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The Classicist: Celebrating a Century of Style Icons

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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Holiday Shopping Guide: Top Beauty Gifts for Women

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

The holidays mark the perfect time to update your look, your scent, or simply to protect the skin on your back. We rounded up the top luxe beauty gifts this season that will be a joy for anyone on your list to play with and experiment with. Help your friends and loved ones ring in the new year with a gift that will last well into 2011.

Sensai Cellular Lifting Series Set

The first name in Japanese skincare, Sensai, has earned a named synonymous with rich, moisturized skin. Whether dealing with harsh winter conditions or drying sun, nothing works better to moisturize and heal delicate skin. A new limited edition set ($245) features two of the most popular products from Sensai's new Lifting series, Lifting Cream and Lifting Essence, and a revitalizing Lifting Radiance 3D Mask. Featuring a near entire bottle of the Sensai Lifting Radiance Concentrate, formulated with Sensai's Natural Musculifter and Golden Camomile Extract, the mask guarantees a fresh, youthful face by New Year's through its trademark energy activation of muscle cells and microcirculation of the skin.

Sensai has another Limited Edition Gift Set from the Cellular Performance line ($130), which features Cellular Performance face and eye countour cream, inflused with Koishumaru Silk and Shilan Extract to protect against wrinkles and discoloration. The special box set also includes the Total Lip Treatment, which Scarlett Johannson calls her "favorite thing in the entire world...feels like a million bucks."

Tags: bobbi brown, cosmetics, fragrance, holiday shopping guide, perfume, scent, sensai, tom ford

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Daria Werbowy Poses Nude for French Vogue

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Canadian-born supermodel Daria Werbowy famed as the face of Prada and Lancôme, has posed completely nude for French Vogue's fashionable new calendar which will be available as a supplement to its upcoming Christmas issue with a "fantasy and sensuality" theme, guest-edited by Tom Ford. In the racy pic shot by Mikael Jansson – which we can't possibly show you here – the statuesque stunner wears nothing but some gold Louis Vuitton jewelry which seems to be all the adornment she needs. Werbowy was named the eighth highest paid supermodel in the world for 2010, earning $4.5 million. Her other ad campaigns include Yves Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli, Gucci, Hermès, Valentino, David Yurman, Missoni, Versace, Louis Vuitton and Chanel.

Tags: Daria Werbowy, France, Louis Vuitton, nude, Prada, supermodel, Tom Ford, Vogue, Yves Saint Laurent

The Classicist: The Ultimate Guide to Savile Row Style

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist, Luxury Shopping

When James Sherwood's brilliant book on bespoke tailoring called The London Cut came out in 2007, to accompany a Savile Row exhibition at Palazzo Pitti in Florence, we regretted only that it was in softcover and such a small format. Now Rizzoli has rectified that with a suitably statuesque volume by Sherwood expanding on the subject, lavishly illustrated and encyclopedic in scope. Bespoke: The Men's Style of Savile Row begins with the opening of Henry Poole & Co. in 1806 and follows the illustrious history of London's custom tailoring tradition. Famous adherents of 'The Row' through the years from Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, the Duke of Windsor and Winston Churchill to latter-day dandies like Prince Charles, Mick Jagger and David Beckham are also discussed.

From its rather humble beginnings Sherwood discusses Savile Row's role in tailoring for the sporting set, the military and Royalty, the phenomenal influence the houses have had in the sartorial style of the silver screen - where else would James Bond get his threads? - the Row's evolution as "bespoke" was challenged by the mod rock & roll fashion revolution, and its embrace of fashion-forward newcomers like Tommy Nutter, Richard James and Ozwald Boateng, leading a revival of an art form that looked at one time to be doomed to obsolescence, now flourishing in its 200th year.

The style of each of the street's premier tailors is presented in detail along with the immeasurable impact Savile Row style has had on the work of international designers like Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, and Tom Ford, who contributed a foreword to the book. "English gentlemen's tailoring, and in particular the tailoring of Savile Row, really set the standard for the way the stylish 20th-century man dressed," Ford writes. "This English style, in fact, became the international style for well-dressed men all over the world, and this influence has not waned even in today's more casual world. I suppose that when it comes to men's clothes I am an Anglophile and if I did not design my own men's collection, I would have virtually my entire wardrobe made on Savile Row."

