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2009 Fall Paris Fashion Week: Balenciaga

FabSugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:00:22 -0800

Nicolas Ghesquière may have delivered some silky, shouldery Dynasty-esque dresses in his Fall collection, but the '80s references stop there. Plus, I kinda love the dresses . . . Always with a smidge of sci-fi, this is possibly the most wearable Balenciaga collection yet. But it still manages to be distinct. Some looks are bedroom inspired, with draped satin skirts and pants. Others are lush - black velvet suits and jackets with sculptured curves and bows. Prints range from Monet-like artsy to marbleized. Bonus extras include lace bra bandeaus, chunky gold cuffs, and colored tie shoes.

For more from the brilliant house of Balenciaga, read more.

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Double Take: Michael Kors Gets Inspired by Balenciaga

FabSugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:00:22 -0700

Can you blame Michael Kors for drawing inspiration from Balenciaga's Fall collection for his 2009 Resort line? I can't. Nicolas Ghesquière's collection, especially this particular black cut-out dress on Natasha Poly, was so cutting edge, heck, I would be inspired by it if I were a designer. While many of you may think it's weird for one designer to copy another so blatantly, it's completely acceptable in fashion. I mean, hello, there isn't a soul who hasn't copied Yves Saint Laurent's "Le Smoking" tuxedo suit! Kors made the dress, worn by model Vlada Roslyakova, his own by being more subtle with his cut-out shoulders, and by choosing a blue, abstract floral design. When it comes to fashion-forward designs, I say, the more the merrier.

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Who Was the Most Fab Designer of 2007?

FabSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:00:22 -0800

This morning one of the Pop girls declared: "I can't believe it's December." It always seems to creep up on you - the end of the year, that is. Alas, time flies when you're having fun! And fashion is just that. But it is time to decide which designer gets the Fab crown for Most Fab Designer of 2007. Last year, Phillip Lim won, and he has made great strides this year - maybe we sent him some good vibes.

(L-R: Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga, Roberto Cavalli, Alber Elbaz for Lanvin, Alexander Wang)

I present to you the candidates for Most Fab Designer of 2007. Chanel is a crowd pleaser and red carpet stunner. Karl continues to reinvent the house, for both ready-to-wear and haute couture, and the accessories inspire and intrigue. Balenciaga, led by wünderkind Nicolas Ghesquière, is edgy, innovative, and a leader of the pack. The piped blazers from the Fall collection launched a thousand look-a-likes, and now Ikat prints are all the rage. Roberto Cavalli is a designer with gusto, one who doesn't follow the trends and always stays true to form - sexy, colorful, and glittering party looks. His collection for H&M was possibly one of the most coveted H&M designer collections yet. Alber Elbaz for Lanvin can do no wrong, from fluid tailoring to jewel-toned dresses. Everyone is wondering what this humble designer will do next. Lastly, the young and restless Alexander Wang. He's the BFF of models and Hollywood darlings. His streetwise style appeals to cool trendsetters. Nuff said. So . . . who has your vote?!

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Jennifer Connelly in Balenciaga: Love It or Hate It?

FabSugar — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 10:00:22 -0700

I was thrilled to learn that Jennifer is the next face of Balenciaga; she is a Fab favorite with her off-kilter fashion choices, piercing blue eyes and black mane. Did I mention she's got sharp acting skills too?

At the Reservation Road premiere she was already modeling pieces from Nicolas Ghesquière's Spring collection. Cocoon-like in form, art-like in print, the modernity of the house suits Jennifer perfectly. But can only she pull this off? Thoughts?

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Fab Read: Balenciaga Paris

FabSugar — Fri, 18 May 2007 06:55:22 -0700

The famed house of Balenciaga is way more than just the brains behind the ultra-trendy motorcycle bags that almost all celebs such as Christina Aguilera have carried. Balenciaga Paris, $55, by Pamela Golbin, attempts to delve further into the history of the label through photos (200 of 280 are in color!), press cuttings, sketches and other archival material.

The book covers two main periods: 1937-1968, when Cristobal Balenciaga first made his name in the fashion game, and 1996-2006, when Nicolas Ghesquiere dramatically revived the House of Balenciaga with his edgy, contemporary designs. You may recall I went gaga over the Fall RTW collection - it was so unique and fabworthy.

