Crabby Designer Arnold Scaasi To Shutter His Couture Business, But Continue His HSN Jewelry Line

One of Scaasi's HSN pieces

Mr. Charm and Warmth himself, Arnold Scaasi, is shuttering his apparel business after 55 years of supplying dresses to women like Barbara Bush and Barbra Streisand (he designed the see-through pants she wore to the Oscars in 1969).

But never fear, home shopping queens, Scaasi will continue to do his fashion jewelry line for HSN.

The New York Times had the news Thursday about Scaasi ending his dress line, in a story headlined “No More Flattery From Scaasi,” which we believe was a sarcastic hede. We hadn’t been aware of this, but Scaasi apparently has criticized Michelle Obama’s fashion style. We guess he feels he’s qualified, since he has dressed five First Ladies during his career, according to The Times.

Scaasi, who had been making 20 custom gowns a month, has a glorious jewelry line on HSN. The pieces are gorgeous, and really well-priced.

But he is a nasty jackass on-air, being rude to hosts such as Colleen Lopez, who gave it right back to him — in a nice way. He acts like he is above selling goods on a home shopping channel.

Well, if Badgley Mischka can come to HSN and not be condescending, so can Scaasi. We don’t care how many First Ladies he has dressed.

HSN Colleen Lopez Gives It Back To Snippy Jewelry Designer Scaasi, Pushing His Buttons

One of Scaasi's HSN necklaces

HSN’s Colleen Lopez hosted her first show with jewelry designer Arnold Scaasi Tuesday, and we bet she hopes it’s her last with him.

We’ve already written two blogs about what a big crab-ass Scaasi is, but we had to revisit the topic when our mother called us Wednesday to ask if we had seen Lopez and the diminutive designer Tuesday night.

We missed it, since were were busy writing about the finale of “Sons of Anarchy.”

But we watched the video on HSN.com, and we saw that Scaasi was his usual endearing self. His birthday is May 8, which makes him a Taurus like us, and he’s giving our sign a bad name. But Lopez seemed to delight in yanking his chain. You go girl!

Lopez was her usual enthusiastic self, praising Scaasi and his fashion jewelry line to the high heavens, but we guess it got to the old boy.

At one point he just said to Lopez, “You’re funny.”

Well, since she wasn’t making any jokes at that point, Lopez said, “Why?”

“I like it,” he answered.

Colleen Lopez

Scaasi got bent out of shape when Lopez, noting that he probably wouldn’t like her suggestion, said you could wear one of his large necklaces tucked under a neckline.

“Why would you tuck it under?” he said. “Give me a break.”

Scaasi also told Lopez that if she had worn a high-necked top on the show, he would have taken a scissors to it and made it low cut. Lopez got a kick of that nutty remark.

Scaasi even took a cheap shot at HSN’s models. “I don’t know if they can speak,” he said. “I think they just look good.”

At one juncture out of the blue Scaasi said, “I hope I get through a few more shows,” prompting Lopez to say that Tuesday’s 10 p.m. show was his last for the year.

“Oh please, yes, thank you,” he told Lopez

We agree — yes please, make it his last show.

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Coming to HSN This Week: Red-Carpet Designers Badgley Mischka And Arnold Scaasi

HSN has a packed schedule this week, with the debut of the hot new apparel and jewelry line from Badgley Mischka, the famous red-carpet designers, Tuesday night.

The No. 2 home shopping network has the Badgley Mischka merchandise online already, and the clothes and jewelry look great.

And one of our favorite HSN jewelry vendors, Chaco Canyon, will be on HSN Thursday. Its Southwestern pieces, made by Native Americans, is fantastic. One new item, a multigem cross, has already almost sold out online. It’s $329, but huge. Just our style.

Also on HSN Thursday is designer Arnold Scaasi. That brings us to the bad and the ugly. Scaasi fashion jewelry pieces are great

looking and ridiculously affordable. But the several times we have seen him on the air, he has been rather nasty and sarcastic to whatever poor host drew the short straw and had to work with him.

Let’s see if he’s more pleasant this visit.

One of his stunning pieces, a clear-stone drop necklace at $100, was prominently featured in HSN’s November jewelry guide.

Jewelry Designer Scaasi Needs To Lose The Attitude On HSN

Is there anyone nastier and more condescending than jewelry designer Scaasi during his HSN appearances?

He’s “a couture designer,” but now he’s got a low-priced jewelry line on the No. 2 home shopping channel. But every time he’s on the air, he makes snide remarks and asides that leave the hosts squirming. His tone is dripping with sarcasm.

Monday night Scaasi was on with poor host Connie Craig-Carroll, and he was his usual charming self. At one point, he asked how much one of his pearl and rhinestone rings was selling for. Craig-Carroll told him $19.95.

“I don’t how you do these things,” Scaasi said of the pricing. “Are you sure HSN makes any money?”

The irony is, we don’t how HSN does it either. Scaasi’s fashion jewelry for HSN is really pretty, we have to hand it to him. A gorgeous pearl waterfall bib necklace was priced at just $59.95, and looked like it cost multiples of that.

But if Scaasi feels he’s too good for HSN, that it’s too downscale for him, he shouldn’t be creating jewelry for the network.