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American Morning
Fashion Designers Already Focused on Next Fall
Aired March 06, 2002 - 07:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: It is not even spring yet, but fashion designers are already focused on next fall. In Europe, models are catwalking to showcase what the fashion houses hope the rest of us will be wearing. The world's top designers and their new creations filled the fashion shows in Milan, Italy with glamour and drama and lots of purple ruffles, apparently.
Joining us from -- joining us from Milan this morning to talk about the future trends and the April cover of "W" magazine, which features the president's model niece, Lauren Bush, is the fashion director of "W" magazine, Joe Zee. Thanks a lot for being with us, Joe.
JOE ZEE, FASHION DIRECTOR "W" MAGAZINE: Good morning.
COOPER: Good morning. So what are you seeing on the runways this season?
ZEE: Hi. I think you're seeing -- I think the overriding theme that we're seeing here in Milan is definitely a return to sexy glamour. And I think you saw that all across the board from Prada to Gucci and definitely to Donatella Versace. I think -- I think we're ready for fashion to come back to that.
COOPER: You know a lot of people had said that after 9-11 there would be a more somber tone to things, but not this season?
ZEE: I think we definitely saw that. That was the case with New York City and American designers. But I think in Milan, and sort of Italian designers and European designers in general, are trying to find a much more upbeat mood to bring back to fashion. I think that glamour is the beginning of it.
COOPER: Now this stuff looks great on the runway. How does it translate into sales into the retail stores? I mean, do people actually buy this stuff?
ZEE: Yeah, I think -- I think right now, especially in this time of business, you know, designers are really, really thinking about business. And I think if you look at it on the runway, you see it as sort of great high (UNINTELLIGIBLE) fashion. But I think if you really take it apart and dissect it, there are really great pieces. And I think even within the things that even Prada or Gucci did, there are great wearable, sellable pieces. COOPER: We're showing Versace right now. I mean, how much of this -- this stuff cost? Or what -- this is, I mean, out of the reach of probably the average person out there.
ZEE: I mean, I think -- you know, in the end, designer business accounts for a small percentage of sales. But I think, you know, you're looking at -- you know, I mean, it depends obviously on the item. But you're looking at onwards of, you know, hundreds of thousands, absolutely.
COOPER: The cover of "W" magazine this month has Lauren Bush, the president's niece. What do we learn about her in this article?
ZEE: Well, I mean, I think in the end -- I mean, she's very -- she's a very sexy, grownup girl on the cover. But I think really she's just a wholesome all-American girl. She goes to high school, she's excited about her prom. She's looking at colleges to go to next year. I mean, she's just your regular average, you know, all-American girl.
COOPER: Is she very sensitive about using the Bush name and how she is portrayed in ads?
ZEE: I think absolutely, but I think she's also very sensitive about herself. I mean, she is just a young girl and she is just sort of going through all the different things a teenage girl goes through. And she is sort of living an adult life right now. I mean, she's very particular about finishing school and being, you know, sort of really on top of her grades and things like that. So, yeah -- I mean, I think, is the Bush name prominent? Absolutely, but I think she also is very aware of herself.
COOPER: Now I'm also told that this year is the return of the super models. Frankly, I hadn't known that they went anywhere, but I guess they're back?
ZEE: Yeah. I mean, I think we saw Cindy Crawford here on the Roberta Cavali (ph) runway. We saw Amber Valetta (ph) on Versace's runway. I think, yeah, that's all part and parcel with sort of the return to glamour. I mean, that 80's super model phenomenon really sort of -- really sort of capped it off for glamour. And I think sort of coming back to that theme you really are seeing these girls again. And I think they look just as good as ever.
COOPER: You know, these fashions shows are magnets for celebrities and sub-lebrities (ph). Who showed up this year to check out the new trends?
ZEE: Well I think Donatella always sort of brings in the best front row. I mean she had the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) girls, minus (UNINTELLIGIBLE). She had Heather Graham. But I think, you know, the real attraction this time again was Chelsea Clinton and her boyfriend Ian.
COOPER: Does Chelsea Clinton actually buy these clothes or do they give her all these clothes for free? ZEE: You know, I honestly don't know, to be honest. I think she was wearing it last night and she looked fabulous in it. And she sort of really sort of did her hair and she did her makeup. And I think she's just sort of taking an interest in fashion, like any young girl would. And I think to be honest, she's just sort of having fun with it.
COOPER: All right. Joe Zee, thanks very much for joining us this morning. Joe Zee's the fashion director of "W" magazine. We appreciate you joining us from Milan -- Paula.
ZEE: Thank you.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: What I always find so fascinating about these shows is how these folks are taking sketches of these very famous designs, and they can turn these same designs around...
COOPER: Right.
ZAHN: ... in a week. And you'll see these in stores for a tenth of what they sell in these couture houses.
COOPER: Right. Always very interesting. It's a fascinating business.
ZAHN: You can just -- you can just imagine sitting in the audience, let's take this idea and I'm going to make it a cheaper fabric and you can wear it, you can afford it.
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