Rihanna covers the latest American Vogue
TFS

I haven't been this happy about the cover of American Vogue since Emma Stone was featured back in the July issue. And I am so glad that Rihanna is partly responsible for my joy. Her last American Vogue cover was so awkward and the Vogue UK one that followed wasn't much of an improvement, which is a shame because I think Ri-ri would be a stylist's dream as she is super chameleonic but her personality always comes through. And they've finally managed that in this shot by Annie Leibovitz.

The signer models a red-hot Valentino (cooked) lace dress from the Resort 2012 collection. It looks absolutely amazing with the matching lips, the smoky eyes and the short hairdo she's sporting these days of which I'm a great fan. But, mostly, I love the fact that this cover reminds me of a Vogue Nippon story featuring Daria Werbowy back in 2009. If Vogue can keep this sort of slicker and edgier feel on their upcoming covers I would totally start buying the magazine again.

Shoe Porn Friday: Handcrafted lace espadrilles by Valentino

Since summer, if a somewhat sui generis one, has come back to London for a few days I thought today's Shoe Porn Friday had to be all about relax and chicness. Valentino's lace espadrilles are perfect for this mood. They look great with denim shorts and a fun top but they can also make super chic evening looks. They are a bit of a pricey indulgence but they're classic and when you see the work and care that goes into making them it really isn't that much.

Happy Friday!

Get the Look: Olivia Palermo at the couture shows
StockholmStreetStyle, Style.com

I realised today it had been ages since I had last seen Olivia Palermo before this week's couture extravaganza in Paris. I know there are as many fans of hers as there are foes but it's pretty evident that, at least in terms of style, she is simply spotless.

She looked drop-dead-beautiful yesterday as she made her way into the Valentino Couture show in Paris. She wore, of course, Valentino – a delicate pink number from the spring/summer 2012 collection. I love the fact that she added a chic narrow white belt (not pictured) because it added a a more formal touch to the look. I love the volume it crates on the back.

Olivia accessorised the dress with one of my favourite pairs ever: the crystal embellished suede Giuseppe Zanotti sandals. I actually blogged about them over a year ago and you can now get the cream version with 50% off from Net-a-Porter! She finished off the look with her favourite Wunderking cat's eye sunglasses, which she has been wearing since the good old times of 'The City'.

What do you think of Olivia's look?

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.

Emily Blunt covers the latest ELLE UK
Know Wear

I was a bit annoyed when I woke up this morning to find out the sun had abandoned London after a glorious week. Luckily, after a nice salmon and scrambled eggs breakfast and coming home to find the May issue of ELLE UK I am seeing the day in a different light.

This is my first ever subscriber's cover of ELLE and I am loving it. Emily Blunt, shot by Thomas Schenk, looks great in a minimalist black and white picture wearing a Valentino dress and JPG shoes. Now I'm quite curious to see the newsstand cover, which will probably be in colour.
The editorial inside looks so chic! I have included two of my favourite looks, which you can see clicking on read more below. My favourite shot is of Emily in a sheer Vionnet dress with metallic embroidery and I also loved the double-peplum look that the McQueen jacket and the Hakaan skirt create. And the touch of the Balmain bra is great!

UPDATED: This is the newsstand cover, what do you think? I much prefer the subscriber's one!

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!

Gossip Girl Fashion: 'Father and the Bride'
Screen Caps

I gave last week's Gossip Girl post a miss because, frankly, there wasn't anything interesting about it. I almost did the same this week but in the end I decided Serena's hit was enough to write up a little post.

I don't know what else Eric Daman is doing but it must be taking so much of his time that he really can't be bothered with the styling. Blair is one big mess after the other –endless ridiculous headpieces and "matchy-matchy" outfits that someone her age would never wear... There are also fewer wardrobe changes, which only slims down the chances of a good look.

For the most part of the episode I was also a bit annoyed with Serena's look. The Marc by Marc Jacobs jumper wasn't too bad but it looked super tacky with the otherwise lovely Haute Hippie mini skirt. I can 

not remark enough how necessary it is to stuff bags (even if they're as ugly as this one) so that they don't feel lifeless. I only liked (a lot) the Rachel Roy boots that we can only see in one of the shots. Gratefully, Serena's second look was worth the wait. I loved the Sami & Lavi printed see-through blouse and its contrast with the Parker mini skirt. It was a super sophisticated look but it also felt young. The green accessories were spot on (as I have said many times in the past) and the hair an make up were exactly in the direction that S should be going.

