Products

• Christian Dior Autumn-Winter 2009-2010 at Paris Haute Couture

  
  30 November 2009
  

  Christian Dior 2009-2010 at Paris Haute Couture: Is the recession biting so deeply that the models at Christian Dior cannot afford to get fully-dressed and have to take to the catwalk in their underwear?

  Skirts worn with bras, jackets with girdles, or ooh-la-la, lacy French knickers, and ball gowns with longline corsets, were just some of the looks on show as the famous French fashion house literally unveiled its autumn/winter 09/10 haute couture collection, chez Dior, on the Avenue Montaigne, today.

  However, this was hardly a question of cutting back (sales in London alone, according to Christian Dior Couture's president and chief executive, Sidney Toledano, are showing a double-digit increase); it was more a question of stripping away in order to provide a unique glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes – and goes on underneath the exquisite designs – as some of the world’s most highly-paid models rush to get dressed for the show and make their entrance on the catwalk in some of the most expensive clothes on the planet.

  The scenario, entitled “Fever in the Cabine”, was inspired by archive photographs from the 1950s of Mr. Christian Dior himself, presiding over the backstage mayhem.

  Dior’s couturier in residence, John Galliano, however, took the concept to a more sensual extreme, providing a peekaboo parade of the gorgeous lingerie and underpinnings which create the famous Dior “hourglass” silhouette. The underwear and corsetry, in “midnight” lace and flesh-tone stretch, were in striking contrast to the powerful, electric and fluorescent colours of the designs.

  The show opened with the legendary Dior “bar” jackets, in fuschia wool crepe, with jewel-encrusted sleeves, tightly-belted over flesh-tone lace knickers, or in violet wool bouclé, with a matching skirt, but accessorised with a visible, black mesh, suspender belt.

  A lilac, wide-collared jacket was worn with seashell-pink lace “tap” pants and an orange satin “tulip” skirt with a vintage-style, 50s black bra. Lace knickers, suspenders and stockings were paired with a dramatic, black-and-white, zebra-print jacket; a leopard-print sheath dress was open at the bust to show an elaborate black lace bra; an embroidered, acid-yellow, wool-crepe coat, was folded-up, pannier-fashion, at each hip, to disclose saucy stocking-tops. Scalloped, lace petticoats flashed under the hem of an embroidered, nude-tone jersey dress and a fluorescent lime jacket came with a black, lace half-slip.

  The underwear theme was carried through into the shoes, where straps were inspired by suspenders and bra-fastenings.

  Not since Jean Paul Gaultier put Madonna into a rocket-cone bra, has a couturier been so enamoured of corsetry, nor designed such underwear that positively demands to be on show.

  The head of Dior’s haute couture, Madame Catherine Riviere, however, revealed that clients would be able to order the jackets with matching skirts, skirts with matching jackets or to request sheer petticoats be lined.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• New fashion 2010 , Calvin Klein's Whitewashed Spring 2010

  
  22 November 2009
  
  

  Models present designs from the Calvin Klein Spring 2010 Sportswear collection in New York

  New fashion 2010 , Calvin Klein's Whitewashed Spring 2010: Basic American sportswear is what spring is all about this season at Calvin Klein, as a crisp collection of whites and natural tones created a casual vibe at the spring 2010 presentation on Tuesday, Nov. 10 in New York.

  The womenswear collection was sexy and functional, with an assortment of khaki dresses, some belted for shape with others more loose and free falling, and sure to be accessorized with the some of the hot colored bags and shoes of the season. Tie-dye dresses made the perfect transition from day to night and debuted as a wardrobe staple.

  Denim for spring 2010 is channeling the 80s era in fashion with wash and style, as whitewashed jeans are what's in store. Shades of white, ozone, and cloud are designed for men and women for a more contoured and shape enhancing fit, featuring straight leg for men, and classic skinny or boyfriend cut for women. Adorning ankle zippers and rivets add a taste of detail that goes a long way.

  The successful bleached out look is not limited to jeans, but essentially formed the core of this springs sportswear looks, with everything worn with clean white oxfords. It was washed out warm khakis and cool grey suits for men, while women's whites were plunging, giving just the right amount of skin and coverage simultaneously.

   

  (Yahoo fashion news)

• Top South Korean Super model at Paris apartment

  
  22 November 2009
  
  

  In this photo taken on Feb. 2, 2009, South Korean model Daul Kim presents at Swarovski S/S Collection …

  Top South Korean Super model at Paris apartment: A top South Korean model who was a fixture at fashion week in Paris and London was found dead at her apartment in Paris, an official said Friday.

  Daul Kim, 20, was found dead Thursday by French police, a Foreign Ministry official in Seoul said. The official declined to provide further details and asked not to be named, citing ministry policy.

  Media reports called it an apparent suicide, but officials have not confirmed the cause of death. Her Seoul agency, Esteem, said her family and agency officials were heading to Paris.

  Raised in Seoul and Singapore, Kim modeled in Asia before making her fashion week debut in Paris in 2007, modeling for Chanel, Dries van Noten and Maison Martin Margiela, among others, her agency said.

  She became a fashion week regular in New York, Milan, Paris and London and most recently appeared during Seoul fashion week in October, according to Esteem.

  Known for her thick mane of hair — sometimes dyed blond — and her quirky sensibility, the 5-foot-10 (178-centimeter) model was celebrated for her sense of style. She was featured recently in a commercial for designer Christopher Kane's line of clothing for British retailer Topshop.

  Kim also was an accomplished painter and video filmmaker who had a solo show of her artwork in Seoul. She often listed "collecting forks" as a hobby.

  Bloggers in South Korea mourned her death, speculating she felt the pressure of high-fashion modeling and a loss of identity.

  In an Oct. 30 entry on her blog, Kim wrote she was "mad depressed and overworked," and in another entry said "the more i gain the more lonely it is ... i know i'm like a ghost."

  The last entry on her blog, dated Nov. 18, was titled "say hi to forever" and carried a video of the song "I Go Deep" by British singer Jim Rivers.

