I don't know where to start. When I first saw this Marc by Marc Jacobs Margie velour dress I thought it was sweet in a '70s swinging sort of way. The contrasting colours finished off with the faux double-breasted enamel buttoned look is very retro-chic. You could almost wear this as a tennis dress when you go for a casual game.
Though something was bothering me about the dress. It was velour. Marc by Marc Jacobs has gone and embraced velour? What is going on? After all Juicy Couture's velour tracksuits have moved out of the spotlight (though one of my very good friends still loves them). But then it is the velour that makes it almost affordable.
Happie Loves It were one of the stall-holders at the London Fashion Week exhibition, and I also just recently discovered their boutique in Covent Garden (turns out they're just a minute away from Shiny Towers!).
Stocked full of cute, Japanese-inspired clothing, their name is an apt description of their ethics: design duo Sean and Happie's primary concern is to make clothes that are"comfortable, fun and prehaps most importantly make the person wearing it feel happy". Originally stocking their offerings in a concession at Topshop's Oxford Street boutique, they garnered a healthy following before moving out to set up their own shop.
Nicholas Ghesquiere is changing the women's silhouettes again at Balenciaga. After last season's floral body-reshaping dresses, he's done it again for the latest Autumn/Winter collection at Paris Fashion Week. It seems that the Balenciaga women no longer needs definition in their body, as it will be reshaped any way with stiffly-voluminous pieces, case in point, his shiny scarlett egg-shaped dress. It's so rigid in a oddly tailored way, it puts last season's pieces to shame.
Karl Lagerfeld kept to a moody palette of black, white and navy at his Paris Fashion Week show. Long tuxedo jackets met full, pleated skirts, while black cuffs and fishnet gloves created interesting details. The harsh angular cuts were balanced out with rounded shoulderlines, while fur boleros went some way towards softening the stark looks. Bottom halves were kept simple and sleek, with demure flared trousers or sheer black tights, paired with black patent flat oxfords.
Oscars update, Marion Cotillard's dress wins poll and more Diablo Cody controversy
From left: Kristin Chenoweth, Marion Cotillard, Diablo Cody
So the votes are in and your favourite Oscars dress was Marion Cotillard's fish scale dress with 51% of the votes. Taking a sartorial risk paid off for the French actress who won the 'Best Actress' for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in 'La Vie en Rose'. She looks even more spectacular when you consider just how much she looked like Piaf in the film, the physical transformation is amazing. One of our commenters Becky suggested that Kristin Chenoweth should have won it, and admittedly it's a gorgeous frock!
Erin Featherston picks Kirsten Dunst and Zooey Deschanel for LA Fashion Week film
Zooey Deschanel and Kirsten Dunst regularly crop up as fashion influences on CQ so when I heard that they are set to star in a fashion flick for Erin Featherston it immediately set my mind racing.
There's no title as yet but the film will be shown on the 7th March at the West Hollywood Hotspot Villa for Los Angeles Fashion Week where Featherston will be showcasing her latest collection.
Dunst has already starred in Featherston's first film, the Ellen Von Unwerth directed Wendybird which is a beautiful reverie about metropolitain workers escaping their dreary life through Featherston's clothes. Erin Featherston also shot Dollhouse with Von Unwerth, a film starring Darla Baker to promote her range for Target. Both videos are after the jump, so take a look!
While the fashion world still grinds and chews in rapture/distaste for Gaultier's rampantly-pelted Paris A/W collection, UK fashion house WildlifeWorks have been working with the RSPCA to "design a dress that puts animal welfare at the top of the fashion industry agenda". Basing the company philosphy upon consumer-powered conservation, CEO Andrew Smith created the ethically-made dress after winning Fashion Retailer of the Year 2007 at the RSPCA Good Business Awards.
Having debuted during London Fashion Week as part of their "global traveller"-inspired A/W '08-9 collection, the RSPCA dress is a concoction of delicate georgette silk and chiffon. It go on sale for £350 from mid-July, £40 of which is donated to the RSPCA. A further 3% of total sales will go towards funding WildlifeWorks' eco-factory and wildlife sanctuary in Kenya. What do you think of this example of high fashion with a conscience? Are you keen to be green, or bored of the "green wash" effect? Meanwhile, check out our sister site Hippyshopper for more eco-fashion news...
