Uniqlo x Michael Bastian: Exploring the Polo

Uniqlo has dished out some pretty cool collaborations in the past, but few have made us as giddy with excitement as the Japanese mega-retailer’s latest partnership with Americana aficionado Michael Bastian. The collection centers around a preppy menswear staple: the polo shirt, and explores it in a wide array of colors, cuts, and patterns.  The entire collection is available for purchase here.

Written by Dominik Halas

Met Gala 2013 Best Dressed

This years Met Gala theme of Punk: Chaos to Couture brought out a variety of stunning gowns and looks that will not be easily forgotten in the future. The event is not only a celebration of fashion, but also a celebration with the art of couture and its symbiotic relationship with society and culture. The dark theme was left open to interpretation, which caused for some diverse results.

1. Beyoncé Knowles in Givenchy – Topping of our list is of course Queen B. Stepping out of her car in this beautifully patterned gown with full train was certainly a sight to see. It almost seemed that the hem of this gown was laced with dancing flames

2. Blake Lively in Gucci Premier – Obviously Blake, in this Gucci original would be a knockout. Using a multitude of textiles and elements this gown is the definition of hard and soft juxtaposition. Even in the dark train, Blake still managed to bring her usual bright light to the red carpet.

3. Nina Dobrev in Monique Lhuillier – All Nina really needed was a set of fangs and a trail of blood dripping down her chin and she would have the dark vampire look down. This lovely look by Monique (A Cashmere and Tweed favorite) is absolutely stunning. From the tulle train to lace leggings Nina utilized her dark features marvelously to pull of this living dead look.

4. Dylan Lauren in Ralph Lauren – If there was an embodiment of classic it may be Dylan Lauren, in a gown designed by her father. With soft flecks of metallic gold this white garment just draped so effortlessly over the stunning fashion heiress. The lines created by the ribbing really made this dress so flattering and quite simplistically beautiful.

5. Katie Holmes in Calvin Klein – This dress was a knockout on Katie. The flowing train of airy fabric really just had a movement that was so ethereal. Fabio really out designed himself with this gown. Katie managed to keep the punk theme with dark makeup, which was a direct contrast to the white purity in her garment. Absolutely beautiful.

6. Amanda Seyfried in Vintage Givenchy – This vintage Givenchy piece was perfect for Amanda. The best part about this down was not only the lovely patterned train, but the amazing open back detail. This gown can only be defined as regal and Amanda wore it so gracefully.

7. Joan Smalls in Tom Ford – Pictured here with the designer himself (also in Tom Ford) by far pulled of the full body lace dress the best over any of the other attempts. Joan simply looks fierce with the dramatic ombre, which trickles down against the intricate backdrop of her dress. I can only imagine how proud Tom Ford was to have his garment worn by such a stunning creature.

8. Anne Hathaway in Valentino – As soon as Anne, in all her blonde glory stepped out of her car, all eyes directly went to her. In an amazing shear Valentino gown with fringe cuffs, Anne was truly something to behold. She managed to do the shear in a tasteful way and especially with the blonde locks pull off glam punk effortlessly.

9. Sarah Jessica Parker in Giles with a Phillip Treacy headpiece and Christian Louboutin boots. – SJP always has a way of taking the crazy and making it look beautiful. With a grand combination of patters and ideals, Sarah J managed to make it all go together so well. The headpiece was the talk of the evening and once it managed to come out of her car, everyone knew this fashion icon had arrived.

10. Jennifer Lopez in Michael Kors –JLO is pretty much the very definition of sexy, in the almost leopard print gown by Michael Kors, Lopez really was just so hot. The gown hugged her famous curves and accentuated the beautiful woman we all know and adore. Topped with a wild and lovely up do, JLO is a perfect way to draw this list to a close.

Written by Luke Hartman, Photos courtesy of The Cut

The RISD Museum in Providence, RI held its Dandy Gala last Friday night in celebration of its new exhibit, Artist/Rebel/Dandy: Men of Fashion, which features pieces from the wardrobes of Patrick McDonald, Thom Browne, and Beau Brummel, among others. After previewing the exhibit, guests were led to the Providence Public Library where they rubbed shoulders with the likes of jewelry designer Waris Ahluwalia and Vogue’s Hamish Bowles. Guest speaker Andre Leon Talley gave an inspiring, witty, and entertaining speech on the beginnings of his career while he was at Brown finishing a Master’s Degree in French. Dandies left and right swarmed the dance floor in what was a grand evening of sartorial elegance and flair. The exhibit runs through August 18, 2013. 

