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• Latest Michelle Obama style 2011: Michelle Obama wears ASOS's charity range

  
  24 June 2011
  

  Latest Michelle Obama style 2011- Michelle Obama wears ASOS's charity range: First Lady, Michelle Obama proves she's both thrifty and charitable, wearing an ASOS AFRICA top. Good news for your purses - thrift is having a fashion moment.

  Michelle Obama in South Africa wearing the sleeveless printed ASOS AFRICA shirt

  The Duchess of Cambridge is queen of the high street ; Sam Cam rolled out a Jonathan Saunders dress for a second public outing; and now Michelle Obama, the third pillar of the high-profile fashion triumvirate, has made an appearance in South Africa wearing a shirt from the 'online high street', ASOS.com .

  While in the Zandspruit Township on a tour with the President, Michelle Obama stepped out in shirt from ASOS's AFRICA range. Coming in at just £35, the sleeveless printed shirt is both affordable and charitable as £5 from each AFRICA sale goes into the charity, SOKO's fundraising-pocket.

  Helping underprivileged communities to establish sustainable businesses, SOKO supports local African craftsmanship. It is just one of the charities collaborating with ASOS's fundraising platform, The Green Room . Housing ethical brands such as People Tree, Fin Oslo, and Made Jewellery, The Green Room is ASOS's online space dedicated to labels with 'a story to tell', featuring fair-trade, upcycled and handmade garments for the eco-fashion enthusiast.

  So, 10 out of 10 to Michelle Obama for her ethical choice; let's see if K-Middy and SamCam will follow suit.

  (telegraph fashion news)

   

• Fashion news 2011: Supermodel Karlie Kloss launches model competition

  
  24 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Supermodel Karlie Kloss launches model competition: Mother Models and teenage modelling sensation Karlie Kloss join together to run a model competition.

  

  Karlie Kloss at the launch of DIOR VIII at Dior Boutique, New York 2011

  She has walked in countless runway shows and starred in campaigns for leading luxury labels such as Christian Dior, Donna Karan and Oscar de la Renta, but Karlie Kloss is far from forgetting where it all started.

  Teaming up with Mother Model Management, the 18-year-old is running a model competition across America in the hopes of finding the next supermodel. Founders of the agency and husband and wife team, Jeff and Mary Clarke, discovered Karlie Kloss at a benefit show in St Louis in 2005. Together they will come full circle and end the search the same way with a charity fashion show and event, Shine, which will be hosted by Karlie.

  "Mary and Jeff are like family to me now, and if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be where I am today so I jumped at the chance to support them in their search to make another 'wannabe' models' dream come true! This is a fantastic way for me to support the community and the charity that launched my career, I couldn't be more excited!" says Karlie of the competition.

  The Clarkes are credited with scouting some of the leading working models today. Katie Fogarty and Lindsay Lullman were also scouted by the duo and are now represented by Next Model Management. The competition, which runs from April to the end of July across Midwest America, could bring the winner a management contract with Mother Management and Next Models, coaching from Jeff and Mary and a trip to New York for a fashion photo shoot.

  With Karlie being scouted in Saint Louis and Katie Fogarty coming from Missouri, the Midwest is looking like a safe place to start the search.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Fashion news 2011: Versace to design collection for H&M

  
  23 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Versace to design collection for H&M: Swedish cheap'n'chic fashion giant H&M announced on Tuesday that Italian fashion house Versace would be its next guest designer.

  

  Donatella-Versace-Italian-designer-2011

  "H&M is proud to announce that its autumn 2011 designer collaboration will be with one of the world's most legendary fashion brands, Versace," the Swedish company said in a statement.

  The Versace line will hit some 300 H&M stores worldwide on November 2011 and "will look back on the heritage of the brand, full of leather, print, colour and exuberance in exclusive materials," H&M said.

  The collection will include both women's and men's clothing as well as some home accessories such as a bedspread and cushions.

  A pre-spring collection, also designed by Donatella Versace, will be available exclusively online from January 19, 2012.

  "I am thrilled to be collaborating with H&M and to have the opportunity of reaching their wide audience. The collection will be quintessential Versace, perfect for H&M and Versace fans everywhere," the Italian designer said.

  Known for its trendy yet affordable fashions, H&M is the world's third largest clothing group behind Spain's Inditex, which owns Zara, and Gap of the United States.

  It first teamed up with a top fashion designer in 2004, in a tie-up with Karl Lagerfeld and sent its monthly sales soaring.

  Since then it has hooked up with the likes of Stella McCartney, Viktor and Rolf, Comme des Garcons, Jimmy Choo and Sonia Rykiel -- as well as one-off lines with style icons Kylie Minogue or Madonna.

  H&M was founded in Vaesteraas in central Sweden in 1947. The cheap-and-chic fashion company had 2,206 stores and 59,440 employees worldwide at the end of 2010.

  Italian luxury fashion house Versace was founded in 1978 by Gianni Versace. His sister Donatella took over as head of design in 1997.

• Fashion news 2011: Giorgio Armani's Geometric Groove

  
  23 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Giorgio Armani's Geometric Groove: Giorgio Armani, beside being Italy's most famous designer, is also the peninsula's greatest tailor, and he reminded his fans of precisely that with some nattily cut new jackets in his latest signature show, presented Tuesday, June 21, in Milan.

