- Now that motherhood has her feeling “more beautiful than…ever,” People has acknowledged Beyoncé’s newfound hubris by naming her the “World’s Most Beautiful Woman.” It also didn’t hurt that she’s back to her pre-baby weight. I guess taking that cushion out from under her Dereon was a laborious process. #Kidding #NotReally [People]

- Calvin Klein‘s sex clone/ex-porn star boyfriend Nick Gruber was arrested for assault, resisting arrest and possession of cocaine after hitting Calvin — not Klein but some other guy named Calvin he took home that night. And this is why, Mr. Klein, you should class it up like Marc Jacobs and only date current porn stars. [Page Six]

-Anna Wintour, Sarah Jessica Parker and Oscar de la Renta were among the guests to lend their support to Bill Cunningham as he received the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence. Also in attendance, a couple of cardboard cutouts of the man of the hour. [Daily Front Row]

- The TIME 100 held its Gala last night and since there was a red carpet Marchesa inevitably made a few uninspired appearances. But the best dressed cake went to Tilda Swinton (naturally) in a Céline jumpsuit (also, naturally). [Fashionista]

- The stars were also out last night at the Chanel Tribeca Film Festival Artist Awards Program Dinner, including Kanye West who shocked — shocked I tell you! —  everyone by bringing alleged girlfriend Kim Kardashian along for the fun. [Refinery29]

The Olympic Torch, designed by the team of Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, is made of aluminum with 8,000 perforated holes representing each of its carriers as it makes its way to London for the July 27 opening ceremony.

“Nothing is harder to get right* than designing for the Olympics,” said Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic. “The lightness and simplicity of Barber Osgerby’s Olympic Torch does just that.”

There were a total of 89 nominees in seven categories: Architecture, Digital, Fashion, Furniture, Graphics, Product and Transport.

The winner of the Fashion category was Issey Miyake‘s origami-inspired 132 5 Eco-Fashion collection, beating out these top contenders:

McQueen Met exhibit
Mary Katrantzou‘s fall 2011 collection
the Royal wedding dress
Gareth Pugh‘s spring 2012 collection film
the Late Night Chameleon Café store
Céline‘s fall 2011 collection
Melissa + Gaetano Pesce Boot and Flip Flop
Vivienne Westwood‘s Ethical Fashion Africa collection
the Oratory Jacket by Brompton Bicylce Ltd
Suno‘s spring 2011 collection

That Issey Miyake collection is pretty badass — you should really check out that video link, or if you have ADD like I do, this much shorter one — so I can understand how Kate’s gown and even Savage Beauty could pale in comparison. I don’t accept it, but I understand it.

For a full list of the winners click here.

*Tell that to Sarah. At least Barber and Osgerby didn’t have to lie to Anna Wintour‘s face.

Arnault, who in the past has gobbled up luxury fashion houses Pac-Man-style, has eased his megalomaniacal machinations as of late since the multi-billion dollar takeover of Bulgari last year. Europe’s richest man, however, hasn’t invested in a small fashion brand since LVMH bought a 40% stake in Edun, the eco-conscious label founded by Bono and wife Ali Hewson, in 2009.

So why Simoens? Why now?

“They [LVMH] do believe in him, and want to finance him,” a source told WWD. It seems Bernard Arnault wants to keep the fresh-faced fashion foal within claw’s reach should another head designer fall ever so publicly from grace. Arnault is famous for plucking young talent to revitalize staid, old houses, and with a stable of brands that includes Givenchy, Céline, Fendi and Vuitton, for Simoens, a deal with Bernard and co. makes dollars and sense. [WWD, sub req'd]

Knightley discusses her two new films with David Cronenberg, who recently directed the 27-year-old in last year’s A Dangerous Method. First there’s June’s Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, co-starring fellow fashion plate Steve Carell, and an adaptation of Anna Karenina, in which she plays Tolstoy’s legendary literary heroine — out just in time for awards season in December.

Seriously, just throw that girl in a period piece and watch the Oscars fly.

Photos: Interview

This peek at the top five collections casts a spotlight on the most au courant accessories. Proenza Schouler and Prada both look to midcentury Americana, invoking the smoldering glamour of 1940s California and summery, slightly cheeky 1950s Southern California, respectively. With Louis Vuitton, sugar sweetness is superbold. Céline creates streamlined cool with androgyny and minimalism, and Jil Sander explores all of the nuances and complications of femininity. Our look at the season ahead.

Re-posted from WSJ Magazine. Check out the original post here.

If a downtown art-house darling were to dress up as a 1940s screen siren, she'd pluck her wardrobe from Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez's spring collection: retro Hawaiian florals with skin-baring cutouts and A-line eelskin skirts in geek-out stripes. She'd carry only the essentials, and for that there's a burnt sienna camera bag to swing from the wrist.

Prada's pastel swing coats, bandeau tops and pleated skirts feel youthful and reminiscent of a decadent summer spent among the spiky palms and expansive vistas of 1950s Southern California. For a touch of playful, drive-in theater cheekiness, there are clutches and heels tricked out with silhouettes of classic cars.

Sweet is sexiest when there's a hint of deception. At Louis Vuitton, icy-blue bags and acid-yellow mules complement nipped-waist dresses, drowning in oversize plastic daisies and peekaboo broderie anglaise. Going this fluffy is actually an act of boldness.

For a woman who prefers straight-lined minimalism to convey a sense of understated power, Phoebe Philo offers the allure of androgynous fashion -- and this brick-red envelope clutch. This is what cool looks like right now.

This season, Raf Simons explores a slightly eerie, repressed side of femininity. Neon paisleys, lavender gingham skirt suits, white nurse shoes and structured patent frame bags are pieces that feel both innocent and complicated.

- Apparently yesterday was “Gossip Girl Day” in New York. Which explains why everyone was making half-assed literary references and plotting against everyone in Brooklyn. [Gawker]

- Parisian couturier Jean Luc Amsler dug up Jerry Hall from whatever velvet-lined crypt she’s been sleeping in and paraded her down his catwalk. [Telegraph]

- Céline has opened their first freestanding boutique in New York. So far, no Kanye West sightings. [Racked]

- She. Died. Rachel Zoe dressed up like a vampire for LOVE Magazine. Or maybe someone just caught her without a stitch of makeup. Either way, terrifying/fabulous. [Stylecaster]

- Go behind the scenes of Alexis Bittar‘s new campaign starring the Absolutely Fabulous Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone, aka the divine Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley.

“A runway show is a very demanding and personal engagement for a creative director,” Céline CEO Marco Gobbetti told WWD. “The objective is to simplify.” Gobbetti also said he’s considering an informal and intimate presentation in the house’s showrooms. Meanwhile, Philo, it seems, is determined to work up until her water breaks. According to Gobbetti, she’s still “designing the collection with her team” and is expected to attend the presentation on March 4.

A panel of experts will choose the Design of the Year as well as the top designs in six categories including Fashion, Architecture, Furniture and Graphics. In the Fashion Design category, Mary Katrantzou and Céline‘s fall 2011 collections will compete against Vivienne Westwood‘s Ethical Fashion Africa collection, and the collaboration between shoe company Melissa with Italian architect Gaetano Pesce. The winners will be announced April 24 at an awards night at the Museum. [Vogue UK]

Barney’s Prediction: Give them the extremes of a giant 70′s platform chunk and/or a balls-of-the-feet to the ground 90′s stiletto.

Word from the front line: “We are seeing a shift toward a 1990s-inspired, single-sole pump silhouette à la Manolo Blahnik. Celine introduced a new take on the platform shoe, Alexander Wang showed great novelty in his lug-sole monk-strap oxfords, and Prada embraced a 1970s-inspired mule with a chunkier heel. And, of course, Christian Louboutin always embraces and even creates many of the key shoe trends each season.” Amanda Brooks, Fashion Director

Prediction: Give them the extremes of a giant 70's platform chunk and/or a balls-of-the-feet to the ground 90's stiletto. On the front line: “We are seeing a shift toward a 1990s-inspired, single-sole pump silhouette à la Manolo BlahnikCeline introduced a new take on the platform shoe, Alexander Wang showed great novelty in his lug-sole monk-strap oxfords, and Prada embraced a 1970s-inspired mule with a chunkier heel. And, of course, Christian Louboutin always embraces and even creates many of the key shoe trends each season.” - Amanda Brooks, Fashion Director

Photography by Stockton Johnson

Styled by Yi Guo

Link Love: Fashion Gone Rogue

The caveat that broke the camel’s back was Jacobs’ insistence on taking his Louis Vuitton team with him to Dior, leaving Vuitton — LVMH’s cash cow — without a heel to stand on. To make matters worse, Arnault had wanted Céline‘s Phoebe Philo to replace Marc at Vuitton should he move to Dior, but Philo is happy where she is — outfitting Kanye West in billowy blouses.

So with Jacobs more or less off the table, LVMH has reportedly approached Alexander Wang, Jason Wu and Jil Sander‘s Raf Simons; though out of the three Simons would seem the most likely choice, that is unless Dior plans on eschewing breathtaking gowns and impeccably-crafted ladysuits for sweatpants and cocktail dresses.

Then there is Givenchy‘s Riccardo Tisci, whose name has been bandied about since Gallianogate got into full swing. But he — along with Lanvin‘s Alber Elbaz, Alexander McQueen‘s Sarah Burton and Balenciaga‘s Nicolas Ghesquière – has turned down the Dior deal, citing brand loyalty.

So the question still remains — and frankly, the question is getting really tiresome — who will take the reins at Christian Dior? However, by the time someone is announced, the question might be, who the hell cares? [WWD]

From Le Figaro via The Cut:

From the first model on the runway, we are struck by what resembles an out-of-style Gucci collection from ten years ago. The fussy complications of the cuts (drawstrings, shirring, high-waisted skirts, leg-of-lamb sleeves), the disheveled hairstyle of a girl barely back from happy hour, and the overdone makeup… Overload is the key word of the show… The laced shoe? An ersatz model of an Alaïa. The jogging shorts in black leather? Already seen last year in Céline‘s cruise collection, as were the sandals with bracelet straps (here, encrusted with rhinestones). The coat bristling with raffia? A pale version of those in Yves Saint Laurent‘s spring 1967 collection.

And then shit gets personal:

At the end of this inventory suited to Kim Kardashian, Tom Ford appears. He advances. And he remains there, in the central area, asking people to stand up. Perhaps [people would do so] out of distress, or sympathy, or because all of this is supposed to be festive after all. But everybody just looks at their feet. The music does not stop. Ford tries to speak above the noise, louder. We can’t hear a thing. We just see this baby-faced man trying desperately to clear the air. He throw[s] himself upon his companion, Richard Buckley, and hugs him (Ralph Lauren often hugs his companion Ricky at the end of his shows, but then he returns backstage). But here everyone stays put. So Tom Ford retreats toward Anna Wintour and now it’s she whom he decides to embrace. Troubling.

A.) That comparison to Kim Kardashian is verging on out-of-line. B.) I’m pretty sure Mouzat called Ford fat with that “baby-faced” comment. And  C.) I think the most “troubling” part is that he reportedly had the cajones to publicly embrace Anna Wintour. People have died for less.

This isn’t the first time Ford has weathered bad press as noted sassbag Cathy Horyn referred to Ford’s spring 2001 Gucci show as “not just truly ugly, but also…completely at odds with his reputation as a designer who loves women.” And then there was that reporter at the Guardian, Jess Cartner-Morley, who also had some choice words for Ford’s latest collection.

So, is it a case of sour grapes, or has Tom Ford simply made an unfashionable misstep? Well, you’ll have to wait to form your own opinions when the photos come out, but everyone’s allowed a mistake every now and then. Hell, we keep Jean Paul Gaultier around and when’s the last time he did anything passably good? Oh, right. [The Cut]

Izabel Goulart, a Brazilian model whom Carine discovered at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show, turns it in a Mugler top.

For a cut-out zig, zag into this ribboned and mesh-topped tunic from Topshop for $66.

For the zag on a long sleeve shirt, check out what Karl Lagerfeld did for Macy’s for $99. Pair it with Tom Ford sunglasses for a killer downtown look.

Olympia Scarry in Haider Ackermann

Fei Fei Sun in Bottega Veneta

Crystal Renn in L'Wren Scott

Mary Frey in Stella McCartney

Saskia de Brauw in Nina Ricci

Victoire de Castellane in Azzedine Alaïa

Malgosia Bela in Celine

Vanessa Traina in Altuzarra

Joan Smalls in Commes des Garçons and Gianvito Rossi

Marie Agnes Gillot in Ann Demeulemeester

Theodora Richards in Rodarte

Izabel Goulart in Mugler and Gianvito Rossi

Dasha Zhukova in Proenza Schouler

Daphne Groeneveld in Rochas

China Chow in Giambattista Valli

Bambou in Lanvin

Melanie Huynh in Yves Saint Laurent

Alexandra Richards in Maison Martin Margiela

Jessica Hart in Marc Jacobs

Carolyn Murphy in Marni and Gianvito Rossi

Marie-Amélie Sauvé in Balenciaga

Giovanna Battaglia in Junya Watanabe

Naomi Cambell in Fendi

Dior has been without a creative director since that little incident with John Galliano — you know, the anti-Semitism and the firing and the rehab and the court case — since March.

Arnault, chairman of LVMH — which also owns Marc Jacobs International — had initially planned on hiring Jacobs for Dior back in the 90s, but that idea was vetoed by Dior’s then president Francois Baufume. Instead, Galliano was hired from Givenchy to Dior and Jacobs signed on as Vuitton’s artistic director in 1997.

“Had I hired Marc Jacobs for Dior and John Galliano for Louis Vuitton, it would not have worked as well for both brands, even though both designers are geniuses of their own,” Arnault told WWD in 2003.

Meetings are scheduled for this week in Paris between Dior and Marc Jacobs’ legal representatives while the designer prepares for New York Fashion Week. Robert Duffy, Jacobs’ longtime business partner, is also reported to be integral to the deal, despite currently having legal troubles of his own.

Should Jacobs move to Dior, Phoebe Philo is said to be on tap to replace him at Louis Vuitton, while maintaining her current role at Céline.

Since March, Dior has approached a number of designers to replace Galliano including Lanvin‘s Alber Elbaz, Balenciaga‘s Nicolas Ghesquière, Alexander McQueen‘s Sarah Burton, Haider Ackermann and Hedi Slimane. Elbaz, Ghesquière and Burton have allegedly withdrawn themselves from the running due to their strong personal commitments to their respective brands, while talks with Ackermann and Slimane proved fruitless.

Then, of course, there is Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci whose name has been bandied about as frontrunner for months now and who is a favorite of Delphine Arnault, deputy managing director at Dior. Where Tisci stands in all this is uncertain, but do you think Marc Jacobs is what Christian Dior needs right now? [WWD]

Freedman turned to a wide variety of artists, architects and interior designers, including Rafael de Cárdenas, Joe Grillo, Peter Shelton and Lee F. Mindel of Shelton, Mindel & Associates and Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, giving them carte blanche to create their own environments: “I said, ‘Here’s your space. That’s your room. Within that room I really want you to let your imagination fly,’” he explained.

Housed in those environments are looks by  Stella McCartney, Givenchy, Rick Owens, Holms + Yang, Azzedine Alaïa, Chloé and Céline.

Since his first installation – when Daphne Guinness turned the Barneys windows into her personal dressing room before the Met Gala — Freedman has tried “to bring in different kinds of talent to do projects and make something new and fresh.” Whereas Doonan’s windows were often whimsical and heavy on the kitsch, Freedman said he hopes to “have a dialogue between fashion and [other disciplines such as] art, design, music and architecture.”

So I guess that means no ball gowns made of recycled coffee cans? [WWD]

Winners

Womenswear Designer of the Year: Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, Proenza Schouler

The kids, Jack and Laz

Menswear Designer of the Year: Michael Bastian

Bastian next to a surprisingly sexy Gerard Butler

Accessory Designer of the Year: Alexander Wang

Wang with fairy godmother, Iris Apfel

Prabal saddling up next to Alessandra Ambrosio

Super adorable pocket person Eddie Borgo with Guinevere Van Seenus

Gags

Rosie Rubenstein

Philo with BFF Kanye West

Twriling : NYT

- Got Klum? Heidi lands her third “Got Milk?” campaign. Little known fact: one of those three times, that wasn’t milk on her face. [Modelina]

- Rumor has it rapper/budding fashionista Kanye West has moved to Paris to work on his own high-end fashion line. He’s befriended Central Saint Martins‘ professor Louise Wilson in the process and will present new BFF Céline‘s Phoebe Philo an award at the CFDAs. The most surprising facet of these rumors is that anyone would let Kanye near any awards show. [Daily Telegraph]

- Alleged magazine FHM issued a half-ass apology to Andrej Pejic after referring to him as “it” and a “thing.” Note, “it” was not followed by “girl” and “thing” not preceded by “Miss.” [Styleite]

- Hedi Slimane‘s fashion diary features images from Yves Saint Laurent‘s final runway show from 2002, including stunning candids of Naomi Campbell and Jerry Hall. [Hedi Slimane]

- Karl Lagerfeld kind of openly hates everyone, especially “lazy pig” biographers who would dare relate his life story. [Elle]

- Passover just got blinged the schul out. Jewelry designer Young&ng is selling Swarovski-encrusted Yarmulkes for the price of your first born, or roughly $1,495. [Refinery29]

- Karl Lagerfeld wants you to smell like a bestseller. The Kaiser has a fragrance in the works, Paper Passion, inspired by the scent of books. I’ve always wanted an Eau de Moby Dick. [Bellasugar]

- The Fab Lane apparently no longer has room for car pooling. Kimora Lee Simmons has lost some weight, she’s looking good, she’s turning it, she may even get rid of those rings around her neck, but she wants you to know that she does not have an eating disorder, despite kind of hinting at that earlier. [The Cut]

- Kanye West is not your typical rapper. No, Ye is a man after my own heart as he too loves a good woman’s blouse. La West closed Coachella in a Spring 2011 Céline top, heavily accessorized with layers of chains, bracelets and a tampon. He has a really heavy flow. [Elle UK]

- Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who’s the fairest of them all. Not Kate Middleton (today’s Muse of the World is brought to you by the letter ‘K’). Prince William‘s future princess was voted the third most beautiful royal in history, behind Princess Grace (Kelly) of Monaco and Queen Rania of Jordan. But good news, she came out one place ahead of the late Princess Di. At least that’s one less shadow of Di’s she has to live in…though it’s going to be nothing but darkness for years to come. [Daily Mail]

- Tom Ford may look smarmy, but not used car salesman smarmy. However, an Ontario dealer begs to differ and is using Ford’s swarthy, sultry, smarmy image to move some product with the provocative tagline: ”You know you’re not the first. But do you really care?” I can’t say that I do. Tom Ford may have been around the block a few (hundred) times, but he’s still looks good under the hood.  [Racked]

Upon my recent return from snowboarding, and at the on-set of spring, I found myself at a loss for an opportunity to hone my boarding craft in the off-season. Unwilling to take an eight-month sabbatical from the sport, I entertained momentary flirtations with a snowboard simulator but wondered about its ability to give me anything more than a mediocre core workout, one easily matched by a simple sit-up regime. I needed to substitute snowboarding with something that required similar movement and a push outside of my comfort zone. I decided to take up skateboarding.

Having no idea about which skateboard would work best for me, I chose a cute looking board by Moxie Girl (not to be confused with Roxy) and used the ballet bar in my dance studio to pull myself along the hardwood floor. To my credit, I was fearless from the start and even attempted several kick flips in the foyer, which I had dutifully studied on You Tube. However, when the board suddenly flew out from under my feet with reckless abandon, I concluded that some lessons might be required.

As it turned out, a friend of mine, born-and-bred California girl, had an in with the local surfer/skater community and a black book of professional skating contacts.  Without long consideration she decided that her good friend, Steve Olson would love to teach me and told me to email him.

Olson interviewed me via telephone before we met, asking me a variety of questions from what type of helmet and padding I had, to how strong my bones were and how flexible I was. Before agreeing, he kept repeating that he “didn’t normally teach” which I thought was strange since I had assumed he must be a professional skateboard instructor. Yet he agreed to meet for a trial lesson.

Professional he was. I was later informed he was a former World Champion. No pressure on me, then.

Upon arrival at my first lesson, Olson took one look at my cute little Moxie board and shook his head as if to imply I had brought shame upon the sport. He spent about ten minutes explaining why this was not a well designed board, though he admitted he could see how the graphic would have appealed to me. He then moved on to my attire. I was reprimanded for wearing Ugg boots and the suggestion that I trade them for my Dior biker boots was equally unwelcome. Apparently, I needed to purchase Vans.

“So have you stood on a skateboard before?” he asked. I truthfully admitted that, other than my few attempts in the dance studio, I found the prospect to be a little scary, but inspired by snowboarding, I was now up for the challenge.

By the end of our trial lesson, I found Olson to be an excellent teacher. He was methodical, patient and very encouraging. He didn’t push me too fast, yet kept me learning at a pace that promised consistent rewards. I was inspired and I think he was as well.  After all, considering the fact that Olson “didn’t usually teach” he seemed to enjoy the opportunity to give constructive criticism and impart year’s worth of wisdom upon an enthusiastic blank canvas.  I promised to be the perfect muse.

