Fashion Passion: January 2008

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Sartorial standouts at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, Christina Applegate, Kate Beckinsale, America Ferrera, Debra Messing, Ellen Pompeo, Amanda Bynes and Kyra Sedgwick were among the best dressed celebrities at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Newly wed Ellen Pompeo looked stunning in the velvet Nina Ricci gown and Fred Leighton jewels. Talking about her dress she said, "I saw it in the January issue of Vogue and said I have to have it!" Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Strapless gowns with long trains were favored by a lot of celebrities that impressed. A lot of stars chose to make their sartorial statements sans adornments. Necklaces, for example, appeared conspicuous by their absence. Similarly, hair styling was subdued.

Here is a pick of the best dressed during the event compiled by our fashion editor.

Ashley Tisdale looked elegant in a Badgley Mischka scoop neckline white chiffon gown with crystal and jet pinstripe beading around the neck, going around the waist and down front. Her long blond hair were enough to glam her up sans jewelry looks! Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

The mom-to-be, Cate Blanchette, glammed it up with Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesqui貥 strapless bustier dress with multi-colored flower embroidery all over, Fred Leighton earrings and bracelet and Roger Vivier black sandals. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Kyra Sedwick wore a strapless body hugging blue L'Wren Scott cobalt silk crepe and Chantilly lace gown matched with diamond drop earrings. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Sara Ramirez accessorized her satiny purple Angel Sanchez gown with jewels from H. Stern, Neil Lane, and Bochic. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Debra Messing glittered in a gold sequined Oscar de la Renta sheath, a Neil Lane gold and colored diamond ring and rough cut diamond earrings. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Kate Beckinsale in a tiered and ruffled bright yellow Luisa Beccaria gown, Roger Vivier Boite heels, and Van Cleef & Arpels vintage jewels. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Christina Applegate dazzled in her Elie Saab silver sequined gown. Talking about her dress Applegate said, "I'm like a baby with shiny things! It's beautiful and it swishes on the bottom." She wore beautiful Neil Lane diamond earrings and a pearl bracelet. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Jenna Fischer wore a blue studded Collette Dinnigan gown. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Laura Leighton played it safe in a pretty blue cocktail dress. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

January Jones goes pink in her Giorgio Armani Priv頳ilk organza gown and Neil Lane diamonds. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Angelina looked gorgeous in her flowing strapless vintage Hermes gown with a long train, tie-dyed in earthy colors. Large Amrapail of Jaipur earrings, a broad golden cuff bracelet and Christian Louboutin heels completed her ensemble. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Eva Longoria in a low back cut and draped neck line white glittery gown by Naeem Khan and Verdura jewels.. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

America Ferrera walked the red carpet in a figure hugging charcoal gray Monique Lhuillier lace gown with a jeweled single shoulder, Lorraine Schwartz earrings and Jimmy Choo heels. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Amanda Bynes wore a midnight blue strapless Marchesa gown with beaded bodice, Jimmy Choo sandals and Kwiat diamonds. Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Christina Applegate dazzles at 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Christina Applegate dazzled in her Elie Saab silver sequined gown at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, The Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, January 27.

The sleeveless old Hollywood style train dress had a deep V-neckline and wide inset Empire waist ending in a layered floor gazing scalloped hem.

Talking about her dress Applegate said, "I'm like a baby with shiny things! It's beautiful and it swishes on the bottom."

The gorgeous dress draped so well on her that it took away attention from her light colored eye makeup that did not go well with her light colored dress. Her red lipstick was, however, the right match.

She wore beautiful Neil Lane diamond earrings and a pearl bracelet.

Christina Applegate who plays Samantha in the Samanth Who? (ABC) was nominated for an award in the category 'Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Comedy Series'
The award was won by Tina Fey / Liz Lemon - "30 Rock" (Nbc)

In a recent interview with Redbook magazine for its February issue Christina, 36, who was married to longtime boyfriend and actor Johnathon Schaech from 2001 to 2005, said she wants to have kids and doesn't mind doing it on her own.

"I want to have that experience in this lifetime, of raising a human being and watching them grow and move on a become an adult... If I end up doing it on my own, I don't see anything wrong with that."

She continues to be friends with Johnathon.

"We saw each other [at Les Deux Cafe], we're friends, and I adore him - he's a great person. We just talked and hung out for a little while and that was the end of it."

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt tease the press at 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Angelina Jolie and partner Brad Pitt walked the red carpet at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, The Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, January 27 looking in love and happy for sure.