JustJared

I feel spoiled for having the Venice Biennale just before the start of fashion week. It's a good way to get ready for what's to come.

However, not all of the best dressed women of the weekend were in Venice these days. Sarah Jessica Parker was in London to promote "I don't know how she does it" in a stunning printed Prabal Gurung from the Resort 2012 collection. I am loving her choices for this press tour and I can't get over how incredible her hair looks. If you saw her on Jonathan Ross on Saturday night you will know what I mean. Carrie who?
The clear winner in terms of style is Keira Knightley. Her Mary Katrantzou number for the Venice arrival and her Valentino Couture for the premiere were the most perfect choices. Once again it was the hair that did it for me. The sort of Victoria Beckham bob made her look even more chic and accentuated her signature pout.
Gwyneth Paltrow keeps wearing the same colours but at least she's trying new shapes like the much-less-body-con-than-usual of this Prada gown.
Kate Bosworth wasn't in Venice either but she dressed like she was. Her short black Valentino was perfect for her –I loved the bow at the front. 

Zimbio, Style.com

I'm not posting about Anne Hathaway's look for the White Fairytale Love Ball because I liked it. I thought it was a big mess in the shape of a sparkly meringue. I am more interested on talking about the dress, regardless of how Anne wore it.

If you have watched 'Valentino, the Last Emperor' and, like me, you are fans of the film (documentary-wise it's a lot more honest than 'The September Issue') you might have realised that Anne's dress is the one from Garavani's s/s06 Couture collection over which he throws a fit in the film.
Valentino had intentionally left those gaps between the strips of sparkly ruffles and his team advised him to add a few more because it looked unfinished, with which he disagreed. I tried to find the clip but all I could find an extract in the film's trailer. It only lasts for a couple of seconds from minute 1:05 but it's there.
The dress stayed the way Garavani originally wanted (who would dare to say otherwise) and that's how Anne wore it. And anecdote aside, I just don't see the big deal about the dress. Do you?

Valentino's fw11 Aces

It might just be me but I am still feeling a little iffy about Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli's work at Valentino. It escapes me why they need two designers to come up with work that never lives up to Garavani's old standards. Having said that, they are kind of slowly finding their way and creating a new Valentino woman. The fw11 collection was a bit hit and miss but the hits, I thought, were big ones. The cocktail dresses and night gowns obviously stood out from the bowed and bland two-pieces. I specially loved the mustard/olive green colours they used for evening and the pale pink for the day. I was also happy with the fact that they have used intricate but understated detailing like lace, embroidery and ruffles in a way that would suit the classy ladies that (I expect) wear Valentino.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Haute Couture SS11: Two looks

Haute Couture's quality changes almost drastically from season to season like harvests of wine. Last season we got some really good bottles but mostly quite average ones. This year, however, was the kind of year that you remember and ask for at restaurants. While I still think that Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli are yet to completely define the focus of their whole inherited (kinda) Valentino Empire. Their last HC collection was as promising as anyone new to the business can get. This year I quite expected grandeur but we got romanticism and melancholy instead, which is not necessarily bad. The show was very clearly divided in two parts —the first, consisting of girly cocktail and day dresses that tied the line with last season and the second, of flowy gowns as a second skin. Ruffles at the neck were almost Victorian reminiscences, which contrasted with the omnipresence of see-through materials for a refined touch of sexiness.

Jean Paul Gaultier continues to outdo himself, which I find extraordinary, especially when it comes to couture. His last collection, inspired by Jessica Rabbit, was clever and fashion forward yet reminiscing of the 20's. This year the main influence was Punk —introduced by rebel mohawks, black drapery and ragged pieces. The critics have applauded this collection and repeatedly talked about how dry his previous lines had been and how JPG has got his mojo back. I completely agree but I think that process of mojo-reclaiming started last season. And just like Chanel, I love the separates because they look so exquisite and we rarely get such RTW usuals at an Haute Couture show.

