That’s one bad ombré: Drew Barrymore and Audrina Patridge both showed off unfortunate dye jobs this week | Hollywood yohana





Ombré, ombré, ombré! This hair-colour technique is slowly moving away from being just a fad and becoming a long-haul trend. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that all hair stylists have mastered how to properly do an ombré dye job. Case(s) in point: Drew Barrymore and Audrina Patridge. Both were snapped this week with dark-to-light tresses, and we can’t say we approve of either.
Patridge, at the Immortals 3D premiere in Los Angeles, doesn’t even seem to have hit the dye bottle—it looks like the former Hills star simply swapped her brown extensions for blonde. Let’s all cross our fingers and hope that this quickie approach to ombré doesn’t catch on.
Then there’s Barrymore, who is usually so good at switching hair colours. So we’re going to assume the brassy ombré style she debuted at the LACMA Art + Film Gala is actually still in transition—because there is no excuse for bleaching the bottom half of jet-black hair and not toning it to a proper shade. None.

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Snooki keeps trying to make the duckbill nail happen. Vote now to stop it! | Hollywood yohana

It’s a trend we’ve been trying to ignore for a while, but Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi keeps trying to make it happen—the duckbill nail. Dubbed as such because of the way the nail gets wider at the ends, it takes a long afternoon at the salon to achieve this extremely fake nail look. Seen as recently as yesterday, at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards, we’re hoping the duckbill trend doesn’t have wings and will stay in the Jersey Shore forever. But red carpet after red carpet (who, exactly, keeps inviting her?) Snooki is there, showing off her bedazzled, duckbill’d tips. There are about a thousand adjectives to describe why we hate this look, with “artificial” and “acrylic” topping the list. Actually, we’d maybe even like the airbrushed art she’s wearing (in a Katy Perry sort of way) if it was paired with a more naturally shaped nail.


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Whether you call them beauty marks or moles, we report on the latest ways to keep tabs on your skin spots | Hollywood yohana

On the defense


While most childhood memories are composed of bosom friends and pivotal events, my youthful days can be mapped out in a connect-the-dots trajectory—literally. I rarely spent serious time in the sun, but I have plenty of little dark marks on my skin, including the four moles on one side of my face that I’ve had since birth.
At seven, when I dressed up as Madonna circa 1984 for Halloween, my mother drew a small mark above my lip with her brown eyeliner to mimic Madge’s signature mole. A couple of years later, as if I’d willed it to happen, a mark appeared above my lip, just a centimetre down from where the Material Girl’s spot had been. I was no longer a fake; I was part of the Marilyn (Monroe), Cindy (Crawford) and Madonna club. Plus, my mole quintet was complete! But what I thought was a blessing—who wouldn’t like the comparison to Cindy Crawford?—became a curse when a cruel classmate took notice and used it as a source of inspiration for his playground intimidation tactics. Upset and teary-eyed, I sought refuge near the balance beams, and a teacher came up to ask what had happened. “David says that if you connect all the moles on my face, they make an upside-down house,” I said.
“Those aren’t moles, my dear,” the teacher replied. “Those are beauty marks.”


