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Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: Farah Angsana Fall/Winter 2012 Collection

Farah Angsana Fall Winter 2012 at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
Image: Malan B. Heydecke

One of my favorite shows of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week was Farah Angsana. The Inspiration of Farah Angsana Collection:  A well-traveled woman of high society who only wears the best. Whether attending a business meeting in Dubai, dancing at a political dinner party in London or partying it up in the hottest club in Tokyo, the Farah Angsana woman has a full closet of luxurious clothing made from the best fabrics in the world. The Farah Angsana woman is a lover of culture, refinement, and fashion. She pays great attention to fine details and has even finer taste.

Image: Malan B. Heydecke
Image: Malan B. Heydecke

The collection:

Influence from various countries including Japan, China, England, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates was seen all over the runway. There were some great cocktail dresses that would make a wonderful prom dress. Through out the show there was an abundance of full-length gowns embellished in sequins, Chantilly lace embroidery, and silk that will make any woman feel elegant.

Farah Angsana Fall Winter 2012 at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
Image: Malan B. Heydecke

I fell in love with the Royal Blue Silk Georgette Belted Caftan. It was absolutely beautiful. A well-made caftan looks wonderful on any and every body type. I also love the Ever Green Ruched Silk Satin Chiffon dress and the Violet Silk Lurex Asymmetrical Gown. These dresses moved wonderfully along the runway. While all the gowns were infectious, the dress that received a ton of oohs and ahhs was The Shanghai Blue Dragon Scale Embellished Tulle Gown. Farah Angsana sheer gown was the apotheosis of bold, luminous, and luxury. The Shanghai Blue Dragon gown is the perfect gown that will grace an actress on the red carpet very soon.

Hair and makeup: 

Christo was the creator of the look for the show.  For makeup each model had a bold red lip, lashes, arched eyebrows, and blush. The hair was sleek and well-groomed.

What was your favorite show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week?

By Malan B. Heydecke for Lipstick and Luxury

NARS Cosmetics Backstage at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week for Creatures of the Wind Fall 2012

NARS Cosmetics at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Creatures of the Wind

Lipstick and Luxury made our appearance once again backstage with NARS to capture the backstage beauty trends at Creatures of the Wind. The makeup was once again light and ethereal, let’s take a closer look:

SHOW: Creatures of the Wind

LEAD ARTIST: James Boehmer, NARS Director of Global Artistry

TREND: Ethereal, radiant skin

DESIGNER INSPIRATION: “We were inspired by a book from the 17th century called, The Secret Commonwealth: Of Elves, Fauns and Faires,” said designer Chris Peters. “The clothes all have an element of parallel existences – the real world versus the fairy world – manifesting itself in the combinations of fabrics and the idea of transformation and transition.”

LOOK: “The look is about ethereal, forest-wet skin,” said James Boehmer, NARS Director of Global Artistry. “You can’t use enough moisturizer – it’s dewy and really radiant. The eye should be defined in its shape but worn-in with its effect. As if you can see the eyelid through it, which we get from the gloss.”

Below are the key products used to create the exclusive look:

FACE
·         Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF30/PA+++

EYES
·         Cayenne Single Eyeshadow
·         Mambo Eyeliner Pencil
·         Bengali Single Eyeshadow
·         Coconut Grove Single Eyeshadow
·         Kuala Lumpur Duo Eyeshadow

LIPS
·         Rouge Tribal Larger Than Life® Lip Gloss (new for Spring 2012)
·         Triple X Lip Gloss

All products, except where noted, are available at narscosmetics.com.

So far I am loving all of the light and natural beauty looks. It looks like were taking a large step away fromt he heavy winged eyeliner and the bold red lip. What are your thoughts on this more natural trend?

New York Fashion Week FW 2011 Fine Jewelry Preview

If you are a lover of diamonds and lavishness of New York Fashion Week, than you are in the right place. Lipstick and Luxury attended the fabulous New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2011 Fine Jewelry Preview  at the magnificent Soho House! The Soho house was beautiful filled with Moet Champagne, sushi, and cupcakes from Baked by Melissa. The NYFW Fall/Winter 2011 Fine Jewelry Preview showcases some of the hottest jewelry collection for 2011.  The five collections at the preview were absolutely grand. From edgy skulls encrusted in black diamonds to a rose gold necklaces pair with natural materials and diamond, the preview was filled with lux! So let’s talk jewelry!

