Christian Louboutin to launch beauty line in 2013

French shoemaker Christian Louboutin is stepping up to beauty with a new cosmetic line launching next year. According to the Times' Tiffany Hsu:

"Louboutin red isn’t just for the soles of sky-high stillettos anymore... His luxury French company is pairing with Batallure Beauty, which helps develop brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Macy’s, Marchesa and Sephora, to launch the Christian Louboutin Beaute line in late 2013. Sephora, a cosmetics and fragrance retailer, happens to stock perfumes from another well-known shoe titan: Jimmy Choo."

Read Hsu's full story on Christian Louboutin Beaute.

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Christian Louboutin to launch beauty line

-- Susan Carpenter

Photo: A pair of Louboutins on display at the Design Museum London. Credit: Associated Press / Jonathan Short.

 

 

Christian Louboutin's 20th Anniversary Collection is inspired

According to the stereotype, most women know that a shoe isn't just a foot covering. No, a shoe can be whimsical, sexy, chic, mysterious even. By that same stereotype, a lot of men just don't get it.

But one who very notably does get it is Christian Louboutin, designer of the famous red-soled footwear. Just look at the object of desire above, the Bow Bow from Louboutin's new 20th Anniversary Collection. Delectable.

The Bow Bow "is about transparency," Louboutin told Times' Fashion Critic Booth Moore when he visited Los Angeles recently to introduce this and other shoes that are part of his label's 20th Anniversary Collection. Other shoes were inspired by showgirls, a Coptic cross and even the trash on a nightclub floor. Moore's Q&A with the designer appears in Sunday's Image section.

Whatever the inspiration, I think the Bow Bow would look great on a Valentine's Day date. Very romantic. (And yes, stereotypical guys, a shoe can indeed be romantic.)

They are available in Christian Louboutin boutiques and a few retailers, such as Neiman Marcus. They should go on sale online in late February. Sign up on Louboutin's Facebook page for alerts.

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-- Susan Denley

Photo: The Bow Bow. Credit: Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin celebrates 20 years in business

They came on 6-inch platforms and sky-high booties, donning spikes and leopard spots. Stiletto-clad fans lined up at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills on Thursday night to meet their idol, French designer Christian Louboutin, who was in town to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his red-soled brand, and his new book.

PHOTOS: Christian Louboutin party shoes

He signed copies of the self-titled book - -a sumptuous $150 monograph with still-life photos of his fanciful designs by David Lynch and Philippe Garcia -- for nearly two hours. He also signed a leg cast for Melissa Dishell, longtime manager of burlesque superstar Dita Von Teese.

Dishell, who wore a Louboutin high-top sneaker on her other foot, was happy to report that her injury was not the fault of one of the designer's vertiginous heels, but rather uneven sand on a beach in Ibiza. (The cast looked pretty great after Louboutin doodled bows on it. Designer casts...maybe he's onto something there.)

After the book signing, the evening's hosts -- Dita Von Teese, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Cameron Silver, Lucy Liu and Monet Mazur -- decamped to Mr. Chow for dinner, joining Eva Chow, Rachel Zoe, Molly Sims and others.

Fashion News: Red Ribbon Week observed

If you notice more people than usual wearing red -- especially near schools -- it may be because it is Red Ribbon Week, the nation's oldest drug abuse prevention program. Aimed mostly at children and teens, the program encourages the wearing of red ribbons or other red articles to raise consciousness about the dangers of illegal drugs. The week dates from the Reagan Administration and was inspired by the murder in 1985 of drug enforcement agent Enriqué Camarena. [DEA]

What good is sitting alone in your room to watch "The Rachel Zoe Project" when you can go to Bloomingdale's for a viewing party? The show's Jeremiah Brent is hosting the event Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bloomies in Santa Monica, 315 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 985-6400. [PopSugar LA]

Why are there so many books out about Coco Chanel? Three this year alone, on top of at least 25 in the past, and two movies in the last year. Vanessa Friedman at FT has a theory: it's the narrative. After all, Chanel's story includes sex, jewels, aristocrats, politics, rags, riches and even Nazis. [FT] 

Giorgio Armani designed the costumes for the London production of "Death and the Maiden," starring Thandie Newton, that opened Monday night. [Telegraph]

Tiffany & Co. has filed a legal brief in support of Christian Louboutin's appeal of a court decision that said the shoemaker can't hold the exclusive right to red soles. Not so, says Tiffany. It has a trademark on its signature robin's-egg blue box. [WWD]

Hudson Kroenig is only 3, but he's already the subject of an inside-the-closet profile on the Coveteur website. Why? Because he has already walked in a Chanel runway show, holding the hand of his model dad Brad, graced the pages of German Vogue and posed as the face of Fendi, also alongside his father. [Coveteur]

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-- Susan Denley

Photo: Coco Chanel, the subject of many a book and biopic. Credit: Associated Press

Frugal Fashion: Evan Rachel Wood at the Venice Film Festival

Early September in Southern California marks the start of cooler, post-summer nights and for many, the sound of school bells. The beginning of a new school year is a time for fresh starts, hitting the books and the perfect first impression outfit.