Skateboarding, particularly the classic styles that inspire me, is about movement and balance. Being a dancer, I found that I already had some of the principle elements of the sport engrained. Watching skaters like Jay Adams and Stacy Peralta, one can’t help but be seduced by their effortless fluidity.

Becoming proficient at skateboarding takes both passion and commitment. I never knew if I would enjoy the sport, but as it turned out, I felt this drive to be skateboarding every day and missed it when I didn’t get the opportunity to practice.  I don’t know where the passion has come from, but the determination to master the movements that I find so inspiring now feels part of my soul.

The popularity of skateboarding is as big as soccer or baseball in terms of participation. There are thousands of people around the world who skateboard for a living in one way or another and there are more skateboard websites and magazines than ever before.

Sadly, when it comes to skater girl fashion, the current marketplace leaves a lot to be desired.
There are extremely few females who look beautiful, elegant and stylish while on their board. I can find only one example, possibly the most stylish female in the world, Chloë Sevigny. Let’s be fair, Chloë looks beyond cool no matter what she wears.

Now, a month into my training, I’m spending more time working on my core muscles to ease the strain on my lower legs. So far, I’ve had no bad falls, which I credit partly to my cautious nature and mostly to Olson, who is always on standby in case I start to wobble.

I’m interested to see how the skateboarding will have helped my snowboarding skills. If nothing else, my confidence and fearlessness is steadily increasing.

Since I live in California, come summer time, I’m sure that I will be embarking on the inevitable surf lessons and who knows, by the end of the year I could be the new face of Roxy. (Not to be confused with Moxie).

by: Kirsten Lea

Other CFDA nominees include:

Menswear Designer of the Year:

Michael Bastian

Patrik Ervell

Simon Spurr

Accessory Designer of the Year:

Reed Krakoff

Alexander Wang

Proenza Schouler

Swarovski Award (which recognizes up and coming talent; “recipients in each category will receive generous financial support from Swarovski as well as exposure to the company’s vast and innovative Swarovski crystal resources”):

Womenswear –

Joseph Altuzarra

Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, The Row

Prabal Gurung

Menswear —

Alexander Wang

Philip Lim

Robert Geller

Accessories —

Eddie Borgo

Jason Wu

Pamela Love

International Award:

Phoebe Philo, Celine

Eugenia Sheppard Media Award:

Hilary Alexander, The Telegraph

Eleanor Lambert Founders Award:

Hal Rubenstein, InStyle

CFDA Board of Directors’ Special Tribute Award:

Arthur Elgort (in honor of his impact on fashion and photography)

Who do you think will win in the competitive categories? And this is my first time seeing the actual CFDA trophy, but is it just me or does it look like something recovered from an alien spaceship? And furthermore, the trophy kind of has a little gut. If it insists on being a fashion award, I think it’s time to get on a diet…

Link Love: CFDA

1. Ochre Pintuck Jumpsuit ($80 missselfridge.com)

2. Janis by Janis Savitt Multi-Strand Snake Chain Necklace ($569 bergdorfgoodman.com)

3. Arden B. Faux Suede Wedge Pump ($59 ardenb.com)

4. Cynthia Rowley Ostrich Feather Vest ($330 cynthiarowley.com)

5. Karen Walker Agent Sunglasses ($210 gargyle.com)

1. Celine Linen Dress (lanecrawford.com)

2. YSL Oval Turquoise Ring ($295 cultstatus.com.au)

3. Casadei Ankle Boots ($820 thecorner.com)

4. Anna Sui Brocade Sweater Tights ($22 zappos.com)

5. AllSaints Caledonian Jacket ($490 allsaints.com)

1. Roberto Cavalli Animal Print Top ($620 farfetch.com)

2. Balmain Cropped Leather Motocross Pants ($5,190 net-a-porter.com)

3. Noir Gotham City Ring ($238 charmandchain.com)

4. Alexander Wang Dakota Lace-Up Terracotta Ankle Boots ($800 shopmrsh.com)

5. Marc Jacobs Leather Julie Bag ($1,348 colette.fr)

1. Mulberry Sandwashed Silk Blouse ($460 mulberry.com)

2. Goldsign Misfit Mid-Rise Skinny Jeans ($200 net-a-porter.com)

3. Alexander McQueen Studded Skull Pumps ($1,250 ssense.com)

4. Fendi Patchwork Calf Hair Peekaboo Tote ($4,600 bergdorfgoodman.com)

5. Oscar de la Renta Crystal Tassel Drop Earrings ($257 bergdorfgoodman.com)

1. Tibi Fitted Jacquard Dress ($184 theoutnet.com)

2. Anna Sui Magenta Microfiber Tights ($14 zappos.com)

3. M.A.C. Lustreglass Lip Gloss in Wonderstick ($14.95 amazon.com)

4. Prada Satin Half Bow Peeptoe Pumps (£495.00 flannelsfashion.com)

5. Dominic Jones Tooth 22-Karat Rose Gold-Plated Ring ($129.50 theoutnet.com)

1. Vivienne Westwood Red Label Classic Black Blazer (£439.00 hervia.com)

2. Ramzi Musa for Browns Leopard Print Silk Shorts ($265 brownsfashion.com)

3. Anna Sui Brocade Sweater Tights ($22 zappos.com)

4. Maison Martin Margiela Line 10 Paperbag Ankle Boot ($925 barneys.com)

5. Topshop Coral Leather Lock Handle Bag ($110 topshop.com)

1. REDValentino Ruffle Blouse ($495 valentino.com)

2. D&G Stretch Satin Skinny Trousers ($313.50 my-wardrobe.com)

3. American Apparel Poly Canvas Bow Hair Clip in Shale Green ($14 americanapparel.net)

4. YSL Tribtoo Shimmer Leather Pumps (£545.00 harveynichols.com)

5. Paige Novick Becca Bangle Set ($575 farfetch.com)

1. Topshop Lilac Sleeveless Tea Dress ($95 topshop.com)

2. Rick Owens Gold Calf Leather Jacket ($2,146 shopmrsh.com)

3. Acne Hydro Leather Plateau Boot ($440 youheshe.com)

4. Erickson Beamon Spike and Crystal Ring (£250.00 harveynichols.com)

5. YSL Rouge Personnel Lipstick in #23 Irresistible Violet ($25 yesstyle.com)

Were you girls a design team prior to studying at Ars Arpel School in Milan or did you meet there? As a team, did you always want to design shoes or was it something you fell into along the way?
We met when we both started work in the same week as junior designers for an Australian footwear group. We clicked immediately and it wasn’t long before we were planning our own label together. We’ve always both been interested in shoes and our passion and study drew us together. We both studied fashion design in Italy at different times and we’ve worked together now since 2003.

As designers, you maintain a “strong focus on the silhouette” of the shoes for your line tom gunn. Are you inspired by architecture in modern and ancient building? What about the architecture of nature like mountains and valleys?
We are inspired by everything around us. We collect images and photos on an inspiration board when we start to design a new collection and quite often use both modern and ancient architecture as inspiration as well as nature. We then zero in on the small details and take lines and shapes from the image to create the design lines of the shoes.

You source leathers and exotic skins from some of the top Italian tanneries. What about these materials make your shoes stand out from other lines? Has working with such high-end materials changed your perception of the footwear industry as a whole?
We absolutely love working with beautiful Italian leathers and exotic skins. The best quality materials make the shoe much more luxurious and comfortable. Snake and lizard leathers also have such a gorgeous texture that adds another dimension to the design.

There are so many footwear labels using low-end, cheap and plastic materials to keep the prices extremely low. This means you get what you pay for in terms of quality and comfort. Now we strive to use the best materials we can to ensure our shoes are luxurious, comfortable and the wearer will love them!

Do you look to forecasting trends for the colors and textures you use for your collections, or does the inspiration stem from inner creativity? Or is it a mix of both?
We build our colour palette from our images on our inspiration board. We love colour and leathers so we usually choose them first before we even start talking about design details for the collection. We don’t look at forecasting trends but design based on how we’re feeling and on what we would like to have in our shoe collections at that time! Of course, this means we need to wait six months for the shoe we’re coveting at the time, but it’s worth the wait!

Who and what inspires you? From nature to buildings, and blogs to other designers, where do you turn when a creativity block comes along?
Our design time is the most fun part of running the label so we usually come into it bursting with ideas and inspirations we’ve been dreaming about after the previous collection. There are a few amazing blogs including The Selby, Jak & Jil and Sea of Shoes we love looking at and some designers that inspire us are Dries Van Noten, Phoebe Philo of Celine and Consuelo Castiglioni of Marni.