Gallery: Savile Row Bespoke

Tags: bespoke, books, Cary Grant, coffee table books, Duke of Windsor, England, Fred Astaire, Henry Poole Co., James Bond, James Sherwood, London, mens style, Ozwald Boateng, Prince Charles, Ralph Lauren, Rizzoli, Savile Row, Tom Ford, UK, Winston Churchill

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Tom Ford Launches Private Blend Lip Color Collection

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

If there's one man who knows how to make a woman feel sexy, it's Tom Ford. And now, the famed designer and director is taking sexy straight to the place it matters most, a woman's lips. Ford launched his new lip line at his Madison Avenue Thursday night, where guests were invited to sip champagne and play with the new hues. In twelve jaw-dropping colors, the new Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color Collection will turn you from drab to glamorous in one easy swipe of a gold and ivory stick. "There is no more dramatic accessory than a perfect lip," said Ford. "It is the focus of the face and it has the power to define a woman's whole look."

Unlike most high-pigmented lipsticks, the Tom Ford colors are anything but drying. Each divinely-scented shade is full of rich, natural ingredients, including soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter and chamomilla flower oil. The incredibly moisturizing blends wear for hours and go on like silk. With each shade evoking such brilliant luminosity, it's literally the only makeup you'll need to wear to brighten up your entire face.

And like Ford's Private Blend perfume line, the products can easily be layered to achieve greater depths of color. I achieved the perfect party color by layering True Coral with Smoke Red. With the expansive palette ranging from nude to pink to coral to red to purple, experimentation is a must. Nudes like Vanilla Suede form the perfect base, or can be paired with a deep smoky eye for an easy red carpet look.

The twelve perfect colors promise to deliver every woman her signature look. I opted for the darkest plum shade, named Black Orchid to match my favorite scent, and instantly found my new color. The rich creamy purple is the perfect new shade for any skin tone. It's decadent for night and yet powerful for day. From the impeccable mens tailored shirt to bespoke perfume, to gorgeous cinema, Tom Ford is a master in everything he does. Expect another surprise this fall in the Tom Ford Beauty line as he continues to expand his body of work.

The lip collection went on sale this week in select department stores. Vanilla Suede, the pale 60s shade has already sold out behind counters. Available for $45 from Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, and Bergdorf Goodman and on the retailer's websites beginning June 1st.

Gallery: Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color Collection

Tags: tom ford, tom ford cosmetics, tom ford lip color, tom ford lipstick

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Andy Warhol's Self Portrait Sells for Record Auction Price

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

Andy Warhol has never looked better---to an audience of contemporary art collectors and dealers, that is. Last night, Sotheby's sold an Andy Warhol painting titled Self-Portrait sold to an anonymous phone bidder for $32.6 million (including the buyer's premium), setting a new record for a Warhol self portrait at auction.

At least six bidders competed for Self Portrait, an acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas painting that was painted in 1986. The large iconic and rare painting, which measures 108" by 108", is from Warhol's final series of Self Portraits - widely acknowledged as the most important of his career. The estimate was $10 million to $15 million.

"This Warhol was my favorite work in the sale," says Tobias Meyer, Worldwide Head of Contemporary Art and the evening's auctioneer. "It will be seen as a very smart buy in the future."

Tags: Andy Warhol, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Andy Warhol Museum, Andy Warhol Self Portrait, auction, AuctionHouse, sothebys, Tom Ford

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Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Tom Ford is continuing his dive into the realm of beauty products with the upcoming release of the Tom Ford Private Blend Lipstick Collection. Consisting of 12 different shades all based on classics we know and love, Ford told WWD "I took the most universally flattering colors that a woman can wear, and then I re-imagined them in a modern and authoritative way." All Private Blend lipsticks will contain moisturizers like murumuru butter and soja seed and will come in a pretty gold and ivory case, along with a price tag of $45 each. Look for them this month in Europe and here in the States starting June 1st.