Ralph Rucci, James Galanos honoured with Academy of Art University Awards
April 25 will be a special day for fashion designers Ralph Rucci and James Galanos: as well as receiving the Doctorate of Humane Letters for their contributions to art and design, Rucci will get the International Designer Award, while Galanos, whose most prolific client was Nancy Reagan, will be bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Designer Award by The School of Fashion at Academy of Art University in San Francisco. The American designers will be joining the luminous hall of past winners, including the 'king of cling' Azzedine Alaïa and Alexander McQueen, while Loulou de la Falaise and Zac Posen won accolades last year.
"Both Ralph Rucci and James Galanos are known for their impeccable taste and technique," explained university president Dr. Elisa Stephens. The newly-crowned designers will attend the award ceremony and address the university's students in a panel discussion, and often select interns on the strength of their portfolios and design work. "The students are excited to have two of America's greatest fashion designers speak to them and view their work. We are truly honored to have this opportunity."
As if we didn't already wish we had a Target in the UK already here comes the news that Zac Posen is designing a range for the retailer in Australia. The New York-based designer has come with with two collections called 'Glamour' and 'Tailoring' (see after the jump for images) featuring classic pieces including draped dresses and gorgeously cut trouser suits.
The showpiece of the collection is a stunning red dress modelled on the fishtail gown Katherine Heigl wore to the Emmys last year. It comes in red and black and retails at 299.99 AUD which the most expensive item in the collection. My personal favourite is the cowl neck jersey dress (left) which retails at 139.99 AUD, now how can I get to Australia?!
Floofy frocks! Rampant ruffles! Distressed fringing! Minimalism was clearly not the word at Comme des Garçons' catwalk show for Paris Fashion Week... although all this excess material was not put in the more, er, conventional places. Cut-out panels and artful placements exposed bare midriffs and torsos, and there were many variations on a theme: three tuxedo jackets with varying sizes of missing panels, for example, and black skirts of different lengths sharing similar risqué cutaway top-halves. Flesh, it seems, should be shown to the world; even the most substantial dresses have a distinct 'undergarment' design. Ooh la la indeed...
Is the US recession having an effect on Fashion Week?
From left: Balenciaga, Gareth Pugh, Christian Dior
We're nearing the end of the fashion season and disgruntled rumblings are already being heard about the clothes. Even from designers such as Prada who usually wear their eccentric hearts on their sleeves the mood has been conservative and dare I say it a little sombre as the spectre of a US recession casts a shadow over the fashion world.
The hype surrounding the so-called 'credit crunch' which has led to repossessions and increasing debt in the US has sparked fears of a worldwide recession. The weak dollar has prevented buyers from large stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys attending London Fashion Week. "London designers are the icing on the cake," said Averyl Oates, the fashion director of Harvey Nichols. "And these days no one needs extra icing."
For those that find they just can't say no... now you can just wear it, loud and clear. Viktor & Rolf started their Paris catwalk show with the slightly surreal grey coat, featuring an eye-poppingly enormous 'NO' slogan; along with 'Wow' and 'Dream on', the word was also painted onto models' faces and emblazoned on belt buckles and T-shirts.
The Dutch pair gave a fun, quirky show, filled with sheer blouses and flirty party frocks. Bright bursts of red broke up the more subdued and cold greys, blacks and plums. Not for them the stiff fitted shape: with big sleeves and shapes eminiscent of a bygone era, ruffles and flares gave emphasis to movement, sparkling as the metallic embellishments (actually gold staples, in place of stitching!) hit the light.
Alexander McQueen's amazing drape dresses have been gracing the bods of major players in the fashion world: Sienna Miller, Lucy Liu and Katie Holmes have all been papped in various versions of the sculptural dress. For those that can't afford the $2,280 it costs at Bergdorf Goodman, you can give a sage nod to the trend with this Warehouse drape top. The dark brown colour is pretty versatile, and you could even slide a contrasting patent belt in for the full effect! It will never be the quite same, of course. But for £30, there's not much more you can ask for...
You might have noticed Tilda Swinton's diamond studded bracelet but while all the Oscars festivities was going on Diamani, the company who lent Tilda the bracet, was being looted by thieves.
The criminals managed to steal £10 million worth of jewellery under 40 minutes which no mean feat! The story gets even more fantastical as you hear that the gang dug a tunnel from an unused cellar and seven of the thieves donned fake Guardia di Finanza uniforms.
