Indian-born designer Naeem Khan launched his ready-to-wear collection in
2003, but his name became, if not quite a household one, then very
recognizable last Tuesday evening, when Michelle Obama donned his
custom-made gold strapless gown for the Obama presidency's first State
Dinner. After doing a flurry of interviews with press in his native
country, in which he says the First Lady's sartorial choice overtook the
news of the Indian Prime Minister's visit, Khan spoke to us this
afternoon about the dress—and quickly corrected some of those media
rumors about the making of it.
First off, congratulations. We know you custom-made the gown—but can you tell us who contacted you or how you got involved?
Thank you! Actually, they asked me not to get too much into details about the people who contacted me. But it's her stylist [Ikram Goldman] who called me. They gave me what the parameters were as far as what event it was and what color she likes and what she's worn before. But they said to me what you do, you just have to—you just do what you think is best. And they left it to me and I did whatever I thought would be right for her. Which was a little different than what she's been wearing.
What kind of research did you do?I looked at everything that she's worn before and I just felt, something a little more—not "waisted" per se, I wanted it to be a little easier, when it comes down, rather than cinched in the waist. And that was number one priority for me as far as the style was concerned. The strapless was fantastic because she's got such beautiful arms and she needs to show those arms. But I was a little worried about it being India and Indians are very conservative. Then I had also designed something a little more covered up, just in case, if she felt, this was not the way to go. So I was covering all different bases, so that she would have couple of different choices.
You made more than one dress?
About 5 pieces. They were sent to her, for her to pick from them.
And she held on to all 5 of them?
Yes, she loved them. She's going to use them—for later use.
Naeem and Ranjana Khan
Your father owns a major beading factory, Suzarisa, in India, as did your grandfather before him. Was that an inspiration?
I wanted to use a material in which there was this particular Indian sequin, which you only get in India, which is this metallic silver sequin. It's cut in India and it's sterling silver plated and it's a traditional sequin that has been used for many, many, centuries. The Maharajas use them on their kilts.
News reports say that it took 40 people to make this dress.
It took about 6 weeks. And it was—a lot of people [were] involved in it. People are saying wrongly in the press that it took 40 people to make it. It did not take 40 people to make it. There were 40 people involved in it, from me onwards to my design team who help me draw it, to my tailors who sew it in New York. It's a dress that's made in America. It's— a lot of press does not understand that most beading comes from India. Everybody uses it—Oscar to Valentino. All my beading is done in India and is done in my family workshops. It took 10 people three weeks to make the embroidery.
And you launched a line with the Home Shopping Network just last month—presumably this has helped sales?
Well, they're sold out. I did a small collection of 9 pieces, but they buy them in very huge quantities. I had an hour to sell and we sold it in 34 minutes. I mean, it was unbelievable. And it was my first taste of selling things in volume. And so our next project with HSN is in March and we really are upping the whole thing.
Spot on! Zac Posen will launch a 
The First Lady dazzled in 
In his first major foray into the American film industry, Australian Director John Hillcoat (The Proposition) has brought Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Road, to the big screen. The film, which opens today, explores the journey to the coast of The Man (Viggo Mortensen) and The Boy (newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee) in a bleak post-apocalyptic world prevailing with cannibalism, earthquakes, fear and cruelty. The performances delivered by Mortensen and Smit-McPhee (who was just 11 during filming) have been getting early raves.
While most of Tyra’s girls haven’t done much since America’s Next Top Model,
21-year-old Suvi Koponen (left, in Armani's fall 2009 campaign) still gives aspiring reality-TV models hope. After
becoming a contestant on Model School (Finland’s version of Top Model) in 2005 on a whim,
Koponen walked away with the winning title and quickly landed spring 2007
exclusives for Prada and Miu Miu. “It was more like a joke! My friend and I
just wanted to see if we would get in, but she couldn't come so I went by
myself,” she says. During the last round of shows, Kopenen walked for Marc
Jacobs, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Rick Owens. Recently, she struck an idyllic
pose for V Magazine’s September issue and can currently be seen in Emporio
Armani’s fall 2009 campaign.
Above: Marc Jacobs spring 2010, Marc by Marc Jacobs spring 2010
Above: Armani's fall 2009 campaign
From left: Blumarine's spring 2009 campaign; Calvin Klein's fall 2008 campaign
From top: Koponen on the cover of V Magazine's September 2009 issue; Numero Magazine's March 2008 issue
Gap Jeans (Japan) spring 2009 campaign (Koponen at far right)
If you've hung around the East Village in the past year or so, chances are you've come across 21-year-old antifolk musican and downtown dandy Max Vernon. The NYU singer with a penchant for eyecatching ensembles has performed his infectious blend of jazz, doo-wop and pop at the CMJ festival, Pianos and Knitting Factory and last year became a Youtube sensation with 
still from Vernon's Youtube cover of Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl"
What brought you to France in the first place?
Naomi Watts & Liev Schreiber
Narciso Rodriguez and Francisco Costa
Julia Restoin Roitfeld
Yvonne Force Villareal
Genevieve Jones
Erin Fetherston
Padma Lakshmi
Laura Harring
Tory Burch
