Second City Style Fashion Blog - Style, Luxury, Beauty & Shopping

Update. I Do Declare, is Nina Garcia Headed to Marie Claire?

According to today's NYPost and Fashion Week Daily, Tracy Taylor is rumored to be out at Marie Claire and Nina Garcia in. Word has it the Project Runway judge who was dumped by Elle Magazine last month is about to land a major gig at Marie Claire. In case you forgot, Garcia (the former Elle fashion director) was fired last month, almost a year after the Joe Zee-helmed creative team was installed. We guessed all hell would break loose.

This could be just the shot in the arm Marie Claire needed. The magazine has faced some controversy and declining newsstand numbers since editor Lesley Jane Seymour left in mid-2006.

Read more at Fashion Week Daily.

As the World Turns. More on the Nina Garcia Drama

Gee. Isn't Project Runway just full of strife these days? Oh the drama! Who knew fashion could get so bitchy? (Muahahaha). First it was the battle between Bravo and Lifetime....now it's Nina Garcia and Elle Magazine. More on Nina Garcia, Elle and Project Runway was published in WWD today and here is the rub...

It's a giant mess! Some say Garcia only remained at Elle because her TV side gig was amazing for the mag's sales. Then came the Weinstein debacle last week which ensued since Weinstein Co. decided to take Project Runway to the Lifetime Network from Bravo because it (read, Weinstein) would be paid more money. Are you following? Many at Elle then assumed Bravo would likely drop season five (which was the last the magazine was contracted to be involved in as a partner). But — quelle surprise! — Bravo decided to push ahead and, suddenly, Elle needed Garcia again — but she was out the door!

Now it gets really interesting. If Garcia completely severs ties to Elle, it will be difficult for her to remain as a judge during season five. It would also not be optimum for Elle, since finding another editor to replace Garcia for possibly only one season might be problematic (although we bet Elle creative director Joe Zee is up to the job ).

I know you need a subscription to read the entire article so check it out in the continuation link.

Not So Breaking News. Is Nina Garcia Out at Elle?

 

Admittedly, I was out of town and not checking email when this broke. I know, can you imagine missing this?

Is Nina Garcia out at Elle? Wow!

This from E!...

One day Nina Garcia was in, but now she's supposedly out. 

Insiders are saying the Project Runway judge has parted ways with Elle magazine, where she has served as fashion director since 2000, Women's Wear Daily's website reported Friday.

Garcia was said to be in her Manhattan office on Friday morning but was noticeably absent from a dinner Elle cohosted Tuesday with fashion house Moschino to celebrate Simon Doonan's new book, Eccentric Glamour: Creating an Insanely More Fashionable You.      

Neither Garcia nor anyone from Elle has yet commented on the possible shakeup.

The news comes just a few days after the Weinstein Company., which produces Project Runway, announced the Peabody Award-winning Bravo series would be moving to Lifetime, a surprise move that brought the wrath of NBC Universal's legal department down upon the Weinstein brothers' heads seemingly overnight.   

In the breach-of-contract lawsuit it filed Monday, Bravo's parent company called the Weinsteins' five-year deal with Lifetime an "invalid agreement" and accused the producers of engaging in "sham negotiations."

Read the rest here...

Fashion House Gossip. Is Dolce & Gabbana Guilty of Tax Evasion?

OK, I read this in WWD, which isn't exactly the National Enquirer so it could very well be true, WWD is claiming Italian authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the Dolce & Gabbana fashion empire following allegations of tax evasion.

Milan-based public prosecutor Laura Pedio, who is heading up the case, told WWD on Monday the probe into alleged undeclared earnings and value added tax was "at an early phase," but declined to give further details. The crime can carry up to a three-year prison sentence.

Italian news daily La Repubblica reported Sunday that neither Domenico Dolce nor Stefano Gabbana has so far been named in the investigation, but that their eponymous fashion group could be liable for more than 125 million euros, or $192 million at current exchange, in unpaid taxes and fines. Holy cow!

According to the report, Italian tax authorities have already turned down a proposed settlement of 92 million euros, or $141.3 million, by Dolce & Gabbana Srl.

A spokeswoman for Dolce & Gabbana could not be reached for comment at press time.

Say it isn't so....we love Dolce suits! We know this isn't Spitzer scandalous, but in fashion circles this is pretty major. Death and taxes...you can't escape them.

