L.A. Fashion Week: Gypsy 05 Fall 2011

Launched in 2005 by sister/brother team Osi and Dotan Shoham, Gypsy 05has become a line favored by celebrities like Kare Hudson, Jessica Alba, Amanda Seyfried and Miley Cyrus.  And, Gypsy 05 is not just for the girls, with a line for men that has been well received.  Their Fall 2011 line was attended by quite a few celebs, including Glee cast members Mark Criss and Dot-Marie Jones.

Epitomizing the Los Angeles life style, Gypsy 05 has gained wide appeal as a line that is easy-to-wear, comfortable and still extremely fashionable.  With an emphasis on being eco-friendly, the company produces a line of organic and natural fabrics uniquely dyed in their own dye house.

Showing at Style Fashion Week LA, Gypsy 05’s Collection has a definite bohemian feel to it.  Flowing maxi dresses, reminiscent of the hippie culture of the 60’s, mixed together with their personal styling of classic sportswear pieces for men and women, from chinos and unstructured jackets to chunky sweaters and lace tops.  Modern takes on tie-dye highlight the collection as do ombré dyed sweaters and silks.  Silhouettes are relaxed and casual with an emphasis on layering with contrasting colors and prints.  The must have accessories of the collection are the richly dyed scarves, shown layered on both men and women.

This season’s show proved that Osi and Dotan Shoham continue to mature as designers, taking the line to the next level.  It also reminds us that Gypsy 05 is a line to keep one’s eye on!

Video by Omri Escalante

Reported by Mdivani Monroe of Ladies Who Lunch Travel

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Fashion's Elite Launches Tumi Tag Graffiti Collection

Corporate-friendly luggage manufacturer Tumi celebrated the launch of its collaboration with street savvy graffiti artist John Matos last week.  The artist, better known as “Crash” produced an edgy print inspired by street culture and a woman’s eyes for a limited edition collection.

The original artwork for the collection is being auctioned off on Artnet to benefit ACRIA, the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America.  The organization was founded by physicians, activists and patients living with HIV to pioneer new treatments for the disease.

The event was held at Industria Superstudios.  The NYC street culture vibe was projected with Manhattan scenes, digital graffiti on the walls, taxi-cab cookies, a bucket drummer and nibbles representing the various city boroughs.  Notable fashion guests included designer Anna Sui, Philip Bloch and model Yske Strum

The Tumi Tag collection with John Matos comes in four silhouettes in editions of 1000 pieces each.  A special edition I-phone case is also available if you prefer something that fits in your carry-on.

Shop for the most street cred your luggage could ever have, or donate to ACRIA and do some good right now!

Photos by Mariana Leung

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Shop to Help Japan - Designers Save For Tsunami

In times of need, the fashion community gets together to help those who require it most.  Designers and retailers across the board have banded together to produce fundraising events.  Others have donated product for sale with the proceeds going to Tsunami victims like H & M and Uniqlo.  Shopping sites like Ideeli and Gilt have created portals to donate directly.

United Bamboo, Philip Lim body held sample sales to raise aid money.  Theory set up drop boxes for direct donations of items.

If you want to shop for a cause, some designers created a specially-designed product to help. Rebecca Minkoff is donating $100 of each red handbag sold to the Red Cross.  Polo Ralph Lauren is selling a special edition polo where the proceeds will benefit the United Way.  Lady Gaga's website is selling "We Pray for  Japan" wristbands.

The BIG shopping event is coming up from Fashion Girls for Japan.  Over 60 NY designers like Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Alice + Olivia, Derek Lam, Richard Chai, Diane Von Furstenburg (just to name a few) will have rolling racks of goodies to be sold to benefit the American Red Cross.  The event takes places this Saturday and Sunday at the Bowery Hotel (335 Bowery Street, NYC).

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Avril Lavigne Catches Waves Down Under

Avril Lavigne has been putting her time in Australia to good use by brushing up on her surfing skills. The "What the Hell" singer (and StyleBistro guest editor!) has been down under promoting her new album, Goodbye Lullaby, but she found time to catch a few waves today.

Avril wrote on Twitter: “Just surfed on a 4 ft wave on a 7ft board in manly OZ. My smallest board and biggest wave to date !!! I'm tired now haha. Gonna upload WTH.TV soon of me surfing :)"

A couple hours later she made good with a picture of her waiting for a wave on a lime green surfboard while wearing a baseball cap and (unbelievably) her signature dark eyeliner. She wrote: "Here is a picture of me surfing today in Australia at Manly Beach."

