Posts Tagged ‘Kate Beckinsale’

The MOCA thirtieth anniversary gala held this weekend at the L.A. based museum not only raised $4 million for the financially ailing art institution – with gallerist Larry Gagosian ponying up half a million dollars at auction for the pink Damien Hirst piano that Lady Gaga played (with the Bolshoi Ballet dancing)- it had a wide spectrum of fashion, from gowns to corsets to cocktail to mini’s. It just shows you that anything goes with creative black tie these days. If you’re Kate Bosworth, you can wear a tiny print Proenza Schoulder mini dress. Chloe Sevigny wore a white Miu Miu embellished mini. Jessica Alba wore a more demure black cocktail dress, thatwas actually knee-length – but paired it with red shoes. Eva Mendes was somewhat demure as well, in a black and tan kneelength Miu Miu cocktail dress. Why so much Miu Miu?

It’s always fun to see what stars are wearing on their off-time. Yes, it’s usually jeans or leggings. but the question is: WHICH jeans, and WHICH leggings? Because whatever way they go, so go the trends. Kate Beckinsale was spotted having lunch at the W in Westwood this warm weekend in the J Brand Oz brushed cotton twill jeans thatare in black and white. She did them with a pale heeled shoe and a white long t, and a chic bag – and it completely worked. We keep hearing the unusual washes are coming back – including tie-dye – but now that we see it on Kate, we believe.Susie Crippen from JBrand commented, “I always love to see what Kate wears…she has created a perfect blend of California chic and English girl style.” If you want to purchase these jeans, the correct way to refer to them is:
910 Low Rise Pencil Leg in Oz (Black and White Tie-Dye Luxe Twill)
Of course, it doesn’t hurt if you look like Kate Beckinsale in them.

Sure, it’s now September, but it’s still hot as hell in L.A. – and if you remember last fall, there were hundred and 95 degree days throughout  last September and even October. You can’t wear your new Alexander Wang boyfriend jacket, black tights, or even leggings in this weather – it’s just too hot. So what’s a fashionable celebrity to do? Leave it to Kate Beckinsale to figure it out. She’s rocking a t-shirt, baggy black shorts, a Bally gold Kiky-E python bag (worth much more than her clothes), and Fiorentini and Baker motorcycle boots, while out with her husband. And aviator glasses. These days, it really IS all about the LEATHER!!!!

 

 

 

While on September tenth, most of the fashion industry will be in New York for both New York fashion week and the big Fashion’s Night Out event (which Fashionrules is playing a big part in – but more on that later!) – Balenciaga is hosting an event in L.A. with Kate Beckinsale on that Thursday night after Labor Day in their store on Melrose (8670 Melrose). Seems odd timing, but hey, the Balenciaga fall collection is GORGEOUS beyond belief. Along with the lovely and chic Ms. Beckinsale, L.A. fashion ladies Brigette Romanek and Elizabeth Stewart are part of this shopping event to benefit their favorite charity P.S. Arts. There will be cocktails and requisite high level schmoozing – since that seems to be the only way anybody shops anymore! With a little prodding and alcohol, all things are possible. This is a private invite event, but we thought you’d like to know how little Balenciaga thinks of New York fashion week! – Merle Ginsberg

Every year, Elton John holds an amazing charity ball at Windsor Castle, with the jewelry line Chopard, to contribute to the Elton John Aids Charity – in traditional tails, white ties and ladies in gowns – and – yes, tiaras. There’s always a host of English celebrity royalty on hand – this year, Elizabeth Hurley, Hugh Grant, Erin O’Connor, Geri Halliwell, Damian Hurst – and Justin Timberlake performed, which is pretty amazing. However, it happened last week, just as news broke of Michael Jackson’s death, and the whole ball turned into a memorial and a lot of tears for Michael’s passing.

Still, we thought we’d look on the bright side, since there were a lot of amazing gowns and looks at this affair. Our favorite was Kate Beckinsale’s pale pale lavender strapless hourglass gown – she always looks amazing, the LA transplant loves that fishtail hem – but we can’t trace who made it. It looks like Reem Acra to us. Contrast that with Lily Allen’s insane white lace get up and white bob wig – is she trying to be Lady Gaga? It’s not going to work, that’s for sure. She’s more like the new Amy Winehouse of fashion.

Okay, here at FR, we aren’t going to go on at giant length on the all the looks of the models and the celebs at the Met Ball in NYC – it’s a New York-centric event. But we do think it’s interesting to go over the trends and how they might affect real life and what this do to trends in evening looks overall.  Here’s what we noted:

MINI’S AT NIGHT ARE HOT: Gwyneth started this trend, and now it’s everyone – mini for black tie events. Anne Hathaway did a Marc Jacobs purple poufy mini, and while she was ever so slightly Minnie Mouse with her big hair, it got looks – and was cute and young. Kate Moss also did a short metallic Marc Jacobs with an assymetrical cape, Jessica Alba did a blue crystal short dress, January Jones did a gold Michael Kors long sleeved mini, and Giselle wore a very tiny blue Versace dress in crystals that made everyone else nearly irrelevant. And of course, Madonna’s LV mini and headdress made a statement – and not necessarily a good one. What does all this shortness mean? If you want to turn heads at a dressy event – and you have great legs – AND you’re under 50 – or even 40 – go for a colorful or metallic mini. And have good legs.

