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>> Celebrity Fashion News
 If British women were asked to choose their fashion icon for 2011, the chances are that most would choose the latest member of the Royal family and Queen-in-waiting Kate Middleton. As the world waited to see that dress emerge on her wedding day back in April, it seemed that Kate had already emerged as a trend-setter with celebrity and fashion magazines poring over her every outfit.
While Kate is undoubtedly growing into her role as a fashion icon, her style could hardly be described as either innovative or unique, however. As a student her look was little different from her peers, with only those infamous shots of her modelling lingerie at a charity fashion show to set her aside from the other graduates.
Even today Kate seems to play it safe with her fashion choices, preferring sober and sensible to the more daring outfits that her late mother-in-law used to wear, to the delight of both the fashion press and women everywhere.
British women who are looking for an inspirational fashion icon would do better to look to stars such as singer Florence Welch, from Florence and the Machine, or TV presenter and former model Alexa Chung. Neither of these fashionistas could be accused of playing it safe with their bold style choices.
Kate did make one excellent fashion choice in 2011 when she picked Sarah Burton to design her 1950s-inspired wedding dress. Not only the sedate gown fit in with the more sober times we find ourselves living in – as opposed to the outlandish Royal wedding dresses during the 80s – but choosing Alexander McQueen’s mentor not long after his tragic death ensured that the fashion press will be fighting her corner for a long time to come.
The Duchess of Cambridge still has some way to go before she can even be mentioned in the same breath as true fashion icons such as Coco Chanel or Audrey Hepburn, but she is definitely doing her bit to drag the Royals into the 21st century.
Take a sleek and stylish Mercedes Benz SL Roadster, the Dutch supermodel Lara Stone and the stunning backdrop of a bleak desert landscape and what do you have? The latest short film to promote Mercedes Benz Autumn/Winter 2012 brought to us from the brilliant imagination of the US photographer and film maker Alex Prager. Combining the elements of her own personal style icons, we have a visual feast to savour.
Iconic style icons such as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, Alfred Hitchcock, Frederico Fellini and David Lynch all play a part in this surreal short film that Prager has produced, entitled ‘Icons of Style’. To tell such an evocative and imaginative tale in such a short time takes skill, something Prager has in bucketloads. Lara is driving through the desert and pulls up in the Roadster to survey the vista, and the approaching tornado.
As it gets closer, she takes two cases from the boot, and stand waiting for it to hit her. Slowly, she starts lifting up in the air, and the look of euphoria on her face tells us that this is no accident and her dream to become a 21st century Dorothy is about to come true. As the wind hurls her around amongst the debris, the look of joy and satisfaction tells us that she has been waiting for this for a long, long time, and she is totally unafraid.
There is a great aerial shot from the ground as she rises higher and higher until she completely disappears. This is clearly a trip she has been planning, and is either escaping from somewhere or to somewhere, but only Prager knows the truth. This short film is thought provoking, innovative and ingenious, and will be one of those we will be talking about for months. You don’t get many promo films better than this one.
 While much of the world is suffering from a recession, Ozwalk Boateng, a top fashion designer in menswear, is expanding his business. Having been in talks with both banks and investors, he could garner £150 million of investment in order to open up to 100 shops all over the world.
The cost of each store will run to somewhere in the region of £1.5 million, and will operate in a franchise model. One of the first to open will be in London, with Sloane Street being considered, and it could arrive as soon as 12 months. Paris, one of the homes of fashion, is also being considered.
Mr Boateng has been suiting the stars since the 90s, with a number of celebrity clients such as Mick Jagger and Jude Law. His business operates primarily from his store on Savile Row, and he is leader in the male fashion industry. While based in the UK, his business reaches across the world.
He had seven shops in Japan, and when their economy hit a crisis in the 90s, his business suffered. Since then, he has always been a lot more cautious about the development of his company, and plans to be more hands on as this expansion takes place to avoid being hurt by a similar crisis.
