discount by Committee; DVF: 'That’s Illegal!'

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:53:39 -0400

Andre Leon Talley’s black Town Car was one of the first to pull up to the Fashion Institute of Technology Tuesday morning, July 28, for the 9 a.m. Town Hall meeting of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The Vogue editor at large got out in a light gray suit with a small Louis Vuitton man-purse and parked himself at a table by the entrance. He applied lotion to his hands and sent...

Gloria Vanderbilt Would Like Her Reputation to Be Ruined, Thank You Very Much!

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:31:47 -0400

The balmy evening of Wednesday, July 15, saw an unusual crowd at the Diane von Furstenberg store on Washington Street, gathered to celebrate the release of Gloria Vanderbilt’s newest literary endeavor: Obsession: An Erotic Tale. Upper East Siders who may not have ventured below 14th Street since the J.F.K. administration, together with meatpacking district regulars, hobbled out of limos and zoomed up on Vespas, respectively, to congratulate Ms. Vanderbilt. “They really re-did this area very...

See Where Celebs Shop, Eat, Etc. Thanks To Google

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:01:49 -0400

Want to see a map that tells you exactly where Diane von Furstenberg likes to shop (Moss, for home pieces) and pick up flowers (Miho Kosuda Ltd)? Or where Danny Meyer goes for some Japanese (Yakitori Torys)? Or where Moby goes antique shopping (Billy's Antiques) and claims to grab a beer (Mars Bar ... really?)?

Today, Google has launched Favorite Places, a Google Maps feature that allows you to find celebrities' favorite spots, whether via...

'It's a Family Affair,' Says DVF of Celeb-Clogged CFDAs

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:26:30 -0400

Outside Alice Tully Hall on the evening of Tuesday, June 16, a large group of models was standing immobilized on a block of stairs. Inside, the Council of Fashion Designers of America were holding their annual awards.

The organizer’s president, designer Diane von Furstenberg, stood near the entrance in a white knee-length dress, snapping photos of arrivals, which included Ashley Olsen, Blake Lively, Claire Danes, Justin Timberlake and Anna Wintour in sunglasses, with a...

Who Will Be Seated at the High Line's $100,000 Dinner Tables on Monday?

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:25:55 -0400

On the evening of Monday, June 15, at 6 p.m., the High Line in Chelsea will host a big opening party to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the structure and the 10th anniversary of the the city's efforts to revive it. It will honor benefactors like actor Edward Norton; IAC chairman Barry Diller and his wife, designer Diane von Furstenberg; and hedge fund director Philip Falcone and wife Lisa Maria.

Earlier this month, Mr. Diller...

Vegging Out: Sir Paul and Stella McCartney Espouse Meatless, Hybrid Lifestyle at Eco-A-List Bash

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:57:55 -0400

“My daughter is getting an award so I’m a proud duh-dee!” Paul McCartney told the Daily Transom at the Natural Resources Defense Council’s annual Forces for Nature benefit at 583 Park Avenue on Monday, March 30, where his daughter, fashion designer Stella McCartney, and Discovery Communications’ CEO David Zaslav were honored for their respective environmental work.

Mr. McCartney, wearing a lightweight European aristo scarf indoors, was accompanied by his lady friend, M.T.A. board member Nancy Shevell,...

In The City: Events, 3.23.09

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:10:18 -0400

6 p.m. French–Pan-Asian restaurant Satsko celebrates "Satsko's Economic stimulus package Monday" with a happy hour and $5 all-you-can-eat Asian Chicken, at 245 Eldridge Street.

6:30 p.m. "A Literary Showdown" features Jonathan Lethem, Chip Kidd, A. J. Jacobs, Darin Strauss and Susan Jane Gilman, pitting "three teams of five authors, five editors and five agents against one another to see who ultimately knows the most useless facts concerning the literary world." At...

Welcome Back, Clothiers! Fashion Designers Return from the Shows Ready to Get Back to Work

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:05:20 -0400

Before Diane von Furstenberg announced this year’s CFDA nominees at a cocktail reception at the rooftop gardens at Rockefeller Center on Monday, March 16, she wanted to welcome the designers, editors and publicists back from Paris.

