QVC Horns In On The Oscar’s Red-Carpet Glitz In LA Another Year

QVC will be back in Cali this weekend for the second year in a row to ride the red-carpet coattails of the Oscars.

Claiming that it got “impressive viewership” with its first such broadcast, “Buzz on the Red Carpet – Live from LA” will, or so the press release says, QVC “once again take viewers behind-the-scenes with exclusive content from top fashion designers, beauty newsmakers, celebrities and more.”

There will be two live broadcasts, this Friday at 9 p.m. (ET) and Saturday at 8 p.m. (ET).

During the shindig at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, “Gossip Girl” actress Kelly Rutherford will finally debut her luxury handbag line during the Saturday broadcast.

“Much like New York during Fashion Week, there is no place like Los Angeles during awards season,” QVC U.S. CEO Claire Watts said in a canned statement. “’The Buzz’ on the Red Carpet broadcast aims to offer engaging programming that takes our viewers where they want to go. With our lineup of personalities and industry experts, we feel confident that this season will be full of excitement for our customers.”

Fashion designers including Isaac Mizrahi, Dennis Basso and Marc Bouwer are scheduled to appear during the broadcasts along with Lori Goldstein, the Kardashians and Melania Trump.

Actor Matthew McConaughy’s girlfriend (and mother of his child) Camila Alves and costume designer Janie Bryant, of “Mad Men,” will also present their latest collections. They will join some of the best in the beauty business including Kate Somerville, Josie Maran, Laura Geller, Smashbox and Tarte, among others, will be on hand.

QVC.com will host a special online preview of the event now through Friday.

CNN’s Hot Scoop: News Network’s Einsteins Discover That QVC Has ‘Arrived’

Kim Kardashian was interviewed by CNN about selling her new clothing line on QVC

A year ago when we started this blog, Gawker and The Wall Street Journal were still making fun of QVC and HSN (cubic zirconia, yada yada). In fact, Gawker called HSN a purveyor of “useless crap,” we believe the wording was.

Back then we’d already observed that with the economy, and retail sales, tanking, high-end vendors and designers from Judith Ripka to Dennis Bass to Vivienne Tam to Robert Lee Morris had developed lines for home shopping networks.

Well, CNN woke up discovered that fact this month. Here is a clip that Jersey boy Basso, furrier to the stars, posted on his Facebook page Wednesday.

The CNN story on QVC going upscale was shot during New York Fashion Week, and includes interviews with Isaac Mizrahi, QVC CEO Mike George and Kim Kardashian. We also see a tape of host Lisa Robertson at QVC’s pop-up shop at Rock Center.

Jon Klein, wake up your retail reporters, please.

QVC Pats Self On The Back For Its Fashion Week Coverage From New York

QVC put out a press release Tuesday crowing about its Fashion Week programming.

We were actually impressed with QVC’s efforts, from its pop-up shop in Rock Center to its “reporters” roving all over the city.

Here is QVC’s spin:

QVC CELEBRATES RECORD-SETTING NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (September 21, 2010) – QVC celebrated its largest New York Fashion Week presence with live programming from its first NYC pop-up location in Rockefeller Center featuring a consumer shop and broadcast studio.

Designed to offer consumers the ultimate QVC shopping experience, the pop-up store showcased a selection of QVC’s most exciting brands. From September 10 – 15, products ranging from fashion, beauty and jewelry to home and electronics were featured and the store served as a location for personal appearances by a selection of QVC’s favorite personalities and brands. The store also enabled shoppers to play with QVC’s latest interactive shopping platforms, from its smartphone and iPad apps to desktop and TV widgets.

The QVC pop-up store opened its doors to the public on Friday, September 10 at 6 PM (ET) to mark the second annual Fashion’s Night Out (FNO). QVC’s President and CEO Mike George and President of U.S. Commerce, Claire Watts were joined by Isaac Mizrahi and Kristin Chenoweth for the pop-up shop’s ribbon-cutting celebration. Just minutes before, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour visited to sign copies of the September issue with Saturday Night Live’s Seth Meyers.

