Finding that perfect Christmas party dress has almost become a modern-day guaranteed nightmare for most of us - there is the question of what colour, shape, length dress to wear, and the dreaded risk that someone may have the same show-stopper as you. For both Fall and Spring, designers have made an easy option for us, the new, little black playsuit. Glamorous with a twist, the LBP comes in many shapes and varieties, making it easy to find a shape to suit. Our favourite is the velvet one-shouldered Topshop version with a Lanvin-esque bow, ticking three trend boxes being velvet, one shouldered and an all-in-one. If you're not feeling brave enough to flash those pins, longer length playsuits are equally as elegant, as demonstrated by actress Jessica Stroup.
Christmas may be round the corner and though the festivities of the season are preoccupying the minds of most, we are a little more excited about the fact that the Oscars are only round the corner - cue fabulous and not-so-fabulous dresses and the general mania that sweeps Hollywood for that weekend. Outfits and hysteria aside, what's really got us excited at the moment is the fact that the Valentino film has been shortlisted for an Oscar.
Model of the moment Gemma Ward has been M.I.A. for the past few months. Counting the likes of Chanel, Gucci,Valentino, Calvin Klein, Prada and Christian Dior, to name but a few, as previous clients, we were a bit surprised when the model and actress unexpectedly 'fell off the fashion radar'. That was, however, until today, when the 22-year-old model came out of hibernation to celebrate her birthday, which she shares with none other than Anna Wintour. Ward was photographed in New York's East Village with a couple of friends dressed in navy high-waisted shorts and a striped, nautical-inspired top, teamed with an on-trend leopard-print coat. We just wonder what a supermodel who ranked tenth in Forbes' 2007 list of the World's 15 Top-Earning Models will be getting for her birthday? Jealous?
Known for their post production manipulations and digital enhancing, Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott are not shy about admitting Photoshop plays a large part in their finished photos. "It's very fakey, fakey, fakey, but that's what it's supposed to be" Grace Coddington told The New Yorker. Capturing the glamour of previous decades, whilst manipulating colours and contrasts, the duo are in high demand. This season the pair shot ad campaigns for Miu Miu and Valentino, along with recent covers for Love, Vanity Fair and W. Although having different individual styles, Mert preferring all out glamour whereas Marcus leans towards urban cool, the couple share the camera often snatching it from one another. However the two photographers usually have equal input into an image, making it impossible to tell which one is responsible for the beautiful end creation.
There is a new, youthful Valentino girl on the Parisian scene, and how we love her so. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli brought us a fresh look for Valentino's Spring Summer 2010 collection, complete with shorter hemlines, a sophisticated palette and sumptuous, sheer fabrics. Pieces were floaty, feminine without becoming weak - almost with a slight Gothic edge induced by spindly black lace trimmings, mystical swirls and gathers of fabrics and antique looking lace.
The collection was predominantly neutral with not a red dress in sight: the design duo opted for a chic choice of muted rose, lavender, nude, gold and grey, drawing attention to the detailing in the garments with feather-light layering and swirling hemlines. Nude ruffles brought a romanticism to the collection, which contained an array of knee skimming cocktail dresses - the whole collection of which was to die for. Chiuri and Piccioli brought us grown-up femininity at its best, with key pieces being the washed out grey lace trouser suit, the ruffled organza top teamed with black, textured leather skinnies and the sheer black, strapless jumpsuit. All in all, this was a simply beautiful collection. On trend, but classic at the same time, Valentino became the label that will be so relevant for SS10, and yet such an investment.
Searching for the perfect wedding gown? Listen up. We've been accustomed to lusting after the Temperley Bridal collection, and now we can unveil (no puns intended) another designer, turning their hand to the bridal market, much to our delight. Alberta Ferretti revealed her bridal collection in Milan in July, and will be bringing her collection to The Designer Wedding Show, next weekend in London. The new collection by Ferretti will be showing alongside designers such as Valentino, Elie Saab and Sassi Holford, so is definitely the place for fashionable brides-to-be... and maybe those of us who aren't engaged, too. We can window shop, right?
When she sported her new shaved 'do on her way to London a while back, the fashion industry's tongues started wagging admist rumours that the Bajan singer was on her way to shoot for Vogue Italia with Steven Klein.
The rumours were true. Rihanna missed out on the cover of the actual magazine, but looked fierce in this Valentino dress on the magazine's couture supplement.
We know you might want to see Terry Gilliam's 'The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus' for Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law, but don't forget aboutLily Cole. She plays Valentina, the daughter of Doctor Parnassus, and we're pretty sure from this trailer that she actually turned herself into a doll somehow.
In the preview, Cole spends her time kissing Ledger, being naked and sporting a Valentino dress. Not a bad role, sounds like.
We always like to see footage from shoots because when you usually only see people still in two dimensions, it's nice to remember that they're actually people who walk and laugh and move. Novel concept, right?
For your Friday entertainment, we bring you Valentino's 'Rock 'n Dreams' TV advert. In it, models Siri Tollerod, Erin Heatherton and Marloes Horst seem to be having a pretty good time, so we hope you do too.
Oh, and for music fanatics, the song is 'Valentino Loves You' by Sophie Carpentier.
