Fashion news: Golden Globes, Tim Tebow, Victoria's Secret

Golden Globe nominations were announced this morning, and some of Hollywood's most fashionable women are on the list. Among them: Tilda Swinton, Charlize Theron, Kate Winslet, Michelle Williams, Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain. [L.A. Times]

Are the French being contrarians?

Sometimes the forces behind fashion month scheduling in New York, London, Milan and Paris can work out their schedules in a warm and fuzzy way. Sometimes they can't. Now, according to Fashionista (and Women's Wear Daily), France's Chambre Syndicale "dropped a bomb that essentially pits New York against the rest of the fashion world."

It's complicated. The hoped-for resolution involves the coordination of various timetables so editors can see everything (or almost everything) without having to race to the airport and cut a visit short. The Chambre Syndicale was asked to delay the start of its September 2012 shows a day.

"All the cities -- Paris included -- had to agree," Fashionista reported. "Well, Paris doesn't agree."

Sometimes fashion isn't pretty. [WWD, subscription required]

Women's Wear Daily has declared Tim Tebow to be its "man of the week," although if you read the fine print, it says the Denver Broncos quarterback "needs to repent for his fashion sins." Then there's this: "The Easter Bunny pastel blue blazer does nothing to enhance his upper torso -- or his masculinity." [WWD, subscription required]

If you care about Victoria's Secret (and we know you do) and fair trade (double that caring), you might find this item from New York magazine potentially shocking:

A new report by Bloomberg News shows that cotton used in Victoria's Secret underwear — described on labels as "fair trade" and "Good for women. Good for the children who depend on them" — was actually picked by abused, unpaid children in Burkina Faso. While it's unclear if Victoria's Secret actually knew that their cotton suppliers weren't meeting labor standards, many plantations in the country are known to exploit underage workers. VS claims that they never saw a study published in 2008 by one of their partners ... suggesting that thousands of children ... were forced to work on the fair-trade farms in the area.

Doesn't sound very angelic, does it? [The Cut]

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-- Alice Short

Photo: Charlize Theron arrives for the premiere of the film "Young Adult" in New York: Credit: Carlo Allegri / Reuters

Saving movie costumes as 'Gone With the Wind' novel turns 75

 
It's been 75 years since the publication of "Gone With the Wind," and it still captures the public's imagination. The novel and subsequent movie keep generating controversy for their portrayal of slavery and keep generating headlines, thanks to fans who want to read and re-read the book, collect the paraphernalia and dress up like Scarlett O'Hara.

Earlier this year, we noted some of the many events inspired by the novel's 75th anniversary.  Now the Associated Press reports on efforts by the University of Texas to repair five of the dresses by 2014 -- in time for the film's 75th anniversary.

Which dresses? Scarlett's green curtain dress, her green velvet gown, a burgundy ball gown, blue velvet night gown and her wedding dress.

But the restoration of iconic movie costumes that have gone through decades of traveling displays and been on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York presents a series of challenges: "Stitching and holes can be repaired, and extra feathers added years ago can be removed, but the dresses are old, badly faded in spots and, in one case, just too fragile to handle," the Associated Press reports.

The dresses "are culturally important,' said Cara Varnell, an independent art conservator who specializes in Hollywood film costumes and is doing the restoration work.

Aromatherapy for the harried Angeleno

 
Many spas swear by it, and candle-store owners have embraced it. The medical establishment and the FDA question its usefulness. What about the rest of us? For the average consumer, aromatherapy is something to encounter in a mall or in the halls of a swank hotel -- pleasant, soothing, temporarily uplifting.

There are those converts, of course, who swear by the healing properties of aromatherapy. As with all believers, they have formed associations: The Alliance of International Aromatherapists, the National Assn. of Holistic Aromatherapists, the Natural Assn. for Holistic Aromatherapy.

And they have started businesses and product lines. Among the most recent is 21 Drops, which launched in November. Founders Cary Caster and Amy Ilyse Rosenthal recently explained their products and philosophy on the patio outside Fred Segal:

Aromatherapy, said Caster (who is a licensed massage therapist and an advanced clinically certified aromatherapist) "is the practice of using essential oils for their curative properties." Caster's and Rosenthal's oils are distilled from plants, mixed in various formulas and combined into 21 different products (hence the "21 Drops") with names such as "Calm," "Decongest," "Sleep," and "Hangover." They are meant to be inhaled or applied topically. Each formula is packaged in a roller-top glass bottle that sits in a sturdy case, which is, in turn, nestled in an individually designed box with a "batch card" that lists and explains the ingredients.

Nonsurgical cosmetic devices -- are they the fountain of youth?