Via BellaSugar

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Tags: beauty, lipstick, tom ford

Tony Duquette Rug Collection Launched by Roubini

by Carrie N. Culpepper (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

"They are crazy rugs but that's what I like," says Michael Roubini of Roubini Rugs. Since 1985, his family's rug company has been partnering with designers to create special collections. Being Italian, they started with some of their favorite Italian designers such as Missoni, Roberto Cavalli, Versace and Fornasetti. Last week they added a new, bold-faced name to their list of collaborators.

A reception at the company's New York showroom launched its newest line in partnership with the Tony Duquette company. Duquette (above right), who designed sets for Fred Astaire musicals, jewelry for Tom Ford and costumes for Broadway plays, in addition to a host of lavish interiors, passed away in 1999, but his business partner of 25 years, Hutton Wilkinson (above left) has carried on the venerable "More is More" mantra of the interior design business.

Gallery: Tony Duquette Rug Collection by Roubini

Tags: baker furniture, BakerFurniture, fornasetti, jim thompson, roberto cavalli, RobertoCavalli, roubini rugs, RoubiniRugs, tom ford, TomFord, tony duquette, tony duquette company, tony duquette fabric, tony duquette rugs, TonyDuquetteCompany, TonyDuquetteFabric, TonyDuquetteRugs, versace

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Brad Pitt's New Tom Ford Shades

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping

Those new aviator shades Brad Pitt's been sporting lately are by his favorite designer Tom Ford, naturally. The decadent designer's Pablo model is actually two pairs of sunglasses in one. One set of lenses fits right into the metal frame and the other set sits in plastic inserts. The Pablo is an evolution of an earlier Ford design as worn by Daniel Craig; these are much better proportioned and actually a fine fit for both men and women. The sunglass history buffs at Eyegoodies, where the Pablo can be purchased for $450 a pair, note the influence of an old (1970's) Ted Lapidus aviator with the plastic inserts in, and the Porsche Design Aviators from the 1980's with the plastic inserts out. The Pablo comes in three colors: gold / light havana (pictured above), gunmetal / dark havana, and gold /black.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: Brad Pitt, BradPitt, Daniel Craig, DanielCraig, Eyegoodies, sunglasses, Tom Ford, TomFord

James Bond Items on Offer in Pop Culture Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Auctions, Men's Style

Daniel Craig's aviator sunglasses designed by Tom Ford for last year's Quantum of Solace (above) are among a collection of James Bond items in Christie's London's Vintage Film Posters and Entertainment Memorabilia auction on Nov. 24. The shades, estimated at £1,000 - £1,500, are among the more modern 007 mementos in the sale, along with a poker table chair and barstool graced by Mr. Craig's derriere in 2006's Casino Royale, estimated at £1,000 - £1,500. On the vintage front there are some key items from 1974's The Man With the Golden Gun, such as a two-piece black silk evening suit made for Roger Moore for the film, offered at £3,000 - £5,000. Also from that film are the arch villain Scaramanga's custom triggers for the golden gun itself, made in the form of cufflinks which he used to assemble the lethal weapon, estimated at £2,000 - £3,000. On offer as well are a pair of black leather of Salvatore Ferragamo dress shoes worn by Moore in 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me, signed on the inside in gold ink along with a jocular note from the actor, for £800 - £1,200.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Tags: 007, Casino Royale, CasinoRoyale, Christies, cufflinks, Daniel Craig, DanielCraig, David Niven, DavidNiven, James Bond, JamesBond, Quantum of Solace, QuantumOfSolace, Roger Moore, RogerMoore, Salvatore Ferragamo, SalvatoreFerragamo, sunglasses, Tom Ford, TomFord

Tom Ford's Ultra-Luxe Alligator Luggage

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Men's Style

For $65,000 decadent designer Tom Ford will kit you out with a killer three-piece set of alligator luggage and a matching pair of gloves. The luggage, handmade in Italy by the worlds finest craftsmen, includes a document portfolio (above left), briefcase (above right), and duffel bag with gold engine-turned locking mechanisms. Priced separately, the document portfolio is priced at $11,900, the briefcase at $22,500, the duffle bag at $27,190 and the matching gloves at $3,230. The ultra-luxe pieces are notable for the impeccable quality of the genuine alligator skin, carefully selected for its beautiful finish and symmetrical appearance. In addition every element has been crafted from alligator with no inferior leathers used for straps or other parts as with some designers' alligator pieces.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: alligator, Italy, luggage, Tom Ford, TomFord