Avril also found time to hit Sydney's famous Taronga Zoo, where she was overjoyed to get an up-close and personal introduction to some Australian wildlife. She wrote: “Omg just went to the zoo and got to touch koala bears and kangaroos!!!!!"

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Next Up for Jennifer Aniston: Directing!

Jennifer Aniston is used to being in front of the cameras, and now she's going to get another chance to make some magic behind the lens. She's slated to direct a short film about breast cancer for Lifetime's five-part anthology, Project Five.

Four other stars will also get to try the directing thing for the same project, and three of them have been named: Alicia Keys, Demi Moore, and Monster's Patty Jenkins. The fourth gal has yet to be revealed.

Jen is definitely excited about the project -- both the new gig and the film's message. "Our hope with Project Five is to entertain, inform and inspire dialogue, research and prevention. Otherwise, our goals are small," she said in a statement (via Us magazine). "We want these films to move people and empower those affected by breast cancer to stand tall through this challenge, which impacts all of our lives, no matter who we are."

This is her second time in the director's chair: She worked behind the camera on 2006's Room 10, starring Robin Wright Penn and Kris Kristofferson.  "After you get enough movies under your belt you sit back and go, 'What's next?'" she said about the gig in a past interview. "It's getting to a time where creatively I want to turn in a different direction."

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FREE EVENT TONIGHT: New York Fashion Film Festival

Join Rory Satran of uber-cool store Opening Ceremony, fashion mag star Emma Reeves and Swell's Tarik Malak for a reception and screening of curated fashion films.  The Fashion Film festival will  be followed by a panel discussion.  StyleCaster, NARS cosmetics and the School of Visual Arts are sponsoring the free film-meets-fashion festivities.

When: Tuesday, March 29th, 2011 at 6:00 PM (reception) 7:00 PM (screening)

Where: SVA Theater, 333 West 23rd Street (near 9th avenue)

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Vanessa Hudgens Gets Her Party On in Las Vegas

Sure, Vanessa Hudgens' latest flick Sucker Punch opened to abyssmal reviews on Friday. But the former Disney starlet certainly didn't let that get her down on Saturday night, when she hosted a party at Las Vegas' Pure Nightclub at Caesar's Palace.

Vanessa, outfitted in a snakeprint dress and far too many chains, seemed to really enjoy herself at the bash. She is presumably having a lot of fun being single, although some believe she's been cavorting with her Journey 2 co-star Josh Hutcherson.

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Ann Demeulemeester Fall 2011

How often do Belgians go Native?  As in Native American?  While the Fall 2011 shows in New York showed collection after collection of Americana with tribal influences.  Avant-garde designer Ann Demeulemeester put a dark twist on what was going on overseas.  The jet black feathered hairpieces were a shadow version of the ones seen at the Byron Lars show.  The corset styling gave a Gothic fetish edge. Leather and tinted fur gave some wild luxury.  A few dresses had ruffled details for a softer feminine edge.  As usual, black was the dominant color of the collection.  

Photos courtesy of Imaxtree

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L.A. Fashion Week: Stop Staring! Fall 2011

The passing of Elizabeth Taylor this week has turned my thoughts to old-school Hollywood Glamour and how little is left of it these days.  The days of stars, perfectly coiffed in sexy ultra feminine outfits, seem to be a thing of the past.  Today, more often than not, our female stars are photographed in jeans and t-shirts with mussed hair and no make-up.  While the move to casual and relaxed is liberating in some ways, I can’t help but long for those days of yore, when a perfect image was what one strived for.

Thankfully I am not the only one who feels this way.  There are still celebs out there who appreciate the allure of sexy feminine clothing and how just the right look can burn their image into the minds of fans.  With fewer and fewer design houses catering to this look, I was happy to discover Stop Staring! at Style Fashion Week LA.

Designer Alicia Estrada’s line Stop Staring! is a vintage inspired line of dresses, playsuits and suits that evoke that old Hollywood Glamour.  The tricky thing about vintage inspiration is to not let it overwhelm the designs and turn them into costumes.  Ms. Estrada has managed to take that inspiration and create a feminine sexy line that is at the same time modern and wearable.  

The cocktail party preceding the show was evidence of her success in achieving this, with fans of Stop Staring! sporting past season’s dresses, looking sexy, feminine and completely of the moment.  These are definitely not costumes!  And the women wearing them hit the mark completely, standing out in a crowd and creating a modern day image that captivates us the way the stars of the silver screen once did.

