Coachella Fashion Extravaganza

The Coachelle Music Festival was originally launched in 1993 to celebrate alternative, indie and electronic music in the Empire Polo fields of Indio, California.  The inaugural lineup include Pearl Jam, Morissey and Beck.  In 2011, the lineup included everyone from Duran Duran, to Kanye West, PJ Harvey to Cee Lo Green.

What is more notable, is that the festival has become increasingly famous for its fashion influence.  Big brands and stylish celebs are flocking to the event.  Big brands like Diesel, Mulberry, Armani Exchange and Philip Lim all threw parties to draw the chic set.  Starlets Nicole Richie, Katy Perry, Alexa Chung and Rihanna are only  a few of the ladies seen lounging in desert designer looks.

Photos by Jordan Strauss,Kristin Burns, Donato Sardella and Courtesy Photo

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Most Fashionable NYC Easter Parade Hats

 Bonnet, chapeau, fascinator, head sculptures...Easter is a time for religious reflection or gluttonous chocolate consumption.  For the most stylish of New Yorkers, yesterday's 5th avenue parade was a giant runway for the most exquisite creations to top your crown.

Fashion personalities like Rosemary Ponzo, fashion designers and milliners showed their favorite designs.  Artists made a statement with dramatic sculptures.  Lovers of vintage accessorized complete outfits for their favorite era.  Young princesses danced around in wide brimmed dress-up hats while twirling in Sunday School dresses.

Cadbury be damned, I know what I'm asking the Easter Bunny for next year...

Photos by Jemal Countess and Geoffry Gertz

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Happy Easter! A Special Greeting from Anna Wintour, Karl, John Galliano, Diane and Andre

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Have a beautiful bunny day!  The team at Ms. FABulous

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Hologram Fashion Show by Burberry Fall 2011 Beijing

Traditional-minded British brand Burberry wowed celebrity guests and fashionistas at their Beijing Launch this week.  One of the many luxury labels cashing in on China's billionaires, the brand presented the collection with an awesome holographic runway.  Hot English artist Keane (creative director Christopher Bailey is a fan) also performed for ecstatics guests.  This was an amazing example of integrating technology, style and spectacle for a memorable fashion event.

The video above is just a taste.  If you want to see the full fabulous show, follow through here. 

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Absolutely Fabulous - New Episodes!

Are you a fan of Britain's most notorious fashion-flaunting, male-escort hiring, daughter-abusing, label-whoring duo to ever hit television?  In the 1990's my circle of fashion friends were glued to the set for Patsy (Joanna Lumley) & Edina's (Jennifer Saunders) adventures.  In the early part of the last decade, the ladies returned again to throw us a bone with two additional seasons and a special.  

The show made a household name (and punchline) out of "LaCroix".  It paid tribute to the top fashion designers and demonstrated visually how bad high-fashion could be in the wrong hands (or backside).  It celebrated and parodied decadence with Edina's daughter Saffron as the moral center (and wet blanket).  Stateside, they inspired a new genre of drag queens with weekly events in Downtown NYC devoted to the duo.  

The Guardian UK has just announced that our favorite ladies are gearing up to grace us with three more episodes.  They begin filming this summer with the original cast (June Whitfield as Mum,  Julia Sawalha as Saffron,  Jane Horrocks as Bubble) expected to return.   

Unfortunately, there is no air date set for U.S. or even the UK.  We'll let you know as soon as can!  In the meantime, let's break out the Bolly!

Photo from the BBC

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Kate Spade Wedding Belles

From spring flings to the wedding ring... Kate Spade's cheerful color palette was accompanied by her fresh bridal collection last week.  Champagne and French macarons were served to the shoppers ready for blooms.  Those looking for a makeup touch-up were treated to new shades from Jouer Cosmetics.

 For the bride, the silhouettes contained simple sheaths, tunics and shirt dresses.  There were delicate embellishments like pailettes and pearl beading.  The price range was generally between $400-$500.  Bridal jewelry included pearl flower clusters, beaded chokers with chains and jeweled earrings. 

There were plenty of goodies for bridesmaids.  Fabric flower rings and over-sized organza mums adorned hairpins.  Bright colored vintage-inspired jewelry along with embroidered 'dressy' cardigans were perfect for a breezy garden ceremony.  I took a liking to the whimsical clutch handbags inspired by vintage books.  The ultimate accessory that evening was the shoes.  It was the most popular category of the night, all the fashionistas crowded the shoe lounge couches.  The favorite shoes (by far) were the fushia satin glitter encrusted mules with a bow.

If you're planning a simple, chic walk down the aisle, a trip to Kate Spade's boutique in Soho will take care of your needs.

