Milan fashion: Clingy at Jil Sander

(Photo:purple prom dresses) Rodolfo Paglialunga has gotten under the skin of the Jil Sander label.
Paglialunga said his fourth womenswear collection at the fashion house is his favourite to date as he took the looks to a new level with clingy designs that maintained the brand’s minimalistic roots.
“I put my touch on this collection more than the others. I feel more comfortable,” the designer said backstage. Fittingly, he staged the runway show to haunting music from the Under the Skin 2013 movie soundtrack.
Ruching gave a sense of kinetic movement to body-clinging monochromatic dresses and skirts that finished below the knee. A white blouse tucked into a high-waist skirt that reached to the bosom for a one-piece effect, while an asymmetrical dress balanced a bare shoulder and arm with an elongated sleeve.
Paglialunga added drama to the collection with netting or light chainmail along the hemline of knitwear dresses, and scratches of silver along trouser legs, catching the eye with each step. Jackets and coats were tied in the back, keeping in place a series of pleats.

The dress silhouette was often clingy while the coats were more ample than fitted. Trouser lengths varied, including mid-calf hemlines. The colour palette was sober gray and black with some white and metallic shades of pink, gold and silver.Read more at:yellow prom dresses

International Swim Fashion Week Is Returning To Curaçao

(Photo:yellow prom dresses) After a successful launch in 2015 International Swim Fashion Week is returning to Curacao. This year’s event will be hosted at Papagayo Curacao on Jan Thiel Beach March 10 – 13, 2016. “Curacao is the perfect home for ISFW and we are really excited about our hotel partner Papagayo Curacao and their beautiful property which will make our event spectacular,“ says Bobby Harris, President/Founder of International Swim Fashion Week.
ISFW will shine a bright light on Curacao as the new home of swim and resort fashion, starting with the live broadcast of all 8 fashion shows to the world via Periscope the Twitter Application, as well as the production of an ISFW TV show and a special Curacao Edition of Cabana One, a luxury travel and fashion magazine with global distribution.
Once again ISFW is bringing a curated selection of International brands to Curacao such as Aquavita Swim (USA), Lybethras (Brazil) Harlette Swim (UK), Thalassa Boom (USA), Valeria Costa (Brazil), Versakini (USA), Trefle Design from the (BVI) and Emilia Curacao will bring a multi-brand fashion show to the main runway. The international cadre of models walking the runway are being flown in by Insel Air the official airline of ISFW and will feature models from some of the top agencies from around the world such as Elite Models amongst others.
“An event of this magnitude could not succeed without its partners” states Robert Curry, Executive Vice President of ISFW. This year’s event is sponsored by the Presenting Sponsor DHL, along with Insel Air, Penha Duty Free, Licores Maduro, Elite Mercedes Curacao, VSP Studios, SwimFluent, Curacao Tourist Board, Massive Productions and our Hotel Partner Papagayo Curacao.
The schedule of events:
• Friday March 11, 2016
7:00PM The opening night begins with an exclusive VIP cocktail hour at the Papagayo Curacao Beach Club leading into the opening of the First Runway show at 8:00 PM on the open-air beachfront runway. Ending the evening with the Pop Up Swim Shop After Party sponsored by Veuve Clicquot.
• SaturdayMarch 12th, 2016
7:00 PM Day two again will kick off with a Champagne reception leading into the 4 remaining fashion shows, the night will end with another exclusive sponsored After Party.
• Sunday March 13 th, 2016
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM The final day will feature swimwear poolside presentations and the Pop Up Swim Shop where you can buy straight from the runway.Read more at:grey prom dresses

L.K. Bennett and Bionda Castana's Collaboration Proves That Midheels Are Here to Stay