Source: WWD

Designer Gossip. Tara Subkoff Has Regrets

Tara Subkoff with Scarlett Johansson

The New York Post is saying Tara Subkoff regrets selling her Imitation of Christ label and now wants it back. She sold her then financially troubled company in 2006 to Australian Josh Sparks, who ran Sass & Bide. Since then, Imitation of Christ has stabilized and resurrected itself with an A-list celebrity clientele, including Nicole Kidman, Cindy Crawford and Petra Nemcova. Now there is even talks of a fragrance deal which is particularly irksome to Subkoff. Yeah, it's gotta suck to see someone else run with your brand. But a deal's a deal. No use crying over the past.

Besides, she did design those amazing shoes for Easy Spirit a few seasons ago!

Source: NY Post
Photo: People.com

Girl Gab. Celebrity Gossip Blind Items

From today's NY Post:

#1. Which pop diva goes to great lengths to keep her entire body glowing? When she spray-tans, she demands her nether regions get the treatment as well.

#2. Which producer who's well known for his voracious appetite for women has a funny modus operandi? He asks actresses seeking roles to come up to his hotel suite, then excuses himself to go use the restroom and comes back wearing only a robe?

Girl Gab. Celebrity Gossip Blind Items

OK, we at Second City Style do not try to be nor want to be a gossip/celebrity blog except when it has to do with fashion, of course. However, we are going to start to repost some 'blind items' because inquiring minds, like ours want to know who you think they are referring to. Truth is, we are pretty bad at figuring them out and are asking for your help! Leave comments with your guesses. Especially #2!

From today's NY Post:

#1. Which D-list TV star, who's famous for getting paid to party, distracts skirted ladies by pouring liquor down their throats as he gropes them?

#2. Which fashion designer is lying to her actor beau? While she proclaims her love for her man, New York insiders say she really prefers "butch Mexican and Latino women."

#3. Which sweetheart Oscar winner doesn't always have a heart as golden as her locks? She's known for introducing her best friend for 10 years as "my assistant" when around other Hollywood types.

Come on, help us out!

Gossip. Getting Bounced for Beyoncé's Bodyguard

Beyonce at Versace

According the the New York Post's Page Six, Tommy Fazio, the men's fashion director for Bergdorf Goodman, showed up to the Versace men's show in Milan Saturday night and took his usual front-row seat. All was well until the late arrival of Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Then the standing-room-only event was pushed even later when Beyoncé's massive bodyguard didn't have a seat.

Someone who obviously had no idea who Tommy was, told him to get up so the guard could sit down." Fazio wasn't pleased and said, "Fine - I don't stand at shows, so please escort me to the door." Afterward, Fazio canceled his post-show appointment with the fashion house.

Onlookers were apparently shocked, but Beyoncé had no idea as she went from the show to the GQ party that followed, where she sat in a corner with Jay-Z and "read the magazine before leaving after 15 minutes." A rep for Versace said, "Obviously there was some confusion with the show, but it had nothing to do with Beyoncé or her bodyguard. It happens occasionally at shows."

Whoops. So looking forward to fashion week!

Source: PageSix
Photo: WireImage

Girl Gab. What Happened to Uma Thurman? Second City Style Fashion Blog

While looking for 'WTF Was She Thinking?' photos, I came across this picture and could not believe my eyes. I was shocked to see it was Uma Thurman. Recently. I normally do not comment on physical appearances, but what the heck happened here?

She looks like a cross between:

Pamela Anderson
+

Ellen Barkin

Don't you think?

Photos: WireImage

Ouch! Celebrity Stylist Rip-Up! Second City Style Fashion Blog

Ex-client Nicole Richie and Rachel Zoe

OK, we didn't rip her book Style from A to Zoe to shreds because, frankly...we liked it. Once you got over the author. However, it would seem that Liz Jones of The Daily Mail can't stand Rachel Zoe. It's personal and it's painful. It's also a damn interesting read!

"Of course, we all know why the designers and the magazine editors (she was honoured with an ingratiating in-depth profile in a recent issue of British Vogue) want to keep on the right side of Zoe: they need her roster of stars to wear their clothes on the red carpet, or to appear on the covers of their magazines, so that you and I will make all of them richer. It's as simple as that."

Cat fight!

Enjoy! Liz Jones on why she can't stand a certain Hollywood stylist