Welcome to Christian Fashion Week

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 18:43:00 +0000

It's Fashion Week in New York City. The time of year when champagne flows like tap water, slapping fights break out over front row seats and sartorial types smoke cigarettes and hang around looking — let's face it — cooler than the rest of us.

But while the men and women of the industry peacock around Lincoln Center, there is a parallel event happening in Tampa, Fla., with a decidedly less hedonistic flair.

Welcome to Christian Fashion Week.

Backstage, separate changing areas divide the male and female models. And while, sure, there is a swimwear show, only women are allowed in the audience. Gender segregation is an event choice designed to avoid any "awkward" feelings for audience members or models, according to Jose Gomez, co-organizer of the event.

"We are trying to be sensitive to the fact that our audience may be in different places about how they feel about it," Gomez told the Associated Press.

Can Galliano be forgiven?

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:51:00 +0000

Gosh, it seems like only yesterday John Galliano was swanning around Paris, arguing with restaurant patrons about their "dirty Jew faces" and announcing, "I love Hitler." But it's been almost two full years since the flamboyant British clothing designer had a meltdown of such epic proportions that cost him his job at Dior, and got him publicly slammed by his house's then-muse Natalie Portman, and then found guilty of anti-Semitic behavior in a French court and fined for it. Now, he's returning to fashion with a new temporary residency with Oscar de la Renta – and a blessing from a surprising source.

Galliano has a kept a low profile since his March 2011 fall from grace. For his return engagement, he will be assisting in de la Renta's New York offices over the next few weeks, helping the house prepare for Fashion Week. It's an apprentice-like comedown from his days as a top dog designer, but a major step toward a career reboot. "He has worked long and hard on his recovery," says de la Renta, "and I am happy to give him the opportunity to reimmerse himself in the world of fashion and reacclimate in an environment where he has been so creative."

Salon.com > Fashion week

Welcome to Christian Fashion Week

Can Galliano be forgiven?