Gwen Stefani Launches Accessories Collection

Gwen Stefani launches new accessories collection: gx by Gwen Stefani 
available exclusively at ShoeDazzle.com/gx. (PRNewsFoto/ShoeDazzle)

Singer/Designer Gwen Stefani has launched a collection of accessories exclusively available on the Shoedazzle.com website. "I'm so excited to be launching my new accessories line gx.  The collection is fun, stylish and has some attitude.  The idea behind gx is to design high quality and amazing product that I can't wait to wear but at the same time is really well priced."

The collection of shoes and handbags are priced from $69.95-$110.95.  The designer has created items that bring together many elements we see in her personal style and in some of her previous clothing collections.  A mix of tribal, pop, punk and street style are all major influences in her latest endeavour.

Rachel Zoe is the Chief Stylist of ShoeDazzle and spoke of Stefani's new venture with the brand. "I couldn't be more excited for the launch of gx by Gwen Stefani for ShoeDazzle.  Gwen is an incredible friend and designer.  Her style has always been a huge source of inspiration for me."  Stefani's personal style certainly shows through in some of the items.  She has always been a trendsetter and brings her sense of style to the table using African influence, mesh and lace up details along with this season's trend of black, white, red and cobalt blue.  You'll find platforms, wedge sandals and a variety of handbags that combine zippers, details, and patterns giving that modern edge she is known for.

Photo: shoedazzle.com/gx

ShoeDazzle was Co-Founded by Kim Kardashian, Brian Lee, Robert Shapiro and Eng in 2009 as a fashion subscription service where clients have a personalized experience of boutique shopping.  VIP members get special pricing after they pay a $39.95 monthly membership fee.  New exclusive collections are debuted every month on the website.  The company currently serves over 20 million clients and is the largest online fashion subscription service since it merged with JustFab Inc last year.

CLICK HERE TO SEE COLLECTION on www.shoedazzle.com/gx

KISS Featured in John Varvatos Campaign

JOHN VARVATOS KISS FALL 2014 COLLECTION. (Photo: PR Newswire)

  KISS completely took the music world by storm during the 1970s when they performed in outrageous costumes, huge boots and wore extreme makeup.  It wasn't something the public was used to seeing for a group of male musicians.  They were the exact opposite of squeaky clean looking groups like The Beatles.   Recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, KISS is legendary in music and have been big influencers in fashion.  It's only fitting that designer John Varvatos launches his Spring 2014 ad campaign featuring the legendary group.

  The band wears their iconic makeup and big hair with the flawless style of John Varvatos' tailored suits.  The spring collection was inspired by their album, "Dressed to Kill" and is the perfect combination of classic with a little edge.  "I wanted to sprinkle a little magic dust throughout the clothes in this collection, highlighting the idea of sartorial daring and masculine confidence that is integral to my vision, bringing it to a new level." Varvatos said.  "While working with KISS on my new advertising campaign, I was taken by how much everybody regardless of their age, loves them.  For me, it is the idea of a superhero, a man in disguise with incredible powers, that dash of fantasy to my work while keeping tailored finesse and elegence high on the agenda.  The result is energetic and strong, for a confident man who dares."

When you see the images in the campaign it is clear how powerful it is to see these iconic men wearing the designs of one of fashion's most talented men's designers.

Gene.

Paul Stanley.

STYLE | MONOCHROMATIC TREND

Different ways of wearing the monochromatic trend this fall.
 (Left to right: Ginger & Smart, Kuwaii, Bul, Bianca Spender, Christopher Esber, Michael Lo Sordo)

Fall 2013's monochromatic trend is certainly a throw to the minimalist style of the 1990s.  Colour palettes in the same range have a way of making everyone look sleek, clean and polished.  Anyone can work this trend with ease.  Wearing one colour scheme from head to toe is modern and classy.  No matter the colour you choose you can't go wrong.  Wine, cobalt, pumpkin orange and grey are some of the shades making up popular looks in the monochrome trend.   

The shade doesn't have to be identical but can be from the same palette and still give the same minimal feel.  For example if you select grey it doesn't meet you have to have the perfect shade from head to toe.  You can mix slate, pewter, chrome and steel grey to create your ensemble.  You can add pale shades with deeper tones within the same palette.  Be sure to keep it simple and if you decide to add an accent to break up the colour palette make it a neutral like white, black or camel.  

Fall 2013's monochromatic trend is certainly a throw to the minimalist trend of the 1990s.  

Tom Ford Spring 2013

Tom Ford's collection for spring 2013 had a theme of chastity vs. perversion.  He originally showed the collection to a select group of buyers in London and after photos started popping up online he decided to show the collection in its entirety.  What are your thoughts on the collection?  

