House of Style back on TV?

MTV’s popular 90’s half hour fashion program House of Style is apparently coming back to the small screen.

House of Style was one of the first fashion-based programs and focused on the fascination of the “super model” obsession. It also focused on fashion, the modeling industry, lives of models, and controversial topics such as eating disorders and plastic surgery. The show ran for 11 years.

House of Style skyrocketed Cindy Crawford from runway model to household name. The show helped Cindy turn her success as a model into a brand. She’s now become a one woman empire with her own furniture collection, advertising campaigns, and acting/hosting career.

There is speculation that model/Leo DiCaprio’s girlfriend Bar Refaeli, or catwalk sensation Chanel Iman could possibly host the half hour program.

Writer: Kate Murphy

Coco Rocha

British Columbia native Coco Rocha has jumped on the celebrity blog bandwagon with her very own blog appropriately named OH SO COCO!

The blog is a behind-the-scenes look at the life of one of the world's most renowned supermodel. The blog features photos and videos of all of Coco's travels. Follow her around the world from New York to London, Mexico to Sydney. Coco offers a little bit of clothing and makeup advice, as well as recommends a website called The Fashion Spot, where she admits that most models visit to hear all about the lastest news about themselves. The blog also features mini cameos from other models such as Behati Prinsloo and Agyness Deyn.

Coco is a very good Canadian girl. She chose to skip Paris Fashion Week (arguably the most important fashion shows in the world!!!) and head back home to Vancouver.

So check out Oh So Coco for a glimpse at a life most of us only dream about.

Writer: Kate Murphy

THE ODD COUPLE.

One woman is British. The other a Canadian turned California girl. One’s pale. The other rocks a sun kissed glow. One is gothic. The other is a surfer Malibu Barbie type. One is usually draped in layers upon layers of clothing. The other...well not so much.

One woman is designer Vivienne Westwood. The other is Playboy model Pamela Anderson.

By the description of these two they should have nothing in common. However, they seem to have a mutual fascination with one another. Miss Westwood and Pam Anderson met during last year’s London Fashion Week where the designer fell for the Playmates “quirkiness” and proceeded to ask her to be the face of Vivienne Westwood’s Spring/Summer 2009 campaign. Apparently the deal also netted Anderson six figures!

Vivienne Westwood stars alongside Anderson in the photos that were shot in California by Juergen Teller. Teller is credited for introducing the heroin chic trend in the early 90’s. Westwood remains tight lipped about the pairing only saying that she “can't speak about it yet. But anything I would say would be completely positive”.

So while Anderson may seem to be a shocking choice for the renowned designer, she surprisingly looks and feels right at home.

And kudos to Miss Westwood who’s done what most can’t: cover the 41 year old up.

























Photos provided by Oh No They Didn’t.
Writer: Kate Murphy

Ode to the 80's

Milla Jovovich poses for the January 2009 issue of Paris Vogue. The fashion is inspired by the decade that birthed shoulder pads and acid washed jeans.

Oh the 80’s!!!

Photos provided by I’m Not Obsessed
Writer: Kate Murphy

More Madonna & Marc

A few weeks ago we told you about Madonna modelling as the new face of Louis Vuitton. YouTube has added a video that is a behind-the-scenes look at the photo shoot for the campaign. The mini-documentary also featrures an interview with designer Marc Jacobs, as well as a unique look at the icon at work. You will drool over the dozens of bags and hundreds of accessories available. This photoshoot is definately the Mecca for fashionista's everywhere.

For a look at the video, click here.

Writer: Kate Murphy

Beauties in Blue

Last night was the 2009 Screen Actors Guild Awards and while watching the red carpet events it became very apparent that the colour of the night was blue.

Our favourite beauty in blue is The Wrestler’s Evan Rachel Wood. Props to her stylist!!!

Kate Winselt in a Narciso Rodriguez gown, Chopard jewels and Christian Louboutin shoes.

Freida Pinto in a pale bluish purple Marchesa gown.

