NYLON - September 2008 - (Page 100) GRAY GARDENS When his cult label Wyeth went under in 2007 due to financial problems, designer Todd Magill wasn’t about to leave fashion for good. Instead, the man with experience at Morgane Le Fay, Tommy Hilfiger, and Ralph Lauren traveled for a year and now returns with his second solo act, Graydn. “The similarity to Wyeth is that it’s always about mixing feminine and masculine together,” says Magill. “It’s taking really soft pieces and pairing them with harder things to give it an edge. It could be a long cardigan, leather jacket, or shrunken men’s blazer worn over a dress. Sometimes I use more masculine fabrics in feminine shapes.” For his fall debut collection, Magill was inspired by the Art Deco architecture of his downtown Los Angeles homebase (his studio is across from the iconic Eastern Columbia building). This shows up in a triangle-printed washed silk dress, which is a standout, as are a blankety jacket in double-faced wool, cropped and cuffed trousers, and pretty blouses in shades of navy, olive, and plum. KATIE HINTZ For more information, see graydn.com. carry me home KEEP IT SIMPLE Nothing sends a message better than the perfect piece of jewelry: spikes mean hands off, pearls signify refined taste, and hemp flaunts earth-friendliness, but the delicate gold and silver threads of By Boe suggest its wearer values grace and femininity. Helmed by husband-and-wife duo Annika and Philippe Salame (she designs while he works on getting the jewelry into stores like Anthropologie), the New York-based brand focuses on form and clean lines, a result of Annika’s background in interior design. But simple bohemian touches, like bright beaded clusters or petal-shaped cutouts, hint at her natural knack for vintage shapes and subtle color usage. The pieces, which are never overly stylized, combine sterling silver with aged wood or antique ivory—all handmade in her studio. Nothing is more elegant than understatement, and with neatly tied metallic bows and perfectly shaped teardrop earrings, By Boe expresses just that. LEILA BRILLSON For more information, see byboe.com. Finding a bag that nobody else has can be extremely difficult. There’s always the vintage route, though last time I bought a vintage purse, I spent weeks trying to get rid of the mothball stench. And sample sales are also tough—you get a great deal, but every other girl is toting the same limited-edition sack. So you search for emerging designers, skilled enough to craft key accessories and cool enough to stay below the radar. At least, that’s the case with bags designed by Michelle Vale, whose hand-stitched leather totes are just that. Last season, Vale introduced a series of bohemian-esque bags with interchangeable gold and silver hardware. But, this time around her bags are more polished and feminine, with structured silhouettes, leather sailor knots, and fabric panels folded like origami. Finding a cool bag doesn’t have to be hard after all. FARAN KRENTCIL For more information, see michellevale.com. MODEL BEHAVIOR CYCLE 10 WINNER, WHITNEY THOMPSON SHARES HER TIPS ON HOW TO WIN AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL. EXPECT IT TO BE RIDICULOUSLY DIFFICULT THERE IS SUCH A THING AS to the judges. Big no-no. I had already prepared myself to be like, SMILING WITH YOUR EYES “Thank you, may I have another?” It’s smiling from the inside. It’s thinking about a moment when ACT NATURAL you were really happy, going back I think people get really stiff to that place, being there and when they try to model. The putting it on your face. photographer wants to catch you DON’T COMPROMISE in the moment. The second you If a shoot violates one of your think, “Um, I’m selling boots,” is DON’T GIVE THE JUDGES ANY LIP when it gets messed up. morals, I don’t think you should One of the biggest mistakes I saw ever back down. The judges are people make was talking back going to be pissed off, but in the When you see it on television it seems a lot easier. You see a girl posing in a freezer and think, “that’s so easy, I could do that,” but when you’re there—it sucks! I’m not saying, be pessimistic, but be realistic. end, all you have is yourself. I try not to do anything grandpa wouldn’t want me to do. FAKE IT ’TIL YOU MAKE IT LIFE AFTER TOP MODEL You have to stay confident. If you don’t think you’re going to win no one else will. Even though there were lots of times I didn’t think I would win, I faked it. On the show, I had a message about eating disorders and body image. It’s really important to find a cause. As a model, you’re also a role model. You can show little girls that it’s not all about being pretty. I think it’s definitely important to delve into some of that after you win. 100 graydn: photographed by isa wipfli. stylist: stella greenspan. makeup: martin wieser at myr jan for m.a.c cosmetics. model: anais at trump. coat, top, and pants by graydn. necklace by toujours toi by nina egli, boots by stylist’s own. still lifes by chika kobari. http://www.graydn.com http://www.michellevale.com http://www.byboe.com
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