The British Fashion Awards 2012

Last night Giulia and I attended the 2012 British Fashion Awards at the Savoy Theatre in London. We were beyond excited not only because it's the fashion event of the year in the UK but also because it was our first time at any sort of award ceremony – unless you count school?
Even tough we knew that not everyone in the industry would interpret the black tie instructions quite so literally we jump at any opportunity of dressing to the nines. Giulia in a stunning Galliano gown with lace and ruffle details and me in a more expected outfit spiced up with my favourite new Lanvin flower pin.

It was an amazing experience sitting in the theatre and having all these amazingly talented and accomplished people in front of us. Our hearts stopped a little when, to kick off the awards, Nick Grimshaw and Gemma Arterton announced that Valentino – Legend – Garavani would be giving the British Style Award, which went to Alexa Chung for the third year in a row. We loved that Manolo Blahnik won the Outstanding Achievement in Fashion introduced by a lovely video of Anna Wintour, Grace Coddington, Angelica Houston and Naomi Campbell singing his praise. He received the award from Zaha Hadid, a favourite hero of mine!
Amber Valetta – we died again – gave Stella McCartney one of her two awards of the night: Designer Brand and Designer of the Year. They both look ridiculously beautiful last night. Less of a surprise was Cara Delevingne's award for Model of the Year. She literally rocked the stage with a shirt metallic number by Burberry, of course.
I was also thrilled to see J.W. Anderson win the Emerging Talent award for Ready-to-Wear. He is one of the most talented designers in London and a personal favourite. Jonathan Saunders, Roksanda Ilincic, Erdem and Nicholas Kirkwood all received awards for all their amazing work during this year. Kim Jones got the Menswear Designer award for his work at Louis Vuitton, another very well deserved one. One of the highlights of the night was the emotional moment of Louise Wilson, who won the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator for her years of work at Central Saint Martins, where he has taught many of the best British designers.

See the rest of the guests and what they were wearing here. And click here for the full list of winners.

Images: Getty and Know Wear

Anne Hathaway's world premiere moment in Prabal Gurung
Getty, JustJared

Seeing how happy and radiant Anne Hathaway looks ever since chopping off her brunette locks you would never guess the actress actually sobbed on the day when they cut her hair for her role in 'Les Miserables'. I know women are generally terrified of short hair but to me it means confidence and if it suits you, a short do can be sexier than any long waves.
We have been seeing a lot of Anne and her new hair style for the last few weeks as she's been promoting 'The Dark Knight Rises'. The film finally comes out this Friday and I am tremendously excited to see it. I have this feeling that Anne will make a great Catwoman. Armani has designed the wardrobe for half of the cast, so that's always a plus.
Last night, for the world premiere of the movie in New York, Anne wore a stunning Prabal Gurung gown. It was so nice to see her in something so feminine and summery. I love the simplicity of the shape, the Grecian vibe, the subtle peplum and the crystal detail on the top.
But Anne has been looking her best as of late. Only last week she made an appearance at the Jimmy Fallon show in an amazing gingham number by Stella McCartney. It was almost a childish look but the short skirt and the cut outs on top gave it a sexy edge.

Best Dressed of the Weekend: Stella McCartney steals the show
JustJared, Getty

Even though Coachella kicked off this weekend I am not impressed so far with anyone's outfits – least of all Kate Bosworth's, who got it so wrong in a pair of wellies.

Gratefully, Dree Hemingway made an appearance at the Mulberry party to save the day looking absolutely awesome in a Dolce & Gabbana number that, despite what it might sound like, was as apt as it gets for a festival like this. It would have just been perfect for her to wear this to a Red Hot Chilli Peppers' concert, no? (I know, I'm too funny).

Meanwhile, back in LA Paul McCartney threw a party to celebrate the launch of his latest music video and, of course, everyone wore Stella to the event.

Gwen Stefani is probably my favourite. I loved her look of a sort of merged together tuxedo trousers, corset top and a peplum detail. Never a see-through outfit was so classy and cool. Simply fabulous.

Miranda Kerr was also amongst the most stylish attendees. She went for one of the SS12 McCartney dresses that have been so popular already but she chose a black version. I just love this because being monocolour makes the details of the different textures a lot more subtle and the mesh really stands out. It was a simple killer look!

