Style Universe

The Woman Formerly Known as Beautiful: Is Angelina Jolie an Ice Queen Mom?

2011-08-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Woman Formerly Known as Beautiful: Is Angelina Jolie an Ice Queen Mom?

Resort 2011, Bold prints and colors

2010-07-15T23:58:00.000-07:00

Fashion is all about change and the wow factor and it becoming more difficult for fashion designers to capture our attention since we are all so bombarded by images we see on T.V. magazines, newspapers, and the internet. I feel like I have seen it all and have become a bit jaded. That is why when I get excited and inspired I want to share it with you. What captured my attention during resort 2011 was the use of bold and exciting colors and beautiful and simple patterns. My favorite looks were from Marni and Miu Miu.

Miu Miu

Marni

I also like the simple geometric shapes as well. The accessories and shoes add a touch of simple naiveté and sweetness to the looks.

Share with me your opinions.

Featured Artist, Betsy Eby

2010-07-15T23:05:00.000-07:00

Betsy Eby has always been attracted to the idea of alchemy. She uses a mixture of melted beeswax and resin on canvas, paper and birch panels, marking the surface with pigment and powdered graphite and birch, and then setting it with a propane torch, repeating the process several time to create beautiful images that are delicate and yet strong.

Her vision is beautiful, organic and uncomplicated. That is a hard balance to achieve.

Most Stylish Woman - Carine Roitfeld

2010-06-29T23:13:00.000-07:00

Carine Started her career as a model at 18 when she was scouted on the streets of Paris. She later on became a stylist for French ELLE. Her career really catapulted to the next level after she became a muse and a consultant for Tom Ford at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurant. Her gig with Tom ford led her to her current job as a the editor in chief of Paris Vogue. Carine has two children and has been married to the same man for 30 years.

Young Carine

Carine looking sexy

Carine in Alaia

Carine and her daughter with Karl Lagerfeld

Carine with Marc Jacob

To me, she is the quintessential french woman.

Resort 2011, 70s Style

2010-06-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

A lot of looks inspired by 70s style were featured during Resort 2011. Pantsuits from Celine and Pucci really reminded me of John Travolta and Saturday Night Fever.

Pucci

Celine

There were also a lot of evening looks that were inspired by Halston and his entourage, specially during his Studio 54 days in late 70s.

Celine

70s seems to be back in style again.

The most Stylish Woman

2010-06-20T22:25:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, I started a blog about the five most stylish women of our time. My first blog featured Anna Dello Russo. My second choice is Emmanuelle Alt. I would just like to say that all these women are equally stylish and I am not ranking anyone.

Emmanuelle Alt is the fashion director for Paris Vogue. She also styles Isabel Marant Fashion Shows where her husband Franck Durard is the artistic director. They have an adorable daughter named Francoise. Her fashion style is very rock-chic, androgynous, cool and edgy, reflective of her obsession with Saturday Night Fever and the 1965-1975. She somehow make it all look effortless because her face is very natural looking. It seems that stylish Parisian women don't wear a lot of makeup, are all very slim and don't go for the exaggerated Barbie look that is so L.A.

I love her style.

Burberry Prorsum Resort 2011 collection

2010-06-19T00:24:00.000-07:00

Resort and Cruise collections are usually not directional and don't show looks that predict future trends. Resort 2011 seems to be no exception. They are however a lot of wonderful and wearable clothes from Resort 2011 collections and one of the best shows so far is Burberry Prorsum.

David Bailey's Burberry Prorsum collection seems to be a natural evolution of his signature look for the house. The silhouettes are close to the body and very sexy in a subtle and understated way. The house of Burberry is famous for its trench coats and for Resort 2011 the best ones come in muted colors with military details and are more stylish than trendy, which means they can be worn for years to come. David Bailey's Resort 2011 collection is a big hit.

The most Stylish Women, Anna Dello Russo

2010-06-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

There are so many women whose style I admire. I decided to choose the top 5 and do a blog about them. The first on my list is Anna Dello Russo. I will post the other four soon.

Anna is Vogue Nippon's editor at large. Even though I can't read japanese, I love the fashion and the layout in Vogue Nippon . If Anna Wintour ever decides to retire, I hope Anna Dello Russo takes over as the editor in chief of American Vogue. I love how daring she is with her choices. I just love her style.

Get the look for less

2010-05-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

Forever 21 Camouflage pants for $24.80

Balmain Camouflage Pants for $1745

I have been dreaming of Balmain camouflage pants that are available at net-a-porter.com and www.luisaviaroma.com. The price tag is $1745. Way out of my budget. So I ordered the much much less expensive version at $24.80 from Forever 21. Although they are not as nice, they are pretty cute for the price. What do you think?

New Designer to Watch--- Hakaan

2010-05-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

Rose Byrne in Hakaan

Fall 2010 Hakaan

I was looking at this month's French Vogue and saw an article about a new designer from Turkey. His Name is Hakaan and his first show at London Fashion Week for Fall 2010 seemed to wow the crowd. Despite being a newcomer, he is already attracting star clients. Rose Byrne was sported in one of his designs - a feathered mini dress - at the premier of the third season of her hit show, 'Damages'. Also, Kate Moss was front-row at his show in London. I wish him all the success. He seems to be very talented.

