Wednesday, November 30, 2011
British Fashion Award 2011: Fashion's most talented line-up in a generation
Tough times ahead? Bring on British creativity. Meet the fashion award winners who thrill, excite and make us proud in 2011.
BY Lisa Armstrong | 30 November 2011
From left: Sarah Burton, Alexa Chung and Victoria Beckham Photo: Zac Frackelton
British Fashion Awards 2011: red carpet arrivals
This, with apologies for anyone hoping for a rerun of The Devil Wears Prada , was a remarkably good-natured gathering: not one tantrum, not even a foot stamp. Even so, there's only so long you can keep Victoria Beckham (winner of British Designer Brand of the Year), Sarah Burton (winner of Designer of the Year, and the woman behind what is already one of the most celebrated dresses in history), Alexa Chung (voted most stylish Brit by the public) and Christopher Kane (winner of the New Establishment Award and rightly regarded as one of the most exciting designers in the world right now) waiting when there is mingling with Colin Firth, Romola Garai and Hayley Atwell to be done, and scores of other journalists and a party waiting.
British Fashion Awards 2011: Alexa Chung beats Kate Middleton to style icon crown
However, Stella McCartney (recipient of the Red Carpet Award) and 40-year-old Stella Tennant (a worthy Model of the Year whose three-decade career has just enjoyed one of its busiest years) had gone missing in action, lost somewhere on the journey from the ceremony to the party. By the time we located them (no, McCartney hadn't been absconded by the rock-and-roll set: "My days of running off with Kate Moss are over," she promised), dinner had been served.
While everyone was exploring the first course, our photographer, Zac shot the Stellas separately and slotted them in later. Well, it's fashionable isn't it? Retouching and airbrushing are now so ubiquitous that George Lamb, one of the evening's two presenters along with Lauren Laverne, gave a grateful call-out to Photoshop, and, receiving her award, Stella Tennant thanked "all the teams in post-production".
Ah, those self-deprecating Brits: Stella McCartney's friend Kate Hudson presented her with the Red Carpet Award and, with the designer's approval, proceeded to recount how the first Oscar dress McCartney ever designed for her landed her on every worst dress list in the world. Victoria Beckham cried on collecting her award, then apologised for being "so rubbish". Hard to believe she felt nervous on a stage, given her previous career. "People always say that," she said later, "but all the Spice Girl awards didn't really mean anything. This is such an honour…"
Tearful Victoria Beckham picks up a British Fashion Award
She's certainly keeping impressive company here. This may well be the best line-up of British fashion talent in a generation. They're nice, too - and notable for the way they support one another, sharing advice and expertise. "This," observed a Milanese visitor who was at the awards and peeked in on the shoot, "could never happen in Italy. It's not just that our designers' egos wouldn't let them be in the same photo, but we don't have the multi-generations of talent. There's a dearth of young designers…"
British Fashion Awards 2011: Samantha Cameron's award-winning shoes
So let's linger a moment or two longer on this picture, because, in many ways, it sums up what's going right with British design at the moment. Most striking, perhaps, is the breadth of talent: from Christopher Raeburn's profoundly British-boffin inventiveness to McCartney's body-flattering glamour; from Mary Katrantzou's much-imitated and dazzlingly original patterns (she digitally engineers the pixels in her prints so that they appear to undulate as the fabric undulates) to Sam Gainsbury, the visionary producer who masterminded so many memorable shows for Alexander McQueen and the record-breaking exhibition of his work at New York's Metropolitan Museum this year; from Sarah Burton's ravishing fusion of the historical, the futuristic and the romantic at McQueen to Tabitha Simmons's subversive, yet oh-so controlled take on classic shoe elegance.
Watch: On the red carpet at the British Fashion Awards
Some of these labels are tiny saplings, employing a handful of people - not that you'd ever guess from the extraordinary craftsmanship that comes out of their studios (a grandiose word for what is often an industrial unit in an unlovely part of London) or the reach of their influence. These designers spearhead an industry that's worth £37 billion to the UK economy and, amid the economic gloom, count among companies that are actually expanding. In the slipstream of Mulberry's and Burberry's successes, designers are finally starting to believe in the previously unorthodox, bordering on deluded theory that it might really be possible to build a global luxury brand in this country. Victoria Beckham's business - often derided by her critics as a vanity project - has achieved sales of £28 million this year, largely thanks to her jeans and sunglasses, it's true, but mightily boosted, image wise, by her catwalk line. Interestingly, her win drew one of the biggest cheers of the night - another sign that British Fashion is no longer a too-cool-for-school coterie of insiders, but willing to embrace anyone who brings something credible to the table. That's not just a question of manners - it's indicative of the way this generation of British designers are confronting market realities. A decade or so ago, describing a collection as "commercial" was considered an insult. Now, along with creativity and impeccable production, it's a given.
