[Stay Tuned… AS ELLE REPORTS FROM PARIS, FRANCE] Elle will be in the city of lights this weekend attending the WATCH THE THRONE CONCERT on June 1st and 2nd at Palais Omnisport de Paris-Bercy. Stay tuned as she provides all the dish from Paris surrounding fashion and that which inspires her in this epic fashion capitol.

[ELLE’S TAKE ON KIM KARDASHIAN’S STYLE]

You would definitely have to be living under a rock to have missed the television and media sensation that is the Kardashian family. And when you think Kardashian, the first name that comes to mind is Kim. Say what you want, the woman has become a global brand whose profitability and popularity is through the roof. Many say Kim K. is famous because of a sex tape. She may have first become known because of a sex tape, but she has managed to sustain relevance as a result of far less raunchy things. I would like to highlight one attribute I notice every time I see her, and that is her personal style. Say what you want about Kim K., the chick can dress. Each and every time I see her, she has it together head to toe. She wears the most exquisite designer labels, sometimes incorporating her K-Dash line and Kardashian Kollection; both brands are a huge success. I really don’t understand all of the hate. [Sidebar: We have become so judgmental and unforgiving as a society. That makes me sad]. She is beautiful (whether she has gone under the knife or not- which I don’t believe is the case), stylish and has the right to live her life as she chooses (that includes being married for 72 days). She has transformed herself into an empire. If no one else does, I am going to hand it to her. The chic style award goes to Kim K. And I’m not mad at her connection with Kanye. Let’s just let people live and love. That is all.

[F/M REMARKS: WOMEN’S PERFUME ADS - WHO’S WEARING THE PANTS?] As I write this, my TV is blaring in the background and the channel I have on, France’s TF1, just broadcasted two ads (all within 10 minutes) that I found OK in themselves, but more interesting in relation to each other. The Miss Dior Cherie ad:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tEXh_PYj3U&feature=BFa&list=HL1337549084 and the Coco Mademoiselle ad:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYBrUljvJI8&list=HL1337549084&feature=mh_lolz For  me, they are interchangeable. They both feature two popular actresses who market a similar image of consistency, sophistication, young success and girl-next-door femininity. (There’s people who can’t even tell Natalie Portman and Keira Knightley apart.) Both ads follow a storyline, and one that involves a hot man at that. Both imply a European setting, with sensuality pressing against the windows. The editing is quick, the colors are soft, the hairdos are silky. Both also play to soundtracks with familiar women’s voices. But one is for Dior, the other for Chanel: two powerhouses that have competed since the beginning of fashion time, ever since Coco (allegedly) said that men, such as that Christian Dior was, should not be in fashion. Admittedly, Dior’s (Knightley) is all about female empowerment while Portman can’t even get out of bed without her man’s say-so. Knightley wears leather pants (by Karl Lagerfeld), her motorbike goes vrroum, this is not a man’s world. Knightley says the perfume is not sweet. Nonetheless, Chanel picked a female director, the Parisian-converted Sofia Coppola. (Funnily, Coppola has designed for Louis Vuitton, but let’s take it two French glitz brands at a time.) Watch them to see how they are similar, speak to a similar audience, compete head-to-head on the same grounds. Which speaks to you more? Are you the dress or the catsuit? Oh, disclaimer: I avow to no sponsorship from Dior. Nor Chanel. +Lien for F/M
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[F/M REMARKS: WOMEN’S PERFUME ADS - WHO’S WEARING THE PANTS?]

As I write this, my TV is blaring in the background and the channel I have on, France’s TF1, just broadcasted two ads (all within 10 minutes) that I found OK in themselves, but more interesting in relation to each other.