  South Korea — which has the highest suicide rate among the 30 nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development — has had a string of high-profile suicides over the past year.

  Former President Roh Moo-hyun jumped to his death in May while embroiled in a widening corruption scandal, and the ex-chairman of South Korea's oldest conglomerate killed himself earlier this month. In 2008, top actress Choi Jin-sil committed suicide, following in the footsteps of a fellow actor. A young actress in one of South Korea's popular soap operas also died by suicide.

  (Yahoo fashion news)

• Pirelli Calendar 2010: Super model Lily Cole, Daisy Lowe and Marloes Horst photographed by Terry Richardson

  
  21 November 2009
  

  Pirelli Calendar 2010: Super model Lily Cole, Daisy Lowe and Marloes Horst photographed by Terry Richardson: The 2010 Pirelli Calendar was shot in Brazil by Terry Richardson, seen here photographing Dutch model Marloes Horst

  

  

  This year's calendar begins with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley posing for January. (We have cropped some of the pictures for family-safe viewing)

  

  Pirelli Calendar 2010: Super model  Marloes Horst is featured for the month of July

  

  Pirelli Calendar 2010: Super model  Georgina Stojiljkovic was photographed holding a sloth for the month of October

  

  Behind-the-scenes pictures of the calendar shoot: Catherine McNeil has her hair done

  

  Pirelli Calendar 2010: Super model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley poses for Terry Richardson

  

  The Pirelli calendar is given as a corporate gift to important clients of the Italian tyre company. Many of the world's top photographers and models have contributed to its success since 1964

  

  The 1997 calendar was shot by renowned photographer Richard Avedon, who chose models such as Honor Fraser to represent the theme Women in the World

  

  The 1999 calendar was shot by Herb Ritts. It explored the beauty of women through the decades, from the 1890s onwards. Laetitia Casta represented the 1950s

  

  The 2000 calendar was photographed by Annie Leibovitz, only the third woman to have shot a Pirelli calendar in 35 years, after Sarah Moon in 1972 and Joyce Tennyson in 1989

  

  Peter Lindbergh photographed shot the 2002 calendar. Here, actress Jaime King from the film Pearl Harbour poses for April

  

  Bruce Weber shot the 2003 calendar, which included Karolina Kurkova among others

  

  Pirelli Calendar 2010: Super models Georgina Stojilijkovic, Lily Cole, Meloes Horst and Daisy Lowe pose at the launch of the Pirelli 2010 Calendar, in London

  

  Pirelli Calendar 2010: Super model  Meloes Horst was discovered when she sent polaroids of herself to an agency in her native Holland

  

  Pirelli Calendar 2010: Super model Lily Cole was spotted by a talent scout when she was 14. She has since become a top model and made her acting debut in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

  

  Pirelli Calendar 2010: Super model  Serbian model Georgina Stojilijkovic was also discovered by a talent scout when she was a schoolgirl

  

  Pirelli Calendar 2010: Super model  Daisy Lowe has been named "the new style icon of her generation" by Dame Vivienne Westwood

  (telegraph fashion news)

   

• Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010 (part 2)

  
  21 November 2009
  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: super model Alessandra Ambrosio

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: supper model Marisa Miller

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: supper model Ana Beatriz Barros

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: supper model Miranda Kerr

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: supper model Maryna Linchuk

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: supper model Edita Vilkeviciute

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: supper model Miranda Kerr

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: supper model Erin Heatherton

  

  Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Armory in New York 2010

  

  Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Armory in New York 2010

  

  Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Armory in New York 2010

  

  Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Armory in New York 2010

  

  Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Armory in New York 2010: Super model Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley

  

  Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Armory in New York 2010

  

  Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Armory in New York 2010

  (telegraph fashion news)

   

• Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010 (part 1)

  
  21 November 2009
  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: German supermodel Heidi Klum, who gave birth to a daughter five weeks ago, was the audience's favourite in her purple corset at the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York

  

  Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas provided some musical entertainment wearing a black bodysuit. However later in the evening...

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Ana Beatriz Barros

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Alessandra Ambrosio

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Miranda Kerr

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Marisa Miller

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Chanel Iman

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Elyse Taylor

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Isabel Goulart

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Alessandra Ambrosio

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Maryna Linchuk

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Isabel Goulart

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Angel Behati Prinsoloo

  

  Fahion news 2010, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York 2010: Super model Anna Jagodzinska

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Spring Summer 2010, Vivienne Westwood Anglomania fashion show at Selfridges

  
  19 November 2009
  

  

  Dame Vivienne Westwood invited hundreds of guests to view her spring/summer 2010 Anglomania collection, set in Selfridges car park. Taking a seat on the front row, she also mingled with Nicola Roberts of Girls Aloud, who has become a regular fixture at her shows.

  

  Daisy Lowe was one of the stars of the catwalk show, which previewed the new Anglomania spring/summer 2010 collection, available from late December.

  

  Celebrities guests included Sadie Frost...

  

  ...Florence Welch of Florence and The Machine...

  

  ...pop singer Little Boots, aka Victoria Hesketh (left), Shingai Shoniwa of The Noisettes (centre) and Lady Victoria Hervey....

  

  ...Dionne Bromfield, the 13-year-old god-daughter of Amy Winehouse, treated guests to two songs, performing ‘Foolish Little Girl’ and ‘Mama Said’, with Hawi on guitar. Dionne wore a printed, sweetheart neckline, prom dress from the new Anglomania collection which she chose herself. "Her clothes are so different, you just can't find anything like it anywhere."

  

  Models wear designs from the Vivienne Westwood Anglomania spring/summer 2010 collection.

  

  Models wear designs from the Vivienne Westwood Anglomania spring/summer 2010 collection.

  

  A model wears a design from the Vivienne Westwood Anglomania spring/summer 2010 collection.

  

  Models wear designs from the Vivienne Westwood Anglomania spring/summer 2010 collection.

  Models wear designs from the Vivienne Westwood Anglomania spring/summer 2010 collection

  

  Models wear designs from the Vivienne Westwood Anglomania spring/summer 2010 collection.

