fashion

Raul Melgoza Shares his Inspiration for Luca Luca's Fall Collection at Fashion Week (Exclusive)

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

Raul Melgoza, Creative Director at Luca Luca

Tags: artist+raul+miami, artistraulmiami, awards-main, awards-promo, design, fashion, Fashion Week, Fashion Week New York, Fashion Week New York 2011, latino+fashion+designer, latinofashiondesigner, Luca Luca, luca+luca++and+raul, lucalucaandraul, Luxist-awards, mercedes-benz fashion week, new york fashion week fall 2011, Parsons, parsons+school+for+design, parsonsschoolfordesign, Raul Melgoza, stores+that+sell+raul+melgoza+clothing, storesthatsellraulmelgozaclothing, Tim Gund, which+celebrity+wears+luca+luca, whichcelebritywearslucaluca

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Jerry Schatzberg's Timeless Beauties

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Books

Photographer and filmmaker Jerry Schatzberg did more than just chronicle the fashion and celebrity scenes of the '50s and '60s – he was a part of the action. Perhaps best known for the cover of Bob Dylan's 1966 album Blonde on Blonde, The Classicist covered his groundbreaking work for Esquire at the Paris fashion shows in 1962 in this 2008 column. His journalistic, documentary style ran counter to the usual carefully-posed fashion shoots of the time and influenced many to come. A conoisseur of gorgeous women with an unmatched eye for beauty, Schatzberg's alluring new book Women Then: Photographs 1954 - 1969, pays homage to 15 years of favorites. Featured in the lavish volume are the likes of Nico, Edie Sedgwick, Sharon Tate, Catherine Deneuve and Faye Dunaway, to whom he was once engaged. It also contains a few surpises, including the Rolling Stones dressed in drag.

Tags: art books, Bob Dylan, books, Catherine Deneuve, coffee table books, Edie Sedgwick, fashion, Faye Dunaway, Jerry Schatzberg, Photographer, photography, Rolling Stones

Josephine de la Baume is New Agent Provocateur Star

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Josephine de la Baume is New Agent Provocateur Star

With Valentine's Day in the offing luxe British lingerie brand Agent Provocateur has unveiled its new ad campaign for spring starring sultry French sexpot Josephine de la Baume. Set in a seedy hotel room, the images were shot by Swedish photographer Johan Renck. De la Baume, an actress and singer, is the girlfriend of musician Mark Ronson, who was recently seen partying the night away with Kate Moss at the Ritz in Paris. "Johan Renck takes a collection and an idea, and combines the two in an explosion of sexuality, playfulness and sense of humour," Agent Provovateur creative director Sarah Shotton tells Vogue UK. "Renck translates our desires into a campaign that shows our lingerie in a fantasy of real life. Josephine de la Baume is the ultimate Agent Provocateur woman: witty, gorgeous and confident. She is a natural femme fatale, a quality which effortlessly translates on screen." Check out the gallery for more pix and click here to watch a voyeuristic video.

Gallery: Josephine de la Baume for Agent Provocateur

Tags: ad campaigns, Agent Provocateur, fashion, lingerie, models, sex, UK, Valentines Day

Kate Moss Parties the Night Away at the Ritz in Paris

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

She may be moving into an elegant new $12 million mansion in London, but that doesn't mean hard-partying supermodel Kate Moss plans to settle down. While in Paris the other day to attend a fashion show Moss went on an all-night bender at the chic Ritz hotel, the London Mirror reports, forcing management to shut down the fun in the wee hours. The hijinks began after Moss attended the raucous and racy Etam lingerie show, where her boyfriend Jamie Hince's band The Kills played a live show.

At the Etam afterparty she and Hince were spotted swigging Cristal champagne from the bottle, the paper reports. The she and some pals continued on to the posh Ritz in the Place Vendôme, where they took over the bar. Musician Mark Ronson played the piano while R&B star Janelle Monae sang; Moss climbed atop the piano and performed a seductive dance until the hotel's management finally asked them to leave at 4:30 a.m. after complaints of rowdiness. Moss and Hince then repaired to their lavish $5,700-per-night suite upstairs for a nightcap.

Tags: celebrity, Cristal, Etam, fashion, fashion show, Jamie Hince, Kate Moss, London, luxury hotels, Mark Ronson, Paris, Ritz, supermodel, The Kills

Tory Burch Opens Flagship Boutique on New Bond Street in London

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping

Fashion house Tory Burch has opened a new boutique on New Bond Street in London.