The Miss Dior Cherie ad: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tEXh_PYj3U&feature=BFa&list=HL1337549084

and

the Coco Mademoiselle ad: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYBrUljvJI8&list=HL1337549084&feature=mh_lolz

For  me, they are interchangeable. They both feature two popular actresses who market a similar image of consistency, sophistication, young success and girl-next-door femininity. (There’s people who can’t even tell Natalie Portman and Keira Knightley apart.) Both ads follow a storyline, and one that involves a hot man at that. Both imply a European setting, with sensuality pressing against the windows. The editing is quick, the colors are soft, the hairdos are silky. Both also play to soundtracks with familiar women’s voices.

But one is for Dior, the other for Chanel: two powerhouses that have competed since the beginning of fashion time, ever since Coco (allegedly) said that men, such as that Christian Dior was, should not be in fashion.

Admittedly, Dior’s (Knightley) is all about female empowerment while Portman can’t even get out of bed without her man’s say-so. Knightley wears leather pants (by Karl Lagerfeld), her motorbike goes vrroum, this is not a man’s world. Knightley says the perfume is not sweet.

Nonetheless, Chanel picked a female director, the Parisian-converted Sofia Coppola. (Funnily, Coppola has designed for Louis Vuitton, but let’s take it two French glitz brands at a time.)

Watch them to see how they are similar, speak to a similar audience, compete head-to-head on the same grounds. Which speaks to you more? Are you the dress or the catsuit?

Oh, disclaimer: I avow to no sponsorship from Dior. Nor Chanel.

+Lien for F/M

[ELLE SHARES HER GREATEST STYLE TIP]

Style is a concept that is pretty tricky. Each season there are trends that come in and leave almost as soon as they came. And then the next thing you know, the look that was out of date is now back in style. Fashion can drive you crazy if you follow its every move. However, as one who works in this every changing industry, I have learned the most important style tip is to be true to yourself.

Who are you? Why are you here? What is your passion? What makes you feel beautiful? Maybe you are a teacher or a student. Maybe you are a lawyer or a consultant. Whatever you do, finding yourself is the key to finding your personal style and feeling good about your look. I know the saying goes “take it from the top,” but I say take it from the inside.

Without question, learning and understanding one’s self is a journey. But, you have to start somewhere. What are you organically drawn to? What makes you smile? What makes you feel fulfilled? Those are the little clues that shed light on the essence of your true self. And without question, your essence should inspire your style.

As a woman that uses fashion and style to empower myself, I know that it is more important to be connected to your true self within, than to be a style star on the outside. How often do you hear stories about people that looked amazing on the outside, but were miserable within. Happiness exudes from the inside and permeates out. You can look a hot mess and still pull it all off with a smile.

Starting from within, you will begin to gain insights into things that can inspire your personal style. When I want to feel powerful and let people know I am about business, I wear a tailored navy blue pinstriped pants suit. When I want to feel my most creative self, I let my instinct be my style guide. 

I am a believer that the answer always lies within. So carve out some time and do some soul searching. And if you need a little extra help sorting through it all, you can always look into the option of incorporating an expert. This option can range from being quite expensive to very affordable. [Contact Elle for more information:  info@fashionellemarketing.com]

For now, just remember to be you and the rest will follow- I guarantee it. 

[MARINA’S TAKE] COCO ROCHA BRIGHTENS UP THE MET GALA

While many lovely ladies stunned on the red carpet at the 2012 Met Gala, [Beyonce being at the top of the list], Coco Rocha stood out the most.

The 23 year old model chose to wear a bright pink and yellow Givenchy pantsuit purchased at the Elizabeth Taylor auction last December. Being a huge Elizabeth Taylor fan, Coco didn’t have the suit altered and even left a red wine stain found on it untouched [talk about vintage]! Still, it fit her like a glove.

While Miss Rocha could look fabulous in a brown paper bag [leave alone a little red wine stain], her wardrobe selection for the Gala was especially bold, blending old school Hollywood glamour with a touch of 2012 edginess. I can’t say I’m too fond of the neon pink locks, but since I’m a sucker for fashionable contradictions, I do think they complement the look [kind of like an accessory]. And although a lavish couture gown is most always preferable on the red carpet, I always enjoy the unpredictability of a sexy pair of pants. 