  Giorgio-Armani-Men-Spring-2012-Fashion-Week-Milan

  However, while his newly deconstructed jackets - bereft of even the slightest shoulder padding - had a swell new silhouette, his biggest innovation this season was the way he used geometric graphics and zig zags to subtly alter the look of much of this collection.

  Armani printed window panes and graphic patterns on nylon silk raincoats, sleek shirts and neat bomber jackets, all of which looked elegant, yet the right side of edgy.

  But his classiest moments were his new shortened, double-breasted jackets, cut above the hip and finished with trim trousers, shaped lower in the crotch and finished just above the ankle, the new cut off point throughout this season in Milan.

  "It's true that this is a particularly short double breasted. It really is a new jacket, but not the first time I tried deconstruction. My first deconstructed jacket, an empty shouldered look, was in back 1972," said Armani.

  In a sign that many of the major Italian houses, are rebounding form the recession, Armani even sent out a chocolate colored crocodile baseball jacket, so supple it felt like as if made of lambskin, which was faintly scary in terms of price. Reportedly, it will retail for around $25,000.

• Fashion news 2011: Tallulah Harlech turns model for Monsoon Palace

  
  23 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Tallulah Harlech turns model for Monsoon Palace: New jewellery brand Monsoon Palace captures the mischievousness of sense of style of Lady Amanda Harlech's daughter Tallulah.

  Tallulah - the stylish daughter of Lady Amanda Harlech, who is the muse of Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld - has been signed up as the face of new jewellery brand Monsoon Palace.

  Modelling gravity defying ear-cuffs adorned with thorns and monkeys, and rose-gold hand chains with amethyst, the up-and-coming actress proves that she is not shy of an audience. Having trod the boards on Broadway, starring in Richard III , Tallulah recently teamed up with her mother for a short, silent film on Coco Chanel directed by Lagerfeld in which she played a model at Coco's hat shop, while Lady Amanda posed as a client.

  The Monsoon Palace founders, former London College of Fashion student, Amber Atherton, and ex-biochemistry student, Alexander Davis, have joined forces to design a jewellery collection inspired by exotic locations such as the jungles of Indonesia.

  Each piece is infused with an exotic sense of mystery and evocatively named from the 'empress bracelet', to the 'tempest earrings'. The collection is made from intertwining intricately detailed gun metal silver, rose gold and semi-precious stones.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Fashion news 2011: Highlights from day two at Milan men's fashion week spring-summer 2012

  
  21 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Highlights from day two at Milan men's fashion week spring-summer 2012: A stellar line-up featuring Prada, Missoni, Calvin Klein and Vivienne Westwood made day two an action-packed event.

  

  PRADA
  Golf inspired Prada's offbeat, whimsical menswear collection for next spring and summer.

  "I was using golf as an excuse to make it eccentric. Even if I hate golf and don't play, it is completely international," designer Miuccia Prada said backstage after the show.

  The motif, she said, allowed her to merge ideas and cultures, although the basic theme of the collection was "Americana."

  Prada laid artificial turf for the show inside a cavernous industrial space in central Milan, just the thing for the riveted soles of the fringed golf shoes worn by the models - or were they caddies? Several carried floral printed or studded golf bags, with Prada-branded golf clubs.

  Sporting cocky golf hats, the models seemed to enjoy themselves as they snaked down the grassy runway, to a lively remix of Cole Porter's "Summertime."

  The backbone of the collection came in the well-tailored jackets, trousers and sweaters in neutral colours, from tan to black, that became the blank canvas for Prada's whimsy.

  SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
  Sometimes an obsession is a good thing. At least if your name is Massimiliano Giornetti and you design clothes for the steeped-in-tradition Ferragamo label.

  "I am obsessed with elegance and beauty," said the new creative director of the Florentine brand famous for its shoes and scarves, after a much-applauded show.

  His goal is to reinvent the classic Ferragamo silhouette and give it a fresh modern energy "step by step."

  Inspired by the compelling nonchalance of a 1930s artist - Pablo Picasso fits the picture - Giornetti creates a wardrobe which is elegant but never stuffy.

  His summer man sports a double-breasted suit with a shirt in the same material and high-waisted trousers with pleats. He strolls through life wearing a frayed raffia hat, vintage shades, and classic Derby shoes that allow him to escape into his romantic world.

  BOTTEGA VENETA
  Though dressed in rumpled suits and clutching soft colourful leather bags, the Bottega Veneta man is no slouch.

  The collection previewed Sunday for next spring and summer contained pattern upon pattern in light, easy-to-wear fabrics that give the impression of endless possibilities, including business meeting, poolside party, or a seaside dash. Colors were deep tourmaline blue, chocolate and indigo, set off by pewter or beige.

  The line of the Bottega Veneta suit is nearly unbroken. Deep blue patterned jackets flow into matching tapered pants that give a full view of lace-up shoes, sometimes in the same pattern. Only a zebra/coffee striped shirt, buttoned high, interrupts the flow.

  For more formal wear, designer Tomas Maier preferred deep monochromatic gabardine suits in arresting peridot, espresso jolt and dive-deep turquoise. He broke up the line with an off-colour waistline - for instance, turquoise on peridot.

  EMPORIO ARMANI
  The Emporio Armani menswear collection for next spring and summer was titled "Lightness." It could just as aptly have been called "Motion."

  The collection previewed Sunday was a study in quiet motion. From the double-darted trousers, to the thin ties, the long loopy belts, the lightweight T-shirts and the long, open jackets, everything flowed in a gentle whisper.

