We spot Charlotte Dellal, Aline Weber, and Emmanuelle Alt outside Sonia Rykiel | Hollywod yohana



Judging by all the coatless wonders skulking around outside the shows this weekend, we’d say that things are heating up in Paris. But alas, the 4°C readout on our screens says otherwise. If fashion week has taught us anything, it’s that you dress for the cameras despite those frigid temps.

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Getting up close and personal Carven’s brilliantly trippy Fall collection | Hollywood yohana



The energy of a runway show cannot be beat—assuming of course, that you’re listening to a rocking DJ, perusing kickass clothes, and ogling Tilda Swinton in front row. If not, a visit to a designer’s showroom can be just as satisfying.
Taking the time to get up close and personal with this latest batch of collections seems even more crucial than in most seasons, given the major trompe l’oeil layering trend that’s impossible to dissect as models rush by. I was trying to figure out whether an item was constructed of one layer or three as I headed to the Carven showroom.
Guillaume Henry has swiftly transformed the once moribund label with simple, fetching clothes that cool young (and not so young) women can’t get enough of—women like the 20-something publicist in a digitized python-print sheath who toured me around the collection.
The basis for Henry’s Fall collection was the Renaissance, including Hieronymus Bosch‘s Garden of Earthly Delights, which was the inspiration for a print. The sybaritic scene was tidied up though, to eliminate rats and other not-so-pretty details in the original work, something I never would have known from looking at it on the runway. I also would not have known that the contrasting collars on many of the outfits were separate pieces, about the size of a business envelope; or that the laser-cut velvets, based on the lead in stained glass windows, will probably never go into production because the hand finishing required would make the price of each piece astronomical.
And finally, about that layering trend. Some of the Carven jackets looked like vests over sweaters, but they were actually wool jackets with knit sleeves. Similarly, I learned that the back flaps on a striped dress were attached, and not a vest with a black slit, as it appeared! And the final reason to visit a showroom: to get toe-to-toe with the shoes. In this case, pumps with leather braiding down the back and sequined paisley ankle boots, among others.

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We spot Karlie Kloss, Joan Smalls, Alana Zimmer, Kate King, and Anja Rubik outside Balmain and Dior | Hollywood yohana



Today’s batch of photos proves that, well, you can never have too much beauty outside one Paris fashion week. Pre and post Balmain and Christian Dior, we caught everyone from Karlie Kloss, to Joan Smalls, to Kate King, to Magdalena Frackowiak, to Anja Rubik, to Alana Zimmer (and there’s more!) striking a pose for the cameras. Check out our best shots.

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The showmanship of Viktor & Rolf and celebrating 10 years of Alber Elbaz at Lanvin | Hollywood yohana



Walking past the Meurice Hotel this afternoon, I passed a cluster of girls around the front door. Something told me they were waiting for someone famous who would be headed across the street to the Tuileries and the tent where the Viktor & Rolf show was being held. A short while later, as I sat in my seat, Katy Perry breezed past me in a blue coat and blue updo, settling in just metres away. And the paparazzi went wild.
Viktor & Rolf are great showmen, and their Fall 2012 collection was typical fun. Models glided across the stage under the projection of a full moon, so the first glimpse we had of each outfit was in silhouette. Then they took to the runway in silk blouses and matching pants that had drapey folds at the hips, jackets with extra sleeves that were slit to give a cape effect, and fox fur coats with black geometrics carved into them. Forcing the audience to focus on the silhouette of their clothes was a V & R stroke of brilliance, because Fall 2012 is so much about the lines that clothes form around the body.
This morning at Haider Ackermann there were leather skirts that folded out upon themselves, ending in points below the knee, jackets that had rippling peplums, and sleeves that had a sleek overlayer curving from shoulder to just below the elbow. Often, wide, inverted belts seemed to pinch in the volume. Or waists were loose in long column dresses—another Paris trend.
Alber Elbaz celebrated shape—and a whole lot more—last night, with a 10th anniversary party for his time at Lanvin. Guests were greeted with foie gras lollipops and champagne, before the hors d’oeuvre tables were carried away and the models emerged. Skirt suits (it’s a trend too) in bold red or plum had broad peplums or curved hips, there was an orange dress with an undulating portrait collar, and black wool coats had wide, arcing sleeves. Then Elbaz switched into party mode with bejewelled frocks that were utterly unapologetic in their ostentatious glamour. Elbaz ended by grabbing a mike and singing “Que Sera Sera.” Enjoy your riches today ladies, for who knows what tomorrow will bring? Given what Europe has been through lately, it’s a sentiment that couldn’t be more apt.

