The thought “fashion column for a school newspaper?” has probably crossed your mind. So here are some school related fashion happenings.
-Bebe, Marc Jacobs, Gwen Stefani, and Diane Von Furstenberg as upscale designers have filed copyright infringement lawsuits against retailer Forever 21. I think that Forever 21 providing affordable stylish clothing for those who can’t afford to wear designer clothing all day everyday is great. However, for the designers, it is not fair to have an idea and to have someone take and sell it so easily. For the mass market, quality is often sacrificed for price and if this continues either Forever 21 or the designers will be out of business. Debate club anyone?
-Christian Louboutin is known for his highly coveted shoes with the infamous red soles. Companies like the footwear brand “Oh…DEER!” and Steve Madden have tried to steal his signature style and so Christian Louboutin is taking legal action.
-Courtney Love got into hot water with Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, and you really wouldn’t want to get on his bad side. Not too long ago, Courtney Love was seen wearing what seemed to be a Chanel dress from the brand’s last couture show. However only one copy of that dress was made and that copy was still in Paris. For highly respected designer Karl Lagerfeld, seeing a knockoff design on a celebrity was not amusing but merely an insult.
Plagiarism never served anyone well.
-At East, the recent summer reading assignment for incoming freshman was Jane Eyre. Fashion designer Monique Lhuillier , known for designing some of the most coveted wedding dresses, presented dresses with inspiration that we could relate to. For her spring 2008 collection, she presented airy gowns with slight Victorian influences that one could say were modern day versions of what Jane Eyre characters would wear on their wedding day.
–Balenciaga, Givenchy, Phillip Lim and others used military inspiration like that of Napoleon Bonaparte for their Fall 2007/2008 collection jackets.
So reading literature and paying attention in history class will serve you well in the future. It did for these designers!
Weekly Fashion Report
The cast of The CW’s very stylish Gossip Girl has a very interesting photo spread in the September/October issue of Hollywood Life. As usual, they will be clad in stylish clothes. Gossip Girl was the first new show of the season to receive a full-season pickup.
Tim Gunn is the new face for Macy’s and Liz Claiborne is letting the Project Runway guru to be in commercials with Martha Stewart.
The issue of recycling and global warming has not just brought upon bad. It has sparked ideas of creating things that are recycled like recycled rings. These pieces of wearable art are not only pretty and one of a kind but are made from old pieces of jewelry so you can feel good about wearing them.
Many celebrities attended the 2007 annual Black Ball Concert for the AIDS charity Keep a Child Alive in NYC. Not only were they stylishly dressed but they were there to support a cause affecting millions today. Also, on America’s Next Top Model, the same cause was promoted throughout the episode while teaching the models about public service announcements and using their position in the fashion industry to better the world.
Caridee English, America’s Next Top Model Alum, guest starred as Bart Bass’ younger girlfriend in a recent Gossip Girl episode.
Heidi Klum might be doing more than just walking the runway at this year’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. She and her husband Seal are planning to perform a duet joining performers Kanye West and the Spice girls on November 15. However it has yet to be confirmed. The show will air on December 4th at 10 pm.
Heidi Klum launched The Heidi Klum Very Sexy Makeup Collection at Victoria’s Secret watch her on Project Runway starting November 14th.
Mariah Carey was at Macy’s in NYC to launch her new perfume, “M by Mariah Carey”. Even though it is to smell like a blend of marshmallows and Tahitian Tiare flowers, the first 200 customers were able to buy it for $130 and that was a special price.
Marc Jacobs has approached Victoria Beckham about becoming the featured spokesmodel for his Spring 2008 collection. However there were rumors about Lauren Conrad modeling in his fashion show and that never happened. Fashion isn’t frivolous but it is very fickle.
As mentioned before in For Your Fashion, Roberto Cavalli is designing a collection for H&M. Although H&M is known for its inexpensive chic clothing, the Cavalli collection will change that temporarily. However, having Roberto Cavalli clothing within reach is good enough and the clothes definitely seem worth the price. Note: it does not look like the Cherry Hill H&M will be one of the ten stores to carry the Cavalli collection. Too bad for us because some of the clothes are to die for and we might have seen Beyonce or other celebrities considering that there are some huge Cavalli fans out there!
Chanel is launching a specially designed bicycle as part of the Spring/Summer 2008 collection. The fashion bike will celebrate the heritage of the house and Coco Chanel’s (the founder) love of cycling. The hand-crafted design will be decorated with the house’s signature quilted leather and double-C logo and is undoubtedly the most stylish method of transportation this season. The Chanel Bicycle will be available in Chanel boutiques in December. Maybe cycling will be fashionable soon?
Rinko Kikuchi, best known for her work in Brad Pitt’s movie, Babel, was photographed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel’s cruise 2007/08 advertising campaign.
There was much disdain and controversy by the public for having Australian model Gemma Ward on Vogue India’s premiere cover. The November issue has just one Indian star-Deepika Padukone.
Marc Jacobs spring 2008 collection was all reverse. He started the show by bowing and then having the models parading after him which is usually done at the end of the show and he showed something that people will be talking about for awhile- the inverse high heel shoe.
Jennifer Lopez (fashion designer, singer) is promoting her new scent Deseo, shaped like a diamond in the rough, which is due out in February. If you take Spanish then you should recognize that the name of the fragrance means wish or desire. That is another example of how fashion is “school related.”
Pepsi (yes Pepsi) is launching a new clothing line for women. The line, set to debut in stores in 2008, will feature sportswear, denim, and outerwear starting at $12. I look forward to seeing what Pepsi has in store because a member of the Pepsi company said ““This is not a line that will be advertised in style magazines, but could be photographed on a star and featured in that magazine.”
When celebrities, Fashionistas, and models do Halloween, you won’t see the typical schoolgirl or law enforcement officers. You will see fashion designers, models, singers, fashion icons and Halloween costumes done extravagantly. After all they do have makeup artists. (see pictures).
Have a fashionable Happy Halloween!
Fashion for Thought:
“If you are not in fashion, you are nobody”
-Lord Chesterfield , British Statesman
