Filmmaking on the Edge: History and Highlights from The Provincetown International Film Festival

September 1, 2015, 2:54 am

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Photo of a Storm Trooper walking through Provincetown

Major film festivals, like Toronto, Sundance and Tribeca, started with mission and community-driven ideals -- bringing new films to a local audience, or encouraging independent films -- and while the heart of those missions may still ring true, they can be overshadowed by media and celebrity attention. The Provincetown International Film Festival, even after 17 years seems to somehow be able to both genuinely serve and be supported by the community while attracting big ticket films and guests. The 2015 festival, which drew their biggest audience yet, took place this past June, and the new Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley film, Learning to Drive, took the top Audience Award.

The success of the festival can be attributed, in no small part, to the dedicated staff leading the organization including their long-standing Artistic Director, Connie White.  We had the chance to chat with White and get a brief run-down about how the festival got started, what we may have missed and what's to come.

How did the festival come about? Did it start with a mission or guiding principle?

In 1999 a group met to envision a film festival weekend on what was then the "shoulder season" of a resort town. While most of the local businesses such as inns, restaurants, shops, are open and fully staffed by Memorial Day weekend, the crowds didn't really return en masse until July 4th.  A number of local movers and shakers were encouraging locals to plan event weekends during June and September, while the crowds were less overwhelming, yet most businesses were 100% up and running.  I was one of a few people brought in to consult on this "start up" and, well, the rest is history.

How would you describe the festival's relationship with the town itself?

It's pretty great! The town and businesses appreciate the art-savvy crowd who come in droves for the festival and they in turn support the festival contributing in-kind or discounted housing for the filmmakers, restaurants provide meals, the ferries and airlines provide vouchers -- and the town itself, through tourism funds and other granting opportunities, also offers financial support. There is a tremendous amount of support across the board. It wasn't always as plentiful as it is now, but after 17 years of hosting a great event, I think we all recognize that mid-June has become a destination week now due in a large part to the festival so everyone really seems to be on board and wants it to survive and thrive.

Is there a quintessential Provincetown movie? If someone were to prepare for a trip by picking out a movie, which one should they watch?

We opened the festival in 1999 with Run Lola Run and I still see that as setting the standard for artistry and vision for the festival selections. And, of course, anything by John Waters -- it's hard to pick, Polyester or Female Trouble? A highlight for me was showing Serial Mom a few years back at the local Drive-In with Kathleen Turner in person.

What were some of the highlights from this past year?

Everyone pretty much says "the films, the films, the films." The 2015 festival happened to be a year where there were some strong submissions that were very specific to Provincetown -- such as Packed In A Trunk,Outermost Radio and Clam Bake... But in addition we had packed, enthusiastic screenings of Grandma, Tab Hunter Confidential and Larry Kramer attended our screening of Larry Kramer in Love and Anger.  A real highlight! Plus tributes to filmmaker Bobcat Goldthwait and actor Jennifer Coolidge.

The festival has been a great champion of independent film. What are some of the most notable premieres or directors that have come out of PIFF?

We are really fortunate to have filmmakers John Waters and Christine Vachon on our advisory board right from the early years, and they have encouraged a lot of their friends and colleagues to attend over the years, which has brought us amazing directors attending like Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes, Jim Jarmusch, Mary Harron, Darren Aronofsky, and Quentin Tarantino, who have been crowned with our annual signature "Filmmaker on the Edge" Award. And, actors Tilda Swinton, Jane Lynch, Gael Garcia Bernal and Parker Posey are just a few of the exciting actors who have attended and received our "Excellence in Acting Award."

What's next for the festival?

Year 18 is next!  We keep doing what we do -- "Filmmaking on the Edge" is our motto -- and we all intuitively know what that means, but to clarify a bit -- we continue to program films and bring filmmakers who push the boundaries, take chances, are adventurous, what we call "the edge" and we are all out here on the Edge of the Continent. Provincetown is really out there geographically and creatively and we celebrate all of that!

The 2016 Festival will run from June 16 - 19 in venues across Provincetown.
More information on the Provincetown International Film Festival, Film Society and some of the film mentioned above can be found at: http://www.ptownfilmfest.org/

For more on Provincetown, check out PAPERMAG.com/ptown

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5 Ways to have a Happy Hour Feast in Provincetown

September 1, 2015, 3:38 am

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Happy hour should feel redundant and unnecessary when you're on vacation -- you're in the splendor of unlimited freedom! You're actively filling the time when you would be doing work with enjoyable activities, proving that you own each and every hour of your happiness. Yet the joy of a discounted drink is still unmistakable even on a particularly pleasant day. There may be panic then, when you vacation in Massachusetts and realize it is one of the few states to have outlawed Happy Hours (since 1984). Fear not, Provincetown has found a way to reward those looking for an afternoon delight (of the culinary variety) by turning Happy Hours into Raw Bar specials. Trading in a bottom barrel vodka soda for a fresh oyster on the half-shell sounds like a new form of freedom worth celebrating! Below, we look at five of the best.

Victor's
When was the last time you were excited about something that was 99 cents? (3am drunk dollar pizza slices don't count.) Victor's Raw Bar happy hour goes for gold with oysters, shrimp and clams all coming in at justttt under a dollar. Each is paired with its own sauce and no one will judge what could otherwise be considered an over-order. This happy hour runs from 3pm to 5pm so it could be the perfect place to start a Happy Hour marathon if so inclined. And, if you like the happy hour, come back for the Drag Queen brunch.

Victor's, 175 Bradford Street Ext, Provincetown, MA 02657, (508) 487-1777

Governor Bradford
The Governor Bradford restaurant feels both like a dive that has somehow avoided public inspection as well as the unofficial Provincetown Town Hall. It's been around since the late '60s, and the waitresses seem like they've been around even longer -- but both of those should be seen as positives. It's the type of place where you could run into a group of friendly foreign tourists, or a regular who hasn't left the bar stool for months. Happy hour includes dollar shrimp, oysters, and clams, and a cheap beer can often be found. There are plenty of other places in town to go for artisanal or fair-trade food, but Governor Bradford provides the rare delicacy of locals with good stories, and a bartender probably harboring some solid life advice.

Governor Bradford, 312 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657, (508) 487-2781

The Red Inn
Usually reserved for date nights or celebratory dinners, The Red Inn is on the finer (more expensive) side of the dining scene in Ptown, so their Happy Hour is a particularly special occasion. Oysters, clams, and boiled shrimp will only put you back $1.25 per piece, but the special is extended to other menu options including creole pate, spicy lobster corn chowder, ceviche and more, meaning you can explore their well-crafted and even better respected menu at a discounted price. Feel free to still bring a date or celebrate, the ambiance is always at full value.

