Christian Siriano is already known as one of the most forward-thinking, inclusive designers in the business. Yet he always manages to find new ways to open up his brand to even more shoppers. That’s why his latest collection is available in sizes 0 to 28, priced under $200, and created in partnership with a retailer that probably has a store near you: J. Jill.
Siriano’s connection to J. Jill goes all the way to the top—to president and CEO Linda Heasley, who previously headed up Lane Bryant and tapped the designer for a collaboration back then, in spring 2016. “We were looking for something that was for a lot of different types of people. When Linda and I were chatting, I loved that this would be even more diverse. With Lane Bryant, it was a plus-size collection. This is 2 to 28,” he tells Glamour.
Courtesy of J. Jill
Of all the ways Siriano has trail-blazed the fashion industry, the way he’s embraced collaborations—and, specifically, mass-market ones—stands out. From the very beginning, he’s been partnering with brands to bring his point of view to different categories and price points: He did that with Lane Bryant (for plus sizes), with Payless ShoeSource (for footwear), and even with Bed Bath and Beyond (for home). “For a long time it was hard because I felt that women who have work and kids couldn’t get something from my brand,” he says. “I want my mom and my sister to be able to go to a store and buy something.” These collections let him do that.
Courtesy of J. Jill
“I never want people to only think of me as a red carpet designer. As a creative person, sometimes you get stuck in what you do and don’t ever branch out. I’ve always wanted the average woman to be able to wear my designs. These collaborations show that I can be quite a diverse designer, which I think is kind of the job: You have to design for all types of people,” Siriano says. Plus, they open doors for him as a business owner: “Collaboration is great for the brand. One job leads to another job, leads to another.” This collection is a case in point.
Courtesy of J. Jill
Though every one of his design pair-ups has its own distinct look and feel (the tulle and embellishment his runways are known for don’t always translate to an affordable price point), there are a few themes that run through all of them and connect them to the greater Christian Siriano brand. There has to be an “idea of romance,” he says: In the J. Jill capsule, that translates into “clothes that have a lot of movement to them—sweeps in skirts, drapes in suits.”
Courtesy of J. Jill
Keeping the retailer’s customer in mind, Siriano’s first collection feels very much centered in workwear, with pieces that can easily be incorporated into an office wardrobe but still feel special enough to wear out for other occasions. There’s a lot of black and white, and then “this kind of electric turquoise moment” that ties it all together. “It’s aspirational, but very attainable,” he says. “We’re giving the J. Jill woman something new, but I still think there’s something that she would be comfortable wearing.” There’s one feature that Siriano is introducing to the retailer with this collection: “The idea of really hugging the body is very different.” Yes, he’s bringing bodycon to J. Jill.
Ahead, check out the first of two collections that Christian Siriano created for J. Jill.
There are plenty of good reasons to buy a one-piece bathing suit. Maybe you like a little more coverage from your swimwear. Maybe you prefer a vintage-inspired look. Maybe you want something you can wear off the beach, with your regular clothes. Maybe you’re still holding on to childhood ambitions of becoming a lifeguard and want to have the uniform handy. If you identify with any of those—or maybe just want to upgrade your swimsuit before summer begins—then you should buy a one-piece.
Unlike bikinis, one-piece bathing suits can easily be incorporated with the rest of your wardrobe, doubling as a bodysuit to be styled with your favorite pair of jeans or with a skirt. There’s also something about them that feels timeless and chic. And you can just as easily find one that’s super simple as one that incorporates the season’s biggest trends. Need proof? We found the 24 best one-pieces for summer 2019, from belted to ruffled to striped.
If you’re a regular viewer of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, there’s a good chance the name Ken Fuchs rings a bell. As director of the show, he estimates he’s overseen at least 350 episodes of the franchise and counting. “I did the math once, and I counted all the roses I’ve seen handed out, and it was an obscene number,” he says. “But I don’t remember that now. I’ll have to go back and figure it out.”
We can forgive Fuchs—who also works on Shark Tank, Family Feud, and Deal or No Deal—for not knowing his final rose count. After all, there are more pressing matters to keep track of each week. From following all the drama in the house to packing up and moving locations every week, Fuchs is lucky if he knows what time zone he’s in. “Think about a traveling carnival, and that’s us,” he says. “Everything you’re watching, we’re either in the next room or a few rooms over.” For Fuchs and his technical department, sometimes that means building a makeshift a tent in Bali that can keep the equipment cool, or finding a way to get cables to the 50th floor of a skyscraper. “The team is tremendous because it’s such an undertaking. From the art department to the lighting department, we work closely together just to figure out how to make the show.”
