The Knock Off Report Vol. 3

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Knock (off)?! Knock (off)?! Who’s there? Steve Madden, Louboutin, House of Harlow and more!

Dear readers!
Your favorite secret agent, MOI, is back with investigation #3! (#1 can be found here and #2 can be found here).

Where there is a knock off, I WILL find it! Kisses my poodles!

,
Lauren Click to Continue Reading

2010 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show

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Rosie Huntington-Whitely

Alright boys, Christmas in New York came early this year! Last night for the 15th year in a row, Victoria Secret held it’s annual fashion show featuring all it’s Angels: Lily Donaldson (my fav), Rosie Huntington-Whitely (“Transformers 3″), Adriana Lima (new mom), Alessandra Ambrosio, Miranda Kerr (newly married this year to Orlando Bloom), Jessica Stam, Doutzen Kroes, Selita Ebanks, Lindsay Ellingson, Erin Heatherton, Izabel Goulart, Maryna Linchuk, Liu Wen, Martha Streck, Anja Rubik, Constance Jablonski, Chanel Iman, Candice Swanepoel, Behati Prinsloo, Anne Vyalitsina, Karolina Kurkova (her belly button looks fine to us!) and Magdalena Frakowiak.

For the jet-set, the VSFS is a regular stop on the annual calendar. Attendees are granted tickets via VS’s publicity department or through the network which tapes and broadcasts the show or through a model or producer of the show. This year lucky attendees were: Russell Simmons, Gerard Butler, Adam Levine, Malin Akerman, Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Zac Posen, Paris & Nicky Hilton, Derek Blasberg, Akon, Stavros Niarchos, Carine Roitfeld, Alexander Wang and Adrian Grenier. Click to Continue Reading

Paris Fashion Week – H&M Champs Elysee Store Opening, Vanessa Bruno Show, Roger Vivier Fete, Regines, Repetto Custom Ballet Flats and more

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Vanessa Bruno @ Palais de Chaillot:

After sleeping in and strolling by my favourite sweet shop Pain de Sucre on Ramuteau, and by Repetto where they are launching a new offer to custom colour and trim on the classic ballet style … so genius! so hard to choose! … I was back on the Metro to one of my must stop sections of the city, Trocadero, where the Musee de Homme and Theatre Chailott are located … best view of the Tour Eiffel and a breathtaking sunset set the tone for this warm evening.

Vanessa Bruno was in the tropical zone showing palm prints in bright tones and short shorts in neon lace and crisp linens, oh so sexy slashed at the side seams revealing hip bones and a bit of tan line … ooh lala!

Dashed backstage for a quick hug before Lou Doillon and paps swarmed the vicinity! BTW premiere of mini movie campaign starring Doillon @ new Bruno boutique later this month in LA … Click to Continue Reading

Trend Report: Best Cross Body and Shoulder Bags of 2010/2011

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Trend Report: Cross Body slash Shoulder Bags – July 26th, 2010. It all started with the hipsters … (Well it actually started with the Chanel 2.55 flap bag 70 years ago, but that’s another story) …

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How Christian Louboutin got his groove back

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Call me Lauren Bradshaw, as Carrie and I have so much in common we could be sisters, besides the fact that I have never liked Manolo Blahnik !

It is NO secret that I have a major shoe obsession, from the age of 5 on my dad told me I was going to be the American Imelda Marcos.  (*Imelda Marcos was the wife of Ferdinand Marcos, President of the Philippines.  She owned over 3,000 pairs of shoes.)

I would like to think of myself as a shoe collector, rather than a shoe hoarder, as a family member accused me of being last week.  All shoes are equal opportunity with me: If you were to look in my closet, I have shoes ranging from 2$ (from Singapore) to over a thousand.

I don’t know why I love shoes so much?  Shoes just… make me happy !  They always fit and most times look amazing, one can turn a simple black dress or a more plain outfit into something extraordinary with just the right shoe, they give me extra height, which I need desperately as I am 5’3″ (My saying to my mom who calls my shoes “Puerto Rican fence climbers”, = the higher the better !), and they are just plain fun.

For a long time, Mr. Louboutin was my go to shoe designer, but then I feel he had down time (like Marc Jacobs did before and after rehab).  I had no choice but to look to other shoe designers, such as Miu Miu, Givenchy, Charlotte Olympia, Alexander Wang, Dolce Vita, YSL, Zara, Fendi, Nicholas Kirkwood, etc, because the Loubie shoe selection was just not doing it for me.

