Emmys 2014: A very red, red carpet

Lena Dunham and boyfriend Jack Antonoff attend the 66th
Primetime Emmy Awards; photo credit: beimages

Alright, alright, alright. We all know that "Girls" star Lena Dunham ended up on al-most every worst dressed list regarding this year's Primetime Emmy Awards. But have you really stopped and asked yourself why?

I assume the comments would read some-thing like this: "Look at her, she's so fat, she should not be in a ball gown that makes her even wider" or "That dress looks like a wedd-ing cake exploded". For the record, yes, Lena Dunham is a big girl who is not ashamed of her body. She is a fearless actress who is not afraid to take risks on the red carpet and to constantly have fun with fashion. She also has a new hair-color and a gorgeous boyfriend.

What do you got?

Now that I got the Lena Dunham and her Giambattista Valli dress burden off my chest, we can move on to the rest of the night's risk-takers. Finding herself very high
on my best dressed list is Dunham's co-star Allison Will-iams who also chose to wear one of Valli's gowns from the designer's F/W '14 Haute Couture collection. The rest of the successfully clad actress-es who wore his designs included Michelle Monaghan and Amanda Peet.

The color of the night was definitely red. I have counted approximately thirteen red gowns - some more, some less successful, but all equally impactful. The list of women who wore the popular color is filled with names such as January Jones in Prabal Gurung, Claire Danes in Givenchy and winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a beautiful shade of coral, courtesy of Carolina Herrera.

From left: Claire Danes, Allison Williams, Kerry Washington & Lizzy Caplan; photo credit: Getty images

Furthermore, "Scandal" star Kerry Washington showed off her post-baby body in an electric orange Prada dress with a sparkling mini-skirt underneath and Lizzy Caplan shone in a backless black and white Donna Karan gown that literally took everyone's breath away. Some actresses, however, were less fortunate on the red carpet such as Debra Messing and Taylor Schilling in a beaded Zuhair Murad dress who bore with their choices.

Haute Couture F/W '14 Trend Report: Ombre looks

A Jean Paul Gaultier gown from the F/W '14
Haute Couture collection illustrated by me

Over the last year we've all been witnesses of the 'ombre trend' that took the world of hair styling by storm. An endless number of girls would step out of beauty salons each day, working a newly colored 'do that usually goes from brown to extremely light blonde tips. Well guess what - the ombre technique isn't just for your hair anymore!

There were several successful attempts at ombre featured in last season's collections - most notably Burberry's Resort '15 garments that went from darker blues to white and then back again - but these color transitioning clothes were all over the couture shows from this week.

It all started at Atelier Versace, the first show on the Haute Couture schedule, where Donatella introduced an extremely luxurious version of the ombre trend by pairing gradient spark-ling turtlenecks in blue, purple and black with provocatively cut leather skirts that took the attendees' breath away.

The ombre then took a full swing at Giambattista Valli in the form of grand ballgowns which were actually consisted of ruf-fled tulle skirts and boyish shirt tops, while also appearing on Schiaparelli's runway where the new creative director Marco Zanini showed us how to subtly do gradient by using it on a pink 'Frankenstein' coat. Other notable mentions are Leba-nese designers Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad who as per de-cided to embroider their feminine ombre dresses to death and Russian socialite-cum-designer Ulyana Sergeenko who used the technique on heavy fur and mohair coats.

From left: Atelier Versace, Giambattista Valli, Elie Saab and Schiaparelli's F/W '14 Haute Couture collections

Haute Couture F/W '14 Trend Report: Sculpted whites

A Christian Dior gown from the F/W '14
Haute Couture collection illustrated by me

As per, the Haute Couture fashion week that took place in Paris this fall/winter season brought very few surpri-ses but a lot of memorable looks. Versace Atelier went rock-glam, Raf Simons mixed eight different eras into one show and Uncle Karl traded his luxurious sets for something more intimate.

