From a very young age, Christian Louboutin loved drawing. When his love for drawing is also added to his unconditional passion for shoes, emerge the impressive creations that thousands of women dream of every day. Do not just create fancy shoes. Create desire. These dazzling luxury heels with that unmistakable red sole (a color that by the way, is patented), have become an icon and a benchmark in the world of fashion.
The designer, ended up making shoes for the Parisian music-hall. After the success of his creations he launched to design the shoes to freelance mode, to order. And finally, in the early 90’s he created his first boutique, which was not lost on the designers who wanted to have him to design collections for their brands, such as Chloé, Diane von Furstenberg, Jean Paul Gaultier or Givenchy .
The shops of Louboutin manage to invoice the year no more and no less than 4.9 million euros, being the heel of 16 cm the most sold. A strong brand that is backed with its red sole. And so he defends it with all his might. This is how it was seen, in court with the famous luxury brand Yves Saint Laurent for making use of the red color in the sole of its shoes. Finally Christian Loubotin won the trial, and only a few brands (among them YSL) can use the red sole only in case the shoe is full red. Without any color contrast.
Even though their customers do not seek comfort, they claim that as soon as they are worn they are the most comfortable shoes in the world. The cheapest designs of Louboutin do not fall below 3000 euros, without the labor or different materials that can be used.
His passion for shoes and his creativity, make his creations are the most novel. The design of his impossible shoes was a success and were auctioned for fund raising for the English National Ballet, which was going through a bad economic time.
All special customers have a shoe last with their foot size and all models are made from that mold. For example, one of the most influential celebrities of the moment such as Angelina Jolie, had the designer to create the shoes that would lead during the presentations of the film Maleficent.
And it is not the only one. Hundreds of celebrities such as Kyle Minogue, Kim Kardashian, Melania Trump, Victoria Beckham, Paris Hilton, Dita Von Teese, Jennifer Lopez, Sara Jessica Parker or Tamara Ecclestone are some of the lucky ones to wear the luxurious Louboutin, customized exclusively for them .
Tag: celebrities
The first cover Vogue Arabia: Gigi Hadid
“I want the magazine to be a love letter to Arabia … I want to give the reader images to be inspired, beauty, well-being and lifestyle. The world is saturated with information and publications are weaker Due to this problem […] ‘Vogue’ Arabia is going to be very strong. It is scary and exciting at the same time. My life is going to change as a publisher, maybe I can not travel as much as before because my new job entails an important Responsibility, but it will be magnificent. ”
-Deena Aljuhani
Married to sultan bin Fahad bin Nasser, 42 years old, with three children, Deena Aljuhani has become the first director of Vogue Arabia, and has chosen Gigi Hadid to be the protagonist of the first issue of the magazine because the model represents the dynamic and entrepreneurial generation of tomorrow.
On the cover, we can see Gigi behind a beautiful veil that covers part of her face and part of her makeup face. And it is that the young model could not have been a better choice since its origin, apart from being Dutch, also has Arab, Palestinian roots in particular on the part of his paternal family. A beautiful snapshot that despite being black and white full of color this first issue of Vogue Arabia, a snapshot that goes from the hands of Inez & Vinoodh.
“Being half Palestinian, it means a lot to me to be the first front page in the history of Vogue Arabia, and I hope this magazine shows another part of the desire of the fashion industry to continue accepting, celebrating and incorporating all kinds of people, as well as make everyone feel that they have fashionable images with which they can feel identified “
-Gigi Hadid
The number of the magazine of Vogue Arabia is epic. It represents multiculturalism and tries to expose creativity and to present a different part of the world together with its constant evolution. As Deena Aljuhani confirms, the Arab world has long deserved a niche in fashion history, and what better way to do it.
Vogue Arabia editions will be written mostly in English, but will also have a specific section that will only be written in Arabic.
Versailles fashion Show
“Fashion is the history of a tissue.”
