Jennifer Lawrence in Dior carrying the Roger Vivier Boite de Nuit clutch.

Anne Hathaway in Prada carrying the Roger Vivier Pilgrim clutch.

Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein Collection.

Anne Hathaway in custom made Saint Laurent.

Zoe Saldana in Givenchy at the Vanity Fair after-party and

in Alexis Mabille and Roger Vivier smocking sandals on the red carpet.

Jessica Chastain in Giorgio Armani.

Charlize Theron in Dior and Roger Vivier Cecil sandals.

Naomi Watts in Armani Privé carrying the Roger Vivier Ceniera clutch.

All images: Getty

Armani Privé: Couture Supernova
Courtesy of Armani

Before Raf Simons came into the picture this season Mr Armani was the only designer creating super luxurious but modern pieces for the couture week in Paris. I was so glad when he finally joined the circuit with his Privé line several seasons ago. The clean lines and the number of trousers he puts on the runway are so refreshing to me.
This season Giorgio Armani has stuck to his guns, which have proved so successful to date. But we saw quite a lot of daywear – couture daywear, which is the ultimate luxury. High-waisted silk trousers , lightweight organza or silk tops and sky-coloured blazer make perfect choices for a brunch.
One of my favourite things about the collection was the palette from space – nebulas, stars, galaxies and the explosion of mauves, lilacs, purples, pinks and blues of a supernova. An extremely chic choice. My other favourite were the veils, which looked like pieces of art perfectly befitting a gala ball à la Blade Runner. I always love the futuristic aspect in all the Privé collections.

What did you think of the Armani Privé collection?

From left to right: Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Atelier Versace, Chanel.
Vogue.fr

The last edition of Haute Couture that closed yesterday was, in my opinion, one of the best of the last few years. I was deeply disappointed by Valentino. Last season it seemed like they were finally going in the right direction but all we have seen this week were all the same dresses they have been producing for the last couple of years, only in different palettes. I think it's time to get the talks of a substitute for Maria Grazia and Pier Paolo cracking.
Otherwise I am thrilled with what's been sent down the runway. The return of Atelier Versace lived up to its expectations. I would probably say it's been my favourite collection of the whole week. What Donatella did with the metallic panels and the shape of the body was superb.
I also particularly loved the high-and-low play that Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy and Jean Paul Gaultier had in their collections. Gaultier's "polo shirt" dress and varsity jacket look were an innovative take on current punk rock that was perfectly suited to the Amy Winehouse theme on the catwalk. What was most interesting about Tisci is how he managed to incorporate most of the elements he has made iconic on the Givenchy mainline –stars, studs, luxury sportswear garments– and how he mixed them with his take on the traditional Indian wedding jewellery. Although the most remarkable about his collection is the craftsmanship, especially on the individually sewn pieces of crocodile onto silk.
Chanel was more about the extraordinary setting (a catwalk that looked like a plain inside the Petit Palais) than about the innovation of the clothes. Everything was beautiful and very... like Karl had designed the Pan American uniform. My favourite thing about the collection were the bejewelled tights, which created a magical effect with the dresses.

From left to right: Armani Privé, Giambattista Valli, Elie Saab
Courtesy of Armani, Vogue.fr

I am a huge fan of what Mr Armani is doing for the Privé line. His last collections have had great success on the red carpet and I feel like he's on a roll. His lime green haute couture collection was spotless, sculptural and ultra modern. Lime green is one of my favourite colours (as you can tell by some of the font on my blog and Twitter) so this is right up my street.
There was a bit of Dior in the latest Giambattista Valli collection. I loved his take on the "bar jacket" but I thought he failed (in lack of a better word) to create that fantasy that he normally brings to all of his collections. However, I did appreciate looks like the above where we saw a tougher side to him, I wish there had been more of it.
Elie Saab was my pleasant surprise of the season. It's almost like they knew Valentino was going to disappoint and decided to take the spotlight. The entire collection was incredibly beautiful and dreamy. They did a lot of see-through but in such a refined feminine way you are only half aware. And and I am absolutely positive we are going to see 80% of this collection all over the red carpet in the next few months.

