FASHION Magazine

Miuccia Prada isn’t exactly known for being all that press-friendly, and a rare interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica may shed some light on why the legendary designer hasn’t warmed to the media in the same way chatterboxes Karl Lagerfeld and Roberto Cavalli have.

In a translation by WWD, Prada’s feature in La Repubblica details all her concerns about the flagging Italian fashion industry. More than any other nation, Italy has the most family-owned luxury fashion houses: Prada, Gucci, Missoni and Fendi are just a few brands that still have an active voice from the founding designers’ families. But with more and more Italian fashion houses looking to sell (Valentino sold to Qatar’s royal family for over $850 million) or to expand by going public with IPOs, Prada is worried Italian fashion may become “second league.”

“[…] If our brands cross our borders, the credit, glamour, fame and decision making is in the hands of others, and we are abandoned, downgraded,” she cautioned.

Prada doesn’t fault the designers themselves; after all, she shows Miu Miu in Paris because of the city’s “attraction that is called glamour,” and Raf Simons’ move from Jil Sander (which shows in Milan) to Parisian fashion house Dior will mean “his value will further be emphasized.”

According to Prada, the real culprits are the Italian media and left-leaning intellectuals. Journalists’ treatment of their nation’s fashion industry as “frivolous” instead of a relevant industry contributes to the view that Italy is seen as a place with “less resources, culture, protagonists, ideas, vitality and money,” meaning that like Simons, “fashion goes elsewhere, looking for the best.”

There’s something about Resort collections that make them seem more dreamy than the rest. Perhaps it’s the whole “envisioning each item in its natural habitat”—you know, a private vila in the Mediterranean or on a yacht somewhere only the very rich or the very royal can sail to. Or perhaps it’s just because super pretty dresses are so common in Resort collections, such as the multi-coloured lace numbers designed by Valentino. The pastel patchwork of flowers—which come in both gown and short frock format—might be intended for winter months, but work just as well as a mid-summer manicure.

Ready to do some resort on your nails? Read on! »

Couture being one of the last unattainable bastions of the fashion industry pretty much guarantees that the beauty side of things will be appropriately thrilling. From the gravity-defying ponytails at Alexis Mabille to the jewel-encrusted face masks at Maison Martin Margiela, here are 10 of the most beautiful and extreme beauty looks from Paris’s latest Couture Week installment.

See all the looks »

To celebrate fashion’s biggest season, we’ve put all of the most major ads (So much image slicing!) together in one space. We’ll be adding new creatives as they become available, so be sure to check back for all the biggest and best.

See all the campaigns »

See our vintage-inspired slideshow »

By Samantha Shephard

It’s a sunny Saturday morning in West Hollywood and Rita Ryack, the Oscar-nominated costume designer known for her work on Casino and A Beautiful Mind, is on a hunt for sequined dresses. Production on the film Rock of Ages is wrapping and she needs one more piece for Catherine Zeta-Jones’ character. Judging by the racks she’s browsing, which are filled with this season’s hottest labels and trends—Versace print T-shirts, heavily embellished Moschino jackets, sweeping red carpet–worthy gowns—you’d think she were shopping at an upscale department store. Think again. She’s at The Way We Wore, a vintage-clothing mecca that attracts A-list clients like Angelina Jolie, Dita Von Teese and Katy Perry. The shop is full of high-end designer pieces, like little black dresses from Chanel, elegant Christian Dior gowns, Pauline Trigère party dresses and Pucci pyjama pants, all dating from the 1930s to the early 1990s.

From our photo shoot with 82 year-old China Machado to top tips from icons like Sophia Loren and Twiggy, we’re celebrating all things age-appropriate with a jam-packed guide.

Read what Sophia Loren, Twiggy and more have to share about the wisdom of aging and the stories of art, music and fashion.

Sophia Loren | Twiggy | Yoko Ono | Joan Collins | Donna Karan
Annie Nightingale | Deborah Harry | Iris Apfel | Mary Mcfadden

Beauty editor Sarah Daniel shares this month’s picks for hair, skin and fragrance, starting off with some mouthy lip glosses.

See our editor’s beauty picks »

The word “designer” permeates Kara Chomistek’s world from head to heels. This cool 24-year-old biomedical engineer designs orthopedic equipment and her own namesake clothing line. In her spare time, she dances with a semi-professional salsa troupe, in addition to teaching cha-cha, tango and jive. She is also the co-founder and president of PARK (Promoting Artists, Redefining Kulture), a non-profit organization launched in 2008 that promotes local designers and artists through designer forums, industry mixers, and fashion and art shows. When attending evening affairs, this glam go-getter slips into spotlight-stealing labels, including Lanvin, Miu Miu, Valentino and local designer Paul Hardy. “Fashion allows me to achieve balance in my life,” she says. “It’s another medium for me to use my creativity. Similar to art, I like to wear unique or unusual pieces that can spark a conversation.”

See her shopping picks »

With so many highly paid perfectionists working together to create seamless red carpet moments for Hollywood’s A-listers, it never ceases to amaze us when a starlet goes so wrong that there was never any way it was right. Especially when said starlet is stunning, has legs for days, and is the breakout star of an Oscar-nominated film (co-starring George Clooney, no less). Such was the sad case of Shailene Woodley and her dowdy Valentino Couture at last night’s Oscars. The dress itself? Beautiful. On a 22-year-old? Hells no. With the hem and sleeves competing for length, and the strategically placed bust detailing, this dress look like it was trying to cover Woodley up, when it really should have been showing her off. We just don’t get it!

Couture week has come to a close and we have a few brief moments to absorb this last showing of Spring trends before moving on to a new season. Next week, Fall 2012 presentations begin in New York (and we’ll be there!) so until then, let’s look back at the beauty from Paris.

While we’ve already fallen in love with the blue nails and eyes at Chanel and wondered if Jean Paul Gaultier’s homage to Amy Winehouse was apropos, there’s much more beauty to obsess over. Indeed, couture week is known for celebrating the avant-garde—what, the faces fully painted in pastel brights at Alexis Mabille didn’t convince you? We scoured the shows and uncovered a handful of new beauty trends you’ll actually want to try at home.

Bring on the beauty! »

It seemed like many were playing it safe on the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards this weekend. The dresses were pretty, but there was nothing overtly jaw-dropping, and in terms of beauty the trend seemed to lean towards keeping it simple. Dare we say that the stars (and their stylists!) are holding back until the Oscars? We’ll have to wait until February 26 to find out. But until then, here are four looks that managed to stand out:

Rose Byrne does Joe Fresh! »
Michelle Williams’ bright nails! »
Ashlee Simpson’s short and sculpted hair! »
Dianna Agron’s fishtail braid! »