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

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.

Karolina Kurkova and her alleged missing belly button - looks ok to us

Past notable Angels include:
Tyra Banks – (1997–2005)
Helena Christensen – (1997)
Stephanie Seymour – (1997-2000)
Heidi Klum – (1999–2010)
Gisele Bündchen – (2000–2007)

The costumes in the VSFS has greatly lacked in the recent years and this year was no exception. Most of the wings look cheaply made and use materials that can never be beautifiul like crochet, patchwork and pleather. Polka dots, denim, gingham and lace-up shout cheap as well. Themes of football, wrestling and soccer were yet another miss. Poor Behati Prinsloo was litereally made to dress up like a soccer ball with a poofy black and white pentagon patterned shrug. Isabeli Fontana as the wrestler was not hot, just awkward. The triabl theme portion of the show was better.

Caroline Winberg

We have posted the images of costumes we LOVE. And the models, hair and make-up are still perfection. But the wings use to be stupendousness and now many are campy or sadly non-existent. A lot of the costumes look like an off night at the Playboy mansion.

Side note: Check out Michael Bay’s commercial featuring all Angels. This is interesting because he is using an Angel – Rosie Huntington-Whitely - for his next Transformer hero girl.

Following our “likes” is a slideshow for Victoria Secret and Sun Capital where we go through the various things that make this show cheap.

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Candice Swanepoel

Maryna Linchuk

Behati Prinsloo

Erin Heatherton

Alessandra Ambrosio

Karolina Kurkova

Erin Heatherton

Lais Ribero

Lais Ribero

HERE ARE SOME NOTES ON WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED UPON FOR NEXT YEAR

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 …

Roger Vivier fete @ Faubourg Saint Honore boutique:

Who doesn’t love combo of bubbles, shoes and well dressed peeps?? Bubbles a la Vueve, shoes in stand out hand stained silk and peeps including Derek Blasberg, Bruno Frisoni, Marisa Berenson, Glenda Bailey and Lori Rodkin …

Snuck a peek into both Ines de la Fressange‘s office, a menagerie of colour, texture and overall oh so much fun!! as well Bruno’s office a total 180 with beautiful drawings of his designs covering one wall, he is a master illustrator … the stuffed elephant and clean white walls … dreamy … !

H&M Store Opening party @ 88 avenue des Champs Elysee:

Celebrating this mega outlet designed by architectural icon Jean Nouvel were PR power player Karla Otto, Nick Rhodes and our most inspiring cutie Michelle Harper in tow with Tiffany Godoy who just finished promo tour for her latest tome Tokyo Story.

Cuties Lou Doillon and Anouk Lepere did a bit of shopping – I mean who can resist 25% VIP discount?? Design extraordinaire Haider Ackerman spotted as well as photo god Patrick Demarchelier … Tatiana Santo Domingo, Eugénie Niarchos and Andrea Casiraghi as well.

This opening marks the 140th store in France and the 11th store in Paris proper.

Regines:

Quick stop @ Pizza Pino for a bit of fuel and gossip, then faced the squeeze at Regine’s for a night fueled by fantastically nostalgic sets from my DJ gal Harley Viera-Newton … party animals in sweaty crowd: Prabal Grabal, Alex Wang, Derek Blasberg, Liv Tyler and a very sweet Nicholas Kirkwood who payed me a very lovely compliment … aye … au revoir Paris xom!

Tour Eiffel

Vanessa Bruno S/S 2011 @ Palais de Chaillot

Vanessa Bruno detail

Vanessa Bruno detail

Vanessa Bruno S/S 2011

Repetto store front in Paris

Repetto custom ballet flats

Roger Vivier's office wall

Pain de Sucre on Ramuteau

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) …

Cross body / long shoulder strap bags are everywhere, and there is nothing you can do about it !Literally everyone has jumped on the band wagon in the past few seasons to churn out this massive purse trend from Target, Aldo, Claire’s Boutique, Candies, H&M, Forever 21, Topshop, Zara, etc to Cole Haan, Kate Spade, Mulberry, Givenchy, Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Chloe, Lanvin, Tory Burch, Rebecca Minkoff, Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Botkier, Alexander Wang, and many many more, which is great because anyone can afford this trend.

There is a cross body bag for everyone: A bag with feathers, brightly colored, ruffles, fancy, animal print, fringe, studs, chain, plain and simple, suede, pleather, beaded, hardware in silver or gold, western?  Got $10 or $2,000? There is a bag for you too !

Wether it be your mom or your little sister, a 12 year old at Thrifty’s (it will never be Rite Aid) or a super model out on the town, girls, women, ladies, et al are rocking this trend all over the world!

Below are some of my favorites !

<< P.S. Let’s keep this between us. I rather not discuss how when I was 14 or 15 I took all of my moms vintage-y Gucci and LV bags (with long skinny shoulder straps) to Arturo (shoe repair) and had him shorten them…. a lot !  Let’s just say that they now look nothing like there former selves.

