Lanvin Opens Without A Bang On Rodeo Dr.

Lanvin finally opens on Rodeo Dr. with a celebratory window display of balloons and bright colors, but without a big opening party. They must be planning something for later. Maybe around Oscar weekend?
UPDATE: LA Times reports that the opening party is set for late March, when Mr. Elbaz will make the trip from Paris to celebrate. 

Related articles: Store Openings Around The City,
Vivienne Westwood, Tom Ford, and Lanvin Stores Are Opening Very Soon!

Paris Haute Couture For The Red Carpet

With the SAG Awards tomorrow night and the Oscars around the corner, I can't wait to see which gowns from Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris end up on the red carpet. Elie Saab had by far the most red carpet worthy dresses. It was hard to choose my favorite pieces from their pretty and delicate collection. Some of my other favorites include gowns by Dior, Chanel, and Valentino. Dior's tulle filled dresses were inspired by legendary fashion illustrator René Gruau while Chanel kept it soft and simple and Valentino brought back it's signature ruffles.

Milan Fashion Week begins on February 23, which is only days before the Oscars.  It's without a doubt that celebrity stylists will be fighting over last minute Haute Couture for their clients.
 

Elie Saab Haute Couture 2011

Elie Saab Haute Couture 2011

Dior Haute Couture Spring 2011

Sneak Peak Inside The New Vivienne Westwood Store!

Last night one of the windows of the Vivienne Westwood store on Melrose was uncovered. It looked like they were hard at work preparing for the opening. As I drove by, I was able to snap a couple of photos of the inside of the store. It's looking amazing!  Their PR rep hasn't confirmed an opening date, but said the store will open very soon.

Vivienne Westwood, Tom Ford, and Lanvin Stores Are Opening Very Soon!

The Vivienne Westwood store on Melrose Ave. should be opening any day now. Over the weekend, I was super excited to see Westwood's name made out of hot pink fluorescent lights. It has a funky and creative aesthetic that has come to be expected from Westwood. The signage is also identical to the Tokyo storefront. Starting on Wednesday, I followed the fast unveiling of the store. First, the gold doors with the logo were uncovered. Then, the whole storefront was revealed and finally the hot pink sign was put on. It was a very exciting week, to say the least.  UPDATE: According to Blackburn and Sweetzer, the store is expected to open the first week in February and Racked LA heard it's opening in March. 

In Beverly Hills, I'm still axiously awaiting the opening of the Tom Ford store.  The storefront has a new photo of Tom Ford dipping Abby Lee Kershaw in his S/S 2011 blue sequence dress.  The store is expected to open Oscar weekend with a very intimate cocktail party which will include an elite VIP guest list hand picked by Mr. Ford.  I can imagine the guest list will be very similar to his highly secreative runway show back in September.

Further down Rodeo Dr., Lanvin's whismical signage is down and a gold "Lanvin" sign is up.  I'm already missing the colorful and playful signage but I'm sure the window displays will make up for it once it opens. The store is excepted to open any day.

Related article: Store Openings Around The City

Style Crushing - Lucy Hale

With the return of the cult-hit Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family, I have a serious style crush on Lucy Hale. I can't enough of her edgy yet feminine style, which is very similar to her PLL character Aria. My crush began when she was on Privileged and ever since then I've been hooked. The thing I love most about her is that she doesn't take herself too seriously and has a unique style of her own.  In fact, she recently told Teen Vogue "If I think it's cute, I'll wear it." 

Teen Vogue recently included Lucy in their 50 best-dressed celebrities list and put her on the cover of their February issue. I absolutely love the styling for the cover photo shoot and especially the playful ways they used colors and prints. In her video interview she talks about her personal style and says that although she usually keeps to basics such as black and white, she is trying to incorporate color into her red carpet style. Although I agree that color is important, my favorite red carpet looks are the two black dresses below. She also talks about wanting to take more fashion risks and admires people that really go for it. A few more fashion risks and Miss Little Pretty will definitely be on her way to becoming a fashion world darling.