“It’s good to see American designers sticking together,” she said, surveying the room. “We’re going to surf this tsunami!”

As the nominees were announced—Marc Jacobs, Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte and Narciso Rodriguez for Womenswear Designer of the Year;...

Fashion Week's Brave Face

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:48:35 -0500

At Diane von Furstenberg’s afternoon show on Sunday, Feb. 15, the front-row guests simply would not settle down—but perhaps everyone was simply thrilled they didn’t have to put their sad faces on in sympathy for the economy. “We need this!” said Project Runway mentor Tim Gunn, glancing around the tent at Bryant Park. “We need people feeling ‘up’ this week! People were speculating that it was going to be, oh, you know, down and...

Fashion Roundup: Blake Lively's Vogue Cover; Anand Jon Scrounges for Appeal Money; The New Fashion Week's Not on the Runway

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:32:39 -0500

Blake Lively is on the cover of Vogue's February issue. She looks decidedly older than an Upper East Side teenager. [Vogue]

Winner of the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, Alexander Wang, who has a taste for shredded denim and deconstructed tops, has oddly been paired with wrap-dress designer and CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg as his mentor for one year. [WWD]

Convicted rapist and former fashion designer Anand Jon will be sentenced in Los Angeles...

The Knit That Ate Manhattan: Gals Swathe Selves in Shapeless Woolen Wraps

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:03:26 -0500

This winter, the female shoppers of New York will have a hard time finding the traditional bit of wool or cashmere to pull over their heads before venturing into the cold. Why? Because to walk into any retail store nowadays is to observe that the traditional entry point for sweaters no longer exists. Essentially two sleeves and an amorphous jumble of fabric, the sweater du jour circles the waist and ties to itself, or...

The City Star Whitney Port Moved to New York to 'Be a Stranger'

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:19:29 -0500

As you may know by now, MTV's third-generation Laguna Beach spinoff The City, starring laconic Hills character Whitney Port, premieres on December 29. The reality show will track Ms. Port's relocation from Los Angeles to New York, where her superior fashion sense and interpersonal skills have landed her a job with Diane von Furstenburg. The producers--perhaps sensing that Ms. Port may not have the show-carrying magnetism of, say, Lauren Conrad--have also recruited long-suffering socialite Olivia...

Fashion Roundup: No Plastic Surgery for Diane von Furstenberg; Hollywould, Imitation of Christ Shutting Down

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:06:10 -0500

Diane von Furstenberg on plastic surgery: "I know that a lot of people look at me and think, 'Why doesn't she do something to that face?' But I made a decision. I do yoga and I hike, but I won't do Botox. I know if I start doing things I will get insecure. You wear your own face. It is a little bit of your history, a little bit of who you are." [Vogue...

Carrie Kania Makes Harper Perennial Clubhouse for Losers

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:33:54 -0500

Most of the people who came to Camilla Morton’s book party at the Diane von Furstenberg showroom last Thursday night appeared to be models or DJs or photographers. Giselle Bündchen arrived in skintight leather pants. A man with a waxed handlebar mustache wandered about wearing glasses. One young lady had on an American Apparel leotard and platform heels that resembled nothing so much as toaster ovens.

Thirty-seven-year-old publisher Carrie Kania, who recently put...

Fashion Roundup: Diane von Furstenberg's New Blog; Dov Charney Sued Again; Small Boutiques Feel the Economic Pressure

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:10:17 -0500

Diane von Furstenberg is launching a blog tomorrow called Inside DVF on her website DVF.com that will include news, images of new items, horoscopes, and "cultural advice," as well as posts by Ms. Furstenberg herself. [Fashionista]

American Apparel CEO Dov Charney is being sued again, this time by a former employee who says he was pressured to fix the books by Mr. Charney so that the company appeared to be doing better than it was...

