POPSUGAR Style & Trends

Balenciaga Reportedly Dropped Their Longtime PR Firm Last Year Because of Attention Paid to Versace

POPSUGAR Fashion News — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:32:34 PST

>> Last May, when Balenciaga severed its 12-year relationship with public relations firm PR Consulting, rumors circulated that it was the result of a Balenciaga designer leaving to work for one of the firm's other clients and that some of the client's designs were too similar to Balenciaga. Now, WSJ. reports that insiders at PPR say Nicolas Ghesquiere felt slighted by the attention Pierre Rougier was giving to Versace, his newest client, at the Costume Institute gala last year. It's worth noting the decision to drop PR Consulting was made within two weeks of the gala at the beginning of May.

At the time of the severance, Rougier said: “It’s been a wonderful 12-year adventure with Balenciaga and I really wish Nicolas and Balenciaga all the best and lots of luck going forward. It’s been really great and I really don’t want it to seem any other way.” And now, he tells WSJ. simply, "I love Nicolas."

Post-Balenciaga, Rougier seems to be doing fine. Alongside Versace, he counts among his clients Yves Saint Laurent, Jil Sander, Dries Van Noten, and Proenza Schouler. He is "notoriously picky about whom he takes on," according to the WSJ., and "can lift a brand to another level . . . his job is to keep the Americans, whose critical opinions drive international buying trends, in line."

Vera Wang president Mario Grauso avers this fact - one of the first things he did when joining Wang a year and a half ago was hire Rougier: "Vera had gone dark - hadn't done enough media, wasn't dressing celebrities. Pierre helped me change that. We [at Vera Wang] can veer a little too mainstream, a little too bridal-y. I wanted to be edgier and Pierre knew how to do that." Grauso also credits Rougier with bringing top European press to Wang's shows, admitting it's "something we couldn't do without him."

But cultivating brands isn't all Rougier aspires to - apparently he wants to get more involved with advising the venture capital and investment side of fashion, WSJ. reports: "Too many backers choose the wrong horse in the race, he says, and then are flummoxed when throwing money at the problem doesn't solve it."

The Week in Pictures

POPSUGAR Sex & Culture — Sat, 08 May 2010 08:00:00 PDT

What a gala week it was! Famous faces got gussied up for the Time 100 Gala and the Met's annual Costume Institute Gala. Meanwhile, smiling-faced umbrellas greeted visitors at the Japan pavilion, as Shanghai World Expo (left) continued. We also celebrated Cinco de Mayo and more, so click through to relive the week in photos.

Guess Who?

partysugar — Sat, 08 May 2010 07:00:03 PDT

Can you guess who skipped the James Beard Awards and went to the Met Gala instead?

Play Our Fabulous Met Costume Institute Gala Faceoff!

POPSUGAR Fashion — Fri, 07 May 2010 11:30:22 PDT

This year's Met Gala gave us plenty to look at - and talk about. Play our fabulous Costume Gala faceoff game to vote on your favorites. Play any faceoff game, and it enters you for a chance to win the monthly $500 grand prize. Click here for the official rules.

Andre Leon Talley Had Capes Made for His ANTM Appearances Because He "Wasn't As Thin As Some People Want Me to Be"

POPSUGAR Fashion News — Fri, 07 May 2010 11:19:57 PDT

>> An audience of 300 ran the gauntlet of PETA protestors, Police officers, and a metal detector to hear Andre Leon Talley wax lyrical last night at FIT on everything from blogs and the Internet - "love it . . . the Internet is very important to fashion" - to his original career path - "I went to school to be a French teacher, but I always knew I wanted to be in fashion" - to a current project in the works - "I'm working on something that I hope maybe one day can become a one-man Broadway/Off Broadway show."

He rattled off his personal Costume Institute Gala best dressed list, "in this order": "of course Anna Wintour in exquisite Chanel," Lee Radziwell in "a beautiful Ralph Rucci sequin paillette caftan," Renee Zellweger in an "extraordinary" Carolina Herrera, Isabel Toledo, Ricky Lauren "dressed as Marlene Dietrich," and Cassie, of whom he added: "she was dressed by a new young designer called Laquan Smith [Editor's note: who Talley has recently taken under his wing]."

