Vanity Fair's September Style Issue

The September cover of Vanity Fair is all about old school glamour and features a very leggy and sexy Gisele Bündchen clad in nothing but dewy skin, sequins and fur. I haven't caught glimpse of all the other September covers but I could confidently assume, based on the fact that fashion magazines now reuse the same roster of actresses as cover girls, that this Vanity Fair cover triumphs as one of the best fall fashion covers. Shot by Mario Testino, this cover marks the magazine's annual Style Issue and is chock-full of fashion editorial, including a best-dressed list, a fashion spread with Gisele, and a bevy of other stylish features.

Twenty8Twelve

Sienna Miller and sister Savannah launched their clothing line, Twenty8Twelve, with a chic little cocktail party on Thursday night at the Private Roof Club of the Gramercy Park Hotel (the season's venue of choice for fashion fetes). As if the fashion world needed another actress/model/songstress-cum-fashion designer collabo but this collection does seem very promising. It has a more Jovovich-Hawk bend to it than a LAMB or House of Dereon feel. This collection actually looks like it belongs on a runway. Perhaps it will be the most stylish of them yet, as I just found out (thanks to Fashion Inc.) that Savannah is a graduate of Central St. Martins and has worked for Alexander McQueen - thus a credible resource. The line will be available (starting August 1st) at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Holt Renfrew and Harvey Nichols. You can catch a sneak peak of some of the looks over at Fashion Inc.

Photo:style.com

Style.com Gets Animated

Style.com's latest monthly feature, CandyCast, is an animated Candy Pratts Price, the site's Executive Fashion Director, talking, what else, fashion. I think that this is a fun little additive to the site, one that allows the viewers to be a little more interactive and take first-hand fashion notes from one of the industry's bigwigs. It would be great to see Mrs. Price (à la animated version) in different settings. For example, I think it would be more fun and exciting if she took us front row to the shows, to store openings, showroom appointments, staff meetings, etc. This is a great "sticky" feature that can educate and entertain the viewer and keep the viewer on the site longer, not to mention a plug for everything that Mrs. Price mentions (Hmm, a new avenue the p.r. girls can attack to get their clients exposure). I do think that viewers will tire of this feature easily, as it is only updated once a month but who knows in a couple of months it could be a daily thing. Soon, perhaps, we will all need our dose of The Daily Candy (Cast).

Style Spotlight:Claire Danes

Claire Danes at the "Stardust" Los Angeles Premiere. I think Miss Danes is looking quite stylish. I am definitely loving the elegance of this black draped LBD. However, I would have traded the red sandals for a glittery pair.

Photo:wireimage.com

Style Spotlight: Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell looking divine at the GRAMMY Foundations Starry Night Honoring Quincy Jones in Los Angeles. I love her shaggy bangs and the rosette adorned sandals but the dress is just exceptional.

Photo:wireimage.com

FYI: The World's Most Expensive Retail St.

Ever wonder what retail rents are for Gucci, Fendi, Versace or Armani's prime 5th Avenue shops or the shops along Madison Avenue? According to WWD, retail rents in Manhattan are on the rise, with Madison Avenue passing $1,000 and Fifth Avenue tottering around $1,500 per square foot. And according to the COO of Cushman & Wakefield, Fifth Avenue is now considered the prime destination for luxury and world-class brands, and is the most expensive retail street in the world. This is of no surprise, of course but still an interesting bit of info.

Source: WWD

Quote of the Day

"Far too many young ladies in America get caught up in the media to pay attention to their manners."

Valentino

News Flash: The $775 Million Denim Sale

7 For All Mankind has sold its premium luxury denim empire for $775 million to VF Corporation. Read more...

Coral Goddess

A glowing Jennifer Lopez looking graceful as ever, in this coral Goddess-like gown at the NYC premier of El Cantante.

