Barack Obama has already had an influence on fashion and while some have used his sartorial style or his image as a touchstone perhaps none have done so as flamboyantly as Jean Charles de Castelbajac. The showpiece of his most recent runway show was a bright yellow dress that features a sequinned image of Obama. The short dress was part of a colorful line with dresses emblazoned with clouds, superhero insignia and beauty queen faces in tiaras complete with flowing hair. In The Telgegraph de Castelbajac calls Obama, the most charismatic leader in politics today.
The black Versace safety pin dress worn by Elizabeth Hurley at the 1994 premiere of the film Four Weddings and a Funeral has been deemed the best red carpet gown of all time. The Telegraph reports that the a poll of 3,000 women by the Debenhams department store determined that the black dress with gold safety pins that exposed much of Elizabeth Hurley's admirable figure was the most iconic frock. The dress went on sale last year at Harrods as part of their "Timeless Luxury" promotion for £10,690.
Second place went to Audrey Hepburn's white flower patterned Givenchy dress, followed by Julia Roberts in black-and-white vintage Valentino at the 2001 Oscars. Others in the top ten included Jennifer Lopez's plunge-to-the-navel Versace at the 2000 Grammy Awards and Bjork's infamous swan dress at the 2001 Oscars.
Rachel Roy is in the news again, and this time it's not because of the dough that she and husband Damon Dash owe. Roy has teamed up with vodka maker Grey Goose, which commissioned her to exclusively design and create a signature cocktail dress to be worn by the brand's spokesmodels at select Grey Goose-sponsored events across the country. The dresses will be labeled "Rachel Roy exclusively for Grey Goose Vodka." Grey Goose was the official title sponsor of the Rachel Roy Spring 2009 Fashion Presentation earlier this month during New York Fashion Week, and the partnership also will include trunk shows and store openings.
The cocktail dress will resemble a classic silhouette with clean, modern lines. Made of stretch wool for structure and ease of movement, the design will include a feminine draped neckline and an element of fluidity in the back detailing. (See gallery.)
Roy's creation is "derived from the classic heritage and discerning taste of the luxury vodka brand," according to Grey Goose. Roy notes, "In keeping with this tradition, my design matches the timeless fluidity of the little black dress, with a hint of the iconic, signature blue to capture the effortless elegance of this occasion."
In addition to joining with Grey Goose, Roy has jumped on the green bandwagon by designing eco-friendly clothing, which she will continue to selectively incorporate in seasons to come. Roy will donate 100% of the proceeds to Orphan Aid Africa, an organization that aims to help orphans in Ghana.
As beautiful and comfortable as shirt dresses are, at times they can be too casual and subdued lacking a powerful presence within a classic style. Leave it the the designers of Emilio Pucci to take a simple silhouette and combine their colorful signature print to create an unmistakably striking and versatile dress. Pucci's Orchidea Shirt Dress is made of cotton with a stretch satin weave and features slanted side pockets and rolled cuffs for a casual feel, while its belted waist accentuates a woman's curves and creates a dressier aura. Whether you wear it with stilettos or flats, the Orchidea Shirt Dress will make you stand out from the rest. Price: $1535.
LaROK was started in 2004 by the same fashion house that brought you the high end denim line 7 For All Mankind. Since it's debut it has been steadily starting trends and gaining quite a following. This adorable sequined tunic is versatile and comfortable, it can be worn alone as a breezy sundress or over leggings as a long tank top. Fans include Ashley Tisdale, Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan. Available in black, blue and grey (shown in grey on Ashley Tisdale), Thehipchick.com has it in all three shades, for $220.
Valentino is among the world's most famous haute couture designers, known for stunning gowns that can be seen at red carpet events, black tie galas and high society soirees. The Color-Block Gown is a fresh and flirty piece, from the Spring 2008 collection. Made in Italy, of pure crepe silk, this strapless dress has an empire waist and flowy layers of pink purple and yellow. Bergdorf Goodman is among the many high end stores worldwide that carries Valentino couture, the Color Block Gown retails for $8,780.
Parties aren't easy on fashion. This past September Kate Moss wore a vintage Thirties Christian Dior gown to a party at the Victoria & Albert Museum in celebration of a new Dior exhibit, and although the dress wasn't exactly in new condition when she first put it on by the time the night was over it was practically in shreds. Somebody stepped on the satin at one point, causing a rip to appear up on the shoulder, and later in the evening a huge tear appeared across the back and another one almost directly over her butt.
Kate won't be wearing the dress again (for obvious reasons) but instead has donated it to the charity Cancer Research UK. It's one of many dresses donated by celebrities, other famous names including Dita Von Teese, Kelly Osbourne, Meg Mathews, Peaches Geldorf, and Lily Allen. Half the items will be auctioned off on The James Brown eBay store (starting Friday) and half will be on display and available for bidding at the Cancer Research UK shop in Marylebone High Street at the end of this week.
