Ashley Olsen promoted the fall '08 collection of her and Mary-Kate's clothing line the Row by appearing at a boutique in Dallas yesterday. Journalists were asked not to interview her, but being infinitely generous, she chatted them up anyway. Apparently she's "on hiatus from her liberal-arts studies at New York University" to focus on the fashion stuff. Oh, Ash, let's be real — who needs school when you have fashion? And a fortune? The Row's fall '08 collection includes 110 looks — an impressive boost from the spring '07 collection's 18 — including fur outerwear. The sisters collaborated on the designs, but Ashley works on the line full-time every day while Mary-Kate focuses on acting. "I don't want to expand too far too fast," Ashley told WWD of the Row. "I just take it one day at a time. There is endless opportunity, and I want to make the right choices. I don't see why it can't grow further and further." The Row's commercial director, Rae Miles, chimed in, "We really had a good time. Ashley was surprised. The women were really chic. A lot of them had such great style. And we didn't expect there to be so many women like that." These women are Olsen's target customers, right? How flattering, then. And the door hit Miles and Ashley's asses on the way out. Ashley Olsen Touts Virtues of The Row [WWD]Source: NYmag
MELBOURNE City Council has selected the new face of its fashion festival, two weeks after dumping its original choice because she was too young. Jacqui Alexander, an 18-year-old model and fashion designer, will become the public face of Fashion Week, which starts on September 3. Fifteen-year-old model Claire Quirk was originally chosen for the job but then dropped because councillors considered her too young. Ms Alexander, the daughter of Russian fashion designers who moved to Australia in the 1980s, designed her first collection last year while completing Year 12. Earlier this year, Ms Alexander became the youngest ever designer to have her work bought by prestigious British department store Harvey Nichols. Ms Alexander could not be reached for comment last night. Councillor Fiona Snedden, who chairs the council's business committee, said she was ecstatic that Ms Alexander had been chosen. "It's a fantastic result for Melbourne because Jacqui is so inspiring," Cr Snedden said. "She's a stunning young woman, but also an innovative young designer with a thriving small business of her own. "It's a great small business story. She will be a great role model for young Melburnian women."
Melbourne City Council last month reversed its plan for Ms Quirk to be crowned "the face" of Fashion Week. Ms Quirk, who turns 16 during the festival, will still appear on catwalks at many of the festival's 142 events. The move to drop Ms Quirk last month came just days after an interim report was released by the British fashion industry's Model Health Inquiry. It recommended banning models aged under 16 from London Fashion Week. The British report also called for a scientific study into the prevalence of eating disorders among fashion models, and an investigation into whether a minimum body-mass index requirement should be introduced for London Fashion Week models. The measure has already been adopted by Madrid Fashion Week. Australia's main fashion industry body supported the restrictions on models younger than 16 working at big fashion shows, saying younger teenagers were ill-equipped to face issues such as sexualisation, alcohol and rejection.
Desperate to join the ranks of retailers who've used celebrities for brand cachet, cheapie clothier Steve + Barry's has decided to follow up its first attempt — Sarah Jessica Parker’s fashion line Bitten — by partnering with actress Amanda Bynes. Who? Exactly. Either Steve + Barry only watch Nickelodeon, or the founders just haven't had a proper lesson in picking the proper celebrity to pimp their wares. Thank God we're here with some sage advice (after the jump). You're welcome, boys. Pick Someone Who's Actually Into FashionTrue, budding designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen — whose line The Row is being sold at Barneys — have a history of trotting around town looking like they’ve dragged themselves out of a dumpster. But their passion for fashion is well documented by their appearances at couture shows and Fashion Week events. Showing up is half the battle, Amanda; simply saying you want to move to New York because it's chic (and while your roots are showing) does not make you qualified to design good pants. Don't Get Duped By Fictional Fashion SenseJust because Patricia Field can stuff Carrie Bradshaw in something avant-garde doesn't mean Sarah Jessica Parker knows what she's talking about in real life. There’s a big difference between being able to pick out a pretty dress (or having a pink-haired crone do it for you), and being able to design one. No wonder bloggers are savaging SJP’s line before it's even in stores. We can't imagine how Bynes will fare given that her biggest onscreen fashion moment consisted of two "hilarious" montages at the same flea market in What a Girl Wants. Besides, Colin Firth is in that movie, so was anyone actually watching Amanda? Avoid People Who Have Nothing Better to DoThe Bynes deal smacks of someone designing on a whim, which didn't work out so well for Nicky Hilton. The sulky heiress was best known for spending most of her time looking bored at parties until deciding to create her Chick line a few seasons ago. Considering Nicky’s total lack of charisma, her addiction to wearing the same shapeless black shirt several weeks in a row, and the fact that she had never given us any prior reason to believe she could design her way out of a paper bag, it's no surprise Chick flopped. Bynes is generally photographed lounging around Los Angeles in nondescript jeans and tees. And that’s fine … if you haven’t been hired to shill a line based on your awesome fashion sense.
Find a Brainy Business PartnerWhat does Bynes bring to the deal, aside from maybe Colin Firth's phone number? The Olsens have been mini-moguls practically since they were in utero. Fellow wholesome starlet Hilary Duff started slow with lip gloss and cheap accessories before graduating to a clothes line for kids. And at the other end of the age spectrum, Madonna brought a lifetime of savvy. Her H&M collection was more benign than she is, but that's why it worked: Madge knew H&M shoppers needed a trench coat more than, say, a cone bra. When All Else Fails, At Least Pick Someone People Have Heard OfSienna Miller's Twenty8Twelve line, designed with her sister, is mostly a bunch of drab, ruffled stuff Sienna herself would likely wear with leggings on the red carpet. Would we buy it? Two words: No. But given the enormous attention her controversial personal style has received in the last few years, it's logical that she tried. Conversely, we dare you to name even one thing that Bynes wore out of the house last year. We'll just pop out for the weekend while you're thinking. —The Fug Girls
Ashley Olsen promoted the fall '08 collection of her and Mary-Kate's clothing line the Row by appearing at a boutique in Dallas yesterday. Journalists were asked not to interview her, but being infinitely generous, she chatted them up anyway. Apparently she's "on hiatus from her liberal-arts studies at New York University" to focus on the fashion stuff. Oh, Ash, let's be real — who needs school when you have fashion? And a fortune? 
