1. Photoshop
Photoshop had the best year in fashion due to editorials where celebrities were almost unrecognizable. No one, not even Rihanna, was safe from airbrushing (her curves went missing on the cover of Elle).
The most disturbing photoshop moment? One of Kimora Lee Simmons' final Baby Phat ads which clearly showed her face pasted on top of a 14 year-old's body. Britney Spears' bobblehead moment on the cover of Cosmopolitan and a lighter-skinned Kim Kardashian in Complex are close seconds.
2. Fashion & Beauty Bloggers
From Tavi Gevinson to Afrobella, this has been a fabulous year for fashion/beauty bloggers whose democratic approach to style has transformed the industry. This year alone, bloggers were recognized in Vogue, the New York Times and (shameless plug) POSHGLAM and they peppered the front row at some of the most exclusive fashion shows. Now that Tavi has a magazine in the works, and Afrobella is blogging for Vogue Black, their 2011 looks even brighter.
3. Fashion's Night Out
Anna Wintour's special night got even bigger this year with a fashion show and a myriad of parties (including a Naomi Campbell dance performance) at stores all over NYC, Atlanta and even other countries. The problem? The crowd got bigger too as Kanye West discovered when he was chased by a mob in Soho.
Dubbed "Halloween for hipsters," the frenzy of well-dressed crazies running after celebs is more than Ferocia and I could handle in 2010. Next year, participate at your own risk.
4. Willow Smith
The breakout star of 2010? Obvsi Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith's youngest child, Willow Smith. The progeny of rap, rock & roll and acting greatness spent the better part of the year dominating the red carpet (styled by surprise, surprise, Rihanna's go-to girl, Mariel Haenn).
Naysayers said she looked crazy, or "too grown" until the release of her infectious hit, "Whip My Hair." Willow parading around with a heart-shaped braid and dancing in zebra-print/pink leggings was enough to win over the toughest critic. I was so inspired I dressed up as her for Halloween!
But she didn't stop there - she ended the year with a photo shoot for the London Sunday Times and rumors of a "Parents Just Don't Understand" remake. Werk!
5. Kim Kardashian Naked
To be sure, Kim Kardashian had a jam-packed year, promoting sneakers, clothes for Bebe and QVC, perfume, jewelry, watches, skincare, books, boutiques and swimwear, and building a gargantuan Twitter following along the way.
But all we can recall is hearing that she was somewhere naked...again. The reality star showed up naked on the cover of W Magazine, naked and "unretouched" in Harper's Bazaar, naked in Playboy and naked in that unfortunate sex tape with Ray-J. And we have a feeling she's only getting started. She should totally pull a Rihanna and leak some naked pictures in a hotel room she sent to...Reggie? Miles? Gabriel Aubry? Who is she with, now?
Nakedness aside, it seems her plans for 2011 involve Kanye West, The Dream and a studio. Yes, all you critics who said she was talent-less can now kiss her [naked] behind---she's recording an album. Are you as scared as we are?
6. Gossip Girl
The show continued its cult following in 2010 in part due to the risque plot line (and ads that made fun of parents protesting the show). But the real star? The fash-un! Main wardrobe stylist, Eric Daman made budding fashion icons out of Leighton Meester, who notably dazzled in a lace Marchesa jumpsuit and Blake Lively, who was named the new Chanel spokesperson, got a Christian Louboutin shoe named after her (and bought 40 at the sample sale!), joined the Vogue covergirl rotation and did it all without a stylist. I'm impressed. Now, can someone help Taylor Momsen?
7. Losing Alexander Mcqueen
Who can forget the second day of Fashion Week when news hit that one of our most beloved creative geniuses had taken his own life? It was a day I'll never forget. It made Fashion Week more solemn than ever, and was followed by a year of tributes and teary speeches for Lee McQueen.
Sarah Jessica Parker paid homage on the red carpet of Sex and the City II's London premiere. Lady Gaga paid tribute at the MTV VMA's in a head-to-toe look from his final collection. Naomi Campbell dedicated a segment of her Fashion Relief for Haiti fashion show to him, and Anna Wintour and co. paid their respects at his memorial service in London.
Will there ever be another McQueen? Of course not. But the industry applauded Creative Director Sarah Burton's first collection for the line, which conveyed the message that McQueen's vision and brand will live on.