That's not all that's changed. Ten years ago, the British Fashion Awards had their Jedward moment in a night of excruciating naffness that began with Pamela Anderson revealing that she'd had to write the name of her co-host on her hand because she kept forgetting it (mind you, so has posterity) and culminated in a succession of lesser-spotted soap stars and footballers handing out awards. Monday night's event was unrecognisably slicker and more optimistic - which doesn't matter a jot. Unless you happen to think that now, more than ever, British creativity is worth celebrating in style.
All the action from the 2011 British Fashion Awards
From innocent charm to sex siren! Nicola Roberts strips off in heartbreak video Yo-Yo, as cheating 'boyfriend' kisses another girl
By Nadia Mendoza
Last updated at 3:30 PM on 30th November 2011
Nicola Roberts is becoming quite the chameleon; transforming her image once again for a new video.
The singer has trampled all over her innocent charm to create a sex siren in upcoming single Yo-Yo.
Compared to previous tracks Beat Of My Drum and Lucky Day, her latest offering looks and sounds a lot more grown up as she teases viewers by stripping to her bra and frolicking in the shower.
Skinny minnie: Nicola Roberts flashes her body in new video Yo-Yo, with her ribs clearly visible in the mirror
Fashionista: As Nicola prepares for a party, she is seen trying on an array of dresses
The video begins with a boy doing tricks with a yo-yo, as the analogy in the lyrics compares her messy love life to the ups and downs of being played with like the toy.
It then pans out into Nicola's 'bedroom' where she is getting ready for a night out.
All grown up: Nicola's new video has a more sophisticated feel to it than Beat Of My Drum and Lucky Day
The 26-year-old flaunts her tiny frame in a variety of dresses; switching between a black one-shouldered dress, a purple crushed velvet number and a red vintage gown.
The cheeky Scouser is also seen in just her bra, fiddling with the clasp but facing away from the lens.
The footage then cuts to a party scene in the kitchen, before Nicola is seen flirting with a boy on the sofa - who then tries to catch the eye of another girl behind her back.
It then cuts to a slightly gratuitous shot of the former Popstars: The Rivals contestant in a shower, wearing a T-shirt with her bra poking through, looking distressed and generally evoking pain while looking sexy at the same time.
The cheeky Scouser is also seen in just her bra, fiddling with the clasp but facing away from the lens.
Bed hair: Singer sports messy blonde locks, which are much fairer than her natural ginger colour
The footage then cuts to a party scene in the kitchen, before Nicola is seen flirting with a boy on the sofa - who then tries to catch the eye of another girl behind her back.
It then cuts to a slightly gratuitous shot of the former Popstars: The Rivals contestant in a shower, wearing a T-shirt with her bra poking through, looking distressed and generally evoking pain while looking sexy at the same time.
Unfaithful: Nicola's love interest in the video cheats on her with another girl
She then leaves the house and discovers her boyfriend is kissing the other girl. Cue meltdown.
But it's not long before Roberts gets to unleash her fury on the boy as she hurls flowers and crockery at him in the kitchen.
The redhead, who has opted for a lighter strawberry blonde shade than her natural colour, then continues to slink around in her lingerie while pouting by the sink.
Devastated: Nicola catches her 'boyfriend' cheating on her, as he kisses another girl
Yo-Yo, released on January 9, will be third single offering from Roberts since launching her solo career earlier this year.
Her first venture into the charts on her own was with catchy debut Beat Of My Drum back in June, which charted at a promising No17.
She later followed this with Lucky Day, which didn't peak quite as high, hovering at a low No40.
All three tracks were taken from her first solo album Cinderella's Eyes.
Today marks the ninth anniversary of Girls Aloud, with Nicola tweeting about the special occasion.
She wrote: 'Today is a special day.. Were 9 (sic) .. Love u all so much @CherylCole @NadineCoyleNow Sarah&Kimba #GAbDay'
Unleashing her fury: Nicola seeks her revenge as she grabs a plate ready to throw at the loverat
Petite: Nicola shows off her tiny frame in lingerie, before she throws the flowers in disgust
Now we can all get Michelle Obama's look! First Lady's fashion secrets revealed in first book dedicated to her style
By Daily Mail ReporterLast updated at 2:39 PM on 30th November 2011
Since her husband's inauguration, Michelle Obama's wardrobe has received as much attention in the spotlight as the First Lady herself.
In 2009, she was named as one of the world's most beautiful women. The same year, she was awarded a CFDA gong honouring her role in American fashion - and all while wowing a global audience with her grace, elegance and daring style, championing new designers and supporting U.S. business, and her husband, to boot.
