House of Orange, the Amsterdam-based agency for hair, makeup, styling, photographers, and models, has come up with a creative way to showcase its team’s talents: It’s launched a self-published, biannual magazine. The oversize pub, conceived by agency founder John Kattenberg as a “revolt against a system that makes uniformity and superficiality the standard,” is currently only available in the Netherlands and Paris. The debut issue features profiles and (mostly) uncommissioned work and collaborations. Highlights include a feature on Fedde Hoekstra—who spends an hour on eBay every day scooping up Barbie dolls whose hair he then styles—and the images of Carmen Freudenthal and Elle Verhagen, a photographer/stylist team who work closely with Bernhard Willhelm. For more information, see www.houseoforange.nl.—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Photo: Marieke by Annemarieke van Drimmelen (cover); Martin Butler by Carmen Freudenthal and Ellen Verhagen/Courtesy of House of Orange

While modernism may be a thing of the past, a string of recent fashion campaigns suggest otherwise, using some of the movement’s most iconic buildings as their advertising backdrops. J.Crew kicked things off with its spring catalog, which was shot at Richard Neutra’s famed Kaufmann Desert House (1946) in Palm Springs, the pure aesthetic of which played off against the elegantly preppy clothes. The fall campaign for 7 for All Mankind employs Philip Johnson’s Glass House (1949) as its setting, invariably linking the structure’s clean and linear geometry to 7’s understated denims (which are worn by Doutzen Kroes). And Oscar de le Renta’s new ads feature Louis Kahn’s modernist masterpiece the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego (1959). The distinct silhouettes formed by the models’ dresses create a playful dialogue with the building’s sharp and jagged forms, all of which are further contrasted against the bright blue sky.—Karen Bookatz

Romney Leader reports from Copenhagen fashion week.

You’d think that back-to-back shows from morning to night would leave little chance to do touristy things in a new city, but yesterday afternoon had me crisscrossing the Sortedams Sø to experience a number of landmarks (in the name of fashion, of course). Charlotte Eskildsen’s Designers Remix Collection—so popular here that she has a boutique in the Copenhagen Airport—was held at the old elephant house in the city zoo. Attendees took in the sights (and smells) behind metal barriers while models Lisa Cant and Emma Karlsson took their first spins in Copenhagen down the well-worn cement catwalk.

On the other side of town, Bruuns Bazaar (Denmark’s answer to Banana Republic) staged their show at the National Art Museum. It made for a beautiful setting but a logistical nightmare, as guests were trapped in a 45 minute queue to get to their seats. The clean silhouettes, hailed by the Dansk Daily as a return to Scandinavian minimalism, may have been better represented in a more modern venue.

A fitting end to the evening was Day Birger et Mikkelsen’s massive tenth anniversary show in an outdoor arena erected in the heart of downtown. 1,500 of their closest fans paid respects to Keld Mikkelsen, who bowed to his screaming fans like a rock god. A massive thunderstorm did little to quell the post-show fever as guests poured onto the runway for an impromptu party. It’s a good thing that the Champagne is always in full supply here.

There is much to like about Copenhagen, but one of its best features is how the shopping is all concentrated in the same pedestrian area. While walking around this morning I was drawn into jeweler Zarah Voight’s boutique by an enticing window display that paired her candy-colored pieces with popsicles and cupcakes. Voight mostly works in laser-cuthard plastic that she juxtaposes with delicate gold chains. The designs are playful—I spotted a bracelet with a string of hot-pink Barbie stilettos, and earrings shaped like house keys. I may go back to buy the pendant necklace with a silhouetted black cocker spaniel. (I have a real one waiting for me at home).

A new addition to the retail scene here is the Swedish boutique Whyred, which opened this summer (it’s the label’s fourth location; the other three are in Stockholm). The brand was launched in 1999 as a denim label by three colleagues from H&M. Their collection has evolved into an enticing blend of basics with an edge. My favorite piece was a color-blocked body-con dress. The shoes are also strong; I had to tear myself away from a chunky leather heel with attached spat. Soon to be a big hit globally, you can check it out in New York City at Castor & Pollux.

Photo: Romney Leader

Romney Leader reports from Copenhagen fashion week

MoonSpoonSaloon, a new addition to the calendar, was much-hyped in the lead-up to its show. A collaboration between artist Tal R and former costume designer Sarah Sachs, it aims to create 99 looks for its inaugural season, with each look available in a limited-edition batch of 99. Its debut at the Royal Danish Theater was very much art for art’s sake. Ballerinas performed interpretive dance in the clothes, which were court jesterlike in their use of primary colors and voluminous fits. On the other end of the spectrum was denim line Won Hundred, where everything behind the season’s collection was recorded in meticulous detail. Liner notes listed 50 ideas designer Nikolaj Nielsen liked and 50 ideas he disliked when conceiving the current line. A second page offered a rundown of the David Lynch-esque video that ran during the show, even listing key symbols for guests to look out for. The actual clothes, in contrast, were refreshingly bare-bones, and standout pieces for women included a boxy twill jacket and baggy drawstring jeans.