Evan Rachel Wood rocked a dark teal Monique Lhuillier one-shoulder gown. She accessorized her dress with strappy purple Sergio Rossi shoes.

Marcia Cross donned an indigo strapless Carolina Herrera gown. She finished off her look with Jimmy Choo “Clue” platform shoes.

Angelina Jolie wore a conservative Max Azria dress. She finished off her look with Tiffany & Co jewels and Christian Louboutin shoes.











Photos provided by JustJared.com

Writer: Kate Murphy

THE DEVIL HATES EVERYTHING

The September Issue

A new documentary has hit the Sundance Film Festival to much praise, but even more gossip. ‘The September Issue’ is a documentary that follows U.S. Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour as she and her minions put together the holy bible of fashion, which is the September 2007 issue of the infamous magazine. The issue features British actress/fashionista Sienna Miller. The September issue of Vogue is the largest issue ever printed, weighing in at five pounds.

The documentary was filmed by R.J. Cutler. Cutler was given an eight month, no holds barred access to life behind the scenes at fashion week, on shoots, and staff meetings at the head office of Vogue located in Times Square. The documentary features commentary on such controversial issues as celebrity culture and airbrushing. It also offers a rare portrait of the Vogue editor in her role as one of the most influential women in fashion. Her bitchy “ice queen” reputation remains very much intact.

Some of the juicy gossip that comes out of the film revolves around cover girl Sienna Miller. The cover is actually a composite of two separate shots that were taken by famed photographer Mario Testino. Her head is taken from one shot and is superimposed onto another shot of her body. Allegedly Wintour openly criticizes Miller’s appearance, claiming she is too “toothy” and has too many fillings. Miller was also asked to cut her hair, but refused to do so. Apparently this did not go over well with Miss. Wintour.

The documentary also explores the relationship between Wintour and creative director Grace Coddington. They both started working at Vogue on the very same day, but only one could rise to the top. While Coddington is widely regarded as the best fashion stylist in the world, Wintour spends most of the movie merely shooting down every idea that she sees as “uncommercial”. It becomes quite clear that Wintour’s favourite word is “no”.

The documentary debuted Friday and oversold on all of its screenings. Wintour is said to be happy with the documentary, but is also uneasy about a few scenes.

To view the trailer, click here.

Photo provided by Vogue.
Writer: Kate Murphy

Scarlett Johansson for D&G Cosmetics

Scarlett Johansson is the new face of Dolce and Gabbana’s cosmetic line.

In the ad, Scarlett’s image is reminiscent of another iconic blond bombshell, Marilyn Monroe.

The designers chose Scarlett for their ad campaign because they feel her image embodies everything that D&G want to see in a woman. “Scarlett is sure of herself. She’s a beautiful girl, but she’s really easygoing. She is very Dolce & Gabbana.”

Stefano Gabbana revealed that the lipsticks will be rose scented. “We wanted to create makeup with a scent. Domenico and I remember when we were children and opened our mother’s handbags — the scent of her lipstick trailed out. I observed that when women open makeup, they smell it first.”

“We see makeup as another thing for women, like a dress. We worked on the makeup line like we work on a clothing collection — you can change makeup like you can change your clothes, depending on your mood”.

The ads will appear in all major fashion magazines this Spring. The cosmetics themselves will also launch this Spring. Prices for the products range from $20 for nail polish to $59 for powder foundation.

Photo provided by People Magazine.
Writer: Kate Murphy

Belle of the Ball

Michelle Obama’s fairytale gown for the inaugural balls was designed by the young (he’s only 26!) and up-and-coming Jason Wu. Jason Wu even has a Canadian connection, having moved to Vancouver at the age of nine, It was there that Wu began sewing, drafting patterns, and sketching. Wu, now based in New York, designed the chiffon Swarovski-crystal-adorned gown back in December. “I sent several sketches, but the one she picked, the white dress, was actually the very first one I drew.” Wu even delivered the gown personally to Chicago, sitting with it on his lap for the duration of the flight. “There was no way I was checking it in.”