   

  (telegraph fashion news)

• New fashion 2010, Marks & Spencer reveals spring/summer 2010 collection

  
  19 November 2009
  

  

  Silver lace and jersey blazer, £89; basque, £25; jeans, £35; skinny belt, £7.50; shoes, £45; bag, £9.50;

  

  Left: jumpsuit, £55; necklaces from £9.50; shoes, £29.50; belt, £15; bracelet; £9.50. Right: trousers, £59; jacket, £69; waistcoat, £25; trousers, £29.50; bra, £14;

  

  Left: dress, £39.50; necklace, £19.50. Centre: frill dress £45; hat £25. Right: floral dress, £45; blazer, £55; belt, £9.50;

  

  Left: dress, £45; necklace, £19.50. Right: beaded top, £49.50; skirt, £29.50; bracelet, £7.50;

  

  Left: suede jacket, £179; skirt, £39.50; top, £29.50; necklaces, from £19.50. Right: military jacket, £59; shorts £49.50; sequin top, £59; bangles, from £9.50;

  

  Left: Studded jacket, £55; sequin waistcoat, £79; camisole, £5; trousers, £39.50; belt, £25; bag, £39.50. Centre: jacket, £69.50; trousers, £25; top, £49.50; hat, £25; shoes, £39.50; belt, £12; necklace; £12. Right: jumpsuit, £49.50; jacket, £59.50; bag, £35; belt, £15; necklace, £19.50; bracelets, £7.50;

  

  Left: dress, £39.50, shoes, £25. Centre: maxi floral dress, £49.50; belt, £35; waistcoat, £29.50; hat, £25; bag, £19.50. Right: bronze leather jacket with stud detail, £130; top £29.50, hareem trousers, £35; shoes £29.50;

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Fashion news 2009: Chic alternatives to winter staples

  
  19 November 2009
  
  

  Fashion news 2009: Chic alternatives to winter staples: From left: Missoni's snood, Jaeger's knit poncho and a sleek maxi skirt at Haider Ackermann.

  The question most often asked of a fashion writer is “What should I be wearing?”. Women are fascinated by the seasonal ebb and flow of trends and are always keen to know what's “in”. It is ironic, then, that most women tend to stick to the same style. But rather than clinging on to the familiar, trading a few old friends for something more challenging can refresh your look. This winter, there are plenty of chic alternatives to the staples most of us usually choose – and they rarely require a radical shift in the way you dress.

  The knit poncho is...the new cardigan

  When Chloé showed its spring/summer 2010 collection, the audience were left trying to figure out what season they had just seen (the collection had both wool ponchos and khaki waterproofs). But the trans-seasonal feel reflects how most of us dress now. Breezy cover-ups like the poncho simply make more sense for our temperate climate. Like the gilet, the poncho has suffered derision for its part in the boho revival, but has come back in sleeker variations. Jaeger London has a cashmere-mix version that is similar to next spring’s Chloé poncho. To give ponchos definition, try wearing them with a wide belt.

  The maxi skirt is...the new trouser

  Only fashion-savvy readers are likely to be familiar with Haider Ackermann. The lean silhouette he has developed in his current and forthcoming collections, and is gathering pace. It has been a while since long skirts have been a notable trend. As such, they now look surprisingly fresh. Long skirts can also be a more flattering alternative to trousers during the winter. Ackermann’s look is all about textures, so mix long silk or satin skirts with a sculptural suede or leather biker jacket, or wear them with fitted textural knits.

  The snood is...the new scarf

  As well as being glamorous — think of Forties movie stars such as Joan Crawford wearing theirs with wide-shouldered tailoring —snoods are cocooning and provide a great way to block out the world while you are getting from A to B. After appearing this year on countless autumn catwalks from Alexander Wang to Missoni, the snood has finally been picked up by the high street. Unsurprisingly, it was Paris Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld who kicked off this cosy winter trend aeons ago. And if it’s good enough for Carine…

  The high-heeled ankle boot...is the new knee-high boot

  Last week, a historic fashion house was launching its fragrance in Paris. Women of all ages were there, but what linked them was that they all wore high-heeled ankle boots. When ankle boots first became a big trend last year, it was girls in their twenties who wore them. Now they’ve grown up. They give edge to an LBD — if you pick black satin or suede, you’ll look sleek without any effort.

  The gilet...is the new coat

  The gilet was once the height of fashion. Then it was monopolised by a certain type of Notting Hill bohemian who wore theirs with pastel cashmeres and jeans — and suddenly the gilet wasn’t cool anymore. But it’s back and it’s one of the handiest pieces you can buy for a British winter. It’s cosy enough for days when there’s a snap in the morning air, but not as bulky as a winter coat. The new versions have far more street cred, such as Haute Hippie’s Mongolian lamb’s wool gilet (at Net-a-Porter and Matches). King of the gilet, Karl Donoghue, has shearling styles with ragged edges and dramatic high necks, which are great for layering. Wear them with skinny pants and chunky, high-heeled boots.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• fashion news 2009, Isabel Marant: breakout designer of 2009

  
  19 November 2009
  
  

   

  Little did I know I was about to stumble across a fashion happening as I ambled my way through the Marais quarter of Paris one afternoon. With the vague objective of finding a dress to wear to a wedding in Normandy, I slipped into Isabel Marant. It was a coup de foudre. There on the rails swung the most amazing animal-print chiffon dress with delicate ruching running through the bodice.

  I had always considered leopard print a touch vulgar, yet the dress seemed to contradict the brassy clichés with its smudgy tonal print, round neckline, unexpected raw edges and fit-and-flare skirt, which skimmed and flattered my figure. It was perfect – and I wasn’t the only one who thought so. On exiting the changing room, there before me was the actor Orlando Bloom with an armful of clothes, nodding appreciatively. I beamed back, got changed and chipped-and-pinned my credit card. Later, after a Google session, I found out that he had been buying that armful, including my dress, for his girlfriend, the Australian model Miranda Kerr.

