Your morning fashion and beauty report: Lena Horne dies. Dressing Michelle Obama. YSL's apartment for sale

Singer and fashion icon Lena Horne dies. [Los Angeles Times]

A tribute to Horne's style. [Style Section L.A.]

The secrets of dressing Michelle Obama. [The Daily Beast]

The funny folks who do Fail Blog also have If Shoes Could Kill. [Huffington Post]

Fashion designer Anna Sui will have a book out this fall. [WWD]

Design students can't get jobs. [The Cut]

Lady Gaga accused of losing Rigby and Peller lingerie. [Daily Mail]

She also walked around Sweeden in her underwear. [Styleite]

My eight-year-old self is dying for these Louis Vuitton booties. [Nylon]

Victoria Beckham brings back her "pob" hairstyle. [FabSugar UK]

A look at Lindsay Lohan's "it" bag for 6126. [People StyleWatch]

Dissolving wedding dresses? Well, you are only supposed to wear it once. [Telegraph]

Harrods, London's enormous luxury department store, is sold for $2.2 billion. [Racked]

And BCBG joins the trend of U.S. stores crossing the pond. [WWD, subscription required]

Fashion designers + home decor = collaboration magic? [WSJ]

Late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent's Paris apartment is for sale. [Vogue UK]

How H&M keeps things cool. [WSJ, subscription required]

-- Whitney Friedlander

Photo: Lena Horne, shown in a 1946 promotional photo for the musical "Till the Clouds Roll By." Credit: Associated Press / WNET

SAG Awards red carpet: Diane Kruger, taking a cue from Michelle Obama, will wear Jason Wu

 
The stars are en route to the Screen Actors Guild Awards in downtown L.A. After the spongy mess that was the red carpet at the Golden Globes, organizers decided to tent the red carpet today. But after a week of rain, the sun is shining. Let the fashion parade begin.

"Inglourious Basterds" star Diane Kruger, who made such a splash on the Golden Globes red carpet dressed in an ombre pink gown from one of Paris designer Christian Lacroix's last couture collections, is expected to wear Jason Wu at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Wu is the up-and-coming New York designer who made the frothy white gown that First Lady Michelle Obama wore to the inaugural parties last year. Kudos to Kruger for taking a chance on a young American designer. Can't wait to see it.

--Booth Moore

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[UPDATED AT 5:23 P.M.]: Diane Kruger wears Jason Wu to the 2010 SAG Awards. Credit Matt Sayles / Associated Press

Michelle Obama swings to 'It bag' status

Nearly a year after the inauguration, it's no surprise that there are a bevy of Obama-rama products on the market to commemorate the first couple, from President Obama flip-flops to cardboard cutouts of the First Lady. But this Mighty Michelle Shopper, which I found at my favorite local bookstore back east (and promptly purchased for the politico on my list) has to be my favorite.

It's from Pittsfield, Mass.,-based novelty company Blue Q, makers of such life necessities as the Dirty Girl Bubble Bath, Miso Pretty Lip Balm, Look and Feel Canadian Breath Spray and Supermodel Meal Gum. Just $11.99, the shopper was designed by British illustrator Fiona Hewitt, and is made from 95% recycled polyproplylene.

It's been a top seller since it was introduced in October, according to Mitch Nash, co-owner of Blue Q, who says that his company has shipped tens of thousands of the stylish accessories, with multiple reorders coming in from several retail stores, including Pearl River Mart in New York City. "They are selling well in red and blue states."

"We make lots of these bags, but this was the first topical one we’ve done. We wanted to give it a fantasy feel, to have it embody the feeling of the country being on the upswing." The first lady is appealing on a lot of different levels, he adds, "As a style icon and a healthy eating advocate, which is why we put some gardening elements in the illustration. She's so open and warm and inclusive, and she hasn't created any real controversy, at least not yet. Everyone loves Michelle."

The project was smooth sailing except for one detail--getting the first lady's arms just right, he says. "We had to redraw them several times because they weren't buff enough."

