Alber Elbaz, beloved fashion designer, dies | Newsline | avpress.com - Antelope Valley Press

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• Alber Elbaz, beloved fashion designer, dies | Newsline | avpress.com - Antelope Valley Press
• Inspirational and aspirational fashion at the 2021 Oscars - Tufts Daily
• BUCS OPEN HOMESTAND IN ROYAL FASHION - wccsradio.com
• The CFDA announces Fashion Fund finalists for 2021 - harpersbazaar.com
• A first look at Ewan McGregor's transformation into fashion designer Halston - CNN

Alber Elbaz, beloved fashion designer, dies | Newsline | avpress.com - Antelope Valley Press Posted: 28 Apr 2021 04:00 AM PDT Alber Elbaz, a Moroccan-born Israeli fashion designer who rejuvenated Lanvin and had recently launched a new venture, AZ Factory, died Saturday in Paris. He was 59. The cause was COVID-19, Richemont, the company backing Elbaz's brand, said. Beloved not only by his celebrity clients like Meryl Streep and Natalie Portman but also by his peers, Elbaz was that rare character in fashion: a truly empathetic and generous designer, both in the clothes he made and in the way he conducted himself within the business. The graceful lines of his dresses mimicked the graceful lines of his life. "Alber always thought of fashion as an embrace of life at its best," said Anna Wintour, the global chief content officer for Condé Nast and editor of Vogue. "And when we wore his clothes, or were in his wonderful, joyful presence, we felt that, too." Designers like Pierpaolo Piccioli of Valentino and Stella McCartney all paid tribute to what Piccioli called one of fashion's "biggest treasures." Elbaz had launched AZ Factory after a five-year hiatus following his abrupt firing from Lanvin, where he was fashion director from 2001 to 2015. During his time there, he turned Lanvin, the oldest surviving but dusty French fashion house, into a more modern and prominent brand whose creations were worn by the likes of Beyoncé, Lupita Nyong'o, Pharrell Williams, Michelle Obama and Harry Styles. Elbaz was known for his self-deprecating humor and his insecurities. He had a fraught, public relationship with his weight and said that being skinny was a fantasy that influenced his work. He transformed that fantasy into lightness, he said, by turning his creations into comfortable and sometimes subtly eccentric clothes. Portman once called him the "ultimate fashion philosopher-mentor." "He says things to me like: 'Wear flats. You're short. It's much cooler not to pretend,' " Portman told Time magazine in 2007, when it named Elbaz one of the world's 100 most influential people. In recent years he had become something of a one-man advocate for reform of the fashion system and the pressures increasingly placed on designers. As he said in 2015, as he received the Fashion Group International award, "We designers, we started as couturiers," asking: 'What do women want? What do women need? What can I do for a woman to make her life better and easier? How can I make a woman more beautiful?'" Then, he said, "we became creative directors, so we have to create, but mostly direct." "And now," he continued, "we have to become image-makers, creating a buzz, making sure that it looks good in the pictures. The screen has to scream, baby. That's the rule. Loudness is the new cool, and not only in fashion, you know. I prefer whispering." The world of intricate dresses, cat walks and red carpets was one that he embraced publicly but remained wary of. "You have to go back to nothing in order to maintain the dream," Elbaz told The New Yorker in 2009. "The moment the dream becomes reality and you start to mingle too much with all these people —" He left the comment unfinished. Still, luxury clothes came with a price that he readily justified. He once compared a fashion collection to a vaccine — an easy product to duplicate, but not something cheap to create.

