Catherine Malandrino’s American-flag dress was a big success just after September 11, when it was worn by Halle Berry, Julia Roberts, Sharon Stone, and Madonna on tour, and it’s working for her again in another hard time. Malandrino relaunched the pattern a few months ago, to commemorate Obama and her tenth anniversary, and “with the election it has been, like, our best hit!” the designer told us at the W Hotels Lounge. “It has been my lucky dress. Relaunching it proved to me that the dress has a long life and it will be iconic in my history.”
So forgive Malandrino for sending a model down the runway in another one of her American-flag dresses at today’s Barbie show. For her, Barbie “was my first relationship with an American woman, growing up in the French Alps. You know, I thought Americans were very blonde, curvy, and big hair.” Now, every time she comes to L.A., she’s reminded of Barbie’s 50-year lifespan. “I see a lot of women on the street in L.A. looking like Barbie, at 50. They do their breasts, they do their lips, they do their cheeks. You do not know their age anymore. Sometimes they’re 60!”