Photo: The Mighty Michelle shopping bag ($11.99), designed by British illustrator Fiona Hewitt and made by Pittsfield, Mass.,-based novelty company Blue Q, is 95% recycled polypropylene plastic and has been a top-seller for the company since it was introduced in October. Photo credit: Blue Q

-- Booth Moore

Moschino revamps classic pieces for spring/summer 2010

Italian designer brand Moschino is mining its roots for spring/summer 2010. The label -- a favorite brand of First Lady Michelle Obama's (she wore a Moschino blouse to the Vatican) -- is reproducing a selection of designs created by house founder Franco Moschino as a part of its latest collection. The items will be made with special “Archivio Moschino” labels.

"The past helps us to understand the present and understanding the present gives us the ability to open up our imagination for the future," said creative director Rossella Jardini, who pored through the 26-year-old brand's archives when choosing the iconic pieces to revamp.

"This season especially it felt right to take Moschino’s creative DNA from the past as a point of reference and inspiration and fuse it with our creativity now for the look into the future."

Jardini chose some of the house's most recognizable designs, including a boxy suit trimmed in pearls, a playful black-and-white heart-print dress and skirt, a dress bearing an embroidered peace sign, a white oversized T-shirt emblazoned with the word "Niente" (the Italian word for "nothing") and a biker jacket featuring colored pins.

But none of the homages are direct-from-pattern rehashes. The designer tweaked the fit of each item to modern proportions. The collection will be available at Fred Segal and Saks Fifth Avenue in L.A. But it's safe to assume we'll see it on the first lady first.

--Emili Vesilind

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Photo: A pearl-trimmed suit jacket from the Archivio Moschino collection. Credit: Moschino.

HSN helps you sparkle like Michelle Obama for the holidays

When my friend wants to make herself feel better about not living in a Hancock Park mansion she says, "Who wants to live on Rossmore anyway? Too much traffic." I tend to abide by that logic when I look at designer gowns like the shimmery silver-and-gold Naeem Khan creationMichelle Obama wore to the White House state dinner last week. I don't need a dress like that. It'd just take up space in my closet. But a slightly toned-down version?

For a more realistic sparkly ensemble meant to liven up a holiday party or New Year's celebration, there are the dresses, skirts and more from Khan's Timeless collection for HSN that launched in October. Prices are in the (somewhat) more reasonable price range of $60 to $500.

Not sure if you have the guts to pull off the glitz? Check out Times stylist Melissa Magsaysay's article on how to wear sequins.

-- Whitney Friedlander

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Photos: Michelle Obama's fashions

Sequins adding shine to daytime dressing

Left photo: Michelle and Barack Obama at their first state dinner as residents of the White House. Credit: Susan Walsh / Associated Press.

Right photo: Timeless by Naeem Khan sequined V-neck swing dress in gold, $399.90. Credit: HSN.com

Digging through our closets: Michelle Obama's fashions

Before heading to the holiday sales, get some fashion inspiration from some of our readers’ favorite features from 2009.

Google won't need to worry about removing these images of the first lady -- a gallery of her signature styles from the past year or so. It includes the now-famous Jason Wu inaugural gown that Times fashion critic Booth Moore described thus: "The one-shouldered style is sexy, and the powdery hue reflects the trends we saw on the Golden Globes red carpet" as well as the impressive metallic strapless number from Indian designer Naeem Khan, pictured above, that she wore to the Obamas' first state dinner. 

What do you think of how Mrs. O's fashion wardrobe is shaping up? Have you tried, or are you going to try, to incorporate any of her looks into your closet staples? Or are you so over it?

-- Whitney Friedlander

Photo credit: Susan Walsh / Associated Press

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Photos: Michelle Obama's fashions

Jason Wu draws a stylish crowd at Neiman Marcus

Jason Wu, the 27-year-old designer whose star has risen considerably since Michelle Obama wore one of his frothy creations during the inaugural ball, drew a very stylish crowd while showing his spring 2010 collection at Neiman Marcus last night.  

