Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
After seasons of doing brisk T-shirt business at Army-Navy surplus stores and Canal Street vendors, camouflage is storming the more stylish outposts of Manhattan. Christine Ganeaux is offering an ROTC-inspired suit for fall in army green, brown, and black (pants, $260; blazer, $378) at her Crosby Street shop. A few storefronts away at M Z Wallace, duffel bags and purses ($140-$225) come in the military motif with leather trim. Dior designer John Galliano – who favors torn-up combat pants as his own uniform – scissored out a camouflage ball gown in taffeta for his spring 2001 couture collection ($6,740). Even Burberry is headed for boot camp, with a new line of camouflage-patterned bags, hats, and shoes in the house’s signature red, tan, and brown colors. “Hey,” says a company spokesperson, justifying the military takeover of Burberry’s traditional tartan, “you can only do so much plaid.”
MONICA ROY
Everybody Must Get Stoned
In a year when Dynasty is being invoked without a hint of irony, it’s no surprise to see Judith Leiber’s jewel-encrusted animal-shaped bags dangling from shoulders – though not the usual padded ones. Björk cavorted around the Cannes Film Festival with a Leiber penguin positioned on her hip; Jeremy Scott wore a glistening honey bear (pictured; $3,750) to the American Fashion Awards. Italian Vogue and Nylon have incorporated the pricey purses into fall-fashion photo ops, and by Christmas, a silver seal, a black Scottie, and a white Westie will be introduced into the Leiber lexicon. Just in time for the return of Nancy Reagan’s red suits and Barbara Bush’s pearls.
KRISTINA RICHARDS
Suit Yourself
Farrah Fawcett’s feathered hair is not the only Charlie’s Angels-inspired trend to land on fashion’s leggy leaders: The denim jumpsuit is also back in fashion. Earl Jean (pictured; $195), Frankie B ($168), and Bruce ($400) have all stretched their denim looms a few feet for fall. Besides being mindless – will matching separates soon be a thing of the past? – the jumpsuit is sexy: These zippers go so low, Erica Jong may rethink her take on the zipless fuck.
K.R.
Shop Talk
Chanel cultists intent on adding more bouclé-wool suits and chain-strap quilted bags to their wardrobes might be strategically rescheduling their fall weekend itineraries from the Hamptons to the Hudson Valley, where the first-ever Chanel outlet is set to open during Fashion Week at Woodbury Common (914-928-4000). Japanese tourists, the mall’s most diligent bargain hunters, who religiously scour the racks of Versace and Gucci, will have to contend with sample-sale-trained fashion editors who normally have no use for outlets – what good are last year’s Prada lip prints this season? – but who can never have too many of Chanel’s evergreen ensembles. But even if the opening is perfectly timed for the return of greed-is-good glamour, we can’t help but wonder what Coco (pictured) would say about that decidedly discount address. Is there any chic way to ride the Short Line from Port Authority?
SARAH BERNARD