Marc Jacobs Resort 2013 face-off: Hailee Steinfeld vs. Anna Wintour

Three days ago for 'The Dark Knight Rises' premiere in LA Hailee Steinfeld chose to wear a sequinned Marc Jacobs number from his Cruise 2013 collection. It was, in fact, the same dress Anna Wintour wore to the CFDA awards a few weeks back.
Hailee went for a 'total look' including Jacobs' clog-like sandals and tube clutch accompanied with simple makeup and hair. Anna, on the other hand, added her signature Manolo Blahnik sling-backs and jewelled necklace. She also added a skinny red belt. I personally find Anna's take a lot more feminine and effortless. What do you think?

Atelier Versace FW12: Moltissimo Versace
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What better way to kick off the Parisian Haute Couture week than with Atelier Versace? The recently revived line has been such a hit lately and, personally, it's one of the HC collections I look forward the most together with Jean Paul Gaultier and Givenchy. Though this season I am, of course, very much looking forward to Raf Simons at Christian Dior!

Versace, which had been so modern and clean in its lines for couture, seems to have returned to its opulent origins. I must admit that even though it's not quite my taste the play on patchwork on the shorter numbers and the sinuous lines of the collection are as beautiful and striking as they are sexy. I also enjoyed the first hint at the Atelier Versace jewellery line that the house launched yesterday as well  – I can't wait to see it in full!

In attendance at the show were such verious guests like Jessica Alba, who rocked a leather and studs Versace LBD number, M.I.A, who would have made Gianni himself proud in her baroque Versace look, and Anna Wintour, who chose to wear FW12 Prada because... she's Anna Wintour. Franca was accompanied by two of my favourite people in fashion, the ever sophisticated Harry and Peter Brant.

What do you make of the collection?

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Met Ball 2012: The Best Dressed, Part II
Courtesy of Prada, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, JustJared

As I said this morning I couldn't just post about my five favourite looks from this year's Met Ball. Last night I would have sworn I didn't like too many looks but after having a look at images of everyone I missed on the red carpet I changed my mind.
There seemed to be mixed feeling about Kristen Dunst in her Rodarte ensemble. But I loved the fact that it was unlike anything she has worn before and completely different from everyone else. I loved the colour, the cut, the lace detail under the blazer and the belt. It was perfectly styled and she looked ultra cool.
It kind of bothers me that no one ever puts Anna Wintour in the best dressed lists. I utterly adored this lobster Prada gown she wore last night. It was chic and fun and she looked so elegant. I simply love the fact that she always stays true to her style.
Bianca Brandolini went for a gilded Dolce & Gabbana number that obviously shone beautifully under the red carpet lights. This would have been such an exaggerated and over-the-top look on someone else but Bianca is so elegant and classy that she just looks like (fashion) royalty.
I was happy to see January Jones back in shape in an Atelier Versace gown. It has taken her a while to get her mojo back after the pregnancy but she is quickly getting there. The dress had such a different vibe than on the runway and I really liked the turquoise in the necklace, which gave the look a new dimension.

Courtesy of Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, JustJared

Giovanna Battaglia's Dolce & Gabbana dress put a smile on my face. It was so tremendously Italian and full of character but Gio wore it in such a young and chic way. And the braid and flower headband were such a great call!

Rooney Mara looked her edgy-meets-rocky-chic usual self. I guess none of us doubted she was going to wear Givenchy. I just wished she would have gone for a bit more drama or a different colour. But I loved the combination of lace and leather, Riccardo.

Cara Delevingne was one of the most fashion-forward attendees. I couldn't have loved her velvet Burberry dress any more. It was a stunning shape and I loved the detail of the collar and the studded Burberry gloves. How unfair is it that she gets to look so great wearing next season's clothes?

Who was your best and worst dressed? – Have I missed anyone on my lists?

Future trend: Colour-block & panelled Furs
Leeoliveira.com, Getty, Style.com

Sometimes we don't give Anna the credit she deserves as a trend-setter. I can't say for sure but it looks to me like as soon as she ordered her Céline FW11 fur coat about a year ago word went around and some of the top designers decided to add some of the new colour-blocking panelled fur to their FW12 collections.

Apart from London, we have seen pieces like these in all the other cities. In New York from The Row – the one I think Anna will be wearing next year. In Milan from Fendi, which looked a bit bolder but could work for Anna with an edited version. And in Paris a new version from Céline (I love the navy sleeves), a red-hot cropped jacket with a trail from Givenchy, and a bambi-inspired super chic coat from fur-master Révillon.

