New York Post Paints QVC’s New Design Star Isaac Mizrahi As More Than A Bit Bitchy

The New York Post is offering up some dish on QVC’s new in-house designer, Isaac Mizrahi. And it doesn’t match the folksy, likeable persona that he shows viewers on QVC.

The dirt comes in the Post’s story Wednesday about William McComb, the relatively new CEO of Liz Claiborne, Mizrahi’s primary roost before his switch to soup-to-nuts, housewares-to-clothing, designer for QVC. McComb has had his hands full at Liz Claiborne, with the founders of its pricey Juicy Couture line storming out a month ago.

The Post says the Juicy Couture folk were irked that profits from their company were being used to pay for Mizrahi to rejuvenate the Liz Claiborne line. The Juicy girls were also miffed that their brand’s financial success was essentially footing the bill for Claiborne to bring “Project Runway” star Tim Gunn on board as its chief creative officer, whatever that title means.

Then the Post nails Mizrahi. It says that the curly-topped designer was a big “headache” to McComb, “delivering a giant flop with an overly trendy relaunch of Liz Claiborne last spring.”

The Post also claims that Mizrahi was none too happy about Gunn’s appearance on the scene, “complaining that Gunn was getting too much attention touring shopping malls and shilling for the label.”

So Liz Claiborne put the kibosh on Gunn’s appearances, according to the Post. But despite his alleged griping about Gunn, Mizrahi himself didn’t want to go out and do the Claiborne dog-and-pony shows for the unwashed masses at the nation’s new town squares, malls.

“It was like pulling teeth” to get Mizrahi to do public appearances for Claiborne, a source told the Post.

So which is it? Is Isaac just a down-to-earth, touchy-feely, likable and talented guy from Brooklyn, a prima donna that is a pain in the butt to work with, or both?

We’ll be like Fox News Channel (perish the thought, we’d rather burn in hell), and let you decide.

Liz Lange To Launch Clothing Line, ‘Completely Me,’ On HSN — You Don’t Have To Be Pregnant To Wear It

Liz Lange, fashion writer and founder of one of the most recognizable lines of maternity wear, is launching a ready-to-wear women’s collection exclusively on HSN Feb. 19, officials said Thursday. And it’s not for pregnant women.

The new line, Completely Me By Liz Lange, will be available this spring at HSN. Bluestar Alliance, Liz Lange’s brand management firm, has signed a licensing agreement with Tiger J to produce the collection.

A former fashion writer at Vogue magazine, Lange has had great success with her Liz Lange Maternity line.

“Completely Me By Liz Lange offers style that embraces her favorite attributes and adds a vacation-wear fun to her everyday wardrobe,” HSN said in its press release.

The pieces are all priced at less than $100, the spring 2010 collection ranges from knit leggings for $24.90 and a three-quarter sleeve embellished knit top for $44.90 to a heavy knit double-breasted sweater jacket for $69.90, with all styles available in spring colors such as navy, white, turquoise, bright orange and lime green.

In the 1990s Liz Lange redefined maternity by providing modern women stylish clothing while simultaneously accentuating the beauty of the female body during pregnancy.

After being approached for years by customers seeking a line of non-maternity wear, Lange decided to design a collection of separates using her signature chic sensibility. With the addition of a ready-to-wear collection under the Liz Lange umbrella, the brand will further its growth as the choice for fashion-forward women.

“We are thrilled to be taking this natural next step together with HSN and Tiger J,” Lange said in a prepared statement. “Women have so much to balance in their lives; our collection will keep you looking great while adding simplicity to your wardrobe. The fit and fabric of this collection is essential, but more than anything it is the optimistic attitude and approach to life that exemplifies the brand.”

Completely Me will launch on HSN Feb. 19 and be on again at Feb. 20.

“We’re excited to partner with Liz Lange to bring to life her exclusive ready-to-wear designs,” HSN Mindy Grossman said in a prepared statement. “Liz has a terrific connection with her customers. The addition of her collection to HSN reinforces our commitment to respond to our customers’ needs — women not only want to look and feel beautiful, but they also seek comfort and fit.”

In the 1990s, Lange redefined maternity with a revolutionary approach, providing a stylish, yet well-made elegant collection for the modern woman seeking clothing that accentuates the beauty of the female body during pregnancy. Behind her success of Liz Lange Maternity, lies an understanding of mixing comfort with contemporary edge, designing for the businesswoman to the stay-home mom. Today she has developed one of the most recognizable lines of maternity wear, with product currently available at Target.

Bluestar Alliance was established in January 2007 by Joey Gabbay and Ralph Gindi. The fund’s purchase of Liz Lange was preceded by its acquisition of better men’s apparel firm Ron Chereskin Studio in September 2007 and quickly followed by that of junior brand Hot Kiss in February 2008.

Bluestar Alliance recently purchased The Sharper Image. Gabbay is also president of Wellington Capital Group, which purchased the Harve Benard ladies’ brand in September 2006. Each of these apparel companies operates as a wholly owned subsidiary.