Even women beyond school age are experiencing "first-day-of-school" outfit jitters as they plan their fall wardrobes. Finding a fabulous everyday outfit to wear is difficult enough, but if you're on a budget, it can be especially daunting.

Not to fret. Some key closet staples will have you looking your best through winter, into spring and beyond.

At the recent Venice Film festival in Italy, Evan Rachel Wood made an appearance at the "Mildred Pierce" photo call in what could be the quintessential back-to-school or start-of-fall outfit. She wore a white ruffled blouse, Dolce & Gabbana black vest with leopard back, black cigarette leg trousers and Christian Louboutin Bibi 140 Kid Pumps. Her menswear ensemble looked sophisticated and, most importantly, comfortable.

Each element of Wood's look can be a back-to-school or fall work staple, worn together or  paired with any number of items you might already own. For a similar ruffled blouse, get the Eryn Brinie ivory gauze ruffle blouse for $58 from Bluefly.com or the women's raw-edged ruffle top from Old Navy for $16. Pair the blouse with pants for fall, a maxi for spring or shorts in the summer.

Wood's vest adds a menswear twist to her ensemble, but can be a fun addition to any look. For a classic vest, get the slim vest from the Gap for $59.95 or for something a little funky, the BCBGeneration vest for $39.99 from  Macys.com. Kohl's also carries a fun, light weight vest, the LC Conrad pintuck ruffle vest for $28. Wear with trousers like Woods, or try with a pair of jeans and white T-shirt or over a dress.

Cigarette leg trousers are must-have items that will take you through the seasons. For a pair similar to Wood's trousers, get the Ponte cigarette trousers from Topshop for $40 or the Warehouse cigarette pant from Asos for $87.82. Wear with a sleeveless top and heels for a night out or a T-shirt and flats for more casual wear.

Grab some comfortable shoes, and you're ready for a fashionable first day of school.

Happy shopping!

Have an outfit you're dying to buy but need a frugal alternative? Email us a picture. We're up for the challenge.

-- Jenn Harris
Twitter.com/Jenn_Harris_

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Photos, from top: Evan Rachel Wood is shown at the  'Mildred Pierce' photo call during the recent 68th Venice International Film Festival. Credit: Claudio Onorati / EPA.

Blouses, from left: Eryn Brinie ivory gauze ruffle blouse, $58 / Bluefly.com. Women's raw-edged ruffle top, $16 / Oldnavy.com. 

Vests: Gap slim vest, $59.95 / Gap.com. BCBGeneration vest, $39.99 / Macys.com. LC Conrad niptuck ruffle vest, $28 / Kohls.com.

Pants: Ponte cigarette trousers, $40 / Topshop.com. Warehouse cigarette pant, $87.82 / Asos.com.

Fashion News: Lady Gaga, Rihanna help sell Vogue

News flash: Lady Gaga and Rihanna can sell magazines. Their covers appear to be part of the reason that for the first half of this year the only major U.S. fashion magazine with increased sales compared with last year was Vogue, which saw a jump of 12.7% for an average monthly circulation of 360,400. InStyle has a larger circulation (570,000), but dropped 8% compared with last year. Other women's fashion mags experienced an average decrease of 9.2 %, except for Allure, which remained flat. [The Cut] [Fashionista]  

Hilary Duff, Jenny McCarthy, Padma Lakshmi and Christie Brinkley are featured in new advertising for Danskin that launched Wednesday with the slogan "Move for Change." Besides the usual magazine ads and such, they are featured in videos on danskinmove.com, which will also offer monthly blogs. The four will use their own Twitter accounts to tweet about the campaign, which also involves Danskin making contributions to the celebrities' favorite charities. [WWD]

More from the weight wars: British authorities ordered the e-commerce website Zazzle to remove T-shirts for children and teens emblazoned with a controversial quote from supermodel Kate Moss: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." The British Advertising Standards Authority had received complaints that the slogan could encourage eating disorders. [Telegraph]