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Meet Jeannie Mai - Host of "How do I look?"

Jeannie Mai and Ritika W

Who knew when we accepted an invite from Jeannie Mai to share breakfast trenches, we would be meeting a 21st century Mary Tyler Moore?

The sharply dressed style host/dynamo of  Style network show "How do I look?"  draws on her proudly Vietnamese-Chinese background to dole out humorous and practical advice to the show's style-deprived fans on a weekly basis and transforms them into fashionistas.

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Expressions Dentelle Lace Exhibit at FIT

Lace evokes images from sexy screen sirens to soft, classic beauties of the Edwardian age.

Lace can easily look déclassé, if it's not well made and designed. Thisis why New Yorkers are in for a lovely surprise if they can attend the current exhibit on lace at the Fashion Institute of Technology. 

The exhibit is to help promote France's Nord-Pas de Calais region and features lace dress designer, Claire Catoire's exceptional design work.

                           

There are two modern and covet worthy lace collections by Claire Catoire titled "Claire veut la lune" which is a collection of wedding dresses and sexy, transparent black dresses titled under "Lace skin".   

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Fashion In Film Festival: Birds of Paradise

What are you doing Friday?  If you love costume and movies, the Fashion in Film Festival is running April 15^th through May 2^nd for true geeks. Their tagline promises “a major extravaganza in costume spectacle, dance and diabolical glamour”.  How can you resist that?

Birds of Paradise  “highlights those episodes in cinema history which most distinctly foreground costume, adornment, and styling as vehicles of sensuous pleasure and enchantment.”  The festival explores underground film, silent films.  Archival examples demonstrate how fashion and costume have showcased movement, light, theme and aesthetics since the beginning of cinema.

For the full schedule of screenings, lectures and themes, click here.

The festival blog is a treasure trove of gorgeous costume photos and stylish film history.

The events take place at the Graduate Center at City University of New York and is hosted by the Museum of the Moving Image.

The Graduate Center, CUNY

365 Fifth Avenue

New York 10016

www.gc.cuny.edu

Museum of the Moving Image

36-01 35 Avenue

New York 11106

box office: 718 777 6888

www.movingimage.us

The Graduate Center, CUNY

365 Fifth Avenue

New York 10016

www.gc.cuny.edu

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Earth Day Style! Eco-Chic Pop-up Boutique in NYC

Cocktails, shopping and supporting indie designers with a conscience.  How's that for guilt-free style?  In tribute to Earth Month, designers Lara Miller, Ailin, Chak Chel, Moonlight, Vella Mode, Boutique Ethique, Tammam, Elena Garcia, Show Me Your Mumu and Tompkins Point are selling their ethical fashion brands in a pop-up shop in the beautiful Nexus Townhouse.  There will also be non-profit collections by Care 4 Kenya + Project Migration.  


In the spirit of style with substance, 10% of the proceeds of the boutique will be donated to the Red Cross for Japan's disaster relief.  

The Pop-up shop and cocktail event takes place April 14th, 2011 from 6 PM - 9 PM.

39 West 56th Street, 4th Floor

New York NY 10019

RSVP: GFB@amp3pr.com

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Eco-Chic Lavuk Fall 2011 by Natasha Gindin

Presented at the ACE Gallery as part of Concept LA Fashion Week. theLAVUK Fall 2011 Collection by designer Natasha Gindin was received by an enthusiastic packed house.

Born in the former Yugoslavia and growing up in cities all over the world, Natasha Gindin brings the diversity of her upbringing to her designs.  Calling her LAVUK Fall 2011 Collection “Infinity”, she attempts to capture the present and move into the future at the same time.  Classic sportswear silhouettes were transformed into a line that is about being contemporary and easy to wear, while still making a fashion statement.

The color story is based on shades of grey with a reddish-orange and purple mixing in as full garments or as accents.  With silhouettes that are a bit deco inspired in their sharpness of line and the exploration of lines extending out into “Infinity”, the collection expresses a modernity that is futuristic and a bit reminiscent of 1960’s Pierre Cardin.  Some of the highlights of the collection are modern coats with contrast details and detailed seaming, dresses and tops with cut-outs that reveal contrast fabric beneath, a modern take on the shirt dress, and tops that play with cowl drapes.

The LAVUK line is created using eco-friendly sustainable fabrics and is made sweatshop-free locally in Los Angeles.  Additionally, a tree is planted through American Forests as part of the California Wildfire Releaf Program for every garment purchased.

Fashion with a conscience.  Becoming more of a concern to LA designers, LAVUK is one of the leaders of this movement like fellow designer Averi Bell of Chemline.  We can only hope that more will follow.