What the press was interested in knowing was if Jolie is pregnant but by the way she was attired there was no telling.

She wore a dress that comprehensively concealed her body form, giving the press no chance to speculate about a pregnancy, or perhaps baiting it to do so.

For anyone who chose not to make a connection between her dress and the pregnancy rumors there was the intimacy and public display of affection between Jolie and Pitt to contend with while they sat at their table during the awards.

Angelina looked gorgeous in her flowing strapless vintage Hermes gown with a long train tie-dyed in earthy colors.

The sweetheart neckline dress was a welcome change from the blacks and greys that Jolie has safely stuck with during her recent red carpet appearances.

It wasn't an easy dress to carry off but we think she did it with aplomb despite subdued hair styling and makeup.

Miss Michigan, Kirsten Haglund, crowned Miss America 2008

Miss Michigan, Kirsten Haglund, 19, was crowned Miss America 2008 Saturday, January 26 at the Planet Hollywood Resort Las Vegas. She beat Miss Indiana Nicole Elizabeth Rash, the first runner up, and Miss Washington Elyse Umemoto, the second runner up.

Following the crowning Kirsten was presented with a pearl necklace, a tray of chocolates and a press conference was held to answer questions for the press.

The crown brings her a $50,000 scholarship and a year of travel to every corner of the country.

Kirsten's preliminary win at the lifestyle and fitness on the second night of competition firmly established her as a front runner in the competition.

She studies music at the University of Cincinnati. Her grandmother, Iora Hunt, was the Miss Michigan in 1944. Kirsten got Hunt onto the platform for a hug.

Kirsten wore a sheer silver sequined gown during the Formal Gowns competition and a black with gold accents bikini during the Swimsuits competition. For the talent portion of the competition, Kirsten sang "Over the Rainbow."

She has taken up advocating awareness for eating disorders as her platform issue as she herself has recovered from this illness. She will travel approximately 20,000 miles each month.

She will be acting as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network.

The non-profit organization, dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals, is the national platform partner of the Miss America Organization.

Jessica Alba at Australia Week 2008 black tie gala

Jessica Alba disappointed us at the G'Day USA: Australia Week 2008 black tie gala at Waldorf Astoria hotel, New York City, Saturday, January 26. Wearing black is always safe but you can still go wrong Jessica managed to prove with a maternity variation that can be succinctly defined as silly.

Her floor length single shoulder black dress was bereft of form and feminity. It featured a chunky jeweled buckle at the shoulder strap, a bold variation that did nothing more than rob the dress of its residual elegance from its fabric and fall.

Alba wore a yellow gold bracelet on her right hand. Her hair was tied up at the nape in a loose chignon.

When you are as beautiful as Jessica Alba and pregnant to boot you can easily brush aside a sartorial misstep. The 26-year-old actress still managed to look radiant and confident.

The Australia Day Black Tie Gala, attended by 1,000 prominent Australian and American arts, philanthropic, government and business executives, marked the close of G'Day USA program for 2008.

The event commenced with a red carpet arrival, followed by a unique dinner experience incorporating fashion and three time winner of the Australian MTV Video Music Awards Best Male Performer Shannon Noll, alongside award winning Indigenous performer, Christine Anu and the Qantas Choir who flew from Australia to perform at the special event. The focus of the 2008 Gala was to profile the exceptional work undertaken by Australia’s Royal Flying Doctors Service.

The G'DAY USA Program is a short term Cultural Exchange which offers High School students and staff the opportunity to travel, as a group, to the USA during the school holidays.

Rihanna at the 9th NRJ Music Awards in Cannes

Rihanna lived up to her recently acquired image of a young celebrity fashion icon walking the red carpet at the 9th NRJ Music Awards in Cannes, France, Saturday, January 26.

The Barbados singer won International Song of the Year for "Don't Stop The Music."

Rihanna, 19, stood out in a grey Grecian-inspired single shoulder flowing dress that grazed the floor. It accentuated her curves, ruched at the waist to her right side.

The dress had a gathered low waist at the back with a colorful striped long bow that emphasized the slight train and a knee high slit revealing Rihanna's well formed calves.

The songstress looked totally at ease and walked tall in her black high heeled basket-weave ankle-wrap strap sandals.

Her chic hair do, short and straight, revealed star tattoos on her neck and three piercing on her ears.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Miu Miu Spring '08 featuring Kirsten Dunst

We've given you a sneak preview of Miu Miu's spring '08 theatrical-themed campaign featuring Kirsten Dunst and now here's the rest of the images, the ones that you haven't seen before.