The 4200-square-foot London flagship is located at 149 New Bond Street. The boutique resides in a 19th Century townhouse, and the interior has a corresponding residential feel. The first floor features company signatures like moss green floors, gold leaf mirrors, plum snow leopard curtains and orange lacquer details. It also includes unique residential elements like Imari vases, a regency shell chair and a George II claw foot side table.

The space has interesting structural details throughout, including a tented ceiling with a skylight. The second floor includes a living room for VIPs and special events as well as a library to relax in or to feature special collections. There are additional residential pieces upstairs including a knole sofa, raffia rug and plum and ivory diamond upholstery-all elements meant to make the customer feel at home.

Gallery: Tory Burch Opens Boutique on Bond Street in London

Tags: bond street, designer, Eliza Doolittle, fashion, Jacquetta Wheeler, joely richardson, Laura Bailey, London, Ophelia Lovibond, shopping, Thandie Newton, Tory Burch, Tory Burch boutique, tory+burch+bond+street, tory+burch+london, tory+burch+new+bond+street, toryburchbondstreet, toryburchlondon, toryburchnewbondstreet

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Ermenegildo Zegna Celebrates a Century of Style

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Books, Men's Style

The subtitle of a lavish new book on Ermenegildo Zegna – An Enduring Passion for Fabrics, Innovation, Quality and Style – is an apt description of the Italian luxury men's fashion house's core values. Celebrating the famed firm's 100th anniversary, the book from Skira is divided into four chapters – Mind, Hand, Style and Environment – exploring the origins and values of the brand and the four generations of family members who have made it a success story while remaining committed to the concept of "ethical expansion". As evidence of the latter, Ermenegildo Zegna is donating 20% of the retail sales of the book to the children's educational charity Care & Share.

Each chapter is introduced by noted international writers and accompanied by images that retrace the history of the Zegna brand, from ad campaigns to previously unpublished images. "Today we celebrate one hundred years since the foundation of our Group and we look towards future global developments," notes the company's CEO Ermenegildo Zegna, "as it is our duty to continue to represent the values of excellence and Italian quality all around the world. This is the heritage that our grandfather left us: savoir faire in craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and loyalty to our ethical founding values." See the gallery for a preview.

Gallery: 100 Years of Ermenegildo Zegna

Tags: ad campaigns, books, coffee table books, Ermenegildo Zegna, fashion, Italian fashion, Italy, mens style, Zegna

The Classicist: Celebrating a Century of Style Icons

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Books, Men's Style

Cary Grant, James Dean, Marlon Brando, Steve McQueen, Tom Ford and David Beckham have all had an undeniably important influence on the world of men's style – but what about Truman Capote, Che Guevara, the Sex Pistols and Jarvis Cocker? They all deserve credit as well, argues Simone Werle in a cool, lavishly illustrated new book called Fashionisto: A Century of Style Icons from Prestel. Werle names 50 figures from the last 100 years who have had an impact not only on the way men choose to adorn themselves but how they act and as well. She dubs them "fashionistos", the male equivalent of the famous fashionista. What makes a man a fashionisto? "Swagger, elegance, daring, perhaps a really well cut suit," the author notes, but not always – see Oscar Wilde, Johnny Depp and Kurt Cobain.

Each icon is featured in a double page spread with glossy full-color photographs and Werle's acute observations, anecdotes, and historical insight. While you may not have personally felt the sartorial influence of Boy George or Bootsy Collins, Werle makes a compelling case for their inclusion. She divides the book into sections according to the various styles or fashion phylum represented: The Gentlemen, The Rebels, The Dandies, The Rock Stars, The Classics, The Fashion Designers, The Beautiful People, The Bands and The Extraterrestrials.

"Fashionistos like fashionistas choose clothing that accentuates their best parts, not only of their bodies but also their personalities," Werle writes. "Both know when to follow the rules of style and when to break them. And both have the courage to stay who they are. But all the same, there is a huge difference. Men have a much easier time in fashion – and yet a much more difficult one." How so, you ask? "Classic men's fashion has very clear-cut rules; if you follow them, you can't go wrong. The man who doesn't look good in a custom-made suit of ﬁne fabric has yet to be born," she notes. "But to make a mark on the history of style, more is needed – and this is where it gets tricky. Men's fashion does not suffer rebels gladly. If you have the courage to rebel, you need self-conﬁdence – and more than that, a sense of style."