Which one will Anna Wintour be wearing for FW12?

Style.com

Sometimes it's lonely at the top
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Anna Wintour awaiting the beginning of the FW12 Victoria Beckham show.

Photo Credit: Condé Nast via RedCarpet-FashionAwards

How many can you name?
Click on read more to see the full list.

Zimbio, Telegraph Fashion, Style.com

I must admit I have an obsession with fashion insiders wearing clothes from a season ahead. I think it's a bit of a shame sometimes because it loses charm by the time you get to the new season but it's exciting at the same time. These are some of my favourite editors wearing fresh-off-the-runway pieces from the SS12 collections.

If anyone could get a Givenchy skirt the dat after the show that is Carine Roitfeld. Her infamous affiliation to certain maisons was part of the reason that cost her the Vogue Paris job but, of course, she does not care. She looked incredible in a customised version of the layered circular-cut skirts that Tisci showed for the new season. It just looks like that's the way Givenchy is meant to be worn.
Anna Wintour had a similar moment. She wears dresses more than once with no shame (why should she?) but that doesn't mean she can't take advantage of her perks. Anna indulged her world-famous love for Prada by wearing one of Miuccia's SS12 pleated car-printed skirts. I loved this look because the fun print gave her a very cool air, non?

But of course, Anna dello Russo had to be in the list too. Designers know that having her wear one of their pieces is just tons of free press and they take advantage of it. ADR has been the first editor to wear some of the new Mary Katrantzou dresses of under-the-sea motifs, which she accessorised with even more colours. Also in Paris Anna wore the new Linda Farrow for Prabal Gurung sunglasses that had me obsessed. And I loved the rest of her look –the Stella McCartney dress, lacy boots, beanie hat and netting on top. Just ace!

After Chanel's show last week we're being drip-fed the rest of Cruise 2012 collections. It will be months before we see many more. Bottega Veneta and Oscar de la Renta are the only ones so far to have made their lines public, also with catwalk shows.

I tend to find mid-season collections either quite exciting or ridiculously boring. Bottega had a couple of hits but my favourite were mainly beige or faded khaki pieces with a slight safari inspiration and the silk colour-blocking cocktail dresses.

Oscar de la Renta was a litte kitch for my taste. I love his mainline collection when he does his typical 50's incredible gowns  and his cute cocktail numbers but this was not it. There were a lot of crazy prints and pattern mixing I didn't quite get. However, I did appreciate the slightly hip-er feel to the collection. I could especially see some of these very colourful pieces on Anna Wintour. She would rock the matching sequin dress and cardigan and pair the bonkers prints with her trademarked necklaces.

[Style.com]

It has been an intense weekend for the fashion world. First it was the Royal Wedding on Friday and last night the fashion equivalent of the Oscars (or the red carpet anyway), the Met Gala, took over New York City. This year they celebrated the opening of the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" exhibition.

This year I expected a lot of dramatic gowns with big trains and also a lot of feathers. And I was right to do so, at least the first part. Despite Daphne Guiness' big feather McQueen number (she always looks so great it's hard to be surprised anymore) and Sarah Jessica Parker's chic number also by the designer I would have to say it was Giselle Bünchen who wore the brand best. The tight body and pleated big skirt made this a moment we hadn't seen since the old Valentino days.

My other favourite was Diane Kruger in Jason Wu. She is one of the chicest women in Hollywood and it's a pleasure to see her wearing something that's not white or Chanel. The embellished top made jewellery unnecessary and the mad side slit on the skirt adds a sexy edge balanced by the long sleeves.

[JustJared, Style.com, Zimbio.com]

Funnily enough, it is at these kinds of events that fashion insiders get less attention because of all of the celebrity attendees. That is why it's hard to even find nice pictures of them to post.

Lily Donaldson, in Erdem, and Mariacarla Boscono, in Givenchy HC, looked ravishing. I always say no one can compete with a model in terms of fashion. I love the fact that they know how much see-through they can get away with and they take advantage of that. Lily looked very classy in the navy lace, a perfect look to go with her new marital status. And Mariacarla channeled Morticia Adams for the hair and make-up adding that big of Goth that Tisci loves in his clothes.