Even QVC CEO Mike George popped up for the network's programming from Rock Center

As the exclusive multimedia retailer for FNO, QVC made the event accessible to more than 98 million U.S. homes with its largest ever broadcast and multimedia event. Live from the NYC pop-up location with special programming throughout the city, the broadcast – Fashion Night’s Out SM – Live from Rockefeller Center – featured the successful debuts of K-DASH by Kardashian and Janie Bryant MOD. Some of QVC’s most popular designers unveiled their latest collections for the fall ’10 season.

“We were thrilled to bring Fashion’s Night Out to our customers live from NYC,” said Watts. “Our viewers really responded to the unique insider experience we were able to provide.”

Customers were invited to “Keep on Shopping” with Isaac Mizrahi immediately following the FNO broadcast at 12 AM (ET). Live from his New York studio, Mizrahi introduced his Today’s Special Value® (an item offered at an exceptionally low price – good for that given day, until 11:59 PM (ET), unless it sells out sooner). The ISAACMIZRAHILIVE!™ quilted lamb leather jacket sold out with only 45 minutes of presentation time. QVC aired two additional live remotes from Mizrahi’s studio at 2 PM (ET) and 6 PM (ET) featuring new fall items from his lifestyle brand.

In addition to the successful FNO and ISAACMIZRAHILIVE! broadcasts, QVC also gave viewers a front row seat at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week – Live from Rockefeller Center on Saturday, September 11 at 10 PM (ET) and Wednesday, September 15 at 10 PM (ET). Live from the NYC pop-up location, QVC kicked off the September 11 show with its first-ever eight-minute runway show. Fashions featured on the runway were then presented during the broadcast, including Anonymity by Julie Chaiken and new designs from some of QVC’s premier designers, including Lori Goldstein, Dennis Basso, Isaac Mizrahi, Bradley Bayou, Marc Bouwer and Janie Bryant.

Iconic Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe also returned to unveil her latest collection and debut her first faux fur Today’s Special Value® on Wednesday, September 15. QVC posted a sellout with more than 25,000 units ordered. In addition to the Today’s Special Value offer, several other items from Zoe’s collection sold out, including a faux fur toggle coat with wingcollar, feather print scarf with twistedfringe, wrap shawl with fringeand patch pocket vest with sequin trim.

“Our Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week broadcast continues to resonate with our viewers,” Watts adds. “Once again, we were able to deliver accessible fashions from esteemed and emerging designers, direct from the industry’s most respected event.”

Once again, QVC lent its support to the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in its fight against breast cancer. QVC offered Vogue-designed Fashion’s Night Out CFDA T-shirts on air, on QVC.com and at its pop-up location in New York City. During the September 10 broadcast, Vogue’s Sr. Market Editor, Meredith Melling Burke, appeared on QVC to talk about the Vogue-designed T-shirt. Since its debut, more than 4,000 have been ordered. Net proceeds from the sale of this T-shirt, sold exclusively through QVC, benefitted “Fashion Targets Breast Cancer,” the charitable initiative of the CFDA Foundation, Inc.

Hell Has Frozen Over: Vogue Editor Anna Wintour Was In QVC’s Rock Center Pop-Up Shop Tonight

We got home from an exciting Friday night working out and food shopping at Pathmark and immediately tuned into QVC’s live telecast from Fashion’s Night Out in Manhattan.

Sisters Kim and Kourtney Kardashian launched their QVC K-Dash line tonight at the home shopping network’s temporary store in Rock Center, and they were on when we turned on the Q. They were showing off a gorgeous, large pebble leather purse that came in army green and black, that was selling at a featured price of $217.

All three Kardashian girls designed the line, but nasty Khloe couldn’t make it to the telecast. We like Kim and Kourtney, and thought they were sweet. And we liked not only their handbag but some of their apparel pieces.