Target has reportedly decided to release all news about its Missoni line that's set to launch next month through the blog, All the Way Up Here. Which seems to have been around only since April. Which is purportedly written by a doll that loves Missoni and Target. Which seems to be a promotional ploy  by Missoni/Target. And which seems more than a bit, um, limiting. [The Cut]

Who has the right to sell red-soled shoes? A federal judge in New York denied Christian Louboutin's request that Yves Saint Laurent be barred from selling red-soled shoes from its 2011 resort collection until Louboutin's trademark-infringement case against YSL is decided. Louboutin contends, of course, that the red-soled YSLs illegally copy Louboutin's very recognizable color scheme. In denying the request for a temporary injunction, the judge indicated that it is "unlikely" that Louboutin will be able to win the case.  [Telegraph] 

This is different: Everyone reportedly wore white to the Hamptons engagement party for Lauren Bush (granddaughter of the older President Bush, niece of the other) and David Lauren, son of designer Ralph. Guests included the entire Lauren family; Paris Hilton's parents, Rick and Kathy Hilton; Lauren Bush's mother, Sharon Bush; and designers Cynthia Rowley and Douglas Hannant. [People]

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-- Susan Denley 

Photo: Lady Gaga, shown in Sydney, Australia in July, can sell magazines, among many other talents. Credit: Dean Lewins / EPA

Morning Fashion and Beauty Report: Justin Bieber breaks sales records. Pippa's bag is back. And Lara Stone strips down to her Calvins.

Helmut Lang, the Austrian-born designer who walked away from fashion in 2005, has shredded his archive, turning 6,000 pieces into fragments used for sculptures that will be on exhibit starting July 22 in a gallery in East Hampton.  [Telegraph]

The Modalu bag Pippa Middleton was spotted carrying the day after the British royal wedding of her sister Kate and Prince William, is going to be available for copycats to buy again. The bag famously sold out after Pippa was seen with hers, but Modalu expects to have it in stock again in August (in black crocodile) with other materials coming online in September, October and November. It's now called the "Pippa," of course! [InStyle]

Calvin Klein's new collection of lingerie and loungewear, Naked Glamour, promises to make women "look even sexier than when naked," and for proof there's curvy model Lara Stone striking a pose in the ad campaign, released this week. [Telegraph]

What is it about Justin Bieber and beauty? The launch last month of his Someday fragrance broke industry sales records, Women's Wear Daily reports. Remember when his One Less Lonely Girl nail polish collection with OPI launched last year and sold out across the U.S.? Remember the stir at Wal-Mart with his unisex My World fragrance line? Remember when teen heartthrobs were just heartthrobs, not beauty moguls? [WWD] (Subscription required.) 

There are parties ... and then there are parties. Miu Miu took over five floors of Shanghai's Park Hyatt Hotel on Thursday night for a glamorous cabaret-themed fashion event. [WWD] (Subscription required.) 

The lawyer for Yves Saint Laurent, which is defending itself in a trademark infringement suit filed by Christian Louboutin because YSL designed some shoes with red soles, says no consumers would have possibly thought the YSLs were Louboutins just because of the red. But Louboutin's lawyer says everyone knows red soles are a hallmark of the brand, "unless you're living in a cave." Back to lawyer No. 1: Louboutin shouldn't have been granted a trademark for red soles, because a designer shouldn't have a monopoly on a color. [The Cut] 

Sephora plans to roll out in-store nail bars with salon services. [WWD] (Subscription required.)

The Council of Fashion Designers of America named the 10 finalists for its Fashion Fund Award this week. They are:

 Antonio Azzuolo
 Joseph Altuzarra, of Altuzarra
 Carlos Campos
 Christopher Peters and Shane Gabier, of Creatures of the Wind
 Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs, of Cushnie et Ochs 
 Soraya Silchenstedt, of Finn Jewelry
 Dana Lorenz, of Fenton/Fallon
 Alexa Adams and Flora Gill, of Ohne Titel  
 Pamela Love
 Erin Beatty and Max Osterweis, of Suno

One winner and two runners-up will be selected from among this group and honored in a ceremony planned for Nov. 14. [The Cut]

-- Susan Denley

Photo: Pippa Middleton, carrying her Modalu bag after the royal wedding festivities.  Credit: Stefan Wermuth / Reuters

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[Updated] Frugal Fashion: Alicia Keys gets an A-plus at BET Awards, before celebrating 10-year anniversary of 'A Minor'

Sunday's BET awards brought the usual suspects of funky music fashion to the show's green carpet at the Shrine in L.A. At the extreme end of the night's style spectrum was Cee Lo Green with his bedazzled jacket and spiky hair, Nicki Minaj in a fuchsia pink poufy dress with tights and hip-hop artist Don "Magic" Juan in a mustard yellow pimp suit with enough bling to power a small city.