Gallery: Fashionisto: A Century of Style Icons

Tags: bespoke, books, Cary Grant, coffee table books, David Beckham, fashion, James Dean, Johnny Depp, male+style+icons, malestyleicons, mens style, Steve McQueen, style, suits, Tom Ford, Truman Capote

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Top Ten Fashion Trends of 2010

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Some say that the first decade of the new millennium doesn't have a "look," the way previous decades have -- but we say they can't see the forest for the trees. It can be hard to notice that what you're putting on every day is actually contextual, and indicative of the time in which you're living. To the wearer, it just seems like "good taste" and that those previous decades were "so silly," but even if you didn't buy anything new, how you wore it this year probably changed.

Here are the Top Ten Fashion Trends of 2010:

1. Aviators

Sunglasses had gotten so big, something had to give -- and it did. Big, plastic frames suddenly looked tired and costume-y, and gave way to sleek metal-rimmed aviators this year.

Tags: 2010 style, fashion, fashion 2010, roundup 2010, style, top ten, trends 2010, trends of 2010

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The Fashion Statement: British Fashion Awards

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, The Fashion Statement

All eyes were on the Savoy Hotel and Theatre in London this week, where the 2010 British Fashion Awards took place on Tuesday night. Here are the highlights:

Phoebe Philo (pictured above with Bianca Jagger) earned the British Designer of the Year award for her role as creative director of Celine. She is currently driving the industry with her understated take on minimalism.

The British Style award went to fashion's It girl Alexa Chung (pictured below with Bryan Ferry) for embodying the spirit of London and being and helping to establish London as a fashion capital. If you don't know who Chung is, you will. The New York Times in a story a few weeks ago called "The Making of Fashion's Latest 'It' Girl," called her the most famous person you've never heard of. She's a huge star in England -- the award was decided by public vote -- and a muse for fashion people. She's also highly revered in the blogosphere.

Victoria Beckham, who was nominated for the Designer Brand award, lost out to British handbag maker Mulberry. Jetting in from L.A., where she now lives, the spice girl said she was proud to be British and proud just to be nominated.

Tags: alexa chung, alexander mcqueen, british fashion awards, bryan ferry, burberry, fashion, lara stone, naomi campbell, phoebe philo

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The Classicist: Paradise Lost - 40 Years of Cafe Society

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Books, The Classicist, Wealth

In the 1920s, '30s, '40s and '50s the so-called Café Society in Europe drew together aristocrats, millionaires, artists, authors, couturiers, choreographers and musicians in a "glittering world of fashion and frivolity, opulence and ostentation", notes Thierry Coudert in his ultra-stylish new book, Café Society: Socialites, Patrons and Artists 1920 to 1960 from Flammarion. Those decades were the "apotheosis of an era that was to have a profound influence on the history of taste" Coudert writes, with the likes of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Lady Diana Cooper, Diana Vreeland, Cole Porter, Noel Coward and Cecil Beaton setting the tone and deciding which artists, designers, and musicians were in vogue. The cover of the book (above) depicts heiress Barbara Hutton, then the Countess von Reventlow, at a tennis match in 1940, while Yves Saint Laurent, Orson Welles, Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau and many more make cameos in the impressive volume.

Gallery: Cafe Society

Tags: Aristocrats, art, artists, books, Café Society, Cafe Society, coffee table books, Diana Vreeland, Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Duke of Windsor, Europe, fashion, France, Noel Coward, socialites, society, style, wealth, Yves Saint Laurent

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Louis Vuitton Focuses On Work With Tattoo Artist Scott Campbell For Spring/Summer 2011 Fashions

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Timepieces / Watches, The Fashion Statement

Louis Vuitton called upon the talents of New York based tattoo artist Scott Campbell work with the famous French brand on their June 2010 runway show in Paris at the start of last summer. That wasn't the first Campbell has worked with Louis Vuitton - but recent news points to the fact that their Spring/Summer 2011 lines will focus on the aesthetic of Mr. Campbell. As a promo to the "lifestyle" behind his designs, Louis Vuitton will be issuing a series of videos that follow Campbell around to various "secret destinations." All part of putting life into the new collection. Will there be a Scott Campbell watch? That would be interesting. Here he is seen wearing one of Louis Vuitton's rare, but quite cool Tambour collection timepieces. You can see more about Louis Vuitton and Scott Campbell's work together here.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: design, fashion, louis vuitton, runway, scott campbell

WWD's 100th Anniversary Book

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Books, Celebrity Design

Here's a perfect gift for the fashionista in your life (even if that's you): WWD: 100 Years, 100 Designers. Fairchild Books and WWD (Women's Wear Daily) recently unveiled this special edition, large-format book commemorating WWD's 100th anniversary. Compiled by WWD's editors, the book examines the careers and creations of 100 designers who are among the past century's most influential style icons and tastemakers.