"It's soft, feminine, but powerful; I wanted to convey all that in a dress," Wu told The Associated Press. "I wanted it to look like a sign of hope". Wu also told the Vancouver Sun that he wanted the dress to “embody Michelle Obama's youthful and exuberant style," adding that it was “an honour to dress her for the inaugural ball."

Just like Isabel Toledo, the designer of the inauguration dress, Wu was unaware that Michelle Obama was going to wear his gown to the inaugural balls. “I was just at home with some friends, having a pizza, watching television. Then the president’s wife came out and she was on the screen and it was my design and I just dropped everything. I remember saying, ‘that’s mine’. It was unbelievable. I was screaming, excited, jumping up and down...It was like a dream, except not a dream in a way because I could never have dreamed something like this would happen. I didn’t have any idea she was going to wear the dress.”

Wu has not personally met the First Lady, but Miss. Obama is very familiar with his designs. She was introduced to Wu by André Leon Talley, Vogue’s editor-at-large, who had been advising the First Family on their appearance. Michelle Obama had previously purchased four of Wu’s designs, which can run up to $6,000 each. One of those dresses was worn back in November 2008 for an interview with Barbara Walters. Michelle Obama is now being considered Wu’s ‘career launcher’ because of the attention that her wardrobe brings. Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is also a huge fan and proponent of Wu. Wintour can often be seen at the front row of his fashion shows.

Wu’s inaugural ball gown is now part of fashion history and will be stored in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History collection, along with other First Lady inaugural gowns.

Jason Wu’s designs are sold at U.S. stores such as Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. Unfortunately, Wu’s designs are not yet available in Canada.


Writer: Kate Murphy

THE FIRST DRESS

Not since Jackie Kennedy has fashion been so important to the First Lady of the United States of America.

Michelle Obama wore a lemon yellow tweed coat, cardigan, and dress with a diamanté neckline by Isabel Toledo. Her outfit at first seemed to be a throwback to classic first lady conservatism, but she chose to compliment her yellow dress with a pair of green patent Jimmy Choo 'Glacier' pumps. She accessorized her expensive green pumps with matching affordable green gloves from J. Crew. Pundits had predicted she would steer clear of anything which hinted at ‘bling’ or excess, in view of the worldwide economic crisis.

No one was more shocked to see Mrs. Obama wearing Isabel Toledo than Toledo herself. Toledo’s husband Ruben, a fashion illustrator, described the experience as "...just another shock, but a great shock".

This isn’t the first time the First Lady has worn Isabel Toledo. She previously wore a black tunic and pants for last summer’s New York fundraiser hosted by Anna Wintour and Calvin Klein.

A designer couldn't pay for this type of publicity or support. "She is single-handedly breathing new life into designers like Narciso Rodriguez and Isabel Toledo, who have had a rocky past," said red-carpet and editorial stylist Mary Alice Stephenson.

Toledo, a Cuban-American, attended New York's Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design. Toledo was at one point the creative director of Anne Klein. She’s been designing for over 20 years. You can find her outfits at Barneys New York.

Now we just have to wait and see if Michelle Obama’s style will stand the test of time like her predecessor Jackie Kennedy.

Writer: Kate Murphy

Sofia Coppola for Louis Vuitton

Sofia Coppola is making her directorial debut...as fashion director for Louis Vuitton!

Coppola has teamed up with good friend Marc Jacobs to launch her own line of luxury bags and shoes. Sofia Coppola has already been featured in LV ads along with her director-father Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola has long been a muse to Jacobs, describing her as “young and sweet and innocent and beautiful. The epitome of this girl I fantasize of.”

“To start with I wanted to make a bag for myself and then we talked about making a little capsule collection,” she told WWD. “My friends and I are always searching for the perfect day bag. It fits all your things but isn’t too big and isn’t too heavy.”

Just like Sofia herself, the line is practical and understated. It consists of slouchy duffle bags, discreet clutches, and retro wedge sandals. “I wanted a bag that I could use every day that was coming from the heritage of Louis Vuitton’s great leather goods, not connected to the fashion side of the brand,” Coppola said. She spent about a year working with LV artisans to get things just right. “We went through a lot of prototypes but it was fun. It was always exciting to get a new one and I would try them out and add things.”