-Eleonor Lambert
The distance between continents was reduced. That night meant a change in culture. In fashion. People were looking for surprise, it was like playing a game. It was the turning point that changed everything. That night of 1973 fashion saved a palace in ruins, the Palace of Versailles.
Eleonor Lambert was the precursor of all this night. We could say that she was the true creator of fashion. In the 40s she was a publicist and started to make the lists that today we know as Top Tens of the best dresses. Without doubt, it was the Ana Wintour of the time. And also, a formidable organizer.
Everything arose with the ideal motive: the Palace of Versailles. An idea that originated in order to raise funds to be able to reform it. And why not, also with the reason to join two continents that despite their differences, had many more things in common than they thought: among them, the exquisite taste for fashion. To create beauty in any of its forms.
A runaway and a dinner. New York and Paris. Both involved in a context in which everything was allowed. The first homosexual movements, feminism. People of color are already on TV. Creativity was undoubtedly booming and people could not care less. Quite the opposite: it was what they were looking for. And the sexual and artistic freedom of the time pushed much to the creation of new designs that represented the free women.
Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Pierre Cardin and Emanuel Hungaro went on the night of November 28th to present their designs of Parisian Haute couture. The New York side was represented by designers Stephen Burrows, Anne Klein, Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta and Halston.
At that time France was the pioneer of fashion par excellence. They rehearsed in the mornings while the Americans had to settle for the nights. The fashion event of the year had an anecdote. Halston, one of the North American designers, outdid others and knew it. He had a natural elegance but a great ego. Everyone was knocking at his door and he was a marketing genius. In the short time New Yorkers had to rehearse their runaways, time was running out and Halston saw that he was not going to be able to prepare his runaway. He picked up the door and went away angry, leaving the rest of the team to manage as he was because he was not going to participate in this. However, the next day it appeared as if nothing had happened.
Runaway begins. French were very chic and their sets were fantastic. It was a very French runaway, very elaborate but very complex. There was too much movement and it was very pretentious. Especially emphasized Josephine Baker, that paraded with great feathers in the head and made a spectacular interpretation.
The decorations were made of wood from the 17th century. There was everything and those present were amazed at what they saw: a rhinoceros pulling a cart. A pumpkin carriage (Dior), reindeer and many bright things. These were among other things that they could appreciate in the 2 hours and a half that lasted the parade. However, there were so many mixed ideas that the attendees were left with the feeling that it had been a bit ridiculous. Most do not remember the clothes that were exposed that night.
Nervous and excited the 42 North American models that paraded in Versailles, were set in motion. And the color exploded.
Stephen Burrows, the only designer still alive from that night, revolutionized the runway with his stunning African-American models. They radiated beauty everywhere. An innovative element, since most of the models that used to parade were of white complexion. If we join it to the burst of color of the clothes of Burrows, the parade left open mouth to more than one.
The entire North American show was wrapped in a Broadway musical. It gave energy with its designs, with its music. It was like a breath of fresh air that the French loved. For more information, it all culminated in the perfect and fabulous performance of Liza Minelli. It was only 37 minutes of show in which the Parisians felt absolute admiration for the runaway of the Americans. And the first to stand was Princess Grazia of Monaco.
At the end of the shows, those present gathered for dinner. But they could not begin, someone was missing. –Where is Eleonor Lambert? We can not start without it!-Someone said. And there she was, sending a press release in which he commented that the American runaway had been a success.
An experience that all those who were on that night of November 28, 1973 still remember and will not forget. Because the models began to have more opportunities; Because Paris realized that it needed to be renewed; Because New York took a giant leap; Because the African American triumphed; And last but not least:
Because they rescued Versailles.
Naomi Campbell and her trial for receiving "blood diamonds"
Last day we talked about the fashion scandals on the catwalk. But that is not all. Many are the scandals that have been in the world of fashion and little by little, you´ll know them in depth. Undoubtedly, this is one of them. The famous supermodel and ebon goddess Naomi Campbell was seen in a trial for receiving “blood diamonds” in 1997.