Malene Birger’s show is a do-not-miss on the fashion week calendar. The Danish designer is an icon in Copenhagen, and the dramatic By Malene Birger collection was enjoyable for both longtime fans and the newly converted. A tough-but-sweet vibe ran strong; black leather knee-high spats were paired with bright floral separates and billowy chiffon skirts. While some looks—though beautiful—borrowed a little too heavily from Marni, Birger really hit her stride with more classically Danish pieces like her sheer smock dresses and tunics. All of the pants, ranging from classic uptown trousers to a sophisticated take on the drop-crotch peg-leg style, were impeccably tailored, and the jewelry and handbags (Birger is of the "bigger is better" school of thought) were covetable.

The big star on hand at Malene Birger was Lene Nostrom, who you may remember from her pop band Aqua’s hit single "Barbie Girl." I told her she looked great. "Thanks! The sweater is Alexander McQueen, the leggings are Kova & T, the bag is Chanel, and the shoes are Nicholas Kirkwood," she said. Fans take note: Aqua is gearing up for a reunion tour this fall.

I took some time on Saturday to walk through Gallery, one of two big trade fairs going on simultaneously with the shows. One of the standout displays was Monies, a revered Danish jewelry line from husband/wife team Gerda and Nicolai Monies. Buffalo horns, amber, and rare gems are some of the natural materials found in their dramatic pieces (rings as big as your hand, necklaces that drape to the knee). They’ve collaborated with Donna Karan and Christian Lacroix, among others, and have freestanding shops in Paris and Geneva. It’s hard to believe they were showing me the more conservative pieces ("We save the really special pieces for Paris," whispered the saleswoman), but I swooned over this tangle of shiny ivory beads.

Across the way I saw Peter Jensen manning his own booth, so I went over to say hi. Though it was his men’s Spring ‘09 collection on display, he was kind enough to give me a sneak preview of the women’s line, debuting in September at London fashion week. The inspiration? Jodie Foster. "We looked mostly at ‘Hotel New Hampshire’," he said, "Jodie had a strong, masculine look there that I loved, but we also took elements from ‘Freaky Friday’ and ‘Silence of the Lambs’." I snapped this sweatshirt (note the "Jodie" and "JF" screenprints) because it encapsulates Jensen’s hilarious regard for American culture.

Copenhagen fashion week ended on a spirited note with Henrik Vibskov’s show. No one seemed to mind the almost two-hour delay, perhaps because it wasn’t the designer’s fault, but instead because he opened the show to the public, asking only that ticketless attendees play a trumpet song to gain admittance (if you didn’t have a trumpet you could pay 70 kroners). Once the melee at the door had settled and the lights dimmed, the show highlight was Vibskov—himself an avid percussionist—front and center with his drums, playing live to the show soundtrack. Though he’s mostly known as a clothing designer in the U.S., throughout Europe Vibskov is regarded as a multi-disciplinary performance artist. The strongest looks in the show featured his signature print work, shown on a baggy women’s pant and a colorful men’s wool sweater. The after-party began on location immediately following the show, but yours truly headed back to the hotel to begrudgingly prepare for the trip back to New York.

Photos: MoonSpoon, Vibskov: Courtesy of Copenhagen fashion week; Nostrom, Monies, Jensen: Romney Leader

With so many of us gearing up for fashion week in early September, it’s easy to forget that New York is host to another megawatt event: The U.S. Open. On Thursday night Men’s Vogue’s Jay Fielden and Marc Berger reminded their besuited buddies of the incoming tennis troops with a party in honor of ninth-seeded righthander James Blake. Nursing one of many glasses of water, the pro admitted that he’s no longer nervous approaching matches, but fashion parties still give him the jitters. “Walking into a match is second nature now, but these types of parties aren’t. Not yet, anyway,” he said, adding, as he tugged on the lapel of his Hugo Boss suit, “but if I think I look nice they’re not too bad.” Childhood pal John Mayer (who knew?) helped Berger navigate the crowd, but confused the photographers when he tried to play both sides of the paparazzi court. (”Enough!” he screamed at one point, then whined, “I don’t want to be mean.”) Fielden, on the other hand, remained a gentleman—that is, until the subject of seats came up. “The deal is very clear: We hosted this party in hopes he’ll give us better ones next week.”—Derek Blasberg

Photo: Patrick McMullan

Men’s Vogue’s Jay Fielden with James Blake.