Every aspiring fashionista should read this book and learn about the men behind one of the most influential labels today.

Fab Flash: "Poiret: King of Fashion" at the Met in NYC

FabSugar — Tue, 08 May 2007 00:59:01 -0700

Two of the most influential people in fashion today, Anna Wintour and Balenciaga designer, Nicolas Ghesquière, along with a whole bunch of A-List celebs, gathered at the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute to Celebrate Paul Poiret last night. Everybody who is anybody attended the Gala and they were dressed to impress.

Paul Poiret was a fashion pioneer who freed women of corsetry and adopted shocking colors and exotic references of the Ballets Russes to the haute couture. The height of his career was pre-World War I France when he was dubbed the undisputed "King of Fashion." As we know fashion is cyclic, so not only are we going to be seeing more of his influence on the runways but his pieces are now official works of art.

A lot of you showed interest in fashion's emerging Great Gatsby direction so if you happen to be in NYC between May 9 – August 5 be sure to check out this exhibit!

Vote on all of last night's red carpet fashions here. To see more photos of Anna, Nicolas and the exhibit, read more

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Fab Flash: Designers Choose Their Fall '09 Faces

FabSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:58:06 -0700

UPDATE: Jennifer Connelly has once again been chosen by Nicolas Ghesquière to represent Balenciaga. Meanwhile, Stefano Pilati picked Christy Turlington to star in his Yves Saint Laurent campaign.

I know, Spring has just begun, but the fashion world is always a step, or should I say a season, ahead of the masses. Designers have started choosing faces for their Fall campaigns. Steven Meisel will be snapping Madonna for her second debut for Louis Vuitton; Frida Giannini has chosen Jacquetta Wheeler as the face for her Gucci campaign, which will be shot in London; and Burberry snagged budding stylista Emma Watson for its campaign. You ready?

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Friday Fab News Roundup!

FabSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:00:22 -0700

Miu Miu: An apron for a new age - IHT
Narciso Rodriguez leaves Liz Claiborne - Vogue UK
Gilles Bensimon in talks with Marie Claire - FWD
Critical shopper: Alexander McQueen - New York Times
The billion-dollar question: Is bling over? - WSJ
Nicolas Ghesquière to design costumes for Guggenheim performance - FWD
Lookbook: Loeffler Randall - Nylon
Putting American Apparel on the world - IHT
Crashion! What to wear to the recession - NY Observer
Charlize Theron sued for wearing the wrong watch - NY Post
Project Runway fans may have to cool their heels - LA Times

Paris Fashion Week, Spring 2009: Balenciaga

FabSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:00:22 -0700

To be fair, I featured the prettiest, sci-fi induced looks from Nicolas Ghesquière's Spring collection. And there's more where that came from, but these are the most spectacular. Never one to succumb to trends, the Balenciaga designer paves his own way, always delivering a new direction. His direction is clearly into the future, but a luxurious one. Some looks were pared down, in matted colors, consisting of wrapped tops, sporty pants, and colorblocked detailing fit for a spaceship crew.

On the flip side is the tinfoil decadence you see here. Dig the sliced sleeve hem. This is a somewhat tame collection for the house, and most of us always look forward to his fancy footwear but the clunky, sporty boots aren't floating my boat. The designer did send handbags and menswear down the runway for the first time though, so there were a couple surprises.

To witness more Balenciaga, read more.

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Balenciaga Wannabe Steve Madden Buckled Sandals: Love It or Hate It?

FabSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:00:22 -0700

Balenciaga's sporty-chic sandals came out for Fall '07, and Steve Madden is just now duplicating the trend? Regardless of the slow timing, this Steve Madden Buckled Bright Sandal ($100) is Balenciaga gone way wrong. It has way too many buckles and the dainty heel doesn't go with the sporty feel. I would never disrespect Nicolas Ghesquière by wearing it. Would you?

Take all of my Love It or Hate It Polls here! To post your selections go to the Love It or Hate It? group. And if you want to learn how to do a blog post click here.