Fashion Roundup: Sex and the City Sequel Denied; Marc Jacobs Casts New Models; Louis Vuitton's Holiday Plans

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:25:44 -0500

When asked about the Sex and the City sequel that Kim Cattrall recently confirmed, Sarah Jessica Parker said, "I'm thrilled to know Kim is excited but all the deals are not yet done." [Vogue UK]

Marc Jacobs has cast model Raquel Zimmerman for his spring women's campaign and downtown artist Ryan McGinley for the men's collection. And former Marc Ronson-dater and daughter of Gavin Rossdale, Daisy Lowe, has been selected for the Marc by...

Fashion Roundup: Madonna's Got Guns; Thakoon Getting Target for Christmas; Comics for Diane von Furstenberg

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:31:26 -0400

Even we didn't notice while staring at photos of Madonna at the her Filth and Wisdom premiere that her Chanel shoes had a heel in the shape of a gun. If only Sarah Palin would throw on a pair of those...[Vogue UK]

At the launch of her Wonder Woman-inspired collection and comic book, Diane von Furstenberg said that if she had a superpower, she would destroy all weapons. [The Cut]

Thakoon Panichgul's sportswear...

The Transom in Print, Oct. 15, 2008: Socialite Halloween!; Kim Hastreiter's Book on Geoffrey Beene; Chris Wilson's Tall Tale

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:15:44 -0400

Irina Aleksander called around to find out the costumes prominent New Yorkers are wearing this Halloween. Celerie Kemble's going to need a lot of hairspray!

Ms. Aleksander also moseyed down to Diane von Furstenberg's meatpacking district store, where the fashion empress was throwing a party for Paper mag's Kim Hastreiter's new book about Geoffrey Beene.

And Spencer Morgan rang his old friend Chris Wilson to find out the real story behind his scandalous tale of...

Transom Week In Review: Gay Talese, Michael Musto, and 'Dee-ahhn' von Eff

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:28:28 -0400

We talked mob money with writer Gay Talese at the screening of Gomorrah.

After months of speculation, we got to the bottom of Marquee's temporary summer shutdown.

We tallied gifts, drank absinthe, and chatted with godfather Michael Musto at nightlife heir Liam McMullan's 21st birthday party.

Russell Crowe got a little testy at the Body of Lies premiere--par for the course, we suppose.

We partied with Diane von Furstenberg,...

New CFDA Members Hope Their Customers Will Stick Around

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:19:20 -0400

On Tuesday evening, the bi-level roof of Elie and Rory Tahari's enviable Prince Street apartment was turned into a rooftop lounge with couches, bottle service, and a DJ station for a Council of Fashion Designers of America party welcoming 28 new members.

"I think it's been 10 months since we've begun planning this!" said Mr. Tahari. “It's always great to welcome new members into the community. I tell them how lucky they are because they...

Diane von Furstenberg Channels Her Inner Wonder Woman, But Do Superheroes 'Work' In Fashion?

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:50:53 -0400

The fashion world has recently become fascinated with superheroes of the Batman, Spiderman, and Superman variety. This year the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art chose a superhero theme for its annual gala; Anna Wintour wore a silver Chanel extraterrestrial gown. Even socialite Denise Wohl, mother of Arden, started a comic book company, Intrinsic Comics, last year with former Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief James Shooter.

Now designer Diane von Furstenberg is getting ready...

Thakoon Panichgul, Peter Som, Erin Fetherston Say Sometimes, Lateness is Unavoidable

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:09:05 -0400

Yesterday, we issued some tardies to the designers who continue to struggle to begin their shows on time. (Even Diane von Furstenberg, the issuer of the original pleading letter asking designers to be punctual, got one!)

Since then we've learned that Carolina Herrera nearly lost her mind when Renee Zellweger showed up over 25 minutes late to her Monday morning show. And Monday's 1 p.m. Thakoon show was reportedly held up for 57 minutes...

Wherein We Hand Out 'Tardies'; DVF Disrespects Own Start Time Edict

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:34:46 -0400

Over the summer, Council of Fashion Designers of America president Diane von Furstenberg sent letters to Fashion Week designers beseeching them to start their shows on time this fall, rather than offer the traditional wait of 40 to 45 minutes.

