About a year ago, we were invited to a home in Larchmont to meet a famed French perfumer, who’d created iconic scents for Dior and Gaultier. His name was Francis Kurkdjian, and he was launching a new line of scents under his newly opened Maison under his own name. Along with Serge Lutens and Frederic Malle (all French – no coincidence), Kurkdjian is considered one of the great perfumers in the world – he’s created more than 20 of the best selling fragrances of all time and received a number of great reviews and awards. His entire line, including candles, debuted at Neiman Marcus a year ago, and now the brand and the store will have a little scented anniversary party. Marc Chaya, CEO of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, will be sharing innovative fragrance tips as well as the entire Maison Francis Kurkdjian product line at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills. The eponymous collection features cologne, eau de toilettes, eau de perfume, candles, interior perfumes, incense papers, a perfumed bracelet and even a unique collection of scented bubbles. If you have not smelled any of the master’s scents – and there are a few, including mens’ – we suggest you hit Neiman Marcus next week on Thursday September 9, between 1pm and 6pm, and be prepared to smell amazing. Every time I wear his fragrance called Ce Soir, I have a million people asking about it. And most of them are men. This is the effect I was going for! – Merle Ginsberg

This just sneaked up on us – and boy, are we surprised! Our good friend and colleague, photographer/ music video and commercial director Matthew Rolston – known for beauty, fashion and celebrity expertise – is the Creative Director of SBE’s (Sam Nazarian) new hotel The Redbury, which just opened at 1717 Vine St.- and its new restaurant called Cleo – soon to be the hottest place in town. The style of both the hotel and restaurant is said to be “boho-chic,” and it looks as if most of the 57 rooms in the hotel have some red walls, hence the Redbury name. Rolston played the Phillipe Starck role here – Starck having designed Nazarian’s SLS hotel – mixing English antiques with design elements derived from a variety of Old World ethnic cultures. It also has a rock n’ roll theme. This suits Rolston, who’s shot many a famous pop star, from Janet Jackson to Michael Jackson to Adam Lambert for Rolling Stone. Cleo, the restaurant from Executive Chef Daniel Elmaleh, will have a distinctly light menu that evokes a contemporary mezze bar. Drawn from a variety of influences, Cleo’s cuisine is a modern twist on the foods and cultures of the eastern and southern Mediterranean, and it’s open from 6pm to midnight every night, so as this is L.A., it could take over the “late night” hang out area very quickly. And Mr. Rolston never fails to surprise and amaze us with his talents! – Merle Ginsberg

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We always love so many pieces from the collections of Belgian maestro Dries Van Noten – and his clothes have finally caught up to celebrities, thank goodness (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Cate Blanchett, Julia Roberts). The fall 2010 collection includes some pieces that are THE trend items of the season, but Dries does them in a far less typical or obvious way than most designers. For instance, his army green “skinny” pants are a little bit looser – and his man tailored jackets all have very feminine wasp-waists. He did an army green a line skirt that is a very new shape and look. His full “fifties” skirt is very full and would great with t-shirts or little tops and blouses – and you only need one of these. (The Louis Vuitton versions are amazing – and very very expensive). And leopard is back in a big way, and Dries did it as a jacket to toss over everything – dresses, skinny pants, blouses – the works. We’re thinking that even grabbing 3 of these pieces will make your whole fall wardrobe come together in a very easy and chic way. – Merle Ginsberg

To go with all these very tailored fall looks – skinny pantsuits, full skirts with tight tops, pencil skirts with blouses and jackets – one needs a more structured handbag. Those soft leathery shoulder bags you’ve been wearing that slouch, bright colors, and very very long straps – gone, kids. Put them in the back of the closet. This fall, it’s about a structured bag – but since designers know women can’t handle small bags – it’s about the structured bag with a bit of softness. Call it The Structured Hobo: the straps are way shorter, only a few of these bags can be worn on your shoulder. The colors are new, as well as the shapes. They are all on NeimanMarcus.com:

– Merle Ginsberg

You know the drill: you watch various tv show’s red carpet coverage of the Emmys – from E! to the major networks, to Access Hollywood, ET and Extra. Have you EVER seen a fashion expert talking about red carpet clothes on any of these broadcasts that actually WAS a fashion expert? Our opinion is mostly – no. Mostly, they’re comedians, bland tv hosts, reality show hosts – and not true fashion editors or stylists. But we just learned that Extra will use Elle Magazine Creative Director Joe Zee as a special fashion correspondent for their Emmy fashion coverage this Sunday, August 29th. Tune in to “Extra” on Monday, August 30th (check www.extratv.com for local listings) to catch Joe’s exclusive and inimitable red carpet style recap and commentary, along with celebrity interviews straight from the “Extra” Emmy Awards® red carpet platform. Joe Zee was a fashion editor at Allure, then W, and is now in charge of all photography at Elle – and he also acts as a celeb stylist to Justin Timberlake and Julia Roberts sometimes. He was also the editor in chief of the defunct Cargo Magazine from CondeNast. So perhaps this is the beginning of serious fashion people getting to critique looks at awards shows. This means we might start tuning in, instead of watching on the internet. – Merle Ginsberg

With the Emmy’s coming on Sunday, I must say, I still haven’t decided what great cocktail dress to wear to the HBO party at the Pacific Design Center. I’ve been scrolling through every store’s website and just haven’t located that “statement” dress. And – in thinking about it – wouldn’t it be great to have a dress that would work for a number of big fall events? Why not just buy one seriously great dress? So when I expanded my pricepoint, a lot more possibilities opened up. For instance, these gorgeous cocktail confections by Alberta Ferretti from her fall 2010 collection. Yes, the actresses will all be wearing resort, spring 2011 or couture – but the executives, show runners and journalists won’t! Each one of these dresses is a total showstopper, and worst the investment. The last is my favorite – that pale pale blue with ruching is divine. Of course, it’s also $2730.00 dollars at Neimanmarcus.com. Hmmmmm . . . well, I’d sure want to wear it again. I’d have to!!! – Merle Ginsberg

The last time we heard about a star wearing an already worn dress, it was Reese Witherspoon wearing a Chanel at a big awards show that some other star had worn – and it caused a big brou-haha. Why? Because in the world of Hollywood fashion, this is just not meant to happen. It might not have bothered Reese at all, but the media was up in arms. Last night, when Drew Barrymore attended the premier of her new movie “Going the Distance” with boyfriend Justin Long, she wore a backless long Catherine Malandrino gold gown from resort 2010/11, very movie star bombshell, with flowing hair. She paired it with a Balmain belt. However – Catherine Malandrino wore the dress herself back in June to the CFDA Awards. Then Mary J. Blige wore it a few weeks later. And there’s no way Drew couldn’t have known that – or her stylist, Lee Harris, couldn’t have known that. So hurray, Drew, for just wearing the dress you loved and wanted to wear. This is real fashion nerve!!! – Merle Ginsberg

Just when you thought retail stores couldn’t get any more clever in terms of luring shoppers in with websites and ecommerce comes The Express iPhone App. It works with Apple iPhone and Apple iPod Touch, Apple iPhone 4.0 and any Android phone with a 1.OS or above. They’re calling it Explife. The app gives users VIP access to exclusive Express event footage and music videos, as well as new clothing arrivals, products promotions and the latest news from the brand. You can also share Express finds with your friends via Twitter and Facebook, and always know when a new look comes into the store. Hey, that strapless dress for the cocktail party came in – yay! Of course, we have to believe that only the most loyal Express customers will be downloading this app – but you never know. Apps are the new black. – MG

This past weekend, television stars were out and about in L.A., getting ready for the full-on Emmy madness that will be this coming weekend. Audi held a pre-Emmy party at Cecconi’s – but you know you’re in fashion trouble when “Curb Your Enthusiasm’s” Cheryl Hines is the best dressed person there. Not that this one shoulder white number is so bad – it’s just that everyone else generally looked much worse. But of course, at an Audi party, it’s the cars that get visual center stage. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences also gave a pre-Emmy party for Emmy nominees. Still, the heavy hitting A list didn’t come out of the woodwork – but Betsy Brandt, who’s so good on AMC’s “Breaking Bad” – wore this pretty floral cocktail dress, very summer appropriate – and it was nice to see her out of her dusty Alburquerque costumes. Then the Creative Arts Emmys were held this weekend, with some actors (Betty White, Neil Patrick Harris) picking up awards for hosting shows, and with a few of the A list (Jon Hamm) actually showing up. The big fashion statement here is that “Mad Men’s” Christina Hendricks wore a black strapless ballgown with many folds, made by Christian Siriano – with a Judith Leiber bag. We appreciate her all-out effort – but this woman looks best in skintight clothes with her hair up – just like her character on “Mad Men.” This dress just doesn’t do her any good. Nor does her hair and makeup, for that matter. Let’s hope the fashion quotient picks up this weekend! – Merle Ginsberg