Blood diamonds are those that are extracted and are usually marketed in countries immersed in warlike conflicts whose extraction and commercialization violates human rights. Then, with money they will pay the costs of the wars. Amazing, isn´t it?
Liberian´s President Charles Taylor was the trigger for this event. It all happened in 1997 in South Africa, at the home of former President Nelson Mandela during a dinner. Charles Taylor denies this happening, but at the trial Naomi Campbell claimed that “two mysterious men” knocked on her door and handed her a bag with tiny dirty diamonds.
I did not recognize them as diamonds. For me they are something nice, bright and coming in a box. They already know.
-Naomi Campbell
However, Carole White (former representative of Naomi) was responsible for giving a completely different version in the trial and confirms the apparent naivety of Campbell (who claims he did not know the country’s existence) that she received those diamonds conscientiously . Everything were contradictions. While Campbell claims that Taylor sat in front of her, White says they sat together at that dinner, that there was a flirtation between them and they mentioned gifts of diamonds.
“They called my door at night and they did not identify themselves, and I assumed that they were diamonds, commanded by Taylor”.
-Naomi Campbell
I was asleep when they knocked on my door. The envoys did not come in and I left the gift on the table. I usually receive many, said the model. However, White revealed that they touched my room looking for Naomi’s. I invited them to Cokes and then we went to see her, said White in his written testimony.
Following the statement, Naomi Campbell said she had gone to South Africa to help the most disadvantaged children. So she went in search of Jeremy Ratcliffe to donate it to him. But to everyone’s surprise, in 2009 Jeremy said he did not have them and that they were still in the hands of Naomi. The Mandela Foundation says that they have never received such diamonds.
However, despite allegations against the model, she was acquitted of the trial and the one arrested in 2006 was Charles Taylor.
The Ralph Lauren Luxury Dress for Melania Trump
From entertainer to first lady. Melania Trump, the Slovenian model and wife of Donald Trump, has changed a lot of style. Unlike Michelle Obama, the first lady has a large photographic archive in which she shows the style that defines her, marking every era of her life.
One of her most commented luxury dress is the blue Ralph Lauren dress she wore on January 20, the day Barack Obama’s family evicted the White House and began to occupy Trump’s family. A dress with a look of the 60s that breaks with the usual style of the first lady, with no neckline and very elegant, which some have applauded and others have repudiated. And the social networks are burning: some applaud Ralph Lauren for dressing Melania. However, many others repudiate the concept that the fashion brand has worked for her. The truth is that Ralph Lauren has designed exclusive luxury dresses for first ladies like Hillary Clinton, regardless of the political tune of the brand. Even so, dressing the first lady has led the brand to lower its sales. Something similar happened to brands like Macy or Lord & Taylor, who dressed Donald Trump’s eldest daughter (Ivanka Trump) and also had to face several comments over the Internet.
As expected, after the dispute, Ralph Lauren’s blue dress has been the center of all sorts of criticism. The two most commented have been: resembling one of the scenes of the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), in which the fancy dress looks like the uniform of the Beauxbatons school. The second similarity that the audience has found is with the dress of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, that used for the investiture of her husband John F. Kennedy in 1961.
It should be noted that other designers have publicly announced that they will never wear the first lady, as is the case of Tom Ford and Marc Jacobs. However, others have announced that they would be delighted, as is the case of Tommy Hilfiger or Carolina Herrera.
Loving the glitter and marking her silhouette in tight luxury dresses, the wife of the President of the United States has left that style behind to continue to highlight its beauty in a more discreet and elegant.
She replaces the fur coats to wear coats of classic cut and also, the lover of the lace has decided to continue taking it but of another form. In the following photograph we see as in one of the fashion event she attended, bet on the cleavage on his chest pretending to go uncovered. However in one of the last dinners with the Catholic Church, she decides to wear the lace in a much more subtle, covering her arms of precious lace that made her shine.