Photo:wireimage.com

All Dolled Up

Lanvin dresses for $345.00? The ones cloaked on his new miniature dolls that is. Alber Elbaz has launched a collection of dolls that resemble his runway models. Each season the house will produce six new dolls outfitted in what I am assuming will be miniature versions of the season's best pieces. The dolls are actually quite chic looking and make for great gifts. They come all wrapped up in Lanvin signature blue boxes. All dolls are hand-painted, numbered, signed and are limited. Only 800 of each doll will be produced, making this a "get-now-have-forever" it item for the fashion set.

Photo: wireimage.com

A Little Summer Grey

In a sea of summer brights and neutral whites, grey stands out. I love this Londoner's drop-waist dress and how she covered up with a grandfather cardigan and made it work for day.

Photo:wireimage.com

The High Waist

Eva Longoria spotted attending an LA Galaxy game in Cali over the weekend sports the season's high-waist pant trend. I think that she worked the proportions perfectly, a tight tee and a cropped jacket shows off the waistline and keeps the look in check.


Photo: wireimage.com

Must-Have Bag of the Season

This croc stamped patent leather Miu Miu bag is a must-have for fall. A perfect size for all your daytime needs, and with no outlandish logoing you can't go wrong with this chic tote. A definite must if the $1,395 price tag is within your wardrobe budget.

Avilable at Bergdorfgoodman.com

The Runway to The Real Way

Sally Singer(Vogue Magazine's Fashion News/Features Director) in her 3.1 Phillip Lim dress takes a personal interpretation of the runway look and does a great job of making this dress her own. Loosing the black tights and head band, Singer opts for bare legs, thick strapped sandals and dainty jewels for a chic city look. I am thinking about adding this number to my fall wish list. Available at Standardstyle.com for $495.

Photos: style.com

Phillip Lim Opens on Mercer

New York's chicest fashion set flocked to 115 Mercer St. for the opening of Phillip Lim's first free standing boutique. A great achievement for a budding designer who has only been on the map for two years. He launched his womenswear line in 2005 with a huge welcoming, not to mention following, by the industry's top chiefs. One could say that proof of his overnight success comes in the form of a mantle accessory, Lim won the 2007 CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear Designer of the Year, or perhaps the fact that his runway shows are a must see on the show calendar, and always brimming with insiders, socialites and celebs, or that the country's top retailers all eagerly stock his collection season after season. The brand is growing by the minute, spring 2007 saw the launch of menswear, fall 2007 sees Lim collaborating with Bing Bang on an accessories collection and short of his Soho opening, LA, London and Asia stores are brewing in the brand's plans for international expansion. All a perfect testament to the fact that Lim is quickly on the ascent to international acclaim.

The Phillip Lim Girls at the Store Opening
Phillip Lim Looks from the Fall 2007 Runway

Photos: style.com

Fashion Statement

Agyness Deyn, one of the world's next top models (as stated by Vogue in the May 2007 issue) at the Westfield London & British Fashion Council's Fashion Forward Party. A great fashion study. She literally looks like she just stepped off the pages of Vogue.




Photo: wireimage.com

Naomi Does Donuts in Prada

Naomi Campbell to star in national television advertising campaign for America's perennial favorite donut shop, Dunkin' Donuts. Read full story.

Want It Now: Jewelled Top

I love this Disco Bubble Top from Antik Batik (Available at Net-a-porter.com for $350). The deep purple shade (a Miss Stylologist favorite) mixed with sassy jewelled embellishment gives off a rock royalty vibe. A perfect way to add color and spice to your outfit without going over board. This top definitely fits into that whole seasonless wardrobe theory (Seasonless Wardrobe: when your wardrobe can effortlessly take you from season to season whilst eschewing any signs that it belongs to a particular season). I could see this mesh kimono working in the hot summer months, just as well into fall and winter. A must-have item on my wish list.

For more info visit Net-a-poter. com

Photo: net-a-porter.com

Maybelline's Zebras on Madison

Adriana Lima, one of Victoria's Secret's Brazilian angels, mans a zebra on Madison & 78th street for a Maybelline commercial. Taking cues from the whole black and white theme my guess is that it is for the company's latest mascara. Only in fashion...or actually, only in America!