Gwen Beloti: Buffalo Fashion Week 2012

Mercedes Benz Buffalo Fashion Week wrapped up last week with a runway show featuring four designers from New York City.  I spoke briefly with Brooklyn native, Gwen Beloti as she took a moment to relax before the runway show.  She shared her inspiration and what to expect from her latest collection.  Watch the video below to see the bursts of color and feminine silhouettes that she's known for.

gwenbeloti.com

Tadashi Shoji Spring 2013

Tadashi Shoji's spring 2013 collection was feminine with sheer lace, and translucent layers.  Known for his creations worn by many celebrities, his work has been seen on the likes of Tyra Banks, Kate Beckinsale and Katy Perry. 

Gucci Spring 2013

Frida Giannini brought a soft flirtatiousness to Gucci for its spring 2013 collection.  Taking cues from the 1970s, tunic suits, loose trousers and caftans were the core ingredients in this collection.  Silhouettes were Japanese-inspired with billowing ruffles and bell sleeves.

(Photo: vogue.com)

Giannini said she was inspired by the portraits shot by photographers Richard Avedon and Gian Paolo Barbieri.  The color story included salmon, cobalt blue, crisp white and yellow.  Styling throughout the show was minimal however, necklines were decorated with brightly colored, chunky necklaces.  

The few printed items were vivid, over-sized patterns on simple styles.  This was a collection about living in vivid color and comfort with an air of easy elegance.  A certain gracefulness to each piece as the models strutted down the runway with ruffles floating.

Overall Gucci's spring had a consistent theme.  It didn't have a wide variety of design elements but rather, a strong sense of  a few ideas.  A sense of ease, it was all about the sleeve, ruffle and clean lines.  Trousers were fluid yet lean, dresses feminine and simple while the suits were classy with a leisure inspired feel.  It was an illustration of a bright and breezy lifestyle. 

(Photo: vogue.com)

Spring at London Fashion Week

At Mulberry runway show.  Anna Wintour sits among fashion elite.  (Photo: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)

After a week of frenzied shows, London Fashion Week wrapped up on Tuesday.  London usually sets the stage as the most cutting edge when it comes to experimenting with street style and creativity.

Vivienne Westwood used her show to make her views and statements known.

 Vivienne Westwood, best known for her punk roots, street-edge clothing, and references to old-English style, used her show to proclaim her stance about the climate and her environmental position.  She also had some in the front row wear shirts that declared her support of Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks.  Her Red Label collection could be described as having an edgy sophistication.

Throughout the week of shows there was no definite strong theme but rather serveral smaller trends that would echo from one show to the next; color, texture, shine, layers, cut-outs and of course retro.  London always has a way of defining it's style using retro or street influences.

Burberry, known for the traditional trench coat and classic tartan print, brought us to the future with its metallic leathers through their collection.  Elements of the future through shiny fabrics, foil textures, metallic gold and silver was one of the trends for next year.  

The softness of the season came through light feminine sheers, chiffon and layers of organza.  Residual influences of the Olympic games came through a sportswear influence seen on the runways of Rag & Bone and Richard Nicholl.
   

New designer Simone Rocha, spring 2013. (Photo: Carl Court/AFP Getty/Getty Images)

Sheer panels, gold, floral patterns and neon brights were all part of Simone Rocha's spring collection.  Color dominated again for next season. Bright lemon yellow, citrus orange, Olympic blue, pink and emerald were all highlights on the runway.

Orange, yellow and mustard continued to dominate for spring. (Photo: PR/PA/PR)

Kate Moss sits in the front row at Mulberry.  (Photo: Dave M Benett/Getty Images)

No shortage of celebrities at the shows, Kate Moss took in the show at Mulberry.  Other celebrities included Lady Gaga (who appeared on the runway for Philip Treacy), Emma Watson, Mischa Barton, and Naomi Campbell.

Metallics were a big trend on the runway.  

Sportswear influence at London Fashion Week.  Antonio Berardi, Richard Nicoll, Rage & Bone.

Fashion Rumor: Adele May Design for Burberry

Word in fashion circles is that singer Adele may be slated to collaborate with Burberry in designing a plus-size line.  To date, both Burberry and Adele have declined to comment on the rumors.  Reports say that the singer will work with Christopher Bailey in creating a bespoke collection.

Adele admits to being a fan of the brand for a long time.  She told Vogue UK, "I've always loved Burberry.  I remember saving for three years to get my first bag before I got signed."  The 24-year old singer has worn Burberry in the past including on the red carpet at the 2011 MTV Video Awards and the Brit Awards.

Kate Moss stars is the current face of Burberry.