  Some people have innate good taste; others have it thrust upon them. If I were Kerr, I would receive the gifts with open arms and an empty suitcase to haul them back down under. Marant’s taste for designs with a libertarian, bohemian feel has caught the nerve of urban women seeking a comfortable, chic approach to dressing that neither feels constrained nor clichéd.

  Marant, in her late thirties and married with children, is not new on the block – she has been designing and running her stores and wholesale business since 1994. She is part of an astonishingly successful group of female fashion designers – Tara Jarmon and Vanessa Bruno included – who are reinventing the notion of French style with their thoughtful and sensual, yet practical, designs that blend so well into our frenetic family and work lives. Yet it is only recently that her collections, which she shows each year at Paris Fashion Week, have created the kind of buzz usually reserved for elite designers such as Christophe Decarnin at Balmain and Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga. Read: sell-out lines, waiting lists and busy, busy shops. It’s the favourite label of models, fashion editors and buyers, who see it flying off the rails, as well as of a slew of working women, who are not constrained by a code of suits at work. Walk into any of Paris’s cool spots and you are sure to be rubbing shoulders with women in Marant.

  “Isabel Marant’s appeal has been unprecedented for us over the past few seasons, with waiting lists for her boots and jackets constantly being updated,” says Ruth Chapman, co-owner of the Matches boutiques. “Our clients love the laid-back, ethnic glamour that underwrites all her pieces. The great thing about her clothes is that women feel they don’t need to do top-to-toe Isabel. One piece tends to pull the vibe together for clients who don’t want to look too groomed or too 'fashion’. There is a confidence and energy behind the brand that doesn’t need to be on trend to catch our imagination.”

  It’s that anti–trend sensibility that seems to dovetail neatly with our style psyche, which, at the moment, is eschewing the obviously new and hyped in favour of a look that appears worn-in and not too contrived. It’s a sense of laid-back that can rarely be achieved by a real love-worn T-shirt. Marant’s T-shirt in linen jersey has been aged to perfection and worn into a sexy, slouchy shape for you. Ditto the raw edges of her tweedy jackets and fake-fur coats. “I treated myself to this,” confesses London-based fashion PR Kara Goodley of her raccoon-like, long-haired, black coat. “It’s warm, yet rock ’n’ roll.”

  The concept of “treat” in these beleaguered retail times is rarely heard, as we either squirrel away our purchases, or profess to have curtailed spending. In a clever sleight of hand, Marant’s designs look as if they could have been hanging in your wardrobe for a while.

  “There’s no risk involved in wearing them. You will never look like you’ve tried too hard and that’s pretty unbeatable at the moment,” adds Chapman. Although Marant’s clothes are not cheap (around £260 for skirts, £335 for jackets), they are not in the league of Lanvin or Prada, either – and thus seem reasonable. (Her lower priced line, Étoile, includes great T-shirts and cotton shirts.) And, for the record, I did not feel too try-hard at the wedding – au contraire.

  Isabel Marant is stocked at Aimé 020 7221 7070; Joseph, 020 7590 6200; Liberty, 020 7734 1234; Matches, 020 7221 0255; Shop at Bluebird, 020 7351 3873; and Start London, 020 7729 3334

  (telegraph fashion news)

• 2009 fashion news, Earth mother Natalia Vodianova turns rock-chick for V Magazine

  
  02 November 2009
  
  

  Natalia Vodianova styled by Nicola Formichetti, photographed by Hedi Slimane for V Magazine wearing Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci Photo: V MAGAZINE

  When she’s not busy doting on her burgeoning brood or raising money for underprivileged children in her native Russia, baby-faced supermodel Natalia Vodianova is never too far from the glare of the camera, as she stars in the latest issue of the style bible V Magazine.

  Clad in haute couture creations in a fashion spread entitled ‘Rock Couture’, Vodianova wears designs by Armani Privé, Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci and Dior Haute Couture, under the creative vision of the stylist Nicola Formichetti.

  Photographed by Hedi Slimane - the boy-wonder who made Dior Homme synonymous with skintight jeans worn by even skinnier, androgynous models - the shoot conveys the youthful aesthetic that is becoming prevalent in haute couture, suggesting it’s not only reserved for the old garde. Which is all very well if you've got the funds to splurge the cost of a new car on a single item...

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Russian fashion style 2009

  
  02 November 2009
  

  

  Left: Embroidered velvet redingote, £945, from a selection, Beatrice Von Tresckow, Portobello Road, London, W11 and Montpelier Walk, Cheltenham; beatricevontresckow.com. Silk/cotton, embroidered ‘cossack’ blouse, 10-14, by Old Molly, £159, Fenwick, New Bond Street, W1; 020 7629 9161. Stretch-viscose, ‘sarouel’ trousers, by Therapy, 6-16, also in black, £20, House of Fraser; 020 7003 4000. Metallic lace and bead necklace, £825, Erickson Beamon, Elizabeth Street, SW1; 020 7259 0202. Beaded/embroidered, fur headband, from the Metiers d’Art couture collection, price on application, Chanel, Old Bond Street, W1; 020 7493 5040. Cuffed, mid-heel boots, £109, Zara; 020 77534 9500

  Right: Silk-chiffon dress with gold-embroidered panel, sizes 6-16, £1,650, Temperley, Colville Mews, Lonsdale Road, London, W11; 020 7229 7957. Mongolian sheepskin gilet, xs-l, by Karl Donoghue, £595, www.net-a-porter.com. Fur hat, £395, Hockley, Conduit Street, W1; 020 7493 6362. Suede, thigh-high boots, also in black, by Moda in Pelle, £175, stockists nationwide; 0870 410 1001. Fingerless, fur-trim, metallic leather gloves, £400, Chanel, Old Bond Street, W1; 020 7493 5040

  

  Left: Wool-mix jacket with sequinned shoulders, sizes 10-14, by Sandro, £385, Fenwick, New Bond Street, London, W1; 020 7629 9161. Crushed silk skirt, 8-14, by Cabbages & Roses, £220, from selected, major Jigsaw branches; and www.cabbagesandroses.com; 020 7352 7333. Fur muff on jewelled chain, Les Metiers d’Art couture collection, price on application, Chanel, Old Bond Street, W1; 020 7493 5040. Jewelled antique metal/Swarovski crystal neckpiece, £1,275, Erickson Beamon, Elizabeth Street, SW1; 020 7259 0202. Buckled, over-the-knee boots, by Duo, £180, stockists nationwide; 0845 070 5588. Wool/mix cap, £19, Accessorize; 08448 110068.