Talley says his own Met Gala ensemble came under fire, however »

Eight Gap Dresses From the Met Ball are on Display and Ready For Bids

coutorture — Fri, 07 May 2010 07:41:12 PDT

M.I.A. in Alexander Wang for Gap, Jamie Bochert in Rodarte for Gap, Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte for Gap, Kerry Washington in Thakoon for Gap

The eight dresses designed by past CFDA/Vogue Fashion Funders for the Gap and worn to the Costume Institute gala on Monday are now on display in a pop-up shop next to Gap's Fifth Avenue flagship. The dresses-created by Alexander Wang, Rodarte, Thakoon, and Sophie Theallet-will be on view through the end of May and available for purchase (to the highest bidder) via an online auction hosted by Gap. Proceeds will be donated to the Met's Costume Institute, adding to the $9 million raised for Monday's event.

Why Didn't Rick Owens Attend the Costume Institute Gala, Despite Being Invited and In Town?

POPSUGAR Fashion News — Thu, 06 May 2010 09:03:01 PDT

>> Rick Owens has been in New York two times in the last seven years, by his estimation, once for his store opening in 2008 and again now for a week. He prefers to stay in a four-hour travel radius of his Paris home, and didn't travel for recent store openings in Seoul or Tokyo.

Although Owens has been staying at the Bowery Hotel since Sunday, he didn't attend the Costume Institute Gala, despite being invited, for "reasons he’d rather not discuss," WWD reports. He did hit up Mick Jagger and L'Wren Scott's after party at The Carlyle, however.

He's "surprised" at how much he's been recognized »

Inspired: Zac Posen Gown at the Costume Institute Gala

POPSUGAR Home — Thu, 06 May 2010 07:00:00 PDT

Cloudy with a chance of Zac Posen. There is hardly a better place to look for inspiration than the Met's Costume Institute Gala. The hot models, A-list celebs, and the designers that dress them made for countless jaw-dropping photo opportunities. Out of the bunch, it was tough to choose just one favorite frock, but I do believe Coca Rocha's cloudy number by Zac Posen wins my vote. I'm all of a sudden feeling like draping my house in jumbled blues and shady hues. If you're feeling the same way, check out some ways you can get the look for your cozy abode in my finds below.

Bid on Gap’s Met Ball Gowns!

InStyle — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:00:22 PDT

We're thrilled to present our favorite InStyle story here on Fab!

Jessica Alba, Zoe Kravitz, Kirsten Dunst and Kerry Washington looked stunning in their one-of-a-kind Gap designs at Monday night’s Met gala, and now the amazing creations are up for auction on Gap.com! Designers Sophie Theallet (whose looks graced Alba and Vera Farmiga), Alexander Wang (who dressed Kravitz and M.I.A.), Rodarte (who outfitted Dunst and Jamie Bochert) and Thakoon (who dressed Washington and Riley Keogh) were commissioned by Gap creative director Patrick Robinson to interpret this year’s Costume Institute theme, “American Woman.” “What’s brilliant about [the collaboration] is that it’s not just about the designer, it’s about the person wearing the gowns,” Robinson told us. “If you look at them all together, it’s a beautiful blend of America.” For Robinson, the auction extends the brand’s approachable take on star style. “It’s important that people can connect with the style and with what being a celeb is like for a moment,” he said. “[The auction] is more of a personal way to experience it.” Gap’s gala gown auction runs from May 5 to May 31.

- Enid Portuguez

For more fashion, beauty, and style buzz you need to know, read What's Right Now! at InStyle.com.

Get Liu Wen's Sexy, Smudgy Eye Makeup Look

POPSUGAR Beauty — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:00:04 PDT

Model Liu Wen was recently named one of the new faces of Estée Lauder - the first Chinese spokesperson in the brand's history - and she looked gorgeous at the Met Ball. To complement her sparkling dress, Liu's makeup artist, Rick DiCecca, gave her a subtle glow. The sexy look involves smudgy black eye makeup, a sheer bronzer, and nude lips. To re-create the look, apply the brand's eye pencil in Onyx liberally, and smudge to blend. Sweep on Bronze Goddess Soft Shimmer Bronzer for a warm glow, and top off with the Powder Blush in Radiant Kiss. Finish off the look with Volume Lifting Mascara in Black and some Pure Color Gloss in Perfect Nude (available in June). As far as getting the rest of Liu's looks, we're still researching how to luck out in the genetic lottery.

More Estee Lauder...