Coco Before Chanel Is 'Beautifully Woven'

What happened to the Mulleavy sisters' commitment to authenticity?

(NEWSER) - Rodarte, which has become synonymous with handcrafted, authentic, extremely well-made clothes, was the last line Erika Kawalek ever expected to do a Target collection. The looks aren’t bad—some, like the leopard-print dress and blue tulle blouse, are rather nice—“but if you turn off your acquisitiveness for a sec and consider what Rodarte represents, their Target collection is a truly depressing move,” she writes on DoubleX . More»

Some collections reflect current industry inertia, but a few rise above

(NEWSER) - With economic stresses making it more difficult for designers to be creative—and the growing trend of manufacturing being outsourced to other countries—the Italian spring collections in Milan were somewhat “joyless,” but still offered a few standouts, writes Cathy Horyn for the New York Times. The good:

• Angela Missoni: Her “clothes merit attention” because “virtually every garment was a knit”—proving her willingness to ask how historical techniques “could be aired out.”

For celeb designers like Timberlake, recession means hard times for fashion lines

(NEWSER) - The latest casualty of the economic crisis: celebrity clothing lines. “Every D-level celebrity who thought they could make a quick buck by designing a handbag or whatever is going to disappear,” Vogue editor Anna Wintour tells the Wall Street Journal. “And I think that's a good thing.” Wannabe-designers including Jennifer Lopez, Lauren Conrad, Heidi Montag, and Nicky Hilton have had to call it quits on their collections due to disappointing sales. More»

Designs get whimsical, 'craftsy,' with fabrics that offer a tactile appeal

(NEWSER) - This spring, designers are getting touchy-feely, writes Booth Moore in the Los Angeles Times’ continuing look at Fashion Week. From a rope-weave raffia vest by Carolina Herrera to Donna Karan’s “fabrics seemingly weathered by the elements,” designs have “a craftsy feel”—“maybe it's a signal that we're searching for more depth in fashion, something to touch and feel, not just to look at and discard after one season.” More»

Paris, Milan top Forbes list

(NEWSER) - Weighing everything from fashion to architecture to street life, Forbes rates the 10 most stylish cities in the world. The best of the best:

• It doesn’t get any more chic than Paris
• Milan: “flashy” fashion and cool contemporary design
• New York: a shopping spree from Brooklyn to 5th Avenue
• Rome: La Dolce Vita still says it all