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credit: Roxanne Lowit<\/p>\n
The first time I met Simon Doonan was at the Barney\u2019s grand opening celebration some time last year at The Palazzo-Resort-Casino Las Vegas. I was there on a press trip, and the buzz was all around the creative director himself, his new book \u201cEccentric Glamour\u201d (which he so well represented in a wallpaper-print jacket) and Kim Cattrall who was also there for the festivities.<\/p>\n
It was the Creative Director for Barney\u2019s. And Samantha from Sex & the City. The fashionistas in the group were definitely on a celeb-proximity high.<\/p>\n
This time when I met with Simon Doonan, who was in town last week for the Celebrity Trends Luncheon, it was much more intimate and a lot less, well\u2026 crazy. The fashion guru, who\u2019s career has spanned more than 20 years at Barney\u2019s, 4 books and the show \u201cBeautiful People\u201d based on his life that airs on BBC America, is sarcastic, polite and surprisingly approachable.<\/p>\n
Polite I say because as I mentioned having met him last year at the Las Vegas Barney\u2019s opening he courteously replied, \u201cI knew you looked familiar.\u201d Probably about as familiar as the waitress in the corner, but it is the kind of lie that I do appreciate. And absolutely welcome flattery.<\/p>\n
But for this meeting, all I want to know about is Barney\u2019s, Scottsdale Fashion Square. \u201cNo, I thought I\u2019d just blow it off. I\u2019m going to sit at home and watch \u2018Tyra\u2019,\u201d he jokes when asked if he will be back for the Grand Opening. \u201cIt takes five years to get something like this off the ground, we\u2019re not going to just not show,\u201d he says, along with some other eccentricities that are far funnier but I dare not print.<\/p>\n
The Barney\u2019s New York store at Scottsdale Fashion Square is set to open this fall. \u201cYou\u2019ll find all the gorgeousness that you would in the New York store,\u201d Simon tells me. \u201cThe Louboutins, Lanvin, Balenciaga.\u201d (I think my mouth starts to water with the sound of each label.) \u201cThey adjust it for climate obviously,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Speaking of climate, I ask Simon what his tips are for transitioning into seasons for us Phoenicians. \u201cThere\u2019s loads of groovy ways to transition without wearing an overcoat,\u201d he says. \u201cTry a big cashmere throw, a fabulous scarf, amazing knits. A Rick Owens leather jacket. A leather jacket won\u2019t necessarily keep you warm but layered or with a fabulous scarf it will.\u201d<\/p>\n
For fall, Simon is most excited about Lanvin, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta and Alexander Wang. \u201cAlber Elbaz [for Lanvin] rocks it; he is totally happening,\u201d he says. \u201cWomen need to start getting ready for fall now.\u201d<\/p>\n
That might be a little unrealistic for us Phoenicians since it\u2019s probably about 90-something out today. But that doesn\u2019t mean we can\u2019t look at the collections and plan ahead.<\/p>\n
And in case you did doubt that Simon Doonan might pass on the Grand Opening and opt for \u201cTyra\u201d reruns he tells me they\u2019re very, very excited to be here. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of eccentric glamour here in Scottsdale and the women seem really excited about Barney\u2019s opening.\u201d Yes Simon, I\u2019d say we definitely are.<\/p>\n
![\"marlene_simon_doonan\"](\"https:\/\/media.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/afm-style-files\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/22045004\/marlene_simon_doonan-80x60.jpg\" "\\"marlene_simon_doonan\\"")
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Me and Simon Doonan at the Arizona Biltmore Resort<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"credit: Roxanne Lowit The first time I met Simon Doonan was at the Barney\u2019s grand opening celebration some…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2437,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[502,501,500,504,248,498,46,503,576,577,497,499],"class_list":{"0":"post-2406","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-scottsdale-fashion-flash","8":"tag-alber-elbaz","9":"tag-alexander-wang","10":"tag-arizona-biltmore-resort","11":"tag-balenciaga","12":"tag-barneys-new-york","13":"tag-barneys-scottsdale-fashion-square","14":"tag-christian-louboutin","15":"tag-lanvin","16":"tag-phoenix-fashion","17":"tag-phoenix-style","18":"tag-simon-doonan","19":"tag-simon-doonan-interview","20":"cs-entry","21":"cs-video-wrap"},"yoast_head":"\n