Photo: wireimage.com

The New Girl on the Block

I just received a copy of Strut Magazine, the Canadian equivalent to Another Magazine, with Coco Rocha on the cover, the world's most wanted model (as the mag puts it). I love the playful cover, it is quite catchy and memorable. Ms. Rocha, is probably the most in demand model right now, recently featured on the cover of Vogue's May model issue, in Gap ads for their Design Editions initiative, the face of Balenciaga and Lanvin, a favorite catwalker, appearing on the Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix and Jean Paul Gaultier couture runways for the fall 2007 season, amongst walking for everyone from BCBG, DVF, Oscar de la Renta to Dolce & Gabbbana, Versace, and Alexander McQueen - it is quite safe to say that this 19-year-old British Columbia native is the industry's latest neophyte. I look forward to seeing more of Miss Coco Rocha.

The Posh & Beck Era

What is it with Victoria (a.k.a. Posh Spice) and David Beckham that make them so cool? If you really break it down - nothing at all. All they are, are two British individuals, who are married with three kids, who are coming to America. One is part of a defunct (now revived) pop group, the other is a struggling soccer player....really what is so super fantastic? Is it the way they look that make them so eye-enthusing? Is it because they are two good looking individuals? Or that they look similar (whole Freud theory, maybe)? All this hoopla created by good p.r., good marketing, and a good stylist, gets the media all frenzied, gets the paparazzi all crazed and the public curious. And the more people are curious, the more the media and paparazzi go crazy and the more good p.r. & marketing is needed to keep the momentum. So this whole making something out of nothing, or perhaps, this making someone out of no one is really just a huge, money-making, profit-generating business and is at the root of most all industries - music, fashion, film, television, of course are the biggest, but then you have real estate, technology, and the restaurant industries that thrive on the same concept. Welcome to the Posh & Beck Era.

Photo: W Magazine August 2007

The Rachel Zoe Effect

The celebrity stylist, who has now become a celebrity in her own right, either by pure talent or for her tight bonds with her clients, such as, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie (the latter being an ex-client, I think...I haven't heard the latest drama scoop on that one) has never really been at the top of my list for best style. Even though she has made that whole bag lady/throwntogether/disheveled hippie-inspired look chic, I didn't look to her as a reference. However, I must say that Rachel Zoe looks ever the lady in her bright coral dresses. Seen with a wide neck maxi dress at the Valentino bash, and in a satin shift-like slip dress at the fall 2007 couture shows, I think she looks ever so stylish. I love both of these dresses - the cut, color, and style are fantastic....and very wearable.

Photos: wireimage.com, style.com

Trend Alert: Multi-Colored Nails

Is Rihanna starting a new trend? Her freshly polished pink hands with both middle fingers painted black, sported at the recent Live Earth concert, is definitely a new look. Perhaps this is a gradual move away from the black nail, more notably the (OPI) Lincoln Park After Dark paint, seen just about everywhere of late. I am not too sure I am loving this new multi-colored look, however, what I am loving is that fab pinky shade.

In search for this color, I requested the help of fellow blogger, Blogdorf Goodman, for whom I think of as the nail polish aficionado. She is great at finding all the latest shades in make-up and thinks this may be OPI's Japanese Rose Garden.

With a little more research, on recommendation of BG, to nailgal.com (a fun little site) and OPI.com's Try it On Studio (fyi: a great find), I came across Strawberry Margarita, OPI's newest summer shade, which I think may also be a possible match.

It may be a little hard to tell through the screen, thus I think this warrants me a polish shopping trip. Whether a trend or not, Ms. Rihanna's nails just put me on a hunt for that perfect summer shade. Alas, I could retire my LPAD bottle for something bright and fun.

Photo: wireimage.com

News Flash: Valentino takes a 45% Stake in...

Valentino Fashion Group has has taken a 45% stake in Proenza Schouler, the five year old label started by Parson's graduates Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. Plans to grow the brand on an international level is the main focus of the acquisition, that reportedly cost $3.7 million.