The Red Inn, 15 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657, (508) 487-7334

The Whaler's Wharf
The Whaler's Wharf in Provincetown could be thought of as the most charming seaside imitation of a mall. Instead of central fountains, it looks out on an actual sea. Instead of a parking lot, it connects directly with the pedestrian-friendly Commercial Street. Instead of a food court, it houses a number of independent restaurants, with Ross' Grill among them. Located on the 2nd floor of the Wharf, Ross' Grill has great porch views and the best time to enjoy leaning out over the railing and exclaiming "I'm the king of the world!" is between 3 and 5pm for their raw and tapas bar happy hour. Wellfleet oysters and jumbo shrimp are only $1.25, and the tapas inclusion means cheeses, Serrano hams, chorizo and other Spanish snacking accompaniments.

Ross' Grill, 237-241 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02660, 508-487-8878

Ciro and Sals
It could be considered cheating, but the early-bird special at Ciro and Sals could also be considered the most extreme version of a happy hour. If a full day of sun and swimming gives you an early appetite -- or you're already in need of sobering up a bit -- then Ciro and Sals has your antidote in the form of a robust three-course Italian feast all for $30. It's a deal one would expect from a strip-mall Olive Garden with food you'd expect from New York's Eataly. It's pre-fixe so the hunger-crazed (or slightly tipsy) don't have to worry about sifting through their regular, extensive dinner menu. The stand-out pastas and seafood are still represented on the early bird menu, however -- try the locally-sourced calamari or leave it to the chef with his daily pasta special. Ease of ordering and your whole night free starting at 8pm on? Who knew taking on the elderly option could be so rewarding.

Ciro and Sals, 4 Kiley Ct, Provincetown, MA 02657, (508) 487-6444

Photo from Victor's at 175 Bradford St Ext.

For more on Provincetown, check out PAPERMAG.com/ptown

John Waters Gives Us His Picks For a Crazy Day in Provincetown

September 1, 2015, 4:43 am

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John Waters' heart might belong to Baltimore, but the legendary camp filmmaker and "pope of trash" has had eyes for Provincetown since he was a teenager. "I've been going to Provincetown for 51 summers," Waters told us over the phone recently. "I hitchhiked there when I was 17. Someone said 'Oh, it's a really neat place. You'll like it.' It was. I did." Waters, who describes Provincetown as "a gay fishing village," knows the town in and out. We asked him to give us some of his favorite entertainment picks for an outrageously fun day in town.

MAP
My favorite store in Provincetown is called MAP. It's got great books, very hip clothes, great gift items. I love to hang out there. I'm always hanging out at the front corner like a store detective -- so don't even think about shoplifting there. I'll take you in the back and make you be on nudeshoplifters.com. I used to be a shoplifter in the old days, so I know the tricks.

MAP, 220 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA. (508) 487-4900

Scream Along With Billy
On Friday nights I love to see "Scream along with Billy," which features Billy Hough, this great performer who plays the piano and performs entire albums as part of his show. He's the only gay man I know who can do Eminem's full album.

Check billyhough.com for locations and showtimes

The Beach
Longnook Beach is my favorite beach and I don't mind saying that because you need a sticker to go and they're hard to get. Every day I pray I see a shark eat a whale or a seal, because when you're swimming the seals come right up next to you in the water. So I'm always looking out for that. I love nature, as long as it's things killing other things.

Albert Merola Gallery
I very much like the Albert Merola gallery. I'm a little bit biased because I show there, but they have the best art gallery in town. They have great shows there. I'm a fan of one of the owners there -- he's a painter, James Balla. I collect his work. They also handle Pat de Groot, who is my landlady. She's an amazing painter and she's in her 80s.

Albert Merola Gallery. 424 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA. (508) 487-4424

Mews  
I love it, there's no irony. The food is good and they treat me well. And what else do you need when you go to a restaurant?

MEWS. 429 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA. (508) 487-1500

The Provincetown Book Shop
I worked there as a young man, and that was really what ended up being my college education, because I never really went to college. When I won a LAMBDA award this year I dedicated my prize to the owners because they were really my education.

The Provincetown Book Shop. 246 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA (508) 487-0964

Photo by Mischa Richter

For more on Provincetown, check out PAPERMAG.com/ptown

Your Guide to Avoiding the Onset of Fall With Netflix's New Movies

September 1, 2015, 4:45 am

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The end is nigh. Labor Day weekend is coming up, and with it the return of children to school, color to the leaves, and a chill to the air that means only one thing: time to retreat from the outside world and head back to the comfort of Netflix for another long winter of hibernation. If you're one of the proactive few looking to get the jump on winter and just dive straight into the numbing embrace of streaming entertainment, here are a few things that are new on Netflix this month that will help replace your normal fall activities.

Going to Work -- Up in the Air (2009)

Let George Clooney experience the listlessness of your work life for you, in this underrated dramedy about a rootless guy who spends his entire existence on the road (and in the air), with excellent supporting performances from Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. You might not be George Clooney, but at least your primary goal in life isn't reaching a ridiculous high frequent flyer miles threshold.

Visiting Family -- Philomena (2013)

If your parents, siblings, etc. feel like a big drag as Thanksgiving starts to loom, Philomena is a good way to remind yourself that you're fortunate to have them in your life. Judi Dench plays the title character, a woman forced to give her son up for adoption and looking for him after 50 years. Based on a true story, prepare for a tale just as harrowing as the ones your uncle tells about his skeevy undergrad days.

Camping -- Rambo: First Blood (1982)

Don't go outside. Don't go camping. Watch Sylvester Stallone in the first Rambo movie racing through the woods, trying to avoid capture by a bunch of cops, instead. It looks hard, doesn't it? It looks psychologically taxing, right? Yeah, we thought so.

Hay Rides and Mazes -- Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Low-key the best Tim Burton movie (and one of the best Johnny Depp performances), this oddball version of the Headless Horseman story features excellent storybook visuals, a not-too-quirky Depp playing the scientifically inclined Ichabod Crane, and Christopher Walken as the Headless Horseman himself. Curl up with a blanket, turn down the lights, and forget everything about the Dark Shadows movie.

Sending Your Kids to School -- Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Vol. 1

Forget to put your kids (or the kids you're baby-sitting) on the bus to school? It's fine, really. There's no better person to learn from about life and being a good person than Fred Rogers. And honestly, you could probably use a little make-believe in your life, right? It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. (If by "neighborhood" you mean "Netflix.")

You Can Now RSVP to Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy Show During NYFW

September 2, 2015, 4:00 am

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[Photo by Theo Wenner for Paper]

On the heels of news that Riccardo Tisci was (temporarily) abandoning Paris in favor of New York and showing his Spring 2016 collection during NYFW, there have been more exciting developments leading to up to his show on September 11th. Along with the news that the show will feature an artistic component created by Tisci muse Marina Abramovic and word that it'll take place on an undisclosed street, perhaps the biggest revelation is that along with the usual A-list editors, buyers and celebrities, regular people will be invited to attend his show. WWD reported yesterday that 1200 spots will be reserved for "normal folks" (aka non-industry and non-famous types) who RSVP to a specially-designated site and then receive invitations first-come, first-serve; there will also be tickets set aside for students and faculty from some of NYC's fashion schools.

