awards-promo

The Badgley Mischka Fall 2011 Collection fashion show during NY Fashion Week was inspired by old Hollywood glamour, according to its designers, Mark Badgley and James Mischka.

Beautiful gowns were presented with a dramatic backdrop. On a large screen behind the runway, was a fog-filled urban scene that set the mood, as models dressed in gowns made of crepe de chine, chiffon, taffeta and tulle made their way down the runway (see video below).

There were magnificient gowns, including one made of crepe de chine in magenta (seen above) that one might expect to see on the Academy Awards' red carpet. A gold/argent lame and chiffon gown was striking as was a black crushed velvet gown (both from the Couture Collection). There were several pieces presented from the lower price point Mark+James line, including a black matte jersey and tulle dress, black stretch tuxedo twill skirt and pants, and a silver/black gauze lame trench coat, among others.

Gallery: Badgley Mischka Fall 2011 Collection at NY Fashion Week

A highlight of Fashion Week is the Fall/Winter 2011 Collection created by Fashion Designer Jason Wu before a packed house during New York's Fashion Week this afternoon. Anna Wintour, the British-born Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, was seated in the front row along with Hamish Bowles, the European Editor at Large for Vogue (see photo gallery below). Jason Wu was the designer of the white ballgown worn by Michelle Obama to the inauguration festivities.

"I aim to make clothes that look great on women and make them feel beautiful," Wu told Luxist. "They are timeless. These are wardrobe pieces. These are pieces that can be kept for a lifetime. And that is always the way I have done it. I have never been the trendy person. I really want to make clothes that are truly desirable for women."

For his Fall/Winter 2011 Collection, Wu told Luxist he was inspired by the beautiful photos taken by Robert Polidori in his book, "Parcours Museologique Revister", which documented the detailed restoration process of Versailles over a period of 25 years. The theme of contrast runs through the photos and the collection.

Wu explained to Luxist (see video below) that the juxtaposition between the rough undersurface revealed during renovation and the opulence of the decor inspired a mixture of luxuriously embellished fabrics with his signature American sportswear elements. The collection included sharp tailored pants, ascot shirts and charcoal flannel coats. Accents included colorful embroidered Swarovski elements, burned out features and lace detailing. The color palette was restrained with lots of black, white and nude throughput the collection highlighted by shots of bold colors including cerise pink, chartreuse, ultra violet and antique gold.

"This season the color choices was really about working with a restrained color palette," Wu told Luxist. "It is an austere mood that is brightened up by these embroideries and the embellishments and details that were so delightful to me and such a joy to work on."

Gallery: Jason Wu's Fall/Winter 2011 Collection at New York's Fashion Week

Raul Melgoza, the Creative Director at Luca Luca whose Fall/Winter 2011 Collection debuted at New York Fashion Week at Lincoln Center featured designs that were inspired by the adventures to be discovered in the deep woods-the beauty, the color, the fantasy. A bevy of supermodels sat in the front row of the show, from Carol Alt and Petra Nemcova to Irina Pantaeva (see photo gallery below). New York socialites were also in attendance including Tinsley Mortimer and Valesca Guerrand-Hermes.

Carol Alt talked to Luxist about her devotion to the fashion house. "When I was out of the fashion industry because I was doing movies for 10 years and I really wasn't around they immediately invited me back to the front row, "says Carol Alt. "They were really mensches. When someone is good to me, I am loyal for the rest of my life. You really have to slap me in the face for me not to come back here."

Melgoza's told Luxist his inspiration for the Fall 2011 collection is the story of a woman who is a running through the woods as she discovers the beauty, the color and the sanity that exists in the woods. The collection was presented at Fashion Week on Thursday, February 10 at Lincoln Center in New York. (See video for a backstage interview with Melgoza).

"As she starts her journey, she is in very tailored, equestrian-inspired silhouettes," he told Luxist. "She is wearing a lot of laces and transparent and sheer fabric as if she is shedding her very layered looks as she ends her journey."

Gallery: Luca Luca Fall/Winter 2011 Collection at Fashion Week

Raul Melgoza, the Creative Director at Luca Luca whose Fall 2011 Collection will debut at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York next week, is not your run-of-the-mill fashion designer. Not by a long shot.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Melgoza has a resume that would likely impress the suits on Wall Street just as much as the creative types in the fashion industry.

After earning a degree in finance from University of Southern California, Melgoza worked for American Express's financial advisory division before taking a position with the U.S. Treasury. But he has known since he was a young boy that he would one day end up in fashion.

"When I was seven or so, I remember watching an episode of the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous with Robin Leach that featured Oscar de la Renta," Melgoza told Luxist. "Being of Latin descent, I immediately felt connected to this man and to this world that I did not know existed."

