The designer who denied the Gaga
January 2nd 2010 10:29
Antonio Berardi certainly isn't one to mince words. "I wasn't interested in someone whose music is meaningless," said the Italian designer, when asked why he knocked back the opportunity to collaborate with the now ultra-famous pop singer Lady Gaga. "Her music is meaningless now, so what impact will it have in 20 years?"
Harsh words? Very. But it's also extremely refreshing to hear from a veteran in the industry that has become almost inextricably linked with the crazy world of celebrity. On an almost daily basis, we're seeing celebrities releasing their own lines of clothing, shoes, bags and accessories. Paris Hilton's flogging sunglasses, Lily Allen's a jewellery designer and Nicole Richie is creating everything from maternity wear to leather jackets and lingerie!
And while the clothing lines of some celebrities do succeed in high style - most notably, Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. - others are doomed to inevitable failure. Lauren Conrad and Mandy Moore both shut down production on their clothing lines last year, the former blaming the economy and the latter claiming that her brand no longer reflected her creative vision. Sure, girls. Sure....
At any rate, it seems that Antonio Berardi can see right through the fame that seems to dazzle so many other designers (yes, Emanuel Ungaro, we're looking at you). At 41, Berardi has been in the fashion business since the mid-nineties and knows how fickle it can be. "It's the same in any industry whether it's music, film and literature, there are fashions of the time," he says. "Things come in and things go out and in all creative industries it's exactly the same."
He may have rejected Lady Gaga, but this is not to say that Berardi is opposed to all celebrity associations. Global fashion icon Victoria Beckham is one of his favourite clients, with Berardi being the creator of the show-stopping heelless boots that she wore on the red carpet in 2008. Gwyneth Paltrow, Eva Mendes and Megan Fox are also big fans of the Italian's designs, largely because of his elegant, and extremely fastidious sense of style.
Ultimately it's the superb cut of Antonio Berardi's garments that has celebrities flocking to his designs in droves. His fine tailoring, and the attention to detail he inherited from his "very strict mother" are what has made him one of the most celebrated Italian designers of our time. And while the Gaga camp was smart to choose Berardi as a possible clothing collaborator for their crazy Lady, even they have to admit that it wouldn't exactly have been a match made in heaven.
Berardi's advice to up-and-coming designers is simple, succinct, and reminiscent of another European designer you may have heard something about in that he thinks in terms of style, and not passing fads. "As long as you have a vision and continue to take that vision forward eventually it will come to fruition at some point and maybe it will fade away for a while, but it will come back."
As for Lady Gaga? Well, there's always Ungaro....
Contrary to popular belief, fame won't get you everywhere!
Harsh words? Very. But it's also extremely refreshing to hear from a veteran in the industry that has become almost inextricably linked with the crazy world of celebrity. On an almost daily basis, we're seeing celebrities releasing their own lines of clothing, shoes, bags and accessories. Paris Hilton's flogging sunglasses, Lily Allen's a jewellery designer and Nicole Richie is creating everything from maternity wear to leather jackets and lingerie!
And while the clothing lines of some celebrities do succeed in high style - most notably, Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. - others are doomed to inevitable failure. Lauren Conrad and Mandy Moore both shut down production on their clothing lines last year, the former blaming the economy and the latter claiming that her brand no longer reflected her creative vision. Sure, girls. Sure....
Lady Gaga doing what she does best. The weird clothes, I mean. Not the singing.
At any rate, it seems that Antonio Berardi can see right through the fame that seems to dazzle so many other designers (yes, Emanuel Ungaro, we're looking at you). At 41, Berardi has been in the fashion business since the mid-nineties and knows how fickle it can be. "It's the same in any industry whether it's music, film and literature, there are fashions of the time," he says. "Things come in and things go out and in all creative industries it's exactly the same."
'But Antonio, she's so stylish!'
He may have rejected Lady Gaga, but this is not to say that Berardi is opposed to all celebrity associations. Global fashion icon Victoria Beckham is one of his favourite clients, with Berardi being the creator of the show-stopping heelless boots that she wore on the red carpet in 2008. Gwyneth Paltrow, Eva Mendes and Megan Fox are also big fans of the Italian's designs, largely because of his elegant, and extremely fastidious sense of style.
Victoria Beckham in Berardi's hot pink blazerdress
Berardi and Paltrow received mixed reviews for this unusual design
Megan Fox works her magic in Berardi's fabulous black-and-white, one-shoulder minidress
Ultimately it's the superb cut of Antonio Berardi's garments that has celebrities flocking to his designs in droves. His fine tailoring, and the attention to detail he inherited from his "very strict mother" are what has made him one of the most celebrated Italian designers of our time. And while the Gaga camp was smart to choose Berardi as a possible clothing collaborator for their crazy Lady, even they have to admit that it wouldn't exactly have been a match made in heaven.
There's Antonio Berardi...
... and then there's Lady Gaga.
Berardi's advice to up-and-coming designers is simple, succinct, and reminiscent of another European designer you may have heard something about in that he thinks in terms of style, and not passing fads. "As long as you have a vision and continue to take that vision forward eventually it will come to fruition at some point and maybe it will fade away for a while, but it will come back."
As for Lady Gaga? Well, there's always Ungaro....
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