Ms. von Furstenberg’s edict—coupled with Marc Jacobs’ shocking, almost arrogantly prompt 20-minutes-late start last season, following criticism levied at his more-than-two-hours-tardy start a year ago—raised the possibility of a seismic shift in Fashion...

Anna Wintour's Fund-Raiser for Obama, Round 2

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:31:12 -0400

On June 17, Anna Wintour co-hosted a fund-raiser for Barack Obama with Andre Leon Talley, Calvin Klein and Michelle Obama followed by an $10,000-per-head dinner at Mr. Klein's home.

Now, with New York Fashion Week approaching, Ms. Wintour has roped in Sarah Jessica Parker to help with a second fund-raiser on Sept. 9 at Charles Nolan's West 27th Street studio, according to British Vogue.

In the spirit of Fashion Week,...

Morning Memo: Whitney Port's Already Working for DVF; Pirates Attack a Real Estate Investor's Yacht; Samantha Ronson's New Book

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:11:19 -0400

The Hills' Whitney Port may have already started her new job working as in-house PR for Diane von Furstenberg. [NY Daily News]

Gotham magazine editor and socialite Cristina Greeven Cuomo is reportedly next in line to make an appearance on Gossip Girl. [P6]

Jonathan Leitersdorf--real-estate investor and former owner of Noho's Sky Studios, an 11,000 square foot event space where the Seinfelds got married and several episodes of Sex and the City were shot--owns a...

Fashion Roundup: New Job for Whitney Port; Anna Sui Wants to Save the Garment District; Gemma Ward Isn't Retiring

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:44:39 -0400

The Hills' Whitney Port will reportedly leave Kelly Cutrone's fashion PR and production company People's Revolution during the current season of The Hills; she may depart for Diane von Furstenberg as the label's in-house PR rep. And the cameras might follow. [The Cut, Fashionista]

Anna Sui has designed a T-shirt that says "Save the Garment District" with e-mails and names of New York officials on the back to raise awareness about the struggle...

Fashion Roundup: Justin Timberlake's Fashion Week Plans; Zara Outdoes The Gap; Diane von Furstenberg's New Job

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:59:39 -0400

Justin Timberlake will perform twice during Fashion Week—once for the Fashion Rocks show, and once more at the Roseland Ballroom during a showing of his own collection. [WWD]

Zara has officially beat out The Gap as the world's largest fashion retailer. [Guardian]

A preview of Comme des Garcons's line for H&M, which will hit stores in November, is now available. [The Cut]

Meet the Ronsons dressed up as the Royal Tenenbaums. [Harper's Bazaar]

Diane von...

Morning Memo: A-Rod Donates to Madonna's Charity; Princess Michael Gets Mad at a Blogger

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:46:36 -0400

Model Christie Brinkley and ex-husband Peter Cook--who are involved in a vicious custody dispute--managed to bring their children to a Jonas Brothers concert (read Daily Transom's report!) at their school in East Hampton without incident. [NYDN]
Great Britian's Princess Michael of Kent is angry with New York Social Diary blogger David Patrick Columbia over his report that her husband, Prince Michael, was seen out with another woman. [P6] New...

Fashion Roundup: Marc Jacobs and Lorenzo Martone's Vacation with Kate Moss; Eva Mendes' Topless Ad

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:04:39 -0400

Marc Jacobs and boyfriend Lorenzo Martone—whom we still think are not married—vacationed in Ibiza with Kate Moss and her mom, Linda. Ms. Moss's daughter, Lila Grace, was on hand to snap the party photos. [Fashionologie via The Cut]

Diane von Furstenberg is teaming up with the Andy Warhol Foundation to create a resort 2008 and pre-spring 2009 collections of swimwear and other pieces featuring the artist's prints. [WWD]

Eva...