With flats, heels, and something in the middle, L.K. Bennett and Bionda Castana's new spring collaboration is versatile to say the least. And while every single piece is lovely, it's that neither-her-nor-there heel height that really got us talking when both brands flew to New York City to unveil the range.
"We're designing them better I think. They used to be a bit meh..."
"Or frumpy..."
"It was very difficult to make it sexy, and now that's completely changed."
That was, in order, Natalia Barbieri and Jennifer Portman, cofounders of Bionda Castana, and Robert Bensoussan, L.K. Bennett CEO (both are British companies, especially fitting with the fashion flock currently roosting across the pond for London Fashion Week). The item eliciting all those so-so responses was the low heel, a traditional shoe silhouette that's had sartorial life breathed into it thanks to editors and trendsetters around the globe slipping on a pair. The Glamour offices love the trend too, giving a sweet treatment to our favorite pairs.
"Fashion is going lower, and it's nice to have a variation [in a collection] that's not just the same style in different colors, but to offer it in a flat shoe too," Barbieri explained of the choice to have the collaboration include three different heels in each style grouping. L.K. Bennett, footwear favorite of Kate Middleton, instructed the Bionda girls to use color and pattern, and they took it a step further with the height range. It's why you can browse the offerings, find yourself drawn to, say, a graphic checkered pattern, and then decide whether you're in the market for sexy date-night shoes or about-town flats.
The trio all agreed that the emergence of the mid-heel trend is due in large part to there being a better selection than ever before. Bensoussan recounted the way the shoe business used to be designers presenting stilettos to buyers who'd come back to them with a request motivated by what would actually sell. "They were saying, 'Hey, I need the lower heels,'" he explained, suggesting that the quick back-and-forth meant the original design was done in a slipshod reproduction. "Now you look at the care, and it's not just the same heel reduced."
Portman agreed, even suggesting it's harder to make a really great mid-heel look chic or sexy compared to an inherently sultry stiletto.
"Just because you have a certain detail on a high heel doesn't mean you can't have it on a mid-heel. In the past, a lot of people just didn't do it, but our ethos has always been to offer our customer, and subsequently L.K. Bennett, the choice," she said. "You want something as pretty or feminine on a midheel...you don't compromise on the design."
All three said the trend toward lower heels has been percolating in the market for awhile now, and if influencers are to be believed, it's not letting up anytime soon (especially once shoppers realize that, per fashion math, it's actually a much smarter buy than something spindly).
"We're seeing [mid-heels] everywhere through street style, so even if you don't work in fashion you see it. It's becoming more acceptable," Barbieri said. "People are understanding that spending money on a flat or a mid-heel instead of a stiletto is a great investment because you're more likely to wear it more often. It's not a taxi shoe."See more at:mermaid prom dresses | plus size prom dresses uk

RALPH LAUREN ADDS A ROCK 'N' ROLL EDGE TO HIS ELEGANT, ALL-AMERICAN DESIGNS FOR FALL

(Photo:formal dresses uk)   Ralph Lauren is nothing if not consistent. It's a practice that could pose as a hinderance to any other designer, but, perhaps, it serves as his greatest strength. The all-American pieces present in each consecutive collection — from chunky leather belts t0 riding boots, paired with everything — have become so ingrained in his brand's aesthetic philosophy that, in many cases, much of what's left for Lauren to do is fill in the gaps. Lauren knows what he does (and what sells) best, and tends not to deviate too far from those offerings. It's how he built his empire. But while his lines may remain more predictable — thematic, even — than those of other fashion houses, that certainly doesn't mean that his shows lack creativity.
This season, Lauren looked less toward a specific era or location — such as theFrench Riviera or the Western U.S., as he has in the past — for inspiration, instead designing with a specific girl in mind. "By day, her style is effortless and sophisticated in languid menswear," he wrote on the label's Instagram. At night, she transforms herself "with the bold spirit of a cool rocker imbued with a modern romanticism." It sounds like a lot to take in, but with Lauren's magic touch, it worked.
The show, as always, began with the collection's more casual offerings; Karlie Kloss, a vision in monochrome, opened in cedar-colored trousers and a coordinating cardigan. The 20-odd looks that followed weren't a far departure from the first, each as menswear-inspired as the last and darkening in color as the lineup went on. His daytime girl was, indeed, as effortless and sophisticated as he intended, with nary an accessory involved aside from a belt or a plaid tie. In a black velvet mini dress, Victoria's Secret Angel Taylor Hill ushered in the next "cool rocker" segment for nighttime. It's clear Lauren enjoyed himself here, meshing frilly Edwardian collars and heaps of colorful jewelry with brocade overcoats and exaggerated fringe. It was as bold — and fun! — as he likely intended, and as the front row's faces visibly lit up with each passing look, it was clear the audience thought so, too.
What followed was the eveningwear, kicking off with a graceful gown — again, in black velvet — on runway wunderkind Lineisy Montero. With some dresses in lush pleated red and others in glossy gold, it became clear that this latter section appealed to neither the breezy menswear girl nor the rock 'n' roll romantic Lauren made a point to call out. With the Oscars just days away, the Lauren woman will have plenty to choose from. It won't matter if she doesn't fall in perfectly with his vision for the collection, because that's just the beauty of the brand: Whomever you are, whatever your tastes, you can't help but appreciate the clothes and the story they tell.Read more at:cocktail dresses uk