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But striking the perfect balance of flair and elegance was singer Alicia Keys, who on Tuesday celebrated the 10th anniversary release of her debut album "Songs in A Minor."

Before her power performance of her song "Typewriter" and a killer duet of "A Woman's Worth" with Bruno Mars, she strutted the green carpet in sporty-luxe black Dolce & Gabbana pants with suspenders, a white boyfriend blazer and über-high black and white zebra print platform pumps.

The structured look was unexpected for summer, but what I appreciate most about the outfit is that it's appropriately funky for the show but realistic enough to rock to a real party. For a similar look try a jumpsuit, not circa 1987 but something chic with some shape like the Calvin Klein cargo pocket jumpsuit for $99, the Cha Cha vente jumpsuit from Macys.com for $68.99, Bar III layered jumpsuit, also from Macys.com, for $59 or the Jegia-J jumpsuit by Diesel for $99.

Keys' black and white color combination is bold and playful. To create a base for your own primary color palette, snag a white boyfriend blazer like the White hot boyfriend blazer from Fredflare.com for $68 or the Linen Bermuda jacket from J.Crew for $69.99.

Keys' zebra print shoes pop and give her outfit a playful funky edge. For some shoes that will add a twist to any look, snag the Zebra print platform pump from TheFashionHolic.com for $45.

Happy shopping!

Have an outfit you're dying to buy but need a frugal alternative? Email us a picture. We're up for the challenge.

-- Jenn Harris
Twitter.com/Jenn_Harris_

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Photo: Alicia Keys, shown at the BET awards in Los Angeles, just announced she'll be producing the Broadway play 'Stick Fly' slated to premiere Dec. 8. Credit: Jason Merritt / Getty Images.

Jumpsuit photos, from left: Calvin Klein cargo pocket jumpsuit, credit: Calvinklein.com; Cha Cha jumpsuit, credit: Macys.com; Bar III layered jumpsuit, credit: Maycs.com; Jegia-J jumpsuit by Diesel, credit: Diesel.com.

Blazer photos: White hot boyfriend blazer, credit: Fredflare.com; Linen Bermuda jacket, credit: Jcrew.com.

Shoe photo: Zebra night platform pump, credit: Fashionholic.com.

[Updated: June 30, 2011 10:30 AM. A pair of shoes was removed from this post.]

Frugal Fashion: Rihanna pre-'S&M' at the Billboard Music Awards

The fashion at music events can be transfixing -- more compelling, at times, than the Oscars. The attendees seem a little less stuffy; the dresses and personalities sometimes border on outrageous; and there never seems to be a shortage of moments where I find myself thinking, "What was she thinking?"

Last Sunday's Billboard Music Awards were no exception. Model Nayer draped herself in mens' neck ties, Sinbad attempted to rock a bejeweled pirate blouse, and Fergie went dominatrix in a Hervé Léger by Max Azria Atelier mini. On stage shades of pure white popped up in the form of a military trench for Mary J. Blige, a Michael Jackson-ish suit for Far East Movement frontman Kev Nish and a futuristic Tron-inspired number for Nicki Minaj.

Fire-haired songstress Rihanna, who took home awards for radio artist of the year and best female artist, stole the show in white leather lingerie for a steamy performance of "S&M."

But before Rihanna saddled up for some hip thrusting, pole dancing and a pillow fight with Britney Spears, viewers got to see a very different, much sleeker side of the artist when she walked the red carpet in a tailored men's Max Azria white suit, super-low V-cut blouse, a gold tassel necklace and nude Christian Louboutin heels.

Rihanna's menswear look is sexy and sophisticated, making her all-white attire perfect for your upcoming summer soirees. For a similar style jacket try the Linen boyfriend blazer by Armani Exchange for $130, linen blend blazer from Forever21.com for $27.80, or the Epaulet blazer by Calvin Klein for $99.

For the trousers, you'll want a pair that is high-waisted for more of a feminine touch. Armani Exchange makes a great pair of trousers called the 20th pleated trouser for $88 or try the Nic + Zoe cotton side zip pants for $88.20 on Zappos.com. This look would also work with a pair of wide-leg trousers like the Bebe sailor pant for $54.99.

