Fashion: Sofia Coppola's Marni/H&M ad has polka dots, a pool

 

Los Angeles Times Fashion Critic Booth Moore attended the gala launch of the new Marni at H&M collection Friday and mentioned in her post the promotional film about the collection directed by Sofia Coppola. That, of course, made me want to see the film, to kind of tide me over until the clothes hit stores March 8. Tune in above for polka dots, cocktails and a swimming pool in Marrakech, Morocco. 

Ed Hardy is coming out with men's and women's fragrances in bottles shaped like skulls, a fabric rose clenched between the teeth. They are to be available in September. [Refinery 29]

According to Dame Vivienne Westwood, people have never dressed as badly as they do today. And she blames fast fashion. The antidote, the designer said, was to "buy less, choose well, make it last." [Independent]

"America's Next Top Model" premieres its 18th cycle on Feb. 29, and the theme is "the British Invasion" -- so-named because half of the 14 hopefuls are from Great Britain. [The Cut]

Hardly anyone has seen Tom Ford's collection for fall, because the designer is sticking to his recent M.O. of showing privately and allowing no photographs. But those who have seen it call it amazing. [Styleite]

Former Urban Outfitters executive Jordan Schiff has gone to American Apparel as general merchandise manager. [The Cut]

RELATED

Tom Ford gets personal

Oscars' favorite costumes on display at FIDM

Fashion News: Samantha Cameron, Lana Del Rey at London Fashion Week

-- Susan Denley

Video courtesy H&M

Marni at H&M collection launches with star-studded Hollywood party

Drew Barrymore, Andrea Riseborough, Jessica Chastain, Milla Jovovich, Lily Collins, Freida Pinto, Winona Ryder and 200 other guests came out Friday night to fete the Marni at H&M collection, which launches worldwide March 8.

The setting couldn't have been more magical. It was the 1926 Sowden House in Los Feliz, designed by Lloyd Wright. And the Mayan architecture, lush palm trees, kilim rugs and cushions were the perfect backdrop for Marni's playful, tribal-meets-modernist aesthetic.

Marni creative director Consuelo Castiglioni was in town from Italy. Sofia Coppola, who shot a campaign film for the collection in Marrakech, Morocco, was also at the event, wearing a gold brocade top from Marni at H&M. Others came in straight from New York Fashion Week, including street-style blog stars Hanneli Mustaparta (Hanneli.com), Marie Hindkaar Anderson (BlameItOnFashion.com) and Wendy Lam (Nitrolicious.com).

Guests sipped Champagne under the stars and listened to a performance by Bryan Ferry, whose dreamy song "Avalon" was the soundtrack for Coppola's campaign film.

Everyone wanted to see the collection, which was artfully displayed in the house's walk-in closet.

It looks like another winner for H&M, with all of Marni's signature fun colors and prints, and sporty mix-and-match silhouettes. Several pieces are almost direct interpretations of ones in Marni's main line, including a striped, zip-front cardigan with a ruffle placket ($69.95), a short-sleeve, polka dot jacket ($79.95), a geometric scarf-print dress ($79.95) and a divine-looking caramel leather T-shirt ($149). Silk shorts and blouses, leggings and cropped print pants round out the women's collection.

There is a full range of accessories, too, including flat silver sandals ($59.95), a green print tote ($79.95), a collar of colorful plastic petals ($49.95), and another covered in sparkly sequins ($19.95). The menswear category includes nerdy chic short-sleeved printed shirts and knit ties.

--Booth Moore

Top photos left to right: Drew Barrymore, Jessica Chastain and Freida Pinto dressed in Marni at H&M at the Marni at H&M collection launch party in Los Angeles. Middle and bottom photos from the Marni at H&M look book. All courtesy of H&M. 

12 fashion trends and ideas to look for in 2012

Now that we've spent the better part of December looking back, it's time to look forward at 12 fashion trends and ideas to look for in 2012, including Art Deco, Fashiontainment, Brazil as the hot, new luxury market and Marni at H&M as the hot, new cheap chic designer collaboration.

PHOTOS: 12 trends and ideas for 2012

RELATED:

Top ten fashion trends of 2011

Movie costumes: The '20s roaring again 

-- Booth Moore

Left photo: Consuelo Castiglioni, founder and creative director of Marni (at left), works with Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor for H&M, (seated) on the Marni at H&M collection. Credit: Magnus Magnusson

Right photo: An Art Deco-inspired look from the Gucci spring/summer 2012 fashion show during Milan Fashion Week on Sept. 21, 2011 in Milan, Italy. Credit: Karl Prouse / Catwalking / Getty Images

Fashion News: Victoria's Secret fashion show models strut

The annual Victoria's Secret fashion show hit the airwaves on CBS Tuesday night, with Miranda Kerr showing off the $2.5-million fantasy bra (above), Jay-Z making an appearance and 37 other models walking the runway in lingerie. Most of us will never look as good in as few clothes as Miranda and Doutzen Kroes, who is posing at right. But you can at least copy their hair and makeup, with tips from the show's makeup artist, Tom Pecheux. [Us Weekly] [Beauty High]