"I didn’t want it too slouchy or too structured and definitely not black — people wear so much black that it’s nice to have a bag that’s a different color." The bag comes in four versions: one in dark gray suede, two in calf leather in dark blue and burgundy, and one in LV’s signature monogram canvas.

For evening, Coppola designed four slender compact clutches with buckles resembling Vuitton’s classic trunks. She used model Lauren Hutton, one of her “fashion heroines”, for inspiration. She has also channelled the seventies when it came to designing her peep-toe wedge sandals. She was eager to craft “a heel you can really wear all night and it’s comfortable but still looks chic.”

SC for LV hits stores in March.



Writer: Kate Murphy

Golden Globes Fashion Rundown

The Ugly

Blake Lively: Blake wore a lovely purple-blue gown by Nina Ricci. However, it just didn’t work on Blake. It was 2 sizes too small, and relax we’re not calling her big, because she’s not, but the dress was not very flattering for her figure. Blake Lively made a Nini Ricci dress look like a coveted dress for prom 2009. Her look is just too pageant for our liking.




Jennifer Lopez: J.Lo always wears memorable dresses on the red carpet, and the 2009 Golden Globes was no different. Instead of the infamous green Versace, J.Lo wore a shiny gold Marchesa gown with Lorraine Schwartz jewels. The dress just did not flatter her curvaceous body and was a little too over-the-top for this particular event. J.Lo tried to a little too hard to be her old self.





Renee Zellweger: Renee was a hot mess on the red carpet. The whole ensemble just didn’t work for us, from the dress to the frizzy hair. Renee wore a daring Caroline Herrera organza blouse and silk skirt from the Spring/Summer 2009 collection. She finished off her look with Verdura Maltese cuffs. The outfit is just too old for the 39 year old.




Writer: Kate Murphy

Photos from Just Jared

2009 Golden Globes Fashion Rundown

It was the good, the bad and the ugly. No we’re not talking about a Clint Eastwood movie; we’re talking about the fashion on the red carpet for the 2009 Golden Globe Awards. However, usually when it comes to fashion there’s just the good, and the downright ugly!

The Good

Cameron Diaz: She was one of the few actresses that actually chose a bold colour. Most actresses kept it simple in basic black or neutral tones. Cameron was pretty in a pink taffeta Chanel Haute Couture dress from the 2008/09 Fall/Winter collection. Cameron also wore a one-of-a-kind diamond Camelia dome ring and mini diamond hoop earrings from Chanel Finale Jewelry. She finished her look toting around a Chanel clutch.



Eva Mendes: Eva complimented her gorgeous olive skin tone with a feminine white silk Dior dress with a taffeta bustier. She added a blast of colour with a bold aqua necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels.







Olivia Wilde: The House actress practically floated down the red carpet in a lavender Reem Acra gown.









Kate Winslet: She kept it simple and elegant in black Yves Saint Laurent. In our eyes, Kate Winslet can do no wrong!








Stay tuned for the ugly!

Writer: Kate Murphy

Photos from Just Jared

Madonna Models for Marc

The one and only Madonna can now be added to the long list of celebrities who’ve posed for Louis Vuitton campaigns. Marc Jacobs seems to be the only designer that can lure anyone from Sean Connery to Pharrell Williams, Keith Richards to Mikhail Gorbachev to pose for his collections.

Jacobs decided to go with Madonna for Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer ’09 campaign after seeing one of her concerts in Paris, saying he was “totally just blown away by it, and moved by her performance, by what she had to say, and her energy”. After the concert Jacobs merely texted Madonna asking her to do the campaign and within five minutes she texted back “I’d love to”.

"I wanted the campaign to be very bold, very sensual and very atmospheric. To carry off all these references and all this sophistication, we needed the ultimate performer - and for me, that is Madonna". According to Jacobs, Madonna is the embodiment of what Louis Vuitton is all about; “She’s so sure of herself as an icon and as a woman...What fascinates me the most about her is her never-ending energy, and the idea of becoming and changing. She’s an artist who’s unafraid to use her voice”.