Rihanna's shirt features an extremely low V-cut. This may be appropriate for an awards show but for your next outing you can go as low or as high as you want with these frugal finds: The Sheer pocket shirt from the Gap for $59.95, Bellatrix pleated blouse from Nordstrom.com for $78, or the Sparkle & Fade Dolman blouse from Urbanoutfitters.com for $29.99.

Tassels have come back in a big way this season, adding a fun and frilly touch of '70s art deco. For a silver option wear the Twisted dropped-chain necklace from Charlotte Russe for $7.50 or for gold, the mesh loop tassel necklace from Topshop.com for $30.

Happy shopping!

Have an outfit you're dying to buy but need a frugal alternative? Email us a picture. We're up for the challenge.

-- Jenn Harris
Twitter.com/Jenn_Harris_

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Photo: Recording artist Rihanna arrives at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 22 in Las Vegas. Credit: Isaac Brekken / Getty Images.

Blazer photo: From left, Linen boyfriend blazer from Armani Exchange. Credit: Armani Exchange; linen blend blazer from Forever 21. Credit: Forever21.com; epaulet blazer by Calvin Klein. Credit: Calvin Klein.  

Pants photo: From left, 20th pleated trouser by Armani Exchange. Credit: Armani Exchange; Nic + Zoe cotton pants. Credit: Zappos.com; Bebe sailor pant; Credit: Bebe.

Blouse photo: From left, Sheer pocket shirt from the Gap. Credit: The Gap; Bellatrix pleated blouse from Nordstrom. Credit: Nordstrom.com; Sparkle & Fade Dolman blouse. Credit: Urbanoutfitters.com.  

Necklace photo: From left, Twister dropped-chain necklace from Charlotte Russe. Credit: Charlotterusse.com; Mesh loop tassel necklace. Credit: Topshop.com.

Your morning fashion and beauty report: Fergie's fragrance breaks records. John Galliano at LAX. Justin Bieber and the Old Spice guy nominated for Webbys.

Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie's first fragrance launch for Avon did better than pretty well.  "Outspoken has been our most successful fragrance launch in the history of Avon," Chief Executive Andrea Jung said at a news conference in New York, although she didn't give specific sales numbers. The next Fergie-fragrance, Outspoken Intense, a fruity floral, is due out in July. [StyleList] 

Justin Bieber and Old Spice guy Isaiah Mustafa are among the nominees for this year's Webbys -- the "Oscars of the Web." A full list of nominees is available on the Webby website, and the results will be announced May 3. [People] 

Christian Louboutin is seeing red. A week after filing a trademark infringement lawsuit against Yves Saint Laurent, Louboutin is now going after Carmen Steffens of Brazil for the same thing: using red soles on their shoes. Louboutin has been soling its shoes in red since 1992 and had the practice trademarked in 2008. In a statement, Steffens says it has been using red since 1998 and finds it "surprising that another brand is trying to reserve the rights to any color." [Telegraph]

Kate Middleton dressed very conservatively Monday when she visited Darwen Aldridge Community Academy in Lancashire on the couple's last official state visit before she marries Prince William on April 29. Her navy shift and hook-and-eye jacket by designer Amanda Wakeley was elegant but safe, worn with nude stockings and pumps. Her outfit blended in with the prince's navy suit, in fact. [Telegraph]

The latest trend in bridal wear? Sleeves. It was probably only a matter of time because in recent seasons strapless gowns have been ubiquitous. [WWD] (Subscription required)

The idea for Ralph Lauren's dog tags benefiting the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research -- which we told you about last week -- had a serendipitous beginning. Fox's wife, Tracy Pollan, and son were strolling through East Hampton and popped into the Ralph Lauren store to look at its collection of dog tags from World Wars I and II. There they ran into Ralph's brother Jerry, got to talking and the rest, as they say, is history. [WWD]     

If you're a modern bride planning a wedding, FabSugar has picked 10 simple gowns with a modern sensibility that are worth a look. [FabSugar]   

John Galliano has reportedly been in rehab in Arizona since he was fired by Dior on the eve of Paris Fashion Week, but he was spotted at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday, and hassled by a photographer, according to reports. [Fashionologie]

Alice + Olivia designer Stacey Bendet welcomed a new daughter last week, the second for Bendet and her husband, Eric Eisner. [People] 

--Susan Denley

Photo: Fergie sings. She also sells perfume, producing record-breaking sales for Avon. Credit: Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times