His friend and perennial fashion plate Diane Kruger hosted the event dressed in a one-shoulder-black-with-teal-polka-dots cocktail frock, accented with Roger Vivier heels and Eddie Borgo bracelets. "We met at Cannes, and we've been friends ever since," said Kruger, who certainly has carte blanche to her share of designer duds, having been the face of Chanel and Louis Vuitton but has recently favored Wu's creations. A few other starlets donned his designs, looking more grown-up and put together than their late teen years would suggest. Katie Cassidy, Jessica Stroup and Amber Heard all wore short dresses by Wu.  Heard's high blond ponytail, porcelain skin and bright red pout made her look like a dead ringer for Scarlett Johansson.

Star wattage aside, the crowd of fashion industry insiders, stylists and socialites took in the collection worn by models posing around the department store floor. Everything from a simple, solid colored emerald green dress to a pale pink and white feathered cocktail number came out during the event, perpetuating Wu's reputation for making refined and feminine clothes. But unlike his past collections, several pieces in his spring line had a few raw and rough edges -- a touch purposely put there by the designer who played around with the juxtaposition of hard and soft. "I was really inspired by [sculptor] Tara Donovan and Tim Burton," says Wu.  "It's sculptural versus stitches. I like the contrast between romantic and rough around the edges." Judging by the turnout for the Beverly Hills event and his rapidly growing celebrity following, it seems his fans will too.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photo (top left): Cameron Silver, left, and Jason Wu. Credit: Melissa Magsaysay

Photo (top right): Diane Kruger and Micah Shifman. Credit: Melissa Magsaysay

Photo (above): A look from Wu's spring collection. Credit: Melissa Magsaysay

New York Fashion Week review: Jason Wu's Spring/Summer 2010 show

Happy days are here again. That was the message at Jason Wu's spring show. And why not? There are few American designers who have skyrocketed to fame as quickly as Wu, a relative unknown until First Lady Michelle Obama chose his one shouldered, frothy, feathery white gown to wear to the inaugural balls this year.

Presented in an elegant ballroom at the St. Regis Hotel today, the collection had the same lightness as that famous gown, starting with a onesie in silk tweed as soft as mohair, in a shade that brought to mind a fuzzy peach.

Fashion Diary: Lunching with Loree Rodkin

Gossip, first impressions, trends in the making, celebrities and style setters. A regular feature by fashion critic Booth Moore.

Having lunch with jewelry designer Loree Rodkin is like devouring a juicy Hollywood novel. First there are her famous affairs to discuss -- with Don Henley, Bernie Taupin and Richard Gere. Then, her lifelong friendships with Cher and Elton John, and her extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime experiences, such asbeing introduced to Paris by Salvador Dali, and propositioned by Jimi Hendrix (she turned him down).

It’s no wonder that she’s had two offers to option her life story.

Not that Rodkin is a party girl. Far from it. Arriving on the L.A. scene in the early 1970s, she’s gone from being a rock n’ roll interior decorator to a talent manager to a fine jeweler. But she’s never been into drinking or drugs. In fact, she’s babysat her fair share of addicts, including Robert Downey Jr., when he was a client.

"They could call my book ’Designated Driver,’ " she jokes.

Her medieval-meets-modern jewelry is worn by just about everyone in Hollywood. But it is First Lady Michelle Obama who has been the biggest booster lately, choosing Rodkin’s designs for election night and the inaugural balls, where she wore 61-karat white gold and rose cut diamond earrings with garland drops, a 13-carat diamond cocktail ring and a wrist full of diamond bangles.

Revenge of the 'dad jeans' -- president joins wife on Vanity Fair best-dressed list

Our compatriots over in the Calendar section have posted the news that President Obama has made the grade -- style-wise anyway -- and has joined his wife (who has made the cut twice before) on Vanity Fair's 2009 International Best-Dressed List.

That should come as a bit of a shock to those who pilloried the POTUS for the so-called "dad jeans" he wore while throwing out the first pitch at the MLB All-Star game (even "Today's" Meredith Viera felt the need to ask the leader of the free world about his jeans).