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Mary Katrantzou breaks the size barrier by creating a larger range for Net-A-Porter | Hollywood yohana



Mary Katrantzou has yet to disappoint us: not only has her much-anticipated collaboration with Topshop already sold out in Europe and the U.S. (have no fear, it launches in Toronto on Tuesday!), but now she plans to create her trademark, surreal-print garms in larger sizes for Net-A-Porter.
Being full-figured herself, the designer is no stranger to feeling alienated in an industry that caters to petites. And so it comes as no surprise that she jumped on board when the luxe online shop asked her to produce plus-size attire.
“I was looking at a size 14 woman wearing our dress and I thought, ‘I can’t believe we don’t go bigger than that size!’ because she looked tiny. […] I buy online—I think as a bigger size, you feel more comfortable trying things at home,” she told the Evening Standard.
The clothes will go up to U.K. size 16 (the equivalent of a U.S. size 12), and while the bold prints may seem hard to pull off, the incredible figure-flattering silhouettes and refined structure will make wearing a kaleidoscopic garden a breeze.
Katrantzou and Net-A-Porter have certainly taken the ropes to create a path for plus-size fashion and we can only hope that other designers and retailers will follow suit. You should never have to compromise style because of a number on a label.
THEY SAID:
Fashionista: “It makes sense and it sounds like Net-a-Porter, clearly experts in the e-tail game, are catching on. We hope we can expect to see more talented designers catching on as well.”
Racked: “Fashion’s love-hate relationship with everything plus-size rages on with latest bit of industry gossip from print goddess.”

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U.S. authorities bust one of the largest counterfeit circles in American history | Hollywood yohana



It’s a story worthy of the next Quentin Tarantino screenplay—a sick and twisted The Godfather meets Confessions of a Shopaholic hybrid. The Shopfather, perhaps? U.S. authorities have busted one of the largest counterfeit circles in American history, after more than $300 million worth of fake fashion has been smuggled stateside. That figure puts this clothing heist on the levels of some of the biggest counterfeit cigarette and crystal meth trades. Seriously.
The questionable fakes ticked all the usual boxes: Burberry scarves, Lacoste polos, and Louis Vuitton bags. But it’s the faux Uggs (since dubbed “fUggs” for obvious reasons) that display some mind-boggling creativity. After the names of honest shipping companies were used to bring the boots into the country, fake labels and soles were peeled off to reveal faux-Ugg branding. One would think that with such creative prowess, the 30 accused smugglers might do something a little more productive with their time.
When questioned on the ethics of his business tactics, one of the crime leaders reportedly said that if you had a problem with his business you should “go be a monk.” Because only monks have morals. While we can definitely understand the appeal of a bargain, counterfeit fashion is continually being linked to horrible crimes. It’s just not worth it. Especially not for a pair of Uggs.
THEY SAID…
Styleite: “Just when you thought the saga of counterfeit Uggs couldn’t get any uglier, it did.” [Styleite]
Racked: “In case that doesn’t sound quite diabolical enough, the Times also quotes one defendant telling a colleague who had qualms about selling fake cosmetics to “go be a monk,” and saying “All I care about is to make money.” Let’s just assume he was twirling his mustache while he was at it.” [Racked]
New York Magazine: “Next, people will be faking those plastic Croc things. Oh wait, they already do.” [New York Magazine]


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Alexander Wang slapped with $50 million labour lawsuit | Hollywood yohana


