Mid-week Fashion Hits
JustJared

I normally stop myself posting about celebrity looks during the week because I feel like Monday's BDOTW post is enough for 7 days. But this time around I just couldn't resist myself.
Kristen Stewart usually looks awkward when she dresses up for red carpet events, however that seems to change when the designer she is wearing is Balmain. I guess the house has the perfect dose of rock and roll and sex appeal she needs to feel comfortable. I loved her latest Balmain hit this week, albeit the hair.
Keira Knightley, now with a brand new rock on her finger, rocked a Valentino FW12 dress. You know I haven't been too keen on the house for the last few seasons but this look is a knock-out! The embroidery and the colours are stunning and contrast so nicely with the nude chiffon.
Emma Stone is totally having her moment these past weeks. This is one of her better looks so far, courtesy of Elie Saab. I love the high-waisted tux trousers and the plunging neckline of the embroidered top. The gold on the belt adds just the perfect touch of colour. And you can see in the grin in her face this is a hit.

Luisaviaroma for Unicef presents "Pug dogs for happy kids"
Courtesy of Luisaviaroma

Italy's most fashionable retailer LuisaViaRoma has teamed up with toymaker Steiff and Unicef to create a collection of cute toy pugs dressed by some of the best fashion designers out there. The one of a kind collection includes designs by Roberto Cavalli, Francesco Scognamiglio, Giambattista Valli, Versace and Emilio Pucci among others.
Starting today auctions for the fashionable pugs will take place every week for the next 6 weeks with all proceedings going to Unicef to support disadvantaged children.

Kicking off this amazing initiative are the pugs wearing Balmain, Mary Katrantzou and Valentino. Click HERE to bid for this week and see the rest of the incredible collection Steiff and LuisaViaRoma have put together!

Best Dressed of the Weekend: No one beats Viviana
JustJared, LeeOliveira.com 

Since the Oscars are tonight and it is only obvious that I will be devoting my Monday posts to the best gowns that walk the red carpet in LA I thought I'd move the Best Dressed of the Week to today. It wouldn't be fair not to talk about these four looks.

My absolute favourite this week is Viviana Volpicella. Every Milan Fashion Week I know that she will not disappoint. It looks like she is already thinking of spring so Viviana went for a head-to-toe MSGM floral ensemble of mismatched prints masterly combined and accessorised with black pumps and one of Sara Battaglia's signature bags.

The Spirit Awards that took place last night also delivered a few jewels that have only got me more excited about tonight. Elizabeth Olsen killed it once more in an exquisite Antonio Berardi number – a combo that makes me very happy! Shailene Woodley also went for a British designer with a Christopher Kane bejewelled top. The genius in this was letting the top be the protagonist. And I loved the golden-tip Loubs, a great touch. Zoe Saldana went for a more relaxed look in a Balmain mini-dress that she made look completely effortless and über-sexy. And I loved the neutral shoes with a killer platform.

Harper's Bazaar España starts 2012 with bang!
Courtesy of Harper's Bazaar España

It makes me so happy every month to see the new Harper's Bazaar España cover! Not only because I have been blogging for them for the last few months and they have been incredibly nice to me but because they launched during a time of crisis and they have been such a hit! They're one of the few Spanish fashion publications who tries new things, which is so brave.
They have had some incredible covers this year although my favourite has probably been their September issue shot by Txema Yeste. And I am happy to see they are starting 2012 with another hit cover. Candice Swanepoel, styled by the wonderful Juan Cebrián, looks (I hate this word but it's ever so apt here) totally fierce in a Cruise 2012 Balmain dress. (Check our preview of Balmain SS12 here).
But what I love even more than the image is the design. They're issue theme "(Este año) Fíate de tu Intuición" (This year trust your intuition) is literally plastered on the wall and really gives an attitude to the cover. The magazine is approaching their second year anniversary and I know that they're only going to grow stronger!

Giulia's favourites from the KCD SS'12 Press Day
Know Wear

A few weeks ago Giulia and I attended the KCD SS12 Press Day. It was, by far, the biggest press day we've ever attended and also one of the best ones! Their selection of designers is as impressive and high profile as it is diverse. You could actually find a look for any given occasion –from a ball to a sleep over– among the racks.

There was so much to go through, in fact, that we decided that the best thing to post about it would be this one. I can always trust Giulia's exquisite eye to pick out the best pieces from every rail. I was especially excited to see the Prabal Gurung collection up close, you know how much I loved it. We were also very impressed with the newly launches Pierre Balmain, which offers such great rock'n'roll pieces at a lower price than the Balmain main line. And we were happy to come across the stunning Pedro Lourenço collection, full of incredible cocktail numbers.

