Henri Bendel – Colette Malouf & Count Me Healthy

Text, Vivian Kelly

Henri Bendel = the Ultimate Accessories Emporium

Colette Malouf’s Night Fever Collection – wire mesh headband

We went over to Henri Bendel’s to attend a press event for Colette Malouf’s new spring 2012 “NightFever” line of hairpieces and jewelry. Colette wasn’t  there, but her PR Rep could not have been nicer and we played for a while trying on different headbands and a gold mesh bracelet from the “Night Fever” collection I’m in love with now.

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Tadashi Shoji Fall 2012 Backstage- “Shanghai” Collection”

Text and Videos, Vivian Kelly

SHANGAI

This City served as a source of inspiration last season for society designer, Douglas Hannant. This season, designer Tadashi Shoji drew inspiration from past and present Shanghai to deliver a beautiful collection that stars such as Olivia Spencer, will continue to love and wear.

To read more and to view my backstage video interview, click here for the full story on my new URL.

Enjoy!

Victoria’s Secret Angel Candice Swanepoel: Part 1

Text and Video, Vivian Kelly

The Victoria’s Secret Very Sexy Tour was as well organized as a military operation. As a blogger, I waited with the other bloggers invited, perched on a ledge,  two yards away from VS Angels Candice Swanepoel and Erin Heatherton. Each of us had 3 minutes with the Supermodels.

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Vivian

XO

 

New URL! Come on Over – Miss YOU!

Hi All!

In case you missed it the first time around, this is the new URL so when you come here – please get rid of the “wordpress” part of the address – you don’t need it anymore.

Here’s the new URL to bookmark : )

THE NEW URL IS: http://www.thefashionexaminer.com

Your subscriptions are GREATLY valued. p/s click the SUBSCRIBE button after entering you email on the new site and you’re good to go!

I’m posting every other day as usual and lots of good stories for spring 2012.

THANKS!

Cheers,

Vivian Kelly

New Location! Come on Over to our new Web Address

Hi All!

In case you missed it the first time around, this is the new URL so when you come here – please get rid of the “wordpress” part of the address – you need it anymore.

THE NEW URL IS: http://www.thefashionexaminer.com

Your subscriptions are GREATLY valued and p/s click the SUBSCRIBE button after entering you email on the new site and you’re good to go!

I’m posting every other day as usual and lots of good stories for spring 2012.

THANKS!

XO  Vivian

New Address! The New & Improved Fashion Examiner

Hi Everyone!

Exciting news, I’m now under my own URL which will be going live tonight.

It is:    http://www.thefashionexaminer.com

This version is THE NEW and IMPROVED The Fashion Examiner.

Thanks for following and this change would not have been possible without YOU all following me.

Looking forward to bringing you much more fun and fashion and style info.

Vivian Kelly

xoxo

The Rebeccas: Rebecca Taylor and Rebecca Minkoff and Their Fall 2012 Collections

Text, Vivian Kelly and Laura Wood

Friday, Feb 10

Rebecca Taylor and Rebecca Minkoff

Rebecca Taylor

The impression we had was based on our knowledge that Rebecca Taylor  is a seasoned pro and knows how to put together a cohesive collection. That was underlined by seeing newer designer Rebecca Minkoff’s collection immediately afterwards. Our strongest impression was that Ms. Minkoff’s collection didn’t hold together as a cohesive collection lacking a central theme.

Ms. Taylor’s clothes this season are layered and asymmetrical. We liked #4, an elegant take on a long tee shirt and leggings. You get the ease of the former but with the festiveness of sequins and chiffon you could wear to a party.

Rebecca Taylor's Look #4 from the fall 2012 Collection Show

Number 18, a velvet burn out dress is for anyone who wants just a little bit of asymmetric.

Ziggy Stardust Wallpaper - David Bowie

Rebecca Minkoff’s Opening Look – Touches of Ziggy Stardust

Rebecca Minkoff's Look #18 from her fall 2012 collection show

Look 27, an ivory boucle sweater and quilted leather skirt is cute but only on the skinniest girl. The asymmetric layered look isn’t for everyone but Ms. Taylor works it with a sure hand.

Rebecca Minkoff

Looks 1 and 3 in the “Galaxy Sequin” segment at Rebecca Minkoff had shades of Ziggy Stardust and seemed ideal for the aspiring LA starlet.

From that point on, although it was obvious that the collection had distinct themes, they were dispersed unevenly. First you see eye-popping neon color with gray and then appears again in look 18 and then in 20 and disappears. We liked this grouping and wished it had been presented together and she did a good job toning down summer brights with gray making it suitable for fall. Look 18 had some nice separates you use in both spring and fall.

Rafael Cennamo’s Transformative Gowns -Dresses WithThe Power To Make You A Princess

Text, Vivian and Laura Wood

Every woman would like to be a princess or a queen and Venezuelan designer, Rafael Cennamo, knows that.

He even crowned some of his models in his NYFW Presentation at the Lincoln Center Box venue.

The teased hair with the circlets is modern days take on the gigantic wigs Marie Antoinette and her ladies wore to Court as well as the cover of  Jo Manning‘s My Lady Scandalous [The Amazing Life and Outrageous Times of Grace Dalrymple Elliott, Royal Courtesan] a book I can’t wait to start reading tonight.