If everything goes according to plan, then his profits, before tax and interest, will go from just over £1 million pounds a year to over £70 million, in just 5 years. Mr Boateng has said that he would like to have a global brand, similar to Louis Vuitton, and is aware that Bernard Arnault, who is the chairman and CEO of LVMH, made a fortune from fashion, and is one of the richest men in Europe.
 Of all the celebrities working to promote environmentally friendly style, Livia Firth is definitely the most glamorous. It has recently been announced that she is going to be moving into design work and has started creating a line of environmentally friendly items for the clothing retailer Yoox.
She is going to be working through a partnership with Reclaim To Wear, which is an organisation that take surplus textiles and waste and turns them into new items. Ms Firth first became involved with the dresses when she wore a cocktail dress designed by the company to the Venice film Festival. Another time she was noted for wearing recycled clothing was when she wore an outfit constructed from the old suits of her husband, Colin Firth.
Her marriage to Colin Firth made the initial part of her career in the fashion world more difficult than might be thought. Critics were generally harder on her due to her husbands standing in the film world, with one person describing her as a ‘bored housewife.’ The relationships she subsequently forged with the various supporters of environmental causes have meant that people and critics have started to take her seriously.
The director of Annie Greenabelle, the clothing label, is Jane Olley and she has recently commented about Firth, “For green style she is a great ambassador and she is fully engaged and informed about the cause she is looking to promote.
She understands that ethical garments are sometimes thought to be less desirable because they are made from textures and fabrics from unconventional sources. She also understands the need to make women socially responsible and adopt socially responsible clothing.
I have a huge amount of respect for Ms Firth and I admire the fact that she is helping lesser-known designers in the industry become known. To me, she is someone who stands out for what she believes in and is not just dabbling in an industry temporarily.”
It was two years ago when she first made one of her biggest promises to the fashion world. She said that for every red carpet event that she attended she would only be wearing clothes from an environmentally responsible companies. Some of the most notable events she has attended wearing this type of clothing have been the premieres of A Single Man and The Kings Speech.
It seems that her efforts alone are not enough to satisfy her and she is recruiting other people into her challenge. She is currently attempting to pair celebrities with luxury designers who will be creating green clothing for their chosen celebrity. This is something that is typically very hard to do as designers are not people who particularly enjoy keeping to restrictions, especially when they are designing for such high-profile people.
She first met her husband nearly 20 years ago on a film set in Colombia, she was a production assistant on a film starring Colin Firth and they got married in 1997. They have two sons together aged eight and 10 and she says her husband is responsible for stimulating her interest in environmentally friendly clothing.
 Mila Kunis is the newest celebrity to join the model collection for Dior as the 28 yea old actress is the new model for the Miss Dior handbag. Dressed in black, the petite actress that was born in the Ukraine is seen gently holding the handbag in the campaign photos.
For Kunis, this is a major achievement as she describes herself as more of a jeans and shirt kind of girl, so for someone that is not known for her fashion sense at home the chance to appear in a Dior high fashion advert is quite astonishing. She remarked in an interview that she is still learning about fashion, but that she enjoys wearing feminine pieces while walking down the red carpet.
She also stated that she likes the Dior house because it feels very grounded to her and that their work is always feminine, sophisticated, and beautiful which likely means we can expect to see her dressed at least once, if not more, in the label over the course of the next awards season.
It seems only natural that she would be drawn to the label as her previous partners in film, and producers, seem to feel the same way about the small and stunning star who is starting to see her career in film take off after a long hiatus following her role on That Seventies Show.
 DW was the fashion label debuted by Kanye West in September and it was not welcomed with open arms by the fashion community. In fact, it was largely criticised and apart from a few celebrities welcoming his move into the fashion world it was largely shunned.
Many people were speculating that it was unlikely that Kanye West would be returning to the fashion industry and would instead focus on his music. However, a recent article in The Sun newspaper has said that the rapper is still keen on becoming a designer and is not going to let a little resistance get in his way.
