Fashion Scoop: Estelle to Create Jewelry Line with Rachel Roy

Our beloved British belle and designer du jour are joining forces for a jewelry line, according to Rachel Roy's Twitter page and WWD.

Judging from the accessories in Roy's expertly-designed line for Macy's---and Estelle's phenomenal taste in jewelry, we're in for some beautiful pieces! To be honest, I'm not surprised. Estelle's been flirting with the Fashion world since designing a handbag with Johnathan Kelsey and most recently, her fab t-shirt for H&M.


Here's the tweet:

I’m excited to be working with @EstelleDarlings on a jewelry collection, which will debut in Spring 2010. –RR10:00 AM Jul 21st from web

rachel_roy

Rachel Roy

Rachel Roy also enlisted the British pop star to host the opening party for her New York pop-up shop during Spring 2010 Fashion Week (which I fully plan to attend btw). Sidenote: The store, which is located on 111 Spring Street, will be open starting September 10th. Rachel Roy shoppers can snag clothing, footwear, jewelry and accessories from the Rachel | Rachel Roy Fall collection in the 1,800 square foot space for a limited time only via WWD.

Quite honestly, I couldn't think of a better pairing. Are you all excited for the collaboration? (Let's just pray that the jewelry is moderately priced...)

Estelle has fashion sense to spare. I saw her wearing this gorgeous necklace at the Fall 2009 Zac Posen show. She told me via Twitter it was Balenciaga. Glam!

And here are some stunners from Rachel | Rachel Roy. I love that RR's jewelry always makes a statement, whether it's alluring Bohemian beauty or edgy, attention-grabbing chic.

Kisses,

Coutura

Fashion Scoop: African Vogue and Diddy buys Enyce

Hope you all had a GLAM weekend! I floated from every bar (Hookah!) to industry event (Mont Blanc! Commes Des Garcons for H&M!) in the city and here are the scoops I got along the way...

African Vogue?

The geniuses behind this year's wildly popular "all-black" Vogue Italia are planning to launch an issue dedicated to Africa for L'Uomo Vogue. I, for one, am ecstatic! There has always been a hungry audience for beautiful black models and designers, and it's about time the industry caught up. The best part? They're donating half of ad profits to African charities. 

Franca Sozzani who created July's "all-black" issue of Vogue Italia, which addressed the lack of black models in fashion has another groundbreaking idea for the November issue of L'Uomo Vogue, of which she is also the editor: The magazine will be dedicated to Africa , and half of the advertising revenue will be donated to Africa-related charities, reports Robin Givhan for the Washington Post.

http://jezebel.com/5069202/italian-fashion-editor-follows-up-black-issue-with-africa-concept

GLAM!

Next, Diddy, who owns Sean John and Zac Posen just bought the struggling fashion brand, Enyce from Liz Claiborne for $20 million according to the New York Herald. 

“Enyce is a brand that I have always admired, and they have been a very important player in the young men’s sportswear arena for over a decade. I am really excited to bring it into our portfolio of brands that already includes Sean John and Zac Posen. Given our track record of success in marketing products such as Ciroc Vodka, Unforgivable by Sean John, and all of our television titles, I look forward to adding our expertise to an already hot fashion line. Our long-term plan is to grow the Enyce brand through innovative marketing, expansion of the menswear and boy’s lines, and launching into new licensing categories. The current economic climate may be challenging, but we believe it is also an opportunity, and we are really excited to add Enyce to our lineup.” - the world according to Sean

Umm...the last time I took the bus to Broad and Market Street (in Newark, NJ) and shelled out two weeks worth of Aldo store paychecks for a tacky bright orange Enyce top and skirt with the logo so un-fashionably sewn across the front was 2001. I've since graduated from high school and college and moved out of my parent's house...

(Shudders)

Yet I have faith that Diddy will do something exciting with the brand, I just pray he doesn't publicity-whore out all 6 of his children (or himself) in the ads. 

Glamazons, are you even excited to see this come back?! Which leads me to my next question, if you could resurrect any defunct fashion brand, which one would you choose? I personally think Eve's Fetish could have been so much more, but Mecca (remember that?!) should stay dead and buried.