It is so amazing tom gunn was awarded Footwear Designer of the Year at the 2010 2threads Fashion Awards. How has this changed the attention toward your brand?
Winning the 2Threads Footwear Designer of the Year was fantastic! It has certainly helped raise the profile of our brand and we have received many more inquiries and press.

You can learn more about tom gunn on the brand’s website.

Spring explodes in a riot of color and pattern.  From floral and leopard to houndstooth and psychedelic, supermodel Natasha Poly wears the prints.  They never wear her.

The love the balance of black and white and colored photographs featured in this spread. The amazing clothing used includes spring 2011 looks by Versace, Christopher Kane, Celine, Jil Sander, Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquiere, Miu Miu, Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci, Prada and Giorgio Armani.

LINK LOVE: V Magazine

Fendi Olive Colorblock Naturelle Pelle “Twins” Shopping Tote, $1680 from $ 2100 on Bluefly

This bag is so beautiful and can fit your whole life inside. It’s the perfect laptop carrier too.

Celine Moss Leather Top Handle Large Boston Tote, $1550 from $1240 on Bluefly

The vintage bowling bag look of this tote is ultra cool, and the color will look great even after some wear and tear.

Yves Saint Laurent Brown Calf large “Vanity” Bowler Bag, $1436 from $1795 on Bluefly

Perfect for travel, the design and color of this bag are too chic for words. If you’re looking to replace your overnight bag, this is your new friend.

LINK LOVE: Vintage Handbags & Purses

Givenchy’s three-piecer

Slitting the difference, at Albino.

Giorgio Armani’s Saharan night.

One of Phoebe Philo’s many tunics, at Celine.

Monochrome, at Cerruti.

Diaphanous layers, at Dries Van Noten.

Easy does it, at Fendi.

Army, but not drab, at Lanvin.

The life aquatic, at Marni.

Gypset chic from Antonio Marras.

Osman’s crisp take on the look.

Sheer trousers with a leather tux stripe, at Pedro Lourenço.

A vision of the future, at Gareth Pugh

Going with the flow, at Richard Chai Love

Gilded treasure from Rodarte.

At Richard Chai Love, the designer said, “It was all about playing with new proportions and unexpected layering.” Chai, who tossed long tunics and slipdresses over flowy pants, added, “It’s important that the fabric has movement.” If you want to experiment with the trend, try swapping out your tights and leggings for see-through trousers asGivenchy’s Riccardo Tisci,Pedro Lourenço, andGiorgio Armani all did for effects that ranged from punk to gypset. (credit: Style.com/ facehunter)

A Touch of YSL
Everyone from Marc Jacobs to Jil Sander’s Raf Simons riffed on Yves Saint Laurent’s oeuvre this season. But the competition didn’t seem to scare the guy who inherited the house of YSL six years ago: Stefano Pilati. The proof is in this bold, deeply ruffled peasant dress.

Something White
As we put it during the New York collections, white is the new camel. The smartest way to wear the non-color is a dress, which makes Francisco Costa’s Calvin Klein Collection a good place to go first. Minimalism’s main man had no less than ten white frocks on his runway.

A Crazy Print
Monkeys at Prada. Citrus fruit at Stella McCartney. It’s staring us in the face: Spring is a season of wacky prints. A sartorial gamble? Maybe. But Mary Katrantzou’s dresses, with their digital renderings of Architectural Digestinteriors, are worth betting the house on

The New Length
Below-the-knee hems were big news again on the catwalk. On the street? That remains to be seen, but if anyone can convince real women to wear the challenging length, it’s Narciso Rodriguez, who turned out one of his freshest collections in seasons.

Call me a slacker and catch the rest on Style.com

LINK LOVE:lookbook love: H&M autumn/winter 2010-11

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This spread features Miranda Kerr, Karolina Kurkova and Jacquelyn Jablonski wearing Prada, Celine and Valentino.

Link Love: Altamira nyc

Alexandra Neel is helping restart Charles Jourdan Shoes. The designer, who once worked with Balenciaga and Celine, has gone to Charles Jourdan to reintroduce the label. Charles Jourdan, which was popular in the 60s and 70s, is set to relaunch this September.

LINKAGE: Black Book

GALLERY: RUNWAY RUNDOWN: Celine Resort 2010

Thanks Style!