Thankfully no-one was hurt in the incident which saw staff members bound and locked in toilets. Diamani's most valuable pieces had been shipped to the US for the company's Oscar party at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel but diamond-studded gold necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings were among the items missing.
Bar Rafaeli is best known for being Leonardo Di Caprio's girlfriend as well as a Sports Illustrated cover girl. The 22 year old Israeli model can now add being the face of Accessorize’s spring 2008 campaign to her portfolio. Her glowing blonde looks perfectly show off Accessorize’s beach friendly wear and accessories. If only we could all look as good has her as we lounged around the beach… Rafaeli follows in the footsteps of former Accessorize faces which includes the like of Mischa Barton, Heidi Klum, Kelly Osbourne and Lily Cole. Though unlike Heidi, she didn’t get to design her own small collection of bags.
Liya Kebede, model cum actress and children's wear designer
Did you know that Ethiopian model, Liya Kebede is no longer a face of Estée Lauder? Where was that announcement, or am I just out of the loop on that bit of news? According to WWD they parted ways last summer, with Kebede dabbling in acting (according to IMDB she’s costarring in a movie called ItW with Alan Cumming, Terance Howard, Rosie Perez and Garbage’s Shirley Manson) as well as designing a children’s wear line called Lemlem, a line of handwoven clothing made in Ethiopia. "I always wanted to do something to help the garment industry in Africa," she said. She’s doing all of this, and she’s the mother of two.
Has anyone else noticed a trend with models at the moment wanting to prove they’re more than just a pretty face? Modelling seems to be just used as a launching pad to something else. We should be so lucky ;)
This dress isn't a piece I'd usually look at twice but something about it caught my eye. I love the soft lilac colour and the circular fabric flowers. It would be really easy to tart up and wear with nothing but some heels but with a bit of thought you could really make the most of this dress.
I'd team it with pale grey leggings and a short lacy slip to layer things up and a a soft leather jeacket or oversized blazer to dilute some of the feminity of the dress.
If you fancy layering things up then head over to Oli where the dress is £65.
The impeccably groomed Patricia Turck Paquelier has set the rumour mill going with reports she might be in talks with Maison Martin Margiela with a view to producing a fragrance. The L'Oréal executive was spotted at the Margiela show on Monday at a time when sources say the label is looking to expand into the lucrative perfume and eyewear markets.
However Turck Paquelier dispelled the rumours saying: "I am invited to many shows, be it in Paris or Milan, because my business unit is known specifically for fine fragrance designer brands," adding: "We are also good friends with Renzo, who kindly invited me to the show." Renzo Rosso is head of Only the Brave Srl who own Margiela.
Talk about making impressions: while PETA seethes, Jean Paul Gaultier bares teeth. Ever one to create a talking point, Gaultier moves from fish (Marion Cotillard's Oscar dress) to fur in his A/W collection for Paris Fashion Week.
Striding to a rather alarming mix of bleats and beats (a remix of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' with animal calls), the models were decked out in a savage array of stuffed animal details and skins. Heads were placed on heads, tails hung from hips, and whole fox pelts were strewn across long trains as Gaultier threw the gauntlet down at animal welfare groups.
Gwen Stefani looking amazing on the cover of V magazine March/April 2008
You might have to look twice, but this isGwen Stefani on the cover of V’s March/April 2008 cover. It’s a fantatic example of how with the right hair, make up and clothes, you can look 20 years younger. I love that Gwen’s pale skin contrasts so dramatically against the bright patterned dress, strawberry blonde hair and sharp black head piece. Though when you consider that it was photographed by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott photographed it (they also photographed the Kristen Dunst for Miu Miu spring campaign) it shouldn’t come as such a surprise as it is a signature of theirs.
This Stefani cover is just one of three V covers she will grace for the March/April 2008 issue. Do you love or hate it?
My cousin is getting married! I just heard last night. Aside from initial responses of surprise and excitement, the inevitable question popped into my head: what am I going to wear?
At the moment I'm eyeing up this Nightingale dress by luxury label Motasem. Oozing understated simplicity, this piece from the current S/S collection has found its way into the A/W line, which suggests the design must be popular (and versatile!). A perfect blend of nautical and Grecian trends, I love the contrasting colours and cute puffed sleeves. The empire line and silky crepe-de-chine makes it look both flattering and oh-so-comfortable - perfect for taking me through service, reception and photos. Its svelte elegance ensures that it can be worn to other formal events, too!