In an interview with PLL's costume designer Mandi Line for Stylist.com, she reveals that Aria's style is actually affordable fashion and shops at LF in Larchmont, Polkadots and Moonbeams on W. Third St., and Wasteland on Melrose. Although I obsess over the fashion on Gossip Girls, and back in the day, Sex and the City, the attainable fashion on PLL is more relatable and along the lines of my own style.     

Who What Wear also interviewed Lucy in July and the photos look like they are right out of a designer's lookbook. Featuring labels such as Rebecca Minkoff, Opening Ceremony, J Brand, and many vintage pieces from The Way We Wore shop, I'm dying to get my hands on every look. She mentions in her interview that her favorite piece in her wardrobe is a black lace strapless dress that she found at a vintage store. The black dress she wore to the Young Hollywood Awards (shown below) looks like it could be that dress. I agree, Lucy, it's also one of my favorites. It especially stands out with those red Brain Atwood pumps.

A look at Lucy's red carpet style:

Brian Atwood - The New Louboutin?

Move aside red sole heels, a new sexy heel is taking over Hollywood.  It seemed for a long time that Louboutins were dominating the red carpet and the hearts of celebs and fashionistas alike. Although Louboutin are in no way becoming extinct from the Hollywood and fashion scene, Brian Atwood pumps are quickly making their way up the shoe hierarchy.  The oh so popular "Manic" heel have graced the feet of many stylish celebs including Sarah Jessica Parker, Victoria Beckham, Demi Moore, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Kate Hudson and the list goes on and on. Brian Atwood, ex-model and former Versace assistant, debuted his own shoe collection in 2001 and since then has created a stiff shoe competition for Louboutin and Manolo. With the Oscars and New York Fashion Week just around the corner, I'm looking forward to seeing which shoe will rule the red carpet.

8 Reasons Why BAs Are The New "It" Shoe

1 - Sex and the City 2 put BA on the fashion map. Leave it to SJP to create another shoe phenomenon just like she did for Manolo during the show series.  The lilac studded "Loca" pump SJP wears in the film sold out across the country instantly and had Net-A-Porter as well as other retailers clamoring to get more pairs in stock. Atwood made four custom pairs for SJP's character, Carrie Bradshaw, and provided her with 30 pairs to wear during the film's promotional tour. We saw the "Loca" pump again, but this time in pink, on Blake Lively in the Paris season opener of Gossip Girls.


2 -  Brian Atwood was named Designer of the Year at the Footwear News Achievement Awards at MoMa last month. The host, Fairchild Fashion Group’s Michael Atmore, described the event as “a tiny bit of Golden Globes…You never know what’s going to happen.”


3- Stylist/reality star Rachel Zoe is one of Atwood's biggest cheerleader and when she puts her stamp on something it's hard to ignore. With publicity outlets such as a reality show, daily fashion newsletter and A-list clients, she can definitely help boast a fashion career. Zoe has been friends with Atwood for fifteen year and recently told InStyle,"We met dancing on a table in Paris when we were both starting out in our careers.” In fact, she is such a huge fan that her first official Zoe Report newsletter was the "Lola" platform pumps. Zoe also included Atwood in a fashion spread for the September issue of Harper's Bazaar to promote her reality show.


4 - Victoria Beckham is another big endorser of Atwood who literally lives in BAs; creating photos ops and free publicity for Atwood wherever she goes. Whether it's at the airport or at the Grove with her sons, Ms. Beckham is always sporting a pair of BAs.  Atwood also recently collaborated with Victoria on designing a metallic rose gold pump for her Spring 2011 dress collection.

Emerald Green and Long Sleeve Gowns Ruled the Golden Globes Red Carpet

Although today was one of the hottest days LA has seem in awhile, the stars were well prepared for bad whether.  Last year's rain seemed to scare the nominees into wearing long sleeve gowns.  Regardless, I'm loving the look as well as the popular emerald green color that ruled the red carpet.  My top three favorites were Anne Hathaway's stunning bronze Giorgio Armani Prive dress, Angelina Jolie's emerald green Versace dress, and Julianne Moore's hot pink Lanvin dress.  Leighton Meester's cream colored Burberry Prorsum dress is also one of my top favorites.  Although it's a demure style, the sexy slit and Jimmy Choo heels make it gorgeous.