Diplomatic choices: Mrs Obama chose Tom Ford, left, when she dined with the Queen in May and a Doo-Ri Chung creation, right, when she met the South Korean president in October
It comes are no surprise, then, that the First Lady's sartorial acumen is the subject of its very own book, Commander in Chic: Every Woman's Guide to Managing her Style like a First Lady.
Written by Mikki Taylor, the hands-on style guide is packed with tips, advice and notes on how to dress like Barack's wife and, in doing so, perhaps emulate a fraction of that famously laid-back self-assuredness.
Here's looking at Wu: The First Lady wore Jason Wu to the inaugural ball on January 20, 2009
Speaking with Huffington Post, Ms Taylor said that the idea behind the project was not as a coffee table book, but rather as a guide 'that was filled with information that [women] could embrace, that would give them the kind of guidance to take the guesswork out of style.'
The Essence magazine editor, who first worked with Mrs Obama, 47, on a shoot for the magazine in 2006, is clearly a devoted admirer of her 'easy muse' and hopes to empower women with the style tips. Ms Taylor says that Mrs Obama is 'comfortable in her own skin' and always 'knows what works for her, who she is, who she isn't.'
Trend setter: Mrs Obama in In Junya Watanabe, left, in J Crew, centre, and in Kai Milla, right, all in 2009
On trend: Michelle Obama embraced summer 2011's trend for colour blocking with bright suits in red, left, coral Narciso Rodriguez, right, and a blue, yellow and taupe panelled shift centre
From the graceful and frothy white Jason Wu ball gown she wore to the January 2009 inauguration ball to the Gap and Target dresses she pulls off with aplomb, her style has consistently been modern, fresh, classic and daring.
Easy muse: Mikki Taylor is editor of Essence magazine and a renowned beauty authority
Taking a lead from the First Lady's rhetoric, Ms Taylor told the site that she wants 'every woman to be the "commander in chic" in her life. Simply put, that means someone who owns her life and masters style with distinction.'
She describes Mrs Obama's style as 'classic with a twist.'
'She has a great love of color. She loves a great dress, which at the end of the day is the best no-brainer dressing there is. She loves a multitasking cardigan; she's shown that it's a great adapter, the way she plays it over dresses, over the perfect pencil skirt or a pair of flared pants.'
Certainly, some of the First Lady's most successful outfits have been her knee-length skirts twinned with bolero jackets, while she has proved she has an eye for personalising by adding a colourful belt to a plain dress, or updating an older item with a fresh brooch.
'She works accessories like a head of state, if you will. Even down to her footwear: the kitten heel or a classic skimmer. She just has this great ease, she is so modern yet it comes together so effortlessly. I don't think there is a woman that doesn't want that,' she told the news site.
Hot on the heels of her new book, out today, Ms Taylor is launching the Forever Nude Collection by Mikki Taylor, a range of nail colours, in February.
HOW TO DRESS LIKE THE FIRST LADY: TOP TIPS FROM MIKKI TAYLOR
- Everybody should own: Clean-cut Dresses. 'I think women need several clean-cut dresses with great necklines that allow you to adorn them.'
- Everybody should own: Cashmere Cardigans. 'The cashmere cardigan in any weight is a great buy, and thanks to resources like J.Crew, Talbots and Express, you can get a fabulous cardigan at any price.'
- Everybody should own: Little Black Dresses. 'You can never had too many LBDs. Our lives go from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and beyond. I always say the little black dress is like a good girlfriend: she never lets you down.'
- Everybody should own: Flared Pants. 'I prefer flared pants rather than a trouser. Flared pants work on most body shapes and are always elegant. You can make them rockstar edgy of classic by simply changing a top.'
- When it comes to haircuts, having healthy hair and scalp is more important than style. 'At the end of the day,' she says 'you have to know your hair.'
- Keep skin clean and clear, especially if travelling often. Ms Taylor is an ambassador for Ambi.
- Make accessories work for you, including footwear - pick a style that you know works, like Mrs Obama's favoured 'skimmers' and match them to clothes.
Source: HuffingtonPost.com
'I feel like I'm not supposed to have kids': Kim Kardashian fears her baby dreams are over as she poses in bedroom shoot
By Sarah Fitzmaurice
Last updated at 7:05 PM on 30th November 2011
She thought she had found her happy ever after, marrying Kris Humphries in the elaborate wedding day of her dreams in August.
But after just 72 days of marriage Kim Kardashian realised the relationship was over and filed for divorce.
Now, in a surprisingly frank interview with the U.S edition of Glamour magazine the 31-year-old reality star has revealed she believes her dreams of a family are unlikely to be realised.