Best Dressed of the Weekend: Girls in the Knowles
JustJared

Summer is coming and we are all getting excited so it's been a great weekend of celebrity spottings in their Spring attire.

Beyoncé, who has been looking incredible lately, was caught en route to meetings in New York wearing one of Etro's funky maxi skirts. I love the mix of prints and how the long-sleeve fuchsia top gives it a city vibe. B accessorised it with her favourite black hat, massive hoops and The Row sunglasses we have seen her wear recently.

Rosie H-W is my current queen of airport chic. I am forever amazed with her looks touring the world. This one of black skinny jeans, suede ankle boots, a simple grey tee and a killer camel biker jacket is amongst my favourites. And I'm loving the shades and the pop of colour of the green suede bag.

Solange Knowles' look is probably some of the coolest print mixing I've seen. So subtle and so chic. I just can't think of anything better suited to be worn to a casual cocktail party on a New York spring evening.

Rihanna has been in London for a few days just in time for our week-long spring. She has very well taken advantage of it wearing looks like this bang-on-trend Stella McCartney two-piece. I love the pajama feel, the super chic sandals and the statement sunnies.

Best Dressed of the Weekend: Tout le monde est à Paris
Style.com, Getty, JustJared

This weekend has been quite slow in terms of celebrity spottings even though everyone is in Paris for fashion week. However, it's been a great weekend in terms of shows –  Givenchy, Kenzo, Lanvin, Loewe... – so we can't complain.

Tilda Swinton made an appearance at the Lanvin show dressed in a super chic, though not entirely new, boozy red dress from the house. I did love the python sandals and Tilda is always a refreshing touch on the front row, non?

Shala Monroque and Dasha Zhukova probably wouldn't have made it to the BDOTW separately but together they're impossible to resist. I am not usually keen on an all-white looks unless it's summer but the rule says you don't wear white after Labour Day, right? So they should enjoy it while it lasts.

Kristen Stewart has probably been my favourite FROW star from Paris so far (as the Olsens haven't been come for a while). She is so laid-back and cool sometimes it doesn't look like she'd care about designers but here she is strolling around Paris in her Balenciaga biker jacker and Stella McCartney's 'Falabella' faux-python bag.

The surprise of the weekend was Katie Perry looking this slick and chic also in Paris. If only it wasn't a one-off...

Best Dressed of the Weekend: Michelle in Erdem, Part II
JustJared

This week I am very happy with the mix of women on the BDOWeekend post! So happy, in fact, that I am not ranking them because I can't choose.

Naomi Watts' Stella McCartney look from the Resort 2012 collection is the ultimate example of understated elegance. I love the top white panels, which make the dress super modern. I also love the fact that there's barely any accessories (perhaps a different clutch?) but the hair and the shoes are simply spot-on.

Brooklyn Decker makes a second appearance on this post in a very different look. Her Proenza Schouler dress has all the right vibes for a pre-Superbowl event. It's the perfect time to give the luxury sportswear trend a go! I am not super keen on the bag but the Karl shoes add the perfect touch.

Rooney Mara just can't get it wrong. She's on like her bizillionth red carpet hit, this time in Louis Vuitton  Pre-Fall 2012. It could have been a boring look had the dress been black but the emerald green injects energy into the look and works great with Rooney's skin tone and dark hair.

Michelle Williams has adopted a much more pin-up-ey attitude lately, no? Like she's been hanging out with Dita von Teese. And it works brilliantly with her SS12 Erdem dress. I didn't think she could top her last Erdem moment but I was definitely wrong. She looked stunning.

Best Dressed of the Weekend: Kate brightens up Sundance
JustJared, Celebrity-Gossip, Courtesy of Stella McCartney

It seems like I've finally managed to (kind of) catch up with most things over the weekend so I am back to my classic Monday post.

I never thought I'd see JLo back on this list after the last time but I love her laid-back look. The distressed jeans, relaxed neutral knit and headband make her look super fresh and really pretty. I really liked how she accessorised the look, especially the leather and croc ankle boots. I want to see more of this.