Fashion News Round-Up: Donatella's Gala; Von Furstenberg's Administration; Beyoncé's Sister

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:42:27 -0400

Donatella Versace has announced that she'll sponsor the Whitney Museum's 2008 Gala on October 20th, and will collaborate with Julian Schnabel, Marc Quinn and Wangechi Mutu on creating three pieces of jewelry to be auctioned during the event. [WWD]

Diane von Furstenberg was re-elected as the president of the Council of the Fashion Designers of America. [WWD]

Beyoncé's sister, Solange Knowles, is now an Ambassador for Armani Jeans. [Vogue UK]

Warner Brothers is producing...

Architecture Enthusiasts Crowd Gehry Buiding for MAS Awards

Fri, 16 May 2008 16:01:14 -0400

Livable-city activists celebrated the latest, coolest additions to the city’s urban landscape on Thursday inside the stark white interior of Frank Gehry’s first building in New York City, the IAC headquarters on 11th Avenue.

The occasion was the Municipal Art Society’s 2008 MASterwork Awards, which, according to the program, “honor the year’s top projects for their excellence in architecture and urban design, and their contribution...

Who's on Von Furstenberg? Power Matrons Pick Up Plaques, Peck at Parfaits With Padma

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:45:55 -0400

On the afternoon of Monday, April 7, the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria filled with the clicking of heels and an array of expensive scents as the New York Women in Communications presented their Matrix Awards, this year honoring Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, Gourmet editor in chief Ruth Reichl, and Disney-ABC Television Group president Anne Sweeney.

Top Chef’s Padma Lakshmi was emcee for the luncheon and was called to the podium...

Diane von Furstenberg: New Face of AmEx

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:06:54 -0500

This morning, American Express announced that fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg will be the new face of the company’s major forthcoming advertising campaign. The commercial, which was directed by Bennett Miller (Capote), is scheduled to air during the Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb 24. Accompanying the television spots will be a print campaign photographed by Annie Leibovitz.

“Women inspire me and I inspire them to be independent and free which is how...

Diane von Furstenberg Show Colorful, in More Ways Than One

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:52:07 -0500

At some runway shows, the style of the tall, blow-dried fashion editors in the front row eclipses that of the actual models, who wear severe hairstyles and clothing that, for all its value in advancing new silhouette(s) for fall, is often not anything you’d actually want to wear.

Diane Von Furstenberg’s packed show at the Tents on Sunday, Feb. 4 was a notable exception, full of skirts and jackets in bright patterns and chunky textures,...

Project Runway Alum Daniel Vosovic Makes Cute Bags, Chronicles Design Process

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:43:51 -0500

Remember Daniel Vosovic from the second season of Project Runway? Well, the 26-year-old budding designer has been keeping very busy since his successful stint on the Bravo reality show (he won five design challenges). He may have lots of balls in the air, but when it comes to starting his own fashion label, Mr. Vosovic is nothing but slow and cautious.

“Right after the show, I...

The Transom

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:00:00 -0400

Marie Antoinette

“I should read my New Yorker,” said Gita Mehta, wife of Knopf czar Sonny. She was resplendent in red and gold robes beside her husband in the screening room at the Tribeca Grand Hotel on Monday night for a viewing of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. The evening’s hostess, Diane von Furstenberg, was two rows down. That day, a profile of Ms. von Furstenberg had appeared in The New Yorker. “Are you...

The Transom

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:00:00 -0400

Marie Antoinette “I should read my New Yorker,” said Gita Mehta, wife of Knopf czar Sonny. She was resplendent in red and gold robes beside her husband in the screening room at the Tribeca Grand Hotel on Monday night for a viewing of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. The evening’s hostess, Diane von Furstenberg, was two rows down. That day, a profile of Ms. von Furstenberg had appeared in The New Yorker. “Are you pleased...

Von Furstenberg Flagship: $2.75 M. Less

Fri, 07 Jul 2006 06:54:24 -0400

Inside Diane and Barry's home. The two West Village townhouses that had served as the flagship boutique and residence of Diane von Furstenberg can now be had for $22.5 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. That's $2.75 million less than they were being offered last January, as reported in The Observer. Also, the listing has changed hands too: It's now being offered by Peter McCuen, of Peter McCuen & Associates, rather than Brown...