Source: fashionweekdaily.com

The Un-Anonymous Anonymous

This fantastic image, one that will go down in history, and another for that coffee table tome, need not have a description, as any fashion insider could spot these two legends from the back, the side or upside down but for those of you who cannot make them out, it is Karl Lagerfeld (left) and Manolo Blahnik, shot against the brilliance of the Colosseum, at Valentino's 45th Anniversary party.

Photo:style.com

News Flash: SATC - The Movie

Sex and the City will finally come to the big screen. After years of speculation, HBO has finally teamed up with New Line Cinema to bring us Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda one last time (maybe). The girls will be played by the show's original cast, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis and Kim Cattrall. Michael Patrick King, the show's Executive Director, will continue directing these four Manhattanites...let's see how well. Will the movie be a continuation of the show? Will it be a whole new script? Will there finally be a conclusion? I hope the movie will live up to (and exceed) all of our expectations for these Cosmo-loving, Manolo-obsessed, sex-addicted New Yorkers.

The Price of a Valentino Weekend

The Valentino weekend extravaganza is rumoured to have cost (drum roll, please)... $20 million.

Source: fashionweekdaily.com

Live Fashion

The Live Earth concerts, held this past Saturday, were definitely an assembly for its root purpose, that of climate change, however, amongst this grave concern was a bevy of style induced looks, most notably, Madonna and Rihanna.

Madonna's slick black puffed sleeved dress quickly transformed into sexy second skin spandex leggings, offset with punk rock inspired studded stilettos. The look was quite simple, yet it was the details that made this a stellar stage outfit. The cut and shine of the fabrics, the wrap-around dress, the corseted shirt, the diamante flecked puff sleeves, the single stranded chunky necklace and of course the shoes, not to mention the perfectly coiffed hair, all made for an outstanding appearance.Likewise with Rihanna, black won over as the color of choice, and here once again leggings and a corest-inspired top made for another stellar stage look. Yet it was the accessories, along with the Michael Jackson/Versace-esque studded biker jacket that made the most impact. Cut-off leather gloves, a chunky chained necklace and bracelets with oversized earrings, were the key style elements, topped off with pink nails(not the typical black) and her now signature cropped hair.

Photos:wireimage.com

The Fashion Party

Mix a fashion designer, model, a CFO (for a fashion company), a fashion director and an actress and you come out with this beautiful haphazard fashion image worthy of any coffee table tome.

From left to right, Zac Posen, Elle Macpherson, Giancarlo Giammetti, Elizabeth Saltzman Walker, and Uma Thurman at Vaentino's 45th Anniversary bash.

Photo: style.com

Valentino's 36 Hour Weekend Extravaganza

For the house's 45th anniversary, Valentino chose Rome as the destination to showcase his collection, amongst a slew of other events. The weekend festivities started off with Friday's Ara Pacis Museum exhibition opening followed by a dinner at the Temple of Venus, and continued on Saturday with the presentation of Valentino's fall 2007 couture collection, with a black-tie ball at the famed Villa Borghese to end it all.

If you haven't already figured that this was a weekend in fairytale wonderland, I assure you that the following statement, written by Tim Blanks for style.com, will help you with this ethereal notion - "...convincingly recreated the Temple of Venus with fiberglass columns. The stunning illusion was compounded by the looming (real-life) Colosseum, which provided a surreal backdrop for an aerial ballet of Valentino-clad sprites, followed by a display of fireworks. Then, for Saturday's ball...guests who believed they'd entered a beautifully preserved classical structure. Except...the interior as an Art Deco palace in Shanghai... and people were probably still dancing as the Sunday sun rose over Rome."

Valentino had quite a loyal weekend following, everyone from Uma Thurman and Sarah Jessica Parker to Anna Wintour and Andre Leon Talley, to Italian and New York socialites were front and present, wearing, of course, Valentino. And four separate events meant four separate Valentino outfits. Looking through the images, it looked like a Valentino costume history class, making appearances were current gowns, beaded '90s dresses and archived dresses dating back to the late sixties. What a great way to spend a weekend in July, wouldn't you say?

Sarah Jessica Parker

Natalia Vodianova Uma Thurman

Anna Wintour

Elizabeth Hurley

Photos: wireimage, style.com