Couture Cult

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

J'Adore Dior: A Bio on the Designer 50 Years After His Death

Check out this amazing article about Christian Dior, 50 years after his death.

"His were the designs which took advantage of the post war hunger for luxury and femininity, the sudden freedom that came from an end to ration of materials.

Dior created clothes for women who really were women, with cinched-in waists, padded hips and full skirts, exquisitely cut and designed to create a curvaceous silhouette. It was, quite simply, a revolution."

Read the rest here...

Labels: christian dior

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I LOVE that green number. Truly a lovely creation

By Nick, at October 27, 2007 8:22 AM

Monday, October 15, 2007

What's All The Fighting Faux? Hermes & Christian Dior Sue Ebay, Gucci May Follow

Those hocking knock off's on Ebay need to watch out! Huge fashion companies are fighting back with lawsuits being filed... LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennesy) is the world'd largest luxury goods conglomerate, and is partly owned by Christian Dior, who was one of the first in line to file suit. Hermes now follows their lead, and Gucci is rumored to be next. "The head of French retailer PPR, owner of luxury Gucci Group, said in a newspaper interview in August that it could also take action against eBay if the company did not do more to stop fakes being sold by its customers." (Reuters)

Ebay says it does take action when it is notified that counterfeit goods are being offered for sale. I am guessing that this series of lawsuits will motivate Ebay to be more strict and severe in their punishment for those guilty of hustling the faux merchandise. As an Ebay user myself, I have always seen copies of the seasons "it bag" for sale there, however I always thought that it was okay as long as the seller specified that it is a fake and not authentic.

I have to assume though, that these huge companies wouldn't be filing a lawsuit unless the sale of these fakes was effecting their business. Though when buying the real deal you are paying for the quality of construction and materials, you are also paying for the actual art of the DESIGN of the bag. When buying a copy, you are scoring a deal, yes, and sacrificing quality... however you are also in essence, not giving the designer their share of the profit of the art they created.

Even if these companies manage to get Ebay to revise their rules in regard to imitations being sold, I'm not sure how much that will really effect the end result. From Chinatown in NY to Downtown LA, you can find copies of everything from Fendi to Marc Jacobs, and they arent always bad knockoffs. Some can really pass for the real thing! There will always be market for faux bags. We all want to have the authentics, but everyone cant afford them. A more effective solution, in my opinion, would be for the big labels to create more affordable versions of their "it bags", sold under a subdivision of their brand. Kind of like Marc for Marc Jacobs. Or DKNY. Make the designs accessable to the market they arent reaching. Because who wouldn't prefer the real thing?

Real Louis Vuitton "Speedy" bags labeled as "FAKE" by Korean artist Zinwoo Park, part of an exhibit on Andy Warhol and Korean pop art at Ssamzie Gallery.

Labels: christian dior, dkny, fendi, gucci, hermes, louis vuitton, marc jacobs, serious baggage, the dress code ( of ethics )

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Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Costume Institute Gala

Last night in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art hosted the Costume Institute Gala, held in honor of Paul Poiret.

Paul Poiret was a pre-WWI era designer who pioneered in such designs as the suspender belt, the sheath dress, the sack dress, flesh colored stockings, culottes (now I know who to blame for THAT!), and the modern brassiere. He also designed oriental couture dresses and was the first coutourier to launch his own fragrance.

To give you a feel for the evening, here is a quote from AHN:

"Vogue magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour hosted the evening along with Nicolas Ghesquire of Balenciaga and actress Cate Blanchett. The three stood on the red carpet and greeted guests such as Kate Moss, who wore a backless black fishtail gown from her TopShop collection, Kirsten Dunst, who was in vintage midnight blue Yves Saint Laurent and Cameron Diaz, who showed up in a strapless hot pink gown by Dior by John Galliano."

Celebrities of both the fashion world, and the entertainment world alike, were dressed as though it was an award show (maybe better, let's be honest...). Let's take a look at who wore what.

Vouge editor-in-cheif Anna Wintour
Can we say Devil Wears Prada?

Ashley Olsen

Mary Kate Olsen
I think I prefer her look over her sister's, but they both really cleaned up nicely considering the usual bag-lady chic they go for. Is it me, or are they starting to resemble Meg Ryan?

Cate Blanchett
I really love this dress, but her hair and makeup is scaring me. Sad, I usually love her look.

Chloe Sevigny
One of my personal favoite's and a COUTURE CULT featured fashionista, Chloe nails it again!

Eva Mendes
This is an AMAZING dress, I love everything about this look. The shoes, the hair... two enthusiastic hair flips. However, I'm thinking it might look a tad casual for a GALA.

Jennifer Connely
I love you Jen, so please, no offense but: TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

Jennifer Lopez
Si.

Jessica Simpson
This is a hot picture: of a stripper. You'd think being in the business for years she'd learn there is an appropriate time and place for each look, and this is just wrong.

Kirsten Dunst
It looks like she borrowed this from the set of Marie Antoinette. The shoes are hot, but EVERYTHING ELSE is NOT! Ugh: Fug.

Lindsay Lohan
Good job, Linds! THIS is COUTURE! This is sexy, without being overtly so, like Miss Simpson. She looks majorly HAUTE!

Scarlett Johansson
No, no, no! I expected more from the face of Louis Vuitton.

Winona Ryder & Marc Jacobs
Couldn't she steal a better dress?

*special thanks to PopSugar for the images!

Labels: balenciaga, be scene, celebrities, christian dior, new york, vintage, yves st laurent

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Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Featured Fashionista: Chloe Sevigny

Chloe Sevigny:

She has definitely come a long way since I first saw her in KIDS as a troubled young girl with AIDS. Now on the HBO series BIG LOVE ( second season premiers June 17, 2007 ), it is clear her career has flourished over the years. Another consistant evolution has been in her unique and under-the-radar sense of style. She somehow always manages to create a look that is just slightly hipper than the pulse of what is going on in the fashion scene she relishes in. I have more than once asked myself, who is inspiring who? Are the designers inspiring her looks? Or is she inspiring theirs? Whether she is choosing it well, or wearing it well, it matters not. Her true BIG LOVE for fashion, shows. It seems she has remained humble in her success, still favoring that special vintage find: "I still prefer to buy vintage over spending it all on one designer," she expressed to the Times. "My mother encourages me to spend a little," she said. "It still feels weird. Even now I never live beyond my means. I've never been that girl. I mean, I have a Christian Dior mink poncho. But I didn't buy it." Mixing vintage pieces with modern couture is the perfect marriage of style and iconography.

Labels: celebrities, christian dior, featured fashionista, vintage

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