Motasem's dresses are all ethically made in the UK, and available made-to-order directly from a sample collection. Priced £395 at Harriet's Muse, it's beyond my current budget, but its timeless quality does suggest it's a great investment piece. What do you think?
News doing the rounds last night was that supermodel–cum–GQ writer Naomi Campbell was been hospitalized in São Paolo. First there were reported that she was "being treated by one of Brazil's top specialists in infectious diseases," according to the reps at Sirio Libanes Hospital. But her reps say she's actually in hospital to "have a small cyst removed" and that it was a "successful procedure."
Dr. Jose Aristodemo Pinotti, a gynecologist, told The Associated Press by telephone that Campbell underwent abdominal surgery. "I cannot reveal what Naomi had, nor how serious her condition was, but I can say I operated on her yesterday, that everything went smoothly and that she is completely cured and walking in her room," Pinotti said. "She came to Brazil to be treated for a condition I am not authorized to reveal." He described the procedure as a laparoscopy, in which doctors use a thin, lighted scope to view internal organs.
Let's hope she gets better soon and the original reports were wrong.
Paris Fashion Week A/W 2008-9: Maison Martin Margiela
Martin Margiela's show yesterday evening followed on from his last collection with draping jersey and built-up shoulders but the Americana t-shirts and distressed denim were gone a replaced by cobwebby knits, leopard print and brocade and fur. He seemed to be taking clichés of sexy dressing and turning them on their head in his own inimitable way.
If the Oscars was anything to go by, the endless debates and polls on our "favourite/most hated dresses" only proves that fashion icons are in high demand. Articles go on about how certain stylish stars "disappoint" our expectations (yes, Nicole, they're talking about you). Last year, we featured three of our favourite girls whose styles we love: Misses Deschanel, Ditto and Shoniwa. We all agreed that these girls are 'cool': they have their own styles and know how to rock them.
We still have little disagreements over celeb fashion in Shiny Towers, and our personal style icons are very individual choices. The truth of the matter is, just as style is a very personal choice, so are our favourite fashion mavens. Sure, we can all appreciate that Kate Moss always looks cool, Dita's demure look is perfect, and Mary-Kate Olsen rocks the grungy vintage. But none of them are my icons. And the ones that are... can be quite embarrassing. So what elevates a star to iconic status? What do we look for? And who are the Shiny girls' secret fashion icons? Read on to find out...
They call me mellow yellow... except I wouldn't feel very mellow in this canary get-up; I'd feel more like bouncing around and maybe kicking a few puddles.
This yellow dress and raincoat from H&M's Spring/Summer range puts the sun back on the streets. I love the cute ruffle detail on the minidress, and the great button details on the raincoat. If you dare to go bright, yellow is definitely the colour to shine in this season!
Rachel Bilson at the Jumper premier in Japan - sporting a fringe!
Rachel Bilson is sporting an adorable new hairdo - a nice fringed do - at the Japan premiere of her newest movie, Jumper. I love that she is smiling, after all who can keep a straight face with co-star Hayden Christensen and movie director, Doug Liman hamming it up during the photos by her side? Her strapless pale green Zac Posen dress is gorgeous, the inky colours at the bottom are just stunning and it suits her figure beautifully. I think it looks better on her than it did on the runway model... it's nice when a girl smiles.
What do you think of Rachel’s dress and her new fringe?
Barbara Hulanicki is holding an exhibition at The Coningsby Gallery in London next month. Hulanicki is showing a collection of illustrations and as you can see they're instantly recognisable as Biba. The founder of the cult label has spent the last fifteen years as an interior designer for hotels around the world but this is her first ever exhibition. It runs from the 3rd to the 8th of March, but if you miss out on that she's currently designing wallpaper for Habitat which I'm looking forward to seeing.
For more information about the exhibition visit The Coningsby Gallery's site.
Amy Winehouse to launch beauty & clothing collections
Rumours swirled in March last year about Amy Winehouse launching her own clothing line, then again in August 2007 saying she was going to launch her own denim line. So, it’s another few months later and the rumours have reappeared. This time the Sun is reporting that not only is Winehouse set to launch a clothing line, but also beauty line. According to the report, she has meetings scheduled for this week to talk to people about releasing a collection, with the range set to include Winehouse signatures like liquid eyeliner and hairspray so you can achieve the "Amy" look. A pal told The Sun that “Amy’s style has been copied by girls around the country and there’s a lot of money to be made. It’s a very distinctive look.She wants to bring out a range of cosmetics and fashion products. There could be hairspray, head scarves, liquid eyeliner, perfume.”
