Last night in Soho, Alan Cumming, Willem Dafoe, Paper mag’s Mr. Mickey, Marvin Jarrett of Nylon, the MisShapes, Costume National founder/creative director Ennio Capasa, and a cast of thousands, gathered at the Costume National boutique. The occasion was a cocktail party to celebrate the chic Italian fashion line’s 21st anniversary and the book launch of Costume National 21 by Assouline. I stopped by with my camera to record everyone and their outfits - which ran the gamut from charcoal to black. Have a look…

When it comes to fashion, men often get the short end of the stick - we are encouraged to stick with the basics, the classics, keep the hair cropped short, wear a muted palette. Girls on the other hand have loads of cute options to choose from - things like the new Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony. Whenever I see a girl wearing clothes this damn cute I suffer from a strange mixture of attraction and jealousy. I actually dress in sort of a male version of this look, which requires a great deal of planning, shopping at 14 different stores, and mixing new and vintage. Cool downtown girls just walk over to the OC on their lunch break and boom there you go - the whole look all there on one hanger. So not fair…
The Chloe Sevigny line is for Spring 2008 - that means it will likely be hitting the floor sometime between late January and mid-February - in case you want to start lining up now. I plan to stop by the showroom and take a look at the pieces before then, but from the photos I’ve seen so far, here is my take:

• - The line combines the (Liberty-print) preppy and the punk.
• - It combines an 80’s Merry-Go-Round, cool-store-at-the-mall feel with a 90’s grunge feel.
• - It’s very Opening Ceremony.
• - It has a bit of a preppy/chic French schoolgirl look - I think of Repettos or other oxfords, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and riding a scooter home from class.

In short, it looks like the perfect wardrobe for a cool but somewhat WASP-y gal from Connecticut on the loose in the grungy/cute early 90’s New York of her dreams. Sound familiar?

While it’s not unusual to spot crusty old billionaires crowding the sidewalks of Soho, today saw a crowd of billionaires of a different sort gathering on West Broadway. Japanese streetwear guru Nigo (Bathing Ape) and hip-hop superstar/producer Pharrell opened the first US boutique for their Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream labels. The devoted were finally allowed inside around 1pm - but only a few shoppers at a time - with a velvet rope and a doorman guarding the gate. The official press preview is not until tomorrow, but Stylesightings is bringin’ the vibe early. And you thought only billionaires had exclusive access…(BBC/Ice Cream Flagship, 456 West Broadway, 212.777.2225)

We’ve been hearing rumors about British not-so-cheap-chic mecca Topshop opening a New York store since 2005. I remember Women’s Wear Daily reporting that Topshop CEO Sir Philip Green had agents actively scouting retail locations in the city, but had been unable to find one that was large enough. The WWD article focused on the fact that when Topshop finally opened here, they intended to open big. Until then, New York shoppers would have to pacify themselves with the bits and pieces of Topshop and Topman apparel that could be found elsewhere - places like the semi-permanent Topshop pop-up boutique inside Opening Ceremony or the Kate Moss for Topshop pieces that were carried by Barneys New York.
Now racked.com is reporting that Topshop is finally opening at 478 Broadway in Soho - the space currently occupied by streetwear outpost Yellow Rat Bastard. The YRB space is large - but not exactly humongous - which leaves me wondering if they will sell the full range of Topshop goods. I would especially like to see them offer vintage clothes (as they do at their Oxford Street flagship in London) as well as the Topman collection of course. I’m usually the last one to get excited about yet another chain store opening in New York - but Topshop is cool, so I’ll make an exception in this case. I’m a little bummed though that we no longer will have that just-off-the-plane-from-London cachet that wearing Topshop used to bestow.

Yea yea yea! Listen up elegantly poor ladies: Jovovich-Hawk is coming to Target! Actress Milla Jovovich and her design partner/friend Carmen Hawk will be bringing their vintage inspired wares to the chain in spring of 2008! Lots of exclamation points, I know, but I’m seriously excited. Not more excited than I am for the launch of Kohl’s weirdly good-looking Simply Vera collection that was supposed to come out this weekend but is already being snapped up at stores in the Midwest, but excited nonetheless. Speaking of excited, right now I’m off to Bryant Park to snap pictures of all the lookers flitting about on their way to another fabulous show in their best outfits, and Stylesight.com’s photographers are already busy working the tents, so stay tuned for updates!