Story by Mdivani Monroe of Ladies Who Lunch Travel.  Video and Photos by Omri Escalante

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Rebecca Taylor Meatpacking Boutique Launch

Chic designer Rebecca Taylor arrived on a glittery silver (not red) carpet for the opening of her new boutique last night.  Amid the hail and high winds, fashionistas flocked downtown to shop the feminine items for Spring 2011.  New York celebrities came out in support of the designer like Gossip Girl's Michelle Trachtenburg, Tika Sumpter and 30 Rock's Katrina Bowden.

The store interior had beautiful moldings on walls of off-white rose.  The clothing racks were undulating shapes to give a rhythmic flow to the boutique.  Ms. Taylor explained that she wanted this location to honor the Meatpacking District roots.  The outdoor signage includes the classic chophouse awning with rusted metal lettering.

  The designer also forged ahead to open the Tokyo boutique this week at a time when many companies pulled out from fear.  Staff at the New York event sold raffle tickets to raise money for those in need in Japan.  The prize was a one-of-a-kind gown made for the film "Beautiful Dream".

The spring collection contained lots of delicate floral prints.  Some printed on floral silk jacquard.  Washed silk pieces had thread picked edges along with pleated or ruffled embellishments. Handbags were small and rounded.  The leather was embossed with snake texture.  There were canvas fish-printed beach totes for the summer. Jewelery rounded out the accessories.  The jewelry was designed by Tory, Rebecca's sister.  A special dolphin charm was created as a fundraising item to save dolphins in the Pacific.  On another shelf, handmade bracelets were sold to benefit the victims of Haiti.

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Cynthia Rowley Fall 2011

People love Spring, but I just patiently wait out the warm weather until Fall clothes come back.  Otherwise, I just  wear inappropriately unseasonal fabrics to make me happy.  The Cynthia Rowley collection for Fall 2011 is the perfect example to demonstrate why...  The wooden runway was a backdrop for lots of silk velvet (one of my favorite fabrics). The silhouettes were maxi-length dresses and skirts.  Flowing as opposed to tight and skin-bearing.  The colors were dark and painterly indigo, blue, grey.  There were some lighter yellows and beiges at the beginning of the show.  A silver lame outfit made the cut in an ode to 1970's disco.  Delicate beading embellished necklines and slippers.  Leather pants and silk charmeuse round out my preferred fashion materials.  

Ms. Rowley has been immersed in fine art, her Exhibition A project promoting up-and-coming artists.  The seamed garments in tonal colors were reminiscent of Rothko.  Color-blocking by way of Mondrian?  The easy attitude of the models, whether strolling down the catwalk or passing through in their intimates between looks conveyed Bohemian muse. 

Spotted in the front row: Julia Stiles, Waris Ahluwalia, Nigel Barker, Alan Cumming

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Robert Pattinson Calls Justin Bieber Out on a Lie

You might think Robert Pattinson and Justin Bieber are brothers in much-beloved hair, but it appears it just isn't so.

Bieber recently told UK tabloid The People that he and Pattinson bonded at an industry party over their famous locks, saying, "One day Robert Pattinson came up to me at a party and said, 'For whatever reason, people love our hair and it's always a great ice-breaker with girls.'"

"He is like, 'Hey, my name's Robert. Want to touch my hair?' I thought he was joking, but it really works."

Now Pattinson, who is hard at work promoting his upcoming film Water for Elephants, says that encounter never happened. He told MTV (via EOnline) on Friday, "I've never met this guy. I saw that as well. I was like, 'You're really famous, man—what are you doing? You don't need to use me to make up stories!"

Maybe Bieber was just embellishing for the sake of avoiding talking about his private life. Which is something you'd think Pattinson would understand, given the constant speculation about his relationship with his Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart.

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Daryl K Fall 2011

Downtown Daryl K.  The label was the synonymous with hipster cool in the 1990’s.  Easy, slouchy, Bohemian yet urban, the designer herself embodied the ideal customer. 

Flash forward to 2011, the designer has grown up, become a mother.  The trendsetting items she made cool are now considered basics for a NYC uniform.  Leather leggings and military-inspired utility wear were brought back into spotlight.

Daryl Kerrigan took the season of fall quite literally as inspiration.  The studio runway was strewn with dried leaves and branches.  The backdrop was a collage of leaf prints.  The back wall had a projection of autumn woods.  The digitized leaf print was also used in jackets and dresses within the collection.  The silhouettes were made for the real woman, and that was exactly who modeled the clothes.  Shoes were cute, but sensible for the Manhattan streets (rather than the 6” platforms of all the other runways).  

The designer stated that comfort was the most important thing she learned over the years of career.  Amen to that.

