alaia

The man behind the dress Cher Horowitz was infamously forced to destroy in Clueless, Azzedine Alaïa is joining the beauty game. The designer has announced that he has signed a fragrance license with Beauté Prestige International. "I have total confidence in Beauté Prestige International to accompany me in creating a perfume that interprets my work and my world," Alaïa told WWD. The house is Shiseido's fragrance division and has released scents for Elie Saab, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Narcisco Rodriguez. With celebrities like Stacy Keibler regularly working the red carpet in his designs, it makes sense that Alaïa would want to build out his brand, because, like Cher said, "he's, like, a totally important designer." No word on when the fragrance will be released, but if they're anything like Alaïa's dresses and shoes, we'd expect something smolderingly sexy and feminine.

Our favorite Upper East Siders are back and looking extra glam on the season five premiere of Gossip Girl. Serena looked gorgeous in a purple Catherine Malandrino dress and nude Alaia sandals while strolling arm in arm with none other than the dapper Nate Archibald. She added extra flair to her flowing frock with a long turquoise necklace and black envelope clutch. Steal this Gossip-worthy look when you shop now.

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Photo courtesy of The CW

>> Azzedine Alaia recently turned down one of fashion's most high-profile gigs, and now he has some choice words about two of fashion's most high-profile figures.

On Karl Lagerfeld: "Happily, women love me and buy my clothes, unlike Karl who’s never been loved like me! [Laughs.] . . . I don’t like his fashion, his spirit, his attitude. It’s too much caricature. Karl Lagerfeld never touched a pair of scissors in his life. That doesn’t mean that he’s not great, but he’s part of another system. He has capacity. One day he does photography, the next he does advertisements for Coca-Cola. I would rather die than see my face in a car advertisement. We don’t do the same work. And I think that he is not doing a favor to young [designers] who might think it works that way. They’re going to fall before they retire."

On Anna Wintour: "I said it before. She runs the business [of Vogue] very well, but not the fashion part. When I see how she is dressed, I don’t believe in her tastes one second. I can say it loudly! She hasn’t photographed my work in years even if I am a best seller in the US and I have 140 square meters at Barneys. American women love me; I don’t need her support at all. Anna Wintour doesn’t deal with pictures; she is just doing PR and business, and she scares everybody. But when she sees me, she is the scared one. [Laughs.] Other people think like me, but don’t say it because they are afraid that Vogue won’t photograph them. Anyway, who will remember Anna Wintour in the history of fashion? No one. Take Diana Vreeland, she is remembered because she was so chic. What she did with the magazine was great, with Avedon and all the great photographers. Vogue remains while its fashion editors come and go."

>> Azzedine Alaia, who typically closes out Paris Fashion Week with an off-the-schedule intimate presentation in his studio, has announced that he will make a rare appearance during the upcoming Paris couture week. The designer indicated that he will show what he described as "semicouture" designs sometime during the week, which runs July 4 through 8. [WWD]

Anna Paquin looked adorable in a cheetah print Stella McCartney frock at the Paley Center in Beverly Hills. Her bevy of black — Alexander Wang blazer, Alaia corset belt, and Sergio Rossi pumps — was anything but boring. Anna kept her makeup fresh and natural, along with her nude nails. Shop now to get Ms. Paquin-Moyer's dress, pumps, and blazer.

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