Where's The Beef?

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:50:44 -0400

Now, fashionista friendly. Remember Western Beef? Well, after they moved out of 401 West 14th Street, the building was given a makeover. Of course, with fashion retailers like Stella McCartney, Diane von Furstenberg, Carlos Miele, Puma and Scoop in the neighborhood you have to look your best. Now, Taconic Investment Partners has purchased the 60,000-square-foot development in the Meatpacking District, and has some big plans, according to a release. Taconic has received approval...

Von Furstenberg's Folly

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 08:32:27 -0500

Diane von Furstenberg According to this week's Villager (article not yet online), Diane von Furstenberg forgot to go before Community Board 2 in her quest to combine and renovate two buildings--at 444 and 446 West 14th Street--before she went before the Landmarks Preservation Commission this past Tuesday. While community boards serve in a strictly advisory capacity, the L.P.C. (and other city agencies) do listen to their input. The L.P.C. told Ms. von Furstenberg to go...

Editorials

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 19:00:00 -0500

Will Bloomberg Buck the G.O.P.? Mayor Michael Bloomberg has a way of not making enemies, even among those who disagree with him. That’s one of the reasons Democrats had such a hard time mounting a challenge against him last year. The Republican Mayor was simply too well liked—or, to put it another way, nobody seemed to dislike him with any particular intensity. Safely re-elected with a significant mandate, Mr. Bloomberg apparently is pondering a...

B.S.A. Gives the Nod

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 07:58:00 -0500

Yesterday, the Board of Standards and Appeals gave the go-ahead to continue construction on an eight-story residential development at 163 Charles Street in the far West Village. The neighborhood was recently down-zoned after a concerted push by area residents and activist groups, most notably the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. GVSHP executive director Andrew Berman has been at the forefront of many battles around the nabe; after the down-zoning, he's been trying stop projects that...

This Is A Story About Julian and Diane

Wed, 02 Nov 2005 03:39:00 -0500

Julian Schnabel, Diane von Furstenberg, and downtown developers Ira Druker and Richard Born are crossing swords with Greenwich Village preservationists (and possibly the city) over plans to build tall, luxurious condo buildings. What if the MTA's bid to float bonds to cover new projects like the Second Avenue Subway fails again? Experts think 30 percent of the vote on Election Day, statewide, will have to come from New York City for the act to pass,...

It's A Chatte fight As Novelist Levy Nips Carla Bruni

Sun, 02 Oct 2005 20:00:00 -0400

On Wednesday evening, Sept. 21, the designer Diane von Furstenberg hosted a cocktail party in honor of Justine Lévy, the author of Nothing Serious, a roman à clef based on Ms. Lévy’s recent, sensational personal life. Ms. Lévy, 31, is the dewy daughter of the French celebrity-philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, and her book whipped up quite a scandale in France, illuminating certain universal truths about men, women and sex, and even jostling The Da Vinci...

It’s A Chattefight As Novelist Levy Nips Carla Bruni

Sun, 02 Oct 2005 20:00:00 -0400

On Wednesday evening, Sept. 21, the designer Diane von Furstenberg hosted a cocktail party in honor of Justine Lévy, the author of Nothing Serious, a roman à clef based on Ms. Lévy’s recent, sensational personal life. Ms. Lévy, 31, is the dewy daughter of the French celebrity-philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, and her book whipped up quite a scandale in France, illuminating certain universal truths about men, women and sex, and even jostling The Da Vinci...

It’s Fashion Wake

Sun, 18 Sep 2005 20:00:00 -0400

Midway through New York’s Olympus Fashion Week, it seems that no one cares any longer to tell fashion designers whether they’re right or horrendously wrong. Or is it that the press has realized that their fashion opinions just don’t matter in the American marketplace? “It used to be,” said John Fairchild, the former rip-roaring publisher of Women’s Wear Daily, by phone from the Ritz in Paris, “that you’d go to the theater, you’d write...