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Edition by Georges Chakra - Fall 2011 collection

MsFABulous had an exclusive invite to preview the Edition by George Chakra Fall 2011 collection at the designer's showroom in New York City.

George Chakra is a well established evening designer who is based in Lebanon and introduced his RTW collection named the Edition by Georges Chakra in 2009. 

We had previously enjoyed his collection in past Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks in New York.  It was a pleasure to enjoy the tactile feel of his stunning pieces in an intimate setting of his showroom. The attention to great workmanship and quality linings and deft design touches defined the Edition collection echo the hallmarks of his couture collections.

Favorite looks for me included a form-fitting bodice of cross hatched silk twill and lamb leather.  The color was a fiery tomato over a flowing shimmering chiffon skirt.  I pictured the newly svelte Jennifer Hudson as the perfect customer for this.   There was a sheer black tunic with tiny black sequins.  I imagined it layered under a nude shimmering chemise to add a bit of risqué mystery.

Standout pieces included a knee length black and white sheath dress with side panel of criss crossed inset details..   An evening gown with a dramatic gold caviar beaded back provided drama to a demure full sleeved dress.  

Essentially, Mr. Chakra did what good designers do best. He added detailed drama to classic silhouettes of the 21st century.


It is this ability that keeps his star clients like Jennifer Lopez and Carrie Underwood coming back at shows and red carpet appearances. Queen Latifah wore not one but two looks from his collection when she hosted 2011 People's Choice Awards.

If you want to see his collection in person, there are trunk shows being hosted at various stores across the country such as Saks Fifth Avenue.

photos by Ritika Wahal

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Karl Lagerfeld Sketches Chanel for Bio

Is there a bigger fan of Gabrielle Chanel than Karl Lagerfeld?  The atelier has millions of fans around the world.  Coco Chanel's story has been played out as a pop history fairy-tale in movies and books many times over.

British journalist Justine Picardie wrote a new biography of the designer that Mr. Lagerfeld liked so much that he contributed several illustrations for the new French edition.  The new tome will be feted at a cocktail bash/signing in the Galignani bookstore (Karl's fave) on the evening of March 24th.

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Fabric of the Garment District - 100th Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

New York's most tragic fire, a tragedy that hits at the heart of anyone who works in the garment industry meets its 100th anniversary this week.  The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire was in the Asch Building, one of the lofts specifically built for the garment industry.  Director of Historical Preservation at Columbia University, Andrew Dolkart explores the legacy and geography of the fashion industry in NYC tomorrow night at the Museum of the City of New York.

If you can't attend the lecture, I suggest you check out HBO's incredible documentary, Schmatta: Rags to Riches which also follows the history of the garment industry in New York.  I marveled at how the city and industry had changed.  I also realized more than ever how important it is to keep manufacturing in our home city.  

If you want to learn more or get involved, start with Save The Garment Center's initiative.  To attend the Museum of the City of New York's event, it will run Thursday, March 16 at 6:30 PM.  

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Selena Gomez Looking Pretty Grown-Up at The David Letterman Studio

Selena Gomez waved to fans as she arrived at a taping of The Late Show with David Letterman on Monday. We wonder if she gushes about beau Justin Bieber...or maybe she'll stay totally mum.

She recently said about Bieb's crazed fines who have said many-a-hurtful things about Gomez: "It's hard. It hurts, it really does. I don't feel like I'm doing anything wrong. I've been best friends with him for a very long time. It does hurt my feelings a lot but I try not to focus on it. I have a strong family and great fans."

But she's no stranger to getting extremely excited over a teeny bopper boy. When she was younger, she cooed over then-hearthrob Jesse McCartney, and was also very jealous of his girlfriend, Katie Cassidy.

"I loved Jesse McCartney. I was obsessed with him. He dated Katie Cassidy when he was 16 or 17. I hated her, absolutely hated her. I was mortified that he was with Katie and I wanted to be with him. He was my screen-saver!" she said.The crazy thing pre-teens will do for puppy love.

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Richie Rich Styles Speakasy Moderne for Swiss Global

Fashion is theatrical.  How often does fashion actually elevate theater for a good cause?  Designers Richie Rich and Angelo Lambrou outfitted performers at the Midtown Lofts Saturday night for a “Speakasy Moderne” fundraiser benefitting the Swiss Global Artistic Foundation.

Guests were asked to dress in classic Broadway glamor for an event that honored theater legend Larry Fuller.  The evening was full champagne, haute hors d’oeuvres, jazz and amazing performances by up-and-coming pop artists and established theater stars. 