After nearly 17 years on the air, it’s safe to say they’ve more than figured it out. And now, with season 23 of The Bachelor about to premiere (January 7 on ABC), Fuchs is opening up about some of those production secrets and more. Read on.
Glamour: How often are you actually in contact with the contestants?
Ken Fuchs: It really depends on if I need to communicate something or if I need to reach somebody that I can’t reach from afar, because I’d rather not be [on set]. The more we can do that, the better for the content of the show, so we really make an effort of staying in the background. Obviously the cameramen are there, but I try to stay away because we want them as much as possible to forget the cameras are there. Every time they see me, it’s like, ‘Uh-oh.’ It’s a little bit like when they see [Chris] Harrison…something’s up. Sometimes I come through the kitchen and steal some of their appetizers, but that’s about it. However, the lead Bachelor or Bachelorette for that season, I’ll get to know because I’ll see him or her everyday. Every now and then we’ll give them television instruction, but it’s very, very minimal and we try to keep it that way.
PHOTO: Ken Fuchs
During a rose ceremony, it takes forever for the Bachelor or Bachelorette to announce each person’s name. Is that just editing, or are you instructing them via an earpiece when to call out names?
KF: I can tell you one thing: Yes, we’re making a TV show, so there is some of that [suspense we want to create]. No, the person never wears an earpiece themselves. They’re not driven in that way at all. There are occasions where we’ll cue them to do something or we might have to wait to do something, but it’s as simple as a camera has to change its battery or sometimes it’s a mundane reason. It’s not like we’re purposely extending it. We may have called two names back-to-back and in editing we can open up the time it takes for dramatic purposes. So, again, a huge credit to our post [production] department. That’s where all of that is created, and I’m sort of involved in that a little bit, but not terribly much so.
You’re basically saying they’re not counting, ‘One Mississippi, two Mississippi…’
KF: No, no. [Laughs] I know it must feel that way for sure and there is a little bit of a television contrivance, but no, it’s never that way. Also, we don’t want the Bachelor or Bachelorette thinking about us as they are holding a rose [deciding who to give it to]. We want them thinking about the faces in front of them and the emotions that they’re feeling. That’s the most important thing. And I can promise you all the music is added in post [production].
As the director of the show, which past Bachelor or Bachelorette did you find most captivating?
KF: Oh boy…I think Ben Higgins was very captivating. There’s something so earnest and sweet about him that really I think captured people’s imaginations. I think you root for all of them along the way, but some of them have been more divisive. There’s been years where people have questioned our decision. I’m not on the inside of that decision-making process, but in general I think our casting has been great. The suitors that show up for night one are always fascinating and crazy and weird and fun. So I think it’s a good mix.
Two recent ‘characters’ that come to mind are Jordan Kimball from Becca’s season and Krystal Nielson from Arie’s season. What intrigued you about them?
KF: There are so many great ‘characters,’ like Bekah Martinez. I’m always looking for great reactors and people who can be in the scene and not always talking, but reacting and listening. In other words, just engaged in the process, whether they are goofballs or serious or nice girls or mean girls…really just listening and being a participant in the process. If it leads them into strange territory, then that’s up to them—and all the better for the show. It really runs the gamut of emotions.
You make a great point about Bekah Martinez, because her expressions were priceless.
KF: Right. Right. And truth is stranger than fiction. Things come out of their mouth, and we sit around and say, “We couldn’t possibly write that. No one would believe it.” It would be too farcical for us to have a character say those lines, but here they come! Comes right out of their brain, out their mouth, and God bless ‘em.
PHOTO: ABC
The show has changed a lot since those early days in the beginning. Anything you miss about those times?
KF: I do cherish those early years because we were such a close-knit family, and now it’s quite a juggernaut. We’re going to sometimes six different countries on two or three different continents, and that requires an army of production. We have a few more cameras and audio and lighting. Things have grown a little bit more, but even for a fairly big group, it’s still pretty small. But there were some great friends and people those first few years and figuring it out together and being in the trenches together. A highlight was Trista and Ryan’s wedding; I’ll never forget that.