More than 20 years later, I’m less concerned about the shape my beauty marks make. Like Crawford, who has said she frets that her signature lip mole might one day become cancerous, I worry about my beauty marks going rogue. According to the B.C. Cancer Agency, one in six Canadians will be diagnosed with skin cancer at some point in their lifetime. “The young person’s disease,” it’s one of the most common cancers in young adults. This year, an estimated 5,500 Canadians will be diagnosed with melanoma, the most aggressive and deadliest form of skin cancer (the other two are basal-cell carcinoma and squamous-cell carcinoma), and 950 will die from it, according to the Canadian Cancer Registry Database.
“We are in an epidemic of skin cancers,” says Dr. Harvey Lui, head of the department of dermatology and skin science at the University of British Columbia. He says that if melanoma is detected early and treated, the survival rate is high. If it’s caught too late, the rate of surviving five years drops to 16 per cent.
Melanoma is more common in people with light skin who freckle easily, because they are more susceptible to the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun and tanning beds. Both freckles and moles are pigmented spots on the skin, the result of increased production of melanin (the skin’s pigment). But freckles are harmless, come and go depending on sun exposure and appear on commonly sun-kissed areas like the face and shoulders. Moles, on the other hand, can appear anywhere on the body and occur when melanocytes, the skin cells that make the pigment, grow in a cluster. The ABCDEs of melanoma outline what to look for in your spots: an Asymmetrical shape, irregular Borders, multiple Colours, a Diameter larger than a pencil eraser, and any Evolution in size, shape, texture or colour.
Lui has been working for the past 10 years on the Verisante Aura, a non-invasive optical system that rapidly scans suspicious spots for 21 different cancer biomarkers. Last October, Health Canada approved the Aura, and the company expects the tool to be available in doctors’ offices later this year. Lui and his team are also working on a range of other optical techniques for the detection of skin cancer, including fluorescents (where the skin is examined using a glow-in-the-dark light method that can detect abnormalities) and speckle analysis (the pattern of light that bounces off the skin is analyzed). There are also online resources such as myskincheck.ca, and U.S. residents can download SpotCheck, a mobile app that allows users to take a photo of a suspicious mole and send it to a board-certified dermatologist, who will respond with comments.
Although skin cancer can develop in an existing mole, the good news for Cindy and me is that most melanoma appears in new moles, says Dr. Paul Cohen, a Toronto-based dermatologist. He was involved with last year’s viral hit video “Dear 16-Year-Old Me,” a public service announcement with the powerful message that the onus of checking skin for suspicious marks is still first and foremost on us. “The majority of funny-looking moles are found by patients themselves, or their spouse or partner. We just diagnose them and treat them,” says Cohen. “Women do breast exams once a month, so look at your skin.”
While atypical moles (large ones with irregular borders, which present a higher risk for skin cancer) can be hereditary, excessive sun exposure is more to blame for the formation of cancerous moles. “There is enough energy in ultraviolet rays to actually change the chemical bonds of the molecules in your skin,” says Lui. “When the DNA mutates, that’s when you start to get the potential for cancer.”
Before we spoke, Dr. John Arlette hadn’t used the term “beauty mark” in years; he prefers “mole,” a more objective descriptor. “Mole is a term that everyone can understand—beauty mark is subjective for the patient,” he says. A Calgary-based dermatologist, Arlette is a leading expert on the management and removal of facial melanoma, and he also removes plenty of moles for purely aesthetic purposes.
I visit him to try the Total Skin Review, a program Arlette developed to give patients a complete overview of their skin. As opposed to mole-mapping—a common technique that involves photographing each mark to provide a baseline for future visits—Arlette looks at the skin’s entire surface, not just spot-by-spot. “There are a lot of things that happen where the sun has never shone,” he says. (True to his point, both moles I’ve had removed were in places where the sun rarely shone: my bikini line and my
lower back.)
Arlette goes through my facial moles one by one, letting me know I’m in the clear. Finally, he gets to my Madonna mole. “It’s located in an open space, and the way you scar means removing the mole”—here he pauses—“removing the beauty mark would leave a large scar.” I vow to keep an eye on it. If it’s ever medically necessary, I will deal with its removal, but until then the roof of my upside-down house stays.


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Beauty magnified: We examine the sleek, floral-inspired beauty look on Nicole Farhi’s Spring 2012 runway | Hollywood yohana

Beauty magnified: We break down Nicole Farhi’s Spring 2012 look


Inspiration
The designer mandated sporty chic and full-bloom colour. Her beauty team translated that into fearless mouths and glossy ponies.
Collection
The striking beauty look stayed on point with the mesh tanks, cocoon-shaped dresses and cotton shorts in a colour palette inspired by Farhi’s visit to a blossoming Indian garden.