  Right: Paisley-embroidered, wool-mix coat, £155, and printed, viscose smock-dress, £75, both 8-18, Monsoon; 08448 110068. Embroidered, ‘bib’ necklace, £18, Accessorize; 08448 110068. Leather belt, trimmed in gold chain, £30, Next; 0844 844 8939. Buckled, over-the-knee boots, by Duo, £180, stockists nationwide; 0845 070 5588.

  

  Left: Floral brocade skirt with fur hem, from £900, and jewel-fronted, wool, turtle-neck jumper, £520, sizes s-xl, both by Antonio Marras for Kenzo, Bruton Street, London, W1; 020 7 491 8469. Faux sheepskin hat, £14.99, River Island; 0208 991 4904. Faux-sheepskin gilet, £79, Kookai; 020 7239 1070. Biker boots, £30, Next; 0844 844 8939. Earrings, £10, Accessorize; 08448 001168

  Right: Kilim-print silk, tunic-dress, sizes 8-18, £55, Monsoon; 08448 110068. Marabou shrug, one size, £59, Marks & Spencer; 0845 302 1234. Fur-trim, fingerless, leather gloves, £400, Chanel, Old Bond Street, London, W1; 020 7493 5040. Beaded necklaces, £10, and badge-brooch, £8, Accessorize; 08448 110068. Jonathan Aston opaque tights, £5.50, tightsplease.co.uk; 01277 232 301. Cuffed, mid-heel boots, £109, Zara; 020 7534 9500

  

  Ribbons, pearls and lots of faux jewels are the secret of the ‘Tsarina’ statement necklace.

  * Bow necklace by Reem, £350, My Sugarland; 020 7841 7131. * Pearl and ribbon necklace by Anthropologie, Regent Street, W1, £188;

  

  Ribbons, pearls and lots of faux jewels are the secret of the ‘Tsarina’ statement necklace.

  Dorothy Perkins necklace, branches nationwide, £50; 0844 984 026. Greige, ‘Cossack’ hat , £20, Linea @ House of Fraser; 020 7003 4000

  

  PICTURES BY SIMON SONGHURST

  Hair and make-up by Enzo Volpe using Chanel, Babyliss & Opi ‘Siberian Express’ nail varnish

  Model: Hannah Shaw/IMG

  Stylist: Hilary Alexander

  Fashion assistant: Natasha Cowan

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Halloween fashion for 2009

  
  02 November 2009
  

  

  Take a lesson on how to dress up for Halloween from the celebrities. Although Pixie Geldof’s get-up doesn’t actually look that far removed from her usual day-to-day attire, Alexa Chung gets top marks for going all-out as Marie Antoinette returning from the dead. Ever the little minx, the curvaceous model and girl-about-town Daisy Lowe throws her look together with lashings of lace and lots of leg, vamped-up with scarlet lips.

  Compiled by Olivia Bergin, Sophie Hines and Emma Cowlam

  

  We have the likes of Mariah Carey and Hugh Heffner to thank for tips on how not to dress this Halloween. Mariah 'the mermaid' Carey has gone down the wrong track and used the ghoulish celebration to flash as much as flesh as possible. Hugh on the other hand, takes his 'Playboy' reputation to new levels in a devil-inspired dressing gown; yes Hugh, we know you never leave the bedroom....

  But don't fear... follow our guide to looking fabulous this Halloween.

  

  Why not make like Morticia Aadams in a glam-goth ensemble?

  Earrings, £25; and silk dress, £195, both from Coast; 01865 881986. Skull knuckle-duster ring, £270, by Alexander McQueen;
  

  Be furry and fluffy but never frightening in this cute bat outfit

  Bat stud earrings, £2.50, Accessorize; www.accessorize.co.uk. Bodycon dress, £16, Beyond Retro; 020 7613 3636. Boots: £50, USC
  

  Get kitted out to witchy perfection

  Left: get the look from head to toe at Angels; witch’s costume, £11.99, hat £4.50, tights, £5.99, Angels Fancy Dress;
  

  The red devil is a fail-safe option

  Left: be a cheeky little devil from head-to-toe in this costume for £30

  Otherwise indulge in the details with a devil horns headband, £3; horn hair clips, £2.50; devil fork, £4; devil tail, £4 all from Accessorize;
  Be equally as frightful as a ghoul in these playful, attention-grabbing outfits. Left: 'Good witch' dress, £32.89, hat £4.50 from Angels;
  (telegraph fashion news)

• 2009 new fashion, Manolo Blahnik stamps out the platform shoe

  
  26 October 2009
  

  

  Polka dot canvas flat with leather ankle tie; buckle and strap peep-toe, from the Manolo Blahnik spring/summer 2010 collection.

  

  Alexander Calder-inspired high heels with metal decoration; Equestrian style leather flatfrom the Manolo Blahnik spring/summer 2010 collection.

  

  Silk jacquard and satin high heeled peep-toe boot, inspired by the big top, from the Manolo Blahnik spring/summer 2010 collection.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• 2009 new fashion, Airbrushed images of celebrities

  
  26 October 2009
  

  Valentina Zelyaeva modelled for Ralph Lauren Australia. The picture on the left shows the original image and on the right is the airbrushed image with slimmer waist and hips.

  s

  A digitally altered Ralph Lauren advertisement of model Filippa Hamilton displayed in a Japanese department store (left) compared to a runway photo of Hamilton (right).

  ies

  Kim Kardashian's original shot for Complex magazine appeared on their website by mistake (left) but was quickly replaced with the airbrushed version (right).