Inspirational and aspirational fashion at the 2021 Oscars - Tufts Daily Posted: 27 Apr 2021 10:10 PM PDT Hollywood is back. The Oscars are back. And the red carpet is most certainly, definitely, undeniably back.   The Academy Awards, where celebrities usually line up for what seems like miles to show off their custom high-fashion atelier house gowns or tuxedos from up-and-coming designers, were held this year on April 25. This year, however, only about 170 people were granted the honor of attending in person, as even the golden lights of Hollywood are not immune to the lurking threat of COVID-19. Thus, the pressure was on for designers and attendees alike to stun, wow and create a memorable Oscars "moment." This challenge was, of course, met in true Tinseltown fashion.   The color of the evening was surprisingly not traditional Oscars gold, although Leslie Odom Jr. (nominated for best original song) and Carey Mulligan (nominated for best actress in a leading role) both stunned in glittery, golden ensembles. Odom Jr.'s monochrome-gilded Brioni three-piece looked fantastic next to his wife and plus one for the evening, Nicolette Robinson, who wore a black, off-the-shoulder gown from Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad. Mulligan wore Valentino couture; her low-cut bandeau top effortlessly connected to a high-waisted, floor-length skirt with plenty of drama. Andra Day (nominated for best actress in a leading role) wore gold as well — probably the best out of the three, in a slinky metal contraption made custom by Vera Wang that turned heads immediately. The asymmetrical design swung down from one shoulder to a carefully draped bodice that in turn dripped into a trailing skirt, all made from the same golden chainmail. Questlove, the DJ for the evening, showed up in gold Crocs to complement his black suit and mask. Make of this what you will.  In an interesting turn, red dominated the lineup this year, with Amanda Seyfried (nominated for best actress in a supporting role) absolutely destroying in an Armani ballgown. The strapless scarlet tulle dipped into a low V-neckline and then exploded out into a skirt that was more than wide enough to ensure social distancing standards. Add to that an old Hollywood twist for hair and simplistic makeup, and you have one of the best looks of the night. Angela Bassett's brighter red column dress by Alberta Ferretti, with matching clutch and shoes, also brought some classic glamour to the carpet. The dress had a giant bow on the back that doubled as wide, puffed sleeves, with the tail end of the bow dripping down the back and becoming a short train that screamed elegance.  Reese Witherspoon (presenting one of the awards) wore Christian Dior; her burgundy and crimson-pleated sheath dress unfortunately was not as big of a hit, and instead made her look a little matronly or like she was going to prom in the early 2000s. Laverne Cox also stunned in a deep pink — not technically red, but her Christian Siriano multi-layered peplum ballgown was so vibrant that it came very close. Cox's look was one of these aforementioned Oscars "moments" — the dress was made from an insane amount of tulle and was worth every yard, as the movement was incredible.   Masks barely touched the red carpet. This feels like an odd choice, considering that the pandemic is still going strong, although it is likely that most celebrities are already fully vaccinated. Additionally, attendees were asked to wear masks when not on camera. However, Hollywood missed some fantastic opportunities here to create matching mask-and-gown sets like those seen at the Grammys earlier this year. One honorable mention for the evening goes to Zendaya. Half the world is already head over heels for the ex-Disney starlet (now Hollywood superstar) and the neon yellow Valentino couture she showed up in, with a midriff-baring cutout, matching heels and dripping silver jewelry, safely secured the other half. Margot Robbie also wowed with some new bangs and a sleek, silvery Chanel trumpet dress — the sweetheart neckline and thin straps made the floral pattern fresh, not overdone like flowers can sometimes feel. The reflective material on her dress shone under the lights. The singer H.E.R. took the cake, however, with a (buckle your seatbelts) Prince-inspired, entirely matching, cobalt-beaded jumpsuit, cape and heels setup by Dundas that simply wins everything. She also won the award for best original song alongside Tiara Thomas, whose feathered and deconstructed white three-piece by Jovana Louis was truly elegant while simultaneously crisp and new.  Although many stars astounded with their looks, H.E.R., winner of best original song, was the best dressed of the night.

BUCS OPEN HOMESTAND IN ROYAL FASHION - wccsradio.com Posted: 27 Apr 2021 07:01 PM PDT