Why Are Designers Banning Social Media At Their Shows?

(Photo:http://www.marieprom.co.uk/long-prom-dresses) Though the first of four major global Fashion Weeks hasn't even wrapped yet, this season has already involved quite a few departures from the traditional Fashion Week format. There's the instant gratification of see-now-buy-now shows (or specific items within a collection), like at Rebecca Minkoff, Banana Republic, and Diane von Furstenberg. All signs are pointing toward a more consumer-friendly calendar on the not-too-distant horizon. Yet some designers are doing the opposite and straight up disconnecting by banning social media at their Fashion Week events.
On its Milan Fashion Week invitations, MSGM is kindly requesting showgoers not post pictures from its fall '16 show online, according to WWD. French brand Jacquemusannounced earlier this month that it wouldn't permit any sharing of its spring '16 show during PFW on Instagram (an ironic medium for the news, no?). Granted, Jacquemus sort ofkept its fall '15 imagery off social media when it sent topless models down its runway, making any images not safe for Instagram.
"I think it’s the right moment to take a step back from overexposure," MSGM's creative director, Massimo Giorgetti, told WWD. "If everything is out there immediately, people lose interest and everything looks so old in a second. In addition, I think that asking press and buyers to not post from the show, they might watch the clothes with their eyes, not through a screen, which is something good." Giorgetti won't be releasing any imagery of MSGM's fall '16 collection until summer, when the clothes are set to hit shelves.
The New York Times' Vanessa Friedman recently examined the smartphone's role in the demise of the traditional Fashion Week format: "After being inundated by images and livestreams from runway shows, from awards shows where the items are worn mere days after they appear on the runway, and from ad campaigns (and the making of ad campaigns), by the time these customers see the clothes in stores, the dresses and skirts and suits seem tediously familiar. Old. Over."
But social media has also allowed designers brand-new ways to share (or add a fresh aspect to a more traditional presentation format), like Misha Nonoo's first-of-its-kind Insta-Show for spring '16 or Wes Gordon's cinematic (and social-only) vignettes for fall '16. The Instagram format allowed Nonoo to connect with her large online-shopping audience — and cemented her decision to skip this season altogether in order to refocus her business.

Social media is certainly the best, speediest way for the general public to access runway images; and access (read: inclusivity) is a huge topic of conversation in the fashion industry in recent seasons. Yet, even the front row tends to watch a show through a screen, thanks to the perpetual quest for that perfect Insta shot or Snapchat story. There's a fine line between overexposure and inacessibility when it comes to social media's relationship with the catwalk.Read more at:http://www.marieprom.co.uk/plus-size-prom-dresses