Click below on read more to see the rest of Giulia's picks!

Never in a million years I would have said that Kristen Stewart would be the best dressed at an event. Last night, for the he MTV Movie Awards, she wore a stunningly rock'n'roll red Balmain mini dress detailed with studs and safety pins. As I have said before, she looks her best in super short numbers, which she pulls off easily, and effortless hair and makeup.

Looking closely at her styling you might think Bárbara Martelo styled her. She's known for wearing only Balmain and Isabel Marant. The key of her style lies in the fact that she wears this ostentatious statement pieces with her natural hair down and virtually no makeup. It was actually Martelo who wore the jacket version of Kristen's dress during Paris Fashion Week back in February. She was also spotted then in the black "Chiara" Christian Louboutin pumps that Kristen paired up with the dress for the red carpet.

This is probably just a big coincidence but what an incredibly great match would Martelo be as Stewart's stylist? I'd love it!

[JustJared, TFS]

Gossip Girl Fashion: "It-Girl Happened One Night"

Season 4 of Gossip Girl has been quite the roller-coaster so far. Every two or three episodes the plot just reaches serious levels of dullness to then pick up again. Well, this week's episode, "It-Girl happened one night", is one of pretty dull ones. I'm not sure if it's the fact that the drama always involves the exact same set of people and it's always generated either by relationships or by business-related affairs or if it's me that has lost interest. Either way, the fact is that it's still not hard to watch because the fashion is not quite decaying yet, au contraire.
Blair and Serena were both on fire this week. Blair opened the episode in one of those gold brocade Balmain blazers (like the leather one E. Alt wore recently) and Stella McCartney trousers. I am really looking forward more of her business woman looks. I also liked the Louis Vuitton laptop cover, it shows that she can wear inexpensive things, hahaha. Serena accompanies Blair at the beginning in a pyjama look that I particularly loved. She donned a white silk shit à la boyfriend with half-calf grey socks. Simple yet sexy.

And I can finally post about Chuck! He's been wearing really boring suit combinations lately but on this episode it seems his love story motivates him to get dressed properly in the morning. His tuxedo moment alongside Raina, looking stunning in Ralph Lauren, was a hit. As was the earlier day look of grey suit, blue striped shirt and purple paisley tie.

Lily, who I am starting to get very annoyed about, also looked lovely in this episode. She wore one of her classic cut evening dresses to Chuck's party, which she accessorised with (my favourite) a kind of white gold leave necklace. It reminded me to the ancient Roman laurel crowns, after all she's as plotting and powerful as any Caesar. Good call.

I was rather confused, although not totally in a bad way, about two of Serena's looks. She randomly wears this long-sleeve black chiffon and silk beaded dress when she receives the present from Raina, which I found odd because it seemed way to dressed up for lounge wear, even for S. And the second was the crazy uneven-layered look she wears to the Ralph Lauren shop. I loved the kind of Rick Owens style shearling coat but it looked pretty odd with the cardigan underneath. I did, however, love the VBH blue bag she wore with that outfit.

Alas, I didn't quite have a breakfast moment to enjoy this week apart from a glance at the Van der Woodsen-Bass brunch early on the episode. To compensate, I took pleasure from looking at the delicious looking roast beef and asparagus from Chuck's Valentine's Day party.

Has anyone else notices how Nate is just there and nothing happens to him, he doesn't say anything interesting or sleep with anyone hot? He just hang out with his dad, who he hugs a ridiculous amount of times per episode and then he walks out. Give him some lines? He's got good hair.

The party dresses in the episode weren't spectacular but they kind of worked. I liked Serena's Ralph Lauren a lot! She looked a lot less slutty than she usually does, which, even to a man, it's a good thing. She looked as sophisticated as Lily always does. Blair, in Marchesa, I liked too but it seemed to take her back to her old-fashioned ways. I always get slightly annoyed about Marchesa because, even though they always have incredible dresses every season, people seem to always choose the really cheesy ones.

And, once again, the episode closes with a Blair/Dan moment. I will keep repeating how much I like this duo, regardless of what happens between then, but the writers seem to only make they come together for short periods of time. Sort. It. Out.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Screen caps, CWtv.com, BergdorfGoodman.com]

The orchestrator

After devoting to much time, thought and blog space to the Golden Globes it seemed quite unfair not to post one last picture from the night. We get so fixated on celebrities that we forget the people who make them look that phenomenal. Rachel Zoe is, without question, the queen of celebrity stylists. But not only that but she has one of the most exquisite personal styles. For her big night she donned a vintage Balmain. She has never looked better. Giulia and I just can't wait for more "Rachel Zoe Project", hopefully we'll see her in that famous Chanel she demands to wear during childbirth.