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Elizabeth Taylor’s jewellery auction breaks records, raising $116 million | Hollywood yohana

Necklace part of the Elizabeth Taylor auction


Last night in New York, Christie’s auction of the legendary Elizabeth Taylor’s jewellery shattered records for private jewellery sales and raised $116 million. Known for her penchant for expensive and extravagant baubles, the late actress’ collection included pieces by some of the world’s most famous jewellers including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Chopard.
Most of the items in the auction surpassed Christie’s estimated ticket prices. The highest bid of the night was $11.8 million for a pearl, diamond, and ruby necklace known as “La Peregina” that was purchased for Taylor by Richard Burton at an auction in 1967. The high price of the necklace came as a surprise to auctioneers, who expected the highest-ticketed item to be the “Elizabeth Taylor Diamond,” a ring that was also a gift from Burton, and which sold for $8.8 million. Other high profile items included a diamond bracelet gifted to Taylor by long-time friend Michael Jackson.
If you’re a diehard fan of Taylor and you missed the auction, some items are still available online—and her clothing and memorabilia will go on sale later this week. Her extensive art collection will go on sale at Christies in February. Nothing in your price range? According to Racked, overstock.com has already copied a few of Taylor’s famous pieces to cash in on the hype around the auction.
THEY SAID…

Marc Porter, Christie’s Americas President: “It’s one of the most extraordinary auctions that Christie’s has ever had and a testament to the affection for Elizabeth Taylor worldwide.”
Telegraph UK: “Were the members of the one per cent ashamed of such an unabashed display of wealth? No, they were not. The one per cent made their presence felt, as auctioneers in dinner jackets and bowties called in the frenzied bids from across the globe.”
The Cut: “So, hooray for that, then—now your Christmas wishlist probably seems trifling in comparison.”

Refinery29: “Let’s just wait and see what kind of damage the British do clawing over her art when it goes on sale in London in February. Our prediction? More record breaking.”

WE SAID…

Randi Bergman, online editor: “Call me crazy, but I am actually planning on bidding on some of the MUCH more affordable items. My personal favourite item, a poster from my favourite film of Liz’s, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, complete with this inscription: “To Richard—the hottest cat on any roof! Happy Birthday,” but considering it’s estimated price is between $3,000–$5,000, I think I’d be better off bidding on something more under the radar, like this, this, or this! Wish me luck (and give me money!)”


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Go team go! The Bay unveils Team Canada’s London 2012 Olympic Games apparel | Hollywood yohana

The Hudson Bay London 2012 Olympic Games Team Canada collection


 For most of us fashion-minded folk (or maybe just me), one of the only times we can get it up for a sports event is the Olympics. The patriotism and the larger-than-life-ness of it seem to get me every time. Coming off the high of 2010’s Vancouver Winter Games, it’s only fitting that there’s some early hype for the London Summer Games, which are set for July 27–August 12, 2012. Today, the Bay kicked it off by launching the full collection (including some winter-appropriate items that can be worn now).
Pictured on some of Team Canada’s cutest athletes (mind you, my personal fave, Alexandre Despatie, is missing), the collection is patchwork-y, graphic-y, heritage-y, and awesome. It’s also super affordable, with the whole shebang ranging from $15–$100.

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Fashion news: Anja Rubik’s wedding dress, Aritzia’s New York expansion and Net-a-Porter’s new shopping map | Hollywood yohana

Pucci’s Peter Dundas and Anja Rubik discussed designing the model’s perfect wedding dress. Like it was hard…

Canadian fashion takeover: Aritzia finally opens its New York City doors.
The Black Swan’s egg has hatched! Natalie Portman gave birth to a baby boy today.
Want to know what other online shopping obsessed fashionistas are buying around the world? Net-a-Porter launched Net-a-Porter Live, a map-like live site that does just that. [Racked]
Don’t you hate it when you buy clothing online and upon arrival you discover it’s a terrible fit? Your problems may soon be solved! Fits.Me has created a female FitBot to virtually try clothing on for you before purchase.
According to journalist Lucy Siegle the average woman buys 62 pounds of clothing each year! Is it time for a little weight loss?
Channel Chloë Sevigny with the looks from Opening Ceremony’s Resort 2012 lookbook, released earlier this week.
Watch Prabal Gurung’s Resort 2012 video, filled with neon makeup, LED lights, Beats by Dre, a blonde bobbed dance team and Rye Rye.