George Balanchine’s impact on contemporary ballet can’t be overestimated, but the rigidity of his teaching is often criticized. Israeli-born and Los Angeles-based artist Elad Lassry’s untitled super 16mm film, which goes on view at John Connelly Presents in New York today, joins the debate on whether Mr. B liberated the medium, exploited his dancers, or did both. In Lassry’s video, New York City Ballet dancers Megan LeCrone and Ask La Cour perform the pas de deux from Balanchine’s 1957 “Agon.” The cameras remain fixed at specific points stipulated in dancer and choreographer Doris Humphrey’s diary of observations, which was published after her death in 1958, as “The Art of Making Dances.” As the two dancers move in and out of the frame, it seems as if Humphrey were a ghost watching the progression of dance under Balanchine.—Ana Finel Honigman

Photo: Elad Lassry, still from “Untitled,” courtesy of John Connelly Presents

Miami’s cozy-yet-chichi Casa Tua was subject to a French invasion last night. The occasion was a private dinner for Karl Lagerfeld, who’s in town to show the Chanel Resort collection. Diane Kruger, Joana Preiss, Irina Lazareanu, and Michel Gaubert were among the Francophones in attendance, along with Brad Koenig (the subject of Lagerfelds’s latest book), and Zoë Kravitz. The evening’s most visible table hopper was none other than the guest of honor, who, with his whole group, moved from an inside location to a large round table underneath lantern-hung trees. Chanel face Anna Mougalis, who will make her directing debut next year, stopped to chat about Miami. “You can walk everywhere and there’s space for fare niente. It’s a lot of fun to see the grandeur of the Art Deco buildings and in front of them people with fake lips, boobs, asses—it’s very today. The hotels have been renovated and people are redoing the architecture of themselves.”—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Photo: Billy Farrell/PatrickMullan.com

A performance by the Merce Cunningham Company was easily the highlight of Dia’s spring benefit, which celebrated the fifth anniversary of Dia:Beacon. The Saturday afternoon art crowd (Francesco and Alba Clemente, Julian and Olatz Schnabel, Honor Fraser, Kenny Scharf, and Nathalie de Gunzburg) settled in on gymnasium-style bleachers so close to the stage you could nearly smell the spandex. The performance was dedicated to Robert Rauschenberg, who was the resident designer of the dance company from 1954 to 1964, with one final collaboration in 2007. “He was a dear friend and a great artist,” said Cunningham, who held court in his wheelchair. “Together we erased boundaries between the arts.” Meanwhile, Francesco Clemente, dapper in a three-piece suit and red knit tie, offered post-performance, “I love Merce. He’s the best. The best.”—Scott Rogers

Photo: CLINT SPAULDING/PatrickMcMullan.com

Summers on the eastern end of Long Island and divorce—two rituals fashion folk are extremely familiar with. These two topics set the scene for Laura Dave’s sophomore novel, “The Divorce Party.” Set in Montauk, N.Y., because the author “wanted to capture the glamour and exclusivity” of the area, it tells the story of a young engaged couple who are visiting the future groom’s family for the first time. Although they don’t know it on the drive out, their engagement announcement will be celebrated at his parents’ divorce party. “The Divorce Party” has already caught the eye of at least one person who has dealt with divorce and weekends by the ocean: Echo Films, the production company Jennifer Aniston founded with Kristin Hahn, has a movie based on the book in pre-production with Universal Studios. “I am really excited,” Dave says about the future flick. “I think I’ll wait till after that to think about what comes next for the Huntingtons.”Derek Blasberg

“I’m in uniform tonight,” laughed pro-surfer Jennifer Smith of her head-to-toe Roxy look last night. Which was fitting, since she was at the launch of “Surf Girl Roxy” (Chronicle), a new collection of the best photos of the Roxy Girls surf team over the past decade. Veronica Kay Baker, who’s been on the Roxy team for the past 15 years, gave us some insight into the brand: “Roxy gave us the clothes that really helped define women’s surfing. Before Roxy there were no board shorts for women—they had to wear guys’ trunks. Roxy came out with their own board shorts and the sport really took off. Once we had our uniforms we were ready to go!” The West Coast vibe even got to Bronx-born co-host Joy Bryant, who, when asked about her affiliation with the brand, started dropping slang like a native: “Well, aside from being a really killer shredder…I’m joking.” The actress/surfer/snowboarder grinned and added enthusiastically, “I just love that is a girls’ company, girls that just rip it up!”—Kelley Hoffman

Photo: CHANCE YEH/PatrickMcMullan.com