Another reason why I haven’t been down with the Loubies, is that while I have been guilty of spending 800-900$ for a pair of shoes, I don’t want to spend over 1,000$, for a pair of shoes that will get ruined.  It has been ironic to me that during one of our worst economic depressions, the price of shoes has gone up to some designers charging 1800-2200$ per pair of shoes.  I.E: I have no interest to buy a pair of mediocre heels, that don’t excite me or give me dreams for 1,200$.

Finally, after a year or so, I do believe that Christian Louboutin, the god of shoes, has got his grove back, like Stella :-)

And yes, the following shoes are proven to induce rapid heart beat, temporary change in blood pressure, and lucid dreams !

*I fear I might need, not want, the above pink spikey heels.

The Knock Off Report vol. 2: Knock (off), Knock (off), Who’s there? Dolce Vita, Chloe, Marc Jacobs and more!

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Dear Readers,

Your favorite secret agent, MOI, is back with investigation #2! (#1 can be found here) … Where there is a knock off, I WILL find it!

Kisses my poodles,
Lauren Click to Continue Reading

Met Ball Costume Institute, 2010 breaking NEWS! FULL WHO WEARS WHAT

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Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Exhibit 2010
American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity

Open May 5th – August 15th, 2010

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Spring/Summer 2010 trend: To clog or not to clog, that is the question!

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To clog or not to clog?

Love em or hate em, clogs will be the biggest shoe trend of this Spring/Summer  (like the gladiator hype of 2010) so says Mary-Kate Olsen, Alexa Chung, Rachel Bilson, Jennifer Garner, Michelle Williams, etc.

Whose fault is this you may or may not ask? Mainly Karl Lagerfeld, and the lovelies at Chanel for flooding the Chanel Sp/Su 2010 fashion show with these historic shoes.

From Camilla Skovgaard to Steve Madden and Chanel and Versace to Urban Outfitters, clogs have started to dominate most all stores…. Wether we like it or not!

The good, the bad, and the ugly:

You can virtually spend anywhere from $40-$700, depending on your budget.

Clogs can be very comfortable.

These shoes will not look good on just anyone or with anything.  Mostly everything looks good on models, hence why they are models….You could put a paper bag on my best friend, Sabrina, and it would look  Do not think that this applies to everyone !

Errrr, these shoes look pretty similar to crocs, but with wooden heels.

What do you think my dear truffler? Will you be wearing clogs this season?

Hmmm….Me you ask? I don’t think so… I think I will leave this for the indigenous Dutch people and the long legged beauties trotting along at Chanel.

Look out for clogs by Chanel, Alexander Wang, Stuart Weitzman, Miu Miu, Tory Burch, Top Shop, Camilla Skovgaard, Pedro Garcia, Banana Republic, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Steve Madden, Jeffrey Campbell, Elizabeth and James, Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Versace, Gucci, Sam Edelman, Louis Vuitton, Ugg, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, re this season.

Trend Report: Corset Lingerie dominated the Spring 2010 runway shows

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Originally published in January, I thought it was time to re-visit this post, as I have been seeing corset/lingerie everywhere!

One of the obvious trends that was shown on the runway for next season, Spring / Summer 2010, was lingerie inspired garments.  I wanted to take it a step further, and examine the trends within this trend, so I zoned in on the corset!  Among many others, including, Jean Paul Gaultier, Lanvin, Alexander Wang, Dior, Antonio Berardi, and Sophia Kokosalaki incorporated some aspect of “the corset” into their garments for their Spring 2010 show.

Whether it be paired with a sweatshirt, dress, pants, bathing suit, or skirt, corsets ruled the runway!

Marion Cotillard (left) it at the Critics Choice Awards last Friday in one of the Dior runway looks (right).

Emily Blunt and Tina Fey opted for corset-ish dresses at the Golden Globes

Buy nude corset from Macys.com for $50.00

Buy white and black lace corset from Frederick’s of Hollywood for $19.99

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Ruffled Satin Corset $19.99 from Fredericks of Hollywood

The Oscars of Fashion! Wang + Jacobs lead noms for Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) 2010 Awards

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While I have been to most all award shows, I’d LOVE to go to the CFDA Awards… and obvi so would Tavi (Yes, we are now on a first name basis).

“I am not normally one for red carpet dressing (other than the CFDA gala)… “- Tavi, Oscar the grouch post

The Oscars of Fashion:

The CFDA’s annual awards ceremony, which honors excellence in fashion design, is often called “the Oscars of fashion.”  Nominations are submitted by CFDA members and by select fashion publications, retailers, and stylists. Award winners are voted on and announced at the annual CFDA Fashion Awards gala event.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association of over 350 of America’s foremost fashion and accessory designers. As of 2009, Diane von Fürstenberg is the group’s President and Steven Kolb is the Executive Director. Founded in 1962, the CFDA continues to advance the status of fashion design as a branch of American art and culture; to raise its artistic and professional standards; to define a code of ethical practices of mutual benefit in public and trade relations; and, to promote appreciation of the fashion arts through leadership in quality and aesthetic discernment.

