keren craig

"We like to think that if you put on the scent, you'll be at your most beautiful. Like putting on a Marchesa dress," said Marchesa cofounder Keren Craig about the brand's latest venture: Parfum D'Extase ($85). The perfume, which is encapsulated in a crystal-embossed bottle, contains notes of iris flower, young violet leaves, and lotus flower. It's a full, floral scent that's perfect for Spring. "For us, it was about trying to find the essence of our muse: very feminine, very sensual, and very beautiful," Karen explained.

The women of Marchesa, cofounder Georgina Chapman included, have been wanting to make their foray into the fragrance industry for some time, but it wasn't until they teamed up with Sephora that their dreams became a reality. The bottle fits in with the rest of Marchesa's exquisite aesthetic, as it's faceted to look like a crystal with tiny versions of the stones dotted down the center. "The crystal is a healing stone. We like that combination. It's something you'll want to put on your dressing table and look at." And who does Keren hope to see wearing this scent? "Every girl!" she said with a laugh. "We're never trend-led with our clothing. We like to create pieces that are really timeless. So I really hope that [Parfume D'Extase] crosses all different ages." Luckily for Marchesa, an elegant floral scent is something that's easy to love.

>> Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

• Marchesa is reportedly discussing creating a lower-priced contemporary label with Li & Fung, the global trading firm that recently signed on to help Vena Cava expand into new categories. Marchesa designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig already have a lower-priced line called Notte, which offers eveningwear. [Styleite]
  

• Jean Paul Gaultier said he was surprised to be the only person in fashion who made an homage to the late Amy Winehouse after her death. "Her look was fabulous, fantastic — it was unique," he said. "Usually, actresses and singers need fashion advice. She naturally had the right make-up, the right earrings — it was truly a style." [The Cut]
  

• Gisele Bundchen's 5-year-old niece Duda is already following in her aunt's footsteps, modeling and designing a line for the Brazilian children's wear company Brandili Mundi. "She told us about her preferences on prints, cuts and details, and based on the briefing we received from her we came up with a collaborative collection," said the brand's marketing director Germano Costa. [The Huffington Post]
  

• Singer Nicki Minaj is developing a fragrance with Give Back Brands, the same charitable company that released Justin Bieber's perfume Someday last year. Proceeds from the sale of the fragrance will be donated to the charity of Minaj's choice. "I have always been a huge fan of great fragrances," she said. "This is yet another extension of my creative expression." [The Fashion Spot]
  

• Heidi Klum bared everything for the May issue of Allure, posing naked for the cover and addressing topics ranging from her divorce to plastic surgery. "Everyone has a view of what's not pretty and [surgery] just doesn't look pretty to me," she said. [Fashion Etc.]

Photo: The finale of Marchesa's Fall 2012 runway show.

>> Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton (and McQueen CEO Jonathan Akeroyd and a spokesperson from the label) have all categorically denied any involvement with Kate Middleton's wedding gown, although many still seem skeptical about believing them.

But McQueen aside, which other British or London-based designers have taken their names off the list of potentials? Marchesa, for one. “I’m excited to see what [Middleton]’s going to be wearing,” Keren Craig said. “I think she’s a very stylish woman, and I think she’ll probably choose something beautiful and classic. I don’t think she’s going to go for anything too trend-based or crazy edgy. She’ll look like a princess!”

Don't expect to see Middleton donning London labels Erdem or Vivienne Westwood, either — spokespeople from each label denied any involvement. And although wedding gown favorite Alice Temperley is making no comment on the matter, WWD cites sources saying that she's not doing Middleton's dress.

So who's remaining mum on whether they involved? Former favorite in the race, old school London couturier Bruce Oldfield; Issa's Danielle Helayel, who is a Middleton favorite (but Helayel is Brazilian and doesn't have much experience with gowns — honeymoon garb seems much more likely); and Catherine Walker, a brand which specializes in wedding gowns and made Princess Diana's burial gown.

>> Marchesa's Georgina Chapman is known for her polished look — and her frothy gowns: "More is more! That's the Marchesa motto," she wisecracks — but, she warns: "I look much more civilized than I actually am. I'm actually an incredibly disorganized, messy person. My mother says I'm like a disease that can walk into a room and get it infected. I can destroy things in seconds." Marchesa cofounder Keren Craig corroborates with a story from college: "We were in Thailand, [and] a lot of people's huts got raided by thieves, but we kept all of our clothes on the floor, so I think if anyone tried to ransack us, it looked like someone had beat them to it. I thought I was messy until I met Georgina!" [Harper's Bazaar]

We can always expect show-stopping dresses at a Marchesa presentation, and its 2011 Spring collection didn't disappoint. At all. Upon entering its intimate space at the Chelsea Art Museum, we were first treated to an enormous ebony and pearl gown of endless tulle inspired by what Keren Craig and new mom Georgina Chapman called "an Orientalist journey."

Then they departed from that idea with a series of baggy lace jumpsuits and laser-cut floral minis. Georgina's supportive husband, Harvey Weinstein, held court while she hung back and did press with Keren. Other notables like Molly Sims, Petra Nemcova, and Olivia Palermo turned out — Kelly Osbourne put up her new long hair and told us she's so excited to see lots of camels, corals, and beiges this season since "they look really good on me when I have a fake tan!" Georgina and Keren stuck to a palette of ivory, mint, and rose, giving us their latest crop of dresses bound to be spotted on future red carpets. One more cool thing about this presentation — we spotted some kind assistants walking around and actually feeding the models peanut M&Ms and apple juice! Amazing.

To see all of the pics from the Marchesa show, read more