Giorgio Armani turns to costuming

Thandie Newton [that Bond Girl] as Paulina Photo: Alastair Muir The thought-provoking Ariel Dorfman play Death And The Maidenis a masterful exploration of moral ambiguity, sexual politics and the personal consequences of totalitarianism. Not only that but all the clothes in the production that stars Thandie Newton and which opens tonight at London’s Comedy Theatre will look absolutely magnificent – thanks to Giorgio Armani. Thandie Newton: She Wears It Well. The Italian fashion emperor has temporarily turned theatrical costume designer to ensure that whatever the critics say about Newton’s West End debut, they absolutely won’t be able to knock her frock. – - Story BY Luke Leitch | more

Designer Edith Head on stage

 ’A Conversation With Edith Head,’ a one-woman show starring Susan Claassen, about the famous Hollywood costume designer. Opens in LA at The Odyssey Theatre starting Oct. 28.

Edith Head had grand designs on Hollywood for six decades, earning 35 Oscar nominations for her influential costume designs and winning eight Academy Awards for such films as 1949′s “The Heiress,” 1951′s “A Place in the Sun,” 1954′s “Sabrina” and 1960′s “The Facts of Life.” She was a favorite of Billy Wilder, designing the costumes for his classic 1944 film noir “Double Indemnity” and his 1950 masterpiece “Sunset Boulevard,” as well as of Alfred Hitchcock, creating iconic looks in such romantic thrillers as 1946′s “Notorious,” 1954′s “Rear Window,” 1958′s “Vertigo” and 1963′s “The Birds.” Besides designing costumes for films, Head also created personal wardrobes for the likes of Olivia de Havilland and Joan Crawford. She designed the uniforms for Pan Am airline stewardesses and she was not afraid to offer frank makeover tips to housewives as a regular on Art Linkletter‘s “House Party” CBS daytime series. – - more about this LAtimes.com

Top 10 Fashion Films of the Season

NYFW Spring 2012 from David Sherwin on Vimeo.

NEW YORK, United States — At BoF, we’ve been ranking the top fashion films of the season since 2009, when the genre was still just coming into existence. But even back then, set against the staggering rise of online video consumption and the growing importance of engaging young digital consumers, the medium’s tremendous potential was clear. Fast-forward to the Autumn of 2011 and YouTube-friendly short videos are practically de rigueur for fashion brands, large and small. But interestingly, it’s not digital “Geniuses” like Burberry who have been creating the most compelling fashion films. Despite being labeled “Challenged” by a Digital IQ report recently released by LuxuryLab, we think the Prada Group is making some of the best digital films in the industry, working with top fashion image-maker Steven Meisel. - - more fashion films Here

Healthy Hair Tips from Celebrity Stylists

Helpful Tips and Tricks for Healthy Hair From the Experts

Top celebrity hairstylist Nick Arrojo provides these suggestions to keep your hair healthy and looking fabulous. Keep your hair as healthy as it can be with a nutritious diet, careful grooming habits and suitable hair care products. It’s important to take steps to get your locks back into healthy condition again. We talked to some top celebrity stylists and other hair care experts who offered these tips and tricks for keeping your hair as healthy as possible. – - more

Nicki Minaj’s Nail Polish Collection

Nicki Minaj is most known for her musical talents but she is also frequently recognized for standing out when it comes to her fashion and beauty choices. She regularly gains a great deal of attention for her unique apparel, one-of-a-kind hair styles and standout makeup looks. With an ultra successful MAC cosmetics lipstick, “Pink 4 Friday,” which she released in November of last year, Minaj is no stranger when it comes to working first-hand in the beauty business.

Just yesterday, she surprised her fans with the announcement of her latest beauty venture, a new nail polish collection with high-quality lacquer brand OPI. Minaj will join the ranks of many high-profile celebrities including Justin Bieber, Serena Williams and Katy Perry, who have previously released celebrity lacquer collections with OPI. Both Minaj and OPI took to Twitter to reveal the new collection to excited fans. The Nicki Minaj Collection will feature 6 nail polish colors, all inspired by songs off of her debut studio album Pink Friday.

– - more about Minaj

50 best boutiques outside London

From niche American labels in County down to hand-made shoes in Brighton, we bring you an insider’s guide to the most stylish fashion shops around the British Isles… by KATE FINNIGAN 

Keita Maruyama Tokyo F/W

On Friday, October 21st, Japanese label Keita Maruyama Tokyo Paris showcased their 2012 Spring/Summer collection on the runway at Tokyo Midtown. Brand founder Keita Maruyama graduated from Bunka Fashion College in 1987. He worked in the Japanese apparel industry, and also designed costumed for musicians and actors on the side. In 1994, he debuted his collection in Tokyo, winning the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix New Face Award and Shiseido Sponsorship Award in 1996. The Keita Maruyama Tokyo Paris 2012 S/S collection shown at Japan Fashion Week was titled “Save The Last Dance For Me”. The theme of the show was a giant dance party complete with a huge lighted disco ball and DJ Hazuki (a well known DJ in the Tokyo club scene) – - more on Keita & others

External Link: Keita Maruyama Tokyo Paris Official Website

Take a Look at what went on Backstage at NYC Fashion Week..lots of photos

….courtesy of © 2011 :: VANESSA JACKMAN


 Photographing models after the shows is always fun but being backstage and seeing them transformed with beautiful make-up, hair, amazing clothes and styling is just plain magical. It is almost as if once they step (or are pulled and prodded!) into their first looks the girls transform into character…. all thoughts of exhaustion and stress are banished and replaced by nervous excitement* and adrenaline as they wait their turn to walk down the runway. – - Head on over to Grazia.it today to check out the full article.

h.NAOTO: Lolita Fashions arrives

San Francisco will see an exciting new addition to its fashion boutiques this fall with the addition of a line of clothing from Japanese designer h.NAOTO. NEW PEOPLE, San Francisco’s première destination for all things Japanese, has just hosted an event to celebrate the debut of the fashion line, which was previously only available for purchase in Japan. Many of h.NAOTO’s designs fall into the category of “gothic lolita,” which is a term that may be commonplace in Japan, but is still considered a niche in the United States. You may not be sure what you are looking at if you spot a woman wearing doll-like clothing, highly detailed accessories such as patterned stockings or ruffled cuffs, small hats, and long curled, flowing hair. Does she carry a small purse with handles? Does her clothing seem as if it’s come from another century? You’ve seen your first Lolita. – - more