Sources: Vogue UK, NY Daily News

Ralph Lauren signs Plus Size Model

Robyn Lawley in Ralph Lauren

Australian beauty, Robyn Lawley has made history by becoming the first plus-size model to be headlining a campaign for Ralph Lauren.  The 23 year-old stands 6'2" tall and wears a size 12.  When you look at her the last thing that comes to mind is that she's a plus-size.  In the real world she is considered slim and women would love her figure.  But in the world of high-end fashion that's not the typical industry size.  Last year she made headlines when she landed the cover of Vogue Italia along with two other curvy models.
 

Vogue Italia June 2011, photos by Steven Meisel.

Her success proves that there still is room in the business for change.  The fashion industry has long been criticized for its use of underweight models.  Typically a fashion model is size 2-6, half the size of Lawley.  The last few years have seen small changes in the industry.  One of the biggest being Vogue's announcement earlier this year that they would restrict using models who had visible signs of eating disorders and Israel's government also banned the use of underweight models.

Lawley is happy to be in the position she's in and expressed her views on the business and how models her size are not the norm on an appearance on Australian television.  Watch the video below for more on her story.

Metallics at Burberry Show

Burberry show at London Fashion Week for spring 2013.

A white cape over a pink metallic corset swimsuit opened the spring 2013 runway show for Burberry.  Followed by a white trench coat with cape-let detail over the shoulders and a sea of metallics.  A rainbow of metallic trench-coats tightly belted that made their way down the runway along with cocoon shaped sleeves, coats and capes.  

Christopher Bailey, head of design at Burberry, said the collection was inspired by photographer Norman Parkinson's images from the 1940s and 50s.  The collection had models in pencil skirts, corseted bodices and dresses in pinks, sapphire blue and shades of beige.  Body-hugging, slim silhouettes were paired with cropped jackets or capes.  

  

Bailey also told the press he looked at the Burberry archives for an added source of inpiration.  The trench is a signiature Burberry item that goes back to its beginnings.  It was seen throughout this collection restyled for the modern woman and with the cutting edge touch of metallic color.

Watch the full runway show below:

Lady Gaga Walks the Runway

Lady Gaga opens the show for Philip Treacy's runway show at London Fashion Week.

Lady Gaga brought star power to Philip Treacy's catwalk at London Fashion Week.  The show, which was themed after Michael Jackson's comeback show, opened with Gaga wearing a bright pink cape-like garment and saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest milliner in the world: Philip Treacy."

Treacy is best known for designing hats worn by many celebrities and the royal family.  The runway show featured clothing from Michael Jackson's career on stage paired with Treacy's elaborate hats.  The items from Jackson's collection included the red leather jacket worn in the Thriller video.  It was a show like no other.

PhilipTreacy spring 2013 hat.

Philip Treacy, spring 2013

                 


                                  

Victoria Beckham Spring 2013

Victoria Beckham takes her moment after her spring 2013 showing at New York Fashion Week.
(Photo: Getty Images)

This past Sunday (Sept 9, 2012), Victoria Beckham proved once again that she is not just another pop star who ventured into the fashion arena.  She is a true bonafide designer.  Beckham, who catapulted to worldwide fame as a member of The Spice Girls, has often said that she designs clothing that she would actually wear.  Her attention to detail and creating items that frame a woman's figure are what she's known for.

Victoria Beckham spring 2013. (Photo: Peter Michael Dills - Getty Images)

For her spring 2013 collection models wore shirt-dresses, light a-line skirts and lingerie-inspired pieces.  Color was reduced to a minimum with black, white and light neutrals being the focus with a few pops of color.  Fabrics were lightweight and very feminine; perfect for spring.  She told the New York Daily News, "It's the first time I've gone so delicate, but I wanted the design elements."

Diane Von Furstenberg Brings Google Glass to the Runway

Diane von Furstenberg wearing Google Glass

Diane von Furstenberg will forever be known as the designer who brought women the figure-flattering wrap dress nearly four decades ago.  This weekend she presented her spring 2013 collection at New York Fashion Week.  

Not only did she show a beautiful collection for next season but she also introduced fashion's finest to Google Glass, the latest hi-tech glasses that Google has introduced.  Models wore them while strutting down the runway.  Even the designer herself came out wearing a pair with orange detailing at the end of the show.  

Even though the glasses have been dubbed as looking geeky, they are being hailed as the next thing.  Google co-founder Sergey Brin made an appearance on the runway with von Furstenberg.  She pulled him out of the audience to join her in the finale.  He told the Hindustan Times, "Beauty, style and comfort are as important to Glass as the latest technology. We are delighted to bring Glass to the runway together with DVF."

You might be asking what exactly is Google Glass anyway?  It's a product that Google is still developing and plans to have on the market by 2014.  Worn like glasses, they have functions very similar to smart-phones.  With only a piece of glass over the right eye, they have the ability to take photos, check calendars, record video and much more.  Each pair worn on the runway was designed to match the colors in the model's outfits.  Some models even turned on the device to record footage during the show.  DVF plans to release the video as a short film on Google+ this week.    