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5 easy steps to get Louis Vuitton’s lash-tastic Spring 2012 look at home! | Hollywood yohana




Rumour has it that when makeup artist Pat McGrath set out to create her “living doll” look for Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2012 show, she and her team pulled an all-nighter (at the Ritz, of course!) to glue together 10 sets of false lashes for each model. When the show opened with models perched on a revolving carousel in candy-coloured frocks, their flawless makeup and dense, fluttery lashes momentarily created the illusion that mannequins were instead the stars.
Despite its high maintenance appearance, it’s really simple to recreate this Barbie-esque beauty look. And forget 10 sets of falsies—you can pull it off with just five products in the bat of an eyelash!




Carine Roitfeld held a vampire-themed costume party last night in Paris | Hollywood yohana





Has True Blood fever hit France? In celebration of Carine Roitfeld’s new book, Irreverent, she held a vampire ball in Paris last night where fashion’s biggest stars were expected to dress up and get into character. Naturally, some were more enthusiastic than others. Riccardo Tisci showed up with fake blood dripping from his mouth and Anna Dello Russo wore a Stephen Jones X Giles scarlet swan feather headdress that she described as “aggressive.” Other partygoers like Kanye West and Karl Lagerfeld dressed as per their usual. Perhaps they didn’t get the memo. Perhaps Kanye was still mid-fit.
Is Roitfeld is a Bill or Eric fan? We’re hoping the latter.

THEY SAID…
Carine Roitfeld: “I’m not a queen tonight, it’s the others who are magnificent.”
WWD: “Other revelers snaking through the red-lit venue did not bother with a costume, perhaps thinking they were already in character. Jared Leto, wearing black nail varnish, shouted something above the din of the dance floor about being ‘the kind of vampire that rips your beating heart out of your chest and eats it.’”
Fashionista: “It’s hard to tell whether or not Karl Lagerfeld dressed up and Karlie Kloss let us know that her recent penchant for near-nudity is not relegated to magazines and runways.”
WE SAID…
Randi Bergman, online editor: “Halloween costume ideas? Done!”

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We’re playing I Spy from the streets to the shows (Moschino! Versace! Cavalli!) | Hollywood yohana





It’s day three in Milan and we’re playing I spy from the shows to the streets.
9:00 a.m.: I spy… A ‘90s moment at Moschino. The lineup of leather perfectos embellished with giant peace signs and hearts, oversized gold hoop earrings, quilted hip packs, gold studded bags, and slick skinny trousers instantly brought three names to mind: Naomi, Christy, Linda. A ‘90s-inspired collection requires the supermodel stars of that decade.

10:45 a.m.: I spy… Paisley prints and matching jewels at Etro. Laser-cut patchworks were applied to sheer netting (think body tats without the commitment factor) while other pieces in the collection were stitched around the print creating a unique trompe l’oeil effect. Oh, and the jewels? Oversized gunmetal necklaces and earrings glittered with teardrop-shaped crystals.
11:30 a.m.: I spy… Plastic fantastic brights at Furla. Fall’s neon bright bags—a happy mix of fuchsia, yellow and orange—are the bubblegum ice cream to Furla’s classic vanilla. Delicious!
1:00 p.m.: I spy… A jungle’s worth of leopard, zebra, and metallic gold croc print. What can I say? It’s Just Cavalli.
2:50 p.m.: I spy… Bedazzled loafers and oxford shoes at Church’s. Fancy feet just took on a whole new meaning.
4:45 p.m.: I spy… Anna Dello Russo at the Armani Hotel with her latest accessory: a pup no larger than one of her extravagant headpieces. A furry statement, indeed.
8:30 p.m.: I spy… Corsets with jewel-encrusted crosses (oh so ‘80s!) at Versace. It may not say red carpet but somehow Donatella managed to cast her spell for another season.
9:30 p.m.: I spy… A Prada store, a Miu Miu store, an Yves Saint Laurent store, a Dolce & Gabbana store, a Jimmy Choo store, a Tod’s store. Walking home from the shows tonight I took in some of the city’s loveliest sights.