[F/M LISTENS: TO AZEALIA BANKS]

If you live in 2012 and with Internet access, I would not be the first to bring a certain Miss Azealia Banks to your attention.

As a rapper, she has my respect. As an emerging sub-cult celeb, she has my full attention. Amid the chicness and savviness swarming the scene nowadays, her pink/blue/purple mane says a lot. She’s your companion when hunting for feather boas in thrift stores. She’s the girl you want to have your back at a street brawl. That’s her image: fierce, zany, and ready to play.

Above all, she is a symbol - a feisty, potty-mouthed symbol - of the velocity in the music industry of today, in its discovery as well as its disposal of new entertainers, supplying the modern-day ADHD consumer that with a click of a button and growing impatience can scroll from song to song to song. Banks happened in a flash, releasing her hit beat “212” (a shout-out to Harlem) only in September 2011 and launching a major label scramble for her gunshot rhymes ever since. She’s already worked with Diplo, performed at Coachella, posed for GQ and for W (pictured above, in Versace). She is 20 years old.

Perhaps because they went to the same high school, comparisons with Nicki Minaj abound. But that’s ignorance talking. Style-wise, while Minaj markets a futuristic woman of polished plastic parts clad in abuses of the blingiest brands, Banks brings it back to the earth.  Banks is old-school, in her lyrical flow, her beats, her themes (racialism - money-making - strong women) and even her style which is that of “girl, New York City, crazy”.

The new-school touches are her Twitter obsession, her flagrant bisexuality, and her abandonment of NYC, so early in her career, for London, where she is working with Florence+The Machine’s producer.

Of course, that will all change. Gaga’s stylist is directing her next vid, and we can expect more than the Mickey Mouse sweater she wore in the cheaply-filmed “212.”

All I know is, if I see telephones and Coke cans in her hair, I will know that Banks is not the novelty I hoped for, but just another player in the game.

Keep an eye out for Banks’ evolution. Let’s hope it’s a good one.

+Lien for F/M

[ELLE HIGHLIGHTS THE MET BALL’S STYLE STAR OF THE NIGHT] Simply put, Beyonce ruled the night at last night’s MET Ball. She was stunning in partially sheer and embroidered black & purple Givenchy floor draping gown, featuring a to die for train. Bravo! Beyonce is back post-pregnancy with a vengeance. 

[ELLE HIGHLIGHTS JENNIFER LOPEZ’S STYLE]  Simply put, J.Lo can do no wrong in my eyes when it comes to her personal style. She is an effortlessly stylish diva that can pull off the most high-fashion and revealing of pieces. She is stunning. She dresses for her figure and accentuates all of her good parts (she only has good parts). Irregardless of the opinions surrounding her history with men, on the style front, she has it all together (hair, makeup, et cetera). She has a way of looking sexy, fresh and chic all at once. I know some people think she goes too far for her age and think she should change her style now that she is a mother. But, Jennifer Lopez represents the modern mother working to become a mogul. The woman who is sexy, fearless and commanding. All Hail Jennifer Lopez. By the way, let’s just let people live their lives (celebrities included) without criticizing their every move. It’s easy to cast judgement with limited knowledge, but it’s not fair. Let’s lift people up for their strengths and not tear them down for things we perceive to be short comings. Ta ta for now.
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[ELLE HIGHLIGHTS JENNIFER LOPEZ’S STYLE] 

Simply put, J.Lo can do no wrong in my eyes when it comes to her personal style. She is an effortlessly stylish diva that can pull off the most high-fashion and revealing of pieces. She is stunning. She dresses for her figure and accentuates all of her good parts (she only has good parts). Irregardless of the opinions surrounding her history with men, on the style front, she has it all together (hair, makeup, et cetera). She has a way of looking sexy, fresh and chic all at once. I know some people think she goes too far for her age and think she should change her style now that she is a mother. But, Jennifer Lopez represents the modern mother working to become a mogul. The woman who is sexy, fearless and commanding. All Hail Jennifer Lopez.