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.

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

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

Open May 5th – August 15th, 2010

Hosts

Patrick Robinson (GAP)

Anna Wintour

Oprah

*Lady Gaga to perform*

The MisShapes DJing the after party @ the Boom Boom Room

*I wonder if Leigh Lezark, Misshape member, will be wearing Chanel, as she is a Chanel Ambassador?

Whose wearing what?

Anna Wintour in Chanel Couture

Bea Shaffer in Balenciaga

Oprah in Oscar de La Renta

Burberry Table: Emma Watson, Mario Testino, Daniel Craig, Claire Danes with Hugh Dancy, and Ed Norton.

Liv Tyler , Kate Hudson, and Naomi Watts wear Stella McCartney

Lady Gaga and Iman in Prada

Gwen Stefani in L.A.M.B.

Maggie Gyllenhaal in F/W Louis Vuitton

Kate Bosworth in Spring 2010 and Anne Hathaway in Valentino Pre Fall

Mamie Gummer and Karlie Kloss in DKNY

M.I.A., Gisele Bundchen and Zoe Kravitz in Alexander Wang

Kerry Washington and Riley Keough in Thakoon

Rachel Weisz in Oscar de La Renta

Sienna Miller in Pucci

Jessica Alba and Vera Fermiga in Sophie Theallet

Katie Couric wears Carmen Marc Valvo

January Jones in YSL

Eva Mendes wears Dolce & Gabbana

Brooke Shields in Michael Kors

Sarah Jessica Parker in Halston

Kirsten Dunst and Jamie Bochert in Rodarte

Ivanka Trump and Jessica Szhor  in Versace

PDiddy wears Dries Van Noten

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad

Blake Lively, Joy Bryant, Eva Longoria (EW) in Marchesa

Amy Fine Collins in Alice and Olivia

Carey Mulligan in Miu Miu

Camille Belle in Jason Wu

Elizabeth Banks wears Gucci

Mariska Hargitay wears Vera Wang

Lily Collins and Kristen Stewart in Chanel

Thandie Newton wears Vivienne Westwood

Emmy Rossum in Kenneth Cole

Kristen Bell wears Diane Von Furstenberg

Chloe Sevigny and Lauren Santo Domingo in Proenza Schouler

Nicole Richie in Marc Jacobs

Melania Trump in Christian Siriano

Diane Kruger, Zoe Saldana, and Penn Badgley in Calvin Klein

Rosario Dawson in Giambattista Vali

Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel, and Taylor Swift in Ralph Lauren

Models

Bar Rafeli in custom rag and bone

Liu Wen in Naeem Khan

Coco Rocha in Zac Posen

Jessica Stam in Rachel Roy

Constance Jablonski in Jason Wu

Hillary Rhoda in Prabal Gurung

Angela Lindvall in Versace

Lily Donaldson in Marc Jacobs

Anja Rubik in Altuzarra

Makeup

Nars:

Jo Stretell with Demi Moore

Elaine Offers with Blake Lively

Vera Steimberg with Zoe Saldana

Jeanine Lobel with Amber Valleta

Francelle with Vera Farmiga

James Boehmer with Erin Fetherston

Jeanine Lobel with Catherine Keener

Dior’s Makky works with Carey Mulligan

Gucci Westman works with Cameron Diaz

Chanel’s Fulvia works with Naomi Watts

Pat Mcgrath works with Taylor Swift

Hair

Mark Townsend does Rachel Weisz hair

Ted Gibson does Anne Hathaway and Emma Watson

Danilo does Katy Perry and Gwen Stefani

Juan Carlos Maciques does Jennifer Lopez

Giannandrea does Cameron Diaz

Cosma Dimarins does Chloe Sevigny

Marco Santini does Rachel Bilson

Hallie Bowman does Liv Tyler

Renato Campora does Jessica Alba and Kirsten Stewart

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.

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

Ruffled Satin Corset $19.99 from Fredericks of Hollywood

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

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.

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

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!

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!

* Lady Godiva (1040-1080) was a woman who, according to legend, rode around her town of Coventry, England, naked on her horse.  Godiva and her husband, Earl Leofric of Mercia, made a deal that she would ride around nakie on her horse, only clothed by her extremely long hair, and for this he would rescind the painfully high taxes he placed upon his towns people.

Miu Miu runway spring 2010

Alexander Wang backstage 2010

Alexander Wang backstage 2010

model on www.NastyGirl.com

Vogue Germany recent issue

Models on www.net-a-porter.com

Model Anja Rubik dons a side braid in Vogue

Side braids

Side braids

Jessica Stam rocks the side braid

Side braid on Elle June 2010

Model on www.NastyGirl.com

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair !