Fall 2012 :: Victoria Beckham - Alice + Olivia - Christian Siriano

Front Row at Victoria Beckham's Fall 2012 Show

With a bag named after her daughter, and her soccer star husband sitting front and center, Victoria Beckham's Fall 2012 show was a family affair.

Apparently undeterred by bad Carrie Bradshaw juju, Posh brought her no-frills wares to the New York Public Library Sunday morning. Hubby David Beckham, looking dapper as ever, sat in the front row between Vogue heavyweights, Anna Wintour and Hamish Bowles.

The new collection was full of minimalist eye candy. Form-fitting dresses alternated between subdued army surplus hues and bold primary colors. Meanwhile shoulder pads, high collars and clean lines brought the military motif into her outerwear. Victoria shared her inspiration for her fall line, saying, “This season I challenged myself to explore how clothes can make women feel when they put them on and how to create an emotional attachment between the garment and the wearer."

Minutes before the start of her show, Victoria tweeted an image of her new line of bags, with the message, "Meet Harper!" With a "ridiculous wardrobe" and now an eponymous handbag, 7-month-old Harper Beckham is shaping up to be quite a fashionable tot indeed.


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Quirky Girl Panache: Alice + Olivia Fall 2012

Nothing tickles a girly-girl's fancy like Alice + Olivia. From high-intensity sequins to ruffled peplums and florals, the retail-conscious line smartly caters to every feminine notion. Please add bows, polka-dots and pink to that checklist.

Season upon season, A+O's designer, Stacey Bendet, creates an exuberantly playful line-up of day and night pieces. Her brilliance lies in how she balances saccharine with funky—for this collection, it can be seen in the form of a clever bedazzled tie, baggy cargo pants (paired with a glitzy top, of course) and her Beetlejuice pantsuit .

Zooey Deschanel, look no further, this is quirky at its best.

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The Lady Is a Vamp: Christian Siriano Fall 2012

Forget what you thought you knew about Christian Siriano's penchant for frivolity and in-your-face glitz. Inspired by the 1933 horror flick The Vampire Bat, the Project Runway winner exercised restraint this season with a darkly subdued fall collection.

Rife with shades of silver, midnight blue and blood red, the clothes winked at the Fay Wray film without ever giving off an overtly vintage air. Swirly tubing on shift dresses and jackets represented bat veins, fluttery sleeves were delicate wings, while an inverted widow's peak neckline was a more direct nod to the film. Leather, sure to be huge this year, gave the simplistic styles a downtown vibe, toughening even the most delicate chiffon gown.

With actresses Mena Suvari and Gabourey Sidibe in attendance, the audience showed its appreciation for the wearable collection with roaring cheers and a standing ovation.

View full collection when you Click Here

article via: StyleBistro
pictures via: ImaxTree

Top Affordable Designer Diffusion Lines

Since Isaac Mizrahi's famous collaboration with Target, designer diffusion lines have exploded. Last winter Lanvin for H&M flew off the shelves in a frenzy and even Karl Lagerfeld and Donatella Versace have joined the affordable diffusion trend. Here's a look at some high-fashion gone affordable as well as upcoming collaborations we're holding our breath for.

The mastermind behind Kim Kardashian's wedding gowns (plural), Vera Wang has been the designer on everyone's lips for years. From bridesmaids dresses to mattresses, there are few products Vera doesn't have her name on. Lucky for us, the talented designer has an affordable diffusion line, Simply Vera by Vera Wang, at Kohls. The vast collection encompasses everything from jewelry and clothes to bedding and footwear.

The world is waiting with bated breath for the Versace and H&M collaboration. Versace is simply synonymous with high-end fashion, and come November 19, the brilliant designs of Donatella will be at our fingertips. Thanks to a sneak peek, we already know the collection will be rife with Versace's famous greek key pattern, studded leather and signature fringe.

Everyone's favorite Project Runway winner, Christian Siriano, has been teaming up with Payless Shoes since the Fall of 2009 to give us ultra-fierce footwear. We are currently loving his sky-high platform booties and green alligator embossed platforms.

To much surprise, the reigning king of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, recently launched an eponymous diffusion line exclusively for Macy's. Hot pink cocktail dresses and sophisticated ascot styles hit the floors of the department store this fall to mixed reviews.

D&G's Final Collection + Christian Siriano Spring 2012

The news that Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were closing D&G, their younger, spunkier, more affordable line, came on Thursday just minutes after the show. As it turned out, the collection’s last hurrah was rather business as usual — not that it’s ever a downer.

And as usual, the designers held tight to a single theme. This time it was foulards, the same idea mined for the spring men’s show — again, standard procedure. Bright and boisterous in shades of hot pink, gold and blue laced with curlicues and stripes, the scarves were knotted here and there for a beachy, skin-bearing look. And it seemed there were a million ways to wear them. Halters, bloomers, boxer shorts, sequined tunics, skimpy sundresses, pin-up bra tops, western shirts, baby dolls, peasant gowns — you name it, the pair fashioned the lineup from printed silk twill, expertly layering riotous color and patterns into a cute, cohesive clash.

Such is no easy feat — Dolce and Gabbana clearly know their way around these ultraspecific prints. And so did someone else. You cannot fill a Milanese runway with screaming scarf prints and not mention the name Versace. Gianni owned the look back in his day. That influence was obvious here, yet did not make the lineup any less valid. As the finale of scarves reimagined as flowing, bohemian dresses proved, it was a fitting way to tie up D&G.

