Leighton Meester stepped out in NYC last night, rocking a twist on Spring classics. She balanced a Vera Wang botanical-print skirt with a neutral-hued button-down ($187) for a breezy, evening out look. Brian Atwood platforms dress it up; then we'd finish with a cool woven clutch ($355) and some delicate jewels. Just click the items above to shop a similarly styled ensemble.
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>> Bruce Oldfield, who has been tipped as the frontrunner to design Kate Middleton's wedding dress for months now, has confirmed that he is not Middleton's choice: “It has been such a subject of rumor and speculation over the past months, but I am not designing it. We will all know [on Friday] — and I thought I’d duck out of the ‘possibles list’ to give everyone 24 hours to place their final bets!” He added: “Catherine will undoubtedly look spectacular. She has a fantastic figure and knows well what suits her. I shall be intrigued to see her choice of design.”
With Oldfield out of the race, speculation is honing in on the other likely candidates who have not yet issued denials: Catherine Walker, a favorite of Princess Diana; Alice Temperley, and Daniella Helayel from Issa. Also entering late in the game: Jenny Packham, whose spokesperson said yesterday is “not commenting at all on the wedding.”
Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, Sophie Cranston of Libelula, and Phillipa Lepley have all also been reported as frontrunners, but all have denied repeatedly that they're working on the dress.
And Vera Wang's name has surfaced as having some kind of role in the wedding, but WWD thinks "that seems highly unlikely" — particularly that Wang, an American, would be chosen to do the dress. Although: sources apparently indicated that the designer may be involved at another level. A Vera Wang spokeswoman denied the designer is involved with the wedding, however, last night.
A newly-released Mario Testino portrait of the Middleton and Prince William, above.
Choosing a dress for your wedding is a momentous decision; you're going to be wearing it for one of the most important moments of your life, and you're going to be photographed A LOT in that dress. Those photographs will live on for a long, long time, so let's choose the best one, shall we? This week, we're all about the dress, peep our slideshow of the 25 most classically gorgeous wedding gowns around and stay tuned for more frock inspiration.
Sometimes, if you want something done, you've got to do it yourself. That's the approach Vera Wang took to dressing for her own nuptials, designing a gown that jump-started her career. Now, we know her as the woman behind the covetable bridal couture we love, but Vera Wang dishes to Chelsea Handler that everyone starts somewhere — watch the clip!
Sandra Bullock's crimson Vera Wang gown is as classic as her red lipstick and soft updo. It's a great example of successfully coordinating clothing and makeup, and the color accentuated her skin and hair beautifully. But do you like the look, or do you think she played it too safe?
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>> 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."
>> As New York Fashion Week winds down, we gathered the final installment of our favorite backstage snaps – including Proenza Schouler’s Lazaro Hernandez styling Caroline Brasch Nielsen pre-show, a close-up look at Rodarte’s incredible prairie-inspired boots and the fabulous long wavy dos at Phillip Lim. Enjoy more in the slideshow!
Photos: Greg Kessler
At Vera Wang's show, lead stylist Orlando Pita created a structured yet loose low ponytail that was sleek but not overly smooth. To create the look, he sprayed Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray before blow-drying it straight. Once the hair was dry, he used the product for hold in the front, then teased the back and put it in the ponytail. Finally, he tucked it under and held it with pins.
Vera Wang conjured up a romantic story for her Fall 2011 collection filled with pretty pleats. Her inspiration, the "English aristocracy of the 1930s," was translated into an abundance of modern elegance via sheer chiffon pleated gowns dipped in autumnal-appropriate hues. Dressy confections on their own, but Vera gave it her own fresh twist by pairing them with an amazing selection of slick coats — ranging from leather and techno-mesh creations to downright decadent oversized hood jackets — all lined with fox fur.
Furthering her functional yet fancy vibe were perfectly scrunched leather gloves and sky-high platform booties. And while the collection lacked variety, Wang showed the perfect juxtaposition between femininity and function. We can already imagine the Oscar-attending A-listers knocking down her door . . .
>> You've met Lane Crawford Fashion Director Sarah Rutson and gotten her thoughts on shows like Alexander Wang and Altuzarra from the first part of New York Fashion Week. As the week carries on, find out what she did for Valentine's Day yesterday and her thoughts on Marc Jacobs's show. More in the slideshow — including Sarah's catch-up with Anna Dello Russo!
![Vera Wang Beverly Hills Home [Pictures]](http://media4.onsugar.com/files/2011/08/32/5/166/1668379/11b7489361791fb2_Screen_shot_2011-08-12_at_12.09.32_PM.xxlarge/i/Vera-Wang-Beverly-Hills-Home-Pictures.jpg "Vera Wang Beverly Hills Home [Pictures]")
![Vera Wang Black Wedding Dresses [Pictures]](http://media4.onsugar.com/files/2011/10/43/1/166/1668379/eb4e8b5684d8678e_vera-wang12.xxlarge/i/Vera-Wang-Black-Wedding-Dresses-Pictures.JPG "Vera Wang Black Wedding Dresses [Pictures]")
