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Fabcon: Elsa Schiaparelli

FabSugar — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:00:22 -0800

Parisian fashion designer of the 1920s and 1930s, Elsa Schiaparelli, was the first to use shoulder pads, animal prints (in 1947), and zippers dyed the same color as the fabric. But that's not why I look up to her. She was a daring character, never afraid to take risks: “I have never been shy of appearing in public in the most fantastic and personal get-up,” she wrote in Shocking Life, her autobiography. On the same note, she wasn't scared to design eccentric clothing for her clients. In 1931, she created a divided tennis skirt for a Wimbledon Championship player that shocked the tennis world. That was Elsa for you!

She is most known for spearheading the marriage of fashion and art. Most notably, she worked with artist Salvador Dalí to create art-inspired designs like a white dress with a gigantic lobster, taken from the artist's lobster telephone from 1936. Though I'm sad I never got a chance to meet Elsa - she died in 1973 at the age of 83 - her work and style will always be an inspiration.

To see a gallery of Elsa Schiaparelli and her designs, read more

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Fab Flash: House of Schiaparelli To Be Restored

FabSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 10:30:22 -0700

Update: Olivier Theyskens was thought to maybe take over the helm but sources have confirmed this false. 2010 is the date we can expect to witness the revival.

Before you know it, we may have another storied fashion house back on our hands. The Italian business mogul Diego Della Valle, who also owns Tod's, bought the rights to Elsa Schiaparelli earlier this year.

Ever since, he's been on the hunt for a designer to bring the house, most famous for its 1937 surrealist lobster evening dress collaboration with Salvador Dali, back to its former glory. Talks with Roland Mouret fell through, but WWD is reporting that British designer Giles Deacon has risen to the top of the pile. Exciting!

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Glitterati: House of Lavande

FabSugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:50:22 -0700

House of Lavande is a special entity. See, the brand is a collection of vintage adornments hand-picked by jewelry connoisseur Tracy Smith. Her eye for finding the creme de la creme from the likes of Kenneth Jay Lane, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Christian Dior is really a masterpiece within itself. That's why celebs like Evan Rachel Wood, Cameron Diaz, and Kristen Bell are frequent customers of her costume jewelry.

What does it take to locate such divine baubles? Let's see, a day in the life of Tracy Smith includes traveling the world in search of estates sales, Parisian flea markets, and private dealers in hopes of finding that perfect pair of vintage earrings or cocktail ring. Must be nice.

To see House of Lavande's latest collection, read more

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Designer Spotlight: Verrier

FabSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:00:22 -0800

Four years ago, when Ashleigh Verrier graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York, Saks did an unprecedented thing: They bought her entire senior thesis collection.

Since then, the former Proenza Schouler intern has culled her line with a feminine, vintage-inspired aesthetic that produces fluttery ruched tops, satin tulip skirts, and sheer organza dresses. Ashleigh infuses her ladylike looks with a few subversive elements like cropped tops or see-through fabric, and is definitely a die-hard devotee to the world of fashion: She named her dog Schiaparelli, after the famous Parisian fashion designer of the '20s and '30s, Elsa Schiaparelli.

To see more from Verrier's Spring collection, read more

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Absolutely Fabulous

FabSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 04:22:22 -0800

Be sure to read all my New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week coverage!
See who's wearing what with our fabulous Celebrity Styles.
Read my Trend Alerts to find out what's haute right now.
The big controversy of the week: PETA Names Worst-Dressed Celebrities of 2008.
So tell me . . . who wore it better?
Learn about Fabcon: Elsa Schiaparelli - a very important woman of fashion!
We've got games galore! Play our Project Runway faceoff game, Grammy faceoff game and our Oscars faceoff game.
Do you prefer Mischa wholesome or sexy?
What do you think of my Oscars red carpet wish list?!