Because the show was actually taped a couple of weeks ago, Kerr and the fantasy bra were able to make an appearance on Tuesday at the Victoria's Secret at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. [Orange County Register]

The dress Amy Winehouse wore on her "Back to Black" album cover sold at auction in Britain on Tuesday for four times more than had been expected. The dress fetched the equivalent of about $63,000, which is to go to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, a charity that aids young people. The buyer was Fundacion Museo De La Moda, a fashion museum in Chile. [Telegraph] 

H&M's collaboration with Trish Summerville, the costume designer on the soon-to-be-released "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," is scheduled to go on sale Dec. 14. Computer-hacker clothes befitting title character Lisbeth Salander are a big change of pace from H&M's recent Versace collection. [The Cut]

Meanwhile, H&M announced Tuesday that it will team with Italian design label Marni on a 260-piece collection for men and women, scheduled to go on sale in March. [Los Angeles Times]

The "Hunger Games" nail polish we blogged about recently looks like a non-starter. It seems that as soon as word of the collaboration started to spread, polish company China Glaze and film studio Lionsgate got into a dispute and are heading to court after China Glaze's parent company filed a breach-of-contract suit against Lionsgate. [Racked] 

Shoplifting is reportedly up 10% over last year, and it seems as though the thieves may be as interested in looking good as they are in getting something for nothing. A list AdWeek put together of the top 10 items most in danger of being lifted includes Axe body wash and deodorant, shaving products, clothes from Polo by Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, perfume and athletic shoes. [AdWeek]

Dior marked two firsts this week: It opened its first pop-up shop and unveiled its first artist collaboration. The pop-up will be open for about 13 days in the heart of Miami, Florida's Fashion District. And it contains the fruits of the collaboration, stocked full of accessories by German artist Anselm Reyle. [WWD]

RELATED:

What should a man smell like?

How tastemakers dress for the holidays

Fashion News: Stores accused of labeling real fur as fake

-- Susan Denley

Upper photo:  Miranda Kerr models the $2.5-million Victoria's Secret fantasy bra. Credit: Brad Barket / Associated Press

Lower photo: Doutzen Kroes strikes a pose at the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show. Credit: Brad Barket /Associated Press

Morning Report: Anne Hathaway's engaged; Marni designs H&M

Anne Hathaway is engaged to her longtime love Adam Shulman. In a series of photos, the two were canoodling in a park near their Brooklyn, N.Y., home looking blissful and a bit like a pair of J Crew models in colorful sweaters, sitting against a backdrop of fall foliage. But the real star here is the ring, which was designed by Shulman in collaboration with Kwiat Heritage Jewels. [Pop Sugar]

What divorce drama? The January cover of Glamour magazine features the Kardashian sisters looking fancy-free in itty-bitty bottoms and sparkly cardigans. The images inside show the girls having a giggly slumber party and playing DJ, but the interview isn't without a little lamenting from Kim, who claims that when it comes to love, maybe the fairy-tale life just isn't for her. [Fashionista]

Felicity Jones, star of the film "Like Crazy," is the new face of Dolce & Gabbana The Makeup's new Khol line. The actress sports an elegant and subtle smokey eye in the campaign images, thanks to the Pat McGrath-designed pencils, which come out in January. [Stylelist]

The usually reserved Victoria Beckham gave an emotional speech at the British Fashion Awards presentation, where she was honored with the designer brand of the year prize. [Daily Mail]

Italian fashion label Marni is the next brand to create a high low line for mass retailer H&M. The collection (in H&M stores March 12) helmed by Marni designer Consuelo Castiglioni will feature the house's signature whimsy, bold prints and bright colors. [Huffington Post]

RELATED:

Fashion News: A ban on fur clothing

Banned in Britain: Hailee Steinfeld ad for Prada

Independent L.A. boutiques offer a holiday shopping alternative

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photo: Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman are seen at the Governors Ball following the 83rd Academy Awards. Credit: Chris Pizzello / Associated Press

Milan Fashion Week: The top shows and takeaways

The big news in Milan was the continued interest in updating classic couture shapes with unusual colors, fabrications and surface embellishments.

We saw it done best at Jil Sander, where designer Raf Simons made outsize drop-shoulder coats, tunics and dresses with martingale belts look completely modern, by showing them with sleek, skiwear-inspired knits and stirrup pants.

At Bottega Veneta, Tomas Maier used ladylike, 1960s-inspired coats and sleeveless shift dresses as canvases for incredible work with layers of lace and print.

The 1960s trend took a mod turn at Versace, Alberta Ferretti and most notably at Prada, where coats and coatdresses with low-slung belts came in solids, windowpane checks, decorated with contrast piping, shag fur or silver-dollar sized paillettes.

Fashion's love affair with fur is still going strong. Marni's Consuelo Castiglione was the most inventive with fur, showing a modern-looking, zip-front mink blouson jacket, a full-length fur coat sheared into a diamond pattern, and a stiff, molded black leather jacket with a broadtail hem.

