Blake Lively: New Face of Chanel Mademoiselle Handbags + Blake's Hottest Fashion Moments

In addition to walking away with 40 Christian Louboutin shoes, Blake Lively is now living my second fashion dream: she's officially a Chanel darling. Which means, she is my (and Anna Wintour's) official new girl crush. (Yes I'm living vicariously and am unashamed.)

The Vogue covergirl and Gossip Girl star has been tapped to be the face of Chanel Mademoiselle handbags, as we predicted here on Glamazons. Appearing in April, the ads were shot by Karl Lagerfeld who lauded Lively for being "an American dream girl" with a "natural star quality." Totally.

Can't wait to see the ads! Tell us Glamazons, was Blake a good choice? 

Here is a gallery of her "American dreamy" fashion moments.






Kisses,

Coutura

VIDEO: Tom Ford's Womenswear Runway Presentation Featuring Beyonce, Chanel Iman, Joan Smalls, Liya Kibede and more

Tom Ford left no stone unturned in his quest to keep his fashion show under wraps. As I reported in September, he invited one photographer (the great Terri Richardson) and few journalists despite the megastars like Beyonce who walked in his show. His reasoning? He simply doesn't care for the "instant gratification" that comes from today's digital media platforms.

That didn't stop us, of course. Images of his first-ever womenswear collection hit the web and were soon followed by a shot of Beyonce wearing a sparkling gold dress and wild blonde curls. Now, video of the presentation has made its way online.

Turns out the seventies-inspired line of fitted dresses, playful prints and traces of menswear look even better in motion. Check out Beyonce, Liya Kebede, Julianne Moore, Joan Smalls, Chanel Iman and more storming the catwalk below.






What do you think of the show?

Kisses,

Coutura

#Bestof2010: 10 Most Memorable Fashion Moments

Oh, what a year. We blogged, we obsessed over Michelle Obama's style, we stood in the cold to shop Lanvin for H&M, we lost Alexander McQueen, we saw Kim Kardashian naked, we bought Photoshopped magazine covers, we demanded the industry recognize our curves and we whipped our hair back and forth. Look at the 10, eerrr, 11 fashion moments that defined 2010.

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

New York Knicks' Amar'e Stoudemire Collaborating on Fashion Line with Rachel Roy?

New York Knicks power forward Amar'e Stoudemire has his hands full these days. His skills on the court (including an unbelievable jumpshot from 15-18 feet) are one of the reasons the Knicks are having their best season since 2001 (record: 16-12. amaze!). Prior to that, he graced the cover of ESPN Magazine in the buff.

And he is simultaneously putting his stamp on the fashion industry with approval from none other than Queen Anna Wintour. She invited him to the Fashion's Night Out fashion show this year (below) and he's rumored to be a Coverboy for Vogue soon. He also attended the Tommy Hilfiger show sitting side-by-side with Wintour (above).

 

Now, he's trying his hand at designing with a rumored fashion line with Rachel Roy for her diffusion line, Rachel Rachel Roy, sold at Macy's. The collaborative line with Stoudemire will reportedly launch in the Fall.

According to The Cut, they were seen lunching at NYC hot spot, The Lion and Page Six says they've been talking about it since September. Hmm, he does seem to love a good suit...but I've got to see the clothing line to believe it!

And as a huge fan of Rachel Roy's designs (who even quoted The Glamazons while promoting her jewelry line with Estelle), I hope Amar'e Stoudemire's design talent is as great as his basketball talent.

What do you think of the rumored line, Glamazons? Are Rachel Roy and Stoudemire a good fit? Are you excited to see the result of their collaboration?

Kisses,

Coutura

Naomi Campbell Dances to "Run This Town" at Dolce&Gabbana's Fashion Night Out Event

Of all the myriad events that took place at Fashion's Night Out, Dolce&Gabbana and Naomi Campbell's was one of the best. Why? Well, you gotta love a party with celebrity sightings (Naomi Campbell, Chris Brown, Fabolous) AND a dance routine to "Run This Town" performed by models in fishnets and leather hot pants. (Do you see Naomi working it below? Yes, girl, get it!)

Leave it to Naomi to throw one of FNO's most amazing soirees! Celebrating 25 years of excellence in modeling over her legendary career, Naomi and Dolce&Gabbana joined forces for a fab t-shirt line and an even more amazing event.

Naomi, who storms the catwalk like no other in the business, performed a dance sequence choreographed by the one-and-only Laurieann Gibson (you definitely know her from Making the Band, BoomKatPow! ring a bell?). Here she is pictured with the dancing models.

The models each represented a different look from Naomi's career and rocked one of the uberfab t-shirts, which boast iconic images of Naomi shot by world-renowned photographers from Steven Miesel to Patrick Demarchelier. The t-shirts support Naomi's amazing charity, Fashion for Relief. 


After her fun dance routine, how could you not want to support? Check out pictures of the amazingness below. I'm sorry, no matter what anyone says about Ms. Campbell, that girl rocks!

Naomi and the amazing Anna Wintour who was literally everywhere last night!

Yum, Chace Crawford was there!

 

Naomi brings out all the boys: Chris Brown and Fabolous came by.

The gorgeous Selita Ebanks stopped by the event, in Dolce&Gabbana of course.

Denise Richards came to show her support.

Nicky Hilton also made an appearance in a cute LBD.

How cute are Naomi and Tyson Beckford? 

Kisses,


Coutura

Fashion's Night Out PSA Featuring Chanel Iman, Jourdan Dunn, Lara Stone, Liya Kebede and More!

Fashion's Night Out 2010 PSA from Fashion's Night Out on Vimeo.


It's that time of year again!

