Stylista

Fashion Roundup: Target Announces New Collaborations; Anna Wintour Doesn't Want to Talk Retirement; Thakoon's Obama Dress Plans

Anna Wintour.
Getty Images.
Anna Wintour.

Target has announced two new collaborations: a handbag line with Felix Rey designers Lily Band and Sulaika Zarrouk to launch on March 29 and a shoe collection with footwear designer Trish Carroll, called Miss Trish of Capri for Target, for April 5. [WWD

When asked about her possible retirement, Anna Wintour asked a reporter from The Cut to leave her alone and please go away. [The Cut

Stylista contestant Kate: "What you see on television is a 100 percent accurate depiction of me and the entire cast." [Racked read more »

Stylista Ratings Not Meeting Our Great Expectations

Anne Slowey and Joe Zee.
Getty Images.
Anne Slowey and Joe Zee.

The CW's Stylista has been on for a few weeks now and from a critical perspective (that is, ours), the show is kind of genius. So why doesn't it have the ratings to match?

It has all the requisite reality show ingredients: The bitchy Megan has more personality in one strand of her stringy hair than all of the current contestants on America's Next Top Model combined. The 20-year-old N.Y.U. journalism girl, Devin (who thought she had the fashion magazine world figured out because she edited the school fashion magazine for some time), sadly reminds us of the way we were coming out of the very same institution.  read more »

Anne Slowey is Still Not Over That Whole Nina Garcia Thing

Slowey
Getty Images
Slowey

After months of watching those over-done ads for the CW's Stylista in which Anne Slowey's well-outfitted feet exit the elevator at Elle to deliver chilling insults to her "junior editor" hopefuls about their outfits, we're looking forward to finally watching the premiere this Wednesday, Oct. 22.

Until recently, Ms. Slowey's name was rarely heard outside of intimate fashion circles. But now that former Elle staffer Nina Garcia took her Project Runway fame over to Marie Claire where she'll reportedly participate in yet another reality show, Ms. Slowey has been bumped up to the reality TV spotlight at Elle. And so while promoting the show in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Ms. Slowey couldn't help but toss a few unpleasantries—in a not-so-hidden, passive aggressive way of course—in Ms. Garcia's direction.  read more »

How Is Anne Slowey Like Madonna?


Recently, we came across some clips of the CW's upcoming Stylista, the show on which Elle fashion news editor Anne Slowey generously offers internship and connections-challenged masochists the chance to be her assistant—er, "Junior Editor." In a scene reminiscent of Anne Hathaway's daily battles with Smith & Wollensky in The Devil Wears Prada—probably not an accident—we watch the aspiring schedule-curators plate fancy-looking food on large, iridescent plates and file into Ms. Slowey's office, their trays rattling audibly. Clad in a wide-belted, khaki number—like a drill sergeant!—she warns them, "If you're going to live in my world,you have to express your sense of taste and style in everything you do."

In the second clip (above), we watch her conduct breakfast tray inspection while appraising the contestants' clothing. "A little Clockwork Orange" she tells a bowler-wearing gentleman. "You're looking a little like a waitress," she tells one of the girls. She takes kindly to one brown-noser whose tray includes a small notebook for the recording of "morning ideas after a colorful and healthy breakfast" and another girl's horn-rimmed glasses.

There's something about Ms. Slowey in these clips that reminds us of Madonna. Maybe it's the middle-parted blond hair or the unplaceable, fake-sounding accent. Or maybe it's just the nearly parodic show of self-importance. We'd hope that Ms. Slowey is just playing it up for the cameras, but we know better than to think about working at a fashion magazine, anyway.

[via Save the Assistants]

Stylista Judge Joe Zee Talks About His Role

Zee
Getty Images
Zee

Elle creative director Joe Zee will be making his reality TV debut this fall as a judge on CW's Stylista, a show in which fashion hopefuls will compete to become senior fashion news director Anne Slowey's assistant at Elle. Created by producers of Project Runway and America's Next Top Model, Stylista promises to a be A Devil Wears Prada-inspired reality show that will presumably feature contestants performing assistant duties while Ms. Slowey throws her coat at them like Meryl and says mean things about their H&M outfits.

Meadiabistro's Diane Clehane interviewed Mr. Zee about his career and his experience on the show.  read more »

Morning Memo: New Shows For Bravo; New Squeeze For Al Reynolds?

Reynolds
Getty Images
Reynolds

In addition to picking up Sarah Jessica Parker's American Artist, Bravo has also reportedly signed on a U.K. import called Fashion House to fill the void left by Project Runway. Fashion House will have contestants living in one house and working together to create an entire fashion line. [EW]

Meanwhile, Eli Holzman, creator of the show Stylista (premiering on the CW this fall), said he got the idea for the show after being rejected by Anna Wintour. [The Cut]

Al Reynolds, still dismissing gay rumors, has moved his campaign from YouTube to Miami Fashion Week, parading around with a woman who looked exactly like his ex-wife Star Jones.  read more »