In addition to hosting the annual CFDA Fashion Awards, the organization is committed to nurturing the development of the American fashion industry’s future designers. The CFDA’s Educational Initiatives provide support and resources for students at the high school, collegiate and post-graduate levels. In addition, CFDA supports working designers in the early stages and throughout their careers. Among those efforts include the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the Business of Fashion and the Business Service Network (BSN). The CFDA, through the CFDA Foundation, Inc., mobilizes its membership to support important charitable causes: Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, The CFDA Health initiative and The CFDA-Vogue Initiative for HIV and AIDS (7th on Sale)

FOR THE NINTH YEAR IN A ROW, SWAROVSKI GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITES THE EVENING

Popular Vote Sponsored by L’Oréal Paris Returns

NEW YORK, March 18, 2010 – Last night, The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced the nominations for the 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards at an exclusive event hosted by Nadja Swarovski and Diane von Furstenberg at the designer’s studio in the Meatpacking District.  The 2010 CFDA Fashion Awardswinners will be announced at the annual gala, generously underwritten by Swarovski, on June 7 at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

The nominees for Womenswear Designer of the Year Award reflect the depth of accomplishment and enduring influence of American fashion, ranging from the rising talent of Alexander Wang to the modern vision of Marc Jacobs to the timeless iconoclasm of Donna Karan.

The Menswear Designer of the Year nominees are:  Michael Bastian, Tom Ford,and  Marcus Wainwright & David Neville for Rag & Bone. For Accessory Designer of the Year Award the nominees are: Alexis Bittar, Lazaro Hernandez & Jack McCollough for Proenza Schouler, and Marc Jacobs.

Joseph Altuzarra, Prabal Gurung, and Jason Wu have been nominated for theSwarovski Award for Womenswear. The nominees for the Swarovski Award for Menswear are Richard Chai, Patrik Ervell, and Simon Spurr. For the Swarovski Award for Accessory Design, the nominees are Eddie Borgo, Dana Lorenz, andAlexander Wang.  The Swarovski Award recipients in each category will receive generous financial support from Swarovski as well as exposure to the company’s vast and innovative Swarovski crystal resources.

The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Michael Kors.

The CFDA Board of Directors chose to honor Alexander McQueen with their Special Tribute Award.

The other special award honorees are:

Eugenia Sheppard Award – Kim Hastreiter, Paper

International Award – Christopher Bailey for Burberry

Fashion Icon Award – Iman

Eleanor Lambert Award – Tonne Goodman, Vogue

CFDA.com

The Knock Off Report vol. 1: Knock (off), Knock (off), Who’s there? Balmain, Chloe, Alexander Wang and more!

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Knock Knock

Whose there?

Jeffrey

Jeffrey who?

Jeffrey Campbell, I copied your designs!

This whole post is dedicated to my cousin, Katie. If it hadn’t been for her sending me a picture of Jeffrey Campbell shoes she wanted, I would of never looked at his website and have total DEJA VU from other designers shoes.

Jeffrey Campbell seems be the new Steve Madden. Click to Continue Reading

X-Ray Vision Clothing: Alexander Wang, Gucci, Doc Martens and Keds!

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Wildfox Skeleton Oversized Sweatshirt

One of the many things I have been noticing lately are designers looking to the human body for style tips.

Carly Margolis (L.A. native), designed a collection for Keds recently with the toes on the outside!! I spotted the second boot, designer unknown, on the party pages of Mark Hunter (L.A. native) aka The Cobrasnake. The Gucci spring season featured skeletal rib cages strapped to the outside of dresses – as seen on Jennifer Lopez in February’s Elle mag. In the same layout she also rocked the cut-out Alexander Wang dress modeled by Frankie Rayder on his runway last fall. The x-ray looking dress reminded me of the Cobra Kai Halloween costumes from the Karate Kid – but nearly so much as do the new (not so new) Doc Marten’s that have actual *Glow-in-the-Dark* foot bones painted on the outside – and these cool bone gloves (designer unknown) rocked by celebrity DJ Sam Ronson!! xoxo

Want/bought/need items of the week: Alexander Wang pyramid clutch and Miu Miu Spring 2010 platforms

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Alexander Wang Darla Pyramid clucth:
And now for something completely new and different! The Alexander Wang Darla Pyramid Clutch ($450) in black leather is the biggest “it” bag to ever walk! And speaking of walk – this bag is named after one of his regular models Darla Baker!