Alexander Wang is known for his weathered Tees and dresses—but it’s the workers making his clothes who are feeling worn, due to apparent grueling working conditions. After reportedly enduring mistreatment in the form of unreasonable deadlines and unpaid overtime, 30 of Wang’s employees have filed a $50 million labour lawsuit against their employer.
This story reads like a scene out of Oliver Twist, with The New York Post reporting that the workers were “forced to work 16 hours a day or longer—without overtime—in a suffocating, windowless, 200-square-foot room.”
Wenyu Lu, one of the 30 employees of the New York studio, claims that he once fainted and was hospitalized for several days as a result of working a 25-hour day.  He also had to “knit and perfect” a pair of leather trousers (a lengthy 12-hour process) in just four hours. According to Lu’s attorney, the company eventually fired him on February 16 after he filed for worker’s comp.
Wang, who reportedly earned $25 million in 2011, has been a shining beacon of success this early in his career. We only hope that his future is paved with more fairness and honesty.

THEY SAID…
Fashionista: “Perhaps the most bizarre and shocking news to come out of this fashion month.”
NBC New York: “Whether the lawsuit moves forward or no, it’s safe to say that conflicts like these often accompany growing pains of a quickly expanding business.”
WE SAID…
Caitlan Moneta, fashion market editor: “Certainly makes me rethink putting those glossy leather coats on my must-have list for fall. The news really serves to put luxury market manufacturing under the microscope. If this turns out to be true, I hope it’s the catalyst that will expose other designers doing the same.”

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A train, the Louvre, and Louis Vuitton’s stellar fall collection | Hollywood yohana



“When the clock strikes 10, the train will pull into the station,” read the show notes for Louis Vuitton’s Fall 2012 runway show. Well, the train arrived about 8 minutes late, but pull into the station it did—a full-on locomotive chugging into a tent in a courtyard of the Louvre, pulling a passenger car full of models.
As each girl stepped off the train she was accompanied by a bellman carrying her oversized Vuitton bags tipped in goat, mink, ostrich, and croc. These weren’t the type of ladies who travel in steerage. Even the simplest A-line coat or pea jacket had enormous jewelled buttons.
Much of this collection looked more like couture than ready-to-wear. Brocades and jacquards were embroidered and appliquéd with holographic geometrics and laser-etched plastic stones. Tinsel was woven to resemble sparking tweed. Kangaroo leather was patch-worked and decorated with plastic. There were pony and seal appliqués and, according to the press kit, crystal tap fittings. “Joyfully vulgar” were the house’s own words to describe the collection.
Marc Jacobs will be fêted tonight at the opening of a Vuitton exhibit at the Musée des Art Décoratifs. His fearless exuberance deserves every kudo.

Miu Miu and Chanel are having a brow party and you’re invited! | Hollywood yohana



If you’re of a certain age (read: late 20s), Gwen Stefani will forever be just a girl covered in bindis. And if you’re like me, her style inspired you to stick a few gemstones on your own brow back in the ‘90s. Well, it’s time to check if you still have a stash of mini baubles: face decoration is coming back! While add-on embellishments are already trending for Spring, this morning’s Miu Miu show continued the brow party that Chanel started yesterday—meaning the trend is sticking around throughout Fall.
A tube of eyelash glue, a few craft store gemstones, and a steady hand is all you need to join in on the fun. Start by placing just a few stones near the corner of each eye—they’ll add a playful sparkle without being too distracting. And once you’re ready to rock a whole brow, a pre-glued set of gemstones that come perfectly lined up, such as Eye Rock’s Designer Eye Fashion ($20, ebeauty.ca), will ensure runway-worthy placement.


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Nail Corner: PFW edition! A colour-block manicure inspired by Céline | Hollywood yohana



While the abundance of brightly dyed furs on almost every runway was tempting inspiration for Nail Corner, the colour blocking at Céline’s Fall 2012 presentation made for a much better manicure. Mixing horizontal and diagonal stripes, this design matches the asymmetrical pattern of an undeniably stunning Céline overcoat.
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Hundred-dollar bills and Dalmatian-printed Minx: See Vogue Italia’s blingtastic nail art up close! | Hollywood yohana



