Coutorture

With Sharp Cut-Outs and Gentle Draping, Lia Kes Hits Her Stride for Spring 2010

coutorture — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:06:58 -0800

Israeli designer Lia Kes nails major spring themes in her most recent collection. Her easy evening dresses are among our favorite uncomplicated, wear anywhere options from the line up-in silk and knit with subtle shoulder padding and an asymmetrical hem. Also of interest from Kes' fifth collection-ruched micro skirts, graphic racer-back tanks, and a silk wide-leg jumper-each in a subtle color palette of gunmetal, black, white, and blue.

Yoox Hosts Online Vintage Sale Inspired by FIT Exhibition

coutorture — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:58:51 -0800

A number of pieces from the Fashion Institute of Technology archives will be on sale at Yoox.com beginning today, as the online retailer celebrates its partnership with FIT's current exhibition.

In addition to the sale, Yoox is hosting a virtual exhibition of "American Beauty: Aesthetics & Innovation in Fashion" which focuses on the convergence of technical dressmaking and the philosophy of beauty. Throughout a series of short videos, curator Patricia Mears takes viewers through specific pieces from the exhibit with interviews from Ralph Rucci, Nicolas Caito, Hamish Bowles, Yeohlee Teng, and Francisco Costa offering additional insights.

The curators spend three minutes breaking down the construction of a Halston dress-wearing white gloves-and muse on the difference of tailoring versus dressmaking. For fashion lovers and budding designers, the videos offer insights deeper than the typical designer interivew and into the real behind the scenes work that goes into constructing a garment.

Isaac Mizrahi Brings Tartan Prints and Tea Cups to QVC

coutorture — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:51:22 -0800

Last night we celebrated Isaac Mizrahi's new lifestyle collection for QVC with the designer himself and a few of his fashion friends-including Glenda Bailey, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Katrina Bowden.

A section of his studio space in Manhattan's West Side was set up with a television installation-from oversized Sixties sets to modern day plasma screens-each displaying videos of Mizrahi interacting with QVC hosts and a selection of his new product line. In between posing for photos with fans, the always lovely Isaac told us his favorite item was a scarf printed with images of his dog. (There were also plates featuring the pup's mug.) Sadly, there was none of that famous cheesecake on hand, but we did love the look of an oversized tartan throw, a silver and gold tea set ($40), and one very small cross-body saddle bag.

Isaac Mizrahi Live! will debut on QVC December 4 - 7.

New York 11/04/09. Getty Images

Stella McCartney Mixes Strawberry Prints with Black Lace in Spring 2010 Lingerie Collection

coutorture — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:20:55 -0800

Daphne Guinness, Marc Jacobs, and Madonna Celebrate with Valentino

coutorture — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:51:22 -0800

Daphne Guinness, Byrdie Bell, Julie Henderson, Lauren Remington Platt, Adrien Brody, Marc Jacobs, and Lorenzo Martone gathered at The Standard hotel in New York to join Valentino in celebrating the DVD launch of the documentary film Valentino: The Last Emperor. Madonna and Jesus Luz also attended the party, but avoided cameras by sneaking out a back exit post-event with Steven Klein.

New York 11/03/09. WireImage

Riviera Club Menswear Trades on Vintage Surfer Style

coutorture — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:54:32 -0800

The Riviera Club menswear look book reminds us just how much we love the laid back vintage style of Southern California surfers. In their debut collection, friends and designers Derek Buse, Greg Ullery, and Joe Sadler looked to a man named Bucker Spreckels-a real life Los Angeles party boy who spent his multimillion dollar inheritance surfing around the globe and chasing women before dying very young-as inspiration for the spring 2010 collection. Each season the boys of Riviera Club have vowed to search for a different real-life or mythical muse, hopefully without losing their specific brand of West Coast charm.

Erin Wasson and Blake Mycoskie Talk Collaboration at the 2009 ACE Awards Alongside Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, and More

PopSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:22:31 -0800

The Accessories Council hosted their annual ACE Awards in NYC last night to honor the most influential movers and shakers in the industry. Tomas Maier was on hand to be celebrated as designer of the year for his work with Bottega Veneta, and Diane von Furstenberg smiled with a DvF-clad Molly Sims before heading in to accept the Accessory Visionary award. Hilary Rhoda took a turn down the carpet, while fellow model Agyness Deyn was there to pick up Burberry's Brand of the Year Award on behalf of her good friend Christopher Bailey.

