A time-traveling fashionista boards the Titanic

The 100th anniversary of the Titanic's legendary sinking is fast approaching, and with it, Titanic mania. There are memorial cruises, commemorative postage stamps and, of course, the re-release of James Cameron's classic movie in 3-D.

And then there is fashion. In her illustrated young-adult novel, "The Time-Traveling Fashionista on Board the Titanic," author Bianca Turetsky imagines the gowns, coats and shoes that might have been worn that freezing April night when the world's largest (at the time) luxury liner sank to the bottom of the Atlantic and killed 1,496 of its 2,208 passengers.

In the book, a young woman tries on a sparkly pink, empire-waist gown inspired by a real turn-of-the-century designer, Lucy Duff-Gordon, who survived the Titanic disaster. It's through this gown that a woman from the present is magically transported to the past, where she was traveling as a first-class passenger with a closet full of amazing clothes.

It was only in researching her book that Turetsky learned about Duff-Gordon. Not only was she a top fashion designer of the era, selling items under her brand, Lucille, but she was one of the few survivors of the Titanic disaster who was lucky enough to find space on a lifeboat.

"She made these emotional gowns that tried to capture the spirit of the woman who was wearing them, which was what I was trying to say about vintage clothing: It carries the spirits of these women with them," Turetsky said.

The real Duff-Gordon and the fictional Louise are both in the book sporting Lucille fashions, which, in the novel's illustrations, were inspired by the "Titanic" movie, a Titanic museum exhibit and the many books Turetsky read on the subject.

Turetsky has long been attracted to the Titanic  because "it's dramatic and glamorous and sad," she said. The allure of the era's fashions were their shapes and details.

"It was the beginning of women being less confined," Turetsky said. "There were still corsets, but women had a little more freedom with their dresses."

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-- Susan Carpenter

Photos: Illustrations from "The Time-Traveling Fashionista on Board the Titanic" by Bianca Turetsky. Credit: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Paige Denim's new jean color to benefit anti-sexual violence group

Culver City-based Paige Denim has announced plans to roll out a new wash called "RAINN Blue," proceeds from which will help fund the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), a nationwide anti-sexual violence organization.

The wash will be available in four styles; the Silverlake short (which retails for $135), the Vermont jacket ($179), the Kylie Crop ($189) and the Lou Lou ($179), with 20% of proceeds going to RAINN.

The new color will be available for purchase online and in stores in April to promote National Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month.

“This cause is very near and dear to my heart and I am honored to sit on RAINN’s national leadership council,” the brand's co-founder and creative director Paige Adams-Geller said in the news release announcing the new denim wash. "We created this jean to promote awareness and to provide help for victims who would not have otherwise been able to receive any.”

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-- Adam Tschorn

Photo: Products available in Paige Denim's new RAINN blue wash will include (from left) the Kylie Crop ($189) and Lou Lou ($179) silhouettes, the Silverlake short ($135) and the Vermont jacket ($179). Credit: Paige Denim

Parisian kidswear collection Pearls & Popcorn to debut in U.S.

If Parisian charm is what's missing from your toddler's wardrobe, good news: Paris-based children's wear brand Pearls & Popcorn will be making its U.S. debut in early September at all Bloomingdale's stores.

And the rollout of the brand is one of the largest children's wear launches in the department store's history.

The casual collection, made for girls and boys from 3 to 36 months, features low-key, stylish looks that could pass for "mini me" versions of styles made by cool-girl French retailer A.P.C.

For boys, there are shawl-necked grandpa cardigans, plaid flannel Oxford shirts, dark gray skinny jeans and light-weight hooded pullovers, among other items. And little ladies can suit up in petal-pink skinny twill pants, ditzy-printed smock tops and slouchy cotton henleys, for starters.

The cute collection ranges from $20 to $50 -- not too shabby for a kiddo brand with Parisian pedigree.

-- Emili Vesilind

Photos: Fall looks from Pearls & Popcorn. Credit: Pearls & Popcorn

Chanel teams up with Natural Resources Defense Council for Malibu benefit

 
When the welcome is Owen Wilson, Laird Hamilton, Gabrielle Reece and 200-plus more paddlers and surfers forming a human peace sign in the ocean off the coast of Malibu, you know the party is going to be good.

So began the benefit dinner for the Natural Resources Defense Council's Ocean Initiative on Saturday at the Charles Gwathmey-designed home of Ron and Kelly Meyer, sponsored by Chanel's J12 line of watches. Not only was the sight inspirational, it's apparently on its way to becoming a new Guinness world record.

A who's who of Hollywood (Brian Grazer, Jim Berkus), music (Barbra Streisand, Kenny G) and fashion (Monique Lhuillier, Rachel Zoe) gathered for cocktails in the backyard, kicking off their Louboutins in the grass, sipping fruity drinks and soaking in the last few rays of afternoon sun while listening to a performance by Jason Mraz.

Drew Barrymore, Kate Hudson, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ali Larter and Diane Lane were all dressed in their beach chic finery, but my favorite look was music exec Lou Adler's -- a nautical striped cardigan, knit cap and white canvas sneakers that were very Coco Chanel in the South of France, come to think of it.  

After cocktails, the crowd moved to the tennis court for a vegetarian dinner by chef Suzanne Goin. And there was more live music! Jeff Bridges and T Bone Burnett played a set. "After my dad [Lloyd] got 'Sea Hunt' he said, 'Do you want a pool or a beach house?' " Bridges told the crowd. "We said beach house." Musing on the theme of ocean conservation, he recalled taking walks with his mom on the Malibu beach, where they would see starfish on the rocks. Then one day the starfish were gone.