Rihanna's on a fashion roll

(Photo:cheap formal dresses uk) When someone has an estimated net worth of $120million, it's unsurprising they are named the world's most marketable celebrity. This is the title bestowed on Rihanna, whose work in the fashion and beauty fields looks set to eclipse her music in the coming months.
The NPD Group, a market research company, suggests she has 3.67 times as many strong brand endorsements opportunities as other stars, eclipsing big names like Angelina Jolie. This is likely one of the reasons she banked $26million in 2015 - putting her 10th on the Forbes Highest Paid Women in Music list, even though she didn't release a record or tour during the time period. So what did she do? Worked on her eighth album, Anti, which came out at the end of January (16) for sure, but she also plunged herself full force into the world of fashion.
Rihanna was named creative director of Puma in 2015, a decision which was clearly a wise one by the sports label as her first range of creepers for the company sold out pretty much instantly when they hit stores in September (15). Her next big reveal will come during New York Fashion Week, as she's supposed to be staging a Puma show on Friday 12 February at 8pm. At the moment, the contents are a closely-guarded secret, but if we had to guess there will be a plethora of crop tops in various colour ways, as well as loose-fitting trousers, tailored hoodies and slim-fitting vests and T-shirts. It's difficult to know what colour scheme she'll pick for Autumn/Winter 16, but there will doubtless be a lot of muted tones like grey, white and black, probably with some splashes added in too. We'd guess some unexpected pops as well - maybe different fabrics trimming some of the pieces or portions of pattern added to otherwise plain items.
Puma isn't the only label to capture Rihanna's attention either. Over the years she's teamed up with some of the biggest names in fashion and beauty, playing shows in honour of Nivea's 100 Years of Skincare event, collaborating with MAC, releasing perfumes and shooting campaigns for Armani and Dior. She's dreamt up a sock line for Stance, teamed up with River Island for a fashion range as well as being named the Council of Fashion Designers of America's (CFDA) Fashion Icon in 2014.

All of that stands her in good stead for her newest venture; a beauty and stylist agency called Fr8me. A whole team has been signed up to help those who are tasked with organising commercials, editorial shoots and red carpet outings. It's a bold move for a 27-year-old star already famed for her fashion forward styling choices - who else is looking forward to seeing what Rihanna will wear to the Grammy Awards on 15 February (16)?Read more at:prom dresses for women

Catherine Zeta Jones: I haven’t been to the plastic surgeon... yet

(Photo:yellow prom dresses uk) In a candid interview the star, who lit up the premiere of her latest film Dad’s Army last week, set the record straight on her personal life.
Over the years Catherine, 46, has been accused of having cheekbone and upper lip fillers, an upper eye lift, Botox injections, a boob job, a nose job and a mini-facelift.
But she says: “Contrary to public opinion, I have not been under the knife — yet is what I say!
“If I feel like it, I’m going to go ahead and do it.”
Catherine, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in 2002 musical Chicago, shed light on her battle with bipolar disorder, the mental illness which caused her to seek treatment in 2011.
She also told Good Housekeeping magazine about her 15-year marriage to Hollywood star Michael Douglas, 71.
Catherine said: “Fifteen years is a long time. You’ve got to keep the home fires burning. I think people today are so quick to throw in the towel on marriage.” Catherine talked about Michael’s tongue cancer diagnosis in 2010 and the couple’s brief separation three years later.
And she shared her keep-fit tips after recently admitting the secret to her youthful appearance is rubbing argan oil into her skin.
CATHERINE said of their recent wedding anniversary: “It was great. Just the two of us at one of our favourite restaurants, laughing that we haven’t killed each other yet and that we are still alive! It’s a long road.
“You have to give it your best shot and not give up when the first problem arises because that won’t be the last problem. There will be many more down the road.”
On his cancer battle
WE tried to keep it as private as possible, but because of what we do, it’s very hard.
I didn’t talk to other people about it enough. That’s one thing I would do more of.
Our two children asking, ‘Is Daddy going to die?’ was really hard.
It was an experience that I am so happy is in our rear-view mirror.
On her bi-polar battle
FINDING out it was called something was the best thing that ever happened to me.
The fact there was a name for my emotions and that a professional could talk me through my symptoms was very liberating.
There are amazing highs and very low lows. My goal is to be consistently in the middle. I’m in a very good place right now.
A lot of that is to do with the fact that I’m much more knowledgeable about what I call my pain in the a**e!
IT was everything I’d hoped it would be. There is something about working with Brits of that calibre (cast includes Toby Jones, Michael Gambon, Blake Harrison and Tom Courtenay, above).
I had Tom Courtenay flirting with me at 7am in the make-up chair, and him and Michael Gambon bantering away. I couldn’t stop laughing.
On going under knife
YOU don’t have to be a beauty queen to be an actress.
The roles coming my way now are different and more interesting.
But I’m not anti-plastic surgery. If it makes you feel better, who am I to say it’s wrong?

I HAVE my dancing. Being active is much healthier for my psyche. I feel it’s healthy for a body to sweat every day. I run on my treadmill or power walk outside. Then I do some bodywork and arm work.Read more at:grey prom dresses