The question is, 'What did most collections have in co-mmon?' Well, they all played around with voluminous white silhouettes.

Probably the most successful attempt at this trend was Lagerfeld's vision for Chanel. After a few stale seasons, the legendary designer found a new way to impress cli-ents by creating "molded" dresses that barely had any seams. Mostly adorned with exquisite gold embroidery, these garments seem to have already found their way into fashion history - along with those concrete beaded ones, of course.

Others had slightly different interpretations of the 'scul-pted whites' trend but still stayed on point. Simons pre-sented a modern fairy-tale that included Marie Antoi-nette-inspired dresses in shades varying from off to snow white; Donatella Versace decided to dig in the 50s for inspiration and pulled out big deconstructed ballgowns for her namesake brand; Giambattista Valli went with his forte and embroidered the white garments with three-dimensional flowers, while Maria and Pierpaolo insisted on a simplified version of the 'little white dress' for Valentino.

From left: Models from Chanel, Versace Atelier, Giambattista Valli & Valentino's F/W '14 Haute Couture collections

What will the presenters wear to Oscars 2014?

As we are counting down the days until the 86th Academy Awards, we all probably have one question in mind: "What will the big stars wear on the red carpet?"

You can read my predictions about several nominated stars such as Cate Blanchett and Lupita Nyong'o throughout the previous posts and here is the last part of the project showing you what the presenters might wear to this year's Oscars.

Above are the outfit predictions for two gorgeous stars - Jessica Biel and the legendary Angelina Jolie. For the big night I think Jessica will stay true to her romantic aesthetic and don this flower-printed gown from her favorite designer Giambattista Valli, while Angelina Jolie would probably continue the menswear get-ups and wear this sequined jumpsuit with a cape from Atelier Versace.

Next on the list we have Jennifer Garner, lately known for her role in the nominated film "Dallas Buyers Club", who could end up wearing this lace blue column gown from Oscar de la Renta and the pregnant star Kerry Washington who I think will wear this printed maternity dress from Carolina Herrera's latest fall collection.

America's sweetheart Anne Hathaway switched stylists this year and therefore said goodbye to the princess gowns, so I believe she could possibly wear this emerald silk taffeta Valentino column dress from the brand's S/S '14 Couture collection, whereas the beautiful actress Kate Hudson could end up wearing something majestic from British designer Alexander McQueen.

Last but not least we have Charlize Theron and Naomi Watts - two beautiful actresses who prefer minimalism and comfort over drama. Theron is a big fan of Christian Dior and this pantsuit from the brand's S/S '14 Couture collection is perfect for the star, while Naomi Watts was a front-row guest at Calvin Klein's latest show in NYC which could indicate the American house is going to dress the actress for this year's Academy Awards.

Stay tuned as I will soon announce the results from the polls which state your opinion as to what you think the big stars are going to wear to the Oscars 2014!

Collection Déjà Vus - How Much is Too Much?

With the blog's new look comes a new style - it is not enough for me to just review the newest collections or present you with outfit ideas or new collections. Given the freedom and power as a blogger, I feel the need to express my opinion on problems concerning fashion that may be small to the "big" world - but matter a lot to ours.

The Big Problem - When did it Actually Start?

We are all familiar with the word 'recession' and its impact on the world economy, and more importantly - on fashion. Ever since 2008, all we've been hearing about is cutting expenses, minimalism and plain presentations. Another association that comes to mind when someone mentions the word 'recession' is the word, safe. Statistics show that since the beginning of the recession, repetitive collections have been selling like hot cakes, while risk-takers and fashion forward designers have been classified as economic failures. 

Given this, more and more designers have been jumping on the 'repetition' band wagon, desperately trying to save their companies and maximize their profits. However, while this may keep the world of fashion financially stable, what has happened to creativity?

A Growing Trend - Whose Fault is it?