After being a model, Melania began to get more and more into the business world, and that’s when she began to wear more discreet clothes and according to the environment in which she began to move.
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 29: Model Melania Trump leaves the “Good Afternoon America” taping at the ABC Times Square Studios on August 29, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/Getty Images)
What more designers will be willing to dress Melania Trump?
Olivier Rousteing: the little genius of Balmain
With only 31 years just fulfilled, Olivier Rousteing is a benchmark in the fashion industry. He was born in Bordeaux on 13 September 1985 and was in 2011 when he was appointed creative director of Balmain. It has now 5 years at the helm of the firm and the prognosis is to stay in this house for much longer.
At the age of 1 year, Olivier was adopted by a family. From Bordeaux went to Paris to fulfill his dream, studying at ESMOD (Ecole Superieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode). After graduating, he began designing with Roberto Cavalli (from whom he learned his impatience), where he also met the designer Peter Dundas and which coincide in other houses like Emilio Pucci. From him he learned to be more perfectionist and thanks to both, the young designer managed to acquire the skills and qualities needed to become the great designer he is.
After his move from Cavalli when he was only 18, after 6, the designer left the firm to be in front of Balmain, because he looked more reflected the identity of the firm for being more “glamorous and sexy”. This was as a replacement of Christophe Decarnin, who left the house after a big depression. Following the same line and style, Olivier bases his designs while preserving the essence of Balmain, with feminine, daring and sexy designs also he performed Decarnin, always providing a personal touch.
Some consider him the spoiled child of fashion. And it is that models adore him and his designs and he has all models as Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner or Alexandra Ambrossio on a pedestal.
One of his most famous collections, a collection for H & M (one of the most media and awaited at that moment), revolutionize the fashion lovers and had very good result that November 5, 2015, day when he presented the collection.
One of the first items that were taught to the world before releasing the collection, was this dress that went on a selling price of 500 euros.
“H & M has given me a unique opportunity to bring the universe Balmain to everyone”
-Olivier Rousteing
We are confident that Olivier Rousteing will head the brand for much longer, because we love his designs and style. A young man wanting to do what he likes and we have no doubt, because his love for fashion is reflected in each and every one of the items that come out of their hands.
PRADA: one of the most popular luxury brands
Last Thursday, the movie The Devil Wears Prada, birth 10 years. On the occasion of its anniversary celebration, there is no better way to reminisce about the film that talking about the brand.
The famous luxury brand was founded in Milan (Italy) in 1913. Its creator was Mario Prada under the name Fratelli Prada (Prada Brothers). However, it was thanks to his granddaughter Miuccia Prada, when the brand became one of the premier international fashion. She did not seem very prepared for the position to occupy; however, she had a sense for aesthetics exquisite and different.
The brand began mainly with the production of handbags, luggage and shoes. Later, air travel began to be one of the first transports of this type of clientele. However, customers began to be unhappy because the material used for these bags was walrus skin and was very heavy. Thus, Prada focused more on creating hand luggage and suitcases, but this time leather and waterproof. Under the direction of Miuccia enters the field competence in the same sector: Gucci. Therefore, she decides to give a twist to the production of the brand and is when Prada begins to manufacture its luxury clothes ready-to-wear.
Following the completion of the first backpack by Miuccia, black and waterproof in 1970, arrived in 1985 one of the most emblematic of the history of fashion handbags: its black, classic and simple bag, which in turn was robust and functional. A bag was launched with an entry price quite high but also sold and soon began to have many imitators. The decisive year of the brand was 1989, in which Miuccia presented her first collection of ready-to-wear and was so successful that the brand brought up considerably.
Already in the 90s Prada was a globally recognized brand, not only for its high prices, but behind them are luxury materials, simple but at the same time we get in love with them. As main colors black, brown, gray, green and cream. All this made the brand has that special appeal and whose essence continues to this day. An exclusive brand season after season has managed to remain the brand to the concept of it.