Coachella

2010-04-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

Great music, fantastic people, and a super fun time. I tried to capture the mood of the event by taking these pictures but nothing beats being there to feel the energy. Music truly brings people together.

Best of Balenciaga Fall 2010

2010-04-15T23:19:00.000-07:00

When designers come up with looks and techniques that are very new, it always takes time for the eyes to really adjust and get used to them. But before you know it, variations of the same looks are copied at all over. Balenciaga designed by Nicolas Ghesquière, always seems to be on the cutting edge of fashion, boldly pushing the boundaries of creativity and designs. So many of his trends, like cargo pants and jodhpurs, have been copied all over the place.

His latest collection seems to be a little bit more difficult to copy because of all the incredible textures and shapes. The combination of colors and textures were really amazing. Balenciaga's silhouettes are so incredibly sharp and that does not necessarily always translate to real life because the fabrics tend to be kind of stiff. But the shows are always incredible and unique and inspiring.

Here are my favorite looks including some incredible shoes that are very lust worthy.

Scala Regia: The Beistegui Ball

2010-04-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Scala Regia: The Beistegui Ball

Fukuko Ando

2010-04-10T01:30:00.000-07:00

Dreams that evoke sensations. Fukuko Ando's creations seem to be from another world. They express her unique creativity and her ability to transcend conventions. They look like dreams.

The best of Milan Fall 2010

2010-04-08T22:18:00.000-07:00

Picking a favorite show from Milan 2010 Fall collections was hard. No one collection stood out. There were however a lot of looks that were stylish, modern and versatile. In today's economy, to spend thousands of dollars on a look that will become passe in a year seems kind of crazy. That is why I chose the looks from the Dolce and Gabanna Show. They seem to have gone back to their roots which to me is great tailoring and beautifully made clothes that are not gimmicky.

The pucci show also had some great looks as well, I loved the leather trench and some of the evening looks.

I know the sequence outfits from Pucci are trendy, but they are so sexy and pretty that I wanted to share them with you.

Prada also did some feminine and yet restrained and bourgeois dresses. Is it me or is Prada now designing for older women. I just can't really see young girls in these dresses.

I would love it if you could share with me your thoughts.

Junya Watanabe Military looks from fall 2006 collection

2010-04-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

Poetic, provacative and avant-guard, Junya Watanabe does collections that inspire almost all designers including Karl Lagerfeld. His clothes are edgy and beautiful. He does not appeal to the masses because he is always ahead of his time. His designs are unique and disturbing at times but almost always incredibly creative and new. That is why he is one of my all time favorite designers. I would love to know what goes on in his mind.

His 2006 military inspired collection is one of favorite.

Yoko Furusho

2010-03-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

Yoko is an amazing illustrator who is inspired by fashion. Here work is very expressive, colorful and joyful. Yoko studied illustration in U.S and is currently exhibiting her work in Los Angeles. You can she her work at"

3817 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90026.

Yoko is also on facebook.

ecostilleto rocks

2010-03-24T11:57:00.000-07:00

I love ecostilleto.com. The site is the brainchild of my friend Rachel and it is full of ideas on how to care about the environment and be hip and stylish at the same time. There are articles about how to decrease your carbon footprint and live a green life without looking grungy. You can also buy furniture, clothes and all kinds of cool stuff and if you subscribe, you can enter to win all kinds of goodies. Now that is a win-win for everyone including mother earth.

Check it out at ecostilleto.com

Tina Berning, Illustrator

2010-03-22T23:13:00.000-07:00

There is no way to really explain Art or Love, it is just a magical emotion that makes me feel alive.

www.tinaberning.de

Art is a way of communicating best done by simply making images.

2010-03-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

David Brady is one of my favorite Artists in LA. Please check out his work at www.bradyart.com.

Missoni Converse

2010-03-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE these Missoni Converses. They will be available this spring and will run around $200.00. Can't wait to get a pair.

Great Martin Margiela Sale

2010-03-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

Martin Margiela is the wonderful Belgian designer who is incredibly camera shy. There are no documented pictures of him. He has not been designing his own line for many seasons but if you want an original designed by him, you can find it at
1stbids.com. The sale is still going on and if you have deep pockets, there are still lots of cool pieces left to buy. Here are some of my favorites.

On the streets in Paris

2010-03-19T11:27:00.000-07:00

I love Bill Cunningham, he has been capturing fashion forever for NY times. He does a segment called on the street every Sunday. This one is covering how people looked on the street during Paris Fashion Week. Check it out. It is very interesting.

