The Oscars
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High Fashion from Downton Abbey
Ralph Lauren, Downton Abbey Inspired Outfit from the 2012 Fall/Winter CollectionPhoto via Ralph Lauren“The best pleasure is the creativity.”Ralph LaurenProlific fashion icon, astute businessman, museum-quality automobiles collector, recipient of the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur award, and according to an article in 2012 from Forbes magazine, Ralph Lauren’s net worth has placed him as the 122nd richest person in the world. And so now, the wildly popular British hit TV show Downton Abbey had caught the designer’s eye, and he has since produced a whole line of dazzling garments, inspired by the show. We loyal fans are ever so grateful. And by the way, did you happen to catch his advertisement at the end of Downtown Abbey on Sunday night? One word: Breathtaking.Ralph Lauren Fall/Winter 2012 CollectionRalph Lauren Fall/Winter 2012 CollectionRalph Lauren Fall/Winter 2012 CollectionAbove Images: Ralph Lauren models at the Skylight Studio in the Soho district wearing a total of 57 outfits inspired by the British Drama Downton Abbey to mind.Photo via Ralph LaurenPhoto via Ralph LaurenDownton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Crawley) poses in a stunning fashion spread for Harper’s Bazaar. During the fashion shoot, Michelle wore several elegant gowns from Ralph Lauren, Alberta Ferretti and Tom Ford, which depicted the life and spirit of the addictive popular TV series.Love the Art Deco carpet, don’t you?Photo via Ralph LaurenEdwardian inspired outfits worn by the cast in the 3rd series of Downton Abbey which is set in 1920 England. Photo via DailyMail.co.ukHigh Drama: Academy Award® and Golden Globe® winner Shirley MacLaine joined the Downton Abbey cast as Martha Levinson, the mother of Lady Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern).Photo via InsideTrack.comRalph Lauren Fall/Winter 2012 Collection inspired by Downton Abbey during New York Fashion Week.Image courtesy Carlo Allegri/Reuters, via www.timeslive.co/zaRalph LaurenOn the runway with Ralph Lauren, Fall/Winter 2012 CollectionImage courtesy Carlo Allegri/Reuters, via www.timeslive.co/za -
2012 Oscars Red Carpet: The Hits and Misses
As soon as Michelle Williams hit the red carpet, I thought who on earth could top a dress with such beauty? The Louis Vuitton gown she wore had everything – glamor, elegance, grace, and real star power. Her ultimate choice managed to chock me a bit, because quite frankly I wasn’t expecting much from her. But oh, how delightful it was that she exceeded all of our expectations.
Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton(Best dressed on the red carpet)Gwyneth Paltrow was a close second. She looked positively regal, and beautiful. I’m thrilled about Meryl Streep winning her third best actress awards, but did she have to look like the female Oscars, while doing so? At this stage, Ms. Streep is solid gold, untouchable. She has broken all the best actress records in Hollywood, and I can’t help but wonder, who in my lifetime, will top such an extraordinary talent. Too bad her fashion sense lacks the luster and vigor that her acting does.Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom FordStacy Keibler in MarchesaCameron Diaz in GucciLouise Roe in Black HaloTina Fey in custom Carolina HerreraAND MISSESEmma Stone in Giambattista Valli CoutureRooney Mara in Givenchy(Worst dressed)Meryl Streep in LanvinMaya Rudolph in Johanna JohnsonPhotos by Getty Images, via MTVNOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you. -
The Weekender: Oscars Fashion
America’s Biggest Night of FashionI must have been in my late twenties when I read this article in the Wall Street Journal which dealt mostly about what it felt like in tinseltown if you weren’t nominated for an Oscars that year. From what I gathered, the situation can be quite brutal. From going around being completely ignored as if one is wearing a cloak of invisibility, to being virtually marginalized. And what happens if one commits a faux pas and wears the wrong dress at the nation’s biggest fashion night?Nicole Kidman at The Oscars, 2004Chanel CoutureWell, you’ll be perceived as a fashion victim, or worse yet – as someone who doesn’t heed to the occasion, and thinks that Oscars night is just about the awards and not about the fashion. This week, I had the pleasure of attending the 6th Annual Meet The Oscars, Grand Central (at The Vanderbilt Hall) where Academy award winner, Melissa Leo was present to mark the occasion. Each of the Oscars on view will depart New York today, en route to the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Los Angeles. Ms. Leo, a native New Yorker, gave the press an enjoyable speech about what it meant to win the best supportive role for her movie, The Fighter, in 2011. She explained how enjoyable it was for her to take her Oscars around, and share the joy with her friends and family.
And knowing that she’ll always be considered for acting roles, because she was now an academy award actress. She wasn’t being presumptuous, she was simply speaking about the realities of things. I can personally tell you that I did get my opportunity to hold this precious statue, and it felt wonderful – even though it was a temporary joy. This iconic object held a power of its own. Once you have it in your hand, it suddenly signifies something much more than a statue, and so began the seduction. It’s quite easy to understand why many actors and actresses feel that Oscars night should only be about receiving the highest honor that the academy of motion pictures will ever bestow on them. But at the same time, you can imagine that a potential winner would want to look his or her very best while receiving such an honor, yes? This coming Sunday, at the 84th Academy Awards, I hope to see Meryl Streep, whom I predict will win as best actress for her role in the Iron Lady, raise the fashion bar like she’s never done before. It’s clear that Ms. Streep does not care much for fashion, and being a paragon of grace in her field, perhaps she believes she doesn’t have to. But maybe, just maybe, she’ll surprise us all, when we see her take to the red carpet (I wouldn’t hold my breath though). It’s a fashion designer’s dream to compliment the stars with creme de la creme couture, during this special occasion, but unfortunately we’ve seen more than our share of missed opportunities. In modern times, the stars’ fashion sense on the red carpet have been getting dimmer and dimmer. But perhaps this Sunday will be different. Perhaps.Left: Elizabeth Taylor, 1964, wearing a demure, yet elegant dress by Dior. Right: Grace Kelly, circa 1955, Edith Head gownMarisa Tomei, 2009VersaceZoe Saldana, 2010Givenchy coutureHalle Berry, 2011Marchesa coutureMelissa Leo, 2011Marc BouwerNOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.