Christian Louboutin, YSL Suit Dismissed

WWD writes that Christian Louboutin's lawsuit against Yves Saint Laurent over red-soled shoes has been dismissed. Louboutin more or less won the case in September, when a New York federal appeals court upheld the designer's trademark for his "signature soles," but decided that YSL could make entirely red shoes (soles included) if the fashion house wanted. YSL dropped its remaining counterclaims in October and it's unclear what the lawsuit has been up to since then.

Christian Louboutin, YSL Suit Dismissed [WWD]

Kate Upton Makes Debut British Vogue Cover

Kate Upton has landed her first ever British Vogue cover, starring on the January issue - which hits news stands on December 10.

Best known for her bombshell curves, the US beauty first made her name as a swimwear model and is now determined to pave a career in the fashion industry.

"It's very rare for a girl; to move from one area of the business to the other, largely due to the fact that fashion models are almost without curves, whereas swimwear girls are celebrated for them," Shulman said in her editor's letter. "When I decided to shoot Kate for our first cover of 2013, it was to kick off the year with a young women who is not a stereotypical fashion model - although, let's face it, she's hardly a heffalump!"

more: here

British Fashion Awards 2012

The 2012 Winners & Awards

Alexa Chung, winner of the British Style Award
J.W. Anderson, winner of the Emerging Talent Award - Ready-to-Wear
Manolo Blahnik CBE, winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award 2012
Sophie Hulme, winner of the Emerging Talent Award - Accessories
Jonathan Saunders, winner of Emerging Talent Award - Menswear
Harold Tillman CBE receives the Special Recognition Award 2012
Roksanda Ilincic, winner of the Red Carpet Award
Nicholas Kirkwood, winner of the Accessory Designer Award
Professor Louise Wilson OBE, winner of the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator
Erdem Moralioglu, winner of the New Establishment Award
Cara Delevingne, winner of the Model Award
Kim Jones, winner of the Menswear Designer Award

Chanel Pre-Fall 2013 2014 collection

Capturing the charged romance of his Paris-Edinburgh Métiers d’Art collection, Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld held a show in the floodlit ruins of Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots.

In the sleeting rain, guests were greeted by huge bonfires, hot whisky and sat in a medieval-like wooden canopy created for the occasion. Lagerfeld’s inspiration was Scotland, heavily drawing upon Mary, Queen of Scots and Coco Chanel’s love affair with the Duke of Westminister who introduced her to Scottish tweed and the outdoors existence.

The nonchalant and heavily accessorized clothes were a mix of drop waisted kilt-pleated coats, renaissance-style dresses, plus fours, French culottes – (max shorts,) tartan jeans and argyl sweaters. In Lagerfeld’s hands, Scottish traditions resembled modern sportswear. Although there was tons of tartan, Lagerfeld made a point of delivering the iconic kilt in chiffon and lace.

Chanel Pre-Fall 2013 2014 collection

Source: chanel-news.chanel.com

Rihanna to star in own U.S. fashion reality show

Chart-topping R&B star Rihanna is delving into the world of fashion, starring in a reality television show competition that will challenge designers to make outfits for a handful of celebrities, U.S. cable channel Style Network said on Wednesday.
"Styled to Rock," set to premiere in the latter half of 2013, will feature 12 young designers handpicked by the Barbadian Grammy-winning singer.
The designers will be tasked with styling a celebrity guest on each episode, and the guest will help determine which designer moves on to the next round of the competition.
"Fashion has always played an integral part in my life and career. I am so excited to partner with Style Network and share my creative insight with these 12 designers and give them this opportunity to showcase their work," Rihanna, 24, said in a statement.
The singer will also serve as an executive producer under her given name, Robyn Rihanna Fenty. Style Network has yet to announce which celebrities will guest host or the fashion experts who will serve as mentors to contestants.
The series will piggyback on a British show of the same name in which Rihanna appeared over the summer.
The "Diamonds" singer recently concluded a seven-date globe-trotting tour in support of her new album "Unapologetic," which debuted atop the Billboard 200 album chart last week.

Style Network is a unit of Comcast Corp's NBCUniversal.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by M.D. Golan)