 
Zeltiq. Exilis. Fraxel. If you don't recognize those names, it's probably just a matter of time. Zeltiq machines are used as a nonsurgical alternative to liposuction, Exilis is a device used to tighten skin and smooth wrinkles, and the Fraxel laser is supposed to resurface skin and dimish age spots, among other things.

They are all emblematic of a growing trend -- the growth of nonsurgical cosmetic devices and treatments. "Some patients only want a little bit of change," says Dr. Jeffrey Kenkel, president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Others "just aren't interested in a surgical option."

They're seeking procedures that are less expensive, less painful and less disruptive than, say, a face lift. And in some cases, it can all happen in 45 minutes.

Susan Carpenter reports on the latest procedures -- who says the fountain of youth is hard to find?

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-- Alice Short `

Illustration credit: Stephanie Dalton Cowan / For The Times

Trying to separate the trends from the cliches

Ever wonder why a certain look becomes an era-defining staple while others quickly end up on the thrift-store racks?

Consider the case of Uggs, the sheepskin boots that became must-haves in the aughts and remain with us, even to this day.

It's been several years since they came on the scene, but on any given day, you can spot dozens of young women at malls and college campuses in short skirts, tank tops... and Uggs.

Or consider the safari jacket or the porkpie hat or the trench coat. Think about the velour tracksuit (OK, perhaps you'd rather skip that thought). But you get the picture--truly classic looks just don't fade away quickly.

Why do some looks become the uniforms of a generation and others fade into fads?

Valli Herman has some of the answers.

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-- Alice Short

Photo credit: Ugg

Barbra Streisand and Donna Karan turn out for multimedia art exhibit

 
Fashion photographer Russell James and designer Donna Karan welcomed nearly 500 guests to Pier 59 in Santa Monica on Tuesday to preview the multimedia exhibition “Nomad Two Worlds.” The Australian-born James, the project’s creator, said the artworks celebrate and support indigenous cultures and his country's reconciliation efforts toward its native population. 

James pointed to the painted embellishments on his photographs, done by Australia’s Aboriginal natives. "The Aborigines stored their history in art and music," he said. "You can learn their stories by looking at their paintings and listening to their music." 

Barbra Streisand quietly slipped into the shindig for an informal tour by James and Karan, and expressed her admiration at the artworks. "It’s all absolutely beautiful," she said. "What they’re doing here is fantastic."  

"Amazing," said Alana Stewart. "Astonishing," said Barbara Davis. Amy Sacco, founder of the nightclub Bungalow 8 in New York, London and Amsterdam, said she flew to Los Angeles to participate by hosting an after-party. "Donna [Karan] is so dynamic and so generous," she said. "I had to be here."

Some came from Australia, including Richard Walley of the Nyoongar tribe, who described his additions to James’ photograph, “Innocence Boya,” as mother earth, a dancer and “the story of energy going through the earth.” He said, “The world is now starting to realize the contributions of indigenous people - the understanding of natural medicine and foods and the knowledge of the land,” adding, “We don’t use the words, ‘natural disasters.’ We say signs from mother nature."

As for the placards worn by a few anti-fur demonstrators streetside, Chumash native Gil Unzueta, dressed in a bearskin, said he hadn’t noticed. Unzueta came to welcome the crowd to his ancestral lands of California with tribal rituals.         

“We’re here to celebrate two worlds,” said Karan, the preview party’s host. Through her Urban Zen Foundation -- also a beneficiary of the evening -- she said she focused on the past, present and future. “The past is in the preservation of culture; the present in healthcare; and the future in education," she said.  

 --Ellen Olivier

PHOTOS: Click here for more photos

RELATED: Hollywood turns out for party celebrating book on Gloria Vanderbilt

Photo of Donna Karan, Russell James and Barbra Streisand by Alexandra Wyman, WireImage

 

Your morning fashion and beauty report: Jerry Weintraub on fashion. Diane von Furstenberg honored. A look back with Carrie Bradshaw. And Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch and Megan Fox dish.

New York's Fashion Business Incubator provides a helping hand to emerging designers. [Wall Street Journal]

"If I wasn't a film producer, I would have probably gone into fashion," Jerry Weintraub avows on the eve of Tuesday night's soiree at Barneys New York's L.A. outpost celebrating his memoir, which is in its seventh printing. [Wall Street Journal]

Diane von Furstenberg receives the Andre Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award from the Savannah College of Art and Design. [wwd, subscription required]

Isabella Blow's wardrobe, including an archive of Alexander McQueen designs and hats by Philip Treacy, will be sold at auction in September. [wwd]

"Glee's" Matthew Morrison is surprised at all the fuss over his naturally curly coif. [People]

Meanwhile his costar Jane Lynch -- whose character Sue Sylvester torments him endlessly over his locks -- vows she won't be a Bridezilla when she weds. [People]

As we count down to "Sex and the City 2," take a look at 60 Carrie Bradshaw looks from the past. [FabSugar]

More gorgeous looks from Cannes. [FabSugar]

Megan Fox is lovely on the June cover of Allure magazine, but she says she was more of an ugly duckling growing up. [Stylelist]

-- Susan Denley

Photo: Megan Fox. Credit: EPA

Your morning fashion and beauty report: Rachel Zoe's latest shopping guide. The red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. A model is air-brushed to look heavier.

