THE FEAL GOLDEN GLOBES RED CARPET AWARDS

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Another year, another awards season has begun with last night's Golden Globes, hurrah! Aside from the serious business of doling out awards for the year's film efforts, the pre-event red carpet is a phenomenon in itself. For forensic, look-by-look analysis of what everyone was wearing, you don't get much more comprehensive than Red Carpet Fashion Awards. However, the what-to-wear conumdrum is notoriously fraught with risks for celebrities, no matter how many stylists and designer loans they have at their disposal. Looking through last night's choices, it seems that there are some serious strategies to pulling together the look which go way beyond the seemingly simple task of "Do I like this  look?". So, I've dissected the motives at play in last night's star line-up...

BEST FOR TWITTER TRENDING

If Twitter had existed in 2001 when Bjork wore her Swan dress to the Oscars then she would own this category, in fact purely on principle she does anyway. The key is to make a statement and create a debate. It's an especially useful tool to pull from your arsenal if you're looking for a bit of a publicity boost. It was Lucy Liu who worked this category best last night, the evidence being that her name has been trending on Twitter all morning with plenty of debate about her choice of thick fishtail plait and rose garden print Carolina Herrera dress.

BEST SAFE CHOICE

An overwhelming number of actresses are now so terrified of trying something new or very slightly daring for fear of getting it wrong and having dreaded "MISS" (rather than "HIT") stamped on their photograph that they wear something so utterly safe that it is basically boring. Anne Hathaway wore this very beautiful, completely simple Chanel dress very much in the safe category, crucially though it's still feels fresh and stylish rather than whiffing of terror.

BEST FUSION OF GLAMOUR AND MINIMAL

This category is a hybrid of the minimal, sculpted look which has been best portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow in recent times with the old-school, bling glamour of Elizabeth Taylor. Emily Blunt went for a golden (glamour tick), ab flashing (modern minimal tick) Michael Kors column with flashes of pink the her jewellery, which is the way to do glamour in a very now kind of way.

BEST FOR WORKING REAL WORLD TRENDS

I'm sure you're aware that graphic monochrome is a big thing for SS13 for the likes of you and I. The divine Julianne Moore gave us a sign that she's down with the kids by picking a Tom Ford black and white block gown. There were enough super expensive rocks and bafflingly sleek hair and make-up to render the look red carpet appropriate.

BEST COLOUR STATEMENT

Amongst a sea of nude and black bla bla bla, Marion Cotillard's tangerine Dior by Raf Simons gown is refreshing. The most important thing about this dress is the power it holds to make us think about a new colour, to signify a 2013 palette and take Simons' agenda beyond the catwalk for the world to see. Never mind the clash with the carpet.

BEST BRIT

It's a hard task heading up the British style contingent at US awards ceremonies. Michelle Dockery did a rather fabulous job of flying the flag perhaps not for a British designer but for a kind of serenely regal English rose look in her Alexandre Vauthier gown with golden guipure bodice, rounded shoulders, high neck and swooping white skirt.

BEST "WE LOOK LIKE GATECRASHERS BUT ARE LEGITIMATE GUESTS"

Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton would quite possibly win this award every time but last night's appearence was further enhanced by Burton's arm sling and Bonham-Carter's sunglasses. If anyone has seen Les Mis then perhaps you'll agree that this reminds of Bonham-Carter's final scene in the film when she, as Madame Thénardier, gatecrashes Cosette and Marius's wedding with her on-screen husband played by Sacha Baron-Cohen?

BEST SHORT DRESS

It takes guts and great legs to dare wear short to big Hollywood shindig like this but Thandie Newton in Giles did a grand job. Rachel Weisz in Louis Vuitton is also highly commended in this category but sadly couldn't actually win because she had gauzy tulle giving her legs some coverage.

BEST FOR VIRTUOSITY

It may look like your standard tux, but this is actually an "OEKO-TEX certified, low environmental impact, European spun and woven wool suiting" fabric. That basically means Bradley Cooper joined Livia Firth's legendary Green Carpet Challenge. Bravo.

Images via Vogue.co.uk and Guardian.co.uk

THE WEEK IN FASHION: SEPTEMBER 5th-9th

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Before we get on with the business of the day, I just need to tell you my own fashion news highlight of the week. Last night, at Vogue's Fashion Night Out, I spied the delectable David Gandy as I walked along Bruton Street. Of course, the moment I spied him my, erm, journalistic instincts kicked in and I chased after him to ask, rather blatheringly, for a photo. He kindly obliged. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm still not entirely familiar with the machinations of the FashEd's camera so my image is, to put it mildly, terrible. But hopefully you can just make out an Adonis-y silhouette.