Also carrying over from spring, vivid color, seen most clearly at Gucci. Forest green, rust, mustard yellow, peach and teal blue were all hot hues, used to spectacular effect in Fendi's collection of arty, English country chic.

As for accessories, the Mary Jane with a chunky heel is the must-have. And why carry just one bag when you can carry two?

Now onto Paris. But not before naming the top five collections out of Milan: Bottega Veneta. Fendi, Marni, Prada and Jil Sander.

--Booth Moore in Milan

PHOTOS: Milan Fashion Week fall-winter 2011 top five shows photo gallery

Photos: Looks from the Jil Sander, Bottega Veneta, Versace, Alberta Ferretti, Prada, Marni, Gucci and Fendi fall-winter 2011 runway collections shown during Milan Fashion Week. Credit: Jonas Gustavsson and Peter Stigter / For The Times.

Milan Fashion Week: At Marni, diamonds and furs

At Marni this season, designer Consuelo Castiglioni struck the perfect balance between quirky and elegant, mixing arty geometric jacquard shift dresses, cocoon coats and flared trouser suits, with glamorous dyed furs and Deco jewels.

The palette was a gorgeous combination of black, white, gray, royal blue, purple, pink and jade green. I especially liked the color combo of a short, jade green mink jacket and a peachy pink knee length skirt. (For evening, skirts had bugle beaded hems.)

There has been a lot of fur on the runways here. But Marni's was the most modern--a zip front, short sleeve blouson fur jacket looked totally new, as did a full-length coat sheared into a diamond pattern. Some furs were even light enough to be layering pieces--a fur coat peeking out from under a stiff, molded black leather jacket, for example.

And it's looking like Mary Janes could be the shoes of the season. Marni's were elevated on wood platforms, or block heeled with spectator details.

--Booth Moore in Milan

Photos: Looks from the Marni fall-winter 2011 runway collection shown during Milan Fashion Week. Credit: Jonas Gustavsson and Peter Stigter / For The Times.

Milan Fashion Week: Marni's bathing beauties

There was a glimpse of the beach in Milan, Italy, when the graphic lines and prints of ocean sportswear washed over Consuelo Castiglioni's quirky and cute Marni collection.

Less Esther Williams and more Gidget, the look began with a South Beach palette of aqua, mint green, peach, flamingo pink and sunshine yellow.

Castiglioni's water babies wore two-tone swim caps (could they replace the turban as the chic headgear of the moment?), and sandals nearly as wide and flat as flippers.

Stretchy shorts and tops color-blocked like rash guards were the foundations. On top were wet-look leather miniskirts, and zipper-front, SCUBA-inspired jackets that were either waist-cinching or finished with a frill at the hem. Mesh insets also added athletic appeal.

Mini dresses and tops came in a charming white daisy chain lace, or splashed with psychedelic-colored florals and geometric prints.

By the time the finale dresses rolled out -- sheaths color-blocked with dime-sized paillettes in the graphic style of wetsuits -- I was ready to dive in. 

-- Booth Moore

Marni spring-summer 2011 runway collection photo gallery

Photo: Looks from the Marni spring-summer 2011 runway collection being shown during Milan Fashion Week. Credit: Jonas Gustavsson & Peter Stigter / For The Times

Top fashion designers donate merch and 'dream' experiences to Earth Day auction

Charitybuzz.com, an auction site specializing in philanthropic campaigns, is hosting an auction that includes merchandise and experiences courtesy of some of the fashion industry's most illustrious players.

The auction, which kicked off on Thursday and ends May 6, is a companion event to biggie art auctioneer Christie's "Earth Day -- Green Auction: A Bid to Save the Earth."

The collection of more than 200 items, many of which are "dream" experiences, includes a personal fitting for "his and hers" bespoke suits made of sustainable fabric by eco-friendly designer Stella McCartney; a chance to dine with Vera Wang and a $10,000 credit at her flagship store; two front-row tickets to a Missoni fashion show, plus lunch and a fitting with designer Angela Missoni; and -- perhaps the mother of all fashion offers -- an outfit chosen and styled personally by Giorgio Armani to attend the Vanity Fair Oscar After-Party in 2011.

The auction also includes experiences and merchandise from Nina Ricci, Gucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Marni, Proenza Schouler, Harry Winston, Irene Neuwirth and Sharon Khazzam.

The funds raised will benefit the campaign’s partners: Oceana, Natural Resources Defense Council, Central Park Conservancy and Conservation International.

-- Emili Vesilind

Follow All the Rage on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo: A customized Bottega Veneta handbag, up for auction as part of the Earth Day lot on Charitybuzz.com (estimated value: $20,000). Credit: Charitybuzz.com

Marni opens a spacey Las Vegas flagship

 
With store closings spreading like wildfire in Las Vegas, it's nice to hear some good news from Sin City's retail front. Italian designer label Marni has recently opened its first flagship boutique at Crystals, a swanky indoor/outdoor shopping center at the CityCenter.