When news of Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers lawsuit against our favorite cheapie chic mall chain Forever 21 got some buzz last week, I couldn’t help but think “Just let it go Gwen… everybody copies everybody, including YOU!”

I love Mz. Stefani (she’s my cool mama idol actually) but even those with a casual interest in fashion can see that her L.A.M.B line is more than a little “inspired” by Vivienne Westwood, while Harajuku is very much like Hysteric Glamour.

The above photo was taken at the Harajuku launch party at the Max Factor Museum, and the line's Hysteric flavor was mentioned by more than a couple of the designer types that night.

Anyway, I remembered seeing the piece in question at Forever in the Glendale Galleria a few weeks ago, and easily found a shot of it and its inspiration, on the net.

The tee so blatantly rips the Harajuku black heart logo (instead of “Harajuku” it has a “Forever” inside) that now I’m kinda thinking the suit has merit. Copying styles, cuts, even certain design signature details are one thing, but logos (which are trademarked) are entirely another.

I learned about the seriousness of trademark law after I interviewed Rick Klotz, and it’s no joke, as this makes clear.

It looks like F21’s high fashion hi-jackings are even more shameless than we knew. A little web surfin’ reveals they’ve also copied Anna Sui and Diane Von Furstenberg (my two all time favorite designers), reproducing their dresses down to the last detail. Of course that doesn’t include fabric. Anyone who owns any 21 knows most of the materials they use are flimsy at best.

So should self-respecting style mavens ban the store?
Some actually advocate the opposite as a statement against the outrageous price-tags and frivolity of the label-whore aesthetic, but I’m not ready to go that far.

For most of us, the lure of designer duds is something to give in to occasionally, a special splurge for a quality piece here, a birthday gift request for a glamorous frock there. My wardrobe is specked with some pricey labels, yes, but I’ve also got a bunch of vintage, stuff from mid-priced stores like The Gap and Target and yes, quite a few piles of Forever 21- many of which I’m wearing a lot of lately. They’ve got a killer selection of sundresses right now, and the pieces I've snatched recently look like knock-offs of my vintage mini's and long dresses rather than any one designer. (Actually, this is what the big designers themselves copy, so I guess you could call 'em second generation lookalikes! Oy vey!)

See www.Fashionista.com for the most extensive list of 21’s copy cats.

Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

"Everybody knows I give the best blowjobs in Hollywood, but there's gotta be something in it for me too," said a fairly subdued Courtney Love at her not-so-secret Roxy show presented by MySpace last night.

Might have seemed like a Love-patented non-sensical rambling, but anyone who heard her impromptu K-ROQ call-in earlier yesterday understood what she meant. She was comparing her recent series of unannounced shows to the give and take of good sex: the fans get to see her in an intimate setting and she gets to try out new material -see what works when and how much- in a relaxed atmosphere.

Well I was standing up front, stage-right most of the night (next to Paris Hilton (!) and I would say everybody ended up getting off.

Love came out in a pin-striped suit, platinum bangs (think Debbie Harry's early 'do) and tons of beaded jewelry, her frame still as wiry and pasty as those famous tabloid bikini shots the blogs went crazy for a couple of months ago.

She smoked like a chimney throughout the set, tossing her smoldering butts all over the stage as she went from number to number. Old faves like "Miss World," "Doll Parts," and "Celebrity Skin" sounded tight and bright (though "Malibu" kinda sank) and she didn't talk much (not for her anyway).

The new stuff? There was a little bit of everything really. "Stand Up Mother Fucker" evoked Hole's more aggressive rousers and it was catchy as hell, but most of the tunes (titles include: Sunset Marqui, Dirty Girls, PCH, Loser Dust, and Car Crash... a roadie offered me the set-list) showcased a mellower, groovier, even kinda sophisticated Courtney.

She actually reminded me a lot of Marianne Faithful and Patti Smith, but with a bit more torchsong swank and even some twang, though this dude I met before the show (her jeweler--- not bling by the way, but new-agey coins and crystal type stuff) said she was telling her band to be "less country, more White Stripes" in rehearsal.

The band (2 gals, on bass and keyboards and 3 guys, guitars and drums) were good, but none of 'em had the magnetic mojo of Love's past music partners (Eric, Melissa, or Samantha) and that seems intentional. It's Courtney's world and these kids (and we mean kids... they looked really young) just live in it- for now.

Our favorite song of the eve (and Courtney's too) was called "Letters to God" and -you read it here first- it's a certified hit. Love thanked Linda Perry on stage for that one, as well she should. The hearty ballad will surely be her "Beautiful" (the Perry-penned Christina Aguilera hit).

I've known Perry since she was in 4 Non Blondes (I was her stylist's assistant back then) and I just had to give her props last night. She's come a long, long way baby. Gave her a hi and a hug, and told her I loved the tune, to which she playfully shined her nails on her chest, "Well, what can I say" style, before being scooted backstage.