The CFDA announces Fashion Fund finalists for 2021 - harpersbazaar.com Posted: 28 Apr 2021 02:15 AM PDT Laquan Smith with Winnie HarlowGetty Images The Council of Fashion Designers of America and American Vogue have revealed the finalists for the annual Fashion Fund, a prize which this year will award all 10 designers with mentorship and funding. Although the prize – which launched in 2003 – is usually awarded to just one winner, with a smaller prize for two runners-up, the competition organisers felt that the structure needed to be rethought after such a tough year for these businesses mid-pandemic. It has not been revealed exactly how much each designer will receive or whether this structure will remain in place going forward. "This year's talented group of Fashion Fund finalists is facing an industry in the process of reinvention and transformation," CFDA chairman Tom Ford said. "The programme's new format aims to help the designers better navigate and thrive in fashion's future." The 10 winners include a number of well-known names, including Batsheva Hay and LaQuan Smith, as well as up-and-coming designers whose talent has been recognised by the selection committee. The full list reads as; Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta of Eckhaus Latta; Batsheva Hay of Batsheva; Anifa Mvuemba of Hanifa; Rebecca Henry and Akua Shabaka of House of Aama; Kenneth Nicholson of Kenneth Nicholson; Jameel Mohammed of Khiry; Abrima Erwiah of Studio One Eighty Nine; Edvin Thompson of Theophilio, LaQuan Smith of LaQuan Smith and Willy Chavarria of Willy Chavarria. Past winners of the prize include Kerby Jean-Raymond, Telfar Clemens, Wes Gordon and Simon Miller. You can discover more about this year's chosen designers and their work on the CFDA website here. In need of some at-home inspiration? Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for skincare and self-care, the latest cultural hits to read and download, and the little luxuries that make staying in so much more satisfying. SIGN UP This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

A first look at Ewan McGregor's transformation into fashion designer Halston - CNN Posted: 28 Apr 2021 02:04 AM PDT Written by Megan C. Hills, CNN Netflix has offered a first look at Ewan McGregor's transformation into fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick ahead of a dramatized series about the 1970s icon. In a series of new images, the actor can be seen sketching out a design in front of a corkboard covered in fashion drawings. Another shot shows McGregor with rolls of fabric behind him as he speaks on the telephone in one of Halston's signature turtlenecks. "Halston," which premieres May 14 and was co-produced by "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy, follows the rise and dramatic fall of the influential American designer. Netflix also released images of McGregor's co-stars Krysta Rodriguez, Rory Culkin and Rebecca Dayan in their roles as Liza Minnelli, director Joel Schumacher and Tiffany & Co. designer Elsa Peretti, respectively. Ewan McGregor seen in a Netflix still portraying designer Roy Halston Frowick in his office. Credit: Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix The limited series will follow Halston's rise to prominence as one of the most important designers of the 1970 and 1980s -- and as a celebrity who embodied the decadence of the era. The story will then track the designer's decline, delving into the "hostile takeover" of his namesake brand, which "forces him to battle for control of his most precious asset ... the name Halston itself," according to a Netflix synopsis. A still from "Halston" depicting (L-R)Tiffany & Co. designer Elsa Peretti, designer Roy Halston Frowick, fashion illustrator Joe Eula and Halston's on-again, off-again partner, Victor Hugo. Credit: happyfoto/Netflix Halston and his label were at the center of a major business dispute that rocked the fashion world. Following a controversial deal with JCPenny in 1983, high-fashion department stores like Bergdorf Goodman axed Halston goods from its shelves believing that the brand had been cheapened by the partnership. Watch: America's first superstar fashion designer The label was acquired several times in the following years, and Halston's control of the company quickly diminished. The designer passed away in 1990 from AIDS-related complications, though Netflix has not yet revealed if the series will cover his passing. The promotional pictures also show Rodriguez's striking transformation into singer Liza Minnelli, who was a close friend of Halston's. Wearing a white turtleneck with a red cardigan slung around her neck, she channels the star's doe-eyed look with spiky Twiggy-style lashes. Actor Krysta Rodriguez plays Liza Minnelli, Halston's close friend and confidante. Credit: happyfoto/Netflix Other images allude to Halston's famed hard-partying lifestyle, with one shot depicting McGregor -- with sunglasses on and a cigarette in hand -- at the iconic nightclub Studio 54. Dayan, who plays Elsa Peretti, is also seen sipping from a tumbler as David Pittu (as fashion illustrator Joe Eula) and Gian Franco Rodriguez (as Halston's on-again, off-again partner Victor Hugo) party nearby in flamboyant costumes. In a recent interview with Vogue, Murphy said he believed McGregor "really connected with the pain of Halston and the longing of Halston, and how confusing it is to have to be an artist and a businessman at the same time."

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