Host Lisa Robertson looked great, with her makeup much more natural looking, not the harder beauty-queen look she sports back in West Chester, Pa.

The QVC telecast has also been shooting live from sites in SoHo, the Meatpacking District and other Manhattan spots, and the Big Apple is hopping, with stores open late for Fashion Week and a crowd in QVC’s pop-up shop.

Sometime during this telecast someone mentioned that fashion’s sunglass-addicted ice queen, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, had been in QVC’s “shop” earlier in the night, signing copies of her September issue. High fashion queen meets home shopping network?

Who’d a thunk it?

Emmy-winning “Mad Men” costume designer Janie Bryant also debuted her new MOD QVC line. We loved a faux fur capelet she had in her collection for $100.

Designer Lori Goldstein, who was profiled in The New York Times Friday, was also on the air with Robertson, with a jacket and dress.

The Times said that Goldstein is doing a jewelry line for high-end jewelry house Fred Leighton.

Heads Up TriState QVC Shoppers: The Network Will Be ‘Popping Up’ In Rock Center During Fashion Week

The Kardashians' K-Dash collection will debut on QVC during Fashion Week

As we’ve previously reported, QVC is really expanding its participation and presence at New York Fashion Week. The home shopping channel put out a press release on the event Tuesday, and it is kicking off the week by debuting its Manhattan pop-up location — as well as launching a clothing line by the Kardashians.

We wrote about the pop-up store and K-Dash, too, when QVC CEO Mike George mentioned them during a second-quarter conference call. The pop-up location will be in Rockefeller Center, and it will serve as a consumer store and a fully functioning broadcast studio.

QVC’s growing role in Fashion Week reflects its growing clout in the fashion industry, as it attracts high-profile designers who have been struggling in a market where most consumers are keeping their wallets shut.

The QVC pop-up store will open its doors to the public this Friday at 6 p.m. to mark the second annual Fashion’s Night Out, or FNO, event. QVC celebrates FNO as the exclusive multimedia retailer.

QVC claims it will have one of its largest broadcast and multimedia events live from the Big Apple pop-up location with special programming throughout the city.

The three-hour broadcast – Fashion Night’s Out SM – Live from New York is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. and feature the debuts of K-DASH by Kardashian and “Mad Men” costumer designer Janie Bryant’s MOD collection. In addition, some of QVC’s popular designers, including Marc Bouwer, Bradley Bayou, Pamela Dennis, Lori Goldstein, Mara Hoffman, Melania Trump and Isaac Mizrahi, will unveil their latest collections for the fall season.

As part of FNO, QVC is once again lending its support to the Council of Fashion Designers of America in its fight against breast cancer. QVC will offer the Vogue-designed Fashion’s Night Out CFDA T-shirts on-air, on QVC.com and at its pop-up location in New York City.

On Friday Vogue’s senior market editor Meredith Melling Burke is scheduled to appear on QVC to talk about the Vogue-designed T-shirt. Net proceeds from the sale of this T-shirt, sold exclusively through QVC, will benefit “Fashion Targets Breast Cancer,” the charitable initiative of the CFDA Foundation.

“We are thrilled to be celebrating Fashion’s Night Out,” QVC president of U.S. Commerce Claire Watts said in a canned statement. “The expansion of our presence in New York to include the pop-up location as well as offer access to such an impressive event is something we expect our viewers will respond to with equal excitement.”

The pop-up store is also scheduled to be open to the public Sept. 11 to 15. The store will showcase a selection of QVC’s most exciting brands. Products ranging from fashion, beauty and jewelry to home and electronics are scheduled to be featured. Additionally, the store will serve as a location for personal appearances by QVC personalities and brands.

In addition to the unveiling of its pop-up location, QVC will be returning to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week to present Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week – Live from New York, scheduled for Saturday at 10 p.m. and next Wednesday at 10 p.m.

