Rodnik Rocks
Apparently, we’re not the only ones feeling punk. British designer Philip Colbert of The Rodnik Band is launching a capsule collection for OVS, Italy’s answer to H&M, at its chain of 400 stores this Friday. And in his signature style, he’s written a song and produced a video for it that went live on YouTube this week. “God Dress the Queen!” is based on the Clash’s “London Calling.” Joe Strummer might not have approved of Colbert’s “London clothing” riff, but we’re betting he would’ve gotten a laugh out of his fish-and-chips T-shirt.
—Nicole Phelps
Recessionista Coco Puff
This bag is hot, and it’s only $19.99
I like! It’s cute, it’s inspired by Coco Chanel, and it’s cheap. I love that it comes in four different colors — black, fuchsia, ocean blue and purple!
Another creation that’s faux leather, it’s got an extra zip inside and has a nice shoulder strap. And … you still have enough money to buy that latte you’ve been craving after being parched from shopping!
PRODUCT DETAILS
Accessorize your style! Make a fashion statement with this Candie’s quilted shoulder bag. Available in a variety of colors.
- Quilted pattern offers a unique look
- Faux-leather construction provides long-lasting wear
- Roomy interior with extra zippered compartment organizes your belongings
- Size: 6 1/2″H x 12″W x 2 1/2″ D
- Snap closure
- Shoulder strap
Buy it here.
LIVE FROM LONDON ACNE
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Yea, Nay, Or Eh Machine Woman
Photo: Rex USA
Michael Cera’s new romantic comedy, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, had its European premiere in London last night, and though most of the film’s leading ladies (from Anna Kendrick to newcomers Ellen Wong and Mary Elizabeth Winstead) made an appearance, all eyes were on Florence Welch, the fiery front woman of the rising pop act Florence and the Machine. Welch has a solid history of supporting independent designers (she often wears Hannah Marshall, and has done turns in Roksanda Illincic, too), and for the occasion she picked a Fall ‘10 tattoo dress by the Australian label Willow, paired with chunky wedge booties. The combination—a bold, printed mini paired with ankle boots—is one we’ve been seeing more and more of lately, and Welch is the perfect example of why: She looks red-carpet ready but not fussy or prissy. What do you think of the look—is this one that should be turning Scott Pilgrim’s head?
Fresh From The Feed
Style.com’s Fashion Feed brings you the best of the news around the Web and on Twitter, and ranks the most-discussed designers, labels, models, and celebrities. In our weekly series, we call out the top five designers of the previous week (with our handy gloss on the hows and whys).
1. Alexander McQueen (pictured; last week: 3)
The appointment of Pina Ferlisi as the creative director of McQ made headlines last week. Meanwhile, many saw echoes of the man’s own work in Comme de Garçons’ Spring ‘11 menswear collection, which was heavy on the skull motifs McQueen often employed.
2. Marc Jacobs (last week: 5)
It was a big LV week: There was the strong showing from Jacobs and his lieutenant, Paul Helbers, for Louis Vuitton’s Spring ‘11 menswear collection, as well as the announcement of the new LV women’s campaign, starring Christy Turlington, Karen Elson, and Natalia Vodianova.
3. Stella McCartney (last week: 1)
Stella’s presumably staying off the courts herself—she’s currently pregnant with baby no. 4—but that didn’t stop her from outfitting the Danish tennis pro Caroline Wozniacki for Wimbledon.
4. Diane von Furstenberg
DvF added “hotelier” to her already long list of titles with the opening of suites she guest-designed at London’s Claridge’s Hotel. Pals Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna stopped by to check them out…
5. Victoria Beckham
…as did Victoria Beckham, who reportedly postponed a vacation to do so.
“A Real Hat Moment” Philip Treacy, Milliner To Princesses And Pop Stars, On The Royal Wedding
—David Hayes
With the royal wedding ten days away, Philip Treacy is busy. “People came to see me as soon as the invites went out,” says the Irish-born milliner, who has designed headpieces for Alexander McQueen and Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel shows and was famously championed by Isabella Blow. “Most will have three or four fittings because, of course, it has to be right; something like a billion people will see them on the day.”
Royal weddings are “a real hat moment,” according to Treacy, and he knows a thing or two about them. He won’t be attending the Wills/Kate nuptials on the 29th, but, he says, “my hats will be! I did go to the last royal wedding—Charles and Camilla’s, in 2005—and it was the most interesting day of my life. I watched Princess Diana’s wedding as a boy, so to see the future Queen of England coming round the corner towards me in one of my hats was just amazing.” He won’t say who’s wearing his creations this time around—though the clients coming to him are accessorizing Chanel Couture, Valentino Couture, and Gaultier Couture, for a start. “I’m designing hats for queens, princesses, and celebrities; you definitely won’t miss them on the big day.”