Question is, would you buy something ‘as seen’ or ‘as designed/inspired by’ Amy Winehouse?
Trust Vivienne Westwood to venture outside the box once more for her Paris A/W 2008 show. While she used the London catwalk as a vehicle for protesting about justice and civil rights, in Paris it was all about ecological issues.
Entitled 'Chaos Point', her collection featured insects and plants diligently painted by 7-year-old primary schoolchildren. Her statement about global warming and material excess seem addressed through an abundance of fabric, tucked and draped over brightly face-painted models.
There's nothing guaranteed to life my spirits than a picture of the wide-eyed Masha, except maybe a picture of the wide-eyed Masha with eye make-up that makes her peepers even bigger!
I thought the 'dead socialite' look had died a death when Rachel Zoe fell out of favour with her LA starlets but at Christian Dior the look was well and truly alive Galliano hemmed in his usual kookyness to produce a retro slice of psychedelia.
Today the Oxford Union will be host to the renowned 'Dragon Lady' from Vogue, Anna Wintour.
Arguably the most influential and powerful figure in the current fashion world (and upon whom Meryl Streep's character in 'The Devil Wears Prada' was based), the Editor-in-Chief will be speaking at the famous forum about her media career, from her humble beginnings in the fashion department of London's Harpers & Queen in 1988 to her success at American Vogue. She will also be talking about her charity work for AIDS research and the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The event will begin at 6pm this evening in Oxford - hurry for seats! [Pui-Tien Man]
My sister came home from school raving yesterday about her friend's new dress, and I can see why. New Look's Cut-Out dress is rather luxuriously made of 100% silk, which always hangs beautifully.
Teal is a flattering colour on many skintones, and the rather busy top half is nicely balanced by the sleek bottom half. The flowery cut-outs are a nod to this season's floral trend without going down the well-trodden print route. And look at how the design slims your waist: finally, the rule of the shapeless smock is finally over; the feminine silhouette is in! Wear it alone with heels for going out, or over skinny jeans for a classy day-to-day look. You could always put a contrasting coloured top underneath to make the floral shapes pop! Get yours for £35 at New Look. [Pui-Tien Man]
Diablo Cody says no thanks to Stuart Weitzman's Oscar shoes
I noticed Diablo Cody's flats at the Oscars yesterday and thought she just chose them to match her dress but apparently the reason behind her choice of footwear is a lot more juicy than we originally thought. She was supposed to be wearing the $1 million dollar Stuart Weitzman shoes pictured on the left of the picture above, but Oscar-winning Cody had other ideas and wore the gold flats. Click here to find out why.
Iekeliene Stange, fashion photographs from her perspective
What do you do when you’re a working model with a time to spare? Pull out the camera and take some shots of course. Dutch model, Iekeliene Stange, has been taking photographs of the backstage buzz during the moments between getting her hair and make up done and walking down the runway. The photographs are all from "from my perspective," the current face of Topshop said. And she’s going to be sharing the photographs too, with an exhibition planned for London showing her photographs from the last few seasons of her working model life. Can’t wait to see her photographs? Well according to WWD some of the pictures have been printed in magazines like Muse, The Room, Madame Figaro and Japanese Harper's Bazaar.
Designers seem to be multi-talented these days, but it should come as no surprise that the off-beat Gareth Pugh is versatile in other arts. According to WWD, Pugh will be hitting the decks tonight at a party hosted by Richard Mortimer. It's not his first time spinning the tracks either, he DJ'd at style journalist Camilla Morton's book launch during London Fashion Week last September.
Let's hope his track selection is not a love-it-or-hate-it affair like his designs.
Mad props to Hippyshopper for tipping us off about Fashion Conscience's new items for the spring. We're big fans of Fashion Conscience at Catwalk Queen and their roster of designers is just getting better and better. Names like Ciel, Camilla Norrback (pictured left) and Del Forte who make the best jeans.
As well as hot new clothes Fashion Conscience has announced that it's now shipping internationally so you can get your green designer fix from anywhere in the world!