[Source]

Some colour finally appears on the Cloverfield red carpet

The Chanel Night of Diamonds red carpet may have been all black and white affair, but the LA premiere of Cloverfield wasn’t, with all the young starlets out to show off their fabulous designer dresses. Lindsay Lohan (who looks like she needs to wash her face) made her first red carpet appearance in LA after her rehab stint, wearing a tight black mini dress with her bleached blonde locks flowing and curly. Her red carpet twin and reality TV star, Heidi Montag, sported the same flowing locks, but opted for a red mini dress and similar black peep toe pumps.

Ashlee Simpson kept warm with a red coat and accessorized with an oversized black leather clutch. Michelle Trachtenberg looked cute as a button with her high waisted check skirt, belted down with a patent leather belt.

House star, Jennifer Morrison opted for a yellow strapless gown, while The Hills stars Audrina Patridge and Lauren Conrad wore a green mini and a colourful Jenny Packham respectively.

Who looked best? I loved Ashlee's coat... but it was a red carpet so it would have been nice to see what she had under it.

[Images from Getty]

A black and white affair at Chanel Fine Jewelry 'Night of Diamonds'

Whenever Chanel holds an event, they make sure most (if not all) the stars on the red carpet are wearing Chanel. So it came as no surprise that on Wednesday night at Chanel's 'Night of Diamonds' dinner at The Plaza Hotel for the Chanel Fine Jewelry collection, the black and white red carpet outfits were mostly Chanel. It's a good marketing ploy, and it makes my job a little easier – instead of running through the imaginary slide show of runway images in my head, I can just say 'yes, doesn’t Blake Lively look fabulous in Chanel?’ And doesn’t she just? The high collar does look slightly odd on one so young, but the ruffles and embellishment on the skirt is just amazing.

Erin Wasson wears a white Chanel dress first seen last year on Keira Knightley, but Wasson accessorises it with lots of bangles and a feathered hair piece which gives the outfit her own touch. Selma Blair looks very glamorous in her Chanel dress as Andrea pointed out over at ShinyStyle. While Ellen Pompeo reminds me of Coco Chanel herself in her 1920s inspired outfit – I’m not sure about the driving gloves though....

The embellished dresses really had a decent showing on the red carpet with Estee Lauder face, Liya Kabede, wearing a beautiful sequined cocktail dress and toting a quilted Chanel bag. Margherita Missoni wore a white dress with a large ruffled collar and eyelet detail at the neckline. The tiered look distracted us a little from the collar, but my favourite thing about her outfit were her shoes.

Julia Stiles opted for a simple black satin dress with a high neck, offsetting the dark look with red snake skin heels. Hana Soukupova wore a gorgeous halter neck, embellished at the neckline which flowed out into a semi sheer handkerchief hem dress.

[Images from Getty]

Milan Menswear A/W '08-'09: Round up report

The menswear shows in Milan are storming on with back-fastening shirts and ra-ra skirts (yep, skirts!) at Prada, debonair knitwear at Missoni and sophisticated rock 'n' roll at Moschino.

For a closer look at all these shows, make sure to check out our superb menswear blog, Brandish.

[Image: Catwalking.com via Getty]

Ten things we'd love to happen at the Fashion Weeks this February...

We've been covering the shows for a few years now, and if I'm honest it all gets a bit samey after a while, particularly if you're forced to stand at the back of the room, squinting to see the clothes. So in honour of Paris Haute Couture Week kicking off the fashion season yet again, here are the top ten things we at Catwalk Queen wish would happen over the next couple of months, just to spice things up...

1. Kaiser Karl 'does a Galliano'
Imagine Count Von Lagerfeld ditching his trademark Dior Homme suit and skinny tie in favour of a matador get-up, a pirate costume or full-on Regency dandy, a la John Galliano. That would go a long way to making me forget his ridiculous comments when H&M dared to make his (rubbish) diffusion line in a size 16.

2. The Marc Jacobs show is forced to start late...because they're waiting for Suzy Menkes.
Never. Gonna. Happen. Or is it?

3. Victoria Beckham is refused entry to the Roberto Cavalli show
Come on, it'd be funny, wouldn't it? Particularly if Katie 'Jordan' Price takes her seat instead. Catfight!

4. Gareth Pugh announces plans to create a diffusion line for Laura Ashley
Pretty, practical floral for yummy mummies, from the man more famous for coats covered in rats, gimp masks and cuboid headpieces. I'd buy it.