It is also expected that West is going to be moving to London in order to focus on his designing. He has previously stated that he enjoys being in London and wants to make it his home for the time being.
However, he is known to travel and spent several of the past few years exploring places as diverse as Japan, Rome and New York. It has also been said that he is currently preparing a new show for Paris Fashion Week which takes place in March. In regard to his music he has recently been seeking out a new studio.
 Fashion lovers have recently been delighted to see that many fashion brands have been digging out their old collections to display in museums and galleries. Even the public with less interest in fashion have been seen to be taking an interest in its history.
A recent retrospective collection put together by Hussein Chalayan was so popular that it was extended and the British designer commented, “The very fact that these exhibitions are so popular shows that fashion is very much a part of a country’s culture, a fact that these exhibitions make sure isn’t forgotten.”
A recent show has also been put together by Ralph Lauren which attracted over 150,000 visitors to its location in Paris. A similar exhibition by Jean-Paul Gaultier attracted over 170,000 visitors and it has been announced that it will be running for a second time. In Moscow an even more successful exhibition was hosted by Dior with nearly a quarter of a million people attending.
With the success of these first few exhibitions many more fashion houses are keen to jump on the bandwagon and there are many shows scheduled for 2012. Max Mara will also be holding an exhibition in Moscow which is starting this January. A special exhibition is being held in London which is designed to be a tribute to the style of James Bond and is going to be taking place at the Barbican and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
In Venice Diana Vreeland is going to be honoured with a retrospective exhibition featuring only pieces designed by her. New York will see exhibitions by Elsa Schiaparellia as well as Miuccia Prada. Perhaps the biggest addition to the world of fashion exhibitions is going to be a permanent museum which is being established in Florence this year.
 When you set out on your first shopping trip of 2012, you will no doubt come across dresses with dropped waists, or a chic jacket with a flouncy ruffle, and whilst there is much talk regarding fast fashion, there are very few garments make the journey from catwalk to store without a few adjustments and tweaks.
In those months between the flashy reviews and the store launch dates, designers, retailers and manufacturers are hard at work harnessing the ideas and turning them into garments that they hope the public will find appealing, flattering and motivate them to purchase them.
Catherine Moellering is the executive vice president of the fashion and retail trend consultancy Tobe Report, and she says that regular consumers seek fashion with a small ‘f’, they are neither ready nor interested in fashion with a capital ‘F’, and these same consumers would be greatly underwhelmed if the likes of Miuccia Prada, Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs took utilitarian and practical clothes onto the catwalk.
Joanna Coles, the editor in chief of Marie Claire agrees with Ms Moellering’s comments and has said that the runway is the place for the big ideas that are then translated into the trends that are actually purchased. It could be something like the lining of a sheer garment getting an extra layer, or the hem of a miniskirt being stretched, it may be purely a cost decision, and the experts agree that there is a middle ground where they all meet.
Referring to the Raf Simons’ Jil Sander show back in October, Ms Coles has said that the stark, white look was so over exaggerated that you couldn’t stop images of chic nurses coming to mind, but when she visited their showroom days later she immediately saw the commercial appeal of those clean separates, in particular their button down shirts.
The same applies to the OTT 1950′s theme that Prada adopted for their catwalk show. The models looked as if they were dressed in costumes thanks to their styling, but when Ms Coles saw the lace coats and pleated skirts up close and off the models she knew they would be a massive hit for the spring wardrobes after being buried in dull winter clothing through the coldest months.
This is the job of editors, stylists and retailers; once the drama of the catwalk is over and done with, they go to the designers studios for a ‘re-see’ to find out what is actually planned for the items when they go on sale commercially. While it is the edgy, forward looking fashions that push trends, there will be plenty of items that haven’t made the catwalk because they simply don’t need the exposure.
Stephanie Solomon is the vice president of fashion direction for Bloomingdale’s, and she says you have to identify both who and what are those fashion drivers that are under the radar. She adds that you always have your antenna tuned in to catch new ideas and must be prepared to take risks but at the same time these need to be wearable and the trends must appeal to a wide audience for them to take off in a big way.