Giovanna Battaglia, NYC's newest neighbour, wore Marni to accompany Consuelo Castiglioni. I am in awe of this glamourous 60's look. You know I adore both her and the brand and every time the two get mixed they achieve perfection.

I don't care what people say about Anna Wintour, I think she's got great taste. Year after year she slips and yet another incredible Chanel HC dress, which is what she deserves to wear. I found this year's number quite cool for Anna, though. The colours and the art deco feel of the sequins made it a youthful look that really suited her. And I loved the fact that she added diamonds into the mix anyway.

I might've not liked Blake Lively's Chanel as much if I hadn't been bracing myself for a big disappointment. I have to admit she looked stunning and must've made Kaiser Karl very proud. I still haven't seen her carrying one of those fugly Mademoiselle handbags she advertises, though.

I guess people just invite Thandie Newton because she always looks great. I absolutely loved the way her Stella McCartney dress played with the sheerness of the pleated skirt, the black lace and the nude touch of the underskirt.

Less dramatic or surprising but beautiful nonetheless were Gwyneth Paltrow, in a bejewelled Stella McCartney, Miranda Kerr in Marchesa and Zoe Saldana in Calvin Klein Collection.

I am especially shocked by how much into Miranda's look I am. There is something so obviously Black Swan about the dress (Mila Kunis would've looked amazing in this) but the fact that she wore the Nicholas Kirkwood lace-ups makes everything interesting. It's the red carpet equivalent of someone wearing a tutu skirt with converse, just genius!

It always makes me a little angry when people criticise Anna Wintour's style. She might not be the edgiest of people but I love how she always looks 100% occassion-appropriate. There's been a bit of talk about her wearing jeans at the Sony Ericsson open in Florida. Apart from the fact that it's amazing how she's managed to stay that skinny for this long there was nothing peculiar about Anna wearing denim. I personally find a lot more surprising that she chose to wear one of the famous banana Prada skirts to watch another of the matches. I know how much she loves Miuccia's clothes but it seemed too funky a choice for Anna. I was wrong. I love how she wore it with a plain white tee and a bohemian crochet cardigan and her signature bejewelled necklace.

Looking back at the people who wore the same skirt during fashion month I'd say Anna is the one who's worn it best. Julia Sarr-Jamois is probably second on that list because she looked very cool and Giovanna and Shala take third and fourth places because the first was unoriginal and the second was too easy, admirable as it might be that Monroque managed to wear it days after the SS11 show.

I remember when I saw the first cover of Industrie magazine I thought that would be the closest thing we'd ever get to actually having Anna Wintour on the cover of a magazine. I didn't think Anna would ever agree with being shot and plastered across the front of a glossy magazine. But the Wall Street Journal magazine has proved me wrong. For their latest issue they have Anna's bust proudly profiled on their cover, which was shot by Mario Testino. I love the fact that the picture is simple but the fact that it's her profile makes it look different and, I don't know if intentionally, like the Queen on our sterling pound coins, which is simply genius. She is heavily retouched, though, which disappoints me a little but I guess is predictable coming from someone's whose business is to sell youth and glamour. This was a terrific call on the WSJ's side and even though I a die hard Anna fan it's probably best if she doesn't do this anymore. After all, we only need one super exposed Anna and dello Russo is the best at that.

I'm off.

[Picture: FashionGoneRogue.com]

Burberry Prorsum fw11

It is probably fair to say that Burberry's show during each London Fashion Week is the highlight of the event. That's not to say everyone else isn't as good but no show is as big and covered as Burberry Prorsum. For fw11 Christopher Bailey chose a new venue in Kensington Gardens. If you attended or watched the show online you were probably as amazed as I was with how beautiful the park looked even on a grey rainy day. To compensate for this Burberry delivered a collection mostly based on coats. Bailey has clearly realised the power he acquired over outerwear when he became the king of shearling and he's not going to let go easily. This time he reinterpreted the trench in thick woollen fabrics and and bold shades of orange and cherry red as well as the brand's iconic checks. The collection was very much in line with the menswear shown in Milan a month ago . We also saw exquisite white jackets and coats covered in rabbit fur and tied to at the waist with leather bows. It was a softer more gentle collection than last winter's yet it retained that feeling of empowerment that wearing a Burberry coat gives.

