SIMPLE CHIC

ph: Unique Models via Costume

Love these simple chic looks- The second is my favorite!
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ALEXANDER WANG TO BALENCIAGA AND THE REST OF THE WEEK IN FASHION

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

This has been a huge fashion week... Here's all the news you need to know.

ALEXANDER WANG HEADS TO BALENCIAGA

The murmurs (read, Twitter frenzy) began yesterday but this morning- as Nicolas Ghesquière began his last day- it was confirmed by WWD that one of New York's most successful and best-loved young designers is heading to Paris to design at Balenciaga. Here's what the fashion industry thought...

Alexandra Shulman ‏@AShulman2

Vogue UK: Alexander Wang Named Balenciaga Creative Directorhttp://bit.ly/TxrCtm  Another fashion mystery solved. That's a big leap for Wang

susiebubble ‏@susiebubble

So the whispers have been confirmed Alexander Wang is to go to@BALENCIAGA - an astute business decision more than anything else

Melanie Rickey ‏@fashedatlarge

Big news in fashion land: Alexander Wang IS taking over at@BALENCIAGA. The brand will become less pious and more accessible..and so it goes

bryanboy ‏@bryanboy

Congratulations to Alexander Wang for the Balenciaga gig! A new era...

Alexander Wang is off to Balenciaga (image via wmagazine.com)

JW ANDERSON TO DESIGN FOR VERSUS

Following the end of Christopher Kane's work at Versus, it was announced on Wednesday that Jonathan (JW) Anderson will be the first young designer to collaborate with Versace's sister brand as they head in a new, digitally focussed direction. We'll get to see the result of the collaboration at a New York event in March or April 2013. JDubz and Versus have given us a hint of what's to come, releasing this fabulous image by Bruce Weber starring Stella Tennant, from 1996. This photo has apparently inspired the collection. Bring on the New White Jean.

JW Anderson's Versus inspiration (Image via fashionologe.com)

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH CHRISTOPHER KANE?

So now we know that Kane won't be heading up Balenciaga, but has got more time on his hands thanks to the end of his Versus deal, there is increasing specualtion that he might be getting ready to take his own brand to the next level. He is rumoured to have held talks with PPR who were behind the expansions of Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen's label. A Christopher Kane shop is something we would REALLY like to see. Watch this space...

SUZY MENKES

Whilst we all get our knickers in a twist about what the Balenciaga version of a Wang Rocco bag will look like, or what a Wang version of a Lariat will be, Suzy Menkes has been summing up the state of fashion now in her inimitable, concise and searing way. Her piece "Dirty Pretty Things" from today's New York Times is well-worth a read. Find out more about Menkes' approach to fashion and her career in this interview from AnOther.

Suzy Menkes has been guiding us through the current fashion upheaval (image via Anothermag.com)

J CREW OPENS IN LONDON

This is ridiculously exciting- J Crew is opening on Regent Street sometime next year- I've heard conflicting reports as to when. Some say March, some say "late 2013". I'll be saving my pennies judiciously. It's part of bigger expansion plans for the fashion meets preppy brand beloved of Michelle Obama.

J Crew SS13 shoes from this week's day 

JUSTINE PICARDIE'S NEW HARPER'S BAZAAR

Sienna Miller graces the cover of January's Harper's Bazaar, the first issue under the new editorship of Justine Picardie, find out more about the writer and journalist- who penned last year's brilliant Coco Chanel biography- in her interview with the Evening Standard. The magazine will be out to buy on Monday.

THE BRITISH FASHION AWARDS

Stella's jumpsuit attracted many admiring/envious comments (image via telegraph.co.uk)

Stella McCartney was the big winner at the British Fashion Awards on Tuesday evening, taking home Designer of the Year and Designer Brand of the Year. Here's the winners list in full and a few videos to give a taste of the proceedings. As with all the very best formal events, everything didn't quite go to plan, The Telegraph's Luke Leitch summarised the evening's gaffes and standout moments.

The BFA winners...

British Style brought to you by Vodafone: Alexa Chung

Outstanding Achievement in Fashion: Manolo Blahnik CBE

Emerging Talent Award – Ready-To-Wear: J.W. Anderson

Emerging Talent Award – Accessories: Sophie Hulme

Emerging Talent Award – Menswear: Jonathan Saunders

Special Recognition: Harold Tillman CBE

Red Carpet Award: Roksanda Ilincic

Accessory Designer: Nicholas Kirkwood

Designer Brand: Stella McCartney

Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator: Louise Wilson OBE

New Establishment: Erdem

Model: Cara Delevingne

Menswear Designer: Kim Jones for Louis Vuitton

Designer of the Year: Stella McCartney

                 

                 

                 

                 

VOGUE'S DOCUMENTARY

You've seen The September Issue, read Grace Coddington's book. Why not make it a hat trick with Vogue: The Editor's Eye, a totally fabulous looking new documentary which will look at how the stylists at Vogue, including Coddington, get those thrilling shoots which sum up fashion moments. If you have access to HBO then set a reminder for December 6th, if not then we shall have to patiently wait for a UK release date. Tell us now, please!



