Nylon - October 2008 - (Page 90) gossip girls back to black In fashion, black is something that will simply never go out of style. It was Chanel who first introduced the public to the now ubiquitous LBD in 1926—before then black had been reserved for mourning wear. A number of designers would follow in Chanel’s pioneering footsteps, most notably Christian Dior, with his ’50s-era New Look black day dresses, and Yves Saint Laurent. Laurent once said: “Black is my refuge. It is a line on a blank sheet of paper.” And although he was a designer known for his daring color combinations, Laurent’s black creations—the trim tuxedo-style le smoking suit; the completely sheer, marabou feather-skirted evening gown—are also the stuff of legend. The fashion house’s current head designer, Stefano Pilati, is carrying on Laurent’s dark legacy—the fall collection featured sharply tailored menswear-style suits and sheer, Peter Pan-collared shirts. But it was the model’s hair and makeup that Laurent himself would likely have found most inspired—identical, vision-obscuring bowl-cuts and thick, jet-black lipstick. And while those slouchy high-waisted trousers remain hopelessly out of reach, YSL has been kind enough to produce a limited edition inkyhued lip gloss, which proves that black can indeed be worn head to toe. YSL GLOSS PUR BLACK, $28, AT DEPARTMENT STORES. THIS SEASON, FOUR NEW STARS ARE BORN. BY FIORELLA VALDESOLO. ILLUSTRATION BY MIIKA SAKSI real genius There is Akrit Jaswal, India’s youngest pre-med student who, at the age of seven, performed an operation on a neighborhood girl (at the request of her parents). There has already been a documentary about Marla Olmstead (My Kid Could Paint That), the pint-sized artist whose abstract creations have been compared to those of Jackson Pollock. They are child prodigies, and for those of us who spent our early years eating dirt and doing inappropriate things with our Barbies, they are pretty awe-inspiring. Now, add fashion designer Esteban Cortazar to that elite list. The baby-faced Cortazar, who has, since last year, been the head designer at Emanuel Ungaro, was 13 when he began his career—he remains the youngest designer to ever show at Miami Fashion Week. Since Cortazar obviously possesses more motivation than the average human, he is already branching out into the beauty world. With the help of M.A.C’s Sharon Dowsett, he has conjured a resoundingly feminine collection of makeup inspired in part by Monet’s water lilies. That lush floral theme is apparent in the petal pink Pure Rose Lipstick, the rich berry-hued Crushed Bougainvillea Cream Colour Base, and the cotton candy-colored Flower Mist Dew Beauty Powder. Application should come easy, even to us dirt-eaters. M.A.C. EMANUEL UNGARO LIPSTICK IN PURE ROSE, $14, AND CREAM COLOUR BASE IN CRUSHED BOUGAINVILLEA, $16.50, MACCOSMETICS.COM. 90 counter culture http://www.MACCOSMETICS.COM
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