Imagine a bad situation that has happened to you in life. A failed relationship, a bad date, a ruined dress. We always try to blame someone for our misfortune. And while that is a bad approach.. almost all the time, I have to point the finger to the main duo responsible for this "trend" - Dolce&Gabbana. Starting with their S/S 2010 collection back in 2009, the designers have given the word 'repetitive' a whole new meaning. Below is a not-so-complete retrospective of their work until that season (my personal favorites). What you can clearly see is the creativity behind those masterpieces, their ability to explore new themes and start groundbreaking trends. 

From left: F/W '07, S/S '08, F/W '08, S/S '09, F/W '09

What you see in the photo below is variations of the same Sicilian theme over and over again. For me, the only way to distinguish those collections is by giving them different names such as Dolce&Musicana for F/W 2011, or Dolce&Banana for the fruit/vegetable inspired S/S 2012 one. 

From left: S/S '10, F/W '10, F/W '11, S/S '12, S/S '13

The Blind Side - Who Followed?

Following in Dolce&Gabbana's footsteps, Valentino's new duo started establishing the modern Valentino girl. Dressed in nude and covered with lace and studs, she continues to haunt their shows with minor changes to this day. Unfortunately that wasn't all. Red carpet's favorite designer, Elie Saab ditched his themed shows as well, showing 5 different dresses in every color imaginable, season after season. Also let's not forget to add Sarah Burton's McQueen, Balmain - under any creative director, Pucci and Giambattista Valli as very important additions to that list. What's scary: the list is just getting bigger.

Standard beauty: Valentino S/S '11, Balmain S/S '12 , Pucci F/W '10

Important Question: Who is Letting this Happen?

Okay, we all know that fashion is a business, and business is all about money and so on. It is normal for owners of big luxury groups like LVMH and PPR to push their designers to 'be safe' and create wearable items season after season. However, why would anyone want to look the same every season? Shouldn't I, as a customer, want different themes from different designers? That way I would spend more, as I want to own at least one piece from every iconic collection. Very logical. But no, apparently that is not how things work in our fashion world. Apparently, now, what's 'in' is to drool over the same items again and again. Which brings me to this question: What idiot buys the same Dolce&Gabbana lace dress for the rest of their life? First world problems.

Exactly how many black lace dresses does a woman need? Dolce&Gabbana S/S '10 - F/W '12

Moment of Truth - How Can We Solve this?

As an individual, not me - nor you (unless you're Anna Wintour) can do much about it. However, you know what they say - think globally, act locally! The one thing that everyone can do is re-inspect their values. Instead of screaming 'Oh my God, I love that studded Valentino clutch!' that I have seen 10 times before, I would praise young designers like Alexander Wang or Christopher Kane who are trying to make a statement in this world while entertaining us. Let's also not forget the absolute legends - what's left of them after McQueen and Galliano anyway, Miuccia Prada and Marc Jacobs who bring new items to the table season after season. That is the talent we need to acknowledge. For once, forget about the pretty dresses and platform shoes and look into the future - is women wearing Dolce&Gabbana what you really wish to see?

Don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas by leaving me a comment below!

Photo credit: style.com

Couture Fashion Week 2011 - I wore what?

It was Haute Couture Fashion Week for the past 3 days in Paris, and of course my dollie got invited to all big shows and events during this (as I'd like to call it) Couture Wonderland.

Dodence_bt saw the same things as everyone else who attended, from gorgeous shows to fantastic people and of course amazing parties. But what I'd like to share with you is the outfits worn during Couture fashion week - all 11 of them!