And now, in what may become a mini-fashion world equivalent of the Internet bum-rush that happens each year when Coachella tickets are released, the Givenchy RSVP site is now open, according to WWD. So head on over to givenchynyfw15.com and fill out the required form for the chance to be invited to the show -- with a guest. The site indicates that "the first 410 correctly completed registrations will be invited" so don't delay. See you there.

10 Film Romances That'll Make You Appreciate Tinder

September 2, 2015, 6:00 am

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It seems like you can't open a magazine or click on a link without finding an article lambasting our contemporary dating practices in general and Millennial habits in particular (with Nancy Jo Sales' piece for Vanity Fair about twentysomethings and Tinder being one of the most recent examples). While the current dating scene can be disappointing, it's easy to forget that finding true love has been an exercise in disappointment for eons. So, next time you dip out of a date early and find yourself swiping left with only a slice of pizza for company, remember these ten films that offer visions of love far worse than #GenerationTinder.

Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

Stephen Frears' adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' scintillating 18th century epistolary novel paints a picture of a glittering society rotting from within, as the acidic and exquisitely bewigged team of Glenn Close and John Malkovich set out to ruin chaste Uma Thurman and Michelle Pfeiffer for their own pleasure and sexual satisfaction. (Cruel Intentions gave us a modern take on the same story, with some fierce late-90s blowouts.) After seeing the destruction wrought by the characters' beautifully composed letters, you won't mind that that cute actor-writer-drummer-waiter never texted back.

La Ronde (1950)

While Ashley Madison and Tinder-induced commitment phobia might seem to Say Something About Our Times, wandering eyes have plagued couples since the first caveman and cavewoman had the talk about being "exclusive." In his adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's famous play, cinematic master Max Ophuls traces a chain of romance through 19th century Paris, with each character beginning with one partner, then moving on to another. Despite the polite period trappings, the film shows that people have always been stepping out on each other.

Captives (1994)

In Angela Pope's romantic thriller, newly-divorced Julia Ormond begins an affair with Tim Roth, a man she meets at work. The catch: she works in a prison. That mutual friends function on Tinder may feel invasive sometimes, but it can save you a lot of legwork -- Ormond has to go to the library to find out that her boyfriend (SPOILER!) murdered his wife.  

Fill the Void (2012)

It's hard to find love in the casual dating scene. It's even harder to find love in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish no-dating scene, especially when you're a teenager who's expected to marry your dead sister's husband. This delicately observed, almost Austen-like romance -- the first widely-distributed film directed by an Orthodox Jewish woman -- is a reminder that having few choices is just as tough as having too many, especially if you're not into guys with payos.

Pandora's Box (1929)

Much of the conversation about current dating culture paints men as sexually greedy emotional ciphers, carelessly picking up and discarding women, while their sort-of girlfriends helplessly wait for them to settle down. This G.W. Pabst classic flips that dynamic on its head, with iconic force of nature Louise Brooks as Lulu burning through adoring men (and women), leaving nothing but destruction in her wake.

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972)

The majority of the moral panic surrounding "hookup culture" and dating apps has focused on heterosexual relationships. But, as any queer single can attest: dating sucks for gay people, too! In Rainer Werner Fassbinder's brilliant adaptation of his own play -- itself based on his real infatuation with a young actor in his theater company -- fashion designer Petra's obsession with a gorgeous young model makes for beautifully, claustrophobically staged emotional torment. Remember that things surely won't go this badly when planning your next meet up on Grindr or Dattch. (Does anyone actually use Dattch?)

Leila (1996)

Feeling down because the person you're dating won't introduce you to their family? Dariush Mehrjui's Leila will fix you right up. Starring A Separation's stunning Leila Hatami, the film tells the story of a pair of happily married young newlyweds. When the title character learns that she is unable to have children, her mother-in-law pushes her son to marry a second wife, which slowly tears the couple apart. Never meeting your significant other's mom might feel like a slight, but Mehrjui makes a convincing case for the idea that you're actually #blessed.   

Jungle Fever (1991)

The data released by OkCupid about the racist preferences common on their website is depressing, but nothing new, as can be seen in Jungle Fever in what is perhaps the best girl talk scene ever committed to film. In one of Spike Lee's loveliest and most elegiac films, Wesley Snipes stars as a married architect who embarks on an affair with his Italian-American secretary. While racism has always played an ugly role in dating and mating, Snipes' romantic woes have additional hellish layers courtesy of Samuel L. Jackson as the crack-addicted brother and Ossie Davis as the thundering reverend father.

In the Realm of the Senses (1976)

Wan, semi-interested dates may be a bummer, but the obsessive couple of Nagisa Oshima's notorious classic makes a little lack of interest look pretty appealing. The controversial film, based on a real incident from 1930s Japan, features unsimulated sex in the story of an increasingly obsessive couple that famously culminates in death by erotic asphyxiation and a severed penis.  

The Night Porter (1974)

In Liliana Cavani's cult classic, concentration camp survivor Charlotte Rampling unexpectedly encounters Dirk Bogard, the former SS officer with whom she had a sadomasochistic relationship during the war, and the two resume their twisted affair thirteen years after the end of WWII. As it turns out, coming across your ex while swiping through Tinder isn't the worst thing that can happen. 

Kylie Jenner Started an Anti-Bullying Campaign On Instagram

September 2, 2015, 7:45 am

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[Photo by Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com]

Well, looks like Caitlyn isn't the only Jenner using her fame for good: Kylie Jenner's launched a new anti-bullying campaign on Instagram called #IAmMoreThan that shines a light on inspiring individuals who rose up against bullies and, in Kylie's words, "turned [bullying] into something positive."

I am so excited to launch my new @Instagram campaign #IAmMoreThan. For the next six days, I will be sharing stories of 6 incredible people who have become heroes in their own way by taking #bullying and turning it into something positive. I've gotten to talk and bond with all of these people whose stories you will see on my page. I think you will all fall in love with them just like I did. I want to encourage you, my fans, to share something positive about yourselves. I'll be reading as much as I can so that some of you can be apart of this as well! Let's do this ❤️ #IAmMoreThan #StopBullying

A photo posted by King Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Aug 31, 2015 at 3:32pm PDT

That Kylie would choose to speak out against bullying is no surprise, considering the fact that the 18-year-old has been very open about the bullying she endured since she was nine-years-old (or roughly since the start of Keeping Up With the Kardashians) and how it was constant teasing about her lips that made her want to cosmetically enhance them. Jenner says the campaign will last for six days, with a new individual's story being shared on her Insta each day. Take a look at the first two posts -- about college student Renee DuShane rising above her genetic disorder and plus-size model Erica Schenk overcoming prejudice in the fashion industry -- below.
 