Which show has been your favourite?
I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Golden Globes 2011 Apendix

I promised I'd be back with more. This second post has a bit of really good fashion and another bit of quite horrific catastrophes. But let's start with the good. Annette Bening has been the first celebrity (to my knowledge) to wear Tom Ford to an event. I don't understand why no one is talking about this and why it was so hard to find a good picture of a beautiful and elegant woman only because she's older. She absolutely rocked the velvet-dotted sheer dress and I loved the crazy messy hair and the geek-chic glasses. I was also glad she wore Tom because that meant Julianne (in a Lanvin I'm not too keen on) wouldn't, which can only mean she is wearing Tom to the Oscar's. Hurrah! Angelina knows green is her ally. It really compliments her hair and it brings out her eyes. Her Atelier Versace was a stunning piece of understated glamour, which, sadly, wasn't matched by the hair. She was going for a natural effortless kind of look and I would have almost bought it if I hadn't seen her putting lip gloss on all through the show. And lastly, a woman who I should have put as number one because not only she is incredibly attractive but she also makes a bold choice after the other. Tilda Swinton slipped into one of Jil Sander's SS11 quasi-Couture numbers and she literally got me off my seat.

Before I start on the bad I want you to notice how I have included among them a face whose style I usually praise. I have because, sadly, it's where she belongs this time but also to prove that I am an objective person. Michelle Williams chose Valentino (yet again) but she was wrong —it's not a safe choice ever since Garavani stopped signing sketches. The fabric of her Pre-Fall 2011 dress would make beautiful pillows for your back yard's furniture but as a dress it makes Spring feel like in the middle of December. Christina Aguilera in Zuhair Murad. She's halfway in (or out) of it and the nude lining did not help. She should know a woman must cover her shoulders when she's got more than a fold between her arm and her, ahem, bust. I will use this over and over again (because I think it's witty). It was grotesque. And then we have JLo from the seas channeling some Ariel in another Zuhair Murad (go figure). Her invite said fancy dress so she called Mariah Carey for advice and opted for a glittery take on a jellyfish costume accompanied by some very original eye make up, which I can only describe as silver-incrusted sleep.

I'm off.

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

Best dressed of the weekend: Bows, the good and the bad

Seeing as I have no inspiration to make a collage for today and since the Golden Globes are tonight and they will occupy tomorrow's post I thought it just made sense to post the 'Best dressed of the weekend' today. I don't know if it's because I actually look for pictures more avidly during the weekend but I'll never cease to repeat how much better everyone looks then. This weekend Kristen Dunst slipped into an absolutely stunning Rodarte, which worked so well with the simple girly hair and the dark eye shadow. Let me remember, however, Chloe Sevigny's amazing Rodarte moment from a couple days before. It's quite a coincidence how I should include Olivia Wilde on a post for the first time just when I have decided to start of The O.C. season two. I like her even more as a brunette and her A.L.C. has that kind of "I'm still a surfer girl" vibe to it. It's simple yet interesting and the nude and bronze colours really compliment her skin. Michelle Williams continues on her quest to have me forever in awe. This time she did it with a vintage-inspired Balenciaga dress. If you only look at the top half of the dress you're almost expecting a classic cocktail number, which is why the embroidered scalloped hem is simply genius. It suited her simple styles with heaps of sophistication. And lastly, someone I hardly ever like. Eva Mendes looked incredible in a sheer lace and chiffon Valentino culminating in an oversized black bow to the shoulder (proving Dannii Minogue had no clue what she was doing). What's fair is fair.

Now, this is not part of a best dressed list by any means. But I also didn't think I could let this moment go unnoticed. Some of you UK residents might have watched 'The Devil Wears Prada' last night (or maybe I was the only loser who spent his saturday night like that). If not, I am sure none of you feel like I'm talking about some obscure film. Funny they should decide to play it on the weekend when Jennifer Love Hewitt chose her horrendous Paule Ka dress. And I say funny because it was almost identical to the red "James Holt" dress exclusively designed to Miranda and which causes the "pursing of the lips".

I'm off.

PS. I would have totally included Leighton Meester in SS11 Marc Jacobs if the pictures had been out by the time I started editing.