Later on, while attending business school, Melgoza took a marketing class and became aware that he could converge his interest in art and design and his knowledge of commerce. "That led me to research design schools," he recalls. "I knew that business was just a foundation and that I didn't want to do it for the rest of my life."

Gallery: Luca Luca's Spring/Summer 2011 Collection

What is a great selection of cheeses to serve together? Why should you consider serving regional cheeses together? Which textures and flavors are crowd-pleasing? Which cheeses melt in your mouth? Is it safe to eat moldy cheese? In this video, Genie McPherson Trevor, Editor of Edible Rhody and one of our Food Expert Panelists, asks Taylor Cocalis, Director of Events & Education at New York City's Murray's Cheese, for her tips on what to consider when selecting cheeses and tasting them. Watch it and you'll learn why "the bark is not as bad as the bite."

Do you know of a cruise line that offers everything from beautiful accommodations to great dining, activities, and itineraries? Which is the premier international ski destination? Which ski hotel is the best in the world? Can you recommend a city hotel that offers luxurious accommodations, as well as the best service and amenities? Is there a luxury family winter vacation with activities for both young and old in an extravagant setting? If so, we want to hear from you!

The Luxist Readers' Choice Awards for Best in Winter Travel will be awarded based on your nominations and voting. We're currently seeking nominations for the best-of-breed in the following categories:

Best Caribbean Cruise Line
Best International Ski Destination
Best Ski Hotel
Best City Hotel
Best Luxury Family Winter Vacation

One nomination per category, please. Submissions can be filed until January 15th, 2010.

Everyone loves cheese, but do you know when its best to serve it? Should it be served before or after the meal? What tastes best with cheese? Should you pair your cheese plate with red, white or sweet wines? In this video, Genie McPherson Trevor, Editor of Edible Rhody and one of our Food Expert Panelists, asks Taylor Cocalis, Director of Events & Education at New York City's Murray's Cheese, for her tips on how to best serve cheese. Watch it and you'll learn that some varieties of honey, chutney and even chocolate, are great to pair with cheese.

To be sure, champagne is the beverage of choice during the holidays, but do you know at what temperature it should be served? How should it be stored? What is the difference between vintage and non-vintage Champagne? Veuve Clicquot, the esteemed French winemaker, answers these questions and more.

What is the difference between a vintage and a non-vintage Champagne?
By law in Champagne, France, you cannot display a year on the label of a bottle unless all the grapes which make up the Champagne in the bottle have been sources from one single harvest, in one single year. This is known as a vintage. Wine connoisseurs seek vintage champagnes; non-vintage blends are not as attractive and should never go for more than 10% over the regular current price, according to Veuve Clicquot.

Why buy a magnum?
Magnums, which are twice the size of a regular bottle (750 ml), are optimal for aging wine: during the aging process, the wine is "breathing" even through the cork.

Best vintages
According to Veuve Clicquot, the best vintages in Champagne since the turn of the 20th century, include the following years (from most recent to oldest); 1998, 1996, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985, 1979, 1976, 1969, 1969, 1955, 1949, 1947, 1943, 1934, 1929, 1921, 1918, and 1904.

Pouring temperature
The pouring temperature of Champagne will vary depending on the kind you will be serving. Young non-vintage champagne, with no year on the label, should be poured around 8 degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit). Mature wines, on the other hand, such as vintage Champagne, should be poured between 12 to 14 degrees Celsius (54 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit).

Pairing Champagne with food
What can Champagne be served along with? Champagne goes well with pasta salads, sea food, oysters, shrimps, light fishes and antipasti. It also goes well with a cheese course as well as with many desserts.

How long can you keep Champagne?
Veuve Clicquot says non-vintage champagne should be enjoyed upon release, but may be stored for up to two or three years. Vintage Champagne can age longer; from 10 to 25 years depending on the style of each vintage.

How to store Champagne
Veuve Clicquot recommends Champagne be stored in the same manner as any regular fine wine. It should be kept at a cool and continuous temperature, which is ideally 10 to 12 degrees Celsius (50 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit) or at most between 7 to 15 degrees Celsius (45 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit). In addition, Veuve Clicquot recommends a high humidity (over 75%), good ventilation and darkness to create the best conditions.

What is the best way to open a bottle of Champagne?
Remove the foil and the wire cage. Next, slowly twist the cork back and forth about a quarter of an inch, while allowing the pressure inside the bottle to force it up. Do not pull the cork out of the bottle; it should be gently released.

Check out the video below from the Food Network, for a few more tips on chilling, opening and pouring champagne.

