POP UP STORE - HAUTELOOK & HOLLYWOOD STYLE

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YSL, CHANEL, BALENCIAGA, STELLA, & MORE!

Elbaz Bets On Black -LANVIN Fall 2009

Alber Elbaz kept his stride with yet another beautiful collection for Lanvin.   The debut of his fall 2009 collection in Paris received rave reviews, something that is becoming a staple each season.   Here's why:

Elbaz has managed to resurrect the spirit of Lanvin while making it feel modern in three ways.

First -he has continually utilized typically French detailing such as rouching, pleating, and imaginative draping. 

Second - Elbaz gives his customers color that they can wear - not colors that wear them.    

Third and perhaps most important - Alber continues to inject newness in each collection - giving his customers a reason to buy something from each new offering.   This is key especially in the times in which we are living.

What a pleasure to watch a creative designer continue to grow and develop his relationship at a  fashion house.   This season Elbaz made a statement by showing mostly black on the runway.   Something he had not done for the first few seasons with Lanvin.   It is a natural progression.   After all the bold statements in print and color - he could tackle the more challenging task of making black look new and exciting.   There were a few shots of color - but the overall statement was sexy - yet somber - which was spot on.

Bravo for Elbaz and for Lanvin!   Fashion Houses take note - this is how it's done!  It takes patience and trust for a house to achieve success with a new creative director/ designer.   Too often - it doesn't work.   For this reason the powers that be at Krizia must be kicking themselves.  Readers might remember - Elbaz designed one of the most beautiful collections in recent memory for the house that received rave reviews back in the fall of 2000.   However, due to the micro managing the long suffering house is known for the relationship ended after only a few months.   Unbelievable since that one collection was the only positive press that Krizia has received in possibly a decade .  Even the naming of the collection Krizia "Top" - left you thinking - where is Krizia "bottom"?   I was at that show in Milan and it took my breath away.   The collection had an African theme brought to life with the sophistication of YSL himself. 

During a time when few are excited about the fashion industry - Alber Elbaz leaves us wanting more.

SALE OF THE CENTURY

Yves Saint LaurentIn Life, Yves Saint Laurent captivated the world with his runway collections for 50 years.   In death, it is the collection that took 50 years to amass that has the world in awe.   Who else but YSL could inspire art collectors to spend almost $500 million dollars in this economic environment? Last week Christies's auction house facilitated the 3 day sale with a staggering 700 items on the block    Name a major artist - they was there.   Matisse, Picasso, Degas - going once, twice, sold!    Sculpture, furniture, paintings - all chosen with the impeccable eye of an artist himself.    

Matisse - Les Couscous...-$46 MillionTo be fair, YSL's partner in business and in life - Pierre Berge, deserves a great deal of the credit.   Berge had been the glue that kept the fragile Yves together for 5 decades.  Imperial Chinese Rat Head - $20 Million When they met, Berge was an avid art collector who transferred his passion for promoting artists on canvas to an artist who worked in fabric.   While YSL was famous for his own battle with personal demons - both real and imagined  (Karl Lagerfeld just might have horns under that powdered wig!) it was the battles Berge handled in the business world that yielded massively lucrative licensees and fragrance contracts for the designer.Eileen Gray Chair - $28 Million

The timing of the auction is superb.   We need every ounce of good news to remind us all that one important key to the economic recovery is positive thinking- and how can you not smile seeing these treasures so enthusiastically snatched up one after the other at record prices!  With the state of the stock market and global banking - perhaps buyers feel artwork is a safer investment.

Timed just as Paris was preparing for fashion week - the auction garnered world wide press that no runway collection could hope to receive!  Hats off to Pierre Berge and once again to Yves Saint Laurent!

Return of the REAL Supermodels

Once upon a time in early 90's, a small group of gorgeous girls had the monopoly on every major fashion campaign and premiere exit position on all the Catwalks.    The fashion world and public were transfixed on their beauty and  they cast a spell on the world.    This little clique changed the way we thought about models.   They suddenly had names, not just "that beautiful girl in that ad".    Singing sensation Rupaul even immortalized them in his world wide #1 single "Supermodel".    

Linda, Christy, Claudia & Naomi (Ms. Campbell if your nasty!)- a first name was all they needed - you knew who they were.   If designers had deep enough pockets, they could have them all walk their show... and if they couldn't afford one - good luck trying to book the others.   This was the glamour mafia!

So fast forward to 2008.  Where are these legends I speak of?  Amazingly, they are all back at the forefront of fashion with major campaigns running for fall.   With three out of the 4 have multiple campaigns!! They have been trickling back into the fashion fold for a few seasons - but for fall 2008 - they dominate! 

Prada, Escada, Ferragamo, and YSL know where the beauty is!

These gals don't really do the runway anymore - quite frankly - its not worth their time!   These women are gorgeous and all pushing 40 (or 40+) and proof that the tweens of the world are not running everything.. yet!!

Can you think of the one name I left out of this bevy of beauties??  Hint: Prince wrote a song about her.