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: OCTOBER 29th- NOVEMBER 2nd

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

It's been a funny old week in fashion, with most of the stories coming out of the US either halting or being mostly revolved around how NY's fashion community was coping with the Sandy crisis. There's still plenty of updates to get through before we light our sparklers for Bonfire Night.

"I had to be the first one to have an idea" is perhaps my favourite quote from The Guardian's interview with Miuccia Prada. A great read anyway, but especially if you want to better understand Mrs Prada's sensibilities, background and the secret to her brand's huge influence on the global fashion market. It's also a reminder, should you need one, that being intellectual and interested in fashion are not mutually exclusive traits.

Prada's Luna Rossa (Red Moon) Image via vogue.co.uk

In other Prada news, Miucca and her husband Patrizio Bertelli this week launched their £32million super yacht Luna Rossa. The lovely boat is not just for island-hopping and showing off about the fact you're in the Prada clan. Oh no. Luna Rossa is on a mission to compete in the America's Cup for 2013. In typically prda-ish fashion however, Bertelli had this to say "It's an industrial artefact that happens to sail on the ocean." Rather than being, you know, an actual boat. It's quite likely that Miuccia and Patrizio will be trying her out for themselves as sailing is one of their great hobbies.

Kate Moss opens up (image via vanityfair.com)

We are used to Kate Moss being  a "seen and not heard" kind of girl. So her wide-ranging interview with Vanity Fair is something of a surprise. However it shed light on numerous periods in Moss's life which have long been speculated on. She speaks about being exploited as a young model and suffering a breakdown; "I felt really bad about straddling this buff guy. I didn’t like it. I couldn’t get out of bed for two weeks. I thought I was going to die." She also describes the aftermath of break-up from Johnny Depp -"Years and years of crying. Oh, the tears!” This month's Vanity Fair is a must-read for Moss aficionados. This is also a great piece focussing on her comments on starting out as a model.

Jane Shepherdson talks shop (via businessoffashion.com/ Whistles)

Jane Shepherdson, CEO of Whistles, gave one of the most honest and insightful interviews I've ever  read from a fashion insider this week. Speaking to Business of Fashion, she spoke about how she took on transforming Whistles from a "lightly boho, pretty, slightly girly-frilly brand" to the on-trend but workable go-to which it represents today. She also quashed all over the top claims that Duchess Kate has brought millions of pounds into the coffers of the labels she chooses to wear. BoF Editor Imran Ahmed also asked Shepherdson about expansion plans, sales and the dangers of convention wisdom.

Coach was this week awarded a rather symbolic £160 million after a court found in the handbag maker's favour. Hundreds of websites selling fake Coach handbags will now be shut down. It will be impossible, however, for Coach to recoup their compensation as the proprietors of the websites cannot be traced. All they will receive is the remaining funds in the PayPal and Western Union accounts. Even when the law comes down in your favour, practicalities remain a barrier.

Marni's polka perfume (image via elleuk.com)

Two exciting fragrance launches announced this week. First up is Marni which unveiled the spotted, cylindrical bottle which will be home to its first ever perfume. The new venture will be available sometime next year and is being produced in conjunction with Estee Lauder. We can expect it to be "sophisticated" but "eccentric". In the next installment of "What Carine Did Next", romours abound that a fragrance is on the cards. Fashionologie.com has come up with possibilities on the name front. Perhaps "Forgive Me" which Roitfeld patented earlier this year, or the simple "Carine Roitfeld" which is also protected. Any further ideas on a postcard, please.

Anna, Grace and Carine ousted by Sandy (image from andreeamacri.com)

In "What Carine Did This Week" we can report that she stayed in a swanky uptown NY hotel with Anna Wintour. No, not for a girly getaway but as a refuge during hurricane Sandy. They reportedly bunked in at The Mark with Helena Christensen and Marc Jacobs. One can only imagine the slumber parties. Meanwhile, just around the corner at The Carlyle Grace Coddington moved in along with Karlie Kloss and Derek Blasberg. Now you know.

Lana Del Rey is one versatile brand ambassador. First came her campaign for H&M, then the bag bestowed with her name at Mulberry. Now, rumour has it that Versace have snapped her up as their latest star model. There are photos circulating among Ms. Del Rey's fans on Twitter which apparently confirm the news...

Both are from fan site @LanaDReyOnline. The love/ hate breakout music star of the past 18 months was apparently spotted in LA for the shoot. We await official news from Versace and Lana.

The rise and rise of Kate Upton continues with her first Vogue cover. The former Sports Illustrated star was shot by Steven Meisel (nath) for the Vogue Italia story, entitled Seductive. Find out more at the magazine's website, and see the video.

Kate Upton does the  vampy bombshell Italiana look for Vogue Italia (image from huffingtonpost.com)

Marion Cotillard is doing Raf's new Dior proud. I adore her in this navy and black (such a brilliant colour combination) strapless tulle gown from his SS13. Note the white heels.

Marion Cotillard in Raf Simons' Dior (image from NYmag.com)

I'm sick of the halloween talk, but there is time for a quick mention of Lady Gaga and Rihanna's matching All Hallow's Eve costumes. Something of a green, weedy theme... Naughty!

Gaga and Rihanna do green halloween (image from fashionista.com)

Finally, video of the week is fashion film debut of my friend William McGregor who has already won many plaudits for his work, including brilliant short film Who's Afraid of the Water Sprite? Will created this slivering, snakey denim video for Italian label Freddy and seems to perfectly replicate how we would all like to feel our legs slipping easily into our jeans with out the struggling and pulling it oft involves.

FREDDY 'SNAKE' from William McGregor on Vimeo.