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Shopping: Lacoste + Malandrino marries sporty with sensual in new clothing collaboration

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What do you get when you cross two French brands that both possess a certain je ne sais quoi?
When the brands are Lacoste, the preppy heritage label known for its crocodile logo and boxy polo shirt, and modern red carpet staple Catherine Malandrino, the result is a sporty, sensual collection that marries classic forms with a modern fashion sensibility.

The women’s collection, Lacoste + Malandrino, riffs off of Lacoste’s iconic polo shirt, while taking into account a woman’s curves, said Malandrino, who created the line by draping the fabric — a softened-up cotton pique — on a mannequin instead of working with flat patterns.

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“Suddenly, it was a totally different type of clothing,” she said. “The clothes became 3-D.”

Malandrino’s reshaped polo shirt boasts smallish bat wings, a Lilliputian collar, a gently curving waistline and plenty of draping, which lets the fabric pool prettily around the hips. The silhouette is also used to top short, sporty dresses with pleated tennis-style skirts.

Other standouts in the line include an easy pair of white harem pants, a tube dress with an oversized top that curves over a small pleated skirt, a shrunken knit cocoon jacket and chic palazzo pants. Prices range from $145 for a long, striped tank top (a play on the French Breton shirt) to $275 for a chic blue-and-white knit tie-dye dress.

“Lacoste is really [known] as a masculine brand,” noted Malandrino, who has seen all the men in her family — from her grandpa to her son — wear Lacoste polos religiously. “I thought designing the collection was an exciting way to cross the bridge between men and women. My father has been really excited about this — so I wanted to show him that I could do it.”

The Lacoste + Malandrino collection is available at lacoste.com and at the Catherine Malandrino boutique, 651 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 358-0895. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. www.catherinemalandrino.com

Other things happening this week:

EVENTS

Vera Wang trunk show Thursday through Saturday: When it comes to wedding dresses, it doesn’t get any more elegant than Vera Wang. Come find your dream gown at this three-day trunk show, featuring the designer’s spring bridal collection.

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The Bridal Salon on Four West at Saks Fifth Avenue, 9600 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. Call (310) 887-5509 to make an appointment. www.verawang.com

Lucky Magazine’s Lucky Shops L.A. Friday and Saturday: Lucky Magazine brings its popular New York-based Lucky Shops event to the West Coast with Lucky Shops L.A. — a sale of established and up-and-coming designer brands, including Helmut Lang, Theory, Kate Spade, Pour La Victoire and Rebecca Taylor. Expect clothes, handbags, shoes, kids clothes and jewelry discounted up to 70% off retail.

Siren Studios, 6063 West Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Noon to 6 p.m Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $25 on Friday and $15 on Saturday and can be purchased at www.LuckyShops.com.

Toms Shoes “One Day Without Shoes” Tuesday: Charitable shoe company Toms Shoes throws its annual charity event, asking people around the globe to go shoe-less for a day to raise awareness of underprivileged children who don’t have shoes.

For more information, visit www.onedaywithoutshoes.com

OPENING

Style Bar BH: Capitalizing on the “blowout bar” phenomenon, Style Bar BH, a new beauty express bar, offers blowouts, makeup application and manicure/pedicures for $33 each — with the promise that you can get all three services done in under an hour.

136 S. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills. (310) 858-2400. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, but appointments are required from 7 to 9 a.m. www.StyleBarBH.com

-- Emili Vesilind

Photos, from top: Looks from the Lacoste + Catherine Malanderino collection. From left: pointelle polo maxi dress, the cool polo with harlem pant, and sweet love with mini and croc bag. Credit: Lacoste.

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Bottom: Bridal gowns on display in Vera Wang’s Los Angeles boutique. Credit: Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times

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