Is there a location that you’d love to visit again?
KF: I’d love to go back to New Zealand. And I think about Cape Town, South Africa a lot.
Do you have kids, or nieces or nephews, and if so, would you let them go on the show?
KF: I have three sons. People always say, ‘If you had a daughter would you let her be on the show?’ but I have three boys in their 20s, and I’m having a little baby girl after all these years. So I’m really excited about that. In 18 or 20 years, I don’t know if she’ll be allowed to watch the show.
Would you let your sons go on the show?
KF: Yeah, maybe it’s a double standard in that I think I would. I see a lot of good things on this show. I see a lot of camaraderie, a lot of friendships made, a lot of self-exploration, and I see [these guys] asking questions and figuring things out about themselves. It’s really a beautiful thing. So I think if you’re outgoing and an up-for-anything type of person, I would say it’s a great experience.
Is there a piece of advice that you wish you could give these contestants? Even if their mistakes make for good TV, what would your one piece of advice be to them?
KF: You have to really, really bring your true self, because that’s the only way you’re going to stick around. If you become friends with the rest of the house, then your focus really isn’t where it should be. It’s a balance. I think some of the guys on The Bachelorette can’t figure out that balance quick enough and just fall behind.
PHOTO: Paul Hebert / ABC
Like poor Grocery Store Joe.
KF: Yeah, yeah, right. And then there are guys that go to the other extreme and are like, ‘I’m here for her, I’m here for her, I’m here for her,’ and they make no effort to just be a regular guy. You don’t have to make best friends, but you might as well make friends since you’re going to be living and traveling with them hopefully.
Finally, with all the time you spend on set, do you ever bring home extra roses to your wife?
KF: Oh man, I tried that early on. I don’t know, not all women like leftover roses. They’re a little cheesy. But on our studio [reunion or tell all] shows, where we have roses everywhere, sometimes an arrangement will wind up in my car. I’m not too proud. Yeah, free is me. [Laughs]
The new season of The Bachelor premieres on ABC on Monday, January 7.
“I put a lot of effort in creating something that would appeal to every type of girl and wanted to show my personality with this collection,” Gomez said in a statement. Her favorites include the SG Runner, a white sneaker that draws from silhouettes from the ’80s and ’90s; and the layering pieces that are meant to be mixed and matched. (“SG” stands for both Selena Gomez and for the name of the collection, Strong Girl.) And, like her projectswith Coach, Gomez peppered in discrete messages for her fans in the collection: “For me, details are everything, so that’s why we included some hidden, ‘strong girl,’ inspirational messages and design features,” she explained. (One of the sports bras, for instance, has “strong inside and out” written in script underneath a layer of mesh.)
SG x Puma drops in full today, online and in stores. Prices start at $30 for gloves and beanies, and go up to $200 for a jacket. Check out the assortment—plus the lookbook, which features Gomez alongside strong women in her life: Connar Franklin, Raquelle Stevens, Courtney J. Barry, Caroline Franklin, and Theresa Marie Mingus—in the gallery ahead.
H&M‘s annual designer collaboration is always incredibly anticipated. Over the years, the Swedish fast-fashion giant has brought limited-edition, more-affordable capsules from major brands like Alexander Wang, Balmain, and Erdem to the masses. In November, it’s Jeremy Scott‘s turn, creating a collection dubbed MOSCHINO [tv] H&M. And we finally got a look at the 60-plus womenswear pieces he designed.
“Whenever I design, I think about my friends,” Jeremy Scott, creative director of Moschino, said in a statement. “The MOSCHINO [tv] H&M lookbook is like a party; celebrating the fun, the pop, the creativity and the energy of the people and the collection.” The campaign images were shot by Marcus Mam and styled by Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele—both frequent collaborators of the designer’s. Modeling the collaboration are Amiaya from season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bria Vinaite, Barbie Ferreira, Dilone, Scott’s assistant and head of public relations at Moschino, among other very cool folks.
MOSCHINO [tv] H&M includes womenswear, menswear, and—in an H&M designer collaboration first—dog clothing. Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s creative advisor, said of the full assortment: “This is a loud and proud collection for everyone to share in the fun, no matter who you are or where you are from.”
See every single item from the Moschino x H&M collaboration in the gallery ahead—and start thinking of what you’re going to buy when the collection drops on November 8.