  Suits were layered with loose-knit cardigans, emphasising the lightness of it all, on top of ultralight T-shirts. Loose long jackets were nearly see-through, revealing the shape of the man. The colour scheme was sober and neutral in grays, putty and blue.

  Digital prints were busy electrical currents or tiny synapses of light on sheer button-down blousons paired with matching T-shirts, or on the suits themselves.

  In contrast to the lightness of the fabrics, shoes were either thickly soled or ankle-high boots, worn without socks.

  The finale featured a cascade of barefoot boys wearing ankle-baring pleated pants cinched at the waist by thin tied leather belts and air-catching jackets over pale blue T-shirts.

  Missing from the runway: shorts.

  PRINGLE
  They say good things come in small packages, and so it was for Pringle who put on a snappy eight-minute show filled with woolly delights.

  Known for its iconic argyle prints favoured by British royalty, the Scottish knitwear company founded in the early 19th century, became a "must-have" label for women in the 1950s when it recreated the sporty twinset by weaving it in cashmere and pairing it with single string of pearls. Think Grace Kelly in her Hollywood heyday.

  The scope of the company's new design director, Briton Alistair Carr, who presented his first menswear collection Sunday, will reinvent the brand for the 21st century.

  "I want to strike the balance between respecting and reinterpreting the Pringle of Scotland heritage," the designer said in the fashion notes that accompanied the show.

  Overall, next year's spring summer look is classic with an edge featuring high buttoned jackets, worn with pants or shorts, sleeveless sweaters with incorporated collars, and the latest jodhpur boot in trendy white and red.

  VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
  Britain's Vivienne Westwood is gearing up for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

  T-shirts were emblazoned with gold-embossed Olympic torches, iconic Greek athletic figures and printed Olympic medals draped around the neckline. They were worn with shorts, in pinstripes or Union Jack red, white and blue, with golden Greco-style sandals or bright red penny-loafers accompanied by knee-socks.

  Westwood's opinion of the Games is up for grabs: Olympic head wreaths were fashioned out of playing cards, and Olympic medals out of Coca-Cola cans.

  The collection was not just about funky merchandising. There also were outfits suggested for the events themselves.

  Each has its own eclectic touch: One suit mixes and matches grey and tan plaids, a pair of trousers features an exceedingly convenient kangaroo-style pouch, and a shirt has the bodice of a T-shirt.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Christian Louboutin Fall Fashion Trends 2011-2012 For Women Inspired By Classic Paintings

  
  21 June 2011
  

  Christian Louboutin Fall Fashion Trends 2011-2012 For Women Inspired By Classic Paintings - Christian Louboutin Fall 2011-2012: I don’t know whose idea it was to recreate the famous paintings to promote Christian Louboutin pieces from Fall 2011 lookbook, but that person must be a real genius. I have never seen such a wonderful campaign before.

  Christian-Louboutin-Fall-Fashion-2011-2012

  It is reported that designer Christian Louboutin and photographer Peter Lippman have teamed up to produce the Fall 2011 lookbook that comprises seven images inspired by classic portraits. Paintings, which include Whistler’s Mother and Francisco De Zurbaran’s Saint Dorothy, feature the new Christian Louboutin pieces, shoes and handbags.

  Models who took part in recreation of the precious paintings were: Trissan Polas, Sterenn Nogues, Karom Kelly, Lia Catreux, Francoise de Stael, and Karen Assayag.

  All photos in Christian Louboutin Fall 2011-2012 Collection:

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Fashion news 2011: Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2011 Ad Campaign

  
  21 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2011 Ad Campaign - Paul Gaultier Fall Fashion Trends 2012: After Carine Roitfeld has resigned from her position at French Vogue earlier this year she started working as a freelance stylist. And now her second (first was for Chanel), and again very successful work, has been released. It’s the ad campaign for Jean Paul Gaultier with Kristen McMenamy as a model.

  Kristen-McMenamy-for-Jean-Paul-Gaultier-Fall-2011

  Photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2011 ad campaign looks great, but it reminds me the spring/ summer 2011 campaign with Karolina Kurkova and Andrej Pejic  a lot.

  

• Fashion news 2011: Burberry Whimsically Cool New Look

  
  19 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Burberry Whimsically Cool New Look: Milan – In fashion, as in life and sometimes romance, it's important not to take things too seriously, and that's why the latest men's collection from Burberry presented on Saturday, June 18, in Milan was such a great fashion moment.

  

  Model walks the runway at the Burberry Prorsum show during Men Spring 2012 Fashion Week in Milan

  Bizarre and dreamily indulgent, the collection injected all sorts of diverse references - from Sixties Jet Setter chic and posh hippie notions to Mediterranean dandy codes and snazzy artisan finishes. Yet though it subverted the whole serious, arctic explorer DNA of this unique British brand, it's very eccentricity only added to Burberry's cool allure, in a brilliantly innovative collection by the house's highly assured designer Christopher Bailey.

  Take several very feminine elements - raffia, cork and central Asia embellishments. Raffia, traditionally a straw weave used in women's bags, appeared in tam-o'-shanter caps, shoe inserts and most spectacularly in curvy coats - in a capricious coolly way.

  Cork, a material first made fashionable in the Sixties when trendy travelers discovered and made famous beautiful islands like Capri, Mykonos and Ibiza, popped up in quirky shoes and dandy moccasins.