Day 1

Where: Christian Dior/Georges Chakra
What: Stella McCartney top, Christian Dior skirt, Miu Miu shoes, Hermes clutch

Where: Alexis Mabille/Giambattista Valli
What: Christopher Kane dress, Louboutin for Rodarte shoes, Pucci bag

Where: Party in honor of Giambattista Valli
What: Giorgio Armani dress and shoes, Fendi clutch, Swarovski sapphire earrings

Day 2

Where: Giorgio Armani/Stephane Rolland
What: YSL top and skirt, Lanvin shoes, Vintage clutch

Where: Alexandre Vauthier/Givenchy
What: YSL shirt and skirt, Chanel shoes, Tiffany&Co. emerald bracelet

Where: Chanel
What: Chanel couture dress, Vintage Chanel shoes and hat

Where: Chanel After-party
What: Christian Lacroix couture dress, Swarovski pink diamond earrings

Day 3

Where: Valentino
What: Valentino couture dress, Miu Miu shoes, Fendi clutch, Sharon Khazzam diamond earrings

Where: Elie Saab
What: Elie Saab dress, belt and shoes, Tiffany&Co. emerald bracelet and ring

Where: Jean Paul Gaultier
What: Giambattista Valli dress, Moschino shoes

Where: White Fairytale Love Ball
What: Viktor&Rolf dress, Christian Louboutin shoes, Topshop brooch

What would you wear? Tell me in the comment box!

Cannes Film Festival 2011 - What to expect?

The Cannes film festival 2011 has officially started.

I must say I'm quite excited, because we are going to see many gorgeous looks on the red carpet by consistantly gorgeous stars such as Fan BingBing, Eva Longoria and Uma Thurman.
As usual, I thought of doing something creative to get into the Cannes spirit. And this year is by choosing categories, or better said trends, which could be chosen by the celebrities.

The Whites


From left: Versace Fall 2011, Alexander McQueen Fall 2011, Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring 2011, Versace Fall 2011, Alexander McQueen clutch, Miu Miu sandals

One of the most common trends at events like these is the color trend. Which color is going to be most worn? Since this year's motto is "White is the new black", I think it's pretty safe to say that we are going to see many beautiful white dresses. I'm still waiting for someone to rock that gorgeous feathered Versace dress, which I am sure is going to happen anytime soon. Another favorite of mine is the Saab sweetheart neckline dress. Simply divine.

Long Sleeved Sexiness


From left: Pucci Fall 2011, Salvatore Ferragamo Fall 2011, Elie Saab Fall 2011, Gucci Fall 2011, Gucci sandals, Bottega Veneta clutch

We all know that European weather is not at it's best right now - but that actually works in favor of this second trend. Long sleeved gowns have always been perfect for an occasion where you'd like to be appropriate and sexy without showing too much skin. But to spice up things this season, designers did show skin - or dare I say, a whole leg. The thigh-high split was seen at various houses such as Pucci and Elie Saab.

Going Big


From left: Giambattista Valli Fall 2011, Christian Dior Haute Couture Spring 2011

But if the first two trends are too subtle for some of the celebrities, there's always the one they can always count on - the bigger the better. Big gowns have always been a classic on the red carpet and they never go out of style. Whether it's Valli's simple designs with a lot of tulle or Dior's draped gowns, there is one thing known for sure - they steal the spotlight like nothing else.

The Risk Taker


From left: Christian Dior Haute Couture Spring 2011, Givenchy Haute Couture Spring 2011, Alexander McQueen Fall 2011, Gucci Fall 2011, Pucci bean clutch, Bottega Veneta clutch

And of course there are the risk takers - celebrities that have a hard time wearing something that doesn't stand out in the crowd. Whether it's because of their eccentric style - or lack of it, these people could definitely rock some of the season's wackiest designs. Starting from Givenchy's whole haute couture presentation to Gucci's sheer dresses, a front-page feature in the newspapers is inevitable.

Paris Fashion Week - Day 6 Exclusives!

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It's only 4:30 in Paris and 6 collections were already showed today.

I must say I really like today's designers - Stella McCartney, Barbara Bui, Leonard, Giambattista Valli etc etc.
Here are some pictures from the collections that left me speechless!

Stella McCartney









Giambattista Valli







Barbara Bui