lady gaga

The Fashion Statement: Bouffants are Back

The bouffant, the piled-high hairstyle popularized in the late '50s and early '60s, is back!

Amy Winehouse has been rockin' a beehive for years. But, this year, bouffants kicked into high gear and were seen on the runways of Chanel, Dior, Oscar de la Renta (above) and Vera Wang. On the celeb front Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson and Kate Beckinsale have all given it a whirl.

Bouffant. Pompadour. Whatever you call it, it was born in France, reportedly first introduced by Madame de Pompadour who was a mistress of Louis XV. But the real bouffant as we know it today was created for Marie Antoinette, who apparently wanted to mask her thin hair. Closer to the truth, it was the fashion. And, as we know, Antoinette was not exactly known for her restraint.

According to Daring 'Dos: A History of Extraordinary Hair, by Mary Trasko, both Pompadour and Antoinette wore their hair high on the forehead, either brushed over a pad or "frizzed." Some estimated the towering styles stretched three feet high. Hair was such a production back then, women slept propped up on pillows. Our quips today that animals could live in those things was more than partly right-the pomades back then were made of lard and attracted vermin.

By the '60s, the style had become so commonplace in the West, it spread to American suburbs. Throngs of women made their weekly trips to the hair salon, usually Fridays. Wash. Set. Tease. And use lots of industrial strength hair spray. Teachers complained about girls whose hair was so big that they blocked other students from seeing the blackboard.

Gallery: The Fashion Statement: Bouffants are Back

Tags: Amy Winehouse, bouffant, Chanel, HairStyles, Lady Gaga, Madame de Pompadour, Marie Antoinette, Vidal Sasson

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M·A·C Cosmetics: An Industry Favorite

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

M·A·C Cosmetics, or Make-up Art Cosmetics, is a favorite of runway artists and film stars alike, and a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award in Best in Cosmetics.

The company was founded in Toronto by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo back in 1985, and the legend says that the formation of the entire company was based on just one shade of lipstick: M.A.C. Red. The story goes that the pair were mixing their own shade of red to use in a runway show, and everyone from the models to the photographers fell in love with it. The two Franks joined forces to found M·A·C Cosmetics, a line of cosmetics for industry professionals.

Gallery: M.A.C. Cosmetics

Tags: awards-main, beauty-main, cosmetics, Cyndi Lauper, Estée Lauder, Lady Gaga, luxist-awards, M.A.C.

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Lady Gaga and Terrence Koh Auction Famed Piano

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Charity

Two young artists who are turning the pop culture world upside down, Lady Gaga and Terrence Koh, joined forces last month in Toyko for GAGAKOH!, a legendary performance at club Tabloid. Only 900 lucky guests got to witness the debauchery. Koh created a one-of-a-kind piano for the event, in his signature white, as well as a five-foot-tall papier-mâché bunny head, a tribute to his spirit animal.

This month, they're auctioning off the piano and bunny head, which is signed by Gaga herself, through CharityBuzz to benefit the Art of Elysium, an amazing organization that encourages leading artists to dedicate their time and talents to kids undergoing serious medical treatments, empowering them through creative outlets. Past supporters of Elysium include Kanye West, Graham Nash, Eva Mendes, Joaquin Phoenix, Elijah Wood, David Lynch, Hugh Jackman, Ben Affleck, and many more.

Koh and Gaga first collaborated for the 2010 Grammys, designing the two-headed piano that Gaga played with Elton John. He has since designed the piano Gaga played for the February AmfAR Gala and most recently the GAGAKOH! instrument. As Gaga and Koh continue to use these 88 pearl designs for her over-the-top performances, here's your chance at obtaining a piece of art and pop culture history, while benefitting a more than worthy organization. Bidding ends Thursday, May 13 at 1 PM EST.

Tags: art of elysium, charity, charity buzz, Lady Gaga, lady gaga piano, terence koh

The Fashion Statement: Little Rain Coats

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, The Fashion Statement

Today's April Fools and so, logically, begins The Penis Festival, a traditional celebration of fertility in Japan where people pay tribute to all things phallic. Tonight, Chef Tadashi Ono at NYC's Matsuri restaurant is offering a one-night-only Penis Matsuri dinner after which guests will be given a complimentary Jeremy Scott for Proper Attire condoms.

You may be wondering what all this has to do with fashion. Plenty, according to Lady Gaga. "It's not complicated, just a fashion statement," said the pop star recently about her collaboration with the designer (pictured above). "Everybody wrap it up with Jeremy Scott for Proper Attire condoms," she added. The condoms come ribbed, sheer and dotted.