Kisses,

Coutura

Photos: Vogue. Sean John. Enyce.

Fashion Scoop: Obamarama!!

It's everywhere you turn. On bumper stickers, scrawled across trucker hats, in commercials during a television show, staring from the cover of your favorite magazine. All with one resounding message: Obama fever is sweeping our nation. 

Not since JFK has a political figure been so revered and loved by (most of) the American public. And fashion, ever a source of expression, is showing symptoms as well.

The ubiquitous Obama tee can be seen on everyone from trendy hipsters in France to the glamourous Halle and Beyonce strolling the streets of NY...

Other expressions are a bit more...unfortunate...

I'm mad you have a suit on with that foolishness. Somebody get his mother on the phone...


And whose Uncle came up with the Obama dance?





Wow. That's a burning hot mess if I ever saw one. I mean, I'm glad you all care about politics...and maybe, just maybe, the negrodian nonsense will inspire someone to vote. But you have to wonder, especially in light of the Paris Hilton comparisons, is it hurting or helping his campaign?


Several designers, from Tracy Reese to Jay-Z, believe their products are the kind that help. The fashion industry's biggest names have lent their talents to designing Obama/Biden's official paraphernalia. And the proceeds from the designs, which range from t-shirts to tote bags, will go toward putting Obama in the White House.


A couple of my favorites:


Juicy Couture





Russell Simmons





Vera Wang

Tracy Reese

Pharell





Jay-Z





House of Dereon





Zac Posen





Charles Nolan





Rachel Roy





DVF





Marc Jacobs





Yeah, I pretty much love them all. And now for the prices...s/s tees, $60, l/s tees, $70, sweater, $70, bags, $75, scarf, $95. Expensive I know but change is priceless. All available at www.runwaytochange.com.


So in the words of my friend Melle, "if you've been kinda meaning to donate," all summer, here's your chance! And you can get an amazing Marc Jacobs bag too.


Kisses,


Coutura


P.S. They don't allow paraphernalia at the voting booths so remember to leave your Obama tee at home on election day.

Fashion Scoop: Rihanna Sets Her Sights on the Fashion World

Everybody's favorite Bajan Belle is hinting at starting a new clothing line...Rih Rih, don't tease us! The celebutante told WWD, "I can't say when it will be released, but it's definitely going to happen. I'm not one to rush into anything. I want to take my time."

Well, time is something she seems to have plenty of. Her reign at the top of the charts lasted from the summer anthems, "Umbrella" and "Take A Bow" to fall's newest hit, "Live Your Life," with T.I. And with the haircut of the millennium (werk, Ursula!), that cool tough girl panache, a rebellious tattoo obsession and those KFC trips with a certain friend*, it doesn't look like Rihanna's going anywhere. I say she rides the fame to the wheels fall off!

*And you say he's just a friend...

All together now...Awwwww. They're too cute!

And clearly, Rih has style to spare...

But...

at the same time, I have to say a prayer that her line is more L.A.M.B. and Topshop (which is debuting in the U.S.!) than House of Dereon and *grimace* Sweetface (that's JLo's line in case you forgot). We've all seen it happen: the fabulous It-girl with impeccable fashion sense decides to put her money where her style is...and the clothes end up being either too expensive, or just plain ugly. You can always tell if the line's worth your time if the star herself actually wears it. If it's not good enough for you to wear (on the regular, Bey, not just in the ads!), than it's not good enough for me either.

Which leads me to the inevitable pitfall of designstars like these: their stylists. Here's where the disconnect happens: the stylist that's responsible for your glamorous looks is nowhere near the design room. Therefore, the collection that bares the name of [insert star here] looks nothing like what [insert star here] actually wears. SO though I love Rihanna and like I said, I'm saying a prayer, I'm really waiting for Rachel Zoe's clothing line to come out (for those who haven't seen her show, The Rachel Zoe Project, on Bravo, she's the stylist du jour for stars like Nicole Richie, Anne Hathaway and even Joy Bryant). But please, Rachel, no scary-looking furs...

Ahhh!

What do you think, glamazons? Would you wear Rihanna's designs?

Talk soon.

Kisses,

Coutura