5. Catering at parties means pie and chips instead of canapes
The CQ team has been known to deliberately loiter as close to the kitchens as possible in order to stuff ourselves with the very sparse and very tiny canapes that are very occasionally distributed at fashion parties. It's not that we're greedy, we just need something to soak up the champagne*

6. Pattern cutters & seamstresses stage a writers-style strike...
...Causing designers to send sketches to editors rather than showing clothes on the catwalk. The carbon footprint of hundreds of fashionistas is lowered, models don't have to get out of bed and we don't have to worry about what to wear, where we'll be sitting or whether the goodie bag is going to be any good.

7. At the end of the Christopher Kane show, models strip and throw the clothes out into the audience
We catch everything. EBay crashes from the strain the following day. We book a long holiday.

8. None of the seats on the front row are taken up by the bratty 6-year-old offspring of 'VIP guests'.
That'll be the day.

9. Matthew Williamson shows a collection completely devoid of prints, chiffon or anything remotely boho.
..for Pucci. Come on, it'd be funny.

10. There's a blogger room.
If the technology industry can do it, so can the fashion industry.

*ok, we're greedy.

[Image: Graduate Fashion Week by Catwalking.com]

Dolce & Gabbana ad campaign starring Jessica Stam, Lily Donaldson and Gemma Ward

Glossy mags are packed full with adverts for high end fashion labels so it's a good job the often resemble high budget fashion shoots. They receive a lot of column inches for rumoured appearances, actual appearances and the high expense of the campaigns.

The latest ad campaign for Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana (click image for a closer look) features Lily Donaldson, Jessica Stam and Gemma Ward.

[Source]

Stars turn out for Giorgio Armani Privé show in Paris

The celebs turned out overnight for Giorgio Armani's Privé show at couture week in Paris. Actresses Hilary Swank and Ellen Pompeo, of Grey's Anatomy who was bordering on a serious wardrobe malfunction, along with Dita Von Teese (who's just signed a deal with Wonderbra) flew in especially for the show and to add that now infamous Armani A-list factor to the front row. Last week, at the Italian designer's menswear show, he drew the likes of Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles. But it was Beyonce's bodyguard who caused a bit a stir at the Versace show with Bergdorf's director Tommy Fazio, over seating arrangements... read all about it here.

[Images: Getty - click to enlarge]

K by Karl Lagerfeld, the spring 2008 advertising campaign

K by Karl Lagerfeld was just launched for fall 2007 with the help of Notify designer Maurice Ohayon and Stephen Gan co-founder of Visionaire magazine, and it's already becoming quite popular among the young and hip crowd. The brand is based on t-shirts and jeans, which Lagerfeld insists is the base of modern dressing, and is definitely for the Kirsten Dunsts and Heath Ledgers (or Pete Doherty’s if you must force it out of me) of the world.

Judging from the spring 2008 advertising campaign staring Jeisa Chiminazzo and Brad Kroenig, and its sleek lines carefully teamed with vintage-inspired pieces, this is one brand for the modern girl. Question is, will Lagerfeld introduce wide legged jeans when skinnies have been ruled too early-mid 2000’s?

[Images from The Fashion Spot]

Celebrities at Sundance: Mischa Barton

Fresh from being pulled over for a DUI offence late last year, newly-blonde Mischa Barton is certainly glowing at the Sundance Film Festival for the premiere of her new movie, The Assassination of an American President. My first thoughts after seeing all these pictures, was how many outfits can a girl wear within a day or two? But Mischa kept it simple with her outdoorsy style, only changing beanies and scarves (perfectly matched of course), for her photo opportunities indoors.

I loved her loose leopard print shirt paired with dark denim jeans, while the white one-shouldered shift dress was simple but accessorised with enough sass to let her natural beauty shine. My favourite part of her outfits? The earrings. They suit her skin tone but aren't too loud so that they're taking over her face. What bag was she seen carrying? The Bag Lady asks you to guess...

[Images from Getty]

Celia Birtwell to create swimwear line for Marie Curie Cancer Care

A swimathon may seem like a word you haven't heard or used since you were in school but it might be something you want to get involved in for 2008. This year, the event is raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care and they have called upon the help of amazing textiles designer Celia Birtwell to create some chic swimwear.

Birtwell, who is most famous for her work with legendary '60s/'70s designer Ossie Clark, is to create a 30-piece collection of swimwear in support of the event. We can't wait to see what she designs. This year's Swimathon is fronted by Hollyoaks star Roxanne McKee (pictured). It will run from 17 - 20 April 2008, at 500 pools across the UK.