#Day2 - How pretty is Erica Schenk (@curve_model)?? Erica has been modeling since she was 14 and recently became super popular when she became the first plus size model to be featured on the cover of a fitness magazine! Her cover of @WomensRunningMagazine got attention from outlets ranging from @PeopleMag to @EOnline. Erica's @Instagram is really inspiring because of her extremely body-positive, beautiful photos she posts of herself. What I love about Erica is she refused to believe the haters who told her that her weight would hold her back from achieving her dreams. She told me that she thinks the most important thing people need to keep in mind is "to learn how to be your best friend. A lot of people will come and go in your life but they can never do as much for you as you can do for yourself." Check out Erica's Instagram @Curve_Model - she's teaching us all #IAmMoreThan the titles they give me. (Photo Credit: @enriquevegaphoto) Erica reminded ME that #IAmMoreThan my body and that my beauty comes from what's inside.

A photo posted by King Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Sep 2, 2015 at 11:21am PDT

#Day1 - Renee DuShane (@ALittlePieceofInsane) a 21 year old college student who was born with #PfiefferSyndrome. Renee described it as "a genetic disorder where the bones in my face don't really know how to fuse correctly so part of my jaw is really small. I had to have surgery when I was born so that my brain could grow." Renee is so strong willed and a super intelligent girl who told me that while growing up she never had many issues with bullying. "I went to school with all the same kids all the way through high school. Right around senior year, I started getting very anxious about having to explain my condition to all of the new people I would meet in college. I started going on Tumblr and saw lots of profiles of positive, confident people" that inspired her to start sharing her photos even with her insecurities. "It's so hard to keep myself from responding to the negative comments," she told me. "Even harder is keeping my friends from getting angry." It's so important to have a great group of friends. Renee also told me about the tattoo she recently got of her life motto: Stay Strong, Always Love. "Loving is always going to be a better place than hating," she shared. Check out Renee's Instagram @ALittlePieceofInsane - she's showing the world #IAmMoreThan my forehead. I love you Renee! She is so awesome & inspiring. Renee taught ME that #IAmMoreThan the negative comments that I read.

A photo posted by King Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Sep 1, 2015 at 12:00pm PDT

[h/t i-D]

Amandla Stenberg Is Creating A Comic For Girls Of Color

September 2, 2015, 8:51 am

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photo via BWR PR

Our IRL hero Amandla Stenberg is going 2-D, as she's set to release a comic book created for girls of color called NIOBE: She Is Life this November.

Telling the story of elf-human hybrid Niobe Ayutami (who's loosely based on Stenberg), NIOBE follows her innate journey toward self-discovery and "quest to discover her innate powers and strengths, to learn who she truly is." 

"[Niobe] is on a path to a destiny that will test her faith and her will, something we can all relate to," Stenberg said. "There's never been a character quite like her -- one who shatters the traditional ideal of what a hero is." 

Created by and for girls of color, the comic is groundbreaking in the sense that it addresses a demographic barely touched by the mainstream industry; a sector that's sorely lacking in the narratives of "badass girls" amongst all the Clark Kents and Professor Xs. And it's about damn time that changed. You go, Amandla.

[h/tHuffington Post]

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GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS: Scope Images From a New Photo Exhibit Celebrating the Female Muse

September 3, 2015, 4:30 am

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Last night, if you happened to be walking down Orchard St. on the Lower East Side, you might have thought for a second you had teleported back to 1991. A stylish crowd of artists, musicians, and editors converged on (the new) Max Fish for a photo show featuring works by Richard Kern and Ricky Powell, among others. The exhibit was GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS, a show celebrating the female muse and curated by photographer Brian Boulos; other photographers featured included Skye Parrott, Ben Rayner, Miyako Bellizzi, Nikola Tamindzic, Alessandro Simonetti and more. Works on display included all sorts of odes to female inspiration and included shots of fabulous women ranging from Debbie Harry to Jemima Kirke, Agyness Deyn to Florence Welch. We got our hands on a few images to check out in case you didn't make it to the opening -- take a look, below.

GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS runs at Max Fish (120 Orchard St.) through the end of the month.

Agyness Deyn

Florence Welch

Debbie Harry

Sofia Coppola

Anti-Fur Activists Crash Rihanna's Perfume Launch Party

September 3, 2015, 11:12 am

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Looks like a group of anti-fur activists are looking to rain on Rihanna's parfum parade, as a bunch of them stormed her launch party earlier this week at a Brooklyn Macy's. 

Taking to the stage holding placards and chanting "shame on Rihanna," a group called Their Turn came to draw attention to RiRi's penchant for animal accessories. And even though she wasn't wearing fur at this particular event, she's been criticized in the past for fashions choices like the hefty fur trim on her Guo Pei Met Gala dress and the ostrich feather dress she wore to her 2011 Reb'l Fleur perfume launch. Yikes. Watch footage from the demonstration below.

[h/tThe Independent]

YBAs 2.0: 10 Rising British Art Stars You Should Know

September 4, 2015, 5:30 am

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It may be over twenty years since everyone started gagging over a group of British artists like Tracey Emin, Damian Hirst, Sarah Lucas and more who were dubbed the YBAs (or Young British Artists) but the UK -- and London specifically -- remains home to one of the world's most thriving art scenes, with an ever-expanding portfolio of artists and galleries that never ceases to surprise with inventive concepts and honest wit. Here, we cherry-pick a selection of the most inspiring artists to recently emerge from the creative capital, from guerrilla graffiti and pioneering filmmakers to performance, sculpture and provocative collage.

Ben Woodeson, Clamptastic, 2013

Ben Woodeson
Kicking off our list with a bang, quite literally, Woodeson is renowned for creating work that shakes, spins, shatters and even ignites, challenging our perception of everyday materials. From precarious glass sheets and neon beams to clusters of surplus metal, his minimalist sculptures pull on both strength and fragility, exploring the equally unpredictable nature of man and material. He most recently exhibited his shock factor at the BERLONI Gallery in London, with a series of high-voltage glass and brass plates titled 'I love you, I want you, I need you... (Hot for Carl)' so-called after another inspirational and controversial minimalist artist, Carl Andre.

A piece from Hannah Farrell's Close Your Eyes and Think of England series

Hannah Farrell

Playing with found imagery and objects, Hannah Farrell's provocative surrealist photography and collage pull on pop culture and consumerism, ranging from erotic magazines of the 1960s to the alluring work of French actresses such as Jeanne Mauro and Catherine Deneuve. Like these women, her work is elegantly mysterious, racing with sexually-charged undertones.

Lawrence Lek, Unreal Estate (extract)

 
Lawrence Lek
Frankfurt-born Malaysian-Chinese artist, Lawrence Lek is a sculptor, artist and writer based in London. He won the Dazed Emerging Artist Award 2015 for his dystopian virtual simulation, titled 'Unreal Estate', which used video game software to imagine a future in which the Royal Academy of Arts has been sold off as a privately-owned luxury estate. His multimedia work uses installation, performance and audio-visuals to create an immersive world of art and technology, which explores modern culture through a virtual lens.
 

Jesse Wine, Young man red

Jesse Wine
Jesse Wine's beguiling glazed ceramics range from abstract goblets and Mediterranean fish to Young man red, in which clothing comes alive in the form of suspended garments and ceramic footwear. Responding to the quirks of modern life, his colorful cartoon approach bursts with personality and humor, drawing on the rich history of ceramic art.

