This year was certainly not without its share of fashion highs and lows. From John Galliano's rapid downfall to Royal Wedding Mania, 2011 seemed to bring controversy and happiness in equal measure. Check out our picks for the 10 most scandalous, exciting, and altogether unforgettable style moments!
Let's face it, there was simply no escaping the wedding of the year. From the constant speculation as to who would design Kate Middleton's dress (Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen was the chosen one), to the world's seemingly instantaneous obsession with Pippa Middleton's er, assets, to that thing on Princess Beatrice's head, the royal wedding was on the tip of everyone's tongue.
John Galliano went from head designer of Christian Dior to tabloid fodder and irrevocably decimated his legacy when his anti-Semitic rant was caught on tape. He drew ire from the industry, including Dior spokesmodel and former friend Natalie Portman, and was fired from his seat at Dior. He also left his self-named Galliano brand. One person who didn't seem to let the trainwreck affect their friendship was supermodel Kate Moss, who selected him to design her wedding dress.
After years of false pregnancy rumors, Beyonce's big baby announcement at the MTV Music Video Awards was enhanced by her exquisite orange Lanvin gown. Later in the evening, the expectant songstress hit the stage in a sequined Dolce & Gabbana tux, signaling that baby or not, Queen B would not be slowing down. Since then, she's shown off her new curves in countless music videos, at New York Fashion Week, and while jet-setting around the globe.
What do you get when you combine the coolness of Missoni with the affordability of Target? Sheer mayhem. By the time the collaboration hit stores and the Internet, shoppers stampeded, the site crashed, and many orders placed online were canceled. Let's hope next year's Jason Wu for Target collection goes a bit more smoothly. The year's other notable collaborations included Versace for H&M and Karl Lagerfeld for Macy's.
Speaking of mayhem, the Kardashian kraze reached a crescendo this year. Along with continuing to put their name on every product imaginable, the family found a way to capitalize on their own Sear's collection (for which they were promptly and repeatedly sued) and Kim's brief marriage (which also generated a few pending lawsuits). Love them or hate them, those Kardashian gals continue to rule the headlines and the ratings.
To protect the rights to his famous red soles, Christian Louboutin brought YSL to court claiming they had copycatted his trademark ("copycatted" is the official legal term). Though he lost the first round, the case raised interesting legal issues in fashion. If Louboutin had succeeded in his mission to prove only he could use red soles, could Tiffany's be next to stop anyone else from using their signature shade of blue? Lawyers are standing by.
Remember when Jessica Simpson was known for being the girl who couldn't figure out if Chicken of the Sea was chicken or fish? Believe it or not, by the end of 2011, the lovable blonde's affordable Jessica Simpson Collection is expected to break a billion dollars in sales. Who's laughing now?
After 2010's infamous meat dress episode, we wondered how Lady Gaga would outdo herself. Not one to disappoint, the pop star made one of the most memorable red carpet arrivals in history when she showed up to the 2011 Grammys inside an egg. Nuff said.
In the summer of 2011, hoards of people flocked to the Met's Alexander McQueen exhibit, Savage Beauty. The exquisite show captured the dark and complex nature of the man behind the clothes. By the end of its run, the show had attracted 661,500 visitors, making it the 8th most popular run in the museum's history.
After endless hype and speculation, Kanye West finally showed his DW by Kanye West collection during Paris Fashion Week. Although the line of womenswear was met with plenty of criticism, we guess he's figured out by now that there is no such thing as bad publicity. The rapper-turned-designer defended his efforts and asked the fashion industry to give him a chance. And we're guessing there'll be more where that came from.
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