[Pictures: JustJared.buzznet.com, Zimbio.com, FanPop.com, theage.com.au]

Fit for a Queen?

I promise this is not the first of many royal wedding-oriented posts. I'm not crazy about this kind of events. However, the fact that WWD devoted one of this week's issues to try and figure out what Kate Middleton will wear made me feel like the topic might have the fashion credentials to appear on the blog. Everyone from Lagerfeld and Valentino to Angela Missoni and Peter Copping have sent their wedding dress suggestions to the famous magazine. And here I thought a British royal would have to wear a British designer... How amazing would it be if she wore a white trench with a trail by Christopher Bailey? Haha. Personally, I wouldn't find it outrageous if she would actually go for Chanel or Valentino. They've both shown innovative takes on the wedding dress on their last Haute Couture collections. Kaiser Karl suggests a Victorian inspiration but I dare to disagree. I feel like Kate Middleton epitomises the contemporary unfussy royal who'd never wear a cape or a crown and who'd wear lots of Céline. I could, however, easily picture her in one of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli's HC wedding options. Perhaps something halfway between their minimal take and Garavani's slightly whimsical design.

I was especially surprised by two of the other designs inside the WWD royal issue. I'm not sure whether it was Frida Giannini who sketched Gucci's wedding dress. If she did, I am disappointed by how boring and slightly amateur it looks. Although there is something somehow interesting about the very minimal design, which looks like it would suit Kate perfectly. The other surprise, a more pleasant one, was Peter Copping's option chez Nina Ricci. I love the idea of layers of slightly ruffled materials with a gap halfway down (maybe lace) and the fussier top. It seems extraordinary enough for a world-relevant event  yet somewhat subtle for a usually quite adorn-oriented brand.

If I had to vote for one of the designs right now I would most probably vote for Valentino Garavani's design. Which one would you vote for? See the rest here.
I'm off.

[Pictures: WWD.com, Style.com]

Round Monday

As promised, we are back to business at soVIPzone. Giulia and I have been busy over the last week and we were both lucky enough to catch simultaneous colds, which reached their peak over the weekend, so neither of us could update the blog. Fortunately, we're feeling a little better with the beginning of the week and even though we're still quite busy again we couldn't go another day without a new post.

I can't tell you how happy I was to find so many incredible celebrity pictures this evening when I got home after a long day. Doing my daily website tour I couldn't believe how many of my favourite people had been wearing some of my favourite designers. They have made my Monday night so much better! Jessica Alba wore Valentino (and a kind of First Lady hair-do) at an event in Hollywood and she looked beautiful and elegant. Anne Hathaway melted my heart with a smile (yet again) in a beautiful sequinned Oscar de la Renta dress from SS11 during one of her appearances on the 'Love and other Drugs' press tour. Carey Mulligan slipped into a red Prabal Gurung and looked stunning at the British Independent Film Awards. Vicky Becks delighted us with yet another of her famous airport looks —this time in a Giambattista Valli cape-coat. And my favourite on-screen couple at the moment, Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, looked as cool as it gets —her in one of my favourite collections, SS11 Erdem, and him in a biker jacket brilliantly accessorised with a paisley-print scarf. What a day!

I'm off.

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

Keira finds Valentino's lost mojo

It turns out I did find the time to make a second post today! Regardless of what little time I had to blog in this busy say I couldn't ignore this exceptional fashion moment.
Ever since Valentino Garavani stopped designing for his namesake brand the Italian staple house utterly lost the focus that it had acquired through decades and took a different turn, which, at the moment, seemed rather non-directional and unattached to Garavani's previous work. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli took their time to find a new, more modern path for the brand to have a future in. Their latest SS11 collection felt as if they are finally on the right track. It established some of their usual motifs as signature elements and it made their designs desirable. But fashion is also about who wears it. So far, a great variety of celebrities had worn Valentino but they hadn't found 'la donna Valentino'. I believe they have done so with Keira Knightley. Her edgy and modern yet classic look is as perfect a fit for the current 'Chanel femme' as it can be for the Italian house. And that's why I think that, after the brand's fuzzy last seasons, the Emperor can rest assured his brand has its mojo back.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, Celebrity-Gossip.com]