Eva Mendes has always been too hit-and-miss for me but lately (ever since my older lost brother Ryan Gosling started dating her) she is looking a lot chicer. This late 50's look suits her so well. I love the colour palette and and mix of textures. And those degradé shades add just the perfect touch.

My favourite this week in Kate Bosworth in SS12 Antonio Berardi. She rocked the sexy red number with very simple hair and make up, a silver clutch and matching red shoes, which I actually love here. Sundance has just started and I am hoping for many more moments like this.

Kirsten Dust and Stella McCartney are always a recipe for success. Kirsten wore this SS12 look (how amazing are the brocade cropped trousers!) to Rodarte's dinner at Chateau Marmont last week. I wouldn't say yellow is usually the easier colour for a blonde to pull of but Dunst looked radiant. That's style for you.

JustJared

I thought I had the four best dressed women of the weekend last night but I completely changed my mind this morning. These are the ladies who got it right this week.

1. Tilda Swinton in Haider Ackermann. Both Giulia and I are obsessed with the designer and his latest collections and nothing can make me happier than seeing Tilda wear so much of it. If only let her hair down and worn a different pair of shoes this would be a perfect look.

2. Nicole Richie in Halston. Nicole always dresses very nicely but she's been a little boring as of late. I love this matte sequin number with the gathered waist and the splashes of red. And she accessorised it so well too!

3. Beyoncé in Roberto Cavalli. Only Queen B can make Cavalli classy. The shape is simple but very sexy and it accentuates her bump in a chic way. I love the gold detailing on the sides and the big chunky hoops but I'm not a fan of the bracelets over the sleeves.

4. Kate Winslet in Stella McCartney. Even though she's worn a very similar dress before I am still into this look. Red and body-con require a lot of courage but Kate pulls it off in such a classy (and sexy) way.

I should know by now that the first episode of each Gossip Girl season is always really good fun but the episode that follows usually disappoints... 'Beauty and the Feast' is not a very eventful episode. We do get to see the last of the cast in LA, which I already said last week I enjoyed, but everything else is otherwise very blah.
What's not blah at all is the Serena's only outfit in this episode. If a van der Woodsen is not going to change three or four times she might as well make an impression with just the one outfit.
Coral and turquoise look so great on her so I'm glad she keeps wearing both. The jacket, which I first thought was this Vanessa Bruno one Rachel Bilson wore months ago, it actually Top Shop. I loved the fact that it was cropped so they paired it up with a high-waisted super short skirt and a striped tank top. And I loved the accessories even more –muted suede Prada sandals, an aquamarine Mulberry 'Taylor' bag, and (my favourite) a pair of Oscar de la Renta earrings with coral, green and turquoise stones. The only thing I wasn't too keen on were the two big flower rings, one also by Oscar, that were just a tad too much!

CWtv.com, SaksFifthAvenue, Mulberry, Lyst.com, Net-a-Porter

Blair's looks weren't as good as in the last episode but I stand by what I said about her grown-up style being a lot more chic than before. For the first part of the episode she wears one of Stella McCartney's famous citrus skirts from SS12. And I loved that she went over the top and kept the citrus vibe alive with a yellow ruffled silk top, an orange handbag and orange Brian Atwood pumps.
I realised I failed to comment on Blair's new hair colour this season. It's so chocolate! But it doesn't always look great. It depends so much on the colours she's wearing, which is a bit of a shame... But it looks amazing throughout this whole episode.
My favourite look this time was this very subtle golden brocade dress by Prada. It fit her like a glove and she kept it very simple but chic with aquamarine earrings and and a pearl colour tube clutch.
The third look was supposed to be some sort of laid-back pyjama ensemble but, of course, it's Blair so there's only so relaxed you can go. No trackie bottoms. Instead, Blair wears a sleeveless silk printed shirt that I really wish they made with a long sleeve for men. I would wear it with a blazer.
It looks like now that she's expecting and marrying a prince she's really stepping the fashion up. It was about time!