Sorry David, I'm no Mario Testino. Things can only get better.

 I didn't manage to get around too many FNO events as I was attending a talk about another aspect of my work with the FashEd. However, I did poke my head into Liberty for a yummy Mahiki cocktail and then went on to Stella McCartney (via Bond Street which was madness). A little while ago I blogged about the polka dot, and in particular Stella's dress. So, I was thrilled to play at being Natalia Vodianova as well as having a little dance at the disco. I also thought Nicoletta who works as a supervisor at the store looked amazing in her sheer polka dress so couldn't resist sharing this photo with you.

So those are some snippets my VFNO. Now onto other stories making the news this week- it's been busy!

Yesterday, John Galliano was found guilty of making anti-Semitic remarks. He received a fine of 6,000 euros which he will have to pay only if he re-offends. He must also pay a nominal 1 euro to each of the victims of his crime. It's a shame that this saga has dragged on for so long now but we hope that a line has been drawn which mean Galliano can concentrate on getting himself well.

Vogue Italia never fails to disappoint and this month's cover is no exception. We are completely intrigued by their transformation of Stella Tennant which must surely have involved some photoshopping, don't you think? Her impossibly cinched waist  and brutal piercings are said to have been inspired by artist Ethel Granger who claimed to create the smallest waist ever at a mere 13ins.

Ethel Granger (image from chicquero.com)

Following on from Love magazine's What Lies Beneath shoot, we bring news of a rather unlikely case of fashion photography plagiarism. This time Steven Meisel seems to have done two very simailar editorials for Vogue Italia and W magazine, both featuring Raquel Zimmermann. Having shot every cover of Vogue Italia since 1988, Meisel is no stranger to working with the team there however this was his first time working with W. Each shoot is a kind of before and after sequence, showing models in natural, off-duty poses and then in more stylised, made-up looks. While self-plagiarising doesn't really hurt anyone (apart from making you samey), the real issue here may be the effect the discovery has on Meisel's relationship with the two publications, especially given the contrasting relationships he has with both. The fact they both belong to the same publishing house, Conde Nast, entangles the issue further.

On the top is the Vogue Italia shoot, On the bottom is the W one (Image from telegraph..co.uk)

The unbelivably successful young blogger Tavi launched her new online magazine Rookie and from my older eye it looks very cute yet savvy. Tavi is fitting in her editor-in-chief role around teenage mundanities such as school. If any of our younger readers have a point of view on the subject we'd love to hear it! We also love Tavi's recent attempt to recreate the Hailee Steinfeld for Miu Miu ads. More pictures over on Style Rookie.

Tavi does Miu Miu (image from stylerookie.com)

This week, Lisa Armstrong has begun her tenure as Fashion Editor at The Telegraph. She kicked off in the best way possible with a fabulous Tom Ford interview ahead of his showcase on Sunday of London Fashion Week. We learn that Mr Ford is partial to an episode or two of The Only Way is Essex, his cultural highlight of the year. Lisa and Tom debate whether the British sensationalist ways go back to Punch (Tom) or Chaucer (Lisa) and he divulges that a woman at her best is slim and limber. There's a bit of sex in there too.

Tom Ford gives the middle finger to TOWIE naysayers. (image from fashionindie.com)

Another wonderful interview in The Telegraph, this time Kate Finnigan talking to Katie Grand. Images of fashion brilliance are conjured with Grand's tale of drinking in Azzedine Alaia's apartment with Grace Jones while watching films of the designer's show. 'I die I die' Jones apparently exclaims. And that's just another day in the life of Katie Grand. Cool. Read the interview for amazing insight into Katie's role in honing the collections of the likes of Marc Jacobs, Ungaro and Jonathan Saunders.

Katie Grand (Image from oystermag.co.uk)

 Yesterday, Topshop Chicago opened its doors with a little help from Phillip Green, his daughter Chloe and Miley Cyrus. So, quite a different vibe from April 2009's New York launch with Kate Moss as the star attraction. It has long been speculated that Chloe is set to take on a bigger role at Arcadia but we wonder if her position so firmly at her Father's side is an indicator of his anointing her as his successor. Of course, it will be a while before that actually happens so in the mean time Chloe will be kept busy with her forthcoming appearances on Made in Chelsea.  And while Miley Cyrus may be the 4th richest person under the age of 30 in the world, the choice to have her open the store sends an entirely different message from the previous Moss affiliations.We wonder if Miley and Chloe had a who's-richer-off, and more to the point, who would win?!