A Christian Siriano show isn't a Christian Siriano show without an abundance of tulle and rich texture. It is perfectly fitting that for Spring 2012 the master of fabric manipulation was inspired by the color and structure of coral. "I was looking originally at a lot of different photographs of these very interesting underwater creatures, barnacles...different types of coral," the designer told StyleBistro backstage, "I thought it was very interesting because the textures are so beautiful."

The former Project Runway winner was not without his loyal famous following in attendance. A vivacious Heidi Klum showed up in one of the designer’s frocks, accompanied by a chic Nina Garcia. “From the beginning when I met him I knew that he had something, you know you can tell now, he's just a very, very special person," Heidi said of Siriano before the presentation, "He has a great personality, he's super nice, he's humble—not always, but he can be humble, too—and he just has it.”

While Siriano’s vibrant hues and delectable frothy confections were right on par, our favorite pieces were his sleek high-waisted silk mermaid skirts paired with casual tees and his sweetly sophisticated crisp white shirt dress worn with a tiny chartreuse belt.

Check out StyleBistro’s backstage footage + interviews with Christian and Heidi:

The Best and Worst Dressed at the Emmy Awards 2011

In many ways, deciding what to wear to the Primetime Emmys is like deciding on a wedding dress. Some go subtly chic, others bold and empowering, and others wear peculiar hat-like head things with feathers. Point is, the stars go all out and we're here to bring you all the highlights. Enjoy!

Hello '90s! Gwyneth Paltrow hit the Emmy Awards in an exotic two-piece Emilio Pucci dress with sheer tulle trim. The intricately embroidered black-and-nude dress showed off Gwyn's toned abs and was a definite departure from her typically feminine aesthetic. Sleek blond locks and glowing skin finished off the look. Do you think bare midriff on the red carpet is a do or a don't?

We were eagerly awaiting Lea Michele's dramatic Emmy entrance, as her red carpet swagger is simply unparalleled. The Glee actress opted to wear a sleek backless Marchesa gown with ornately layered shoulders and a romantic mermaid silhouette. The vibrant red design was paired with a banged 'do and a confident pose.

Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev wowed at the 2011 Emmys in a sensational red strapless Donna Karan gown with a dramatic train. The ravishing dress' unexpected pleated details and flattering gathered sweetheart bust made is an unforgettable choice. A gleaming diamond choker necklace and sideswept curls finished off her flawless style.

Mad Men's voluptuous Christina Hendricks stepped onto the Emmy red carpet in a breathtaking custom silver beaded gown by Johanna Johnson. The fiery red head showed off her killer curves in the ornate gown brimming with Old Hollywood glamour. A thigh high slit and bold red lips topped off Christina's sultry style.

Kerry Washington never disappoints on the red carpet! She stunned at the 2011 Emmys in a dazzling red sequined Zuhair Murad gown with a daring sheer skirt. She finished off her va-va-voom Jessica Rabbit-inspired look with a chic wavy bob, a matching clutch and fire engine red lips.

Kate Winslet brought her effortless glamour to the Emmys in a minimalist Elie Saab gown with a plunging neckline. The crimson dress hugged Kate's curves, while still leaving plenty to the imagination. Drop earrings and a diamond bangle finished off Kate's flawless look.

While Dianna Agron's Roksanda Ilincic gown added a captivating pop of color to the Emmy red carpet, we fear the silhouette and choice of shoes was too mature for the young actress. It's impossible, however, to detract from the Glee star's relentless beauty. A box clutch and retro updo polished off Dianna's dramatic look.

At Christian Siriano's Spring 2012 runway show at NYFW, Heidi Klum revealed to us backstage that she would be wearing one of the designer's textured designs for the Emmy Awards. The svelte model loves to show off her enviable legs (and who can blame her?), opting to wear a cocktail length tulle design. The ecru number was clearly inspired by the rich texture of sea coral.

Ooh la la! Kelly Osbourne turned heads at the 2011 Emmys in a showstopping J. Mendel gown. The Fashion Police star showed off her elegant dress' asymmetric straps by wearing her newly lavender frosted locks in a sleek updo. Matching drop earrings and a glittery clutch were the ideal finishing touches to this fab look.

Elie Saab is ceaselessly a favorite on the red carpet, and the Emmys are reminding us exactly why. Emily Blunt looked ravishing in a midnight blue confection from Saab's Fall '11 Couture collection. A beaded bodice sparkled with a plunging neckline and frothy tulle adorned skirt gave a rich texture to Emily's award-worthy style.

Would You Believe Me, If I Told You "These Are PAYLESS Shoes?"

Christian Siriano's Fall 2011 was almost entirely black, but it was anything but boring. The Project Runway alum appeared to have practiced some restraint with the colors and frills this season, focusing instead on surprisingly sultry silhouettes. The towering platform Payless shoes were also surprisingly mature.

Yes, I said PAYLESS!!

Christian Siriano & Diane von Furstenberg w/ a Haute Shoe!!

The platform reigns on in a slithering snakeskin print. A shiny metallic red heel strikes the perfect balance of exotic texture and futuristic structure. These bad boys will without a doubt be on our shoe list!

Mint green ankle straps made a pastel splash on the runway. Her Goddess collection never looked so complete!