RUNWAY TO REAL WAY
Runway shows are ushering in new trends reaching far beyond just clothing and accessories, thanks to the insurgence of backstage beauty coverage gaining almost as much popularity as the shows themselves. Hair and makeup, as seen on models from your favorite shows, are gaining space in the limelight and quickly setting trends for the season. Nails too are no exception, and direct re-iterations of clothing trends have been popping up on fingers and toes everywhere.
We’ve rounded up our favorite nail trends taken straight from the Spring 2012 runways, and let you know how to get the look with the same shades used backstage:
As fashionistas, we have our own version of March Madness. After a month of multiple fashion weeks taking place all over the world, mass retailers begin unleashing their spring designer collaborations. While these collaborations can be exciting (scoring a dress that was actually sketched into creation by Karl or Alber himself for under $150) they can oftentimes end in disaster, as cheap fabrics don't exactly help to translate a design from high to low.
Marni for H&M thankfully does not fall into the latter trap. Relying on their signature kooky 1960's-inspired prints, and mod cuts of our favorite Marni staples (A-line dresses, boxy tops and playful separates), the collaboration is flying off the shelves in 26 stores around the U.S. (250 worldwide). We ventured to the Beverly Center in Los Angeles to check out the scene on March 8th and were greeted with a line that snaked across the mall, assigned numbers, shopping restrictions (2 pieces per type per customer) and fifteen-minute time limits in the Marni section of H&M. Fellow shoppers were much better prepared than us with snacks and sharp elbows. A similar scene was repeated in stores from Dubai to Denver.
From color to cut, the gowns of Turkish designer, Seckin Ilker, graced the audience with a lavish feminine charm that brought new life to the runway. Her evening wear housed stunning pieces like a silk chartreuse gown with a gold lace short sleeve wrap, cinched at the waist with a green ribbon, a teal gown with ruffles fanning at the bust, clean dark blue lines to balance the cascading ruffles; and a classic black and white lace (Moulin Rouge chic) mermaid gown with black and white ruffles.
As everyone clamours to the hottest shows and soirees during New York Fashion Week, one thing will be certain - many of your favorite fashion devotees will be found rocking one of the hottest trends right now: brightly colored pumps. Give a grey dress some life with a vibrant burst of fuschia, a sleek black sheath becomes infused with a flash of cobalt blue seen on your feet and a delicate lace dress now becomes edgy with a flash of bright yellow patent! Perhaps with Valentine's Day 2012 approaching -- vixen red is your thing!? Sure, you could easily drop over $700 on a designer shoe from the likes of Christian Louboutin that would certainly be uber amazing, but what about us ladies on a budget? Below, I will show you the drool-worthy Louboutin patent shoe and another fabulous find from Charlotte Russe!
Ever pick out an item off the rack at your favorite store and wonder how it was made? Does that curiosity ever lead you to inquire about the impact the item might have had on the environment where it was produced? Enter the green machine that is the creative mind of sustainable fashion designer Carrie Perry. The California born breakout designer who recently launched her self titled brand at the 2012 Nolcha Fashion Week in September, draws her creativity from 60s high fashion, traveling circuses, as well as iconic she-ros such as Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford. Perry’s most recent collection features tailored garments with warm tones that present the designer’s retro style.
No, you are not dreaming!
The decadence, glamour and all-around sophistication that is vintage Chanel, is now available on Rent the Runway! This site founded by Jennifer Fleiss and Jennifer Hyman, two fashion-loving Harvard Business School classmates, has forever changed the scope of ready to wear, and has bridged the gap between the fashion “haves” and “have-nots".
Now that Fall is officially here and Paris Fashion Week has wrapped up, our favorite designers are really starting to make head way in presenting new concepts as seen in the Spring 2012 Collections. In these presentations the lucky few (Celebs, Socialites, Fashion Icons, etc.) are provided a first look by designers of their best work. It is here where spectators are able to view up close the amount of detail and craftsmanship that go into creating the designs that inspire us. Though we all are aware that fashion design isn’t nearly as easy as it looks, several celebrities and media personalities have tried. We as fans have watched them stumble through failed attempts to recreate the success of fashion grates. However, every now and then there are a select few who have not only demonstrated their understanding of the craft, but actually make a serious effort in establishing a solid fashion brand. Among them are a few who successfully cross the line from red carpet to runway. So what do a rapper, two hobo’s, a teen queen, and a cougar have in common? These fabulous individuals who have established themselves either on the screen, on the mic, or both are now making their voices known in the fashion industry. Here’s a quick run down of what they’ve been up to.
Even though New York has brought on its first round of daily chills to get us more adjusted to the new weather, it still doesn't quite feel like fall just yet. If you aren’t ready for fall either , here's some spring inspired fashion to help you forget that summer is over. CoCo Chanel stepped out of their prim and proper comfort zone to reveal a few pieces from the Spring 2012 Collection on October 4th during Paris Fashion Week.
The classic brand which has received acclaim for its seemingly flawless execution of understated elegance, featured a series of languidly cut and draped mini jackets, cocktails that billowed out below the waist and dimpled at the knee skirts all looked smart and spruce. Karl Lagerfeld, current creative director for Chanel anchored all of his models in space age silver sandals that were quirky, yet chic. Many dresses came with spines dotted with pearls like a siren emerging from the water. Recalling the scene in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" where mermaids circled the sailors' with their wet hair pulled back, the models in Chanel had whitened and jelled hair, finishing delicately with small pearls. Mini pearls also rimmed ears, perforated lips and tickled several models' inevitably tiny noses.
If you aren’t a fan already, now is the perfect time to get acquainted with some of the newest looks revealed by DVF during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2011. Diane von Furstenberg, the fashion design icon and current president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has been quite busy these last few months. This past July, Furstenburg announced the opening of her new Tokyo, Japan location in chic Ginza neighborhood. Her new self-titled fragrance has also been released along with her previous Fall Collection. Her looks that have graced the frames of celebrities such as Estelle, Solange Knowles, and Rosario Dawson are now available at a retail location near you.
If you weren't able to find your way to Lincoln Center this year you may want to consider venturing out of the tent and support your favorite independent designer. Here is the (Part I) recap of what’s hot in the NYC studios. Three designers in particular made their mark this year starting with the choice to opt for alternative fashion week Nolcha Inc., instead of pushing four inclusions in the much crowded Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
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