Miley is flanked by the Greens outside Topshop Chicago (image from Topshop)

Finally, I have mentioned the Diana Vreeland book,film and exhibitions which are coming up before but this week we'd like to give a special mention the film 'Diana Vreeland: The Eye has to Travel', which had its premiere at the Venice and Tulleride Film Festivals at the weekend. The FashEd proclaims herself to be Diana Vreeland's biggest fan and is already planning her trip to Venice to see the exhibition at Palazzo Fortuny.

Diana Vreeland ( image from brookspeters.com)

THE WEEK IN FASHION 13TH JUNE-17TH JUNE

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large
Additional research by Bethan Holt

Here's our weekly round up of the goings on in fash-land over the past five days. While most of the fashion press have been obsessing over the resort collections (more on those to come!) these were the news stories that caught our eye this week.We kick off, fittingly, with a quote from the High Priestess herself...

1. Famously anti-tech Anna Wintour gave the perfect five word acceptance speech for Vogue's People's Voice Award at the Webbys: "Sometimes geeks can be chic." Got it in five, Anna - and come on, like we didn't know that already!


2. The fashion hackers have struck again, and it's Beyonce (in kinky Vuitton) vs. Christina  Aguilera (in, well, not a lot) on the leaked covers of this month's W magazine

 3. Alexandra Shulman stepped into the ring for the racism in fashion debate, following the recent racism related lawsuits involving Naomi Campbell and Cadbury and Rihanna and Gucci. In response to Liz Jones' claim that the industry is 'inherently racist', Shulman pointed out: "There have always been black players on the scene — at the moment look at the stylist Edward Enninful, make-up artist Pat McGrath and [models] Jourdan Dunn, Liya Kebede and Joan Smalls, who are at the top of the tree."The Vogue Editor also hinted that she has two black cover stars lined up for future issues - Michelle O, perhaps?

4. It has been a week for campaign releases, as Tom Ford poses with Lara Stone in his new make up shots
...

 

Lara and Tom try to out 'good face' each other in the Tom Ford makeup campaign

5. ...while Angelina Jolie poses in Cambodia (birthplace of her son, Maddox) for Vuitton 's core values campaign

6. Jess Cartner-Morley declares this the summer of intentional bad taste fashion, all thanks to a Prada banana

Prada SS11, and the banana skirt that started it all...

7. Aggy is back in the business! Everyone's favourite leggy blonde Agyness Deyn has re-signed with her old agency, Select Model Management, and is hoping to stage a comeback. Shouldn't be too tricky when you look like this...

Aggy shot by Tim Walker for the May issue of Vogue. Beautiful!

8. What  has Stefano Pilati been up to while his mate Kate was on her hen weekend on the Isle of Wight? Designing costumes for a new Harold Pinter production, of course! With Kristen Scott Thomas taking the lead in The Betrayal, this will be one dramatic fashion statement.

9. You thought the V&A Vivienne Westwood exhibition had covered it all? Well, now her iconic shoe designs have an exhibition all of their own

 The Gillie shoe, most notorious for bring Naomi down to earth with a bump!

10. Mulberry have had a very, very good year, reporting a 69% increase in revenue.Those cute woodland creatures from their last show are obviously hiding some savvy business sense..

 Mulberry Resort 2012. They don't just do handbags, y'know. It's all about the doggy RTW.

11. A very dapper Jonathan Saunders deservedly picked up Designer of the Year at the Scottish Fashion Awards - even though the win took him by surprise, having just been "texting Chris Kane saying 'Sam Cam's wearing your dress, you're definitely going to win it!'"

 Designer of the Year Jonathan Saunders picks up his SFA in a trendy teal tie.

11. Following the news that K-Mid's wedding dress is going to go on show at Buckingham Palace, across the pond, the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame have included Gaga's infamous Meat Dress in their 'Women who Rock' exhibit. Thankfully, the meat has been preserved so that the now well-past-it's-sell-by-date flesh dress won't pong out the exhibition! Tasty.

 

12. Stella Tennant presented the Devonshire Cup at Royal Ascot (she's related to the historic English family). On Ladies Day she was sporting a brilliant trilby avec taxidermy birds, designed, of course, by Stephen Jones. Only Stella and Stephen could make dead birds look this good! 

Stella Tennant and Stephen Jones during the design process for Ascot's chic-est headgear. Photographed by Robert Fairer

13. And finally, over the past five days we have continued to be baffled and bewildered by Bip Ling's blog posts and Tweets. A choice example from @BipLing:

"YUPP having a great holidayyyyyyyy SHUVS AND FOREST ARE GREAT FUN YAR YAR YARRR LOVE ITTTT :-) BOOM BOOOM xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

What?! Does anyone speak Bip and can help us out?!