Zhu Tian, Babe, 2013

Zhu Tian
Chinese-born, London-based artist Zhu Tian won the 2015 Caitlin prize for Dirty, a sculpture featuring colorful hanging torsos connected by pipes. She has previously sewn human hair onto fleshy high heels (Babe, 2013, commissioned by ELLE China), and bound herself to gallery curators using Clingfilm (Cling to a Curator, 2015), an installation that depicted young artists' desperation and dependency on gallery curators. Her provocative work is candidly honest, amusing and inventive, fast gaining her the reputation for one of the most original artists to emerge in the last few years. Tian describes herself as a 'Hiccup' -- unexpected, reactive and inappropriate -- which, incidentally, is also the name of a sculpture that won her the Broomhill National Sculpture Prize in 2014.

Jack Strange, Metaphorical Vegetables

Jack Strange
From plastic bags and cross-sectioned vegetables to twiglets encased in glass plinths, Jack Strange's playful laboratory transforms discarded and everyday objects into abstract sculptures. Laced with humor, his imaginative mixed-media installations have been exhibited internationally across Berlin and New York turning the mundane into the marvelous.

Joe Cruz
Armed with a photocopier and a stash of pastels, artist and illustrator Joe Cruz has already attracted commercial attention for his bold marks and tropical color schemes, applying chalky scribbles and expressive streaks to vintage fashion editorials, jazz record sleeves and photography of renaissance sculptures to create his surrealist cultural remixes. Inspired by the Brutalist architecture of the city, an oeuvre of his work over the past three years is currently in display at the Book Club, London.

Emma Corrall, Bamboolino

Emma Corrall
Recent Central Saint Martins graduate Emma Corrall uses performance and sculpture to create hypnotic, surrealist videos. Her conceptual mop-heads, harlequin prints and bamboo backdrops sit somewhere between Leigh Bowery and Where the Wild Things Are, as she brings inanimate objects to life through her theatrical dance rituals. She was selected for the Helen Scott Lidgett Studio Award and the Caitlin Guide 2015, and has an upcoming solo show at the Acme Project Space, East London, where she currently holds residency.
 
Mary Stephenson
If everything Midas touched turned to gold, everything Mary Stephenson touches turns to paper. Hailing from Scotland and now based in London, she creates intimate 'paper portraits' through an intricate process of prop-making, painting and photography. Call it the original Paper Towns, her cut-out narrative captures everyday life, from her daily routine to a butcher's shop.
 

Stik, Pitfield Street, Hoxton

Stik
Dubbed 'the next Banksy,' Stik's distinctive black-and-white figurative street art can be spotted across London, climbing down buildings in Hoxton or leaning on tower blocks in Ealing. He created his cartoon character while living homeless in the city -- a basic stick figure born out of necessity, as it was quick to draw, meaning he wouldn't be easily caught, and required only basic spray paint. His work has since traveled to the bricks of Berlin and New York and gained a celebrity following from the likes of Bono, Brian May and Elton John, as well as a collaboration with Berlin Wall artist Thierry Noir. While you can't readily buy a piece of his handiwork, you can now have it on your coffee table with the release of his first, self-titled book.

The Best, Worst, and Weirdest of the Week

September 4, 2015, 11:00 am

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uhh pic.twitter.com/KG4sS10SlG

-- sarah (@3x1minus1) September 2, 2015

Most DGAF President: Okay, so this is image is definitely edited from an actual photo posted by the White House. But given all of the crazy fun stuff President Obama has been up to in the past few months, you sort of kind of actually started to believe maybe he did this mess with the internet, didn't you? Just let yourself laugh. -- Eric Thurm 

Most Sorely Missed Internet Relic: RIP Time Cube, one of the strangest, most beautiful parts of the internet for many, many years. If you've never heard of the weird philosophy of the Time Cube, check out this primer at The Verge, and cry for what you have lost. -- E.T.

Prepare to have your mind blown with one of the strangest, creepiest pictures of all time. Reply w/ your caption. pic.twitter.com/JSSUZWcXnU

-- Shaun King (@ShaunKing) September 3, 2015

Most Terrifying Photo Capturing Otherwise Inhuman Monsters Evincing Possibly Relatable Characteristics and Tastes: Self-explanatory. Yikes. -- E.T.

Angel That Was Sent From Heaven Above of the Week: Kevin Spacey's older brother, Randy, who happens to be a Rod Stewart-impersonating limo driver in Boise. What a guy! -- Abby Schreiber

Best/Worst First Impression: Turns out a 23-year-old job applicant accidentally sexted a couple n00dz to the company's HR Manager, who promptly reported him to police and, uh, rescinded his job offer, because duh. -- Sandra Song

Bone-Headed Old People Comment of the Week:Chrissie Hynde's remarks about rape, followed by a distant second-place finish from Keith Richards who called rap fans "tone-deaf."-- A.S.

Douchiest Piece of Clothing Ever Invented: As if the world wasn't a terrible enough place, apparently there's now a tiny fedora for just your man-bun. May God help us all. -- S.S.

NYC Food News of the Week: Sadelle's, the Jewish deli/appetizing shop/bistro from Major Food Group -- aka the team behind Manhattan favorites Carbone, Santina, Parm, Dirty French and ZZ's Clam Bar (RIP Torrisi) -- opened the appetizing section of the place earlier this week where they're dishing out insane-looking bagels, spreads and bakery treats. But what's really making our mouths water is the soon-to-be-available smoked fish tower. I mean, c'mon! -- A.S. [pic via Grub Street]

Best Fall Fashion Advice on Tumblr: It's jants season, baby! -- Elizabeth Thompson

Worst Festival Horror Story: Apparently a woman at a British "fish festival" thought she had teleported across the festival harbor when her toilet was accidentally forklifted across the grounds...with her still in it. And horrifyingly enough, apparently this isn't an uncommon occurrence. -- S.S.

Game of Thrones Characters Drawn in Bob's Burgers Style

Best TV Mashup: Most TV mashup things on the internet are, um, not particularly artful -- relying on the instant gratification of "hey, look at these two things I like together" to draw in eyeballs. But these drawings of Game of Thrones characters in the style of Bob's Burgers are really adorable, and spot on. Check them out if you like both shows. -- E.T.

Most ~Unique~ Fashion Trend of the Week: The plastic bag trend taking Taiwan by storm whereby girls (and a few dudes) turn the sacs into mini-dresses and other garments. You do you, Taiwan. -- A.S.

The Sunday Funnies

September 6, 2015, 4:20 am

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Watch the promo for the new season of Billy on the Street. [PopCultureBrain]
 
BARRY.