One of its affiliates (Miu Miu), for younger people and low cost of Prada line, was created in 1992 and acquired Fendi, which then eventually sold to LVMH.
Later, in 2003, Prada began to collaborate with the Spanish firm Puig for the manufacture of perfumes and later in the 2006 is when The Devil Wears Prada premiere, a film starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. After its premiere, the brand begins to have even more popularity. But however and although it seems a contradiction, the film does not talk about Prada. It was just a way of referring to it as something exclusive.
Hedi Slimane: from his inception to his last tweets
“Nobody has achieved notoriety and relevance like Slimane with exclusively male designs”
– El País
Born in Paris in 1968, he studied art history at the Academy of Louvre. He is also a photographer and has always been linked to the world of music, enough to be the designer of groups like The Strokes or Babyshambles began working in the fashion world with brands like Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent (already in the year 1997), and so in 2000 Christian Dior opens its doors to become the creative director of Dior Homme.
Hedi Slimane managed to create a new aesthetic for man silhouettes by the use of skinny pants (trend already marked by Raf Simons, the new creative director of Calvin Klein) and some androgynous designs. They even say that Karl Lagerfeld lost 30 kilos to wear one of his designs. With his new creations, the designer revives for seven years a new trend in the predominantly black and white and the definition of the silhouette of men.
In 2007 the designer leaves Dior Homme to exploit his own designs out of the brand. Later, in 2012 he became creative director of Yves Saint Laurent, and with its entrance just renamed Saint Laurent. Its name changed to differentiate the brand in Haute Couture and ready-to-wear, and it was a way to relive the golden age of Saint Laurent in the 60s.
Recently, in April of this year, Slimane is replaced by Anthony Vacarrello. His departure is still very controversial after his last tweets posted on the social network because it is said that lash out against the Yves Saint Laurent brand and criticizing the absence of “Yves” during his leadership.
To this, the designer has defended several arguments, such as that during his legacy, bags still retained the “Y”, in the parade of 2015 threw confetti with the three initials of the famous logo and even create a line jewelry with more than 100 charms in which “YSL” was included.
And now is added the dispute that has the designer with the brand, a dispute which reaches 13 million dollars. The debt comes from the beginning of Slimane in the brand, in which the non-competition clause is not signed: this clause prevents you from working for a year with strong competition, and at the time seemed right to Hedi. Now the designer and photographer has sued them because he wants to sign the clause and remain during one more year Yves Saint Laurent receiving the same salary he would receive if he were really working for the firm.
The gossips say that is one of the candidates to replace Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel. But we would have to wait one more year (or more). What would happend? Only time will tell us.
Thierry Mugler: the inspiration for Lady Gaga designs
Well, it’s all about looking good, helping the silhouette…and all about getting a great fuck, honey.
-Thierry Mugler
Thierry Mugler was born in Strasbourg (France) in 1948 and was one of the most popular designers of the 80s.
He left his job as a dancer to engage in the world of fashion and coinciding with the rise of Yves Saint Laurent, start designing. So in 1973 he presented his first women’s collection and after its success founded his own brand.
He managed to mark a before and after in the runaways with Claude Montana and Jean Paul Gaultier, returning the glamorous to the Parisian catwalks.
His designs were based on the comic, science fiction or zoology and through these factors make their catwalks a show, being one of the forerunners of fashion shoulder pads. The crow and the vinyl were their main allies and has been criticized for using in his designs because it looked so misogynistic and fetishistic.
He wanted his shows to be perfect, so he was the responsible for carrying the lighting and styling of his own parades.
With the end of the twentieth century, it begins the era of minimalism and that is how the aesthetics of Mugler got into decline, confirming his retirement in 2002. In 2003 he began to devote himself to the staging of shows, from choreography to costume for special effects.