Full skirts have been ultra-popular on the runways for Autumn/Winter, and what better way to look forward to the Fall season than with this charming 'Apple Picking' wrap skirt? I am in love with these juicy designs, all hand-sewn and screenprinted by Hannah Kopacz. The little worms are the cutest touch! They would certainly be the pick of my wardrobe. [Pui-Tien Man]
With a choice between 'Granny Smith' or 'Red Delicious' screen prints (and co-ordinating grosgrain ribbon ties), these skirts are really sweet enough to eat. Get one for $68 from her website, madewithlovebyhannah.com
From left to right: Ann-Marie Duff, Diablo Cody, Vanessa Paradis, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge
The Academy Awards is always a frockfest but celebs so fear the wrath of fashion pundits that their Oscar choices are often quite bland. I've picked some of my favourite unusual dresses from the event and while they might not be to everyone's liking they show that you can look hot without resorting to the strapless fishtail uniform. See after the jump for my rundown, I'm saluting them for going out on a limb!
With all the excitement surrounding the Oscars and the other fashion weeks, London Fashion Week already almost seems a distant memory! But we mustn't forget the amazing collections that were shown here, especially by the New Gen designers.
The On|Off event at London Fashion Week is always a great launchpad for up-and-coming talent, and this year was no exception. So you've heard the designers speak; you've taken a peek and read about their collections; now you can buy their creations exclusively from Oli's online On|Off boutique. From Aimee McWilliams to Yuchi, Oli offers some great picks from these relative new kids on the block - these are true investment pieces before the designers hit the big time.
You can also catch the show on the road: the OnlOff exhibition is globe-trotting to Atmosphère in Paris later this month, and has even created a virtual presence in Second Life. Til then, check out CQ's exclusive video interviews with the On|Off designers during LFW, here and here!
[Pui-Tien Man]
All the limelight (and camera lenses) may be firmly fixed on the Academy Awards right now, but can you believe other things are still happening? (no, really?!) We cast a roving eye around the blogosphere to catch up with the latest posts on non-Oscar-related news...
The Queens go thrifting to prove a right royal outfit needn't cost a kingdom [Kingdom of Style]
Ringo indulges in that well-known pick-me-up: trying on designer labels you have no hope of affording... [Ringo, Have a Banana!]
Fishnets are in...and out! Omiru nets a split reader vote... [Omiru]
In the spirit of Paris Fashion Week, WWWD breaks down French fashion icon Lou Doillon's rocking outfit (pictured). Ooh la la! [WhoWhatWearDaily]
FabSugarUK thinks this Sweeney Todd 'Look of the Day' outfit is shear brilliance... [FabSugarUK]
Why should ties be solely reserved for men? With the right length and shape, a skinny necktie can be sexy and funky, and an individual way to create a style. Click after the jump for Ellen Page's cute take on the menswear trend at the Independent Spirit Awards!
For the best choice in fabrics and prints (and diagrams on how to tie them!), look no further than the Original Girl Tye™. According to their website, Girl Tyes are "not just a man's tie for women. Or a woman's scarf slimmed down". Conceived by designer Mary Gallea, they're designed specially to complement women's wardrobes, in a variety of luxurious silks, cute cottons and hand-painted batiks, plaids and prints. Their must-have accompaniment is the "flaire," mix-and-match lapel pins of vintage bead or metal cast designs to customize your look...
Antony Hegarty has been a busy bee recently, as well as lending his gorgeous voice to hot new band of the moment Hercules and Love Affair Antony is also designing a one-off dress for Yoox. The dress which is going to be a white silk jersey dress will be auctioned off on the fashion site with all profits going to Sylvia Rivera Law Project, a charity which helps promote the rights of transgendered people. The dress has been designed to suit all body types and Hegarty has decribed it as an abstract connection between light and the world around it, “When I think of the type of person who will wear the dress, I think of a ghost,” he added.
In the meantime check the video for the Hercules and Love Affair single 'Blind' which stars Jaime Winstone and comes out on the 3rd March.
[Source]
The Oscars in 2008 were quite a glittering affair, with simple dresses no where to be seen on the red carpet... here's our round up of trends and fabulous dresses on the red carpet...