Wait for it.... [LaughterKey]

We've found it: The photo that is the Platonic embodiment of  ''wut."  [FYeahDementia]

Side effects may include turning into a screaming, bigot misogynist butthole in a wig made of Big League Chew. See your doctor immediately. [Mlkshk]

Can't belieb it. [FYouNoFMe]


Us this weekend. [TastefullyOffensive]
 
So tell the world about your dream last night, your commute! Shout it from the rooftops! [FYouNoFMe]


Where is the lie. [LaughterKey]


A super-chill video of a pug playing "Enter Sandman" on the drums. We're off to never ever land indeed. [TastefullyOffensive]

#BreakTheMuppetnet [Mlkshk]

CIA sucks at twitter. [FYouNoFMe]

Every kiss begins with 'za. [Mlkshk]

 
Eric the cockatoo puts the family dog on blast. [TastefullyOffensive]

The kind of marketing for 18-45 year old men we came here for. [FYouNoFMe]

Watch this video about Roo, the handicapped Chihuahua and her best friend, Penny, the silkie chicken, then scream forever. [TastefullyOffensive]
 
Remember when Bill O'Reilly was sued for allegedly sexually harassing a Fox News associate producer and the lawsuit included a transcript of him telling her he wanted to rub a loofah all over her breasts but he called the loofah "a falafel?" I think about that almost every day. [HopeYouGetWellSoon]

Have a chill 3-day weekend. [Mlkshk]

Scenes from the West Indian Day Parade

September 8, 2015, 3:30 am

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The West Indian Day Parade, an annual celebration of Caribbean culture taking place each Labor Day Weekend in Crown Heights, returned on Monday and, despite reports of violence (including a tragic incident that involved gang shootings that critically injured a lawyer for Governor Cuomo's administration, an innocent bystander), the festivities continued on, as exuberant as ever. The day started with the pre-dawn party called J'ouvert taking place in the early morning before revelers hit the parade route streets, and Paper's Rebecca Smeyne was on hand to capture all the glittery, feathery, fabulous vibes. Take a look at photos below.

10 Young Brands to Watch

September 9, 2015, 6:30 am

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Ahead of NYFW kicking off tomorrow, we take a look at 10 young brands poised to break out.

Kelsey Randall
Before graduating with honors from Parsons' fashion department, Kelsey Randall studied art at The Oxbow School, Savannah College of Art and Design, and School of the Art Institute Chicago. Then she worked under Prabal Gurung and Peter Som at Bill Blass before a 7-year stay at the French brand Lilith. Resume: check. But Randall's frilly minimalism speaks for itself -- attracting both zeitgeist-y girl gangs and in-the-know Upper East Side Queen Bees.

Sandy Liang
If you know Sandy Liang, you know her shaggy faux fur coats, which were already being worn by East Village cool girls before she graduated from Parsons and launched her collection in 2014 (Kate Foley and Hanneli Mustaparta were first season supporters). But beyond the vibrantly textured outerwear, her full ready-to-wear collection is worth getting into. Liang's use of pale color and '90s silhouettes, offset with baggy wide-leg jeans or a kicky cropped-flare gives major feminine cool.   

M. Martin
A modern American sportswear brand founded in 2014 by industry alums Alex Gilbert (who previously founded one of the first fine denim brands, Paper Denim & Cloth) and Jennifer Noyes (ex-Prada womenswear director), that harks back to the crisp ease of 1980s Calvin Klein. With a soft launch during June's Resort 2016 market, where they showed a colorful and comfortable collection of elegant separates, M. Martin's New York Fashion Week show this Thursday marks the line's official debut.

Gypsy Sport
This Harlem-born brand, founded by Rio Uribe, first caught major attention when they staged a guerilla fashion show in Washington Square Park last September at New York Fashion Week. At the first ever New York Fashion Week: Men's this past July, Uribe's sense of streetwear and craft won hearts with a circus-inspired collection.
 

[Photo by Ivan Bideac]

Andrea Jiapei Li
If Dover Street Market picked up your graduate collection and Rihanna's already wearing your clothes, you've got to be doing something right. The Bejing-born Parsons grad, and V-Files/ MADE Fashion Week alum Andrea Jiapei Li certainty is. Her geometric volumes, mixed with easy sportswear silhouettes in artful color pairings are crowd favorites.

Devon Halfnight LeFlufy
The Canadian-born, Belgium-based menswear designer -- he received both BA and MA degrees from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp -- lives up to the off-kilter aristocratism his name suggests. MADE Fashion Week and Opening Ceremony have been early supporters of LeFlufy's kaleidoscopic patterns, in perfectly dated styles made with a luxurious hand.

Brock Collection
Founded in New York in 2013 by Laura Vassar and Kristopher Brock, Brock Collection is minimal in aesthetic and conservative in silhouette but eclectic in texture. Their gold lamé dress isn't Studio 54-ready (it has sleeves to the elbow and the hem lands mid-calf) but this sense of eye-catching modesty stops you in your tracks nonetheless.

Claudia Li
Claudia Li doesn't consider herself a designer as much as a sculptor of fabric. It's true, her three-dimensional silhouettes take the idea of draping to a whole new level, but her sense of line creates a tailored, wearable balance. Lady Gaga sported a look from her spring 2014 graduate collection from Parsons, and Li's fall 2015 show last February at New York Fashion Week sent art-leaning publications abuzz. 

Toy Syndrome
The Moscow-born Natalya Nyn started Toy Syndrome as a label of t-shirts and accessories with three-dimensional toy embroideries like plastic lobsters and lizards, the latter of which Lena Dunham posted to her Instagram and wore in season three of Girls. Now, shoutouts from several inspiring alt-chicks later (including Tavi Gevinson), Nyn has a full collection of toy-embellished ready-to-wear you never knew you wanted.

Babyghost
A line from Diane von Furstenburg interns Qiaoran Huang and Josh Hupper (who also interned at Thakoon), Babyghost has a playful sense of pattern but with a slouchy, street-wise edge. With support from full-time models and street-style regulars Xiao Wen Ju and Liu Wen, the brand has slowly risen from the blog brigade to MADE Fashion Week status.

---

Start Your Day With FKA twigs' Stunning Cover of Sia's "Elastic Heart"

September 10, 2015, 3:45 am

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BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge has a history of getting excellent musicians to perform covers of your favorite songs (see: Haim covering Beyoncé's "XO" or Charli XCX performing a punk-tinged rendition of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off") and today they may have just aired the best one yet: FKA twigs covering Sia's "Elastic Heart." twigs adds a haunting delicateness to the track and watching the video of her performing live will send chills down your spine as you see her writhes and dances with a man in shadows. As is the case with many of these covers, you're left hoping that twigs and Sia think about doing a collaboration one of these days.

Talking to Spanish Artist Yapci Ramos About Her New Photo Exhibit Documenting Prostitutes Around the Globe

September 10, 2015, 6:30 am

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Yapci Ramos. [Photo by Shane LaVancher]

Artist Yapci Ramos likes to go deep -- into her subject matter that is. For her September 12th show at Catinca Tabacaru Gallery titled Perras y Putas, the Spanish photographer will be exhibiting seventeen photographs that chronicle her up close and personal experiences with prostitutes from her home town of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, where she first began shooting the "mujeres de la vida" back in 2010 along with similar images she took in the heart of the Congo, and, most recently, Aruba, where the artist discovered the stark parallels between these women of the night and the derided stray dogs (also featured) that wander the streets of the small Caribbean island with nothing but their raw survival instincts to guide them.