8. The Rise and Fall of Amber Rose
Speaking of creative geniuses, when one of my favorite designers Christian Siriano invited Amber Rose to his show, sat her front row and dressed her head-to-toe in his gorgeous watercolor dress and claw-heeled pumps, the message was clear: the fashion industry was excited about Amber Rose.
Who is she, exactly? Well, for the better part of the year, the beautiful, curvy girl with the blonde buzzcut didn't even speak (I know this from experience as I accosted her with my camera and tape recorder during Fashion Week...and she remained mute).
Perhaps, her outfits made a louder statement: a shredded black dress with a nude leotard underneath, head-to-toe fur, a black sheer dress and YSL feather sandals, a snakeskin jumpsuit, a black open back jumpsuit, pink cut-out leggings and blue leggings and matching hair. She kept us entertained sartorially to say the least.
And just like that, the stripper-turned-girlfriend of Kanye West was embraced by the industry, showing up in Elle Magazine and walking in fashion shows.
And then, the couple unceremoniously broke up (that breakup may or may not be chronicled in Runaway). A gorgeous blue dress moment at the Louis Vuitton show notwithstanding, Rose's appearances in the Indashio show (above) and at Marithe + Francois Girbaud are a far cry from her glory days as a Paris Fashion Week front row fixture. Oh and she recently kissed Fabolous in a video. Meh.
9. Michelle Obama
If when getting dressed in the morning, you ask yourself "What Would Michelle Obama wear?" you are not alone. The year's most celebrated fashion icon was arguably the wife of President Barack Obama. Every element of her look from her awesome shiny hair to her pearls was dissected by fashion journalists and imitated by all of us.
Mrs. O, whose sartorial choices are chronicled by a blog of the same name, sent us all in a frenzy when she simply curled her hair, wore a vintage dress or stepped out in sparkly Marc Jacobs.
What I love most? When she made smart fashion statements like wearing an Indian-American designer to welcome Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and wife Mrs. Gursharan Kaur to the White House for the First State dinner.
Now that's looks, smarts and class. Bravo!
10. Plus-Size Fashion
When it comes to including plus-size fashion on a regular basis, the industry has a looong way to go but this year was a step in the right direction. Plus-size fashion blogs like Young, Fat & Fabulous, Curvy Girl Chronicles and The Curvy Fashionista gained an almost cult-like following at the top of the year.
V Magazine released a size issue that featured Precious star, Gabourey Sidibe (as one of two covergirls) and finally gave Crystal Renn the recognition she deserves (she's walked in a ton of shows since including Z Spoke by Zac Posen, Jean Paul Gaultier and Chanel).
Industry darling Beth Ditto opened and closed the Jean Paul Gaultier show and continued to penn her popular fashion line for Evans.
Full-Figured Fashion Week gained popularity with 35 sponsors (compared to 7 the year before) and over 300 spectators at events. And finally, Vogue Italia launched the Vogue Curvy site that gave plus-size fashion editorial attention on an international scale. Hopefully, these industry power players will lead the way toward embracing full-figured fashion in 2011.
11. Mastige Lines
How can we talk about 2010 without talking about the mastige collection craze that rocked the fashion industry? Just the idea that such icons as Karl Lagerfeld, Zac Posen, Alber Elbaz or Jean Paul Gaultier were creating fashions that the mere middle-class mortal could get their hands on was just too much for some of us to handle.
Bloggers, like myself, drove themselves crazy chronicling every moment of the sale and posting every picture that hit the web. And consumers came out in droves (even sleeping outside the store overnight sometimes) and reportedly behaved like animals to get their hands on the goods.
While there were several mastige lines this year (Jean Paul Gaultier for Target, Jimmy Choo for Ugg Australia, William Rast for Target, Zac Posen for Target, Mulberry for Target to name a few), the mother of all collaborations was Lanvin for H&M. Strategically leaked pictures, a blogger contest, a video, a fashion show and an anxiety-filled Saturday morning all built up to the release of some clothes. And what glorious clothes they were!
Next year may bring us Karl Lagerfeld for Macy's and Chanel for somebody (ok, the latter is just me dreaming...).
Share your 2010 memories in the comment section, and let me know what crazy fashion happenings I missed! Here's to a fashionable 2011.
Kisses,
Coutura
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