Chic or not: The Geriatric Sandal
Style.com

Yesterday, looking through the new collections from Paris, I found this pair of 'classic' flip-flops Stella McCartney included in her SS12 collection. They instantly reminded me of the style of shoe Christopher Kane chose a couple of weeks ago to show his collection in London.
I remember people were commenting on Christopher's shoes after the show. They were slightly confused  as to the reason why they looked like orthopaedic sandals for kids. Personally, though I can't see fashionable people wearing them, I thought they were interesting in the context of the show. They had that Tavi-esque quirkiness to them that doesn't appeal to everyone but is nonetheless intriguing.
Stella McCartney's feel more traditional in comparison. Like those 60's flip-flops your dad had for years and years and your mum made him stop wearing.

What do you think?

[Style.com]

Okay, this is starting to seem like I am obsessed with finding similarities between the Cruise collections currently coming out and past creations from other designers.

The fact is that, apart from the golden brooch trend we've seen at McCartney and Gucci, not much feels fresh in some of the resort lines from the most acclaimed designers. I quite liked Stella's creations because they're fun and easy to sell but who can deny very obvious resemblance with Prada's overexposed stripes from ss11, Miuccia's surprising palm tree prints from ss10 (Wintour approved), or with Maison Martin Margiela's photographic prints? I know a beach and a palm tree are not something anyone can trademark for themselves but if someone like Prada or MMM has done it before what are the chances of doing it better?

Two other lookalikes, while more isolated, are Lanvin's take on khaki tweed and Pringle's graphic print draped dresses. The first we saw at Chanel for PreFall11 both on the catwalk and on Baptiste and Freja in magazines. And the second back in fw10 at one of Peter Pilotto's most memorable runway shows.

What do you make of all of this?

I know bold prints —Jil Sander, Stella McCartney, Céline and the lot— are pretty much old news. But the fact is that I am currently very much inspired by them. Not only they match my jolly summer mood (despite London's temperamental weather) but they look über-cool when carefully combined with other prints.

As a man, I have to be even more careful with my print combinations but you ladies are so lucky to be able to go a lot crazier. I am loving stripes and flower prints at the moment, especially if the florals are a bit funky and look quite collage-y.

Which prints will you be wearing this summer?

I have to admit I have sometimes been slightly baffled with the names that brands give to some of their bags and that often spread to other designers eventually creating a kind of new category. We had the dufle and the satchel, which still made sense. Even the tote and the shopping bag did. I started getting a little lost with the hobo, which didn't sound very attractive. This summer's hit has to the the bucket bag; very appropriately named as it looks a lot like, well, a bucket only fastened at the top with a drawcord that might come in leather or chain. I love this shape not only because it's usually a good enough size to fit everything in but also because it works as both a boho chic beach and an urban cool bag. My absolute favourite's are Alaïa's, because the leather seems so delicately worked, and Bally's, because it's a slightly retro classic. Alexander Wang's is also very very cool but all the studs make it slightly heavier than it should be. Are you a fan of the bucket bag?

1. Azzedine Alaïa @ Matches, 2. Alexander Wang @ Net-a-Porter, 3. Bally @ Net-a-Porter,

4. Chloé @ Net-a-Porter, 5. Diane Von Furstemberg @ Net-a-Porter, 6. Stella McCartney @ Net-a-Porter.

I'm off.

[Pictures: As credited above]

SS11 in a nutshell

This picture, from one of T magazine's latest editorials, summarises the new season that's just starting. Bold is the key. Be it in terms of colour, print or combination choice. It can be tremendously tricky but trying mixes of colours or prints you wouldn't normally wear (it's the summer after all) can end up having successful results. Think Anna dello Russo on on a laid-back day.

Styled by David Vandewal

Shot by Walter Pfeiffer

I'm off.

[Picture: RDuJour.com]

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]

Ticking the boxes

I am not sure there is such a thing as set standards for Cruise collections. Personally, I feel there are certain things that always must be present —a maxi skirt and dress, a cocktail dress, an LBD, a tailored cotton trouser, a well cut blazer, shorts and a slightly loose knit jumper. Then, of course, they are to be played with and more interesting pieces to go with them are to be added but I feel a good resort line must include all of the above to be considered so.
Looking at the Cruise 2011 collections shown so far I have to admit I am a little impressed with the improvement. I suppose designers are also learning what to make of these odd and season-less lines they must produce. Since we can't speak of trends per se, for that is the whole point of these collections, I looked at colour. Along with white and black, orange has been very present in most collections. It works in a multitude of tones, it looks fresh but it's not too wild, and is apt for any scenery.