Strapless and fabulous. I'm a big fan of strapless gowns (probably because I read somewhere that the last place you gain weight it around your shoulders and décolletage), so of course I love these dresses on the Oscar's red carpet. Renee Zellweger wore a silver Carolina Herrera gown, embellished with sparkles it really shone on the red carpet, requiring minimal jewellery. Mum-to-be- Jessica Alba, who's reportedly in her third trimester wore a gorgeous plum coloured Marchesa dress, which matched her skin tone and hid her burgeoning belly beautifully. Cameron Diaz made her first red carpet appearance in a while in in a pale pink Christian Dior dress - the folded fabric detail looked like intricate Japanese origami and it just shows off her slim figure so well! Keri Russell kept her dress simple in a chic little number by Nina Ricci, and another ShinyStyle favourite - Amy Adams in a emerald green Proenza Schouler gown. The green looked great against her red hair.
Oscars 2008: Hilary Swank, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Garner
The Oscars in 2008 were quite a glittering affair, with simple dresses no where to be seen on the red carpet... here's our round up of trends and fabulous dresses on the red carpet...
While red may have been a hot red carpet colour, black was also out in force thanks to red carpet regulars, though there was enough embellishment and detail to decorate an entire wedding party. Hilary Swank’s one shoulder Versace dress was very pretty, giving the Oscar winning actress a soft feminine appeal. Mum-to-be Nicole Kidman chose a chic simple black dress, but blinged it up with a gorgeous diamond necklace designed by her stylist, L’Wren Scott. Penelope Cruz’s dress ruffled and draped at every curve, emphasizing her slim body before flaring out into a fish tail train. My first thought was 'oh my, could there be too much detail on her small frame?' Meanwhile, Andrea at Shiny Style loved Jennifer Garner’s Oscar de la Renta gown. With it’s seemingly simple bodice, if you look closely it’s all ruched before opening out into a Spanish style ruffled skirt.
None of these dresses blew me away, but they are pretty dresses for pretty women.
Oscars 2008: Helen Mirren, Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathway, Heidi Klum and Katherine Heigl
The Oscars in 2008 were quite a glittering affair, with simple dresses no where to be seen on the red carpet... here's our round up of trends and fabulous dresses on the red carpet...
Here are the ladies in red (click image to enlarge). As ShinyStyle pointed out, red was the trend for 2008, with Dame Helen Mirren wearing a beautiful Georges Chakra gown offset by the lace sleeves, Miley Cyrus looked way beyond her teenage years in a body hugging Valentino dress. It was such a gorgeous dress, so one can't blame the girl for wanting to wear it! Anne Hathaway wore the red carpet critics favourite, a Marchesa gown with beautiful floral embellishment around the shoulder and bust, with folds of fabrics draped towards the bottom for a stunning grecian look. Heidi Klum wore a very bold red Dior Haute Couture dress, which I'm glad she wore in red. If it were in a darker colour she could look like the wicked witch in Snow White. (Sorry Heidi, I love you in Project Runway, but that's just what comes to mind).Finally Katherine Heigl sported Marilyn Monroe curly blonde locks, wearing a chic one shouldered Escada dress.
The Academy Awards held a fashion show a few days go, predicting what trends they think we will see on the red carpet in just a few hours. They look at the stunning gowns worn by Audrey Hepburn, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hilary Swank and Renee Zellweger at previous Oscar's and preview creations made by the likes of Valentino, Armani and Dior on the runway. Besides just red carpet looks, we get to check out the expensive jewels that are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars - stunning.
Watch the video and see if you can spot any of the dresses previewed on the red carpet.
Stay tuned to CatwalkQueen.tv for our red carpet coverage set to start in just a few hours!
When you hear the words 'dungaree dress' you don't think of this beauty (£39.50) from Marks and Spencer. In a gorgeous minky colour it's got great panelling detail which gives you lots of shape and I love the pocket details.
Layer it up with a charcoal tee and leggings for now and wear it in its unadorned glory come summer; either way it's a winner! Marks and Spencer have the model wearing chunky heels but I think white canvas pumps would be a great way to dress it down and would set off the mink colour beautifully.
Frock Horror of the Week: Abigail Clancy at Brit Awards 2008
I'm still not 100 per cent sure who Abigail Clancy is. From what I can gather, she was once a runner-up on Britain's Next Top Model and is now a WAG (girlfriend of English footballer Peter Crouch). I think that pretty much explains why I'm now seeing her in this... erm... sheath?! Grab some stretchy material, cut two holes out for your arms and a bigger one for your head and ladies, you've got yourself a hoisery style dress! Even on the off-chance that Abi wasn't aware her sheath was see-through, surely her underwear alone deserves a gentle rap across the knuckles. Honestly... it's the Brit Awards; there are children watching!