  

  Keira Knightley in the British poster for her 2004 film, King Arthur, (left) and the US poster (right) with an enhanced bust.

  

  Rumours arose over Keira Knightley's chest size in her picture for Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel.

  

  Scarlett Johansson apparently was stunned by the size of her chest in on a billboard poster for her movie The Island in which she starred with Ewan McGregor.

  

  A shot of Jessica Alba posing for Campari in a limited edition calendar, snapped by celebrity-photographer Mario Testino. Left shows the more natural original shot.

  

  Gisele Bundchen's pregnancy bump was airbrushed out for these pictures for London Fog coat company.

  

  Madonna poses for the Louis Vuitton Fall 2009 campaign. Her skin is wrinkle-free

  

  Victoria Beckham is seen in a promotional picture for the Italian fashion company Giorgio Armani.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• 2009 new fashion, Victoria Beckham’s dress

  
  26 October 2009
  
  

  Seeing triple, Left to right, Elle Macpherson, Victoria Beckham, Carol Vorderman Photo: WENN/REX/GETTY

  It’s the £2,095 question. Who looks best in Victoria Beckham’s dress - the designer herself? Or one of her many celebrity customers?

  Is Mrs Beckham being outmanoeuvred in the Style Stakes by the very people she is designing for?

  The latest VB creation to get triple exposure is a slinky hourglass, in a cashmere-blend, with exaggerated shoulders, a waist-whittling, bias-cut, peplum, a skintight, pencil skirt, and a price-tag of £2,095. The dress is called the ‘Carmontelle’, possibly a reference to the 18th century French artist and architect, Louis Carrogis Carmontelle, who painted Mozart.

  The ‘Carmontelle’ sold out within a week of being posted on net-a-porter.com’s website. “Victoria’s dresses always sell very quickly,” said a spokesperson.

  * SNAP... Victoria Beckham ‘premieres’ the dress as she leaves a London hotel in July, the month she filmed ‘The Swing’ video-short, in Notting Hill, for her website

  * CRACKLE... Elle ‘The Body’ Macpherson is snapped on the set of ‘The Beautiful Life’ during filming in Manhattan, a few weeks later

  * POP... Carol Vorderman fronts up at the Reveal magazine 5th Birthday Party in London this week

  The ‘Carmontelle’ is not the first VB dress to win rave reviews and spark multiple celebrity sightings. Earlier this month, Carol Vorderman showed off her curves in another one of VB’s ‘ ‘Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah’ shapely specials - so-called because of the serpentine zipper which snakes down the spine. Other members of the VB fan club include J.Lo, Madonna, Heidi Klum, Brooke Shields, Katherine Jenkins and Blake Lively.

  SO WHO DO YOU THINK CARRIES OFF THE CARMONTELLE DRESS BEST?

  Victoria Beckham, Elle Macpherson or Carol Vorderman?

  (telegraph fashion news)

• 2009 fashion news, British couturier Bruce Oldfield opens new wedding shop

  
  21 October 2009
  
  

  British couturier Bruce Oldfield (center) opens new wedding shop. Oldfield has designed the wedding dresses for high-profile brides, including, Queen Rania of Jordan (left), and Jemima Khan, (right). Photo: AFP/ANDREW CROWLEY/PA

  The British couturier, Bruce Oldfield, has opened a new atelier and boutique at No.34 Beauchamp Place, London, SW3, designed as the perfect bridal destination.

  The new shop, Bruce Oldfield  Wedding, is almost directly opposite his existing ready-to-wear and couture boutique, at No. 27, which opened in 1984.

  Oldfield, who has designed the wedding dresses for a host of high-profile brides, including Samantha Cameron, Queen Rania of Jordan, and Jemima Khan, intends the new boutique to function as a one-stop shop.

  Apart from bridal dresses, Oldfield will design for the bridesmaids and mothers of the bride. Co-ordinating shoes and bags will also be available, together with an eclectic collection of vintage accessories. The custom-made bridal collection will start from £2,500. Couture prices are on application.

  Oldfield, who was awarded the OBE in 1990, has been a famous name in British fashion for more than 30 years, best known for his red carpet and couture occasionwear for Hollywood stars, British and international royalty, and the European aristocracy. His roll call of clients reads like a hall of fame and includes Diana, Princess of Wales; Queen Noor of Jordan; Barbra Streisand; Faye Dunaway; Catherine Zeta-Jones; Diana Ross; Charlotte Rampling, Joan Collins; and, more recently, Sienna Miller and Taylor Swift.

  Oldfield was brought up and educated in the care of the children’s charity, Barnardo’s, and remains one of its great success stories. He was educated at Ripon Grammar School, Sheffield College and Ravensbourne College. He graduated from Central St Martin’s school of art in London in 1973. He launched his ready-to-wear label in 1975 and opened his couture atelier for private clients in 1978. Diana, Princess of Wales, became a client in 1980.

  Oldfield has Honorary fellowships to the Royal College of Art and the Universities of Durham and Sheffield. He is also a vice-president of Barnardo’s. He published his autobiography, ‘Rootless’, in 2004.

  Last year, Oldfield broadened his design cv by redesigning the staff uniform for McDonald’s. 

  (telegraph fashion news)

• 2009 fashion news, Daisy Lowe models for Peacocks

  
  21 October 2009
  
  

  Daisy Lowe models Peacocks new range designed by her mother Pearl Lowe. Photo: TIM BRETT-DAY

  When you’re a celebrity designing a range of party dresses for the high street, and your name is Pearl Lowe, it is not hard to figure out who you are going to ask to model the collection for you - your daughter, of course, the It girl and lingerie star, Daisy Lowe, who has always loved raiding her mum’s wardrobe.

  Peacocks has secured itself a fabulous Christmas present with this mother-daughter act, photographed by Tim Brett-Day.

  The collection, designed by Pearl Lowe, features a range of five Christmas party dresses, priced between £35 and £40, for sizes 8 to 16. The dresses will go on sale in selected Peacocks stores nationwide, from November 2nd.