Scott is not the first designer to revamp little rain coats. In 2008, Marc Jacobs unveiled a line of MJ blue condoms with a little note that read "Remember, safety first! XXOO, Marc Jacobs."

Tags: Alexander Wang, AlexanderWang, Brian Reyes, BrianReyes, Condoms, Cyndi Lauper, CyndiLauper, Jeremy Scott, JeremyScott, Lady Gaga, LadyGaga, MAC, Marc Jacobs, MarcJacobs, Proper Attire, ProperAttire, Yigel Azrouel, YigelAzrouel

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Giorgio Armani to Design for Lady Gaga

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping, Celebrity Design

Lady Gaga is known for her 'love it or hate it' fashion sense and it seems that designer Giorgio Armani has stationed himself firmly on the 'love it' side and designed several outfits for just for her to use on stage during her current concert tour. Shown here is one of the creations, a sparkling structured bodysuit with plunging neckline and exaggerated shoulders, and others include a floor-length black trench and a mini-dress with dramatic mirror effects. All the outfits are made with matching shoes and sunglasses, also by Armani, who was quoted on Lady Gaga as saying "In addition to her formidable songwriting skills, she is a modern fashion phenomenon."

Source

Tags: giorgio armani, GiorgioArmani, lady gaga, LadyGaga

The Fashion Statement: Hats On

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

The Spring/Summer 2010 Haute Couture shows got underway earlier this week in Paris and, by the looks of things so far, they could have easily been renamed "Hat Couture."

Jean Paul Gaultier framed his models' faces in feathers (shown above), Mexican sombreros and metallic halos reminiscent of South American icons. (We noticed the blue nail polish, too.)

Karl Lagerfeld, whose muse for Chanel Couture must be equal parts geisha, schoolgirl and American housewife circa late '50s/early '60s, placed sugary sweet bows in each girls' bouffant 'do.

On Aura Tout Vu went to the extreme by building a tiny city around one model's head, held in place by metal rods affixed to her belt.

Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy took the concept of "lid" to a whole new level with a millinery lineup that resembled screw-top caps, cylinders and mid-century lampshades. Some were white, stark and shiny while others were black, textured or featured veils.

Galliano was among the more conservative with equestrian top hats, stovepipes and high hats. The riding crops he placed in the hands of his models, expected in an equestrian theme, nevertheless added a dominatrix spirit.

The bride wore black veils at Franck Sorbier...and forks?! Sure enough, even a handful of forks was sculpted into a chapeau.

Gallery: The Fashion Statement: Hats, 01/28/10

Tags: Chanel, Givenchy, hats, haute couture, HauteCouture, Lady Gaga, LadyGaga

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10 Fashion Statements of 2009

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Jewelry, The Fashion Statement

Michelle Obama is radiant in an ensemble of Isabel Toledo, Nina Ricci and Jimmy Choo.

This has been a wonderful year for fashion. From the emergence of fanciful fashion-rebel Lady Gaga to the arms of Michelle Obama, we've had inspiring influences right and left. At a time when most designers were playing it recession-friendly (aka safe), trends and personalities stood out more than ever. Here are Luxist's Top Ten Fashion Statements of 2009.

1. Michelle Obama's inauguration outfit (pictured, by Isabel Toledo)
2. Lady Gaga in general
3. Susan Boyle's many makeovers

Click through the gallery for pics of the whole list!

Gallery: 10 Fashion Statements of 2009

1. Michelle Obama's Inauguration Day Outfit

Tags: 2009, fashion, Lady Gaga, LadyGaga, Mad Men, MadMen, Michelle Obama, MichelleObama, Miley Cyrus, MileyCyrus, Susan Boyle, SusanBoyle, Whitney Houston, WhitneyHouston

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The Fashion Statement: The Top Ten Fashion Influences of 2009

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

For a year that was fraught with Depression era-like woes, 2009 wasn't a bad year for fashion. Here's an informal roundup of the year's top 10 inspirations.

Michelle Obama: From the inaugural gown by Jason Wu to the shorts scandal over the summer, the First Lady kept our interest. She spoke volumes to the fashion community by launching the careers of little-known American designers giving them a leg up when they needed it most.

M.C. Hammer: Harem pants was a huge trend of 2009 but the look hasn't come back without controversy. In November, the Wall Street Journal took a look at the fad and quoted Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour as saying, "To be honest, they are not my favorite."