JustJared, Style.com

This weekend was a good one in terms of style. Giulia and I have changed our minds a couple of times until coming up with the final four for the post, which doesn't happen very often. Eventually we got it down to these four ladies won...

1. Dree Hemingway in custom made Christian Dior. I absolutely love this. Dior recreated the iconic gown Marilyn Monroe wore for her last photoshoot with Bern Stern, which Dree wore to the opening of the "Picturing Marilyn" exhibition in New York.

2. Zoe Saldana in Elie Saab. Green has always been my favourite colour. I love this simple but super elegant look. It works great on Zoe's skin tone and it hugs her body without being strictly body-con.

3. Jessica Alba in Armani Privé. She wore this to the opening of the Armani Hotel in Milan. I just love the drop waist silhouette and the original length with the kimono detail at the hem. The top, the makeup and the emerald ring were simply stunning. Can you believe she recently gave birth?

4. Jaime King in Oscar de la Renta. She has the perfect look for an old school Hollywood glamour outfit. The hair and makeup are perfect, as is the slick black velvet Oscar gown.

TFS

British Vogue keeps repeating this pattern behaviour where they publish two or three really bad covers that are followed by a really great one –notice the gaps between the Kate Winslet cover in April, the Kate Moss one in August. And now this. Rihanna covers the November issue shot by Alasdair McLellan with a cover simplicity we don't see often at the Vogue's covers.

I love Ri-Ri's pose, the Marylin-esque (American Vogue started the trend last month) blonde wig and the beautiful Armani Privé she's wearing. I like the neutral blue backgrounds that makes the very subtle details of the dress pop out. And I obviously love the fact that they haven't overcrowded the cover with heaps of text. All of which is quite a change from last month's Adele cover –such a bad and awkward crop framed in crazy white and pumpkin text. It was a real shame because Adele looked stunning inside.

What are your thoughts on Vogue UK in general and on this issue in particular?

Is it me or is Cannes lasting longer this year? Not that I'm complaining because it means more amazing fashion moments to enjoy.

Last night one of Rachel Zoe's girls, Zoe Saldana, walked the red carpet is what was the most occasion appropriate dress. Everything about this Armani Privé says French riviera to me. I love how it's all about the white and red stripes, which reminds me of the Chanel's breton stripes Lagerfeld has often done in red. It is a gown with a beachy feel to it, don't the red stripes seem to be made of sand?

Penélope Cruz, who already had several Cannes hits, is back on tour promoting 'Pirates on the Caribbean'. For the German premiere in Munich she also wore Armani Privé. We had seen a very similar number in blue on Anne Hathaway at the Oscars but I actually like this cut and colour more. It seems to have been altered to the smallest millimetre to fit Pe perfectly and she wears it in a way that needs to jewellery whatsoever. I wonder who's styling her?

[JustJared]

Oscars 2011: Less is more

I am rather disappointed with this year's Oscar red carpet looks. I was surprised not only not to find Angelina, Charlize Theron and Diane Kruger amongst the guests but also to see Natalie Portman and Gwyneth Paltrow in very bland dresses. Luckily, one can always count on Cate Blanchett to save the night. She was unarguably the best dressed at the Oscars in an incredible lilac and neon yellow beaded Haute Couture dress fresh of the Givenchy SS11 runway. She always makes such edgy choices that she wears with incredible taste. Number two on my ranking is very unexpected even for myself. Amy Adams chose the right shape of dress with a sexy back slit and covered neckline all covered in L'Wren Scott navy sequins. The choice of colour was perfect for her skin tone (for once) as were the jade, diamond and emerald jewels.

Third on the list is Mila Kunis, who had been building up to this moment. She saved this stunning lilac and nude lace Elie Saab number, which was made grand and occasion-appropriate by the glamourous hair-do and the smoky eyes. I loved everything about her and was happy to see her having such a great moment. And lastly, one of my favourite girls. Michelle Williams has been having some up and downs over the last few months but she made it clear that the only thing a girl needs is some Chanel Haute Couture. I loved how they turned the original dress into a body-con beaded masterpiece and how she relied on a good haircut and light make up.