  Ikats, a dyed fabric originally from Uzbekistan, added zest and wit to dandy pants and tapestry shoes.

  "I think it was time for a little whimsy, and something far more tactile in fashion. The Internet is an amazing force but it seems to suggest that you can grasp anything just by seeing it on the web. You can't. Some things have to be felt by hand," Bailey said backstage, after a show transmitted directly on the web.

  It was a rather remarkable admission, especially as no other important brand in fashion has built as significant a retail presence as Burberry on the Internet. Doubly so, as consumers could order much of the collection directly from Burberry's corporate website during this show.

  Among the great tactile elements where hand crocheted and beaded collars on curvy-shouldered Raglan coats and trenches; and, somewhat weirdly for a spring collection, a series of Alpine sweaters with radial and snow pattern designs. But on closer inspection these were silk jumpers where the designs were made of hand painted shards of wood.

  Weathered in finish, and even disheveled in it's styling, this was a brilliant counter blast to Burberry's own carefully crafted image. The house trades on connecting with Cool Britannia and hipster Indy U.K. brands, but it's intensely corporate drive had of late come across as a tad too formulaic. Few things better summed that up than Bailey's promotion last year from creative director to a to the militaristic new title of chief creative officer.

  But instead of wielding a marshal's baton, this season in Milan Bailey sagely changed tack and offered a lovingly prepared expression of hand-crafted pizzazz. Little doubt this will turn out to be one of the European season's best shows and collections.

• Fashion news 2011: Calvin Klein's High-Tech Athletic Futurism

  
  19 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Calvin Klein's High-Tech Athletic Futurism: Milan – America, which for most Europeans traditionally represents the future, was very much at the vanguard of fashion in the latest path-breaking men's collection from the New York house of Calvin Klein, staged on the afternoon of Sunday, June 19, in Milan, Italy.

  

  Model walks the runway at the Calvin Klein show during Men Spring 2012 Fashion Week in Milan

  Using a whole series of canny fabrics, from shirts in circuit board in prints that looked multi-dimensional to high-tech waffle weave jackets with mega dimples, this was an eye-arresting display of artfully new men's style. A collection, which while hyper futurist, was nonetheless very much in keeping with the minimalist DNA of this American fashion institution, a further credit to Calvin Klein's menswear designer Ital Zucchelli.

  "My idea was fusing hyper three-dimensional effects into modern men's clothes. That's why some looks were inflated, others pretty bumpy," Zucchelli said after the show, presented in Klein's European headquarters in south Milan.

  In his half decade at the house, Zucchelli has matured into a highly assured designer, whose sense of how a runway show and collection needs to unfold is now pretty faultless. He opened with an engaging choice of technical sportswear, double-layered stretch tank-tops in stretch cottons, all worn over voluminous jogging pants in a spongy foam fabrics, like bonded cellular jersey, all cut loosely at the front and saucily around the backside. And, in a season where many designers are plenty with lots of ideas about transparency, Zucchelli's choice of see-through industrial plastic soles on his brothel-creeper style sneakers, or transparent eyeglass frames, all seemed very timely.

  Moving onto the tailoring elements, the designer played brilliantly with the squishy fabric, best of all with some sleek, avant garde tuxedo jackets. Using laser technology Zucchelli cut tiny miniature "windows" in many tops and jerkins so the garments billowed as the models marched down the runway. Though the one fabric sure to set the biggest trend will likely be some sure-fired best-seller jeans made of a distressed, washed and then waxed denim that was defiantly new.

  Dress shirts and Eisenhower jackets in white mesh - a big trend in Italy this season - also all looked great, as did sleek super hero smoking jackets. Composed in a light pastel color palette of citron, pale blue, putty and silvery cerulean.

• Fashion news 2011: Beyonce Covers Dazed & Confused July 2011 Issue

  
  19 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Beyonce Covers Dazed & Confused July 2011 Issue: Beyonce graces the cover page of Dazed & Confused July 2011 Issue. 29 year old pop star is posing on cover with dramatic makeup, Gucci printed top, blonde hair and a melting ice cream cone.

  Shot by Sharif Hamza in a scorching hot trailer park fantasy, hot and sexy R&B singer Beyonce is donning Givenchy Fall 2011 RTW bold printed long sleeve crop top top for cover shoot.

  

  For inside photo spread, she dons outfits by Tom Ford, Riccardo Tisci, Gareth Pugh, Haider Ackermann, Stefano Pilati and Marc Jacobs.

  

  

  Styled by Karen Langley, the pop diva Beyonce sports ultra-glam look for the latest issue of Dazed & Confused magazine’s summer music special.

• Fashion news 2011: Lily Allen's post-wedding Chanel gown

  
  18 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Lily Allen's post-wedding Chanel gown: Newly married Lily Cooper finally reveals the Karl Lagerfeld-designed gown that she wore after her church ceremony wedding.

  

  A sketch of Lily Allen’s dress by Karl Lagerfeld; A photo Lily during a fitting at the Chanel studio on rue Cambon by Benoît Peverelli

  Chanel fans around the world who couldn't wait to catch a glimpse of Lily Allen's Chanel wedding gown - which she was thought to be wearing to walk down the aisle - were disappointed when pictures emerged of her leaving the St James the Great Church last Saturday wearing a creation by French designer Delphine Manivet.