VALENTINO AT SOMERSET HOUSE

Valentino; Master of Couture opened this week at Somerset House, making the stately building beside the Thames the ultimate place to be this month, what with the Tim Walker exhibition, ice rink and Christmas Arcade. Be sure to book your ticket soon. In the meantime, get a taster of what's to come with the second and third installments of the documentary about the exhibition. I posted the first film a couple of weeks ago.

Outfit | Cocoon

EN

I was gonna go for THE boyfriend, oversized military Mango coat that you see in almost every second blog, but it just didn't look that great on me as this one did, so at the end I got this one instead and I really like the result of the pictures with it. I went for a classic look with a turtleneck, skirt, and my Isabel Marant boots as the cherry on the cake. I think the coat looks like taken from the Isabel Marant Etoile section and that is a good thing in my book. Wish you all a great weekend! x

ES

Fui a Mango directamente a buscar el abrigo que véis en cada segundo blog, pero sencillamente no me quedó bien. O al menos no tanto como éste que fue con el que me quedé al final y debo decir que me encanta el resultado. Opté por un look clásico con un jersey de cuello tortuga, una falda y  mis adoradas botas de Isabel Marant para complementarlo. El abrigo pareciese sacado de alguna colección de Isabel Marant Etoile, cosa que me encanta! Os deseo un feliz fin de semana!

DE

Ich wollte ursprünglich DEN Mantel, den man in jedem zweiten Blog sieht, kaufen, aber er passte zu mir nicht so gut wie zu anderen. Deshalb habe ich mich stattdessen für diesen entschieden, und ich muss sagen, dass ich ihn liebe!  Ich habe ihn ganz klassisch komplementiert: mit einem Rollkragen Pulli, Lederrock, und mit meinen beliebten Isabel Marant Stiefel. Der Mantel sieht so aus, als ob er aus der Isabel Marant Etoile Kollektion wäre, was nach meiner Meinung toll ist! Ich wünsche euch alle ein tolles Wochenende! 

I am wearing a Mango coat, Isabel Marant boots, Zara doctor's bag, Cos turtleneck, and a Zara leather skirt

POPPY DELEVINGNE | GLITTER MANI

ph: Vogue UK

Loving Poppy Delevingne's multi-colored glitter manicure. Perfect nails for the holidays!
Get the look with this or this glitter nail polish kit.

SCHIAPARELLI, ERDEM'S GEMS AND OTHER FASHION STORIES

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

In my relatively short time working in fashion, one thing (of the many things) I have learnt is that the industry can really pick its moments when it comes to potentially huge news stories. There's none of the bang-in-the-middle-of-the-working-day punctuality of, say, the Leveson report. Take the frenzied rumour that Christopher Kane would be moving to Balenciaga, that all kicked off bright and early on a  Saturday morning while confirmation of Raf Simons appointment to Dior was announced on a Bank Holiday Monday. I really wouldn't be surprised if some major development weren't revealed while we're sitting down for the Queen's Speech on Christmas Day. In fact in the time it has taken me to write that paragraph, it has been announced that J.W Anderson will be the first designer to work with Versus on their new approach of collaborating with young talent. Meanwhile, in the middle of last night, Cathy Horyn published a piece which suggested Alexander Wang is set to take over at Balenciaga when Nicolas Ghesquière leaves in a few days time. The FashEd's comment on that snippet is "So Alexander Wang would give up his own successful business in NYC to be a salaried employee of PPR in Paris to design Balenciaga?".

Schiaparelli pink (image from vogue.com)

Another ongoing fashion rumour is that LFW favourite Erdem Moralioglu might be getting ready to take up the reins at the newly revived Schiaparelli. Diego Della Valle, who owns the label, has pushed back the relaunch from January to June which means there are only a couple of months at the most before a designer needs to be appointed. Unlike Balenciaga, where whichever designer is chosen will have the immediate legacy of Ghesquière to contend with, as well as the codes of Cristóbal Balenciaga himself, Schiaparelli has been a dormant label since 1954. As well as creating madly fun and beautiful clothes, Elsa Schiaparelli employed her surrealist aesthetic with jewellery. Her Uncle was astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli and she would apparently sit with him and study the stars as a child, maybe looking at all those sparkles in the sky prompted her to branch into making shiny things of her own? Her pieces were kinds of sophisticated satire on conventional jewels, using the usual materials but crafting them into vaguely unnerving pieces. The bug necklace below, for example, was meant to create the illusion of the wearer being inundated by hundreds of insects.