London show fetes Italian fashion designer Valentino

LONDON (Reuters) - The Oscar dress worn by Julia Roberts and a frock for Audrey Hepburn are just two tantalizing items out of the dozens of sumptuous pieces gathered for a new show in London celebrating Italian designer Valentino Garavani's 50 years in fashion.
"Valentino: Master of Couture" at Somerset House on the River Thames in central London features more than 130 pieces from a designer whose clients included Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Margaret.
Dressed in a light grey suit and lilac shirt, the man simply referred to in the industry as Valentino told reporters he hoped to do more shows in England in the future.
"I love England, I love to be in London and I hope to be able to come very often to do other exhibitions, other Valentino things in this beautiful city," he said.
Besides the black velvet evening gown with white ribbons Roberts wore when she won the best actress Oscar and a delicate floral dress with green sash designed for Hepburn, the exhibition delves into Valentino's personal letters and photographs, displays handcrafted couture gowns and has digital installations, including videos of his atelier.
Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a huge white flower installation with interactive projections and quirky display cases made of plush white upholstered chairs.
A pale lilac carpet on the next level leads visitors towards a catwalk, where rows of white chairs are lined up amongst more than 130 pieces from Valentino's couture collections.
"We want visitors to feel in the centre of things on the catwalk, so it's a privileged catwalk in a sense...We hope it's going to be a really pleasurable experience," co-curator Alistair O'Neill told Reuters.
Mannequins, sporting blonde wigs in different hairstyles, are dressed in decadent evening gowns with ruffled floral details, in the designer's signature red, as well as black, soft creams and animal prints.
The exhibition took around a year and a half to assemble, said O'Neill, who co-curated the show alongside Patrick Kinmouth and Antonio Monfredo.
The collection also features sleek capes, brightly colored kaftans and chic day dresses which span Valentino's work over the past 50 years.
"We wanted to be able to show something of this very rarefied world," O'Neill said.
"It's very normal for Mr. Valentino...but for us, it's an amazing thing to step into."
(Reporting by Li-mei Hoang, editing by Paul Casciato)

Alexander Wang to Take Reins at Balenciaga

The New York-based designer will replace Nicolas Ghesquière at the French fashion house, who officially leaves today - after 15 years at the helm.
According to market sources, the PPR-owned fashion house picked the buzzy New York designer to succeed Nicolas Ghesquière, who is to officially exit Balenciaga today.

Balenciaga officials had no comment on Thursday. Wang officials did not respond to a request for comment.

A designer in the sleek-and-modern fashion mold of Ghesquière, but with a streetwise edge and a tinge of Goth, Wang has become one the brightest stars of the American fashion scene with his groovy T-shirts, studded handbags and high-impact fashion shows.

He is also admired for his commercial savvy, having rapidly built a sizable business with manufacturing muscle and a global footprint.

Source: WWD

Josh Wood Opens Second London Salon

WOOD WORK: “I hate salons,” said Josh Wood, the London hair stylist who’s just opened a space at Liberty. “That’s why we do things differently, with iPads for our clients to play with, and I never have more than 10 chairs.”

WWD - Wood’s new space, on the third floor overlooking Carnaby Street, is his second London salon. The original Josh Wood Atelier is in Notting Hill. Guests at the launch party included Sam Taylor-Johnson, who made a cameo appearance before she rushed home to relieve her babysitter; Laura Bailey; Henry Holland; Jade Williams, and Serena Rees.

“It took us a year to find the right space and they’ve given us a room that has never been used for retail before; it used to be an office,” said Wood.

“Hair first, face second. If the hair is perfect, nothing else matters. I can walk out of here with no makeup but perfect hair and still feel like I look good,” said Kristen McMenamy, whose long silver tresses are tended by Wood. His high-profile clients also include Elle Macpherson, Daphne Guinness, Jemima Khan, January Jones and the Duchess of York.

The evening featured a special performance by Theo Adams Co., with 20 blondes wearing wigs that had been styled by the Josh Wood team.



more:
FIVE MINUTES WITH JOSH WOOD

Kate Moss’ Breakdown And Heartache

KATE MOSS suffered a nervous breakdown following her iconic nude 1992 Calvin Klein advert, in which she was photographed by Herb Ritts alongside Mark Wahlberg.

"I had a nervous breakdown when I was 17 or 18, when I had to go and work with Marky Mark and Herb Ritts," Moss said. "It didn't feel like me at all. I felt really bad straddling this buff guy. I didn't like it. I couldn't get out of bed for two weeks. I thought I was going to die. I went to the doctor and he said: 'I'll give you some Valium', and Francesca Sorrenti [Moss' friend and mother of Mario Sorrenti], thank God, said: 'You're not taking that.'"

"It was just anxiety. Nobody takes care of you mentally. There's a massive pressure to do what you have to do. I was really little, and I was going to work with Steven Meisel. It was just really weird - a stretch limo coming to pick you up from work. I didn't like it. But it was work and I had to do it."

more :Vogue

Alice Auaa RTW Spring 2013

Alice Yasutaka Funakoshi's spring collection 2013 -inspired by Alice in Wonderland, was chock full of the kind of theatricality for which his brand is known. Models emerged from a fog wearing tattered hoop skirts, lace covered corsets and Victorian style bloomers, as well as sculptural gothic dresses. Some of the more unusual exits included a red plaid snake-like tube that spiraled around one model from head to toe, and metal frames in the shape of giant playing cards held up and attached to a nearly naked male model with a leather harness. At the end of the show the designer came out in a goth-looking rabbit costume and removed the head to take his bow.