  Of course, there's no doubt that the newly blessed Mrs Cooper looked resplendent in the empire-line gown and 1920s-style veil, but in the few steps from the carriage to the church door, we expected Allen to stage her very own haute couture catwalk show.

  However, the retired pop star turned fashion entrepreneur has finally revealed a glimpse of the Chanel gown which she later changed into as she hosted a reception in the grounds of her country cottage in the village of Cranham, near Stroud wiith new husband Sam.

  A guest in attendance confirmed to the Telegraph that Lily did indeed don the gown designed by Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld, which stayed true to Lily's love for vintage style, with its voluminous bell sleeves and an empire-line cut in sheer white chiffon.

  (telegraph Fashion news)

   

   

• Fashion news 2011: Ralph Lauren designs new uniforms for Wimbledon 2011-2012

  
  16 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Ralph Lauren designs new uniforms for Wimbledon 2011-2012: Ball girls and boys will get new outfits, as Wimbledon celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.

  

  The new official mesh is £95 and is available to buy along with the rest of the Wimbledon Collection 2011-2012

  This year's ball girls and boys at Wimbledon will get updates on their uniforms, the first time since Ralph Lauren became the official outfitters of the tournament in 2006. The event celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.

   

  The Wimbledon colours of green and purple are emblazoned with a preppy diagonal sash across the polo shirt. Ball girls get a skirt, wristband, baseball cap, tennis shoes and socks, while the boys get the same, but with shorts.

  

  Ralph Lauren continues its global partnership with the All England Club as an official outfitter of the championships through to 2015, designing uniforms for all on-court officials including chair umpires, line umpires and ball persons.

  "Wimbledon is a premier sporting event and we are honoured to be a part of such a long-standing tradition in the history of tennis," said David Lauren, executive vice president of advertising, marketing and corporate communications.

  Tonight, Sir Richard Branson and the Women's Tennis Association is throwing a pre-Wimbledon party for women's tennis stars.

  The Wimbledon Collection is available in select Ralph Lauren stores and at ralphlauren.com

  (telegraph fashion news)

   

• Hottest jeans 2012: Duchess of Cambridge's buys this season's hottest jeans

  
  16 June 2011
  

  Hottest jeans 2012: Duchess of Cambridge's buys this season's hottest jeans: When Kate popped into the Trilogy store, did she realise she was buying the hottest jeans of the season by J Brand?

  

  Sarah Jessica Parker in her J Brand 811 'Pop Color' skinny jeans.

  I have to hand it to the Duchess of Cambridge, she's a woman who knows what she wants.

  If Kate doesn't want servants on her state visit, then servants be gone! If Kate wants to do her own weekly grocery shop at Waitrose days after becoming the future queen of England, then better get out of the way of that trolley. And if Kate wants to buy her own clothes for her royal engagements and wear things suitable for a woman twice her age she will damn it, and tough luck if you don't like it.

  But news has reached me today that K Majjy (roll with it, her title is ageing her), popped in to the fashionable Trilogy jeans store on the King's Road yesterday and left with what are perhaps this season's hottest jeans - J Brand's 811 mid rise skinny - in this season's hottest colour way: bright tomato red.

  What prompted the Duchess of Cambridge - already such a stalwart of British society - to ditch her motto (reminiscent of that other great British stalwart, John Lewis) 'never knowingly on trend', we may never know, but our fingers, toes, legs and nose are all crossed that this is a sign of great things to come.

  Perhaps she was leafing through this week's Grazia who branded J Brand's £205 'Pop Color' skinnies the jeans 'we suddenly all wanted', or maybe she clocked that Sex and the City's fashionable front woman, Sarah Jessica Parker, had been papped in a pair.

  In fact, SJP is not the only celebrity who has been seen in a pair of J Brand's Pop Color 811's. Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosia, Hilary Duff, and LeAnn Rimes all have them in red, and you can count on one hand the stylish celebrities who don't own a pair in one of the myriad rainbow hues.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Latest Fur Trend 2011-2012 of Fall-Winter For Women

  
  16 June 2011
  

  Latest Fur Trend 2011-2012 of Fall-Winter For Women -  Women's Fur Fashion 2011-2012: Fur has been popular for a few seasons in succession but it still makes a Fall/ Winter 2011/ 2012 trend because designers love this material for the luxury it turns every item into. However, total fur look is no longer that trendy, stick to fur details instead!

  

  In hard times of economic downturn majority of designers tried to bring costs to a minimum by creating less expensive and simpler clothing. But there were those who did their best to resist the situation and kept on producing luxurious pieces affordable for high class only. They used plenty of fur and that way established it as a trend, pretty ridiculous at that moment. So, fur has been with us even in that period, no wonder nowadays (during Fall/ Winter 2011/ 2012) when people have more money and are more financially stable it stays as popular.

  

  For the fashion season of Fall/ Winter 2011/ 2012 designers have used loads of fur in their collections. But the trend itself has transformed a bit shifting from total fur look to fur details. Fur is no longer the focus of collections, it’s more of an accepted and ingrained part of those.

  For Fall/ Winter 2011/ 2012 fur trend is best expressed in fur coats, but it also serves well to interpret the season’s other dominant trends. For example, in Gucci Fall/ Winter 2011/ 2012 collection fur was necessary to show the chic of the 70s.

  

  Fur (all kinds of fur –long, short, faux, real) has been used to trim collars and cuffs as well as sleeves and hems of jackets or skirts. Sleeves could go either full fur or stretch along the entire length of it.

