Should Celebrities Take Over the Catwalk?

Beyonce at Tom Ford. Amber Rose at Indashio. Cassie and Serena Williams at Laquan Smith. Vanessa Simmons and Dawn Richard at Edwing D'Angelo. Ellen at Richie Rich. 

While some designers complain about the pressure to pay celebrities to grace their front row, others are enlisting famous faces to actually model their clothes.

Amber Rose at Indashio.

Serena Williams at Laquan Smith.

Cassie at Laquan Smith.

Dawn Richard at Edwing D'Angelo.

Vanessa Simmons at Edwing D'Angelo.

Ellen at Richie Rich.

This can't be surprising. Celebrities serve as models all season long getting photographed in designer's clothing, thus serving as a promotional tool. Having a celebrity wear your clothes is almost a guaranteed mode of increasing sales, especially if that star is Rihanna, Beyonce or First Lady Michelle Obama. 

To that end, designers gift celebrities a ton of clothes, pay them to appear in the front row at their fashion shows, elect them as their muses (Ciara the most recent example at Givenchy) and now, enlist them to model designs on the runway.

The lines between Hollywood and Fashion are fainter than ever. And here's the problem with the collision of the entertainment and fashion industry. It abandons that once-glorified profession: modeling.

Models have been banished from the covers of magazines, replaced with celebrities who, as I once complained, aren't the easiest to work with. While models come to do a job and transform to any look you assign them, celebrities may come with an entourage, may be difficult about beauty and style direction (understandable-they're careful about their image) and often haven't conquered the art of posing. Yea, you'll be there coaching them all night.

Now, celebrities are replacing models on the catwalk as well. While some celebrities can strut like the best supermodels (I'm sure Beyonce stormed the runway with her signature Sasha Fierce attitude); and a celebrity walking in a show gives the collection more media attention, I'm not sure that I want an entire show to feature celebrities (save for "The Red Dress Collection" which is less about designs and more about awareness and giving back).

It becomes less about the designs and more about the famous bodies wearing them, in my opinion. What's your take on it? Do you think more celebs should walk in fashion shows? How do you think it affects models who are already struggling for jobs? Discuss.

Kisses,

Coutura

Trend Alert: Colorful Leopard Print

Leopard print is the one fashion trend that never gets old, but it IS getting a fun, vibrant makeover this season. 

Animal print in bold colors like neon yellow, purple and turquoise are perfect for a fresh, youthful look that screams summer.

Whether you rock a full-on mismatched leopard outfit like Rihanna or sport a funky blouse like Cassie or Solange, colorful leopard print will give your outfit plenty of pop and pizazz. 

And if your style leans more toward traditional leopard print, those pieces get a remix too with oversized patterns and updated details like buckles and bows.

Check out my favorite leopard pieces below (those Jeffrey Cambell flats are the cutest). Happy Shopping!


Kisses,


Coutura

More Asos...

GLAM OR SHAM?: Cassie's Messy Weave Ponytail at the 2010 BET Awards

What's on the back of Cassie's head at the BET Awards? It seems the formerly shaven star had an urge for some hair and grabbed a mess of matted, blonde tracks and attached them to the base of her head.

Besides the fact that the ponytail is not adequately combed, it is an alarmingly different shade and texture than Cassie's own caramel locks. As an extension connoisseur, who has learned the ways of weave through trial and error, I recognize Cassie's mismatched texture and color as a cardinal sin.

This is surprisingly an off-night for her as far as beauty is concerned. What's your verdict? Am I being too harsh? Is her hairstyle GLAM or a SHAM?

Kisses,

Coutura

GLAM OR SHAM?: Cassie Wears Versace to MET Gala and Laquan Smith to the Afterparty

No matter your opinion of Cassie, there's one thing you can't deny. She is beautiful.

The self-proclaimed pioneer of the shaved head craze showed up to the MET Gala in a Versace stunner. The skin-tight blue dress boasted an artful cutout neckline and a dangerously high slit. She paired the look with black stilettos and striking diamond jewelry.

I think the funky neckline of the dress compliments Cassie's equally funky hairstyle (a shaved head AND color? a bit much). It was a fitting choice as I was worried about how her hair would translate at a formal, red-carpet event.

Her afterparty ensemble was designed by a Glamazon favorite, Laquan Smith. Cassie wore his sparkling, metallic minidress which matched her caramel-hued locks perfectly. She kept her black clutch but went for the gold in some metallic pointy toe pumps.

Here's the dress on Glamazon favorite, Sessilee Lopez from Laquan Smith's Fall 2010 lookbook.

What do you think of Cassie's looks, Glamazons? Glam or a Sham?

Kisses,

Coutura

Would You Wear...Cassie's Designs for Dimepiece?

Glamazons,

Is every celebrity a designer these days? Cassie is designing a black and white collection for L.A. sportswear label DimePiece.