Bow Ring:
Cute bow on a ring Girlish Bow Ring $3.80 from Forever 21.

Heart Earrings
Rhinestone-Encrusted Heart Earring Set ($3.80) from Forever 21 come a round polished pair, and a pearlescent bead style set as well. Bargain!

Truffles on the Web: Karl Lagerfeld’s new hotel, Tavi’s hat at Fashion Week

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TRUFFLES OF NEWS:

Ms. Gevinson, age 13.

♥ @Grazia_live took this picture at the Dior Spring Summer 2010 haute couture fashion show, this last Monday, January 25th, 2010 and twitter to Grazia readers worldwide: “not happy to watch couture through 13 year old Tavi’s hat”. Tavi defended herself on her blog saying: “I had no intentions of blocking the views of people behind me but it didn’t block any views-I’m SHORT, so watching the show behind me would be like watching it through a regular-sized adult, but better, because adult heads do not have holes in them. Other than the stinky cheese man, from that one book, from like, second grade, or something. My dad was sitting next to the Grazia writer that tweeted this picture and said there shouldn’t have been any problems in seeing the clothes, but I’m pretty sure she or he was joking, anyway?”.

Birthdays today: Grace Fernandez, Daisy Lowe (daughter of Pearl Lowe and Gavin Rosdale, Moses Farrow, Lisa Love (Editor of Teen Vogue), Narcisco Rodriguez, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Steve Wynn (Hotel Mogul), and my grandpa, Edward Longley.

This weeks couture lineup in Paris, France has so far been:

January 25th – Alexis Mabille, Anne Valerie Hash, Christian Dior

January 26th – Armani Prive, Chanel, Givenchy

January 27th – Ellie Saab, Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier

♥ The Victoria & Albert museum is hosting an exhibit on Grace Kelly with Van Cleef & Arpels. Grace’s dresses and jewels from 1960 and 1970 will be on display from April 17th 2010- September 26th 2010.

♥ Awww Ugly Betty has been cancelled :(

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen announced Tuesday that they’ll be putting on their first-ever fashion show next month, but that isn’t their only big story this week. The Row’s new Web site went live today. Created in collaboration with Matthew Daniel Siskin of designedmemory, the interactive design studio behind Chris Benz, Genevieve Jones, and Albertus Swanepoel’s sites, the new therow.com is as subtly cool as one of the designer sisters’ $250 Supima cotton jersey short-sleeved T-shirts. In fact, the site’s different backgrounds are full-frame images of fabrics from the collection. It’s not set up for e-commerce just yet, but the Olsens assure us that it will be by late summer, in time to sell their Fall collection. MK and Ashley get techy with us below. – Style.com

♥ Frida Giannini, Gucci, has announced that she wants to start a couture collection for Gucci, but in Milan, not Paris.

♥ Want to know what Obama’s plans are for the US? Tune into the State of the Union address tonight.

Karl Lagerfeld is apparently building something on an island in Dubai, and to make this situation more weird, Victoria Beckham might be designing a hotel for this island. Dubai has an island that is fashion themed called, Isla Moda… interesting. Armani is opening its first design hotel in Dubai March 18th and Ellie Saab plans t open his hotel next year (part of the Tiger Woods Dubai resort, Al Ruwaya), this is so weird to me ! What will it be called? Lager Land, Karl Kove, Lake Lagerfeld?

Nick Knight, owner of ShowStudio.com , will be working with Rodarte and Alexander Wang for Fashion Week 2010 in Nyc February during Feb. Nick was the man responsible for Alexander Mcqueen’s backdrop during his alien-ish show during Spring Summer 2010 fashion show.

♥ There will be a big tribute to Michael Jackson this Sunday at the Grammys. Michael’s kids are rumored to show up for this.

♥ Santa Barbara native, Cameron Douglas, 31, son of Michael Douglas, confessed to dealing coke and meth last year in NYC. He is looking at a minimum of 10 years in jail.

Movie Premiers tonight in LA: When In Rome, starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duahamel and Edge of Darkness starring Mel Gibson.

♥ Fashion Indie blogger’s friends abroad in Italy have found Coca-Cola bottles inprinted with Missoni’s design.

Independent.co.uk

Fashionista.com

Fashionindie.com/coca-cola-wears-missoni-in-florence-italy/

Trend Report: Side Braids

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Hey summer 2010, Lady Godiva* called and she wants her hair back. If you haven’t noticed, all variations of side pony braids are all over the place these days. From the Spring Summer runways, cover of top magazines, and beautiful editorials to small online store look books, these chunky, thick, short, long, messy, straight braids are everywhere and oh so ahhhmazing! Click to Continue Reading