By the way, let’s just let people live their lives (celebrities included) without criticizing their every move. It’s easy to cast judgement with limited knowledge, but it’s not fair. Let’s lift people up for their strengths and not tear them down for things we perceive to be short comings. Ta ta for now.

[ELLE HIGHLIGHTS LADY GAGA’S STYLE]

Lady Gaga is recognized as a pop megastar. As soon as she landed on the music scene, she set the world ablaze with her strong vocal ability and electric tunes. One would be remiss if they ignored how Lady Gaga’s fashion sense has positively impacted her career and set her apart from those in her lane. She has received a great amount of criticism surrounding her fashion choices. However, as it concerns those that maintain avant-garde style (i.e. Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, etc.), she seems to be the most thoughtful and organic in her fashion sense. I have an appreciation for Lady Gaga’s style because she is consistent in her commitment to high fashion- this isn’t just a fad. She is a creative being that considers the world to be her runway.

Lady Gaga was recently photographed at the airport in Seoul looking flawless. I am sure many would say she was seeking attention or going way too far. But, her formal floor-length garb, headpiece included, was absolutely stunning and shocking in all of the right ways. She looked graceful and classy. Only she could pull such a look off in the airport. I am inspired by Lady Gaga simply because she is who she is without apology. All Hail Lady Gaga!

[LIEN CAN’T WEAR: IRIS VAN HERPEN]

Radiation Invasion. Synesthesia. Capriole. Micro. Crystallization. These are not the names of Japanese cyborgs or Radiohead tracks, but the names of Iris Van Herpen’s past collections.

Discover the Dutch artist who only graduated from fashion school in 2006 and already boasts several art and fashion awards under her belt – a belt most likely made from synthetic materials found around the household and on spaceships. She is now featured at the Groninger Museum, Groninger, Netherlands, until September 2012. She has dressed Bjork.

Her methods are innovative, involving photo-imaging software, 3D modeling and polymer printing. TIME magazine named one of her printed dresses (to me, white folds of ocean corals in mesh layouts) one of the top 50 inventions of 2011, true to her country’s reputation of innovative discovery. Yet, though a forward-thinker, the Paris Haute Couture Shows of this year did not find her out of reach. She is simply out of the box.

She intends not to please – some of her work is intensely abnormal, yet easily recognizable, the way you recognize snake skin – nor to furnish Gaga’s campaigns of attention-seeking, but to pose perspectives; to tell the world’s story with a sharp-edged narrative made of metal and plastic.

As her departure points for creation, Van Herpen uses elements from life and humanity. Skeletons, snakes, woodwork, mummies, all appear in her designs. In Synesthesia – a neurological condition of anomalous sensory perception – neurology is the key word and you can see it in the way the twig-thin material twists around bodices in complex spiraling patterns. A bodice for your brain. The results are electric, escapist, dislocated from the here and now. The question for Van Herpen is not “What are you wearing?” but, “What on earth?”

You cannot wear her. You can only admire.

+Lien for F/M

[ELLE’S EXPERTISE: HOW TO DRESS ALIKE] Beyonce + Jay-Z have demonstrated one of the best ways for a couple to approach dressing alike. Instead of wearing matching shirts, pants and shoes, their approach is coordinating their looks. In the above picture, Beyonce has on leopard print pants and Jay is wearing a gold cheetah inspired ring. Both Beyonce + Jay’s shoes maintain electric watermelon tone accents. Each of their outfits are anchored by black tops. Jay + Bey are definitely the perfect match.
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[ELLE’S EXPERTISE: HOW TO DRESS ALIKE] Beyonce + Jay-Z have demonstrated one of the best ways for a couple to approach dressing alike. Instead of wearing matching shirts, pants and shoes, their approach is coordinating their looks. In the above picture, Beyonce has on leopard print pants and Jay is wearing a gold cheetah inspired ring. Both Beyonce + Jay’s shoes maintain electric watermelon tone accents. Each of their outfits are anchored by black tops. Jay + Bey are definitely the perfect match.