On a different note, I need to point out Anne Hathaway's style throughout the show. For the red carpet she wore a red Valentino from 2002, when Garavani was still in charge, and even though she looked stunning there was something not quite right, which is why she wasn't on my best dressed list. However, there were two looks she wore during the Oscars that did out her here. The first was a Lanvin tuxedo, which she wore with a ponytail and Ryan Atwood sparkly pumps. And the second was an Amarni Privé number from the Haute Couture SS11 collection. Giulia and I were thrilled she wore it as we had predicted she'd wear it a few weeks before. Who was your favourite?

I'm off.

[Pictures: JustJared.buzznet.com, Celebrity-Gossip.net]

Golden Globes 2011: The year of minimalism

After going to bed at 4am and sleeping scarcely four hours to wake up early and edit pictures I finally give you the Golden Globes 2011 post! I keenly watched the red carpet and the entire show this year not to miss out on any outfits. We know that the Globes are just the warm-up to the Oscars in terms of fashion. Everyone tries to look as effortlessly glamourous as possible, which this year translated on minimalism as the main trend on the red carpet.
My three clear winners of the night were Anne Hathaway, Emma Stone and January Jones. I was thrilled that Rachel Zoe chose the beautifully sequined Armani Privé gown I first fell in love when Karlie Kloss wore it on the catwalk. It was simple yet tremendously sophisticated and very Anne -simply bananas. Emma Stone chose a salmon Calvin Klein Collection that needed no more than light make up, simple hair and a nice clutch. Check, check and check. And January, oh January. I literally gasped for air when I first saw her on the red carpet. Even though she already wore a cocktail version of this dress at Versace's SS11 show I loved the fact that she was channeling Mad Men this time with the hair and the modern take on Hollywood's golden era.

I really liked Claire Dane's pink Calvin Klein Collection. Especially the fold detail on the top. She looked lovely but there was a kind of spark missing. She was still one of the best dressed of the night. Now, Natalie Portman is a tough call. I was horrified when I saw her first but then I sat back and looked more carefully. If anyone could make her Viktor & Rolf dress look refined that's her. I liked that it was quite dramatic, apt for the role she was nominated for, and that it celebrated the woman she's become and the things she's achieved. I also thought the choice of wearing a necklace was a great way to draw a bit of attention away from the baby bump to the neck and balance the look up. And lastly (for now), Leighton Meester in Burberry Prorsum. She always looks so incredibly cool and feminine in anything. I love how she never lets dresses wear her and I particularly liked this one below because it was unexpected and very event-appropriate.

Who did you love most?
I will be back later today with some more good styling choices and my favourite, the worst dressed list! Stay tuned.
I'm off.

[Pictures: JustJared.buzznet.com, Celebrity-Gossip.net]

Emmys 2010: Mad Women

I watched the Emmys for the first time last night. I had never payed much attention to them because the attendees and red carpet were never out of the ordinary like, say, the Globes or the Oscars. Until Mad Men and True Blood started getting nominated, that is. The fact that such good quality and edgy shows spread through the different categories means a lot of their starts will step on the red carpet doing their best not to go unnoticed. The Academy wasn't especially generous to either Mad Men or True Blood last night but their actors completely outshone the Emmy winners. January Jones, in Versace Atelier, was my favourite. She looked like the bionic queen of mermaids wrapped in the Italian metallic scales. I thought it was a very clever choice. The front showed a bit of legs but there was a train and the top was classic in lines but sexy and unexpected in construction.