I don't know where to start. When I first saw this Marc by Marc Jacobs Margie velour dress I thought it was sweet in a '70s swinging sort of way. The contrasting colours finished off with the faux double-breasted enamel buttoned look is very retro-chic. You could almost wear this as a tennis dress when you go for a casual game. 
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While the fashion world still grinds and chews in rapture/distaste for 
April 25 will be a special day for fashion designers Ralph Rucci and James Galanos: as well as receiving the Doctorate of Humane Letters for their contributions to art and design, Rucci will get the International Designer Award, while Galanos, whose most prolific client was Nancy Reagan, will be bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Designer Award by The School of Fashion at Academy of Art University in San Francisco. The American designers will be joining the luminous hall of past winners, including the 'king of cling' Azzedine Alaïa and Alexander McQueen, while Loulou de la Falaise and Zac Posen won accolades last year. 
You might have noticed 
Did you know that Ethiopian model, 
This dress isn't a piece I'd usually look at twice but something about it caught my eye. I love the soft lilac colour and the circular fabric flowers. It would be really easy to tart up and wear with nothing but some heels but with a bit of thought you could really make the most of this dress. 
The impeccably groomed Patricia Turck Paquelier has set the rumour mill going with reports she might be in talks with 
You might have to look twice, but this is Gwen Stefani on the cover of 
My cousin is getting married! I just heard last night. Aside from initial responses of surprise and excitement, the inevitable question popped into my head: what am I going to wear? 
News doing the rounds last night was that supermodel–cum–GQ writer Naomi Campbell was been hospitalized in São Paolo. First there were reported that she was "being treated by one of Brazil's top specialists in infectious diseases," according to the reps at Sirio Libanes Hospital. But her reps say she's actually in hospital to "have a small cyst removed" and that it was a "successful procedure." 
If the Oscars was anything to go by, the endless debates and polls on our "favourite/most hated dresses" only proves that fashion icons are in high demand. Articles go on about how certain stylish stars "disappoint" our expectations (yes, Nicole, they're talking about you). Last year, we featured three of our favourite girls whose styles we love: Misses 
They call me mellow yellow... except I wouldn't feel very mellow in this canary get-up; I'd feel more like bouncing around and maybe kicking a few puddles. 
Rumours swirled in March last year about 
Today the 
My sister came home from school raving yesterday about her friend's new dress, and I can see why.
What do you do when you’re a working model with a time to spare? Pull out the camera and take some shots of course. Dutch model, Iekeliene Stange, has been taking photographs of the backstage buzz during the moments between getting her hair and make up done and walking down the runway. The photographs are all from "from my perspective," the current face of Topshop said. And she’s going to be sharing the photographs too, with an exhibition planned for London showing her photographs from the last few seasons of her working model life. Can’t wait to see her photographs? Well according to WWD some of the pictures have been printed in magazines like Muse, The Room, Madame Figaro and Japanese Harper's Bazaar.
Designers seem to be multi-talented these days, but it should come as no surprise that the off-beat Gareth Pugh is versatile in other arts. According to WWD, Pugh will be hitting the decks tonight at a party hosted by Richard Mortimer. It's not his first time spinning the tracks either, he DJ'd at style journalist Camilla Morton's book launch during London Fashion Week last September.
Mad props to Hippyshopper for 
Full skirts have been ultra-popular on the runways for Autumn/Winter, and what better way to look forward to the Fall season than with this charming 
With all the excitement surrounding the Oscars and the other fashion weeks, London Fashion Week already almost seems a distant memory! But we mustn't forget the amazing collections that were shown here, especially by the New Gen designers.
All the limelight (and camera lenses) may be firmly fixed on the Academy Awards right now, but can you believe other things are still happening? (no, really?!) We cast a roving eye around the blogosphere to catch up with the latest posts on non-Oscar-related news...
Why should ties be solely reserved for men? With the right length and shape, a skinny necktie can be sexy and funky, and an individual way to create a style. Click after the jump for Ellen Page's cute take on the menswear trend at the Independent Spirit Awards! 
When you hear the words 'dungaree dress' you don't think of 