PR guru, Paul Wilmot, had expressed enthusiasm for this designer some months back, and  he has never steered us wrong, but this collection exceeded all expectations.

True, we’d checked-out images of Taylor Swift and Gwen Stefani in R.C. and they looked good, but what we saw in the Box was on a whole different plane; it was transformative dressing at its best.

We fell in love with Rafael Cennamo when we spotted the blue metallic mesh turtleneck cocktail dress with its discreet illusion panel. The effect was Modern Day Chinese Princess.

The moonlight metallic embroidered tulle gown was the Western idea of what a princess should look like. The embroidery and its placement was reminiscent of a bejeweled bodice and underskirt like Queen Elizabeth I wore in royal portraits.  As if that weren’t already enough, the sapphire blue backless gown with draped sleeves worn by a beautiful Asian model knocked us out.  We can’t image that this dress wouldn’t wind up on the Red Carpet. We hope that someone snatched this one up and that we’ll see it Sunday at the Oscars when into ABC to watch.

Below, a shout-out to the people on the team who helped  Rafael  create these modern day princesses

Styling – Danielle Nachmani

Hair – Matthew Curtis / TRESemme

Make-up – Rogelio Reyna / Bobbi Brown

Nail Care – Kelly Baber / Jessica

Hats – Yestadt Millinery

Jewelry – Jacob & Co.

Casting – Maurilio Carnino / MTC Casting

Costello Tagliapietra’s Flattering Fashion for the Modern Woman: The Fall 2012 Collection

Text, Vivian Kelly and Laura Wood

Reported by Laura Wood – Thursday, Feb. 9, Milk Studios, NYC

This season the guys had a lot of prints [for them] using their eco-friendly airdye technology. The first look came out and I knew that I was at a Costello Tagliapietra and I felt that although the colors were strong, they would suit a lot of colorings. The plunging V-neck and flutter sleeve were easy-sexy and that’s what you go to C.T. for.

Look #5, the Costello Tagliapietra fall'12 Runway Show

Look #5 was an easy transitional reversible coat in chartreuse and orange, perfect for when you can’t just go out in your dress and meet even extend to chillier summer days.

Although some of the prints included editorial eye-popping colors, Laura loved the sophisticated print of look #8. The skillful construction minimizes what you want to hide and maximizes the curves you want to highlight.

Costello Tagliapietra Look # 8 The Perfect Dress

Costello Tagliapietra Look #9 - the Medieval Hooded Theme

In look #9 they address the hooded theme of the season. After looking at this coat, we can’t wait to throw-away our hats. The hoods are reminiscent of the ones people wore in Medieval Times which were a hooded cloak, not to be mistaken with a sweat shirt hoodie.

Although Vivian loved the skinny pants we agreed that #15, the high waist park pleated trouser is a necessary wardrobe staple whether you’re a size 2 or 12.

Costello Tagliapietra Look #15 The Essential Bark Pant

They offered five evening gowns, and our favorite was look #26 – a lavender sheath with beautiful draping and just enough sheen to be glamorous without being overdone.

Costello Gown Look #26, Our Favorite Evening Option From The fall '12 Collection

Bravo Costello Tagliapietra! You did it again.

FE Friend Sofia Bak Reports From The Trenches at LONDON Fashion Week: Day 1 of LFW

Text, Sofia Bak

Images Sourced by Vivian Kelly. from designscene.net

Up like bullet at 7, throw on Lako Bukia, Onna Ehrlich-Bell and mom’s black vintage Zorro hat. Running late for the 9am show…as always…lovely new assistant Anna Komolova saves a seat…Antoni & Alison wake everyone up with loud crazy music and a concept to switch your brain into gear…loved 1 dress…out on the street to shoot for Vogue Italia…street style photographers outnumber possible models…I finally find 1…10 more want to shoot her…mostly ended up shooting other street stylers all day…but felt like I got shot more than I shot them…it’s the blue dip dyed hair. Speaking of which…the only street style trend I’m seeing so far is coloured hair…seemed like practically everyone had a splash of colour this season. Took a break with tea & cake at Orla Kiely presentation where models were showing off outfits at a 50’s style dance…did they book the ones who could dance or teach them? Beautiful, romantic…oooh macaroons! Run in at the last minute for (friend) Francesca Marotta debut show, stunned by the Italian widows, bloody tears, great acting skills on the models and lace…lace…lace. Turned away with a seated ticket for Bora Aksu show. Weird. How did they manage to organise that?! Brilliant casting at Felder Felder, lovely to see my girl from Kiev Fashion Days – Alla Kostromichova opening...great prints and new knits. Love. Watched another brilliant fashion film by Ada Zanditon. Found incredible footwear architect Julian Hakes at the exhibitions…shot man in a latex woman: Pandemonia…dying by the time Jena Theo show rolled in…but loved every piece. Would buy 99% of it…it’s like they thought…what does Sofia like to wear…baggy black tops and skinny jeans it is.

Now hating my life because all I want to do is pass out but I have 468 photos and 98 e-mails to go through (99 by the time I finished this…damn now it’s 101). And you always ask me if I’m LOOKING FORWARD to fashion week and if I’m going to any PARTIES. This is just day 1…in a NUTSHELL!