Who ended up getting me backstage and what happened there?

Who was Hilton with and what was she drinking at the afterparty at On the Rox?

Whose presence at the show almost saw Courtney refuse to go on? (Hint: he came with Kimberly Stewart and they're rumored to be dating).

Why was the encore my favorite part of the show?

The answers in next Thursday's edition of Nightranger.

Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Ever since Sunday’s Felt Club craft fair at the Ukrainian Culture Center, I’ve been dreaming of pin cushions. Lots and lots of pin cushions. Plump material-covered lil pillows shaped like mushrooms, flowers, animals, and food just begging to be pricked with something nice and skinny and shiny and sharp. The problem is, I don’t sew really. You need to be a seamstress to justify a special (not cheap average tomato-like) pin cushion so I passed on the primo selection Sunday, and now I can’t get ‘em outta my mind.

I did get a groovy heart and eyelet skirt and leopard print bib for my lil one ($10 for both!), a wonderful lil handmade cat with button eyes and a hand-printed greeting card covered with cupcakes. I also watched in awe as would-be crafters learned how to spin yarn.

Retro-guru Charles Phoenix –known for his “Disneyland” tours of downtown LA (it’s all about Clifton’s cafeteria!) emceed the sale and my old pal Lance Rock (formerly of the band The Raymakers and Amoeba Records) deejayed. Rock was right at home amidst the colorful handcrafted loveys and knick knacks too- his new TV show Yo Gabba Gabba (premiering on Nick Jr. channel Aug. 20) is the closest thing to The Krofft Superstars and Banana Splits we’ve seen in years. Check out the show’s groovy blog here.

Charles Phoenix and Lance Rock stick together like glue

Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Where are the ginormous Lotus flowers of years past? I wondered as I strolled about the Echo Park Lake this past Saturday for the annual Lotus Festival. Has global warming messed with the maturation of these lovely blooms too? Well weather conditions -mainly lack of rainfall- are definitely being blamed for the lack of big and bountiful blossoms this summer. Bummer.

Good news from the EP though: the Park’s historic paddle boats, which were in danger of being closed indefinitely only last week, are back open (on weekends) now that councilman Eric Garcetti has “reorganized” funds within the Recreation and Parks Department.

Like most locals, I haven’t been on one of the rickety old tuggers since I was a kid, but I’ve always loved driving by and seeing them meandering around the water on a hazy summer day. They made Echo Park seem like a quaint place to live way before the rents reflected it. Glad they’ll be floating on…

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I stopped into The Mandrake after Gary Baseman's opening at Billy Shire Saturday night (I'm guessing Caroline will be blogging about the show, so all I'll say is this: Natalia Fabia looked fantastic in floor-length Gary and electric pink lowlights). Steve Shein was hawking his laser-cut wares in the back room - plexi-carved pop iconography (roller skates, bunny heads, rainbows - seventh grade notebook doodle-stuff) molded in gumdrop brights and sparkles.

"Do you have any unicorns?" I asked the weary and well-liquored artist.

"Sure do," he said, suddenly leaping to life at the prospect of a sale.

He rifled through a small plastic storage bin and handed me a horse-shaped piece of purple plexiglass dangling from a gold-like chain.

"This isn't a unicorn," I said. "This is a horse."

"Oh yeah, that's right. I hate unicorns. I always have."

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My pals at World of Wonder (who did the amazing 24 hour James St. James podcast this past Sat.- see previous posts) have been hinting about it for a while, and today the announcement was made: WOW has teamed with gossip blogger Perez Hilton (whom I wrote about in the Weekly's People Issue recently) for a TV show which will air on VH1 this Fall.

PH describes the show, called What Perez Says as a TV version of his site with guests (but how is he gonna draw coke trails on them we wonder?) and "outside of the box" segments. With the WOW people involved, we're sure it will be out of the circle, triangle and trapazoid too.

We're actually watching Hilton on The View right now (and whew! Whoopie Goldberg, you go girl!) Whoop's basically ripping him a new one and making some good points (stuff I pointed out in my own story actually)...

Anyway, love him or hate him, looks like the Perez is here to stay, day-glo locks and all. Wanna say congrats (or F*** You) in person? Go to The Factory tonight where he'll host Pop Stars featuring a performance by Hilary Duff. Yes, she'll be "singing" and yes it will be very, very gay.

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

World of Wonder's fantabulous internet show Ring My Bell (in which local iconoclasts answer anything and everything  via your phone calls) is giving speed dials around the county a workout today as Party Monster author and Club Kid icon James St. James takes over the lines for 24 hours straight  to help spread the word about his latest tome Freak Show.

Try giving him a call at 323/603-6312, but prepare to keep dialing, we still havent gotten through! At least you can listen to the stimulating convo here.

COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tanya
EMAIL: passidore@gmail.com
URL:
DATE: 07/06/2007 09:07:34 PM
Please have Broaddaylight on you show!! broaddaylight.cc

Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)