To be fair, the design venture wasn't initially her idea. According to People, after she ordered clothes off the DimePiece website, the owners approached her about designing her own line. She spoke to People.com about the collaboration: “We’re still in the process of designing different things. They are amazing girls with such eclectic style and I really admire that. They inspired me not to be afraid of fashion. Most people are so self-conscious, but with this line and how they’ve created it — it’s really amazing. I just wanted to be a part of it.”

I'm on the fence about this---fashion is surely more her speed than singing (sorry, Cassie fans, if you're out there lol) as she used to model for Delia's and that's how she got discovered. Furthermore, in most design-star cases, the celebrity is merely the face of the brand and the extent of their actual work is adding a sequin or ruffle to a finished look.

On the other hand, one "trend-setting hairstyle" (that Kelis actually rocked years ago) does not warrant a chance at designing. Yes, she has been looking rather fashion-forward lately (afterall, I did just give her the Glam seal of approval) but I'm sure there's a glamorous, vintage-loving, dahling-saying stylist behind that.

Diddy was so kind to send all his Twitter followers pics:








What do you think? Is she poised to be the next Beyonce (i.e. making a fortune off your name clothing line) or is she taking the trendsetter title too far? And would you wear the clothes? I've gotta admit I'm loving the tiger shirt and the see-through bubble skirt! (Don't judge me.)

Discuss.

Kisses,

Coutura

A Day in the Life: Vogue September Issue Premiere

Hey Glamazons!

Just in time for Fashion Week, The September Issue, premiered last night at the MOMA museum in NYC. The documentary followed Vogue for nine months as they created the September 2007 issue, which sold 13 million copies and weighed in at 2 kilograms. Whoa. As every magazine junkie knows, the September issue is the single, most important issue of the year for fashion books. And as fashion books go, Vogue is the bible.

I'm always curious to compare the behind-the-scenes chaos at other magazines to ours as the closing of any issue---especially September---finds me sleep-deprived, depressed, hungry, drained and lifeless. I'm sure they'll be plenty of insider magazine moments that relate to my everyday existence from nerve-racking, finger-biting meetings with the editor-in-chief to celebrity tantrums and breakdowns on photo shoots. Rumor has it there's a lot of tension between Anna Wintour and Vogue stylist and former model, Grace Coddington (who reportedly argue about whether the photographer's stomach (below) needs retouching; aren't the sickly thin models enough?!).


Critics promise that's it's filled with more drama and controversy than "The Devil Wears Prada." Can't wait to see it! A who's who of the fashion industry saw the film yesterday at the star-studded premiere and naturally, they were dressed to the nines. On the guestlist? Fashion royalty Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Phillip Lim, Rachel Roy, Tory Burch, Zac Posen, Jason Wu and Vera Wang. Celebs Chanel Iman (and boo), Renée Zellweger, Sienna Miller, Cassie, Diddy and Diddy's car.

Check out the red carpet pics below and let me know if you're planning to see the film when it opens in NYC on August 28th and everywhere else September 11th.

Queen Anna Wintour hit the red carpet with Sienna Miller wearing a Thakoon dress

Renée Zellweger looked sickly in Carolina Herrera.

Fashion gods, Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta

Rachel Roy always looks so regal and radiant. And love that Michael Kors statement, chain-link necklace.

A newly blond Jessica White. What do you think of the hair color? Not a fan. The bandage
shoes are glam though (Just bought a pair of Manolos like it I can't wait to rock during Fashion Week!!)

Diddy being very divo on his car - he knows how to make an entrance.

Chanel Iman looks every bit fashion goddess in a Versace mini (and loving the neon heel on those sandals). She brought her boyfriend along - so cute!

Diddy, Cassie and the adorable Zac Posen, whose fashion show made my life last season.

Yes! Cassie is winning these days! The black jumpsuit with plunging neckline and killer pumps are

so tough-luxe! The neon pink nails add the perfect, feminine touch. Love it!

Still don't know how to feel about that cut though...it just looks odd.

Kisses,

Coutura

Photos: Vogue.com. Concreteloop.com.

Ad Glam: Giuseppe Zanotti, I Heart You!

Glamazons,

I live for these sandals. Giuseppe Zanotti has created the most amazing animal print shoes that are so hot they're bursting in flames, literally. Lovelovelove!

Check their new ad which is a salute to the very best trends of the season---a denim, leather, neon, animal print lovefest! And who better to rock the look than fashion darling, model Anja Rubik?

...and though I was hesitant to accept Cassie as a fashion maven, I have to give her the Glam seal of approval for her outfit at the SoBe Summer Friday finale.

I'm loving the rock star meets Bam-Bam look in the ripped "RIP YSL" cold shoulder top and animal print sandals.





What do you think about the ad (and those amazing shoes!)? Are you feeling Cassie's new look? Can we call her a trendsetter yet? Discuss.


Kisses,

Coutura