Ms Solomon says that this cycle can still take several months, but is speeding up as everyday shoppers can now see the shows as they are happening. Following a show, Bloomingdale’s had a rush on printed pants and neon prints, as novelty items tend to span the seasons better than others due to their emotional vibes, which is vital in a true fashion trend.
 When the BBC were putting together the shortlist for their sports personality of the year award they may well have overlooked some of the finest sportswomen in the UK, but Harpers Bazaar have made sure that they don’t make the same mistake. The January issue of the fashion magazine is dedicated to the hopes of the GB female team in the 2012 Olympics.
Louise Hazel, Francesca Halsall and Victoria Pendleton will all be national role models come 2012, and teach us that both discipline and a competitive spirit are about much more than turning down a second helping of that delicious dessert. Before all that however, Harpers’ make sure that they are subjects of envy due to their stunning outdoor shoot that shows of their athletic figures and previously unknown passion for fashion.
Victoria Pendleton, the cycling gold medallist from the last Olympics, to describes her perfect pins as the main tool of her trade, is pictured wearing a white, billowing pleated dress, a la Marilyn Monroe. Her accessories are sky scraping orange stilettos and a few gold bangles.
Louise Hazel is a London born heptathlete and Commonwealth gold medallist who admits that her idea of a perfect romantic evening is to go to a boxing match with her boyfriend and heckling like a builder. She is shown wearing a flowing gown in pale blue.
Francesca Halsall, the swimmer who won an Olympic silver medallist, appears in an image with a sunset backdrop and looks much more mature than her 21 years. She makes the most of her extravagant gown by pulling it up around her face.
All three admit to being shoe addicts who have a penchant for a luxury weekend at a spa, and yet they all spend the majority of their time pushing themselves to their absolute physical limits to make sure that they all make us proud next summer. They don’t see laying off the alcohol and early nights as any kind of sacrifice however, as asVictoriasays, its just a way of life now.
 Stella McCartney has been associated with Paris Fashion Week and for the last 10 years this is where she has decided to show off her new collections. However, the fashion designer has recently said that she might be returning to London Fashion Week by having a one-off show in the capital city in February.
She recently commented at an award ceremony in London, “Returning to London Fashion Week is something I’m always thinking about and I’m very much looking forward to having a show in the city in February.”
The creative director of Alexander McQueen is Sarah Burton and she has been honoured with the highest award for fashion designers in the UK at the British Fashion Awards which took place recently. She was given the designer of the year award and she said, “This has been a fantastic year for me and I’m delighted to have received this award.”
Another recipient of the awards was Victoria Beckham who was recognised by being given the designer brand of the year award. She was so overwhelmed that she was reduced to tears and she dedicated the award to her family.
Upon receiving the award she said, “Receiving this award is a dream for me, it is something that I’ve wanted for a very long time and I’m delighted that I finally managed to achieve this dream.”
Victoria Beckham has been designing clothes since 2008 and she has won over the fashion world with her elegant and simple designs. The label made a profit of over £15 million in the first three months of the year.
One of the most unusually dressed people at the show was Kate Moss, and while she is known for drawing attention with her outfits, this one drew attention for all the wrong reasons. It was clear she was hoping that her rock chic outfit would look glamorous but it ended up making her look rather grungy.
Other people who gained attention for all the wrong reasons were Kelly Brook and Abbey Clancy, whose over the top dresses and fake tans made them look rather out of place next to the high society of fashion.
Alexa Chung was at the other end of the spectrum and her outfit was the highlight of the evening as she wore a wonderful dress designed by Christopher Kane. Georgia May Jagger also wore an outfit of note.
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If British women were asked to choose their fashion icon for 2011, the chances are that most would choose the latest member of the Royal family and Queen-in-waiting Kate Middleton. As the world waited to see that dress emerge on her wedding day back in April, it seemed that Kate had already emerged as a trend-setter with celebrity and fashion magazines poring over her every outfit.