"Rosi y Mari," from the Mujeres de la Vida series, Tenerife, Canary Islands, 2010.

Tabacaru's modest-sized gallery on the Lower East Side, which was recently painted a deep shade of "Congo Green" to serve as a fitting backdrop for Ramos's rich, intercontinental portraits, has made a name for itself as a risk-taking space with a global perspective while simultaneously bucking art world trends, traits its namesake owner says both she and the gallery itself share with Ramos -- and rightfully so. Tabacaru, formerly a human rights attorney for the UN, was briefly arrested in the Congo in 2006 after working at the Rwanda Tribunal in Tanzania, presumably for photographing a government building without permission. This August, the young art dealer returned to Africa for an ambitious, month-long cross-cultural artist residency program in Harare, Zimbabwe, which merged three of her most promising young roster artists (Xavier Robles de Medina, Rachel Monosov, Justin Orvis Steimer) with Africa's most talented and controversial artists (Kudzanai Chiurai, Terrence Musekiwa, Admire Kamudzengerere), the creative fruits of which are on track for a group exhibition in April, 2016 at The National Gallery of Zimbabwe.

In a New York art bubble that still seems to be dominated by the work of white male artists, Ramos' exhibit featuring thought-provoking humanist portraits of disenfranchised women, and displayed in a gallery run by women, glimmers like a diamond in the rough. We caught up with the artist in Tabacaru's Upper West Side apartment, where she was crashing while her relentless (and apparently jet-lag immune) gallerist was making moves at Art International-Istanbul. Take a look at photos from the show ahead of its opening tonight and read Ramos' thoughts on her subjects, responsibility as an artist and what she hopes will happen to her photographs.

"Perra 3" from the Perras series, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles, 2012

Have you shown in New York before?

I've shown a few pieces in NY for a pop up show with Catinca ("Conventional Codes," 2012) but this is my first solo show with her.

Do you consider yourself to be a photojournalist as much as an artist?

I am an artist first and last. I like to have a conversation with the place, the town, and the city. I normally go deep to the people I meet. So deep, I sometimes feel like I move through people, and take some of them with me. I explore personal space, and proximity. I like to show them as who they are exactly, without judgment.

What specific cities are featured in Perras y Putas?

I've shot in Mali, and Guatemala but for this show, there are just three points of view: Tenerife, a village in the Canary Islands, which are off the coast of Morocco, where I grew up. It's Spanish, but more African in a lot of ways. Also, there are women from the Congo and Aruba.

"Stella," from the No Stress Bar series, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, 2014

When did you first become fascinated by prostitution as a subject?

In a workshop in a home or center or, how you say, a clinic for disenfranchised women -- this was 2009 and into 2010 -- I developed a personal relationship with one woman in particular during a month and a half workshop. With prostitution, it's the same idea in different places, but the people, they are always different.

Are their circumstances so different?

It is true -- most of these women go into prostitution because they have babies and no money. They're desperate. Maybe they're drug addicts, but they each have a unique story to tell. I like to think I shoot them all with dignity.

Have there ever been moments when your interactions got too personal?

Not really, but it's more like tense moments. I was alone with an older woman in her home and she had to rush me out because her son, an addict with a restraining order against him, was on his way over. That was a little scary.

Do you ever feel a responsibility to help these women?

Of course, but I'm not doing social work, I'm doing artistic work. It's extremely difficult to pull these women out of their world.

You previously mentioned that in the Congo, Western men and wealthier African men actually visit to find and essentially buy these women out of their situations.

I was in the Congo for a project and I went to one of the nicer bars and saw women preening themselves in the bathroom in order to be presentable for Western men looking to pull the girls out of "the life."

"Chantalle," from the No Stress Bar series, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, 2014

How do you approach these women? Are they ever defensive?

No. They want the attention. They want someone to listen to them. In Aruba I actually paid for their time. I know how to make them comfortable. This is my personality. It's one of my talents.

What brought you to Aruba?

I was there for The First Biennale Encounter of Contemporary Art (2012), which coincided with a 3-week artist residency program. It was there I saw the similarities between how the dogs and women were treated. Men would drive up and flash their headlights at the prostitutes on the street, to let them know they're interested. So I chose to do the same with the dogs.

Where do you see these photos living?

I think when you buy these photos as artwork, you forget they're prostitutes. If you're a good collector, you're viewing it as a piece of art and as a portrait of a real human being.

Is enough effort being made to help these women?

It's part of the reality, unfortunately. I don't know if it will ever change. I want everyone who comes to this show to see these women as people. Society treats them like dogs.

What reaction are you expecting or hoping for when people visit the gallery and see this work?

I can explain the stories behind the people or why I went to their countries and cities, but I can't explain how these photos are going to make you feel, or why. I'm not going to have the last word, and even if I could, I don't want it.

Yapci Ramos: Perras y Putas opens tonight at the Catinca Tabacaru Gallery, 250 Broome St., New York City, and will run through October 11th

The 10 Biggest Fashion Feuds in History

September 10, 2015, 9:35 am

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Cathy Horyn v. Armani, Hedi Slimane, Oscar De La Renta, Carolina Herrera

The revered critic's perch at the New York Times allowed her a scarce and dwindling privilege in the fashion world; unfettered honesty. Her reviews were pointed and refreshingly unsparing which earned her the ire of some of the biggest names and brands in the industry. She has been black listed, if temporarily, from Armani, Hedi Slimane's Saint Laurent, and Carolina Herrera to name few. And then most famously there was Oscar de la Renta who in 2012 took a full page ad in WWD to publish an open letter to her in response to Horyn calling him the 'hot dog' of American fashion.

John Fairchild v. Geoffrey Beene

Perhaps one of the most protracted cold wars in New York fashion was between WWD Publisher and editor-in-chief John Fairchild and designer Geoffrey Beene. In the hermetic, pre-Instagram fashion landscape, a mention in Fairchild's broadsheet could make or break a designer's career in an afternoon and he wielded that power with mercurial relish. The story goes that after Beene took an exclusive on his new home to another magazine and once complained about the WWD journalist sent to interview him, he went mostly unmentioned in the daily for most of the 80s and 90s, joining the ranks of Fairchild ingrates called 'The Disappeared.' The editor claimed he never knew what started the chill.

Karl Lagerfeld v Yves Saint Laurent

The Karl v. Yves story goes so far back it's practically biblical, but began technically in 1953 when the two competed for a design prize as teenagers (Yves won). For the next five decades they were professional rivals though, one could argue, for the first half YSL led the way with his position at Dior and his era defining triumphs at his namesake label. However, Lagerfeld certainly has the spotlight, and the endurance, now as The Very Model of a Modern Major Designer at Chanel, Fendi and Chloe before. Their history together was the subject of the book The Beautiful Fall which chronicled their lives and loves (they famously competed for the affections of playboy Jacques de Bascher) and the all around haute glamour of fashions greatest frenemies.