Video by Omri Escalante.  Story by Mdivani Monroe of Ladies Who Lunch Travel

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Project Runway Season 9 Casting!

This is it.  Are you ready to bring your designer 'A' game? Are you ready for catfights on AND off the runway?  Compete for fame and fortune....You know the rest...  Email the address above or check out the website for more information. 

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Chemline Fall 2011

L.A.Fashion Week began with a weekend of runway shows and fashion/art installations hosted by Concept LA Fashion Week at the ACE Gallery in the Mid-Wilshire district.  Housed in an historic Art Deco building, the ACE Gallery is an interesting venue for shows, with its wide open spaces and attempt to mix fashion and art together.  To get to the runway space, you first had to pass through the gallery and make your way through art installations and performance artists, giving a buildup to the runway shows that would ensue.

The first show that I took in at Concept LA Fashion Week was designer Averi Bell’s Fall 2011 Chemline Collection.  A former costume designer for LA’s film community, Ms. Bell launched Chemline in the Fall of 2007.  Chemline is an apparel line that is inspired by Ms. Bell’s love for storytelling, combined with a love for the craftsmanship of garments.

Placing an emphasis on using materials that are eco-friendly and sustainable, the Fall 2011 Chemline fabrics are hemp, hemp silks, yak hemp blends and recycled poly with an emphasis on texture. The color palette for the collection was primarily black, white, grey, and shades of cream/off white, with a shot of a vibrant emerald green in the mix for a few outfits and as an accent on a black hooded jacket.

Silhouettes are sleek and modern with a remarkable attention to construction and details.  A very lady-like collection with scalloped hemlines, meticulous tailoring and the mixing of matte and shine fabrics give Chemline a sophistication that makes it stand out among other LA fashion lines.  A few pieces of note are the structured vests over blouses, a black cocktail dress with fabric streamers that connect to the ankles and a belted black gown with white shoulder accents and white godets at the hem.

Averi Bell’s Chemline Fall 2011 Collection accomplishes what she set out to do: tell a story.  And liking the story that was told, I will look forward to more of her storytelling in the future.

video by Omri Escalante.  Story reported by Mdivani Monroe of Ladies Who Lunch Travel

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CFDA's Celebrity Fashion Auction for Japan

Have you shopped or donated to help Japan?  If now, a huge score of top designers and fashion-related celebrities have put together experiences for auctions to help the tsunami victims.  

If you love NY Fashion week, you can bid on front-row tickets and meet & greets with almost every designer involved.  Some designers have donated very intimate experiences, like a paradise vacation at Diane Von Furstenburg's Harbor Island home (in addition to a shopping spree).  You can shop the Olsen Twin's collections right in their studio aided by Mary Kate and Ashley personally.  You and your friends could lunch with Project Runway's Tim Gunn or attend Elton John's Academy Awards Party.  

If you are stylishly inclined, you will find at least one of the 100 auctions to tickle your sartorial bone.  Bid at CharityBuzz today!

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Cynthia Vincent NYC Boutique Launch

West Coast designer Cynthia Vincent opened her downtown New York boutique last week. The store on the Lower East Side held a curated collection of her signature shoes.  The spring collection of clothing was a mix of ethic prints, easy silk silhouettes and delicately beaded tops.  Ikat patterns and Native American motifs hung in Earthy warm colors.  

Ms. Vincent herself was on hand to introduce hand-picked jewelry pieces from her travels, along with hand crafted handbags.  The easy contemporary style has become a favorite of celebrities like Blake Lively, Beyonce and Kristen Stewart.  

If you are looking for the perfect spring refresher, come on down to 253 Elizabeth Street to make your wardrobe happy.

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Rodarte: States of Matter Exhibit at MOCA

In business for only six years, the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte have been one of the most lauded and respected fashion designers of the current generation.  Honored by Michelle Obama with the Cooper Hewitt Award, celebrated by the fashion elite, the label is now being honored at the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Los Angeles.

The exhibit, “Rodarte: States of Matter” shows several tutus from their highly publicized (and controversial) gig designer for the movie Black Swan.  There are also garments from three seasons of their runway collections.

Longtime collaborator, Alexandre de Betak helped to create dramatic set pieces to display the collection.  A very noir exhibit meant to display black garments as sculpture pieces, there are mannequins suspended from the ceiling and spun slowly on whirling motors.

The theatrical “immersive” exhibit is what you would hope for from a duo who cites “Living Dead Dolls” and Japanese horror films as inspiration. 

The exhibit runs until June 5, 2011 at MOCA Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles.

Photos by Autumn de Wilde. Courtesy of MOCA.

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