The hotly anticipated Haute Mess editorial from Vogue Italia dropped today and it’s a glitter lover and nail-art fanatic’s dream. Photographed by Steven Meisel, the shoot includes some of the most familiar faces in modeling. But thanks to makeup artist Pat McGrath and hairstylist Jimmy Paul, it takes a keen eye to identify Joan Smalls, Jessica Stam, Karen Elson, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Lindsey Wixson, Daphne Groeneveld, Guinevere van Seenus, and Coco Rocha underneath the wigs, gemstones, and pencil-thin eyebrows.
According to Meisel, the main source of inspiration was “messy drag,” but for nail stylist Lisa Logan, the over-the-top manicures—including decals of candy wrappers and hundred-dollar bills—were all about street style turned upscale. Yes, lacquering actual money to your nails was once (and given the trend of duckbill nails, likely still is!) a thing. Logan explains: “First people would cut up dollar bills, then it was five-dollar bills, and inevitably someone would show up with a hundred-dollar bill to cut up. […] The fashion was all about displaying your wealth.”
But back to the nails at the Vogue shoot! Custom Minx decals were blinged up with the addition of gemstones and glitter, then applied to fake tips filed into excessive lengths and borderline-gruesome shapes. There were even fake toenails—which deserve a disclaimer of “only enjoyable as art but would make us convulse if seen in real life.” Needless to say, the whole thing is certainly a hot mess.
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Mackage kicks off Toronto Fashion Week(s) with Heather Marks and Zombie Boy | Hollywood yohana



Like it or not, Toronto Fashion Week is here, and it’s here for the next three weeks. From now until March 19, prepare to be inundated with all the fabulousness (and sometimes the unfabulousness) from the shows.
First up, we’re reporting from last night’s Mackage show. In celebration of the brand’s 10th anniversary, founders Elisa Dahan and Eran Elfassy brought the circus to the Fermenting Cellar in the city’s Distillery District. Special guest stars Heather Marks and Rick Genest (a.k.a. Zombie Boy) opened and closed the show respectively. Complete with snow cones, cotton-candy cocktails, scantily clad servers, and fortune-tellers, all the hullaballoo was memorable—but perhaps unnecessary—when paired with the brand’s stellar collection of leather and wool–mix coats and jackets, tailored-to-perfection secretary dresses, and multi-zipped moto jackets.

We spot Katy Perry, Leigh Lezark, Baptiste Giabiconi, and Poppy Delevingne outside Chanel and Chloé | Hollywood yohana




We’re just about ready to pass style snapping off to Toronto, but before we do, we’ve got two more extra special photo galleries to share! Today, we give you this glorious selection caught from outside the Chanel and Chloé shows. Tomorrow, we’ll present our last batch from outside Louis Vuitton and Miu Miu. Stay tuned, lovelies!

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Amanda Lew Kee goes back to black basics for fall | Hollywood yohana



Last night at The Hoxton felt very much like discovering a new designer—a dark, moody space and several unknowns clothed in all black. In reality, it was more like we were in a time warp, since Amanda Lew Kee is in her fifth season. Opting to show offsite—and by show, we mean show a video—any of the designer’s efforts for the season were pretty easily missed by me, as I stood on my tippy toes just trying to get a glimpse at the looks in the video. Directed by the awesome Hannah Sider and featuring the designer in the starring role—the video showed Lew Kee prancing on and off the screen in her dark and lace-ified looks while sporting a black veil and the same bright-blue lips that she’s worn for a few years on end. Equal parts seductive and well, confusing, we still aren’t quite sure how to feel about the event.


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Last looks from outside Louis Vuitton and Miu Miu featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, Dianna Agron, and Coco Rocha | Hollywood yohana




It’s only fitting that the last of our snaps from Paris should include so many queens of fashion—the queen of big screen fashion, Sarah Jessica Parker, the queen of fashion media, Anna Wintour, the queen of fashion pop, Katy Perry, the queen of the current front rowers, Virginie Courtin-Clarins, and the queen of vintage inspiration, Catherine Deneuve. Enjoy today’s visual feast, and be sure to come back next week when we share our snaps from Toronto.