Everyone loves cheese, but do you know how to compose a cheese plate? What cheeses go well together? How many different varieties should you include? In this video, Genie McPherson Trevor, who is Editor of Edible Rhody and one of our Food Expert Panelists, asks Taylor Cocalis, Director of Events & Education at Murray's Cheese, located in the West Village of New York City, for her tips on how to best serve cheese. Watch it and you'll learn why "something old, something new, something stinky, something blue" is advice worth following.

With an array of vaunted leather luggage, delectable designer bags and other accoutrements sold only through its own stores and boutiques, Louis Vuitton epitomizes luxury. No surprise, then, that it's a finalist for a Readers' Choice Award in the Best Leather Goods Category.

Founded in 1854 by a Frenchman of the same name, Louis Vuitton started out specializing in travel trunks. The sturdy luggage was favored by legendary explorers such as Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de Brazza, in whose honor the Congolose capital of Brazzaville is named.

Georges Vuitton carried his father's tradition into the 20^th Century, peddling his wares around the world as international travel became accessible to more and more people. But it wasn't until its merger with Moet and Hennessey in 1987 that Louis Vuitton became a true global luxury powerhouse. The resulting conglomerate, LVMH, now pulls down billions in revenue even amid the worst economic downturn in a generation, thanks in part to handbags that often fetch five figure prices.

Chaired by billionaire Bernard Arnault, LVMH has continued its historical trend as outfitter to the stars. Recent ad campaigns for Louis Vuitton have featured celebrities from Gisele Bundchen to Andre Agassi; others -- like the self-styled "Louis Vuiton Don" Kanye West -- have provided publicity for free. Even former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has been featured in Louis Vuitton ads, proof of the brand's incredible power.

Cast your vote for the Readers' Choice Awards at http://www.luxist.com/awards-vote/accessories-awards.

Gallery: More from Louis Vuitton

The Britain-based Topshop is one of fashion's fastest-growing names. With 300 new styles each week, it's also one of the most up-to-date. Hungry customers devour its offerings to the tune of 40,000 pairs of shoes per week, 2500 dresses per day, and eight underwear sets per minute -- and our readers have nominated Topshop for a Luxist Readers' Choice Award in the Best Boutique/Department Store category.

Topshop has come a long way in a relatively short amount of time, especially when compared to its 19^th Century-born peers. The company started out in 1964 as a single boutique in the North of England, buried in the basement of a department store called Peter Robinson. Later that year, Topshop scored a spot in the chain's London location and soon became a standalone retailer.

By 1994, Topshop had grown so much that it expanded to fill the entire 90,000 square-foot space and became the retailer's flagship. The store now attracts more than 200,000 people per week, while Topshop.com attracts an average of 700,000 visitors per month, according to the company's website. There, customers can browse outerware, handbags, jewelry, and just about anything else one could wear, including collaborative collections with fashion luminaries such as Kate Moss and Celia Birtwell.

Topshop currently operates 300 stores in the U.K. and 100 abroad, including a new fashion emporium in New York's trendy SoHo shopping district -- a long way from a basement in northern England, indeed.

Cast your vote for the Readers' Choice Awards at http://www.luxist.com/awards-vote/accessories-awards.

Laurence Graff, the British billionaire jeweler to the stars, has seen diamonds all the way from the rough to the ring for decades. Not since Harry Winston has a single man been so involved in every aspect of the world of diamonds. Graff's panache and success have earned himself and his company, Graff Diamonds, many accolades -- including a nomination for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Jewelry Line.

Things weren't always so peachy for the East London-raised Graff. He grew up in a single-room apartment with his mother, a Romanian immigrant; his father left to fight in World War II. The young Graff did so badly in school that his parents urged him to drop out and learn a trade at age 14, according to Forbes. He soon scored an internship with a London jeweler; Graff's duties included scrubbing toilets.

By the age of 24, Graff had made some inroads in the London jewelry scene, but he was getting restless. So in the early 1960s, he jetted off to the Far East, where he would gain expertise buying and selling diamonds out of his briefcase. Once ensconced, he made several connections that endure to this day, including a friendship with one of the princes of Brunei. When he returned to London to operate two small stores, his royal friends often visited him to schmooze -- and to buy his wares.

Today, Graff helms a vertically integrated diamond empire with two-dozen retail outlets in Monte Carlo, Dubai, New York and Moscow, to name a few. Graff's gems have adorned the necks of stars from Oprah Winfrey to Paris Hilton. He shows no signs of slowing down: on December 1, 2009, his five-carat Vivid Pink diamond set a world record for such a stone, fetching $10.8 million in a Hong Kong auction.

Cast your vote for the Readers' Choice Awards at http://www.luxist.com/awards-vote/accessories-awards.

Gallery: More from Graff Diamonds