  The rock-chick credentials of Pearl’s daughter, Daisy, whose father is Gavin Rossdale of Bush, are enhanced by her mother’s inspiration, which was David Bowie’s 2006 album, ‘Hunky Dory’.

  Pearl describes the collection as ‘retro glamour.’

  “Designing my collection for Peacocks has been a bit of a dream,” she said. “I’ve taken inspiration from the things I love - classic vintage shapes, intricate detail, lace, and wonderful textiles. I’m very proud of the designs and can’t wait to see them on the high street. It was important from the start that my designs were accessible and everything is under £40.”

  Daisy Lowe said: “Ever since I was a little girl I’ve dressed up in my mum’s clothes. She’s my style icon and her new designs capture her spirit and style. It’s great that everyone will have the chance to plunder mum’s wardrobe this Christmas.”

  “We’re thrilled to be able to translate Pearl’s vintage designs for our customers. Pearl is a style icon and it’s been an inspiration turning her designs into a reality,” said Jane Hotz, Peacocks’ Womenswear Buying Director, said.

  Peacocks, which can date its history back to its first shop in Warrington in 1884, has more than 500 stores in the UK and employs more than 5,000 people. It also has more than 70 franchises in 13 countries, including Turkey, the Middle East, Ukraine and Russia. Peacocks is part of the Peacock Group which also owns Bonmarché.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• 2009 fashion news, Date set for British fashion’s best-dressed night

  
  21 October 2009
  
  

  The British Fashion Awards is a night which attracts stars, celebrities and designers. At the 2008 awards, last year, (left) fashion designer Roland Mouret with supermodel Yasmin Le Bon; (centre) Luella Bartley, who won the award for designer of the Year Photo: PAUL GROVER

  The British Fashion Awards 2009, the industry’s ‘Best-Dressed Oscar’ night, will take place on December 9th, at The Royal Courts of Justice, in The Strand, London.

  The dates were announced this morning by the British Fashion Council.

  The gala evening, which is sponsored by Swarovski, will signal the final celebrations in a year of events to mark the 25th anniversary of London Fashion Week.

  The British Fashion Awards recognises the most influential and talented people in the business, which, when textiles and clothing are combined, is the flagship of an industry which produces £8.5 billion worth of goods a year.

  The most eagerly-anticipated award is the British ‘Fashion Oscar’ for the Designer of the Year. Last year’s winner was Luella Bartley and other winners of this prize have included Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Hussein Chalayan and Matthew Williamson. Other awards to be announced on the night will include Best Menswear Designer, Model of the Year, Designer Brand and the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator.

  An international panel will also decide which designer has been the most influential throughout the course of his or her career and should receive the 2009 award for Outstanding Achievement in Fashion Design.

  Swarovski, which has sponsored the British Fashion Awards since 2005, is once again also rewarding the next generation of rising stars with the Swarovski Emerging Talent awards for ready-to-wear and accessories.

  The evening will be attended by over 500 industry leaders, celebrities, designers, retailers, models and journalists. to celebrate the best of British fashion.

   

  (telegraph fashion news)

• The fashion of the future: scientists usher in a new age of hi-tech textiles

  
  19 October 2009
  
  

  If you want to know what the hot looks will be a decade further on, don't ask a designer: talk to a scientist

  As London recovers from the glamour and glitz of its 25th annual Fashion Week, the haute couture caravan moves on from Milan to Paris. By the end of the trip, we should have some idea of the trends that will be making their way from catwalk to high street in the early months of 2010. But if you want to know what the hot looks will be a decade further on, don't ask a designer – talk to a scientist.

  I'm not suggesting that the white lab coat is about to become the new little black dress. But new ideas are being developed that could change everything about what we wear. For example, designers such as Manel Torres are exploring the possibility of spray-on clothing, and have successfully created prototypes. Torres's non-woven fabric can be made by spraying benign chemical formulations directly towards the body, distributing thousands of fibres across the wearer's skin, which then bind together to form disposable garments.

  If clothing does become a matter of "spray and go", it will bring a new meaning to the expression "throwing an outfit on". But it's not just the process of creating the fabrics: textile research has begun to address the idea of making them responsive. Imagine if your clothing could alter the feeling of a room when you walk in, to suit your preferences. Science could provide outfits that both interact with and control the environment they are in.

  On a smaller scale, this could be in the form of clothing that heats or cools in response to temperature changes: such fabrics are being researched by the University of Bath and London College of Fashion, engineered around systems found in nature. In the longer term, nanotechnology within fabrics could allow built interiors to become "smart" objects, allowing a room to adjust its smell, colour, temperature, texture, taste and sounds to suit its inhabitants' moods.

  Fabrics implanted with nanotechnology could even help you get a date. Scientists and designers are researching clothing that has the capacity to monitor the body's respiratory system, heartbeat and temperature controls and respond to alter your health or mood. Jenny Tillotson, a designer at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, has been developing a "smart" second skin, which has interactive fragrance technology permanently built into the clothing: examples include clothing and jewellery that release scents such as menthol, which could help alleviate medical problems including asthma attacks.

  This innovation could also be used for more romantic purposes. In the future, your clothing could sense your body's indicators of physical attraction – such as increases in your temperature, heart rate and amount of sweat – and release hormones to attract the opposite sex.

  That's only the beginning, though. Within the decade, we could see stores selling shirts that turn us into portable power stations. Scientists are already looking to develop energy-scavenging fabrics, with nanotechnology built in that uses the kinetic energy from the wearer's movements and converts it into electricity for powering electronic devices – a similar principle, in fact, to the kinetic watches sold today. Such systems would be potentially life-saving for hikers and soldiers, but in the wider market could power mobile phones, MP3 players and more. Beyond this, scientists are examining how energy-scavenging fabrics could convert low-frequency vibrations into electricity, using nanowires entwined with the fabric's fibres to avoid affecting the look of the clothing.