The photographs show a very flexible Madonna in a smoky French-style brasserie. “As cliché as they are, I love all these French references,” the designer confesses. However, the ad was shot a long way from the city of lights or the French countryside. The setting was the restaurant Figaro, on North Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles.

The collection showcases a mix of African and Parisian influences. The African influence is seen in the heavy tribal jewellery and accessories. The French influence is a throwback to the 1940’s flapper with the shoes and skirts emblazoned with fringe and feathers. The ad also shows off the new LV Kalahari bags in monogram canvas and monogram-embossed leather.

Famed photographer Steven Meisel was behind the lens to capture the six-photo series collection, but it was not his first time working with Madonna or Jacobs. Meisel was the photographer behind Madonna’s controversial 1992 “Sex” book. Meisel had previously worked with Jacobs while the designer was working for Perry Ellis. This campaign ends Louis Vuitton’s six year collaboration with photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. A LV spokesperson insists the split was amicable. It is speculated that this is just the first of many collaborations Meisel will have with Vuitton.

Canadian’s should be thankful for Meisel’s magnificent eye. He is credited with discovering and promoting Canada’s own Coco Rocha and Jessica Stam by featuring them in Italian Vogue and other various campaigns.

Antoine Arnault, Vuitton’s director of communications, said the campaign will show “very strongly” in February and March issues. These ads are just a tiny preview of what’s to come. In the mean time Louis Vuitton will continue to run their “Core Values” ads featuring Sean Connery into next year. It is speculated that Louis Vuitton spends more than $250 million annually on advertising, most of it print based.











Writer: Kate Murphy

Wear White 4 Windfall

One of the cardinal rules of fashion is to not wear white after Labour Day. However, on Thursday January 29, 2009, Wear White 4 Windfall along with FABRIC magazine want you to break the rules by donning white in support of fighting poverty in the greater Toronto area. On top of wearing white, a $4 charitable donation is asked, with 100% of the proceeds going to Windfall.

Why white?

White symbolizes the cold and bleak Canadian climate during the winter months, serving as a reminder that winter is the toughest and most dangerous time of the year to be without life’s basic necessities.

What’s Windfall?

Windfall is Canada’s only NEW clothing bank. Windfall is a charitable organization that asks for clothing and other basic-needs donations and distributes them to 69 social service agencies in the city. The articles are then distributed to those who need them most. Windfall hopes to one day defeat the growing crisis of poverty and homelessness in the GTA.

Last year Windfall collected over 235,000 new articles of clothing valued at over 10 million dollars retail!

Windfall does not receive any government funding, therefore donations from corporations and individuals are imperative to the success of the charity and are desperately needed.

Some of the city’s most recognizable faces are also joining the fight against poverty. Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman of CBC’s Steven and Chris, Bustle Clothing designer and Project Runway Canada judge Shawn Hewson, and Breakfast Television host Dina Pugliese are just a few names lending their image and voice to Wear White 4 Windfall.

Wear White 4 Windfall has also teamed up with Canadian fashion designer Franco Mirabelli and Latin American jewellery designer Daniel Espinosa to design one of a kind pieces for the event. Franco Mirabelli is designing a white tee that will be sold in 3 of his boutiques. The tee will be available January 5, with 100% of the proceeds going to Windfall. Daniel Esposito is designing a bracelet for WW4W. The bracelet is available in the beginning of January, with some of the proceeds benefiting Windfall.

If you are interested in donating to Windfall, children’s snowsuits are the single most important and difficult article of clothing to acquire. To combat this problem, Windfall is launching the Toronto School’s Snowsuit Challenge, which asks primary schools to raise $200. The money is then pooled together and Windfall uses its clothing industry connections to purchase snowsuits at cost. However, every bit helps and is truly appreciated.

FABRIC is asking you to break the rules and commit a fashion faux-pas this season, and it’s all for a great cause!

http://ww4w.ca/
http://windfallclothing.ca/

Writer: Kate Murphy