And that, fashion fans, is the week that was...

Images: Catwalking, Vogue UK, Style.com, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, US Vogue.

TOM FORD DEBUT: WOW, JUST WOW

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

If there is one happening I wished I'd attended last fashion week it was Tom Ford's debut own label womenswear show held in New York. Sadly, I didn't make the cut of the 80 most important fashion editors in the world, and was denied the thrill of seeing Beyonce on the runway. Still, there is always next season.

The irony is not lost on me or anyone else in the luxury fashion business that Tom Ford timed the release of his images in print and online (they hit the web in a big way today, courtesy of Harpers Bazaar and the Daily Telegraph), to minimise the possibility of the clothes being copied by the high street.

There wasn't even a chance for a sneaky peek at the clothes in advance of the publication of the images shown here because Ford banned the audience from taking pictures. Ford's closed door approach to publicising his collection is the opposite to Marc Jacobs, who welcomes all comers. Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2011 collection is the most copied by the British high street, a fact I am sure he loves.  Tom Ford on the other hand is making super-expensive dresses for very wealthy women, and tightly controlling how and where we see the work, exactly how it worked in the old days of Haute Couture.

 He explained his thinking to US Vogue: "I do not understand everyone's need to see everything online the day after a show. I don't think it ultimately serves the customer, which is the whole point of my business--not to serve journalists or the fashion system. To put something out that's going to be in a store in six months, and to see it on a starlet, ranked in US magazine next week? My customer doesn't want to wear the same thing she saw on a starlet!"

Hmm. Wonder if he has a list of people he won't sell to?

Or Or maybe the animal print suit?

Tom Ford has really taken his time to build his own brand. First scent. Then sunglasses. Next some verrry high end menswear, and finally...finally he asks his friends Beyonce, Lauren Hutton and Daphne Guinness as well as woman supermodels to walk in a salon show which he comperes like a beauty pageant caller.

'It’s about individuality. Real clothes, real women. For a fashionable woman aged 25 to 75. That’s why I literally put many of my own muses in the show. I hear them say, "God, I can’t find that anywhere!"

‘There used to be a look for women who were older,' he told Harpers Bazaar, published next week. 'You didn’t wear certain things, you did your hair a certain way – but today, 70-year-old women who keep themselves together want to look just like their 25 [year-old] counterpart."

'I want this to be somewhere a woman knows she can go when she wants a great jacket—not a fake expensive jacket, something that has intrinsic value.

'I don’t think fashion has to change every five minutes. I’d like these to be clothes you can wear for a long time—ten, 20 years; pass on to your daughter. Why buy vintage when you can open your own closet!'


I say why buy Tom Ford when you can buy vintage?
My favourites are the animal print trouser suit and the sequin jacket and pendant on Stella Tennant.

All quotes from US Vogue/Harpers Bazaar UK.

MY GIRL CRUSH ON CAREY MULLIGAN

Posted by the Fashion Editor at Large

Carey Mulligan in Nina Ricci chatting with Tom Ford on 17th January after the Golden Globes

I've never seen a movie that prominently features Carey Mulligan -something I plan to rectify as soon as possible by watching An Education - but I did see her at the Royal Court a few years ago in the play The Seagull and recall her from Pride & Prejudice. The relationship I am building with the 24 year old currently, though, is through her frequent red carpet outings. Her choice of designers is fascinating - she has worn copious amounts of Prada, as well as Lanvin, Bottega Veneta, Marni and two relatively unknown labels. The first being up-and-coming designer Prabal Gurung (I know, what a mouthful!) and Vionnet the french fashion house that, under new design leadership, is currently taking the fashion world by surprise at its fabulousness. I am a fan of every single outfit choice Carey has made since October, (and would like to take a moment to congratulate her stylist, Tiina Laakkonen) I can agree that she deserves the "new Audrey Hepburn" tag but more than that there is something so refreshing about her demeanour. She is cute and vulnerable and real, and looks like she is brilliantly surprised by her success. More than that she looks like she is super-connected to her emotions and feelings and is comfortable in her own skin. She allows nerves to creep in because why the heck wouldn't you be slightly bricking it in front of the world's paparazzi on a red carpet somewhere in Hollywood? I shan't say any more than that other than to show you why Carey is my girl of the moment. Bring on the BAFTA'S!

Carey Mulligan wearing Lanvin for the SAG Awards on 23 January

Carey in Marni on January 15th

 

With her mother Nano who is a college lecturer in Wales

In gorgeous Bottega Veneta

WearingVionnet

In SS10 Prada, lovely

Carey wearing Prabal Gurung

Photo Credits:

Rex Features

Getty Images

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