As it could be expected, plenty of celebrities turned up to watch the show from the incredibly long front row. I was, of course, thrilled to see Rachel Bilson and Kate Bosworth arrive. I wasn't too keen on Bilson's long Burberry anorak for the event but she'll have to be excused, for she lives in ever-sunny LA. Bosworth, on the other hand, casually strolled in and posed for pictures in an unbelievable gold studded pencil skirt accompanied by that biker jacket we all want watching the colour of the skirt. She was, as I see it, the best dressed of the event. Even outdoing Lily Donaldson and Alexa Chung. The last attendee to report was, of course, Anna Wintour. Being a Brit at heart, she could hardly miss this!

I'm off.

[Pictures: Courtesy of Buberry]

Anna hearts GG

Last night New York City was host to the Vogue London Emerging Designers cocktail party. And as any fashion related evening affair its guest list included not only as many Gossip Girl cast members as one could get but also the coming of Queen B herself. Anna looks all smiles in this picture with Ed Westwick. Is she on the hunt for another Gossip Girl best friend?

And I ask this because during the last few months she has been consolidating her friendship with none other than Serena van der Woodsen. Blake has already appeared on the cover of American Vogue twice (the first in February 2009 and the second in June 2010) and she'll possibly make it again in 2011. She has also been sharing a whole lot of front row seats with Wintour, whom we know hand picks her company for these events. Blake makes Anna happy, and that's everything we can ask for, isn't it?

Furthermore, I wonder if this fixation with Blake and (possibly) Ed has to do with their looks and fashion savvy or if she is, in fact, a Gossip Girl addict. I'd like to believe it's the latter. I love the picture of Anna going home early on Mondays, slipping in her expensive silky pyjamas, her cashmere and fur home jacket and her Manolo slippers. Yeah, it totally makes sense. And it calls for a cameo. After all, if Hamish did it, why not her?

Above: Marni two piece silk pyjamas, Halston coat, Manolo Blahnik gold lizard heels.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Celebrity-Gossip.net, Zimbio.com, Net-a-Porter.com, BergdorfGoodman.com]

Blake, reine de Paris

If you haven't heard, the cast of Gossip Girl is in Paris shooting scenes for the first episodes of the 4th season, which is still a long way from airing on September 14th. Day one was Blair and Serena devouring Ladurée macaroons and walking around Paris in not-too-fantastic ensembles. Later that day, Serena grabbed some grapes and wine for, I presume, a very stylish picnic by the Seine. After that, we saw Blake rubbing shoulders with Anna Wintour at the Christian Dior show (by Anna's request, I suppose) and then again at Chanel, where Blake looked beautiful as ever with kind of surfer-girl hair and an amazing pair of turquoise and coral earrings.

She graced us with some more Serena fashion moments to remember like the one with the wide-legged pink trousers (oh, those legs!) and some sheerness at the top. In the meantime, she managed to make some time for a Vogue US shoot (another cover?), so I am hoping for at least a few more looks before they wrap up their European leg and head back to the big apple to shoot some more episodes.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Zimbio.com, JustJared.buzznet.com, Style.com]

they read soVIPzone

I'm always glad to be able to help out those in need with some fashion advice. It looks like Kate Bosworth, Anna Wintour and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld have been reading soVIPzone, notebook in hand. Kate took our approval of her all-nude Calvin Klein ensemble as a heads-up to keep wearing neutral colours and looking chic. Anna saw in our wear summer post an opportunity to get a little bit of the holiday she hardly gets. And Julia couldn't but give into my khaki/military/parka obsession and mixed a nude dress with her own version.

[Pictures: JustJared.buzznet.com, Net-a-Porter.com, Style.com]

Fear not, I'll continue to try and sort out their fashion dilemmas. So keep checking back.

I'm off.

Carey pulls an Anna

Carey Mulligan has proved she is both a serious actress and a respectable fashionista over the last few months. I guess her Vionnet and Prada choices for her biggest red carpet appearances helped establish her as someone that can take risks while looking carpet-appropriate. However, I am not completely sure about this last look. Carey pulled an Anna for her latest premiere appearance and everything from the tweed fabric, to the round conservative neckline, to the just-over-the-knee hemline seem to be wrong for her. She has a beautiful face (I love her hair) and a really nice body, so why not going a little more flirty?

Centre: Oscar de la Renta dress, Jimmy Choo mid-heels both @Net-a-Porter.