To promote Fashion's biggest party, Anna Wintour gathered the top models in the business to run rampant through New York City streets and sidewalks for the event's PSA. Lovelovelove the shot of them in brilliant billowy skirts and Fashion's Night Out official tees.

Chanel Iman, Jourdan Dunn, Joan Smalls, Liya Kebede, Miranda Kerr, Lara Stone, Doutzen Kroes, Lily Donaldson and more were filmed at NY's hot spots like the Bronx Zoo and Lincoln Center by Peter Lindberg for the PSA---AND they played David Bowie's "Fashion" in the background, pretty cool right?

The gorgeous PSA will play in Times Square from September 3rd to the 10th, and the rest of the world (aka non-New Yorkers) can catch it on Network TV.

Check it out below: what do you think? I do wish my darling Sessilee Lopez and Arlenis Sosa were tapped for the festivities, but overall, it's a great video.

Kisses,

Coutura

Halle Berry to Cover September Vogue and Star in Shoe Addicts Anonymous

Halle Berry isn't just showing off her bikini body on the beach with little Nahla these days. She's also covering Vogue's "biggest issue ever" and signing on to star in the latest fashion flick, "Shoe Addicts Anonymous."

The comedy, which is scheduled to release in Fall 2011, is an adaptation of Beth Harbison's best-selling book. I love Halle in comedies (so fun! so uninhibited!) so I'm sure it'll be hit. Are you guys looking forward to this?

And if her stunning beauty in Paparazzi shots is any indication, Halle will look ravishing on the cover of Vogue. Our only wish is that little Nahla in a matching outfit, could get some Anna Wintour love as well.

Are you looking forward to Halle's cover? (Here's her old Vogue cover...)

Kisses,

Coutura

Source

A Day in the Life: Coutura Attends the Met Costume Institute Gala...and Parties with Oprah and Anna Wintour!

Adrianna Papell dress. Colette Malouf hairpiece.

Last night was the most fun I've had all year. And not because I walked the red carpet beside some of the hottest celebs in the biz. And not because I saw some of my favorite designers and their exquisite work up close and personal.


Solely because I, Coutura, danced with Oprah Winfrey and Anna Wintour.


Yup, last night was one for the history books.


It started with me walking into the white tent and onto the red carpet. By the way, the red carpet was actually a set of stairs celebrities walked up while journalists fired questions on the side and photogs snapped shots. 


On my way upstairs, I saw Chanel Iman posing in a gold Michael Kors one piece and Iman in Prada with hair by Oscar James and makeup by the amazing Sam Fine. Those are some beautiful girls!


Oh and here's a quick shot I took of Justin Timberlake in William Rast and Jessica Biel in Ralph Lauren later on the red carpet.

As soon as I walked through the entrance, I spotted Gwen Stefani and Desiree Rogers, former White House Social Secretary with her daughter. Gwen Stefani told me she was wearing L.A.M.B. while Desiree and daughter chose Oscar de la Renta.

Here's Desiree Rogers chatting with Diane von Furstenberg.

Once inside, I chatted, more like gushed, over the stunning Kerry Washington in Thakoon for Gap. She is super sweet and silly! She graciously posed for a pic below.

While we spoke, I hear a squeaky voice and turn around to see Sarah Jessica Parker. She is truly as adorable in person as she is onscreen. Her energy is total Carrie from Sex and The City; she's smiling and catching up with everyone from Kerry Washington to Kristin Davis (Charlotte) who runs up to give her a hug. 

SJP in Halston Heritage chatting with Kerry Washington.

Mini-Sex and The City Reunion

Carrie and Charlotte!

And when Chris Noth playfully tapped SJP on the butt, I felt like I was trapped in an episode of Sex and the City...willfully, of course.

The Mr. Big stare always gets me. I love him, but umm, rooting for Aidan this sequel. (I totally told him this at the bar at the afterparty LOL)

While they mingled, I spotted Karl Lagerfeld walking in and Glamazons, let me tell you, I stopped breathing. Here's the thing. Celebs, especially fashionable celebs, are fun to meet (most of  the time). But designers? Legendary designers? Like for Chanel, my very favorite brand? I die. I snapped this Paparazzi pic and talked to him for like two seconds before he was whisked away. (I have no idea what I said but something along the lines of...OMG I LOVE your work!) 

Fun times! After cocktails, I left for more drinks with friends at a random dive bar (yes, we hung out at a bar in black tie, hilarious) and came back to the Marc Hotel for the afterparty.

As soon as I walked in, I met Donatella Versace. She's an icon but umm...I'll let you guys address this pic.

I spotted Naomi Campbell mingling and dancing up a storm when the party got underway.

Usher Raymond looking dapper as ever.

Chanel Iman + boyfriend breaking it down on the dancefloor.

N.E.R.D. hosted (they played the BEST songs!) while Diddy briefly took over the mic. Love to see Naomi Campbell and Kerry Washington partying it up!

Justin Timberlake even came through and performed a few hits!

And that's when my hair got sweated out! Justin had everyone on the dancefloor...literally, everyone. See the next pic.

No, your eyes are NOT deceiving you. That's Anna Wintour dancing on the floor and yes, she's got moves. Not a hair out of place though. Love it!

Oh and I almost forgot! Oprah Winfrey briefly walked onto the dance floor and who else was jamming by the entrance but moi? We grabbed hands and danced for like two seconds - I totally felt like Oprah was my homegirl. She's so cool!

I LOVE this pic! As I give my feet a rest (gold pumps = killer), Katy Perry plops down next to me. She finally met someone who parties as much as her, teehee. Here's us holding up the wall for a second.

Who knew fashion's most celebrated event would be so much fun? I had a blast! It was like prom with celebs, designers and (much better) fashions. Definitely a night to remember.

Kisses,

Coutura