N.oor

The Riviere Necklace from the Touche Du Bois collection

Noor Fares, a talent and young Lebanese jewelery designer has develop a line that combined the beauty of nature with the opulence of 18k gold encrusted diamonds.  One of my favorite collection is the Touche Du Bois ,which means  “Touch Wood for Luck”,  uses of wooden beads and the opulence of the diamonds and rose gold. One of my favorite pieces from the collection is the Riviere bracelet and necklace. These piece to me have  great Subtle details. One example of that is the sapphire set “evil” eye in Riviere bracelets.  The Touche Du Bois is a beautiful collection. Here are a few of my favorite pieces.

Here is a look at the sapphire “evil” eye on the The Riviere bracelet from the Touche Du Bois collection

Soffer Ari

One of my most popular items from The Black Collection is the 9mm bullet balled chain necklace. The tip is covered in diamonds and can add the edge to any outfit.

I love this Cabrini green heavy ring. This ring is blanketed in black diamonds with raw silver exposed.

The Soffer Ari collection can be described in two words,Rock glam. Tons of celebrities wear Soffer Ari collection including Taylor from Beverly Hills Housewives, Singer Fergie, and epic rocker Slash. This handmade collection used the best diamonds and raw silver. My favorite collections from Soffer Ari is the Black Collection. The handmade raw artwork from the collection has subtle and dangerous beauty. Soffer Ari has a diverse line that also includes clothing and furniture.

Gayle Grenadier


With a Egyptian influence and beautiful hand craving artwork, the Gayle Grenadier is full of detail. My favorite piece from the collection is this 18k gold cuff with diamonds and emeralds. I personally tried on the cuff and the detail is skillful. I also like that the designer actually studied Egyptian hieroglyphics. The Gayle Grenadier collection is full of history and luxury.

Alex Soldier

Alex Soldier is known for designing beautiful jewelry and fine art including the Prince Rainer III Award given to Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta. One of the premier collections is the Alex Soldier Haute Couture collection. The Haute Couture collection is full of fine art. The meticulous handmade detail and allure. Each item is hand carved with a special made tool for this beautiful detailing. Up close the Haute collection is splendid and interesting.  Every piece from Alex Solider should be in a gallery.

I love the cuffs. It is a great accessory for any wardrobe.

I tried on this diamond locket and I love the structure of the necklace and the precise work. I love the white and black diamonds.

I had a wonderful time at the New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2011 Fine Jewelry Preview. You can never go wrong with diamonds.  I had a wonderful time.

 

KAELEN’s Ready To Wear F/W 2011 Collection

Yes, L&L has the inside look of the Fabulous KAELEN Fall 2011 collection which premiered Saturday, February 12 . It was full of knits, pleats, and splashes of color. I loved how the designer, Kaelen Farncombe, add a vintage touch to her collection. The collection seemed to be inspired by the Wild Wild West, 80’s grunge, and the Victorian period. I love the rustic feel to the clothes and how this collection has some classic pieces that can be worn year round. The color scheme are earth tones with touches of  red, yellow, and blue to add excitement and warmth to the collection. Here is the KAELEN RTW 2011 at the DriveIn24 Studios in Manhattan.


One of my favorite look of the collection was this accordion pleated dress. This is one of the items that I can see on anyone throughout the year.

This is a fabulous coat. Great for any size. Love the use of plaid coat. The hint of red added pop to this outerwear. I also notice the hair, 3 cornrows on the left and a loose side braid, very rustic with a high fashion appeal.

Don’t be surprised when you see Dr. Martens make a comeback at the end of the year. I love the finish on these shoes, very shabby chic.


This printed dress and the red blazer are wonderful. I love that the puff shorts were pair with the midcalf boots and grey tights.

Fabulous red carpet dress. The accordion pleated dress is elegant and would look great on so many celebrities.

One of the huge eye catcher of the show was the yellow/green dress.


I love there Victorian inspired boots with a distressed finish. KAELEN also included stained distressed pumps in the collection. Great styling.

This geometric shape patterned dress is simple and stylish.