  

  While in previous seasons fur came almost exclusively in more or less natural colors in Fall/ Winter 2011/ 2012 it arrived dyed in bold, often unexpected hues. Purple, green, blue, red – all these tones of fur are to be trendy this season.

  Fur hasn’t only been used on clothing. It also decorated accessories like hats, boots, gloves and even bags.

  

   

• Fashion news 2011: Kate Middleton's love for white

  
  16 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Kate Middleton's love for white: The Duchess of Cambridge loves wearing white; is this a subconscious mission to keep the halo of her bridal glory shining?

  Kate Middleton with Silk Grace trench coat, £345

  The more she goes out, the more noticeable it is how the Duchess of Cambridge loves wearing white. I'm beginning to suspect it's either a subconscious mission to keep the halo of her bridal glory shining, or a deliberate image-making strategy on a level of sophistication that is taking us by surprise in a rookie royal. Either way, the Bride of the Year is wearing cream so often it's fast becoming a piece of international iconography, a historical style-marker of the order of the Queen Mother's floral prints or Shy Di's flouncy necklines, yet already so much more accomplished.

  

  Kate Middleton in ivory McQueen with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at the Trooping the Colour

  Let's count the ways. Catherine was wearing a white Reiss Nannette dress in November for her official engagement pictures. On her wedding day, she liked her Alexander McQueen ivory dress so much that she had another version made for evening. And she hasn't stopped: at Trooping the Colour last weekend, she wore another McQueen, a coat-dress from the spring pre-collection cut in the same "arched" technique Sarah Burton used in the wedding dress. And, of course, there was the pretty cream faux-tweed Joseph jacket and short chiffon Reiss dress at the Epsom Derby.

  If you think about it, white is the traditional colour of the debutante at court, which appropriately works as an atavistic royal echo, too. Still, it hasn't really been worn in public, for day, in royal circles in living memory. As a colour which implies luxury and therefore a potential stirrer-up of that ingrained British post-Second World War disapproval of clothes which are "impractical", maybe it has also been disdained all these years. But Catherine has changed that, and the impact on other women is already visible, most obviously on those closest to home.

  Ivory hunting is running rife through the royal in-laws. The Duchess of Cornwall, Zara Phillips, the Countess of Wessex, Sarah Chatto and Sophie Winkleman turned up to the Duke of Edinburgh's birthday in shades of white. The Duchess of Cornwall had ordered another ivory coat-dress ensemble to sit next to her step-daughter-in-law in the barouche on Saturday. Even little Lady Louise Windsor, the daughter of the Earl of Wessex, was dressed up in white to stand on the Buckingham Palace balcony again, a reprise of her bridesmaid's dress of April 29.

  What's hitting anyone who prides herself in knowing what's going on in fashion is that white hasn't been a big summer story - at least, it wasn't until Catherine turned the tables. With the exception of Dolce & Gabbana's all-white summer collection, high fashion had nothing much to say about it - we'd been too busy banging on about bright colour - yet suddenly it's looking attractive.

  All this only dawned on me while making a panic raid on LK Bennett at the weekend. I've been invited to Royal Ascot on Thursday, but what to wear? I found nothing right in Harrods and Harvey Nichols, but, with the Middletons flashing across my mind's eye, I dashed into LK Bennett in Knightsbridge at the last minute - saved! I found a bias-cut white pique below-the-knee skirt in the sale (there's a jacket and a dress, too). I also snagged a cream silk trench coat that's grown-up and elegant, though I've had to upgrade the naff buttons for mother of pearl.

  I've never worn white before, except at my own wedding, or Victorian nightgowns when I was a junior hippy. I suppose it's a bit daft at my age to be following a fashion set by a young newly-wed, but, hey, if the Duchess of Cornwall can have a go, maybe the rest of us can, too.

  What has to be worked out is how to wear it; there is a fine line to tread. Overstep it and you can end up looking either dreadfully mutton, or like a lady from the Bowling Club. What's needed are bags and shoes in sand or beige, and a neutral-coloured hat. But the Duchess has already shown us how to do that, hasn't she?

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Hats fascinators at Royal Ascot 2011 - Latest Hats 2011 for Women

  
  14 June 2011
  

  Hats fascinators at Royal Ascot 2011 - Latest Hats 2011 for Women: It was a 'saucer sensation' as Royal Ascot opened on a perfect summer's day this morning. The Duchess of Cambridge may not have been at the opening of Royal Ascot - but her fashion spirit was out in force and led the best-dressed field.

  

  Hundreds of women and girls copied the young royal style icon's fancy for saucer-shaped fascinators. Some wore theirs tilted at lopsided angles on the sides of their heads, just as the young Duchess did at the Order of the Garter Ceremony yesterday. Others balanced them on top of their heads in the manner of a UFO nestling into a landing space.

  The Duchess of Cornwall played style solidarity by re-cycling the elaborate Philip Treacy hat and Anna Valentine ensemble she had worn to the royal wedding six weeks ago.

  The Queen favoured pale celadon green in a slim coat over a co-ordinated silk satin dress in palest rose-pink and green, by Karl Ludwig, with a matching hat by the royal dressmaker, Angela Kelly.

  So far, few flops - and no flip-flops, either, as I have spotted at previous Royal Ascots. The fashion forecast is impressive. Despite the heat, with temperatures set to hit the mid-20s, cleavage is at an all-time high - by which I mean no plunging necklines or turkey chests bursting out of straining corsetry.