Still, the brand continues mainly with the line of perfumes (property of Clarins brand, one of its main sources of income). Artists like Beyoncé or Lady Gaga are fortunate to bring some of his designs, especially Gaga. Nicola Formichetti is the Italo-Japanese designer and stylist who dressed the singer with Mugler designs. Therefore he proposed to Mugler be the new creative director of the brand to revive it. It was only with the brand a couple of years, until finally was signed by the company Diesel.
Right now, the creative director of the brand is David Koma, retaining some of the essence of Mugler designs but being more discreet.
Rihanna's new collection is inspired in Marie Antoinette
If Maria Antonieta went to the gym and needed something to wear
-Rihanna
Paris, the city of love, was in charge of receiving the new collection of Rihanna “Fenty x Puma“. According to the singer, this city represented much better the new collection that New York.
Since 2014 Rihanna is the creative director of Puma and since she is in the firm, Puma sales have grown much more. The singer and designer do not create sport clothes but they are creations to bring in the day a day and that’s the key.
Her last collection includes items of a single color, with predominantly for example pastel pink, khaki green, lilac or skin color. We can thus find hats, dresses, sweat shirts, hoods and even corsets with vintage accessories and charged makeup, which were exhibited in the luxurious palace Salomon de Rothschild in Paris. The majority of the collection is designed for women but we could also appreciate some designs exclusively for men, and the tissues chosen by Rihanna were not particularly focused on making sport: for example, satin.
In addition to good singer, we have seen that at the moment Rihanna experience in the fashion world has been pretty good. He has collaborated with the major shoe designer Manolo Blahnik or with the prestigious fashion company Dior, and her success after the first collection made for Puma has opened the way to be an important benchmark in young fashion.
We have no doubt that Rihanna will surprise us soon with more of her designs and that as before, we´ll fall in love as much as their latest interventions in the world of fashion.
Chanel runway: Futuristic and with new technologies
So Chanel has managed to approach a younger audience: through futuristic and new technologies.
For some time now, we are in the millenial generation, obsessed with fashion brands and fashion around the world, every moment, every brand. It is therefore no wonder that Chanel has decided to set its runaway alluding to this generation that is sweeping wherever he goes. Attached to it, the scenery was stunning and was based on Big data, which has made the Grand Palais in Paris became for a few minutes in a total space atmosphere.
With this scenery we´re not talking about made a critic to the world of the digital, but they have tried to venture into these new generations without us realizing it. His designs have been the most representative of the brand: the legendary bag 2.55 or two-piece tweed. However, the clothes were wrapped by LED lights, colored wires and cathode ray tubes and also show off a futuristic models with masks simulating robots with a very similar Star-Wars aesthetics. Next to them, a renewal of footwear that Karl Lagerfeld wanted to do with the classic signature bicolor shoes and white flat shoes.
In addition, one of the details of this runaway is that we can see how all the models look a cap sideways and backwards, a new look that we have already seen in many of the millennials at the moment and that is winning (and so it seems to continue triumphing up within a couple of years).
No doubt this is how Chanel has managed us to fall in love again with their amazing designs and in this case also with a start scene worthy of admiration, although fashion doesn´t understand about ages.
Tom Ford shines in New York Fashion Week
New York evening shone glamour thanks to Tom Ford, who presented his latest autumn-winter collection at New York Fashion Week.
The designer, who a few days ago was at the Venice Film Festival presenting his latest film, ‘Nocturnal animals’, organized something very special. He presented his proposals for next autumn-winter 2016 and is one of the companies that bet by skipping ancient fashion and show the pieces you can wear this season.
Recognized celebrities in the world of fashion, music or movies accompanied him carrying own signature designs: Karlie Kloss, Rita Ora, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford or Uma Thurman.
They paraded the red carpet Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Zachary Quinto, Hailee Steinfeld, Julianne Moore and Alicia Keys, among others.
Ebony goddess with a lovely dress with sequins transparencies. Alicia Keys with a tracksuit and body type grid, Uma Thurman with a LBD or beautiful Julianne Moore (one of the muses of the designer, who could not miss the show) with a black dress. All were charged with dazzle the cameras with their looks.