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Greta Constantine turns out 52 sharp-shouldered, jewel-toned, and chunky-knit looks for fall | Hollywood yohana




When it comes to a Greta Constantine show, there are a couple of things an editor can expect: 1. It will be an hour late 2. Their signature draped dresses will fall somewhere in the mix. This time around, designers Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong delivered on both of these points. While we’re always perplexed as to why they are an hour behind schedule, the GC boys did manage to pull two new rabbits out of their hat last Friday at the Bay’s newly reno’d Arcadian Loft: chunky knits and black-on-black tailored separates. Big points for the colourful cozy mufflers and Rooney Mara–esque sharp-shouldered dresses and leather boleros. Judging from the abundance of strategic and oh-so-sexy cut-outs, skin is fall’s best accessory. As for colour, it’s all about those rich jewel tones, darling—ruby red, emerald green, sapphire blue and amethyst. The miss of the night? The white backless dress. Women don’t want to accentuate their hips (hello, Zumba class!) even if the volume is set on low.

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We’re at Peter Som and Jason Wu, and so are Grace Coddington, Kate Lanphear, and Olivia Palermo | Hollywood yohana




NYFW continues, and we have more than 90 pictures from the crowds at Peter Som and Jason Wu! Day two brings even more bright colours, pattern mixing, and some of the best shoes yet. And from Olivia Palermo to Joanna Hillman, furry toppers continue to dominate the streets of New York.


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Givenchy’s Fall 2012 ad starring Stella Tennant makes us want to rave | Hollywood yohana

Now here’s a rave we’d actually like to go to: a dancing Stella Tennant, thumping electronic music and a Givenchy wardrobe. Much more chic than the usual glow-in-the-dark sticks and face paint.
The fractured images of Tennant shimmying under a stormy sky in violet Givenchy are meant to capture the electric euphoria of a rave party, according to Riccardo Tisci.
“It is about happiness and the freedom of expressing yourself with your body. It shows a dynamic, happy and fun world, which is what fashion needs,” he told WWD.
The campaign was styled by none other than Carine Roitfeld and shot by the Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott team. Joan Smalls, Stef van der Laan, Daniela Braga, Simone Nobili, Jarrod Scott and Rodrigo Braga will also be joining Tennant as part of the “new Givenchy gang,” with images of the partying posse scheduled to appear in various glossies this September.


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East and West Coast patriotism at Derek Lam, DKNY, and Thakoon’s September 11th shows| Hollywood yohana




Arguably Toronto’s biggest shopper, Stacey Kimel has been making her rounds at some of New York Fashion Week’s biggest shows (Prabal Gurung, Thakoon, and more!), but judging from her front row appearance at yesterday morning’s show, home-grown talent Jeremy Laing is also on her spring shopping list (lucky boy!). While I can’t picture her sporting the Yohji Yamamoto meets Marky Mark one-strap overalls, the windswept asymmetrical gowns, linen palazzo pants, and sheer flowing tunic tops in shades of pumpkin, crème, and silvery grey are a sure bet.