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Did Irish fast fashion retailer Primark copy Prabal Gurung? | Hollywood yohana





Is Primark playing copycat with Prabal Gurung? Observant bloggers at The Fashion Law did a double take at the Irish retailer’s Spring looks and noticed a conspicuous likeness to Gurung’s Resort 2012 collection.
Word of the similar looks spread quickly online after the blog tweeted an Instagram picture of the clothing displayed in Primark’s window, commenting “Fast Fashion retailer Primark COPIES Prabal Gurung!” The tweet prompted Gurung to reply: “Oh boy looks like it…”
Could this be a case of catwalk copycatting or an innocent coincidence of designers thinking alike? The most blatant offender is a yellow-and-black floral number (seen recently on Sarah Jessica Parker). The Fashion Law was eager to point out a second potential duplicate dress on the basis that “purple was the main hue for [Gurung’s] Spring 2012 collection.”
Online, other Primark pieces seem to resemble Prabal Gurung looks, making it more difficult to pass this off as a mere fluke. Not to mention that this isn’t the budget retailer’s first plagiarizing accusation: Primark has been sued for copying numerous brands such as Ashley Wilde Boulevard and Superdry. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but continuously plagiarizing designs for profit is simply unjust. No word yet if Gurung will be taking legal action.
THEY SAID:
The Cut: “Regardless of Primark’s intentions, making purple dresses is still perfectly legal this season, so Twitter is probably as far as this accusation will go.” [The Cut]
The Fashion Law: “In addition to being completely insensitive to this designer’s creativity, hard work, and his emerging business, stealing another’s designs is terrible because it is completely legal in the U.S.”


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Gear Up for Spring With an Oversized Orange Clutch | Hollywood yohana

Ashley Tisdale, Sofia Bush, Rachel Bilson


TREND: Oversized orange clutches
WHO'S WEARING IT: Ashley Tisdale, Sophia Bush and Rachel Bilson (Miu Miu)

HOW TO WEAR IT: Clutches are the go-to bag when you are hitting the town. However, they do limit the amount of items you can keep inside. So, we are excited that oversized orange clutches are the bag to have—isn't the color perfect for spring, too?! Whether you choose a snakeskin version, like Ashley and Sophia, or a velvet one à la Rachel, it will add an interesting splash of color to your ensemble. If you want your new accessory to pop, we'd suggest staying away from busy fabrics and opt for an all-black ensemble. Since the bag is big enough to store more than just your cell phone and wallet, there should be no problem carrying this baby in the daytime, too.



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Fergie Shows Off Her Fly Jet-Set Style | Hollywood yohana

Fergie

Fergie loves edgy fashions. If anything is made out of leather or has studs, you bet the singer will swoon at the sight of it. However, the babe looked chic rather than tough when she was recently spotted at LAX, mostly due to her pale pink draped jacket—albeit a leather one.


The topper definitely felt very feminine, as did the rest of the ensemble. She paired the jacket with white skinny jeans and a gray printed chiffon button-down by Pierre Balmain. By teaming the outfit with black accessories, including Fergie platforms, aviators and a Céline satchel, she managed to still show off her inner rock 'n' roller.


To get past the security check faster, the gal smartly skipped jewelry all together. Loose blond tresses and barely-there makeup provided the finishing touches to her jet-set chic look.
Although we rarely see Fergie in girlie fashions, we think she pulls it off rather nicely.


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Lindsay Lohan Goes Back to Her Red Roots | Hollywood yohana

Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan


Yesterday, Lindsay Lohan was spotted leaving a salon in Beverly Hills debuting her freshly dyed locks. We don't know what it took—perhaps, getting confused for 66-year-old Debbie Harry?—but the actress finally ditched her bleach blond hair, and went back to her trademark red tresses.


LiLo has been everywhere recently, from SNL this past weekend to having a candid interview with Matt Lauer. Obviously, the troubled actress has been trying to repair her image—and career. But, if you ask us, we think reverting back to her signature shade has probably been the best move thus far! Doesn't she look 100 times healthier?!




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Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish | Hollywood yohana

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro


MIRACLE PRODUCT: Rimmel London's Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish in Sunset Orange ($1.99)
THEY SAY: The formula promises up to 10 days of maximum color impact and shine. With more than 800 fine textured bristles, the mistake-free brush is designed to adapt to any nail shape and require less strokes to apply, while delivering a smooth finish and streak-free results.
WE SAY: Keep reading for reviews from the editors.


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