Source: beyonce

[MARINA’S TAKE] A VERY VOGUE WONDERLAND

What happens when you put the stunning beauty of Natalia Vodianova, the artistic genius of Annie Liebovitz and the timeless appeal of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” all together into a Vogue editorial? Well, just my favorite photo shoot of all time. 

The editorial, which appeared in the December 2003 issue of Vogue US, brought Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to life, featuring some of the world’s most exquisite designers as beloved characters from Carroll’s story. 

Captured above you can find Jean Paul Gaultier as the Cheshire Cat, Donatella Versace as the Gryphon, Marc Jacobs as the Caterpillar, Victor & Rolf as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, John Galliano as the Queen of Hearts, Olivier Theyskens as Lewis Carroll, Stephen Jones as the Mad Hatter, Christian Lacroix as the March Hare, and actor Rupert Everett as the Mock Turtle. 

The images are truly a feast for the eyes, dressing Alice in the most delicious Haute Couture and capturing both the surrealism of Carroll’s timeless classic as well as the “madness” of the fashion world.

In the [very wise] words of the Cheshire Cat, “We’re all mad here”. 

http://www.fashionellemarketing.com

[ELLE HIGHLIGHTS JOAN SMALLS’ VOGUE AUSTRALIA COVER] Joan Smalls is one of the most prominent models in the fashion industry at this time. She is absolutely stunning and can be seen everywhere from Roberto Cavalli campaigns to the covers of top fashion publications, such as Vogue Australia. Make no mistake, Joan is in no way small. She stands at 5’10.5 and her impact in the fashion industry is colossal. Joan Smalls is the definition of a supermodel.

[LIEN LOVES FRANCA SOZZANI FOR BEING ANTI-ANA]

Franca Sozzani is at Harvard University as we speak, fighting the cause against Pro-ana on ever more noble soil.* 

For about a year now, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia for 24 years strong has been crusading against the movement that celebrates the mental disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, and that has countless, unidentified bloggers around the world creating online diaries in which they write to their friend “Ana” and share tips about how to be more and more…anorexic.

Her noble stallion? A petition she launched on Vogue.It. asking Vogue readers and the general Web public to join her in her plea to shut down pro-Ana sites. Should you be moved to petition action, you can give your name, email and digital signature to Conde Nast (Vogue’s publisher) and join the cause.

Sozzani planted the first seed of contention in her blog, after researching the relationship between anorexia and…Facebook. To put it simply, according to a study out of the University of Haifa, there is an alarming link between Facebook usage and damaged self-image, which then leads to an increase in mental disorders. The effect is also attributed to modern TV shows that feature pretty, thin (and pretty thin) actors. Think Mischa Barton.

Sozzani then went on to put plus-size models (to us, regular-sized women) on the Vogue cover of July 2011. The obvious pothole here is that by making the ‘plus’ cover a ‘special’ cover, emphasis is put on the fact that every other day in fashion is a size zero day. 

I can not bring myself to sign a petition that advocates the shutting down of sites.  ”Shutting down” sounds to me an awful lot like “putting down” freedom of speech, an especially ill-advised move in our dark days of PIPA and SOPA.

However, I applaud Signora Sozzani for wedding fashion and social sensibility, and for steering modelling in an ever healthier direction. 

Here are some ugly stats, from Vogue.It:

“80% of pro-ana web-sites have interactive applications – to count calories, for instance; 85% of them publishes pictures of extremely skinny and emaciated women to serve as a source of inspiration – called thinspiration; 83% suggests ways to loose weight quickly and gain complete control over the body until reaching the final goal of weighting 45 kilos or even less.

Lastly, 24% of such sites have been stamped as extremely dangerous for its readers.”


*She is also at Harvard to promote African fashion and Fashion4Development. Clearly she wants fashion to be more and more things, and that is why I want to be Franca Sozzani. More on that soon.