The event raised $2.66 million for the cause, according to NRDC President Frances Beinecke. "The paddle-out was an amazing way to experience the inspiration of the oceans tonight," she said, adding, "We have hurt them again and again -- 90% of our ocean fish are gone, and the pollution that causes climate change is turning the ocean more acidic every day." 

The NRDC is now ramping up efforts to protect "the world's last wild ocean, the Arctic, where melting sea ice will soon open up the region to mining and drilling," she said.

-- Booth Moore

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Photos: From left, Ali Larter, Angela Lindvall, Amber Valletta and Drew Barrymore attend Chanel's benefit dinner for the Natural Resources Defense Council's Ocean Initiative at the home of Ron & Kelly Meyer on Saturday in Malibu. Credit: David Livingston / Getty Images

Tiaras top 2011 bridal trends

After a couple of recession-inspired years that saw brides-to-be paring back, not only on their "I Do" arrangements but with gowns that were more streamlined than princess-like, glamour is back in bridal.

And with it, the tiara.

"Tiaras are a good way to finish your overall wedding-day look, and to do something different and express your personal style," said Ellen Heisler, senior associate fashion editor for Brides magazine in New York, which has flagged tiaras as a trend.

"They don't have the stigma they used to have of being a little too proper or serious," she added.

Just as tiaras are making a comeback in fashion, with Natalie Portman and other stars wearing them on the red carpet, they are beginning to show up in bridal, which is increasingly influenced by celebrity attire. The upcoming nuptials of Kate Middleton and Prince William of Wales is likely to add to the trend.

In bridal, Heisler said, tiaras falls in two camps. There's "the simple, more delicate smaller piece that is tucked into the hair and looks really elegant and beautiful and effortless," said Heisler, referencing the San Francisco line Haute Bride.

The other side is more elaborate -- "the cool girl tiara," as she calls it, such as those from Erin Cole Design in Costa Mesa. "They're a little bit bolder, heavily encrusted with little crystals, or they have these chunkier crystals in them that feel different and fresh. They're not fussy or too stiff. They're fun and playful."

-- Susan Carpenter

Photo credits: Haute Bride, Erin Cole Design

Blanket statements: A.P.C. turns its archived fabric into quilts

French brand A.P.C. is putting its unused and archived fabric to work. The cult-favorite label — which has a store on Croft Avenue in L.A. — will be debuting a series of limited-edition quilts starting Oct. 28.

The quilt project was conceived by brand founder Jean Touitou, who's famously smitten with the handcrafted. The last capsule collection from A.P.C was all handmade by artisans from his native Tunisia.

To design the quilt collection, Touitou tapped Jessica Ogden, who co-designs the brand's Madras collection and is herself a passionate quilt and patchwork collector.

The original point of reference for the project was a cache of quilts Touitou’s mother had made from Kenzo fabrics. But inspiration was also pulled from Ogden's library of books on the 1970s craft movement in America and Amish quilting.

Ogden was given full access to A.P.C.'s fabric library, and came up with seven quilt designs that will be copied 30 times each. A second batch of seven quilts will follow for the holidays. All quilts are hand-stitched by craftswomen from the Bangalore region of India.

The small size (140 by 140 centimeters) is priced at $515, the medium quilts (200 by 205) will sell for $665, and the large quilts (200 by 220) will ring in at $955. A darling gift for the low-key girl who has everything.

-- Emili Vesilind

Photo: A close-up of one of A.P.C.'s new quilts. Credit: A.P.C.

A.P.C. partners with Aesop for a swanky knits-and-delicates wash

Cult-favorite French fashion brand A.P.C. and high-end soap and skincare company Aesop have teamed up to create Fine Fabric Care -- a cleanser designed for hand-washing that packs major shelf appeal along with a heady, citrus-based scent.

Formulated by Aesop, it contains extracts of pettigrain, lemon and cedarwood. And although it won't be available for purchase for a while (it debuts in September exclusively at A.P.C. stores), it's bound to become a staple in stylish laundry rooms.

"Washing your clothes yourself is a good thing to me," wrote A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou, "and taking your woolen, cotton or cashmere jumpers to the dry cleaners is altogether a depressing, costly and not-so-efficient affair. ...This gives your mind a break, it smells good too, and once you’ve finished your task, you have, at last, the feeling of having done something."

Touitou's personal directions for using the cleanser are similarly quaint and, well, French-feeling: "Two soup spoons in a bath tub half filled with hot water, but the water must not be so hot that it burns your hands."

-- Emili Vesilind

Illustration: Fine Fabric Care by A.P.C. and Aesop. Credit: A.P.C.

A.P.C. debuts an elegant capsule collection inspired by Tunisia

Tunisia, Africa's northern-most country, is the inspiration behind A.P.C.'s new capsule collection, La Liste Tunisienne ("The Tunisian List").

And as with A.P.C.— one of the most cultish fashion brands in existence — the new collection of rustic, elegant accessories and home wares mines traditional handiwork methods. This time, of Tunisian descent.

"It's now time to go back to my origins to create a collection which links my culture, my viewpoint and my country," said Tunisian-born designer Laurence Touitou, sister of A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou. "I have chosen traditional Tunisian objects...simple, ordinary objects. I suppose one could say they are Tunisian basics."

The seven-piece collection features a straw hat (the "Tunisian Stetson"), a red, floral-printed floor mat, an open-weave bathroom fabric, a cotton scarf available in black and white and rose- and orange-scented soap.

On the labels of each item is a description of how each object was made — in which village and workshop, by which craftsman, and using which tools and fabrics.

Touitou hopes to add five items to "the list" with every new collection. The initial line will be sold exclusively in A.P.C. shops for a very brief time — from May 20 to June 3.

-- Emili Vesilind

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Photo: The seven items in A.P.C.'s new La Liste Tunisienne capsule collection. Credit: A.P.C.