YSL and Michael Kors are two of my favourite Cruise 2011 collections. The first felt very fresh, as Stefano Pilati rarely uses any colour, let alone bright ones. The designs were along the classic lines of the French house but had a very cool edge that I personally loved. Kors, who usually plays it ridiculously safe, really surprised me with his line. The clean lines and simple clothes were full of East-coast coolness. I want more of that in his regular collections!

Oscar de la Renta's show was odd. The first half of the collection was all over the place, with sloppy combinations of garments, colours and prints while the second was this explosion of glamour. Gowns in the best colours, prints and shapes walked the runway until the end. My favourite was the white polka-dotted one above.

I found Rachel Roy's Cruise 2011 collection absolutely stunning. There was a lot of maxi dresses and skirts and some very cool layering and see-through-ness. She really made her collection look completely new using wardrobe staples and twisting them with very chic hands.

Which collection did you love?
I'm off.

[Style.com]

Giulia's SS10 musts

I have gone through my favourite e-tail spots and chosen my season's must-haves. For me, it's all about muted colours (loving the nude this season), a bit of black (always!) and a dash of gold and pink without going too crazy. Enjoy!

Clockwise from top right: Alexander Wang bomber jacket, Vanessa Kandiyoti necklace, Camilla and Marc grey dress, Aurelie Biederman black cuff, Christian Louboutin studded pumps, Giambatistta Valli fringed dress, Daisy Knights studded gold rings, Current/Elliot ripped jeans, Philippe Ferrandis turquoise necklace, Bess fringed shoes.

Clockwise from top right: Madeleine Thompson jumper, Missoni bikini, Marie Helene de Taillac earrings, Isabel Marant pink tunic, Stella McCartney one-shoulder dress, pink Chanel Le Vernis, Jason Wu feather skirt, Proenza Shouler shoes, dark beige Chanel Le Vernis.

Giuls xx

[Pictures: Style.com, Net-a-Porter, MatchesFashion.com, HarveyNichols.com]

the canny jumpsuit

So far, the best adjective to describe this year's Cannes festival in terms of fashion is inconsistent. There have been great moments by Cate Blanchett and Carey Mulligan, and even a more unexpected Beckinsale one (in Balmain today). But there have also been pretty bad moments courtesy of Eva Longoria and anyone else who wore the boring new Gucci Première. And to add up to the inconsistency, Elsa Pataky, a Spanish actress, surprised everyone looking dashing in a ruffled Fendi jumpsuit. The cleverest part of this choice was the fact that the jumpsuit in question had ruffles both at the front and back, something pretty handy when you're photographed from either side at will.

Also today, I found Cate Blanchett on the new cover of W magazine. In the spread inside, which is not to be missed, Blanchett donned another jumpsuit of a similar features this time by Chloé. This got me thinking about the tricky nature of jumpsuits and how much easier it seems to pull of in a jersey or silk of this champagne-meets-khaki kind of hue. I found two other similar, more casual jumpsuits by Halston and Stella McCartney that confirmed my theory.

What do you think of the jumpsuit trend? Would you wear one?

I'm off.

[Pictures: Wmagazine.com, Net-a-Porter.com, Style.com, BergdorfGoodman.com, Zimbio.com, Vogue.es]

15 essentials for SS10

Every season, together with the must-have bags and shoes, lists are made about the key silhouettes, colours, textures and garments that a woman must add to add the required savviness to her wardrobe. We have chosen our soVIP essentials for SS10 with a selection of our all-time favourite designers, the most acclaimed of the season and a couple new additions.

1. David Delfín's hospital green, 2. Marni's head scarves, 3. Chloé's denim patchwork, 4. Céline's structure, 5. Rag & Bone's jersey harems, 6. Isabel Marant's cropped tweed, 7. Prada's palm landscapes, 8. Dries Van Noten's printed wraps, 9. Prada's bejewelled-ness, 10. Stella McCartney's denim, 11. Givenchy's stripes, 12. Altuzarra's suede and lace, 13. Preen's fuzziness, 14. Christopher Kane's gingham, 15. Alexander Wang's leather and jersey.

[Pictures: Style.com]

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.