I'm off.

[Picture: FabSugar.com]

ZigZag & Love

I just got back from a fun and (very) warm day in Madrid celebrating my sister's 19th birthday. I didn't think I'd post today but I've had this picture of Jessica Alba in my head all day. She does chic rock and roll so well she should wear Balmain a lot more. I love the fact that the cut is simple and the pattern not too fussy but it still has character because of the pronounced shoulders, the three-quarter sleeve and the sequins. And the length of the hair is perfect as well. Keep it up, please.

The new LOVE magazine is out and its pictures are absolutely flooding the net. The magazine is also one of the biggest books in the business, which means we have pictures for a while. Some of my favourites so far are these of Liv Tyler. It's refreshing to see a different face every so often and the shoot looks somewhat pinup but there is also a little femme fatale vibe to it. I also very much appreciate that one editorial doesn't include either a Prada or a Louis Vuitton dress.

I'm off.

[Pictures: celebrity-Gossip.net]

Spanish flair

It's quite funny how particular doses of Balmain and Isabel Marant can easily lead one to believe that a female who often walks the Tuileries in them is Vogue Paris staff. And that was exactly what I assumed about Bárbara Martelo until only a few weeks ago. The truth is this stunning brunette is a Spanish Voguette. I am yet to purchase the March issue (Anja on the cover, woop!) and see what work she's produced lately. But considering she can pull off the multi-coloured Marant fur coat, I am expecting excellence.

[Pictures: The Sartorialist, Altamira NYC, Jak & Jil]

I'm off.

couleur face-off

Just by glancing at Kate Bosworth one knows she is very much clued in when it comes to trends. Her outfit of soft lines and muted colours paired up with neutral-coloured shoes and bag epitomises the look of the season for SS10. Looking at any shops it seems evident that these colour palette will take over the upcoming season but let's not forget the other significant trend of the season —military khaki. Which one will you be sporting for SS10?

Below, clockwise from left: Chloé cotton suit, Chloé silk-crepe blouse, Marc Jacobs satin top, Jason Wu chiffon skirt, Vanessa Bruno Athé shorts, Elizabeth and James embellished skirt, Missoni wrap top. All from Net-a-Porter.

Below, clockwise from left: Splendid jersey top, Balmain tank top, Elizabeth and James silk shirt, Balmain cargo shorts, Stella McCartney camouflage shorts, Alexander Wang asymmetric skirt. All from Net-a-Porter.

[Pictures: JustJared, Net-a-Porter]

I'm off.

Paris Highlights

Once again Paris Fashion Week outshone London, New York and Milan by proving that it is in fact possible to make creative pieces while holding back on excess and flamboyance. Paris was less colourful than other fashion weeks which made the catwalks darker but more interesting in terms of texture and cut. Haider Ackermann, Roland Mouret, Celine and YSL best embodied this. Overall, we saw simplicity in the shape of a 60's (Giles, Louis Vuitton) and 90's (Isabel Marant) revival and plenty of lamé and khaki adding up to the FW10 trends.

Balmain

Givenchy

Roland Mouret

Pedro Lourenço

Celine

Junya Watanabe

Lanvin

Stella McCartney

Isabel Marant

Yves Saint-Laurent

Wunderkind

[Pictures: Style.com]

I'm off.

when you're not Carine

One thing Giulia and I noticed when we went to the New Look SS10 preview back in December —and what makes their SS10 collection great— is how they have extracted the essence of the main trends of the season and transferred them onto high street clothing versions. Here are some of our favourites that will be hitting the stores soon. What do you think?

[Picture credits: Style.com and New Look]

I'm off.

Update: The SS10 collection will be out in stores starting at the end of this month! And get ready for the opening of their flagship store in London!

now and then

Just like I did with the celebrity style moments of the decade, I have looked back at the last ten years to remember what some fashion houses were like then and how they're now. Since I couldn't possibly pick every single designer and brand I selected soVIPzone's favourites and the industry's loved children —added Thakoon to the cocktail just in case Anna stops by. I also included my all-time favourite Balenciaga collections and Luella's greatest hit as well as their last collection that never went into production. I believe I have covered the essentials (Valentino during and post Garavani himself), the birth of Rodarte and YSL's change of hands from Tom to Stefano.
[Credit: Style.com]

I'm off.