Rachel Zoe's latest shopping guide. [FabSugar]

Stranger than fiction -- a model has been air-brushed to look heavier. [Styleite]

Macy’s is looking to remodel its Herald Square flagship store. [wwd, subscription required]

Naomi Watts as Marilyn Monroe. [InStyle]

A fashion parade in Cannes. [Ministry of Gossip]

More from the red carpet in Cannes. [Los Angeles Times]

-- Alice Short

Photo: Naomi Campbell attends the "Biutiful" premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday. Credit: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

Your morning fashion and beauty report: Scarlett Johansson on her looks. Armani teams with Alicia Keys. Versace wins a counterfeiting case. Givenchy casts a transsexual model. And more Mother's Day gift ideas.

The stories clothes tell: With her mother slipping away to Alzheimer's, author/photographer Jeannette Montgomery Barron held onto the memories by creating a fashion diary. Just published,  "My Mother's Clothes" (Welcome Books) is a transporting read. [Wall Street Journal]

Not to be outdone by its rival across the river, the Brooklyn Museum on Friday launches its own sartorial exhibit, "American High Style: Fashioning a National Collection." [wwd, subscription required]

To illustrate the "masculine-feminine dichotomy," Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci has cast a transsexual model in the line's fall/winter photo campaign. [Huffington Post]

How important is good grooming? She has loads of talent, but Scarlett Johansson credits hair and makeup with making her a movie star. [People]

This could be a sweet gift for that special mom in your life: Top Chef host and new mother Padma Lakshmi has designed a limited-edition pair of gold and garnet earrings, on sale for $350 at Neiman Marcus, and 20% of the  proceeds will go to benefit the Endometriosis Foundation of America. Lakshmi co-founded the organization to raise awareness about the condition. [People]

Need more Mother's Day inspiration? Find out what Zac Posen, Vera Wang, Gisele Bundchen and 17 other designers and models would like to give and get. [Vogue]

Giorgio Armani is dressing Alicia Keys for her current European tour. [Telegraph]

Shoe designer Elisa Ferare, a Northern California native whose footwear was sold at Neiman Marcus, Maxfield and others, has died. [wwd]

Double whammy for Elizabeth Arden: The company is reporting third-quarter losses AND reportedly once employed the Times' Square bombing suspect. [wwd and wwd]

Check out Forever 21's beauty and the beach collection. [FabSugar]

Versace wins $20 million in Los Angeles counterfeiting case [British Vogue]

Ann Taylor's oh-so-cute vintage floral sheath dress sells out in two days, and is now going on EBay for $200 more than retail. [Stylelist]

-- Susan Denley

Photos, from top: Scarlett Johansson. Credit: Marvel Entertainment. Padma Lakshmi's limited edition earrings. Credit: Neiman Marcus

One side of debate over Arizona's immigration law is boiled down to a tee

The Phoenix Suns wore their sympathies on their shirts in Wednesday night's NBA playoffs, becoming  "Los Suns" and causing quite a stir about mixing basketball with the political debate over Arizona's new immigration law. You can read all about it at our sister blog, Top of the Ticket.

But we know there are plenty of other folks who will want to let their shirts do the talking too -- and so does Surropa.com, which sells what it describes as "the ultimate collection of the best of Latino-inspired street fashion available in the United States."

During the last week of April, the company had a contest on its Facebook page asking its friends to submit ideas for T-shirt slogans based on the immigration controversy. Now several of the winning designs have been incorporated into T-shirts and are available to purchase on Surropa.com for $19.95 each.

The tees are pretty much for people who are against the new law -- one has a slogan in Spanish that roughly translates to "Arizona, kiss my grits." For the higher-minded, another (shown above) paraphrases the famous words of Jose de la Cruz Porfirio Diaz, president of Mexico from 1876 to 1911: "Poor Mexico, so far from God, and so close to the United States."

If, unlike the Suns, you'd rather stick to sports and keep politics off your chest, Surropa.com also has plenty of sports-related shirts among its offerings. My favorite screams "GOAL GOAL, GOAL" and it's just in time for the World Cup!

-- Susan Denley

Photo: Surropa.com