  Beyond the advantages for the consumer, science fashion could also help save the planet, or at the least provide solutions to some of the ecological and sustainability issues in today's society. An interesting example of this is Suzanne Lee's "bio-couture" project, which is investigating the use of bacterial-cellulose, grown in a laboratory, to produce clothing: instead of using fibres from plants or animals, we could grow a dress in a vat of liquid.

  This may all seem like a distant dream, but it is not so far away. Science has long affected the way we dress, from the gradually improvement of wool and cotton production to the introduction of artificial fibres. Aside from those kinetic watches, there have been fads for wearable technology (such as the iPod) or heat-sensitive fabric (remember Global Hypercolor T-shirts?). And with continual advances in nanotechnology, the possibilities are set to increase.

  In fact, some of these textile innovations are appearing on the catwalk. In 2008, Hussein Chalayan brought his exquisite LED dress to the catwalks of Toyko. This video dress displayed a time-lapsed image of a rose opening up and closing, with an array of colours and light, made possible by 15,000 LEDs embedded in the fabric. Chalayan has also displayed clothes that changed shape before the spectator's eyes: zippers closing, cloth bunching and hemlines rising without human assistance, thanks to the use of micro-controllers, switches and motors.

  In short, it is a pivotal moment for textiles and Britain's leading fashion science schools, such as those at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, are leading the world in exciting design opportunities inspired by science. We can no longer compete with the cheap manufacturing of the Far East, but Britain is in a strong position to lead the way in combining creativity and science, to deliver technology-based textiles that are both fashionable and futuristic. We can't say for certain when any of the innovations I have described will be scientifically or commercially viable, but there is little doubt that these are exciting times for British fashion and science.

  (telegraph fashion news)

• Chocolate fashion show 2009: Salon du Chocolat in Paris

  
  18 October 2009
  

  Chocolate fashion show 2009: Salon du Chocolat in Paris: French model Laetitia Rey presents a chocolate outfit designed by Eva Rachline and made with the help of French chocolate maker Magnum, at the 15th World Chocolate Fair in Paris

  

  

  The Salon du Chocolat fashion show featured models,TV presenters, actresses and singers (like Lara Fabian, pictured here) wearing dresses made of, or decorated with, chocolate

  

  French actress Corinne Touzet wears a chocolate creation designed by Agatha Ruiz de la Prada with a handbag from chocolatier La Maison Bonnat

  

  French television presenter Daniela Lumbroso wears a Turandot-inspired creation made by chocolatiers Philippe Pascoet et Christophe Guillarme

  

  TV host Daphne Burki presents a chocolate studded dress, designed by Marithe Francois Girbaud and made with the help of French chocolate maker La Pralus

  

  French actress Carole Brana pays tribute to the origins of chocolate with this Aztec-inspired creation

  Picture: REUTERS
  

  French actress Armelle Lesniak wears no chocolate at all she poses nude in a chocolate frame in a recreation of Manet's Dejeuner Sur L'Herbe

  

  French TV host Faustine Bollaert blows a kiss to the audience

  

  The other models on the night included French TV host Virginie de Clausade...

  

  ...French actress Julie Ferrier...

  

  ...French actress Frederique Bel...

  

  ...French actress Marie Fugain...

  

  ...French singer Dominique Magloire...

  

  ...French actress Anne Richard...

  

  ...and TV host Valerie Damidot

  (telegraph fashion news)

• 2009 fashion news, Banana Republic Has the Blues

  
  17 October 2009
  
  

  2009 new fashion news –  Model walks the runway at the Banana Republic Spring 2010 show in New York on Thursday, Oct. …

  With a premature wintry chill in the air and soggy umbrellas stacked in aluminum bins in the entryway to the Banana Republic runway show space, it was a stark contrast to the serene, orderly scene backstage where models in wrinkled chino and faded blue denim were dressed for an already forgotten summer day in the city.

  "I'm sorry about the weather," Simon Kneen, Banana Republic's creative director and EVP of design apologized before the brand's men's and women's Spring 2010 show. "I wish we could do something about the cabs when this happens."

  Just minutes before some 38 looks would be presented on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 15, Kneen wanted to talk about the sky. Not the grey, muddled mess of sloppy clouds that was outside at that particular moment, but the piercing blue skies of summer that inspired his latest effort for Banana Republic.

  "We're feeling things get more relaxed, so we're reinventing denim," said Kneen. "Beautiful, gorgeous denim. There's this particular blue that's actually kind of bright, it's a denim that reminded me of blue skies, the American blue skies. And we're actually using an American denim that has a particular coloration to it. So blues are very important."

  There were denim-on-denim looks, like a washed denim shirt paired with distressed jeans on both men and women, or a layering of various shades of blue, such as a navy chambray boyfriend blazer over a sky blue sweater.

  The collection also went back to Banana Republic's chino sportswear heritage.

  "A chino for everyday, not just for the weekend," explained Kneen, but also " using khaki as an inspiration. We're using a lot of metal in some of the women's chinos to keep the wrinkle in it, gives it that memory effect so that it has that constant worn-in look."

  In other words, one can leave the iron at home because for Banana Republic next spring, it's about casual, on-the-go looks, the, "I slept in my clothes" school of dressing. This meant wrinkled khaki trench coats and shift dresses for women, and for men, rolled up navy chinos and easy v-neck sweaters or workwear utility shirts, as though pulled from their grandfather's closets.

  Lest ones eyes glaze over from the sea of khaki and faded denim, however, Kneen included pops of "sun-kissed" colors like pink, kelly green and the kind of blue California skies are famous for and that Kneen, who spends a lot of time working in San Francisco where Banana Republic is headquartered, was particularly inspired by.

  Tie-dye figured into the carefree collection as well. Tie-dyed scarves were loosely draped around many of the male models' necks, and a maxi dress with wave-like undulations of blue gave off a certain California bohemian sensibility that people like Rachel Zoe and Nicole Richie have finessed.

  "It's really that whole hippie vibe coming through. I think it was that whole relaxed feeling, the skies and those beautiful cloud effects," said Kneen. "There's a blue sky there like no other."

  (Yahoo fashion news)