As innovative as the new product is, it didn't take away from the collection DVF presented for next season.  It dubbed with the name 'Palazzo'; the color palette of brights like blue, coral, yellow and green were both confident and full of life.  A mixture of caftans, draped dresses and layering, the clothing was soft and fluid with layers framing a woman's figure.  

Photo: Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com

Photo: Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com

                           

Photo: Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com

                           

Photo: Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com

                          

Photo: Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com                           

Photo: Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com

                       

Photo: Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com

                       

Photo: Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com

                       
www.dvf.com


Watch the runway show below:

Derek Lam - Spring 2013

Even though fall is just around the corner, spring has already sprung at New York Fashion Week.  Derek Lam brought the unexpected for spring.  The rich colors of yellow, blue, green and reds were more autumn than spring.  Details were simple yet complex.  Several elements were at play throughout.  Assymmetrical lines, pleated hems, boxy cuts and geometric shapes catch the eye.  This collection is for the modern city slicker.  

Leather was a key fabric, unusual for spring/summer, made into tailored crop tops paired with perfectly cut skirts.  Although it's hard to imagine donning leather in the mid-summer heat, it was light and movable which makes it seem slightly wearable for that season.   

Jason Wu Spring 2013

Jason Wu has been fashion's darling over the last few years.  The Taiwanese-Canadian designer continues to produce clothing that looks great both on and off the runway.  The spring 2013 runway show at New York Fashion Week opened with black items that complemented a woman's body.  From the classic shift silhouette to the flared skirt with pretty details at the hem.  The mix of black and white was also a classic combination that is both timeless and sophisticated.  Minimized peplum details on the pencil skirts were both modern and retro.

This collection was certainly sexier than he what he's done in the past.  He mixed leathers, lace and harness detailing to create some of the looks he says were inspired by photographer Helmut Newton.   

Watch the video below where he spoke about what inspired him this season.

www.jasonwustudio.com

Behind The Scenes with Zang Toi

New York Fashion Week features some of the world's best designers.  Even though most runway shows are done within 15 minutes, it takes months of preparation to get a collection together.  Watch as Zang Toi gives a behind the scenes look at what went into creating his latest line.

The award-winning designer has been in the business for over 20 years.  Originally from Malaysia, he studied fashion at Parsons School of Design.  It wasn't too long after launching his label that he was recognized by one of fashion's most powerful, Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief of Vogue magazine.  He's dressed some of Hollywood's best known including Eva Longoria, Fergie and Farrah Fawcell.

Toi will show his spring 2013 collection during New York's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week on Sunday September 9th.

New York Fashion Week: Nicholas K

 

 New York Fashion Week is underway and designers are showing us what's coming for spring 2013. Even though we are getting ready for the cool, crisp fall weather, it's still fun to see what we might be wearing next year.  Silhouettes were fluid and I saw some hints of mid-east influence in some of the garments including scarves wrapped over model's heads like those worn by women in the middle east.  Check out the latest video of Nicholas K's collection for next season.

Michelle Obama in Tracy Reese

Michelle Obama walks onstage at the Democratic National Convention in
North Carolina.  

Tracy Reese is an American designer whose work is timeless, classic and always looks good on a woman.  She is one of my personal favorite designers and I was happy to see that First Lady Michelle Obama chose to wear one of her dresses for her speech at the Democratic National Convention.

Black (African-American) designers rarely get opportunities like this on a national scale to have their work seen by the masses.  The dress was custom made in a silky rosy pink, with grey around the hem.  Sleeveless, it showed off her strong arms and the silhouette was fitted with the a full skirt.  She wore the Everly Suede heels in rhubarb from J. Crew which were the perfect finishing touch to her look.

Twitter was buzzing with tweets about what the First Lady wore.  Tracy Reese herself tweeted, "So honored." when she appeared onstage in the dress.

This isn't the first time she's worn Reese.  She was also seen at the London Olympic games wearing a pre-fall ensemble from the designer.  

Michelle Obama in Tracy Reese at London Olympics

Galliano Stripped of Medal

Athletes are not the only ones these days being stripped of medals.  In the fashion business, British designer John Galliano has been highly respected for his work for many years.  But it was when his anti-semetic remarks were recorded and went viral a few years ago that he became disgraced in the industry.

In 2009 Galliano won France's top honor in fashion (a medal) the Legion d'Honneur recognizing his work in haute couture.  It's an award that is given out by the French government.

He was artistic director at Dior when he was charged and then convicted for insulting a Jewish woman in public at a bar.  Although he blamed his behaviour on being drunk, many felt the alcohol was no excuse for his outburst.

The British designer, who was once celebrated in the fashion industry has maintained a low profile since the incident.