HOLY HOUSE OF SPROUSE AND THE NEW DOWNTOWN

The House of Sprouse extravaganza at Deitch

Someone asked me what I thought of that Sprouse "Rock On Mars" exhibit which Elite's Neal Hamil walked me through yesterday . Three things came spontaneously to mind.

1. The exhibit is an extravagant environment and sure to be be a crowd pleaser. Looking at the clothes you got the feeling that a brilliant graphic designer and colorist had thrown his ideas, his scribbles, his sketches onto a fabric and had massive fun in a DIY way. It's interesting that such a carefree and off-hand moment now finds itself to be such a big PR extravaganza like last night's 3-part magnum opus at LV Soho/Deitch/Bowery Ballroom.

2. Like hair stylist Brad Hensler said looking around at the extravaganza "Completely a Revenge-Of-The Rock-n-Roll-Sissy moment". It's so true, and there was a real skill for packaging the idea of a then radical and freestyle lifestyle-the Downtown lifestyle - in easy to digest clothes.

3. Which made me then think..."Well what is today's radical and freestyle New Downtown lifestyle waiting to be packaged and cross-marketed back to a luxury empire? Because you know its bound to happen. Forget the Zeroes. Its all about getting into the "Tens" and finding something and someone new. But is that possible in today's hyper-mediated world?

Later that night at casting director's Anita Bitton's birthday bash for photographer Marc Pilaro, we watched Alexander Wang huddle in the corner with his core posse (ring-lead by Ms. Jen Brill) . In all the hype and hoopla around his sudden rise Mr Wang still gives off a sweet and vulnerable air . He is fully being marketed by all the powers-that-be as heir apparent to that Downtown throne. Which makes his FW 09 show super-critical in keeping that stock high. Here's hoping for an ethos that will drive the kids crazy and trigger gallery retrospectives 25 years from now.

The gold safety pin dress is a genius idea just waiting to be mopped

TI was fascinated by the idea behind this kilt

Somebody needs to reissue these shoes!