One-of-a-Kind Damien Hirst Harley in L.A. Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Events, Art, Charity

A one-of-a-kind Harley-Davidson Cross Bones motorcycle (above) customized by bad boy Brit artist Damien Hirst will be auctioned off for the L.A.-based Project Angel Food charity on April 23rd. Bidding for the one-off bike / sculpture, painted with Hirst's signature rainbow-hued spin design, begins at $100,000. Hirst applied his centrifugal force paint technique to individual parts of the retro-styled Cross Bones, the first model in Harley's new Dark Custom line, and then shipped them to the factory where the finished bike was assembled. The motorcycle is part of Angel Art, an event and benefit auction celebrating the 20th anniversary of the charity, which provides daily meals for people homebound or disabled by HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses. The event, co-chaired by the likes of Tom Ford, Naomi Watts, Tobey Maguire and Robert Downey Jr., is taking place at L.A.'s Creative Artists Agency.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: Celebrity, Creative Artists Agency, CreativeArtistsAgency, Damien Hirst, DamienHirst, Harley-Davidson, Motorcycle, Project Angel Food, ProjectAngelFood, Tobey Maguire, TobeyMaguire, Tom Ford, TomFord

Best-Dressed Man at the Oscars: Daniel Craig

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Events, Men's Style

As a supplement to my colleague Deidre Woollard's rundown on red carpet fashions at the Oscars, I offer my own pick for the Oscars best dressed man: nouveau James Bond Daniel Craig. Craig, above with girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell, who was a presenter at the ceremony, wore a midnight blue shawl collar tuxedo with satin facing on the lapels and turned-back cuffs and an elegant trim black satin diamond point bow tie and white silk pocket square, all by his favorite designer Tom Ford.

The smaller bow tie in an unusual shape was a welcome change from the alarming trend toward oversized, clownish bows, while the vintage-inspired look of the dark blue shawl managed to be distinctive, classic and extremely elegant, a bit of a departure from the usual without going too far. Ford, who provided suits for Craig to wear in Quantum of Solace, also made Brad Pitt's tuxedo for the Oscars, though Craig looked the best.

Tags: Black tie, BlackTie, Brad Pitt, BradPitt, Daniel Craig, DanielCraig, James Bond, JamesBond, Oscars, Oscars2009, Red carpet, RedCarpet, Tom Ford, TomFord, Tuxedo

Tom Ford's Pricey Pants

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

You have to admire the brio of Tom Ford. While others are planning lower priced denim lines, the popular menswear designer is going in a different direction. Ford, who once hawked mangled feather-strewn jeans at Gucci for over $3,000 is back in the jeans business for his own line. His latest offering is pairs of $990 jeans made from Japanese selvedge denim with pockets lined in silk and an 18K gold plated front button. Ford's new jeans, which aren't easily recognizable as a pricey pair (no bedazzled pockets, no trendy style) fit in with the new stealth shopping aesthetic of wearing things that are expensive without looking overtly flashy.

Source

Tags: denim, jeans, tom ford, TomFord

Brad & Angelina's Killer Looks at Golden Globes

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Events, Men's Style

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie didn't win any little statues at the Golden Globes Sunday night, but they definitely defended their title as the world's most stylish couple. While Angelina eschewed glitz in an elegant and simple frock from Atelier Versace, Brad continued his trend of wearing Tom Ford's finest when the occasion calls for black tie. He wore a black wool Windsor model peak lapel tuxedo, white pique front evening shirt, diamond and white gold shirt studs and cufflinks, black grosgrain bowtie, silk pocket square, black patent leather shoes and a pair of aviator shades all from Ford's menswear collection - and, for those of you who followed the cummerbund debate in this week's Classicist column, Brad (correctly, in our opinion) wore one of those as well, made of black grosgrain silk to match his bowtie.

Tags: Angelina Jolie, AngelinaJolie, Atelier Versace, AtelierVersace, Awards, Black tie, BlackTie, Brad Pitt, BradPitt, Golden Globes, GoldenGlobes, Tom Ford, TomFord, Tuxedo, Versace