Girlie sleepover? While the covershoot might show Kim smiling the interview reveals she has realised she will not get what she wants in romance and believes she isn't meant to have children
Sweet dreams: Kim poses in a sleepover scene with her sisters but reveals: 'Maybe my fairy tale has a different ending than I dreamed it would'
In the January edition of the magazine Kim explained: ‘At first I was like, I want six kids. Then I went down to four, then I was down to three, and now I'm like, maybe I won't have any.’
Kim added: ‘Maybe my fairy tale has a different ending than I dreamed it would.’
The reality star, who appears on the cover of the magazine alongside her sisters Kourtney and Khloe, has an extremely negative forecast for her future, particularly when predicting her love life.
Happy New Year? Kim poses with her sisters Khloe and Kourtney for the cover shoot of the January issue of Glamour magazine, but the interview reveals her pain behind her smiles
She explained: ‘I believe in love and the dream of having a perfect relationship, but my idea of it has changed. I think I need to not live in a fairy tale like that. I think I maybe need to just snap out of it and be a little more realistic.’
While her sister Khloe offered encouragement to the heartbroken TV star and told her: ‘I know you will get (love) again,’ Kim appeared downcast and replied: ‘What I want isn’t possible.’
Her own heartache will no doubt draw comparisons to the lives of her sisters, Khloe is happily married to husband Lamar Odom, Kourtney is getting on better than ever with her beau Scott Disick and the couple are dedicated to bringing up their adorable son Mason.
In the party mood? While Kim is pictured showing off her fabulous shape in a little black dress in a party scene her interviews shows she feels she has little to celebrate
Happy ever after: While Kim is heartbroken her sisters are happy in love with Kourtney with her beau and father of her child Scott Disick while Khloe is happily married to Lamar Odom
That leaves Kim, who is the middle daughter of Kris Jenner and the late Robert Kardashian, as the only single sister left of the trio.
Speaking about her role, the businesswoman, who has made no secret of her hope for a large family like her own said: ‘Maybe I'll just be a good aunt…At this moment in my life, I feel like maybe I'm not supposed to have kids and all that.’
While her interview might reveal her pain the pictures appear to show Kim welcoming in the New Year with plenty of hope.
Still holding on? Kim is seen with her huge engagement ring on her finger, indicating the pictures were taken before she filed for divorce on October 31
Mixing beats: Kim, Khloe and Kourtney are pictures partying around a DJ booth with Kim appearing
to mix a track
It is common for magazines to schedule different times for a photoshoot and a later date for the interview and these pictures might well bring back painful memories for Kim of happier times.
Kim is seen beaming with her sisters as the trio pose in their underwear holding a cake.
The sisters show off their famous curves in pink corsets by Playful Promises which they have teamed with black pants by Malia Mills.
What will the New Year bring? With Kim's marriage to Kris Humphries over the 2012 shoot poses the question will Kim find love next year?
Girls just want to have fun: It appears the sisters had a great time partying on the magazine shoot
In another shot Kim shows off her shape in a black Jovani dress getting into the party mood for the New Year.
She shows off her playful side taking to the DJ decks while her sisters laugh alongside her.
Kourtney looks anything but mumsy in a sexy purple Dolce and Gabbana bodysuit which she teams with a New York Hat Co. Top hat.
Khloe opts for an on-trend monochrome ensemble donning a black Sonia Rykiel sweater and a white Marc Jacobs skirt for the party.
The full interview is in the January issue of the US Glamour magazine
Other scenes show the sisters enjoying a slumber party to welcome in the New Year Kim and Kourtney are wearing Enza Costa tank customized by Wildfox Couture with Kim keeping on brand with Kardashian Kollection briefs.
While Kim is clearly preoccupied with what her future may or may not hold fans of the Kardashian family were treated to their latest reality installment on Sunday with the first episode of the new Kourtney and Kim Take New York show.
Around 3.2million fans tuned in to watch the trials and tribulations and it has been revealed that Kris Humphries also tuned in to watch his relationship with Kim deteriorate on screen.
The NBA star is said to be horrified with the way he was portrayed on screen and viewers saw him passing wind near Kourtney's face and telling his wife Kim she ate too much wedding cake.
While it has been reported that Kris also tuned in to watch the show on Sunday a source close to the basketball star told MailOnline he knew what was coming because he had seen the show weeks ago.
The source said: 'Kris reacted like any normal newlywed husband would, when a new sister in law brings a naked yoga instructor into his home, has a screaming 2 year old outside his bedroom door, with in laws constantly fighting.'
'Any normal newly married couple would get a room down the hall, but it’s the Kourtney and Kim show with many more episodes to go, not the Kris and Kim show.'
They added: 'Kris is very excited that the lockout is over and looking forward to start playing basketball again and moving forward with his life.'
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