Anne Hathaway - Bronze Giorgio Armani Prive, Ring from Van Cleef & Arpels

Angelina Jolie - Green long sleeve Versace dress

Julianne Moore - Hot pink Lanvin gown 

Leighton Meester - Cream-colored long sleeve Burberry Prorsum, Jimmy Choo heels

NY Fashion Week Line Up

IMG finally announced the line up of shows for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week’s second season (February 10 - 17) in Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park!  The following designers will be presented for the first time; Behnaz Sarafpour, Callula Lillibelle, CHRISTIAN COTA, VACCA, Elene Cassis, Frank Tell, G-Star RAW, Helen Yarmak, Jen Kao, Joy Cioci, LUBLU Kira Plastinina, MANDY COON, Porter Grey, Sachin + Babi, Son Jung Wan, and Tess Giberson.

Check out the schedule of shows below (click on image to enlarge and print).

Building A Collection

I'm not into new years resolutions but over the holiday break I did resolve to finally clean out my closet. Before I started I made a promise to myself that I would not be lenient with what stayed behind. Although I did end up clearing out more than usual, I realized there were a few special items which would never, ever make the Goodwill pile. Some of these items have sentimental value, but I'm also holding on to them because of a strange nagging feeling that I want to hand down vintage clothing to my unborn daughter, if I have one.  My mother passed on a few 60s and 70s pieces that I cherish and someday I would love to do the same.  Hopefully as I get older, and earn a better salary, I will build a better collection to pass on.

Things That Will Never Leave My Closet

My first DVF dress.

A pair of old school Marc Jacobs shoes I found at a stylist sale for $10. They are a bit too small and pinch my feet but they will always be new vintage since I almost never wore them.

A pair of out-of-style Gucci sunglasses that my husband bought me when we were first dating. 

My first Gucci watch I bought with my college graduation money.

A Theory white dress and navy linen pants which still fit me perfectly.

A Veronica M short polka-dot dress I wore out way too much in my early 20s.

A pair of Loeffler Randall black shoes with gold studs which pretty  much go with everything.

My first pair of Sevens, True Religion, J Brands and Rock & Republics. As well as my second, third, and fourth pairs. Unless they have seriously large holes, I rarely give them away.

A pair of Miu Miu Platform Shoes I wore to my rehearsal dinner.

A Michael Kors handbag. My first over $100 handbag purchase.

A gorgeous Edidi New York jeweled evening bag I received as a gift years ago.



What kind of collection are you building?

Tom Ford's Highly-Secretive Spring Summer 2011 Show Video

Mr. Ford most certainly loves a big reveal. On New Year Day he finally released footage of his entire highly-secretive Spring Summer 2011 runway show. This is his first womens ready-to-wear collection under his own label after a six year hiatus. 2011 will definitely be a Tom Ford year to remember.  On the runway are the famous faces of Lara Stone, Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Beyonce, Lauren Hutton, Julianne Moore, Marisa Berenson, Daphne Guinness, Rita Wilson, and Amber Valetta. Enjoy!

Spring 2011 Campaigns to Brighten Your Day!

Since the weather has been so dreadful lately, here are a few of my favorite Spring 2011 ad campaigns to warm your toes.  These newly released campaigns, which are gracing the February issues of many fashion magazines, are sure to make you think of laying poolside under a blazing sun.

Abbey Lee Kershaw for Tom Ford Eyewear

Izabel Goulart, Alessandra Ambrosio, Isabeli Fontana, Maryna Linchuk for Dolce & Gabbana, Photo by Steven Klein

Freja Beha Erichsen for Chanel, Photo by Karl Lagerfeld

Raquel Zimmermann, Kristen McMenamy, & Freja Beha Erichsen for Louis Vuitton, Photo by Steven Meisel