It was only a few administrations ago that Jon Stewart, while helming the desk at Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, created a formula for distilling the latest headlines into comedy gold. In Stewart’s wake has followed a stream of talented TDS personalities—Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, and Trevor Noah among them—each of whom manages to challenge our President and his party between a steady cadence of commercial breaks.
A Brand-new POV“The perspective I have as a child of immigrants in America needs to be heard,” Minhaj says.On her: G-Star Raw coat, $200. Tory Burch turtleneck, $258. Self-Portrait skirt, $325. Mounser earrings, $475. Lizzie Fortunato belt, $240. Sam Edelman boots, $225. On him: The North Face jacket, $249. Officine Générale blazer, $740, pants, $415. Adidas Originals sneakers, $80.
Now add Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj, Netflix’s newest addition to the political comedy fray. But 33-year-old Minhaj (Stewart’s final hire in 2014) wants to do things a bit differently. “The medium of TV is reductive. You’re taking coffee and making 30-minute espresso. And to me, one of the things that’s dividing this country is the lack of nuance,” he says. “I’m not chasing ‘covfefe.’ I don’t have to be like, ‘Scaramucci is out,’ then make a bunch of Mooch jokes. I can pivot away from Trump and talk about the larger questions we’re going to face long after him.”
Z Zegna Jacket. Calvin Klein Jeans shirt, $98. Frame jeans, $195.
As the son of Muslim immigrants from India, Minhaj, a former “high school public speaking and debate kid” from Davis, California, has always viewed the world from another vantage point. “Growing up, Jon, Stephen, these guys were my idols, but our lives could not be more different,” he says. Despite his innate knack for storytelling—“My friends would go, ‘Don’t let Hasan tell the story, because he’ll embellish or make it sound crazier than it really was,’” he says—Minhaj considered a career in comedy only after watching Chris Rock’s 2004 stand-up special, Never Scared, while studying political science at UC Davis. “I go, ‘Oh, shit. It’s funny speech and debate,’” he recalls. “That opened up everything for me.” (Not that his parents are fully on board just yet. “My dad still thinks I’m saving up for grad school,” he jokes.)
The Sky’s the Limit“My goal,” Minhaj says of his new Netflix show, Patriot Act, “is to fly at a bit of a higher altitude.”On her: DKNY Sport coat, $149. Rachel Comey turtleneck, $265. Mara Hoffman skirt, $325. Dannijo earrings, $328. Beltology belt, $125. Ash sneakers, $225. On him: Hilfiger Collection jacket, $590. Armani Exchange T-shirt, $30. Mr. P trousers, $225. Grenson sneakers, $260.
Much like Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King, his Peabody-winning 2017 Netflix special about being a first-generation American, Patriot Act is filled with LED screens that turn any reported story into a multidimensional event. “The whole stage is my canvas,” he says before whipping out his iPhone to scroll through a gallery of screenshots of his competitors’ single-desk, fake-skyline newsrooms. “Every. Single. Show. Looks. The same,” he says. “Doesn’t matter the host.” He laughs. “These people are my friends, I swear!”
Style and Substance“We are living in a time when journalism is under attack,” Minhaj says. “I think journalism, along with civility, is worth fighting for.”On her: Maje jacket, $560. Rag & Bone hoodie, $395. H&M skirt, $30. Lizzie Fortunato earrings, $240. Louise Olsen ring, $180. Nicole Saldaña boots, $470. On him: G-Star Raw parka, $120. Frame hoodie, $215. Boss trousers, $348. Harrys of London sneakers, $495.
Ultimately, his M.O. is what Minhaj calls “an angry optimism. I’m definitely not happy with the state of the country right now,” he says, “but I’m incredibly optimistic about the potential for change.” And each episode of Patriot Act lives up to its host’s big-picture vision. “One of the things I learned on The Daily Show is that our responsibility is to comedically tell you what’s happening,” he says. “If you’re lucky, the pieces that pop tell you not only what’s happening but also why it’s happening and what greater questions it raises for an American. My goal is to fly at a bit of a higher altitude.”
Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj premieres on Netflix this month. Seth Plattner is a writer and editor in New York City.
Lede image by Brian Higbee. On her: Calvin Klein Jeans puffer, $298. Bijou Van Ness hat, $285. Mounser earrings, $225. On him: DKNY parka, $300. John Elliott turtleneck, $198.