Fashion month: the shoe

I know it's mid October already and I should be focusing on FW10 but I am still digesting all we saw in and out the catwalks during fashion month. I had predicted the Isabel Marant and Prada stilettos would be the greatest hit on the editor's front but, though I wasn't wrong, there was a shoe that I had underestimated. The pointy studded collection from Valentino was actually the most worn shoe. I should have seen it coming. It is feminine but there's something different about it, a kind of innocent edginess that obviously captivated celebrities and editors alike. And not only the classic pump triumphed but the flats and, more surprisingly, the kitten heels did as well. No one could have predicted the success of the latter, as only Anna Wintour was known to wear this infamous heel height.

Different women with different styles and different jobs wore the Valentino shoes proving they don't only belong in the closet of one type of woman. Can you remember or guess who whore which model? And, more importantly, would you wear kitten heels?

I'm off.

[Pictures: NeimanMarcus.com, Net-a-Porter.com, Style.com, Vogue.com, TFS]

It's gonna be alright

When I found out about Alexander McQueen's passing I told myself I would never like anyone's creations for his namesake brand. Then I worried about the house's future if no one could find somebody who could remotely fill Lee's shoes. Shortly after this rush of sentiments, the LVMH group announced Sarah Burton's appointment as new creative director. Knowing she had spent 15 years very close to McQueen gave me hope. But it wasn't until yesterday that we finally learnt we can rest assured everything's going to be alright. The space for the SS11 collection set a much more relaxed mood that we are used to for these shows, which seemed to be Burton's add to the brand. She played with the idea of a queen of nature. Leather leaves, pheasant feathers, butterflies and golden poison ivy wrapped around the body and shared space with McQueen's gilded staples typical of monarchic outfitting. Not only Burton didn't disappoint but she aroused an excitement we thought gone.

Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri finally found a path for Valentino. After seasons of creative wandering around they started walking in the right direction on their last Couture collection and they successfully translated that vision for the prêt-á-porter line. The Italian duo wanted "dangerous refinement", made evident in the combination of materials; a tough straw lace skirt paired up with delicate Chantilly lace. Ruffles and bows, which had characterised previous collections, blended into the pieces instead of becoming protagonists. Chiffon played the biggest role on the evening wear, floating like a sophisticated jellyfish over simple, harder shapes in line with the juxtaposition of the delicate and the dangerous. The overall feel of the SS11 line was much younger (very celebrity-appealing) and focused but miles away from Garavani's legacy, which has now been reduced to a mere tag.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

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]

Haute Couture shoe edition: what was Karl thinking?

One of the things that keeps me going back to Style.com for catwalk pictures despite their inefficiency is the fact that they do normally include a considerable amount of detail shots —aka: shoes, belts, bags, and ruffles up close. I normally tend to have a quick look and save any pictures of the stuff that has caught my attention. This process is normally really short with the Haute Couture shows because designers (in general) don't like to complicate them too much as it's all about the dresses. Well, this time I spent more time than normal, for better or worse, looking at Couture shoes and this is what I thought.

This was the first Valentino collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli that I actually liked. It seemed as if they're finally gathering all the firstly disconnected elements and turning them into cohesive ideas. The shoes followed the bow-centred theme of the collection and even though the low heels were very Oscar de la Renta for Anna Wintour, I loved them. There was a sense of Louis XVI to them that looked tremendously chic and surprisingly contemporary. I certainly hope they keep it up for the SS10 Prêt-à-Porter collection.

I am tired of Karl's inconsistency and of the world applauding his every move no matter what only because we all know he's a genius. The last Chanel collections (mid-seasons included) have been outrageously indulgent, even for them. We did see stunning dresses, I won't deny that, but Chanel should be about flawlessness and chic and instead we keep getting rococo. I wonder what Mademoiselle Chanel, who believed in simplicity and elegance, would think of Lagerfeld's Russian nightmares.

Elie Saab was apt and all but it was a particular red shoe that caught my attention. If you look closely at them it seems only obvious they should appear of Fashionista's 'The adventures of copyright' section as they're almost identical (apart from colour) to Dolce & Gabbana's FW09 black wedges.
I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, Polyvore.com]