 

COLOR IS THE STATEMENT: No one who wore a black dress – and there weren’t many women who did – got that much attention, except for Rihanna in a Dolce & Gabbana sleek tux (the boy look is always a grabber.) Jessica Biel’s orange long tiered Versace gown was vibrant, so was Kate Hudson’ s backless Stella McCartney gold dress – a bit of a body-conscious cliche, but pretty. We also loved Marion Cottilard in her pale peach Dior , and Cindy Crawford and Blake Lively both wore bright Versace blue. As did Donatella – at least you never forgot whose dresses were hers. However, neither Cindy nor Blake look like their dresses fit them well. Sample sizes aren’t always flattering on real bodies.

 

BIG BIG DRESSES: Heidi Klum stole the night in her deep blue strapless J. Mendel dress, that needed a whole city block to walk on. This woman knows how to grab the eye. Elizabeth Hurley’s ecru Elie Saab confection and Kate Beckinsale’s giant Marchesa also were impossible to avoid. Jessica Biel’s orange Versace was pretty big, too. So that’s another option – if you’re going to wear a gown, were a gown with a LOT of fabric!!

 

Reem Acra grew up in Lebanon, studied in Paris, and became a designer of fine bridawear in New York, where she has a boutique on 60th St. near Madison, right near Barneys. She’s dressed major stars on the red carpet in years past (Halle Berry’s stylist Phillip Bloch dyed a Reem white bridal gown baby blue for the Golden Globes several years ago), but she’s never had a year like 2009. She dressed Eva Longoria, Olivia Wilde and Rumer Willis for the Golden Globes, and Kate Beckinsale for the Grammys, just showed a new fall collection in NY to great acclaim, and this weekend, she’s holed up in a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel, showing vintage and fall 09 beautiful couture gowns to presenters, actresses, and Vanity Fair party goers. Dressed in pieces from her own Reem Acra ready-to-wear collection (only a year old, and only sold in her own boutiques) – a black satin skirt, a black shirt, and high black suede boots. “I couldn’t live in L.A.,” she laughs. “I’d have to take off too many layers, and show too much skin, and I’d rather be wearing a lot of beautiful black things – or purple things. Purple is the new black. And navy. I don’t own a pair of jeans.” Fashion Rules caught up with her about all of her red carpet travails. – Merle Ginsberg

 

FASHION RULES: You’ve come out for the Oscars before, no?

 

REEM ACRA: No – this is actually my first Oscars here in L.A. The last time I was here it was only for 24 hours. It’s never worked time-wise for me to spend much time here, but in fact, I love L.A. There’s such a difference in this country between East and West, it’s unbelievable. And I have a lot of friends here. Many of them are going to the Oscars – they’re in the movie business.

 

FASHION RULES: How did it happen that Phillip Bloch wound up dyeing a dress of yours for Halle Berry?

 

REEM ACRA: It was an off-white color, draped on the bias, a taffeta strapless gown. They had this idea that baby blue would good on her, and decided to dye it within 24 hours of the Golden Globes. I thought, “This could be a disaster.” But we took a chance, and it was perfect. And that was the beginning of my red carpet career.

 

FASHION RULES: Now this year, 2009, your gowns have been everywhere, and on major people. What do you think changed?

 

REEM ACRA: I’ve grown as a designer and I know more about Hollywood and celebrities, and what they need to wear here. I make sure these women are sexy – a woman HAS to be sexy! I love a bit of drama – even with color. The red strapless gazar gown that Eva Longoria wore at the Golden Globes was just killer, in shape and in tone. It was as if we made it specifically for her – but we didn’t. It was a couture dress I had made for Hollywood. It was fresh out of the over, as they say! There was only one. Eva tried it on, and said, “You made the dress I was dreaming of.” I was lucky that she wore – it was the right dress on the right person.

 

FASHION RULES: We loved the red cocktail dress Rumer Willis wore to the Globes.

 

REEM ACRA: Her stylist, Tara Swennen, is a fan of mine, so we knew we would wear Reem Acra – but she had several to chose from. That was such a young dress, yet mature.

 

FASHION RULES: The violet sweeping Reem Acra that “House’s” Olivia Wilde wore to the Golden Globes was our absolute favorite dress that night.

 

REEM ACRA: She doesn’t have a stylist – we worked directly with her. It was the second time I’ve dressed her – I also dressed her for the Emmys, in a silver dress. We get more calls when she wears our clothes than about anyone else. She has real style. That dress was made of feathers, tulle, all worked by hand.