Schiaparelli Lobster brooch (image via debutanteclothing.com)

Schiaparelli floating insect necklace (image from brooklynmuseum.org)

The lovely Erdem, perhaps in preparation for his Schiaparelli role if we allow ourselves to get utterly carried away with mere hearsay, has created a capsule accessories collection for online retailer MyTheresa. To be even more tenuous, the range includes chunky crystal earrings and necklaces not so very dissimilar to Schiaparelli's mid-century designs. Is it just me or do you see an element of bird in the earrings? The range only launched a couple of days ago and some pieces have sold out already. Whether you're into speculating on fashion comings and goings or not, there's no denying that a Christmas stocking full of Erdem x MyTheresa would go down a treat.

Bracelet £288

Crystal earrings £269

Lace shoes £486

Cocktail ring £225

Outfit post - Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Yep, officially the first snow fell last night in Helsinki and everything
looks so white and pretty when I look outside my balcony.
I've been downtown and shopping for Christmas presents, but I haven't
managed to buy all of them, so next three days will be all about that :)
Some really great sales are going on in the city, so I'm gonna try not to
go to crazy since we have trips coming end of the year and
in the beginning of the next year.
We have also decided to go to Stockholm for a short trip in a couple of days,
so I can't wait to go to Laduree for the 1st time. It's not the same as visiting
the Paris or New York one, but I've been wanting to try their macaroons, so
this Stockholm one will do it for now :)

Photography is now on stand by for a little while, until I get everything prepped
for the next two photo shoots, so nothing new or exciting about that matter, yet.

Oh and another, totally girly and random thought, I have started to use
Maroccan Oil shampoo, conditioner and oil and I'm so impressed! Those products
are doing wonders!

I'm wearing: Boots - Unisa, Jeans - Diesel, Kimono - Winter Kate, Bag - Zara,
Cardigan - St.Tropez, Black top - Esprit, Bracelets - Zara, Beanie - Lindex,
Necklace - COS

Miss Diana - Opéra - Paris

      Miss Diana - "Absolutely Fabulous Blog" - Opéra - Paris
        Photos by Fred - Easy Fashion Paris

Gala Avanpremiere - 11th edition

I was invited at the Avanpremiere Gala on the 27th and only today, after I got back in Cluj this morning, I  finally caught a moment to post the photos. It's been a busy few days, meeting people and just enjoying good times.
This year, the Gala took place at Bell'Agio Casa, I was excited to meet all the girls there and well.. it was a fun night. But due to the fact that my seat was not in the best angle, I missed the first collection, so I couldn't take any photos..but I will show you the official ones I received via e-mail.



The first collection was presented by CARMEN CHERECHES, a graduate student at the same University I am in now, it is called "Lost ..in dreams" and it investigates the mysteries of the imaginative world in relation to our real world where we actually live in.
I personally loved the structures and the details.


STEFAN MUSCA - "Silence II", a continuation to his first collection called "Silence I", a modern collection dominated by black.


ANCA&SILVIA NEGULESCU - "Raven"
The collection emphasizes the inner turmoil repressed in the surreal, just like the the raven a mysterious, dark and yet elegant bird. There was as always leather, this time gold and black, embracing the silky soft dresses like an armor, the effect is very nice indeed.



LOREDANA NOVOTNI - "SacRED"
Another graduate student from Cluj, currently living in Spain, presents this couture collection, entirely made by hand and entirely in a passionate red color which in her vision is a symbol of immortality. It is the color of blood and passion, the color of fire and sacrifice.



SIMONA SEMEN - "Geometry of Soul"
The designer is in search of the inner balance. Its spiritual origin lies in Tibet, she "borrowed" those elements and juxtaposed them with plane forms and volumes of our modern days inspired from the urban jungle that we live in. I admit not all pieces were favorites of mine..



IRIS SERBAN - "Elements"
As always she graces us with opulence, with feminine, romantic shapes mixed with masculine elements, such as belts, pants, the harness that engulfs the sophisticated laces. Beautiful, almost too beautiful.. I personally love the 4th and the 7th piece.



NATALIA VASILIEV - "Dreams of Florence"
If last season Natalia impressed me with that royal collection, this time I felt that she pushed it too far, I mean, looking at some pieces I have that feeling of" too much is.. too much" ( I am referring to those dresses with lace and golden draping) But there where two dresses which stirred up the crowed, those with the '50s silhouette and with the lase-cut patterns in minty green and a delicate pastel-blue..I would die for such a dress!
Now THAT IS FEMININE!



What do you think?



Here I am reunited with Evelina and Laura



With Sandra and Alice
And below with Mihaela.
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I was wearing: self-made skirt, thrifted shirt, Meli Melo necklace, random brand shoes