During the shows, which will be broadcast live from the NYC pop-up location, QVC is scheduled to debut Anonymity by Julie Chaiken as well as showcase new designs from editorial stylist Lori Goldstein and some of its premier designers, including Dennis Basso, Isaac Mizrahi, Bradley Bayou, Marc Bouwer and Janie Bryant. Iconic Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe is also scheduled to return to unveil her latest collection.

“Our collaboration with IMG Fashion has proven to be more rewarding each year, affording us the opportunity to take our viewers inside Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week,” Watts adds. “We are confident that presenting a variety of esteemed brands during such a widely supported event reinforces QVC’s place in the fashion industry.”

Following the kickoff on Friday, the QVC pop-up store is scheduled to be open to the public Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and next Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Charriol Heiress, With New QVC Handbag Line, Says Let Them Eat Cake — Or Buy $300 Purses

Charriol Lorena hobo for QVC

The rich are different from you and me, as the F. Scott Fitzgerald quote goes. That is never more clear than when reading an interview with QVC’s newest handbag vendor, Coralie Charriol.

Coralie is creative director for her daddy Phillippe’s extraordinarily pricey Swiss jeweley and watch company, Charriol. QVC host Lisa Robertson sometimes wears a white Charriol watch, which retails for about $4,000, on-air.

As The Wall Street Journal reports Monday, Coralie debuted a handbag line called C. Lili today on QVC. The story is headlined “Selling 800 Bags in 16 Minutes.”

It’s not surprising that as part of the upper crust, Coralie says she has never purchased anything on QVC. But she notes that QVC has “elevated” its brand with collections from the likes of celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe and Kim Kardashian (huh?)

“They have an incredible standard of workmanship with inspections and workmanship,” Coralie tells The Journal.

No shit Sherlock. Talk about back-handed compliments for QVC.

But our favorite quote from Coralie is where she talks about her initial four bags for QVC selling for less than $300. Here’s where the “rich-different-than-us” part comes in.

“You would think that for $300 that they are going to be made very cheap and out of pleather, but they’re not,” Coralie told The Journal. “They’re fabulous looking!”

Earth to Coralie: Most American women are not spending $300 for purses, and many American women are buying leather — not pleather — handbags for way less than $300.

We all can’t afford to buy $5,000 to $15,000 Gucci and Vuitton designer bags.

This woman really riles up our class consciousness, like when we walked into our first class at Northwestern and realized everyone else’s dad was a CEO.

But ultimately we came to realize that FDNY trumped CEO any day.

We Beat ‘Em, But Page Six Has Details On Kardashian Clothing Line For QVC

The Kardashians do curvy

You read it here first, folks, but Page Six has an item Friday on the Kardashian sisters bringing a clothing line to QVC.

The New York Post’s gossip page, in an item headlined “Kards do curves,” says the new line. named K-Dash, will debut on QVC during New York’s Fashion Night Out Sept. 10.

During a second-quarter conference call earlier this month, QVC CEO Mike George announced that the Kardashian line was coming and that QVC was co-sponsoring Fashion Night, when is how we heard about it.

Page Six has more details about Kim, Khloe and Kourtney’s line. It says that the Kardashians are doing the clothes by colloborating with “Mad Men” costume designer Janie Bryant, who is also doing her own “Mad Men”-inspired line for QVC. (Unless the lines are one and the same, we’re not sure.)

K-Dash is targeting women who have curves, like Kim.

The Kardashians, Mad Chef Gordon Ramsay To Bring Reality TV To QVC

The Kardashians are coming to QVC

Ornery chef Gordon Ramsay and the horny (just kidding) Kardashian sisters are coming to QVC.

QVC president Mike George gave Wall Street analysts that news during the second-quarter conference call for the home shopping network’s parent, Liberty Media, last Monday.