Meanwhile uptown, Derek Lam showed his California Dreamin’, the collection of my dreams. Inspired by ‘60s mid-century modern design, the white leather lattice cut-outs reminded me of the Parker Palm Springs front wall, and the crisp clean-lined American sportswear, filled with bold colour and geometric prints in tobacco, coral, navy, and peppermint got, in the words of Frank Sinatra, deep in the heart of me. Come spring, Lam will have the ladies running to the registers, wishing they all could be California girls.
Also feeling patriotic, and how appropriate on such a historic day for the US of A, Donna Karan‘s September 11th DKNY show brought out the red, white, and blue with girls in digital-poppy prints, asymmetrical silk shirt-dresses, bold horizontal-stripe caftans, sporty anoraks, and floppy beach hats parading down the runway to the tune of the Guess Who‘s “American Woman.”
If Lam was representing the West Coast, and Donna the East, Thakoon made it clear that he was all about the South West with his India-by-way-of-Texas offerings. Pointy, steel-toe stiletto booties in turquoise and orange ostrich, embroidered lace appliques and wild wild west silk shirtings done in ornate Kashmiri paisleys. Calling all cowgirls, the rodeo just got glam.

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Kristen Stewart and Kate Moss at Mulberry, plus the scoop on Peter Jensen, Topshop, Acne, and Tom Ford | Hollywood yohana





Ice cream, pink lemonade, and nearly 2,000 balloon animals aren’t typical ways to start a Sunday morning—but then we only get to start our day off with a Mulberry fashion show but twice a year. This show is always a big ticket of LFW, for its prime guest list (um, today’s show included Kristen Stewart AND Kate Moss, who wore a Canadian tuxedo and a brown hat!), super-luxe venue (the upscale Claridges Hotel in the tony Mayfair neighbourhood), dogs on the runway (this season: miniature schnauzers), and, obviously, the fact that the brand is one of the fastest-growing luxury brands out there. Another way to start the day: sequins, and yet another sorbet palette of yellow, green, and pink.

Today, I also saw Peter Jensen, whose show featured more brilliant prints, including one of a landscape inspired by Nina Simone’s time in Switzerland; Topshop, which was quite literally Egyptian inspired—and not necessarily in a good way (although I did sit across from Naomi Campbell and Sir Philip Green); Acne, which, minus a few rock ‘n roll-ish pieces, was Swedish cool as usual; and—get this—Tom Ford. The “no photos allowed,” “starts at 6 p.m. sharp” show was an amazing presentation, even if the clothes were, well, a little bizarre. Part ‘80s and part early-Tom-Ford-at-Gucci, there were a few too many peasant blouses and ruffles for my liking. What made up for it, though, was seeing a huge laundry list of industry heavyweights in one place, without the insane paparazzi hounding them. Want that laundry list? Here goes: Anna Wintour, Hamish Bowles, Glenda Bailey, Carine Roitfeld, Emmanuelle Alt, Joe Zee, Kate Lanphear, Suzy Menkes, Alexandra Shulman, Rachel Zoe… to name just a few.

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Pouty and poutier: Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey both land major campaign deals | Hollywood yohana




In two big announcements today, Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey have inked major deals that will undoubtedly send their respective It girl status into overdrive.
Blake Lively, whose friendship with Karl Lagerfeld and romance with Ryan Reynolds is enough to induce jealousy, has added another entry to her list of fashion accolades—she’ll be the new face of Gucci’s latest fragrance.
Lively will be representing Gucci Première, the Italian fashion house’s latest red-carpet-inspired fragrance. Described by creative director Frida Giannini as a nod to “timeless Hollywood glamour,” it’s set to launch in late July in the U.K. and worldwide in September.
Lana Del Rey is said to have landed a highly coveted campaign spot as well. Rumours spread today that the singer has been signed as the new face of Swedish retail giant H&M. A source told New York Post’s Page Six that she’s already at work shooting a campaign with the retailer in New York.
Whether or not the music world will ever unanimously embrace Del Rey, the fashion world has definitely fallen for her “ghetto Nancy Sinatra” aesthetic. Mulberry was one of the first to jump on the Del Rey train when it created a bag named for her—it’s been selling so well that it’s rivalling the famous Alexa bag, named for Alexa Chung.

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