It was a fashion free-for-all at the Hotels du Cap at Cannes: with Karl Lagerfeld, Giorgio Armani, and Roberto Cavalli in tow- not to mention Mick Jagger, Patti Smith, Kirsten Dunst, Gerard Butler, Jennifer Lopez on the guest list of the annual AMFAR Aids benefit ball.. So when it came to choosing gowns or dresses for this event, the actresses at Cannes had a daunting challenge ahead of them. They HAD to save their best for last, as this is THE red carpet Cannes events with the biggest guest list – asif the other ones were small time! What were some of the highlights? Kate Beckinsale’s pale pale blue one shoulder Armani is quite lovely – and dramatically different than every other gown she’s worn, as a jury member for the festival. We’re not sure about the poufy hair – but it IS one way of looking very dressed up. Kate certainly is not afraid of real fashion – and for plain old going for it! Michelle Williams loves a mini – and why not? She’s a petite girl with gamine short hair, and she seems like she’s channeling the London sixties in all her little beaded mini’s at Cannes – this one in particular is tres tres chic, and was the only mini at the ball. Talk about a way to get fashion attention. L’Wren Scott – designer, and girlfriend of Mick Jagger – always goes her own way, and we love that about her. Shown her with Naomi Campbell, L’Wren’s wearing one of her own very snug black cocktail dresses (of course)with great neck detail – and lower heels than usual. She was only towering over Mick by a foot this time. And Mary J. Blige’s Gucci one of a kind silk georgette embroidered nude pearl micro beaded one-shouldered gown managed to be sexy and chic at the same time. Gucci turned up at many a Cannes event, and they didn’t show a bad look in the bunch.

Mary J. and Gucci go back – she often wears the brand, and they like to make special looks for her. This Gucci spring summer 2010 one of a kind silk crepe fuschia gown with cut out detail along the bodice and back and the black rubberized crocodile envelope clutch with metal detail were chosen just for her – and it’s rare we see Ms. Mary is fuschia with a cut out bust – but the lady decided to go super sexy for the evening, and it’s hot hot hot. The fuschia train is about to arrive for spring – and Mary, as well as Anna Kendrick at the SAG Awards, was one of the first to jump on the hot pink soon-to-be bandwagon.

What a difference a carpet makes. Mary J. Blige chose to don a sedate very very grown up gown on the American Music Awards red carpet Sunday night by Giambattista Valli. She matched it with YSL shoes and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry. Then, for her performance, she wore a short tight dress by Carlos Miele and matched that with Ferragamo shoes – which are very comfortable to move in. We like the gown chic diva look versus the stage – pop artist look. It’s the many sides of Ms. Mary J.

Sure, “Mad Men” is gone, “The Prisoner” is wrapped, but our favorite tv night, Sunday night tv this weekend features the Seinfeld-filledfinale of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on HBO. Well, Tivo that one, because the American Music Awards are on this Sunday night on ABC at 8pm. Almost every major musical performer of our time will be on – from Mary J. Blige to Shakira to Jennifer Lopez (who will no doubt be wearing Louboutin’s, no matter what she sings), Eminem, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson – and Janet Jackson will be opening with an eight minute number. Adam Lambert is doing a number with ten dancers – five guys, five girls – and has already told MTV that “the wardrobe is amazing.” So not only will be a battle of the tonsils – it will be a battle of the wardrobes, as to whose look gets the most attention – good or bad. Daughtry, Keri Hilson, NeYo, Jay Z, and even “Modern Family’s” Sofia Vergara will be there. We’ll be reporting on all the outfits – the good, the bad – and the not so good – on Sunday night and Monday. We’re not expecting gowns – we’re expecting SHINE. Metallics do well with stage lights – and so do mini dresses. Who will have the SHORTEST dress on? Will it be Lady Gaga or Lady Lopez?

Mary J. Blige, who has a new album out this fall – and we are feeling very anticapatory – worked New York fashion week like the pro she is. And now she’s showed up in Milan, and attended the Gucci spring 2010 show, front row of course, in a Gucci fall 09 one of a kind crystal embroidered black top with silver and green emerald detailing, black lurex leggings and black leather over the knee platform boot with black python clutch.  Mary J. Blige also wore the black pvd with black diamonds limited edition Gucci for FFAWN Twirl watch. Gucci suits her, and if you notice, her clothes are getting tighter and tougher this fall. Clearly, she’s become a real fashion girl, but does it her unique way. Gucci designer Frida Giannini asked Mary J. for an early copy of her album, and Mary J. promised she’d get one. Will there be any Gucci in the video? We think perhaps yes.

Mary J.’s got a lot of different looks – and you can see that every night right now on her AT&T commercial, where she’s hippie chick one minute, and gansta girl the next. But this week in New York, she’s rocking the skinny pant with a jacket and blouse look. On Wednesday, she was in Gucci at the Empire State Building lighting ceremony in celebration of Gucci’s involvement with charity F.F.A.W.N. She’s got on a Gucci fall/winter grey one button pin point jacket and a black pocket square, a black knit top and skinny black pants. And we mean, those pants are SKINNY! On Tuesday night in New York, she made the rounds in tight black pants and a steel blue satin blouse, stopping off to hang out with Dan and Dean Caten of DSquared, who introduced their new eyewear line to America at a giant two floor loft party, where they greeted celebs like Mary J. and Hilary Duff on a roof high above Manhattan, with an amazing view. The designing duo just returned to NY from Toronto, where they were born – and where they got a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. Soon, they’ll be heading back to Milan, to show their spring 2010 collection in a week and a half.

Mary J. stepped out in NYC this week, going to a dinner and auction for the Foundation of Advancement of Women Now – in a Gucci brown holiday/resort 09/10 chiffon wrap dress with a tortoise shell belt, good peep toe heels and sheerish brown stockings – a VERY non-summer look for NYC in August. Get ready to see a lot more brown, black and navy on the red carpet – the colors and the prints are going bye-bye now, and we’ll pretty much only be seeing solid dark fall looks from here on out. This is a very chic look for Gucci – the fall collection is definitely toned down and more grown up, and not so Boho-girl.

Salma Hayek is about to shoot her first fragrance campaign – and it’s NOT for Gucci Group, which her new husband owns (which includes YSL, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta). It’s for Avon Fragrances, just like Reese’s scent. Clearly, Avon does well with these celebrity brands.

We also hear that Mary J. Blige is about to sign a fragrance deal.
Smells like MONEY to us! Forget the color of money – it’s all about the scent of money! Maybe no one’s buying clothes, but they are certainly buying celeb brand fragrances. Which, by the way, cost less than European and America designer fragrances.

Notable fashion stylist, Andrea Lieberman, who styles the likes of Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Ellen Pompeo and Mary J. Blige launched her new clothing line collection A.L.C. at Barney’s New York in Beverly Hills this afternoon.

Hosted by Jennifer Lopez and Barney’s New York, the debut was a huge success with a remarkable celebrity turnout for a Wednesday afternoon! Among those mingling were Gwen Stefani and her youngest son Zuma Rossdale, actress Tracee Ellis Ross, actress Shiva Rose, Ellen Pompeo and of course Jennifer Lopez, wearing Lieberman’s new line A.L.C, also her jewelry Andrea Lieberman for Mouawad.

Lieberman presented her spring collection with various creams, blacks and stripes with luxe fabrics and a signature butter cream leather t-shirt jacket!

Others in attendance at the swanky soiree were Lieberman’s agent Margaret Maldonado, stylist comrades George Kotsiopoulos, Christina Ehrlich, Simone Haroche and famed tweezer of the stars Anastasia Soare.