“The Kardashians,” according to George, will launch an apparel line called K-Dash. Dash is the name of the boutique that the three beautiful sisters and reality TV stars have in LA and Miami. Kim Kardashian appeared on QVC earlier this year, selling an exercise tape.

QVC will also be adding three chefs to its roster, George said.

Will Gordon Ramsay play nice on QVC

“We’ll be launching a new celebrity chef series featuring Gordon Ramsay, well known for his ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ series and his ‘Master of Chefs’ series, which premieres this summer, as well as Lidia Bastianich, David Burke and Tyler Florence,”
George told analysts.

On the fashion front, QVC will expand its participation in Fashion Week in Manhattan. The network will co-sponsor Fashion’s Night Out with Vogue magazine, the city of New York and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, according to George.

As part of that event, QVC will launch a pop-up store in Rockefeller Center, he added.

The Two ‘Ks,’ Kelly Ripka And Kim Kardashian, Team Up For QVC Ovarian Cancer PSAs

Two of “Tinseltown’s most recognizable starlets,” (starlets?), Kelly Ripa and Kim Kardashian, are lending their support in finding a cure for one of the world’s least recognizable cancers.

Ripa and Kardashian are appearing in both print and public service announcements promoting “QVC Presents Super Saturday Live” Saturday, July 31, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., with net proceeds benefitting OCRF.

The exclusive sale, which was previously only available to Hamptons’ tastemakers and celebrities, will reach QVC’s more than 98 million U.S. households. So this year shoppers throughout the country will get a chance to buy designer styles at half the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

Ripa, a longtime supporter of OCRF, has hosted Super Saturday for the past six years, and will once again host the event in the Hamptons. Currently in its 13th year, QVC will air Super Saturday for the fourth consecutive year.

“It’s been a pleasure for me to host Super Saturday for the past six years – it’s a wonderful event that benefits such an important cause,” Ripa said in a canned statement. “It’s guilt-free shopping at bargain basement prices – no husband can argue with that, not even my own!”

The other “starlet,” Kardashian, said, “With more than 20,000 women being diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, it’s incredibly important that we spread the word so this number can be reduced. It’s an honor for me to work with Kelly in helping to drive awareness for such a great cause.”

OCRF president Faith Kates Kogan gave a shout out to Ripka and Kardashina.

“We’re also very appreciative to Kelly and Kim for joining us in our fight against ovarian cancer,” Kogan said. “Together, we will make a difference in combating this deadly disease.”

Kim Kardashian Pushes Her Tush On QVC: Is Her Voluptuous Butt A Plus Or A Minus?

Kim Kardashian

Is reality TV star Kim Kardashian the right person to be doing workout videos, especially about getting your butt in shape?

We guess that depends on where you stand on big booty.

Kardashian was on QVC Saturday morning hawking her new DVD set, “Fit In Your Jeans By Friday,” for $25.

The DVDs include “butt blasting” exercises, and Kardashian demonstrated the “tush push” on air.

Host Shawn Killinger, her usual tactful self, put Kardashian on the spot right away on the segment.

“You are known for one of your most famous assets,” Killinger said, making quote marks in the air when she said “assets.”

Well, she wasn’t talking about Kardashian’s eyes. Killinger then made Kardashian stand sideways, so viewers could get a good look at her figure.

Kardashian, rather like Jennifer Lopez, is known for her shapely behind. Here’s the difference between women and men: Some women — like us — look at Kardashian and think her behind is too big, men look at her and, well, you figure it out.

Believe me, we’re not saying that Kardashian isn’t gorgeous. And we agree with her about women’s bodies.

“I love my curves,” she told QVC viewers. “I love curvy. I love voluptuous.”

Kardashian draws a negative response on QVC’s online forums, but we think she comes across as down to earth and friendly on QVC — better than her persona on E! Entertainment Television’s “Keeping Up With The Kardashians.”

Finally, while we’re on the topic, please remember our dating rule: Never go out with a man whose butt is smaller than yours.