In its 312 pages, the book pays homage to WWD's century of fashion-industry news and daily style coverage from 1910 to the present. Filled with hundreds of stunning photographs and lavish illustrations, one section features designer interviews conducted through the years for WWD including Giorgio Armani, Gabriel "Coco" Chanel, John Galliano, Tommy Hilfiger, Halston, Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Gianni Versace, and Diane Von Furstenberg.

The first book published by Fairchild Books, it's available at Amazon ($65).

Tags: 100, book, books, fashion, WWD, WWD book

Four Season Los Angeles Offers December Shopping Events

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills makes shopping more attractive this December with a series of Tuesday Fashion Night Events in the Windows Lounge with Robertson Boulevard's stylish boutiques. The events offer a chance to check out stylish fashions from the hotel's neighbors on fashionable Robertson Boulevard, along with live music, prizes, food and cocktails.

Each event takes place on a Tuesday, from 7:00 to 11:00 pm in Windows Lounge. Participating stores include Rock & Republic on November 30, Intermix on December 7, and Ted Baker on December 14. Each evening will feature specialty cocktails for just $10.00 each to celebrate each designer, such as "Ted-Tinis" for Ted Baker and "Four Rocks" for Rock & Republic, in addition to live musical appearances by bands such as Mark Castrillon Duo. You might want to dress up for this one. Each week a man and a woman will be chosen to win "best-dressed" prizes from the boutiques (Rock & Republic is offering $150 gift certificates) and attendees are entitled to a drawing for two gift certificates for the elaborate Sunday Brunch for two in Culina, Modern Italian.

Tags: fashion, four seasons, robertson blvd, shopping events

Inside the Homes of American Fashion Designers

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Decor, Books, Celebrity Design, Architecture & Design

Assouline has released the latest luxe edition in its American Fashion series, dedicated to the top-drawer designers who are members of the prestigious CFDA. American Fashion Designers at Home showcases the personal spaces of more than 100 fashionistas, including Diane von Furstenburg, Oscar de la Renta, Cynthia Rowley and Kate Spade. While some designer dwellings are extensions of the sensibilities embodied by their apparel collections, others exhibit a marked contrast. The domiciles range from studio apartments to sprawling estates, but all are linked by a keen aesthetic sense. Included are Carolina Herrera's grand Louis XV–influenced New York apartment; Betsey Johnson's girly glamourpuss garret; Ralph Lauren's luxuriously rustic Colorado ranch; Donna Karan's tranquil Turks & Caicos getaway; Tommy Hilfiger's over-the-top Greenwich mansion; Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa's ultra-modern Manhattan aerie; and Johann Lindeberg's converted Greenwich Village factory (on the book's cover, above). Check out the gallery for a preview of Randolph Duke's Hollywood spread (which he recently sold for $5.3 million), David Chu's chic digs and more.

Gallery: American Fashion Designers at Home

Tags: Assouline, books, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, CFDA, coffe table books, Colorado, David Chu, decor, designer, Diane von Furstenburg, Donna Karan, estates, fashion, fashion design, fashion designers, Greenwich Village, interior design, Kate Spade, New York, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Randolph Duke, Turks Caicos

VIDEO: Ralph Lauren 4D: Fashion Meets Art & Technology

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Video, Architecture & Design, Luxury Shopping

On November 10 Ralph Lauren used advanced video mapping technology projected onto the façade of the designer's flagships in New York and London to create an enormous "four dimensional" display celebrating the 10th anniversary of RalphLauren.com. The groundbreaking Ralph Lauren 4D extravaganza, which mesmerized thousands of onlookers, combined technology, art, fashion, music and fragrance into a truly innovative experience, and also celebrated the launch of Ralph Lauren e-commerce in the UK. Fifteen vignettes unfolded into a seven minute visual journey through the world of Ralph Lauren.

Viewers experienced a montage of flashing larger-than-life sized images including four-story tall models and polo players, and iconic Ralph Lauren fashion accessories such as the Ricky Bag, ties and belts that wrapped the length of the new women's flagship on Madison Avenue. The projection gave the illusion that images were extending beyond the building and floating out into space toward the audience. Music, illusions of blowing breezes, and even light mists of the new Big Pony Collection Fragrances were infused into the night's air creating a truly extra-sensory adventure.

Tags: e-commerce, fashion, London, luxury boutiques, Madison Avenue, New York, polo, Ralph Lauren, stores-and-shopping, technology, website