Well, that was fun: another Fashion Month has come and gone. Now that we've had time to regroup, it seems like this one was a lot more eventful than seasons past. Certainly a lot of the excitement had to do with the new arrivals at Dior and Saint Laurent, but those weren't the only happenings that caused a stir this month. From the critic who got into public spats with two high-profile designers to the most recognizable accessory of the season, we examine the reasons why the Spring 2013 collections will stick out in our minds for years to come.
Diesel Black Gold's New Creative Director Has a Mile-Long Fashion Résumé

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Just three weeks after announcing Sophia Kokosalaki's departure, Diesel Black Gold has reportedly selected Norwegian designer Andreas Melbostad as the brand's new creative director. He will start his new role in October.
According to WWD, Melbostad currently runs a design consulting firm that has counted Roberto Cavalli and Vera Wang among its clients. His LinkedIn page highlights stints as senior designer at Nina Ricci, Yves Saint Laurent, and Guy Laroche among his past positions. He was also associate design director at Calvin Klein before moving on to a position as design director at Donna Karan. Before opening his consulting firm, Melbostad was creative director of Susan Dell's sportswear line Phi for over six years.
Diesel has not yet commented on Melbostad's relationship with the company. So far there has been no word on Kokosalaki's future plans.
Photo: Daphne Groeneveld walks in Roberto Cavalli's Spring 2012 show, which Melbostad consulted on.
Sophia Kokosalaki to Leave Diesel Black Gold
Diesel Black Gold has announced that Sophia Kokosalaki will leave the brand after being its creative director since 2009. She will present her sixth and final collection for the brand during New York Fashion Week on Sept. 11, and a replacement will be announced in October.
"The last three years I have spent at Diesel Black Gold have been a very interesting and enjoyable experience," said Kokosalaki in a statement. "I would like to thank the whole DBG team for their hard work and support in helping me to establish this line. I am now looking forward to new challenges and wish Diesel Black Gold every success in the future."
Renzo Rosso, Diesel's founder, said he was grateful for Kokosalaki's hard work. "Thanks to her talent, Diesel Black Gold has defined its clear identity as a premium stand-alone label."
Kokosalaki founded her eponymous label in 1999. In 2006, she was appointed creative director of Vionnet, but resigned in May 2007 to focus on her namesake brand.
Diesel Black Gold Fall 2012
It was all about baggy cuts and luxe fabrics at Diesel Black Gold's Fall showing today at Pier 57. Designer Sophia Kokosalaki stayed true to the brand's rock 'n' roll aesthetic, showing a range of printed skinnies, oversized cuffed leather pants, and a lot of leopard. Inspired by "vintage B-movies," Kokosalaki took it to the streets with an assortment of paint-splattered pants, low-slung leather wrap skirts, and a heavy helping of leopard prints. Designs for the downtown girl, but there were also a few notable pony hair tops and jackets which added a sleek touch to the collection. The complete breakdown below.
- Trends: Baggy silhouettes, wrap skirts, printed pants.
- Colors: Black, gray, brick red, navy blue.
- Key Piece: We loved the pony-hair tops and leather wrap skirts.
- Accessories: Studded bags, paint-splattered ankle boots, wide belts, chain jewelry.
- Who Would Wear It: In addition to front-row attendees Harley Viera-Newton and Emmy Rossum, we can also see Zoe Kravitz and Jessica Szohr wearing this collection.
Diesel Black Gold Fall 2012
>> It wouldn't be Diesel Black Gold without a bit of attitude. If you're looking for ladylike, you won't find it here. What you will find are plenty of baggy, menswear-inspired silhouettes, lots of leather, a dark palette, and some very eclectic layering. Sporty drawstring shorts looked especially chic, as did some very appealing boyfriend pants in leather. Aside from a few maroon and leopard-print pieces, the collection was edgy, moody — and ready to take on the world.
Sophia Kokosalaki Is Launching Bridal and Jewelry
>> Sophia Kokosalaki is adding a few more projects to her ever-expanding roster. The designer — who already helms the reigns at Diesel Black Gold, as well as running her own mainline collection — is set to launch bridal and costume jewelry exclusively on Net-a-Porter.com starting Feb. 15. Inspired by Madame Vionnet and '50s Dior, the 12-piece bridal line will feature Grecian-style wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, and cocktail attire, and is priced from $1,245 to $7,065. Made to complement the bridal offering, the full collection of jewelry features Grecian-style gold work and motifs, and is priced from $157 to $942. See a preview of pieces from both collections, here.
Renzo Rosso Repositioning Diesel Black Gold Under Sophia Kokosalaki
>> Under the lead of designer Sophia Kokosalaki, who debuted her first collection for Diesel Black Gold in February for Fall 2010 (with Kate Lanphear styling), Diesel founder Renzo Rosso is in the midst of repositioning the label.
Rosso broke Black Gold off as a separate business division and company veteran Andrea Baldo has been named the label's new general manager. Baldo plans to bring higher quality to Black Gold by using mostly Italian fabrics, tightening distribution (the men's line will be available exclusively at Barneys in the Fall), and creating a new logo, a new shop concept, and more accessories. There will also be dedicated Black Gold advertising campaigns.
2010 Spring Paris Fashion Week Fab Roundup!
Paris Fashion Week is the creme de la creme of all fashion events. New York had its highlights; London wowed me with its revived schedule; and Milan is always beautiful, but Paris? Undeniably thrilling. Here's a roundup of my favorite looks, ranging from the spooky, kooky looks of Gareth Pugh to breathtaking frocks from Yves Saint Laurent. Peep McQueen's ethereal alien-like ensemble here. Keep on to see magical delights from Hermes, Valentino, Vivienne Westwood, Lanvin, and more.
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Paris Fashion Week: Sophia Kokosalaki Spring 2010
Fashion In 50 Seconds 06/18/09 Liz Claiborne Pushes Menswear & More
Liz Claiborne is intent to revive their menswear line, Claiborne. First they hired John Bartlett to take helm of design and today they're opening a West Village pop-up store.
Sophia Kokosalaki has been hired for a lead design role at Diesel Black Gold.
Contemporary stores, such as Intermix and Shopbop, are selling a lot of casual denim and tailored jersey pieces this summer.
In celebration of New York's new and improved bike lanes, Topshop is renting out bicycles this weekend.