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/03/12/style/1247467342765/on-the-street-in-paris.html?ref=fashion

When good designers create really ugly clothes

2010-03-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

Lanvin has been enjoying a great surge in popularity specially among young parisians. The fall 2010 Collection, however, had some of the ugliest looks at really high prices; we are talking $12000 for a jacket and $4000 to $6000 for a pair of leather pants. You can't pay me enough to wear any of these numbers.

Full Skirt

2010-03-17T14:31:00.000-07:00

I admit that I am not a big fan of full skirts on me, but if you are skinny on top or have an hour glass figure, full skirts will look great on you. There was a lot to choose from this season; here are my favorites. These looks are all from Louis Vuitton Fall 2010 Show.

The best London Fall 2010 Ready to Wear Show

2010-03-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

Burberry Prorsum

Almost every outfit that went down the runway was desirable and lust worthy. I would love to have anything from this collection but if I had to choose, here are my picks.

Trend alert, Cocoon shaped coat

2010-03-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

I really love the Cocoon shaped coats for fall 2010. It looks so modern. The idea of covering oneself with a warm cozy coat that can be taken off to reveal a more formfitting and sexy look underneath seems very appealing. These coats are also great for those days when all you want to do is feel warm, cozy and hide yourself away from the world and still look good.

I specially like the egg shaped sleeveless ones from Marni and Giambattista Valli (looks number 1 and 2). The last two looks are from Vera Wang and Calvin Klein.

Most favorite sofas for my new place

2010-03-12T22:44:00.000-08:00

I have this expensive sofa from Baker that I would like to sell. I would love to buy a new sofa. Here are some of my favorite sofas. The first one is from 1stbid.com, the second sofa is from B&B Italia. and the rest are from Ligne Roset. Which one do you like best?

My favorite Fall 2010 Show from New York is.....

2010-03-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

Rag and Bone

I loved all the layered kind of scottish looks. It looked so fresh and different than all the other shows. The sporty look seems so modern for now. Here are some my favorite outfits.

Chanel's Ode to Wooly Mammoth

2010-03-10T17:09:00.000-08:00

What do you think about these outfits? Would you wear any of them? All of them are made of fake fur. Leave a comment.

Women Designers Rule

2010-03-09T21:09:00.000-08:00

Some of the best looks for Fall 2010 are from women designers. They just seem to understand that most women need clothes that look beautiful effortlessly and can be worn for many seasons. I think male designers have a wonderful sense of fantasy that is hard to beat, but I am all for looking like I am not trying too hard. I have chosen some of favorite looks from Isabel Marant, (Last Picture), Stella McCartney (pictures 2 and 3) Phoebe Philo of Celine (pictures 1 and 4) .

Balenciaga Fall 2010 Video

2010-03-07T15:50:00.000-08:00

When I looked at the Balenciaga Fashion Show pictures, I felt that something was missing. The video really shows the collection and how beautiful some of the outfits are. Tim Blanks comments on the other hand can be omitted. He tries to philosophize fashion and his comments are sometimes so corny.

Haider Ackermann Fall 2010

2010-03-06T19:06:00.000-08:00

I absolutely loved the Haider Ackermann show in Paris. These are looks that make me want to rush to the store and buy them. They are so beautiful that I don't even care if they are practical but a lot of the pieces are. Here are my favorite looks.

You can buy his cloths from the following websites:

http://www.luisaviaroma.com/

http://www.brownsfashion.com/designers/index/women/haiderackermann.htm

How to hide your TV

2010-03-06T16:55:00.000-08:00

I don't know anyone who thinks TVs look cool in the living room, yet if you have a house with a family room, you end up hardly using your living room unless you have guests because, let's face it, TVs keep us entertained. And soon, TVs and computers will merge so there is even more of a reason to have a TV in almost every room of the house. But how do you hide it in the living room, specially if it does not go with your decor? Putting your TV in an armoire is one way. Here are three I like, they are can go with lots of different styles, . The first Armoire is available from http://www.mecoxgardens.com/ and the others are available from http://www.innerliving.net/

Gucci Fall 2010

2010-03-06T09:57:00.001-08:00

When Tom Ford left Gucci, I was so sad. His collections were so compelling and desirable. He really changed the look of the 90s. It has taken a few years, but I feel that Frida Giannini's looks have evolved and are more refined. I like it that she really sticks to her own esthetics. There were a few really great looks in her collections. Here are my choices.

Julian MacDonald Gorgeous Knits, Fall 2010

2010-03-06T09:40:00.000-08:00

I loved the knits at Julian Macdonald. They look so fresh, and new and can easily be worn with Jeans and stove pipe pants.

Julian got famous for designing some amazing knits for Karl Lagerfeld and he was the creative director for Givenchy until he was replaced by Riccardo Tisci a few season ago

Personally I think this is one of his best collections ever. Here are some of the looks I chose because I found them super cool.

My favorite looks from London Fall 2010 Fashion Shows

2010-02-25T13:21:00.000-08:00

1- I loved the Burberry show. A lot of the pieces can be mixed and matched with what is already in anyone's closet. I would love to have any of the jackets and mix and match it with boots, skinny jeans and a cool top.