I knew America's Sweetheart Tim Gunn was named Chief Creative Officer a while back, but turns out my hero Isaac Mizrahi ditched Tarzhay and has been designing for La Liz (also known as my mom's former favorite purse manufacturer) since '08! No wonder the fall campaign looks so delightfully Vivienne Westwood-meets-The Ice Storm. Isaac makes little cameos in all the ads:
This one's from last spring: that 4ft tall grandma is killing it in her lavender separates and maxi weekend bag! The whole feeling reminds me of Kate Spade's all-Gentile Royal Tenenbaums narrative entitled "Visiting Tennesee" that this charming blogger recalled just yesterday. Synchronicity! Plus I love how Liz has reverted back to the old font and that "LC" logo. While waiting out the monsoon in Duane Reade on Saturday I saw her signature perfume (from 1986) behind the case:
Dying for the primary color triangle motif and this cobalt blue bottle by Pierre Dinand, who has apparently designed half of the world's perfume bottles for the past 50 years. Like I always say, you do one thing and you do it well.
This cannot end without mention of the spurious suburban legend that's haunted Liz Inc. for some time: that the late fashion icon was a Satanist and went on Oprah to proclaim her faith in the dark arts and detailed how she gave a portion of LC's profits to the Church of Satan. Simply not true!
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I had not heard the suburban legend - what intrigue! Mizrahi is divine.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of that suburban legend either, but how truly bizarre!
ReplyDeleteYes! Isaac at Liz. I think it'd be slightly funnier and definitely a bit more subtle if he only showed up in one ad, but that's our Isaac. (I miss his talk shows.)
ReplyDeleteAnd "visiting Tennessee" is a wonderful idea. When are you going to? I'm in Nashville now.
Nick-
ReplyDeleteThank you for the post. It seems I have been under a rock as well. I concur with Tommy in saying that I miss Isaac's talk show!
David @ Ashfield Hansen Design
YES I remember hearing that Liz Claiborne/ Satan thing back when I was little!
ReplyDeleteLove love love the visiting Tennessee ad. The girl's name was Tennessee, right?
My mom always wore Liz Claiborne. Every once in a while I will smell it on someone and it makes me feel so nostalgic. It was so classic 80's.
ReplyDeletetoo bad, as it's about over. liz is going exclusively into jcpenney and on qvc bc it isn't selling at macys (they wouldn't put it in their big doors). in 5 years jc is probably going to buy it outright. not sure how long isaac is tethered...
ReplyDeleteHi Nick. Saw your link on my stats and wow thank you for the mention. So, lovely to find someone else who gets the Visiting Tennessee Charm. And on the liz brand, the ads are so amazing. Isaac has brought such wonderful life back to it, not surprising with his mad talent. last, but not least. What Liz isn't a satanist:) That is too funny. So remember that!!! I will so be back. love your posts.
ReplyDelete*And* she was raised here in NO (after being born in Belgium, I think)! Another reason to love her (well, for me).
ReplyDeleteMaybe that's how they got the whole "satanism" thing. New Orleans=Satan, right?
go liz!
ReplyDeleteVivienne Westwood meets The Ice Storm? Perfection.
ReplyDeleteSchleping a black Satanic Liz bag with fraying handle at the moment. Loved the clear plastic raincoat in that ad.
ReplyDeleteThe clear plastic raincoat upsets me a little, like granny has leprosy and the Public Health Dept. made her wear that.
ReplyDeleteSuburban legend, HA!
ReplyDeleteI also miss his show -- although he's got alot of stuff on his website that can fill the void. Hilarious video blogs about eating poptarts and his dogs and such! And of course Tim Gunn can do no wrong...
Wow, thank you for an "Ice Storm" reference. I feel like Mizrahi is being put to much better use at Liz Clairborne than he was at Target... may be a little more expensive, but you get what you pay for after all!
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of that suburban legend either, but how truly bizarre! Work from home India
ReplyDeleteLive for The Ice Storm! So happy she got a new look. xoxo
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Jeez, all these Ice Storm fans. It was well done, I guess, but I find it hard to work up affection for that bleak vision.
ReplyDeletegood....................................................................................................
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