Even though he has designed hats for everyone from Lady Gaga to Sarah Jessica Parker and Grace Jones, Treacy knows that royals are among his most loyal customers. “I design for royalty throughout the world because royals actually wear hats,” he explains. “They are the true hat-wearers of the twenty-first century, the ultimate influencers who keep the millinery business going. And England is the home of hats because of the customers here. I design for some very conservative women who think that my hats are normal. Many, like the Duchess of Devonshire, would never wear unusual clothes but when it comes to hats, they see what I make simply as something ’smart.’ “
Hats, he says, are “the ultimate twenty-first-century personal expression.” (He’s also recently called them “a cheaper form of cosmetic surgery.”) “Every hat I make is particular to every customer, to the way they look, their personality, so you really get to know that person well. They are giving you their heads and I have to give them something they will be comfortable with, even if I push things a little.” Push or not, the world is banging at his door. “One day it will be Pamela Anderson, the next a queen,” Treacy says of his London atelier. “My assistant says it’s like stepping into Alice in Wonderland.” The Mad Hatter jokes make themselves.
Photo: Patrick McMullan / PatrickMcMullan.com
Obama hits student loan costs, courts young voters; Republicans strike at his energy policies
GOP address: http://www.youtube.com/gopweeklyaddress
Blunt chided Obama and Senate Democrats in the GOP’s weekend address for pushing unsuccessfully for a tax increase on millionaires instead of focusing on consumer pain at the pump. He pressed Obama to drop his opposition to the Keystone XL Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline, which the president blocked earlier this year. The administration says it is waiting for the pipeline developer, TransCanada, to submit a new route that avoids environmentally sensitive lands. The company unveiled a preferred route on Thursday.
Obama address: www.whitehouse.gov
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Online:
“This is a question of values,” Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday. “We cannot let America become a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of people struggle to get by.”
“In America, higher education cannot be a luxury,” Obama said. “It’s an economic imperative that every family must be able to afford.”
Obama wants the U.S. Congress to extend a law that cut interest rates on a popular federal loan program for low- and middle-income undergraduates. If the law expires, the rates will double on July 1, from 3.4 per cent to 6.8 per cent.
The courting of young voters will include an appearance on NBC’s “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” show, which will be taped while Obama is in North Carolina.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Friday that more than 7 million students would be financially squeezed if rates were to rise, to the cost of an additional $1,000 on average.
Obama is visiting to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Colorado at Boulder on Tuesday and the University of Iowa on Wednesday. The three schools are in states Obama won in 2008 but are in play this year in his race against the likely Republican nominee, Mitt Romney.
Obama blames Republicans for voting against new ways to make college more affordable for middle-class families. But it was House Democrats who cut interest rates on the school loans in 2007 and included an expiration provision that placed the looming increase in the middle of an election year.
While Obama addressed education as his newest election-year theme, Republicans stuck to their criticism of Obama’s energy policies. Citing still high gasoline prices, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri said Obama is focusing on the wrong issues.
WASHINGTON - Eager to energize young voters, President Barack Obama is depicting Republicans as obstacles to an affordable college education as he previews an argument he will make on university campuses next week in states crucial to his re-election.
He argued that at a time of high joblessness, the rate of unemployment for Americans with a college degree is about half the national average. “It’s never been more important,” he said.
“The Keystone pipeline is one common-sense step in the right direction to help put more people back to work, reduce prices at the pump and position our nation for greater energy security now and in the future,” Blunt said.
Penelope Cruz’s ‘Most Interesting Love Scene’ Being Topless With Meryl Streep
The sultry Spanish actress tells the story of an awkward photo shoot and declares that she’ll be spending more time on motherhood than acting. 5:07 PM PDT 4/10/2012 by Elizabeth Snead
The New Pregnancy Trend Sheer
Photos: Guillaume Baptiste / AFP/ Getty Images (Gainsbourg); Courtesy of Alternative Apparel (Jones); Tommy Ton (von Boehm)
A new class of mothers-to-be are celebrating their pregnancies in style—and definitely not covering them up. January Jones and Charlotte Gainsbourg, both visibly expecting, have both stepped out in recent days in sheer black outfits: Jones (above right) in a more casual Alternative Apparel silk modal boyfriend tee and jeans while shopping in L.A., and Gainsbourg (above left) in a see-through black gown at the premiere of Melancholia in Cannes. But street-style blog watchers may remember that the trend isn’t, strictly speaking, new: Stylist Julia von Boehm (bottom) who wore a similar look way back in 2009.
Kristen Stewart’s Apres-Couture
Just be sure that you wear them simply and elegantly. Steer clear of a poufy dress paired with loud colors or prints. Or you’ll end up with a huge fashion crime summons.
She switches over into her Keds. You know, those simple, classic sneakers? The ones that have been crawling along since 1916?
At the end of day, Kristen Stewart, who always makes sneakers a trend on and off the red carpet, comes down off her 5 and 6 inch Sergio Rossi’s and Jimmy Choo’s to be comfortable like the rest of us.
She doesn’t wear the sequined ones or the bubble gum pink ones; she loves the darkest black ones. As in, black sole, black laces, black everything.
They’re cute, they’re comfortable (sizes 5 to 13!) and cheap ($35!). Also, they’re very cool as Kristen is wearing them. What’s not to like?
To buy: Champion Canvas Originals, $35, keds.com