  

  Look all photos at Hats fascinators at Royal Ascot 2011:

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

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• Lanvin Fashion Resort 2012 Collection

  
  14 June 2011
  

  Lanvin Fashion Resort 2012 Collection - Lanvin Fashion Resort Trends 2012 For Women: Lanvin collection is the most amazing Resort 2012 range I have seen so far. It’s very diverse and very interesting. One can find luxurious evening gowns, lovely cocktail dresses with plenty of cute ruffles on those, jumpsuits to every taste – from classic to almost sporty ones, stylish trenchcoats and skirt and blouse ensembles that looked unusual.

  

  Creative director of Lanvin brand, Alber Elbaz, said he had been inspired by a whole group of people – Madame Grès, Elizabeth Taylor, and the Princes Harry and William — while working on his Resort 2011 collection. Every personality has made its own significant influence on the clothing range. What we have in the result is the variety that looks perfect together.

  

  The color palette in Lanvin Resort 2011 collection wasn’t very bright, with soft yellow and green the most vibrant, but it was somehow noble. These colors you will both want to wear to special occasions and feel wonderful at romantic dates.

  

  The most attractive part of Lanvin Resort 2011 collection is the accessories. This brand is known for making those statement pieces. This time the designer paid attention to frayed tweed fedoras, silky turbans, oversized beads and paneled, chain-strap bags.

  All photos in Lanvin Fashion Resort 2012 Collection:

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Fashion news 2011: Tobey Maguire is the new face of Prada fashion 2011

  
  14 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Tobey Maguire is the new face of Prada fashion 2011: Tobey Maguire fronts Prada's menswear for autumn and is the latest Hollywood actor to land a lucrative fashion advertising campaign.

  

  Tobey Maguire is the subject of Prada menswear’s autumn/winter advertising campaign 2011

  Yet another Hollywood star has stolen a high-profile and lucrative advertising campaign from under the models' noses (see Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet, Helena Bonham Carter and Hailee Steinfeld): Tobey Maguire will be the face of Prada menswear's autumn/winter advertising campaign, it was announced today.

  In the shoot, Maguire wears a "boxy" three-button jacket over a mock turtle neck and, in another image, sunglasses paired with a buttoned shirt: "a fitting nod to the discrete style of Hollywood fashion icons past", said a spokesman for the label. "His mood is transfixed and pensive, full of vibrant intensity and mystery," added designer Miuccia Prada of the images, which were shot by David Sims.

  The actor returned the compliment: "A great supporter of the arts, Miuccia Prada has inspired a culture of creativity that is woven through every aspect of her company, from her collections and campaigns to every design detail in her stores" said Maguire. "I have such admiration for her artistry and I'm thrilled to be a part of Prada's fall campaign."

  Maguire is most famous for his role as Spider-Man , and his long-term friendship with Leonardo DiCaprio; the two will appear in Baz Luhrmann's highly-anticipated screen adaptation of The Great Gatsby next year.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Fashion news 2011: British fashion and tennis make the perfect match at Wimbledon

  
  14 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: British fashion and tennis make the perfect match at Wimbledon: Leading British fashion designers 'rally' to design exclusive dresses for the stars of the 2011 Wimbledon Championships.

  

  First, Rafael Nadal, the Spanish god of the tennis court, was signed up as the 'face' (and posterior) of Armani Underwear and Jeans , then came the announcement that Andy Roddick has designed a range of fashionable tennis wear for Lacoste.

  It seems that the fashion world is having a tennis moment, and capitalising on the worldwide interest in Wimbledon, the British Fashion Council have enlisted a host of British fashion design talent to design exclusive outfits for the leading lights of the female tennis world for this year's pre-Wimbledon party.

  Designers including Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Giles Deacon, Burberry, Richard Nicoll, Matthew Williamson, Hussein Chalayan and David Koma have all offered their services for this one-of-a-kind project aimed at raising both the off-court profile of the stars of women's tennis, and the international profile of British fashion design talent.

  Many of the designers will be accompanying the WTA (Women's Tennis Association) stars to the annual pre-Wimbledon party - co-hosted by the WTA and Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group - at Kensington Rooftop Gardens on Thursday to show off their creations, before the dresses are auctioned off during Wimbledon with the proceeds being split between WTA charities and the British Fashion Council's Princess of Wales Charitable Trust.

  "The WTA's partnership with the British Fashion Council provides our players with a unique opportunity to work with some of London's most talented creative minds," said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the WTA. "Women's tennis has always had a link to the fashion of the time, and we are very pleased to be able to collaborate with the British Fashion Council to share our players' interest in fashion and style with some of the world's best fashion designers."

  The designer-player partnerships have been established based on the cultural similarities or previous working relationships of players with certain fashion personalities.

  World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, who serves as the face of Adidas by Stella McCartney, will continue her collaboration with Stella, while five-time Wimbledon Champion Serena Williams will wear a special dress created for her by Burberry.

  A long-time supporter of Ms. Williams, Burberry dressed Serena in 2010 for the Wimbledon Gala which celebrated her last Grand Slam win.