 

FASHION RULES: If that dress sells for about five thousand dollars retail, is it worth it for you to put so much effort into the red carpet?

 

REEM ACRA: I must say, our sales don’t really change when a dress is worn on the red carpet – but what we see is branding and the fact that my name is more known. I am definitely thinking about creating a perfume and sunglasses now – they are on my list. We just started accessories for fall – they are sold in my boutique in NY – fabric covered stones as necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

 

FASHION RULES:  Are you going to the Oscars on Sunday night – or the Vanity Fair party at the Sunset Tower?

 

REEM ACRA: No, no. I’m leaving on Saturday. It’s not my world. My work is to make women look fabulous. I’ve met so many actresses and stylists, it’s been wonderful. I like the way people less here – it’s very artistic, there’s more freedom than New York. Everyone here has their own style. They’re not afraid – to wear makeup, jewelry – in New York, you can’t have fun. You have to be minimal. New Yorkers are more uptight.

 

FASHION RULES: What’s your prediction of what we’ll see on Sunday?

 

REEM ACRA: It’s hard to tell. I think more neutrals. I think the gowns will be more tone down, probably. Simpler than Oscars before. But still couture. I very much admire Kate Winslet’s style. She has had a great season in her looks.

 

FASHION RULES: You had your show on Sunday, got on a plane to L.A. on Monday – what’s next? Vacation?

 

REEM ACRA: No, I am dealing with new stores that are picking us up – in Turkey, in Korea, in Kuwait. My clientele is princesses around the world. And then I do couture for royalty, as well. And I’m still doing weddings and wedding couture. Everything is done by hand, the draping is by hand, the beading is by hand. When I get back to NY, new stores are coming in. And the wedding collection has to be shown in early April. Then I will show in Paris in March – I need to show there for the international market.

 

FASHION RULES: What do you think of working with stylists?

 

REEM ACRA: The current ones are very talented. It’s a talent to put people together. A designer is not a stylist. A stylist is not a designer. It’s an art. I’m an artist, and I like to work with other artists.

 

FASHION RULES: Will you ever open a store in LA?

 

REEM ACRA: It’s a question I ask myself all the time. It may be the wrong time. But I have a lot of fans here. I will do it when it’s the right time.

 

FASHION RULES:  Why is now your moment?

 

REEM ACRA: Should I say – I deserve it? Some of the dresses in the fall collection were created just for Hollywood. It was very hard work from everyone around me. There has been a lot of effort on my part. I don’t give up!!

Kate Beckinsale, Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus decided to go for the glam gusto, and where long gowns with trains to the Grammys.

 HELLO?? The Grammys? Did they SEE Paris Hilton’s micro mini? Did they notice MIA wore SNEAKERS? The Grammys are not about GOWNS!! Beckinsale has an excuse – she goes to so many film awards shows, she probably thought her tight Reem Acra with a giant fishtail and train was just another in a line of similar silhouettes she’s worn – and Kate, it’s gettin’ old. There ARE other looks. Movie divas don’t have to be movie divas every minute of their lives.

       Katy Perry is a girl who just wants to have fun – but we want to have fun watching her. The pink negligee 1930’s style movie star gown looks like a peignoir set Rita Hayworth wore in a movie – but Katy, enough with the retro. Act your age, not your taste in movies. And Miley – the Max Azria one shoulder gown was okay, but WAY too grown up for her girlishness, and she didn’t look like she was having any fun at all. In fact, she was drowning in that dress.

         Girls – take a scissors to it!

 

 

When lovely Anna Pacquin wore a deep eggplant colored Herve LeRoux slim draped gown to the Golden Globes – and won Best Actress in a TV Drama for “True Blood” – fashion pundits wondered, “Herve’ LeRoux? Isn’t it Herve’ Leger?” Because of course, French designer Herve Leger is famous for inventing “the bandage dress,” the wrapped skintight dress style of the eighties, that became the evening dress staple of the decade – and the aerobicized generation.

 

But Monsieur LeRoux sold the name “Herve Leger” to BCBG’s Maz Azria, who has reinvented it, and who has opened several stores with that name. Azria’s take on Leger uses strips of tight fabric and is somewhat reminiscent of the original, but uses light colors – and is a lot less expensive.

 

Meanwhile, Herve’ LeRoux – whose website HerveLLeroux.com explains it all, and shows both his Parisian Couture collection and his Ready to Wear – has moved on from the layered bandage style. His dresses are purely about draping now, although they are still close to the body – witness Pacquin’s Globe dress. In his new name incarnation, he has dressed celebrities from Cate Blanchett to Kate Beckinsale to Penelope Cruz – and he’s been represented in Los Angeles by Susan Ashbrook’s Film Fashion company for the last year. He IS, we learned from Ms. Ashbrook herself, creating some special gowns for the Oscars (nominations are THIS THURSDAY), so if you are looking for awards gowns, check out his website, or call Film Fashion at 310-854-8173 (susan.ashbrook@filmfashion.com)