[Pictures: JustJared, AltamiraNYC.blogspot.com]

I'm off.

when Anna walks in

Last night Giulia and I attended the Liberty of London and 10 Corso Como party at Liberty's headquarters in London. They were celebrating the launching of their collaboration line and they had set up an amazing central display by Kris Ruhs and had a DJ that look very 70's in his shirt from the line. There was such a great atmosphere with nice background music and lovely people chatting around (amongst which stood the beautiful and ever-stylish Yasmin Sewell). But the highlight of the night was Anna Wintour's visit. She came in most casually and everyone stared in the same fashion. It is fascinating how all of us acknowledged her presence in such a settled way. No one wants to disturb Anna. This time, though, I was very shocked by her super tiny waist (no snacking going on there) and by her stunning trench-coat with the fur details. We died.

Anna Wintour, Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye (Liberty's CEO) and Carla Sozzani.

The beautiful display at Liberty's and the company's Head of Fashion, Alex Stylianidis, with Yasmin Sewell.

[Pictures: blog.liberty.co.uk]

I'm off.

soVIP decade

A certain Welsh source whose name I can't reveal recently brought to my attention that this December wasn't only the end of 2009 but the end of the first decade of this new century. With this in mind, I started looking back both at soVIPzone's archive at at my immense iPhoto collection. I selected my celebrity fashion highlights of "noughties".

She has been flawlessly elegant for ten whole years thanks to an endless number of Armani gowns and her recent, more fashion-forward choices.

She got high. Then she got clean. Then she dumped Pete. Then she had a sandwich. Now she's just stunning.

Ash and MK became an iconic fashion duo and launched their diverse brands. But they also became individuals. Ashley recruited the slick dressers of the world while Mary-Kate took a more bohemian, yet chic, tangent.

Rachel Zoe went from creating style-clones of herself (see below) to being the first stylist celebrity and creating a clothing line, publishing a book and getting her own reality TV show.

In The O.C. you couldn't help but love Marissa and all the Chanel she wore to high school. And Mischa never disappointed red carpet-wise either, until Ms. Zoe was fired, that is. We enjoyed it while it lasted.

Fortunately, Nicole managed to collect or her Zoe wisdom and reinterpret it into a new style. One that successfully worked. She also parted ways with Paris and had a couple of offsprings that made her put on the few pounds she needed to make the most of her beauty.

Skinny, chubby, orange, white, knickers, drugs, biker jacket, leggings. They all work in many combinations when talking about Lindsay. She too, had her moment of fashion stardom courtesy of Rachel Zoe. But that moment was even shorter than Mischa's.

Both Summer and Rachel took longer than Marissa and Mischa to get interesting fashionably speaking but it was worth the wait. Rachel Bilson slowly turned into a ridiculously cute chic woman that didn't go off the rails.

Tom left the Gucci group. And the past ten years are history.

Anna and Carine went from signatures on the first page of Vogue to iconic fashion celebrities, filling the party section of Style.com and Scott Schuman's shots.

Victoria kept everyone talking about her diverse range of highly calculated everyday outfits. Whether we liked them or not, it was good entertainment.

She also kept us amused with her extravagant travelling ensembles. Let's make special mention of the hats and the black leather in its multiple shapes that are Beckham staples by now.

Katie had a cut and a beautiful mini-me. Contrary to popular annoyance soVIPzone was awestruck.

Kanye was cool for about 10 minutes. Then he opened his mouth.

Brad and Angelina made it official and turned the Jolie-Pitt family household into a United Nations orphanage. Plus, Brad wore a lot of Tom Ford.

Yves passed away and we lost one of the fashion geniuses of the century. Oh, and Stefano looked sharp at his funeral.

We got hooked to the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite. An addiction that is destined to outlive the decade.

Chuck Bass. Girls want him, guys want to be him.

Lauren Conrad took the hoodie off and ditched Laguna for LA. It was all amusing cute blonde locks and manis but the bad scripts and annoyance of the Heidi/Spencer combo made it too much.

We saw a new era of supermodels being born. Claudia and Linda were substituted by Daria and Anja. (And I didn't complain).

It all started with that dress on the left. It was all dashing smiles and spot-on fashion choices from then on.

Rihanna changed her umbrella for some YSL and ended up as a musical cross between a dominatrix and housewive with a quiff.

[Picture credtis: JustJared, Celebrity Gossip, Style.com]

I'm off.