Great casual dress, the peek a boo cut out on the sides adding a alluring look.

The cable knit dresses in this collection were especially chic. Tons of layering was seen through out the show.

This color block coat is to die for. As a whole the fit of this collection is  great.

Sweater dresses are a fashion staple for every women, in my opinion. I have a feeling that many stores and designers will include cable knit sweater dresses in their collections.

The show was packed with fashion divas, press, and lovers of the KAELEN’s fashion. The space was reminisce of a in vogue barn party. The space was warm and sophisticated .

The designer Kaelen Farncombe presenting her entire collection to the audience at the end of the showcase. The show was a great assortment of the wearable and stylish clothing. I had a wonderful time at the KAELEN collection fashion show.

Concrete Runway: NYC

NYC is one of the fashion capitals of the world and known to house some of the best runway shows in the world. Many people are not aware that in the streets of New York is where you see what New York fashion is all about.  I will give you a rundown of the best place to see and shop for fashion in NYC. Today I will talk about the stellar shopping in Union Square and the fashion forward  look in Harlem, NYC. Welcome to a sneak peek at NYC Concrete Runway!

Union Square


Manhattan is full of great places to see some fabulous fashion. Though I love Fashion week, I can see some serious style at several places in Manhattan. One of my favorite places to check out some style is Union Square. Union square is full of fashion and style. From the Uptown diva to the downtown diva, Union Square is one of my favorite picks to see some serious style. Fashion around Union Square is a snap shot of the style of NYC. Union Square is the best place to find a kaleidoscope of style and fashion. The best place to see fashion is at Greenmarket farmers in market Union Square. Some of the best fashions can be seen there.  Who knew that buying veggies could be so stylish.

There are also some great stores in the Union Square area you that need to be seen in order to embrace the style of NYC. One of my favorite fashion havens is Nordstrom Rack in Union Square! This is the best place to brand names on a knockoff budget. Everyone is having money issue with this recession so this is great for all my L&L divas and divos. So if you love great clothes and designer labels but you more is a bit short, than Nordstrom Rack in Union Square is it. Yeah Nordstrom Rack!

I love Vintage shops and Union square is filled with great vintage shops! If your look is vintage than high fashion than go to the fabulous Shareen Vintage in NYC. This shop is full of fashion goodies. You can find fashion gold in the racks of Shareen Vintage. They hold some of the best designer names and classic apparel than any huge department store. When you buy vintage, you buy a piece of fashion history. There are tons of vintage shops all over Union Square, make sure you explore Union Square for all it fashion treats.

Harlem


From the runway to the Boulevard, Harlem NYC has been an inspiration to many fashion designers and stylist. Many designers in the industry use the style and essence of Harlem as a muse to their collection. There are tons of places to go in Harlem to find fashion gold but nothing compares to 125th street! 125th is home to the legendary Apollo and some of the best fashions the city. From urban to chic, Harlem has it all. Just take the A train up town, get off at 125th street and look at all the different styles, looks, and up and coming trends that Harlem has to offer. Many do not realize that Harlem is the place where many fashion trends start.

There are tons of stores that are a must when visiting Harlem. First make sure you stop by House of Hoops by Foot Lockers. This store has the most exclusive sneakers on the market. If you are a sneaker head than this is you one and only stop you will want to make.if you are a lover of urban inspired fashion than definitely check out Atmos NYC, Dj Jays, and Jimmy Jazz. These stores have a great selection of apparel.

For all my cosmetic diva out there make sure you stop by two stores on 125th street, M·A·C cosmetics and Carol’s Daughter. Both of these stores has everything you need to get your makeup tight and you hair and skin look right. There are also many great mainstream and boutique on 125th, which makes shopping a breeze. I would suggest visiting all shops along 125th. There are some huge labels that call Harlem home like American Apparel and H&M. While the shopping at all the stores in Harlem is great, some the best items you can find are on the tables of the dozens of street vendors that lines 125th. I found some chic and reasonable accessories street side. You can get just about anything from the street vendors, from hoop earring to great novels. Harlem is a shoppers dream.

Well my L&L readers, this is the conclusion of the Concrete Runway: NYC  – Union Square and Harlem edition. Later on this week I will give you a look at the infamous Madison Ave in NYC and Soho!

Photo Courtesy