Michael Jackson: Michael Jackson's death was arguably the biggest media story of the year. Suddenly, blogs, TV and magazines were saturated with images of military jackets, pedal pushers, white socks, fedoras and penny loafers. Harper's Bazaar's September issue paid tribute with Agyness Deyn dressed as the King of Pop.

Playboy Bunnies: Marc Jacobs can be blamed for the bunny ears, but the larger fashion news story was the over-the-knee boots (or OTKs) that first emerged on Madonna courtesy of Louis Vuitton (also designed by Jacobs). Numerous designers from Prada to Hussein Chalayan made the movement a force to be reckoned with in the footwear biz.

Mad Men: Skinny suits for men has been in Italy for years and American menswear designers like Thom Browne was an early proponent. But TV show Mad Men has arguably played a role in adapting the American male's eye to the '60s trim silhouette.

Gallery: The Fashion Statement, Trends 2009

Tags: Africa and the Middle East, AfricaAndTheMiddleEast, Forties, Harem pants, HaremPants, Lady Gaga, LadyGaga, Mad Men, MadMen, Michael Jackson, MichaelJackson, Michelle Obama, MichelleObama, OTK boots, OtkBoots, Platform shoes, PlatformShoes, The Economy, TheEconomy

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The Fashion Statement: It's a Cinch!

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

Women's Wear Daily, the so-called bible of the fashion industry and my former employer, wrote an interesting article this week about how corset sales are up in the U.K. thanks to the influence of Rihanna (above) and Lady Gaga.

The piece said women in London are snapping up corsets in the intimates departments and wearing them to the discos. It's such the rage, Selfridges Oxford Street posted a 70 percent increase in sales in November compared with the same month last year. The article goes on to say that the trend of underwear worn as outerwear is more popular that ever.

Rihanna and Lady Gaga are not the first divas to go corset crazy, of course. The corset, which has existed in womenswear for hundreds of years, now represents sex, fetish, bondage, body modifications -- all the good racy stuff that shocks us and slightly turns us off and really turns us on. It worked for Madonna. Why not Rihanna and Lady Gaga? And why not a million other girls?

In my 15 years covering the fashion, I've always suspected the edgiest fashion (streetwear, rock and roll, punk) appears to change more slowly than conservative fashion (contemporary, designer). Because it doesn't have to. Spikes always provoke us. Punk hair that resembles a frill-necked dragon always pushes our buttons. Exposed body parts always unnerve us just a little (OK, maybe not all of us). Corsets always work. Every time.

There are a few other masters of the shock game and all of them make ample use of the corset. Jean Paul Gaultier, of course, through Madonna in the '80s as I mentioned.

Tags: Alexander McQueen, AlexanderMcqueen, Corsets, Jean Paul Gaultier, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Vivienne Westwood, VivienneWestwood

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Look like Lady Gaga with a Mask by Kiki de Montparnasse

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping

Lady Gaga knows a good mask when she sees one. On the packaging for her "Poker Face; Remixes" album, Lady Gaga is seen wearing a Kiki de Montparnasse original.

The masks are handcrafted in Venice Italy exclusively for Kiki de Montparnasse, a high-end designer of intimate apparel and accessories with flagship boutiques in Los Angeles and New York.

The masks are the perfect accessory to wear to spark ones imagination. The mask are formed in all various shapes to suit all different moods. Wearing one of these masks to an elegant Halloween party would certainly create a statement.

Traditionally, masks have been worn in Venice during the annual celebration of Carnival. They have also been used for the purpose of concealing a person's true identity, and not so that you could egg the neighbor's house or trick-or-treat for candy. Historically, masks were used by members of Venetian society enabling them to step outside the confines of their accepted roles, whether to perpetrate an illicit act, such as gambling, or something more personal like a clandestine romantic encounter.

Kiki de Montparnasse masks are made in the time-honored manner by the same craftsmen who created the pieces for Stanley Kubrick's film, "Eyes Wide Shut" . The collection offers an exquisite range of masks, including classic demi-masks, full face styles with a modern elegance, simple lines and bold metallic finishes. There are also masks fringed in silk or topped with feathers and animal masks including butterflies, kittens and unicorns. The masks are finished with either a lustrous silk ribbon or a hand-carved wooden handle for classic masquerade appeal.

If you don't have a party to attend these masks can be worn to inspire an elegant romantic fantasy in the privacy of your own boudoir. Prices range from $175 to $550. Meow!