The Swiss Global Artistic Foundation was created to assist and mentor highly talented artists in need.  The organization recognizes that talent may come from all over the globe, but it still needs support in a competitive world.

The artistic audience was blown away by Jamar Rogers’ powerhouse performance and very young Amanda Barise.  Official Hank is more recognized in his glammed up persona helming the Richie Rich shows during NY Fashion Week.  He served as part MC, organizer and champion to the evening’s tribute to Broadway. 

Several performers called in ‘sick’ to their Broadway shows to perform numbers from shows from Larry Fuller’s career.  The theater legend has performed in productions of Funny Girl to Carousel, choreographed Evita and Sweeney Todd. 

As creatives, we should all support each other in the arts.  We can elevate our disciplines together.

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Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel love separation is confirmed

The singer "Justin Timberlake" and actress "Jessica Biel" have ended their relationship, which began in 2007 as a joint communiqué which echoes the music publication Billboard. In response to rumors of the media on the status of the relationship between Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake have confirmed that mutually agreed to continue with their lives separately,  the statement said.

The text also says that despite the break, the artists maintain their friendship and they both profess to "the highest level of love and respect. "

Timberlake, who once held another long relationship with actress Cameron Diaz might be thinking about resuming his career as recent statements, after a stage thatis turned over in his new facet of an interpreter ,with roles as Sean Parker in "The Social Network. "

Biel, who held a five-year engagement to actor Chris Evans, was known for his role in the television series "7th Heaven", where he jumped to the big screen, with titles like "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" "The Illusionist" and, more recently, "The A-Team. "

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Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen Choose a Baby Name!

Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen celebrated the arrival of their second child around seven months ago, and they' ve remained very secretive about the tot’s name. But they're now thought to have chosen Elula Lottie Miriam Cohen, Us Weekly magazine has claimed. sla, who also has a three-year-old daughter Olive, recently joked she calls her baby ‘Taliban’ in a bid to keep her out of the public eye.

Speaking about why she is so secretive, the actress told Elle magazine: “With the name, I keep making jokes like, ‘It’s called Taliban Perez Baron Cohen.’“I just feel my children didn’t choose a career in the limelight and unfortunately, I get followed.

“I’m not complaining about my job. I’m completely aware of how lucky I am. But until they decide on a job in the public eye, I want to protect their privacy.”

Isla married Sacha in a secret ceremony last year after converting to Judaism. She has also said she feels it’s her responsibility to keep her children out of the public eye.

She said: "Motherhood is my favorite topic but I never talk about it publicly. As much as I love what I am doing, and I am so fortunate to have the opportunities that I have had, my responsibility is to my family."

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Yohji Yamamoto Exhibit in London

Artist, innovator, designer.  Yohji Yamamoto's clothing blurs the line between art philosophy and functional garments.  The Victoria and Albert Museum in London launches an exhibit of the designer tomorrow.  The show focuses on his creative process.  Signature Yamamoto techniques are examined, from traditional Japanese Shibori dye process to knitwear to embroidery.

Another section of the exhibit demonstrates his various collaborations with photographers such as Nick Knight.

If you want to explore the work or not content just to view it, sign yourself up for the many events for the exhibit.

There is a lecture by the curator of the show, Ligaya Salazar about what goes into the collections.  There is an interview with the designer himself as moderated by the London College of Art's Frances Corner.  Want to really get hands-on?  There is a three-day workshop to design and create your own Yamamoto-inspired robes led by designer Juliana Sissons.

The exhibit runs from March 12, 2011 to July 10, 2011.  For more information, see the museum site.

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Gaga for Mugler Fall 2011

Were you waiting to feel too funky again? Or am I just dating myself?  I miss Thierry Mugler’s hyper-sexualized fashion rocking the runway.  Lady Gaga’s longtime fashion collaborator Nichola Formichetti was appointed creative director to the Mugler brand and brought it back to the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week.

The show was a mix of Gothic fetish evolved from the slick spirit of classic Mugler.  The backdrop was a stage of pointed cathedral arches.  Formichetti showed alien-like exaggerated shoulders, a signature look of Lady Gaga’s.  Latex-shiny fabrics, dramatic cut-outs and transparent garments that left nothing to the imagination somehow managed to look chic (over trashy).  The muse, Gaga, brought much of the paparazzi with her as she debuted new singles and strutted her body down the runway.  Also haunting the runway was performance artist “Zombie Boy”, famous for corpse-like tattoos added to the other-worldly theme.

This was the multi-media fashion spectacle of 2011.  A mix of music, video, art and fans madly tweeting is not the show of the future, it’s the mode of today.

  Photos by Giovanni Giannoni

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