Wedding dresses come in all shapes and sizes from sleek and stylish to large and marshmallow-like, and from hand-embroidered to mass-produced. And although jewels aren't that uncommon in small doses, what about 4 pounds of jewels? A designer in Hong Kong has created a wedding dress with 9,999 karats of jewels (that's a very deliberate number!) and it's on sale for over $130,000.
It's beautiful but I personally wouldn't want a wedding dress with so many different colors, and I think for that price it might be more worth it to just get something custom-made -- I think I'd still be able to afford plenty of jewels.
Over 60,000 crystals adorn the Topshop dress worn by Kate Moss to the Swarovski Fashon Rocks fashion show and concert. The dress, which is now up for auction, is similar to a 1920's Flapper style cocktail length dress in Moss's personal collection and features hand-beaded Swarovski crystals in shades of silver, gray, and green. The auction started October 19th and runs through the 28th with proceeds going towards the Princes' Trust Charity. No word yet on where bidding stands but the dress is estimated with a retail value around £40,000.
The Versace safety-pin dress that first brought Elizabeth Hurley fame when she wore it to the 1994 premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral is now on sale at Harrods. The dress is part of the Harrods Timeless Luxury promotion focusing on the little black dress. The dress costs s £10,690 and will be delivered two months from the date of order. Quite a deal when you consider that another famous little black dress, the one worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys, went for over $800,000.
A few months before Princess Diana's tragic death in a car crash in Paris, 80 gowns from her personal collection went up for auction at Christie's. Three of those gowns were purchased by the cable television network WE TV and have been preserved ever since, waiting for the right moment to bring them out as a celebration of her memory and style. Two will be touring the country this fall, the other will be auctioned for charity.
Beginning August 12, this beautiful chiffon evening gown designed by Catherine Walker will go up for auction on E-Bay. Valued at more than $300,000, the Princess wore the gown to the Cannes Film Festival in 1987 and again to the opening of Miss Saigon in 1989. All proceeds from the sale will go to America's Promise Alliance to support a cause close to Diana's heart - helping underprivileged children. America's Promise Alliance is a non-profit organization founded by General Colin Powell to to ensure that all children have the fundamental resources needed to lead successful happy lives.
The auction runs through August 22 and the starting bid is $125,000.
How cool is Nanette Lepore's Honeybunch Dress? It's colorful butterfly print that radiates feelings of being care free, relaxed and having fun. It's a full minidress with an empire waist that won't cling to your body and still allows you to feel sexy on the bloated days of the month. Beautifully adorned with sequins to accentuate the butterflies without being gaudy, it features elasticized spaghetti straps and side pockets with drawstring ties. Price: $330.
Yes folks, this is dress. I know it looks like a t-shirt; to some it may even look more like a boyfriend's t-shirt you would wear to bed, but you would be wrong. James Perse and his designer's have created the Casual Tee Dress for those hot summer days, where you just want to throw something lightweight on and be on your way. Given the simplicity, you have a blank canvas where you could virtually wear any type of accessories to create a look all of your own. It is a bit short, so I wouldn't wear this little number on a windy day. Price $95.
It's hard to find the perfect suit, but this gold weave suit out of Japan is apparently "better than feeling a million diamonds" and "like swimming in gold." Well it's more than "like" swimming in gold -- if you get in the water while wearing this baby you actually are swimming in gold -- the precious metal is woven right into the fabric. Valued at $82,000 the suit goes through a month-long weaving process where gold fibers about the size of a human hair are incorporated into the material. And also available in the same sparkling golden fabric is an even more expensive long dress valued at $243,900.
I wonder if they're scratchy or silky? And an important note from the designers on the swimsuit: it's not meant to go in the water.
Summertime is definitely here! Lately the weather (at least on the east coast of the US) has been extremely hot and humid. Jeans are just way too uncomfortable in times like these and sometimes a pair of shorts, while providing you with some air and sun exposure, may not provide you with a dressy enough feeling. A summer dress is your answer. Slip on this Eva Franco Babydoll Dress with heels, sandals, flats, even flip flops (last resort please!) and you are set for the day. Made of a lightweight woven cotton, the floral print design is eye catching without being overpowering and making you feel as though you are wearing a garden. A perfect dress for summertime fun all day and night long. Price $249.
Parties aren't easy on fashion. This past September Kate Moss wore a vintage Thirties Christian Dior gown to a party at the Victoria & Albert Museum in celebration of a new Dior exhibit, and although the dress wasn't exactly in new condition when she first put it on by the time the night was over it was practically in shreds. Somebody stepped on the satin at one point, causing a rip to appear up on the shoulder, and later in the evening a huge tear appeared across the back and another one almost directly over her butt. 