We caught a moment with TOMS's Blake Mycoskie, who was honored with the year's Humanitarian Award. He posed for photos in a black velvet Dolce & Gabbana tux that he paired with a zebra-print pair of TOMS straight from his new holiday collection. Mycoskie arrived alongside a Victoria Beckham-wearing Erin Wasson, which got us thinking about a future Erin Wasson x TOMS collaboration. "Maybe!" Mycoskie said. "You know I need more and more talented people. I am running out of ideas." The pair apparently go way back after meeting in their native Texas a few years ago. "We're both from Texas," said Wasson. "I met him three years ago in Dallas during his first of his TOMS American tour. They were cruising around in an Airstream, going around store to store when they first were starting the company, and that's how we met."

Nine West's Fred Allard won the evening's Visionary Award, and he opened up about the trends he's sees being big this Winter - he finds the over-the-knee boots "very sexy" but thinks clogs are "not a major trend." Despite saying that celebrities like Halle Berry, Rihanna, and Eva Longoria are big fans of Nine West, Allard won't be hiring them for any ad campaigns in the near future. He said, "Celebrities are attached to a very strong personality. We decide to pick our models and change our models every two seasons and there is a reason behind that. I just don't want to be stuck with one vision of a woman. . . we are fashion shoes for the masses."

Lady Gaga, meanwhile, turned up over an hour late and quickly posed for the waiting cameras before heading in to accept the Stylemaker Award from Marc Jacobs. Other guests included Alexander Wang, Glenda Bailey, Christian Siriano, and a Zappos-friendly Betsey Johnson - click here to see the full list of winners.

New York 11/02/09. Getty and Pacific Coast News Online

Fashion Industry Designs Houses for Womens' Charity

coutorture — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:07:09 -0800

You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their home-Vera Wang's is covered in rhinestones and tulle, Isaac Mizrahi's is perfectly printed in vibrant pink, Diane von Furstenberg's is dripping in leopard and lips, and Sean Combs' comes equipped with a helipad.

Although not real interiors, these papier-mâché houses were created by fashion celebrities coming together to raise money for the Women In Need charity. Each hand-decorated piece will be displayed in the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue in New York and auctioned on charitybuzz.com on November 9th. Check out the gallery below to find out what the houses decorated by Jennifer Lopez, Oscar de la Renta, Justin Timberlake and Trace Aylaya, and the Beckhams say about them.

[WWD]

Angela Lindvall, M.I.A, and Whitney Port Step Out in Jimmy Choo for H&M

coutorture — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:18:45 -0800

Jimmy Choo and H&M celebrated their collaboration last night in West Hollywood with a performance by M.I.A and model presentation of Jimmy Choo for H&M clothing and accessories. The crowd was mainly dressed in black, as attendees including Olivia Wilde, Angela Lindvall, and Hayden Panettiere sported pieces from Tamara Mellon's first ever ready to wear collection-think black sequin jackets, leather pants, and belted jumpsuits. Mellon herself modeled a one-shoulder leather mini dress which will retail for less than $250 when the collection hits H&M stores mid month.

Los Angeles 11/02/09. WireImage

CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund 2009 Runway Show and Backstage

coutorture — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:20:57 -0800

Spring 2010 collections by Sophie Theallet, House of Waris, Ohne Titel, Wayne, Esquivel Shoes, Monique Péan, Gary Graham, Spurr, Alabama Chanin, and Patrik Ervell. Styled by Vogue's Lawren Howell.

Los Angeles 10/30/09. WireImage

Jessica Alba, Diane Kruger and Eva Mendes Attend the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Runway Show in Los Angeles

coutorture — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:09:11 -0800

Vogue's Lisa Love and Sally Singer hosted a tea party and the annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund runway show Friday in Los Angeles at the Chateau Marmont. Guests including Mary-Kate Olsen, Jessica Alba, Diane Kruger, Eva Mendes, Jasmine Shokrian, Lily Collins, and Jeremy Scott watched the Frederic Fekkai-sponsored fashion show featuring the ten 2009 finalists. The event was followed by dinner at Bouchon in Beverly Hills.

Los Angeles 10/30/09. WireImage

50 Unofficial Wedding Dresses from the Spring 2010 Collections

coutorture — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:18:05 -0800

In addition to our favorites from the recent bridal shows, we've selected the 50 best unofficial wedding dresses from the spring collections in New York, London, Milan and Paris. From a strapless Stella McCartney jumpsuit to Azzaro's floor length column dresses and Chloé's haute hippie looks, the spring shows offered something for every type of bride-to-be.