For those who missed last years campaign…

A few posts ago, we showed you Agent Provocateur new campaign with Maggie Gyllenhaal out now. What we didnt show you was last years campaign with Kate Moss playing another fictitious character called “The Dreams of Miss X”. Anyway, I’m writing about this because we just threw the LA party for the book launch which was just released in the States.

People who came? Pictured above, Simple Life’s Kaycee Flynn and Boston Public’s Johnny Abrahamson (who also was a resident DJ with our Jauretsi at LA’s Roosevelt Hotel back when Amanda Demme held post). Also in attendance — Steve Jones (A Sex Pistol!), Jewel, and a few others. Co-owner Serena Rees brought the cred by flying in for the party. Did you know Serena opened Agent Provacateur 10 years ago with partner Joseph Corre (son of Vivienne Westwood & Malcolm McLaren)? Just a little lingerie trivia.

This is part 1 of a 4-part series that played online. Directed by Mike “Leaving Las Vegas” Figgis and Kate in her first acting role. Be forewarned. It is ghostly, and dark. The night vision makes it even grimier, only upping the sex factor. Plus her underwear looks awesome.

Good cause. Good party.

This past spring, our new Starworker, Lyle (pictured above, right side) and his friend Jacquetta Wheeler organized a charity event in New York City for Darna, a school/shelter for women in Tangier, Morocco. Life pretty much consists of drugs, theft, prostitution, or attempting the illegal and often deadly passage of going to southern Spain. Darna is an amazing organization that has provided housing/education to nearly 500 women/children.

The event was held at The Gramercy hotel. Jacquetta and Lyle pulled out their big guns and rolodexes to make this a fruitful charity. The night was a great success and raised almost $200,000 for Darna. The money is already being used right now to build a new Girls Center that is currently under construction. Instant gratification!

Spanish Vogue (sept 2007) covered the party which was set up as a trivial-pursuit-style night. Derek Blasberg wrote the piece.
J

CLICK HERE TO SEE DARNA’s COOL SITE

Sooooo, I finally went uptown for the sole reason of checking out Kanye Wests anticipated new record, GRADUATION. I mean, is he gonna “one-up” himself or not?

First off, I’ve been to a ton of crappy industry “listening parties”. This was not one of them. Right out of the taxi, I spot old-school bud and MTV Producer/DJ/Journalist Joseph Pattel finishing his cig on the street corner. As we walk into the off-broadway theater Kanye rented for the night, he shares how pysched he is about his next gig, The MTV Presidential debates online. First one is John Edwards. By the time I reached my seat, it was a already a party. Joseph shuffled in with Kanye’s DJ, the charming Atrak, and sat in front of us. One of the coolest girls I know, Alex Wagner, Editor-in-Chief of The Fader, was my armchair buddy as we kept leaning over eachother sharing room commentary.

I was on my second Rum-spiked-smoothie. Perhaps my pleasant childhood memories of Strawberry Quick powder made me consume them faster than I should. Mos Def planted himself behind us and was full of love while screaming out from the balcony like he was at a football game. Rich Kleiman (second half of Mark Ronson’s Allido Records) sat near, and Qtip was in the house. In short, it was quite a scene with lots of genuine hip hop love.

The lights went down. Kanye gave his intro speech. He stroked himself alot. Then he stepped aside and played the entire record. Track by track. The new vibe is super futuristic. The art is tight, and created by none other than Takashi Murakami.

To be honest, some songs stuck with me tighter than others. The standout to me was “Drunk and Hot Girls” (presumably about groupies) played against a monster screen projecting a Japanese anime flick where 2 girls get their kink on and bump nipples — all while Kanye raps the catchy hook:

“We go…
Thru too…
Much shit…
To mess…
Mess with…
These drunk…
All of these drunk and hot girls”.

Each track played to a specific cinematic inspiration thrusting rap further into the future– with clips from Kubrick’s 2001, Tron, Akira, Wong Kar Wai’s 2046. If Kanye’s lawyers were smart, they’d allow these exact shorts to play on YouTube so the general population can enjoy the beautiful ride we all took in the theater last night.

My Final report:

“A+” for PRESENTATION.

“B-” for MUSIC. Didnt arrest me as much I’d hoped. I honestly need to hear the record several more times as there are already some tracks that are growing on me with a few more listens. This grade could change. Im trying to keep my initial love for the man, but its hard, because… well, this leads me to my 3rd thought…..

“D” for HUMILTY. Im reducing my excitement points due to serious cocky demeanor. Listen, I completely understand hip hop was founded on “braggadocious” behaviour, but there are limits to self-glorification. It’s hard to remain objective about a new body of work when Kanye stands before a crowd telling a room of jaded industry heads “I think this new album is one of the Best 10 albums in Hip Hop History” —– before we even heard it!

I don’t want to sound like one of those generic Kanye “haters” because the man is truly talented and gifted. But jeez brother, bring it down 1 notch? The music should speak for itself.
J

A Benefit for the The Whitney Independent Study Program.

Starworks helped out a little on this cool event and invited a ton of cool friends for the Whitney bash in June. Hosts included Lubov and Max Azria, Roopal Patel, Kate Bosworth among others… presented by Sotheby’s. Because it was called “Summer of Love”, I got to bust out all my trippy vinyl and DJ’d a 60′s/70′s set. The lighting show guy was none other than “Joshua Light Show” — quite a character. He created kaleidoscopic mind-bending effects for legends like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Frank Zappa. We were groovin’ together all night.

There was TONS of amazing art auctioned: Dennis Hopper, Jenny Holzer, Terence Koh, Ryan McGiniss, Ryan McGinley, Jack Pierson, Dash Snow, and roughly 50 more artists.

All the money went to the Independent Study Program for the Whitney which fosters innovative approaches to educate young curators, art historians, and critics. The ISP is all about hooking up the young bloods in the art scene as the next generations young leaders, so we can read about them in future history books of the Whitney Museum.
J

READ MORE ON FASHIONWEEKDAILY HERE…