Quickies: Fashion Week goes public, Prada gets a makeover and more

Photo: Getty Images

Fashion Week is now for the masses...sort of. With a slew of pop-up stores, installations and preview sales the public can now get a taste of what so few ever do. But don't expect to just waltz into the Calvin Klein show. [NYT]

Four Prada boutiques worldwide are getting stylist makeovers. Corresponding with upcoming Fashion Weeks, a boutique in New York, London, Milan and Paris will be styled by a few iconic style maves, starting with Alex White at the Soho store. Following will be Katie Grand, Olivier Rizzo and Carine Roitfeld respectively. [Fashionolgie] 

As if it's any news to us: boys like to wear makeup. Here's 15 male celebs who aren't fooling anyone with that seemingly smooth skin. Zac Efron leads the pack. [bellasugar] 

This fall, men's fashion goes to the trench. Trench coats that is. [WWD] 

Christopher Suave´ is fighting Rachel Zoe to keep his "I Die" and "Bananas" t-shirts on the shelves. He'll also launch a "Free the Fruit" campaign to, as he says, "free fruit from corporate trademark." He's gotta pay legal bills somehow. [The Cut] 

MTV is bringing back House of Style, with Bar Rafaeli to host. But no matter how fab she is, it just won't be the same without our Cindy. [Fashionista] 

Possibly opening for business? Converse by John Varvatos in the old Te Casan space in Soho? 

-- SETH PLATTNER

Quickies: Coming soon from Fashion Week, Aitor Throup, Gant and Converse

Craving a sneak peek of what's to come at New York Fashion Week? Thirteen of the most anticipated menswear designers gave glimpses of what their collections will look like coming down the runway in a mere three -- yes, three -- days. [The Upgrader]

Leading the brigade of menswear designers to watch is Spanish/British visionary Aitor Throup, whose provocative style is just as interesting as his conceptual process: releasing a single outfit every season, with the whole process becoming the product. Sounds ballsy. [The Independent]

Smell This: Gant will release a new men's fragrance next month called Gant Silver. Developed by Richard Herpin, who says his aim was to create a scent "that would strike the right balance between the crispness of the outdoors and the mysterious yet elegant nature of the Gant man." [Now Smell This]

It's hard to improve a classic, but Converse is giving it a shot. In celebration of the iconic shoe brands centennial, they're taking designs from their archive and giving them a do-over, which, for the most part, is making for some eye-catching footwear. Some are only seeing limited releases in Tokyo, so brush on your Japanese if you're dying for a pair. [Material Interest]

-- SETH PLATTNER

Pharrell, Santogold, Julian Casablancas, and N*E*R*D team up for Converse

Converse, a longtime favorite among musicians ranging from Sid Vicious to M.I.A., just debuted the video for the track "My Drive Thru" featuring Pharrell, Santogold, Julian Casablancas (of The Strokes fame) and N*E*R*D. The song and video, seen below, were commissioned to celebrate Converse's deep roots in the music community over the last 100 years.

Described by The Times of London as "a three-headed Frankenstein's monster of coolness," the collaboration was made available for download in June at Converse.com and the accompanying pop-up paper doll–inspired video was created by Converse in partnership with Anomaly, Cornerstone, and the directing and dazzling origami-esque animating talents of Psyop. It just goes to show that just because you're old and available in every strip mall in the country doesn't mean you still can't be on the cutting -- or folding -- edge.