Halston v Charles James

The notoriously difficult and moody James accused the younger Halston of stealing his designs and wrote an article in Metropolis magazine in 1975, name checking the alleged thief and berating him as a copycat.  

Naomi v. Tyra

The catwalk queens were pitted against each other in the '90s at a moment when there was an unwritten, and bigoted, rule that there could only be one black top model. Claims of black-balling and model on model sabotage were addressed when Campbell appeared on Tyra Banks talk show to mend fences with a healthy dose of tearful air-clearing.

Tory Burch v. Chris Burch

Call it the Kramer v. Kramer of 7th Avenue but when these exes went to court it wasn't about divorce terms but something far more high stakes; trademark infringement. In a string of lawsuits and countersuits Tory ultimately claimed her ex's new venture 'C. Wonder' was producing knock-offs of her namesake brand and the two settled in 2013 after Chris agreed to sell his significant stake in the Tory Burch brand. Since then Ms. Burch has launched a secondary sport line and joined fashion billionaires club.

Donatella Versace v. Giorgio Armani

Last spring Mr. Armani, 80, was quoted in the UK's Sunday Times Magazine recounting a conversation he had with Gianni Versace that, according to him, went as such: "He was looking at the models, and he said to me, 'I dress sluts. You dress church ladies.'" However, Donatella Versace did not take so kindly to the frank re-telling and fired back in the press calling Armani's comments "rude and tasteless" and continuing "..the only word that ever came from his [Gianni's] mouth was glamour."

Tom Ford & Domenico De Sole v. Francois Pinault

Ford and CEO De Sole singlehandedly turned around the stagnating Gucci brand in the '90s, injecting it with Ford's signature sex appeal, bankable accessories and the ineffable fairy dust of relevance that made buyers and editors swoon. So it was doubly painful to watch it all fall apart in the new millennium when luxury group PPR, led by French tycoon Francois Pinault, pushed the two out over a dispute over creative control; Ford wanted it in total, PPR said no. The designer called the experience 'devastating' and the breathless press coverage made it all the more excruciating after the previous decades' thrilling rise.

Chanel v. Schiaparelli

In an era when women were barely allowed to wear pants the careers of both Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli in 30's Paris were nothing short of exceptional. Both fiercely independent and outspoken, they crossed paths and not always pleasantly in the Paris fashion scene between the wars. Allegedly, Mme. Chanel once 'accidentally' pushed Schiap (whom she referred to as 'that Italian artist who makes clothes') into a candelabra at a dinner party, setting her dress on fire.



YSL v. Tom Ford

When Ford assumed the creative reigns of YSL in 1999 he was on good terms with M. Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge. But, after successfully taking the brand in a different direction to much acclaim, Ford revealed later in interviews he would receive nasty letters with lines like 'in thirteen minutes you destroyed 40 years of my work' from the tempermental Yves.

Dreamy, Disco-Drenched Photos from the Gloss Book Launch, Hosted by Marc Jacobs

September 11, 2015, 7:30 am

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Last night, the fashion crowd threw on their slinkiest lamé gowns, busted out the leisure suits and amped up their fabulosity game and headed to The Tunnel, the site of the launch of Gloss, a new book of photographs by the late fashion photographer Chris Von Wangenheim, hosted by Marc Jacobs. The invite's dress code may have sparked a mini-viral moment and guests like Solange Knowles, Amanda Lepore, Pat Cleveland, Gabrielle Union, Raury and more fashion, music, art and entertainment folks took note -- the collective pixie dust emanating off of everyone could have sent Tinker Bell soaring. (Basically, everyone looked amazing.) Take a look at dreamy photos from the night shot by Paper's Derek Anthony Welte, below.

Marc Jacobs

Roger Padilha, Solange and Mauricio Padilha

Pat Cleveland

Gabrielle Union

Raury

Susanne Bartsch

A.CHAL

Marc Jacobs

Anna Cleveland

Wendy Williams

Harry Brant gets a smooch

June Ambrose

Solange

Candice Huffine (left)

MX QWERRRK

Amanda Lepore

Scenes from the Star-Studded Givenchy After Party

September 12, 2015, 5:00 am

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There aren't many places where you could stumble upon Kim Kardashian, Riccardo Tisci, David Copperfield, Steven Tyler, Kendall Jenner, Brooklyn Beckham and Makonnen all in the same room but last night you could find them all inside a random parking lot nestled underneath the Williamsburg Bridge on the LES for Givenchy's after party. After a much talked-about (and much Instagrammed) show down in Tribeca that, among other things, allowed non-fashion industry folks and local residents to partake in the experience, involved Marina Abramovic, a somber remembrance of 9/11, and music that was reflective of six different cultures and religions all in the name of unity and love, Givenchy's inclusive spirit continued downtown with a party mixing fashion people, celebrities, sports stars, rappers, and club kids galore. Outside the venue was an area where guests could get tacos, Mister Softee and hamburgers and hotdogs being grilled by hunky men in tank tops (of course) and inside on the ground floor of the lot, your senses were pummeled by lights, go-go dancers atop cars and other installations, and music from Jersey Club DJ -- and PAPER Beautiful Person -- Uniiqu3. Every hour or so a new level would open up and guests could explore new spaces, nooks, and vibey installations. In the darkness of the garage, you were apt to bump into anyone from Brooklyn Beckham (who mostly went incognito and was hanging out with a gentleman that was presumably his modeling agent or family friend), Makonnen (spotted chilling with friends), Courtney Love (who, we hear, spent the night gabbing with Kim Kardashian in a VIP area), David Copperfield (seen outside with his fiancée, the designer Chloe Gosselin) or the Tyler brood (Stephen Tyler came to the party with daughter Liv where they met his younger daughter, Chelsea, who was there with her husband and KANEHOLLER bandmate, Jon Foster). It was one of those only-in-New York mixed crowds that could re-ignite even the most jaded Manhattanite's passion for their city, the kind of passion that Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci so often talks about when he discusses his love for the Big Apple. As the party raged on, those special vibes kept everyone's spirits up until the wee hours (or at least until you left and suddenly realized there was zero chance of hailing a cab).

Take a look at photos by BFA, below.

Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci flanked by models Lily Aldridge, Doutzen Kroes, Joan Smalls and Peter Brant Jr.

Kim Kardashian

Frankie Rayder and Brooklyn Beckham

Kendall Jenner

Sky Ferreira

Steven Tyler with daughters Chelsea and Liv

Carine Roitfeld and Hamish Bowles

A model atop one of the party's car installations

Laverne Cox

Erykah Badu

Soo Joo Park

Becka Diamond and Ladyfag

Hanne Gaby Odiele, Veronica Smiley and Brian Grazer

Angel Haze

Joey Badass

Amare Stoudemire and Victor Cruz

One of the night's performers

David Copperfield and Chloe Gosselin

Courtney Love

A performer

Outside the parking garage

Hailee Steinfeld