• Women Resort trends 2012: Louis Vuitton Resort 2012 colllection

  
  14 June 2011
  

  Women Resort trends 2012: Louis Vuitton Resort 2012 colllection - photos & details for Louis Vuitton Resort 2012: Resort 2012 collection from Louis Vuitton was all about the prints – modest and bright, bold and reserved. Cute and stylish polka dots alternated with Eiffel Tower patterns, geometrical interlacing prints competed with traditional plaid.

  The color scheme in Louis Vuitton Resort 2012 was pretty Cruise. It featured a lot of red, various shades of blue, black, coral and white. Sometimes these tones went together making beautiful and unexpected combinations. (The blue-and-white ensemble finished with a pair of crimson shoes looks the best for me!)

  

  Louis Vuitton designs for Resort 2012 range were simple enough, with few intricate details. But we can’t but mention those cute bows, which are signature of Louis Vuitton, both on clothing and shoes.

  

  Wide pants, comfy jumpsuits both long and short, sexy mini dresses and vintage midi skirts, a la Chanel jackets, and even biker suits looked great. The shoe line was even more impressive: vibrant rubber boots, laced platform boots, sexy strappy sandals, and colorful flats.

  

  Accessories in Louis Vuitton Resort 2012 stroke with its diversity. Biker helmets, classy handbags along with huge beach bags, scarves, youthful sunglasses and polo hats were interesting to look at. Occasional necklaces and bracelets added glamour to the collection.

  Generally the collection seems to be a bit controversial as there are too many different styles in it. But at the same time all the pieces are united with one idea – making women feel sexy and comfortable at the same time. Sofia Coppola, a longtime friend of Marc Jacobs helped to create the range.

  More photos  Louis Vuitton Resort 2012 colllection:

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Fashion news 2011: Prada says Hong Kong IPO roadshow going well

  
  13 June 2011
  

  Fashion news 2011: Prada says Hong Kong IPO roadshow going well: Prada SpA and its bankers said recent turmoil in world stock markets won't weaken the Italian fashion house's upcoming Hong Kong IPO, as executives on Sunday continued an international roadshow to promote its expansion into Asian markets.

  

  Prada and Goldman Sachs executives said they think individual investors in Hong Kong will be enthusiastic when the local part of the initial public offering begins this week.

  Prada is selling some 423.3 million shares — equivalent to a 16.5 percent stake — making it the first Italian company to go public on the southern Chinese financial center's stock exchange. The shares will be priced on June 17 and start trading June 24.

  Prada, which also owns the Miu Miu, Church's and Car Shoes brands, is the latest in a string of foreign companies to list in Hong Kong this year as they seek to tap economic growth in Asia and raise their brand awareness.

  However, sliding stock markets around the globe have made it hard for another international listing, Samsonite International S.A., to reach its maximum valuation. The luggage maker, which is also going public in Hong Kong this month, priced its shares last week at the lower end of the proposed range, indicating waning investor interest. Fears that the global economic recovery has stalled have driven investors out of the market and sent stocks lower around the world.

  "Despite recent market turmoil, the Prada team is very optimistic," said Mary Koo, an executive director in Goldman Sachs' consumer retail division. Goldman is one of the investment banks working on the deal.

  "We don't feel the stress," added Carlo Mazzi, Prada's deputy chairman, who spoke to reporters in Hong Kong via videolink from Milan. Neither Mazzi nor Koo would disclose specific details about investor interest.

  The Prada and Goldman executives also shrugged off concerns about the IPO's relatively high valuation and the Italian capital gains tax.

  Prada is raising HK$15.4 billion to HK$20.3 billion ($2-2.6 billion) by selling shares at 36.50 to 48 Hong Kong dollars ($4.69 to $6.17), pricing that analysts say is on the steep side.

  Investors also face an Italian capital gains tax of 12.5 percent on any profits from selling their shares, an unusual situation in Hong Kong, which does not tax capital gains.

  "We expect that with a brand name like Prada, with this growth story and with this valuation, we expect the Hong Kong retail (portion) to be very enthusiastic," Koo said.

  Prada is hoping to capitalize on Asia's booming luxury-goods market. Asia is forecast to be the luxury industry's fastest-growing region, and China to be the fastest-growing market, driven by strong economic growth, increasing urbanization and higher spending by the rich, the company said in its prospectus, citing market research. In the next five years, China is forecast to become the third-largest market for luxury sales worldwide.

  Prada plans to open about 80 stores a year until the end of 2014, with 20 to 25 of those in Asia, including 10 to 12 in China, Group Controlling Director Armando Tolomelli said on the videolink.

  Some 14 percent of the IPO shares will be new, raising at least HK$2.1 billion ($270 million) for the company. Three-quarters of that money will be used to open more stores or expand existing ones while the rest will be used to pay off debt or for working capital and general purposes.

  Prada's main shareholders, President Miuccia Prada and her family, who own 94.9 percent, and Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo, which owns 5.1 percent, will also profit handsomely. The other 86 percent of the shares in the IPO will come from their stakes.

  Prada had discussed going public several times in the past, with the most recent attempt delayed after the world financial crisis in 2008 sent markets tumbling.

  The company was founded in 1913 in Milan by Mario Prada and started out making leather bags, trunks and crystal. Today the company is known for its stylish leather handbags and modern designs for clothing and footwear that have helped it become a symbol of high fashion.

  But the center of gravity in the fashion world is shifting east, said CEO Patrizio Bertelli, who is also Miuccia Prada's husband.

  "I wouldn't really focus on Europe as a source of inspiration today," he said. "The Asian markets are far more contemporary than us."