Many of the other attending ladies looked remarkably good for this kind of event. Christina Hendricks (the other Mad Woman) rocked her custom made Zac Posen. The dress would've looked quite bland had it not been for the toddlers that fought inside it (as someone geniusly referred to the twins on twitter, email me for credit). And the great hairdo. Heidi Klum was one of the very few women who went for s short dress. The combination of her super short, super tight Marchesa and her statement necklace was spot-on sexy. Rose Byrne was unknown to me until last night when I had to know who was the lady in the amazing Gucci dress. It was both simple and intricate enough to look elegant and still make a statement. White (Kate Beckinsale would've been so proud) was also the colour of Kim Kardashian's Marchesa dress. I don't usually pick her out for her style but she did look like a modern day Cleopatra with the Egyptian-inspired neckline and the tied-back hair.

At first I loved Anna Paquin in McQueen. Don't get me wrong, I adore the dress, but it feels like the bottom of the skirt didn't really suit the wearer. It was a winner choice but only from the waist up. And last, Claire Danes in Armani Privé (surprise surprise). I thought she looked very chic, very old Hollywood glamour and was definitely one of the best dressed but then again it wasn't anything I hadn't seen on Anne Hathaway before.
Who did you love the most?
I'm off.

PS. Lea Michelle - biggest disappointment of the night in her matrony Oscar de la Renta.

[Pictures: JustJared.buzznet.com, Celebrity-Gossip.net]

3 dresses to remember

I suppose it's common to all of us who attentively follow fashion week season after season to always have in mind a dress, outfit or accessory that was iconic in every collection. This past Haute Couture season there have been three dresses that were like that for me. Be it because of the design, the way it was shown or what they signify to me, I can't seem to shake them out of my mind. I find it quite funny as each one belongs to a collection I didn't post about this week, so it was only fair to at least mention them.

Givenchy was very much perfect. Every single dress seemed to have been created to make memorable moments completely unforgettable. My favourite was this white lace one, which is closed off at the top with zips in very straight lines and slowly gives way to a sinuous split at the bottom. I guess I also remember it because it looks flawless on Mariacarla Boscono.

Valentino was this season's surprise for me. They turned their obsession with bows into very directional motifs that give a flirty cohesion to the line. I loved this 'bird cage' dress because it was unexpected and made me think of something Viktor & Rolf would create in a moment of softness. You also don't need a bag if you're wearing it because you can keep all your stuff hopping around your waist.

I loved Armani Privé's palette in this collection but I didn't quite get or liked the line per se. However, there were two or three dresses at the end, like this one, that looked super sexy. Since the dress leaves very little room for skin to be shown, it is the shiny nude sequins and body-hugging silhouette that have to make the dress sexy. I can't wait to see someone like Anne Hathaway in it.
Which was the most memorable Haute Couture dress for you?
I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

When the gods descend

Right, so this is where I eat my words. I have spoken too much too soon regarding Cannes. Yes, Cate Blanchett looked alluring in McQueen; yes, Michelle Williams looked fantastic with in her silver mini-dress. But I didn't see this coming. Last Thursday, Tom Ford, Carine Roitfeld and her two very stylish offsprings (and with Giovanna Battaglia clinging to Vladimir's arm) made THE appearance at the amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS 2010 benefit gala in Cannes. I honestly have no words to describe this. Seeing Carine in Alaïa and posing next to Tom gives me goose pumps and her stare from behind her locks makes my knees shake. Julia totally rocked the event with a Mark Fast that proved she's very much learnt how to be fashion-forward from mummy while Vladimir and Giovanna, more classic but über-cool, both donned Armani.

Do you die or what?

I'm off.

[Pictures: Zimbio.com]

PS. Look out for Giulia's SS10 must-haves in a couple of hours!

PARISIAN highlights

Alright, I spoke too soon. As I saw Paris Fashion Week fade away it seemed quite clear I couldn’t possibly keep my word —I will not refrain from posting about the Haute Couture shows. However, I will stick to my shameful knowledge in the field as an excuse not to comment the catwalk and only show my favourites. So behold.

[Pictures credit: Style.com]

Which of the above would you wear? Why?

Also, does anybody else find Chanel's collection quite explicitly dedicated to Queen of Fashion, Anna Wintour?

I'm off.