Written by Dominik Halas/Photo courtesy of the RISD Museum

H&M CONSCIOUS: Collection and Initiative

Recently H&M has launced a multifaceted campaign centering around fashion sustainability, and being conscious of not only the world around us, but the needs of those less fortunate.

Everyone is entitled to feel beautiful, to be proud of ones appearance. It is clear that fashion is a large part of this. One of H&M’s goals during this campaign is to not let fashion be wasted, and the benefits of recycling fabric, styles and old garments. Collections are being taken at every H&M store in order to promote an idea of zero textile waste. Not only will this benefit the environment with energy savings, but also benefit those less fortunate as well. 

Also in order to promote this idea of CONSCIOUS, H&M has launched their Conscious Collection. A series of pastel, and robust almost couture pieces, are now available in many retail stores. The sea green tulle gown is simply amazing, and is something one would expect from a high end fashion house. While these garments are somewhat more expensive than the regular H&M piece, they are reasonably priced when looking at the detailed craftsmanship, and their modern appeal. 

All of these garments are made out of organic materials and also all the workers that made these pieces were paid fair wages and worked in suitable conditions. Not only is this collection beautiful, but the concept behind it is just as beautiful as well. 

Beyonce for H&M

International Music sensation Beyonce Knowles has been chosen as the face of H&M’s Summer campaign which largely reflects Knowles personal style. Shot in the Bahamas, Beyonce perfectly personified the modernity and ease that goes hand in hand with H&M, but also keeps true to her vivacious personality. Not only were stills shot for the campaign by Inez and Vindoodh, but a commercial and music video were shot as well by Jonas Åkerlund. One word for H&M summer?….Bootylicious.

Written by Luke Hartman, Photos Courtesy of hm.com

The Perfect Jean Jacket

Temperature’s have been rising, skies have been bluer, and everybody seems to be in a better mood. All of this can mean just one thing: spring is here! What better way to enjoy the weather than in a classic blue jean jacket, like this one from Canadian denim powerhouse Naked & Famous? Taking cues from classic 50’s fashion, the orange contrast stitching and raw denim of this menswear staple will endure years of daily wear and keep you in looking in style for just as long. It’s the perfect transition jacket for spring, and you can get it here from Barneys. 

Written by Dominik Halas / Photo from Barneys

Sister Tribes: Litke

LITKE, designed and created by Catherine Litke, had a unique inspiration for her Fall/Winter 2013 Collection. Having been raised in both Poland and New York City, and while interning at Vogue she has she has been introduced and inspired by many different aesthetics. Learning and working with many of the best stylists and traveling the world, she was inspired to create her own brand. Litke’s inspiration for her collection came from the subtle, dark colored clothing the Amish wear. Talk about different! This collection contains a variety of both light and dark colored gowns, blouses and pants. These colonial prints are made from 100% Swiss and Japanese cotton, and are composed of knitted patterns sewn together, which create a beautiful quaint quilted look. Some of the dresses have long puffy sleeves and an open low cut back, giving the garments a slightly modern feel. Her floral printed skirts have a slit along the side making them more suitable for the younger generation. Although this collection plays right along with the conservative trend it has an element that keeps viewers and buyers constantly intrigued.   

Written by Taylor Tuzzalo and Luke Hartman

Sister Tribes: Valentine Gauthier

Valentine Gauthier’s eco friendly Fall and Spring collections was inspired by “raw nature.” Represented by Sister Tribes, this brand is one that uses innovative textiles and ideas to portray modern concepts. The pieces in this line were all made from organic fabrics and naturally treated leather from India and Europe. This everyday collection consists of fitted, structural leather jackets and brilliantly colored dresses, pants, and shirts. Conceptualized with the trend of pattern mixing in mind, Gauthier took this to the new level, such as indo Aztec shapes, animal prints, and boho tribal. These simple designs are not only unique but portray the overarching natural theme. From the flowing garment shapes, earth tones incorporated in the pieces, to the subtle nuances in each piece that spike intrigue. The garments in these collections are easily paired with each other, and a wide variety of garments due to their simplicity and overall versatility. Gauthier is a fairly new designer and her line is carried by Santine in Los Angeles and by Anthropology. 

Written by Taylor Tuzzalo and Luke Hartman

Hair and Makeup by Erin Collins

Photos by Gregg Gall

Styling by Luke Hartman

Model: Taylor Tuzzalo

As if we didn’t love JLaw before, we now have even more reason to love this down-to-earth starlet. Jennifer Lawrence, the new face of Miss Dior, has admitted to being photoshopped in her recent ad campaign.

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Lawrence admits, “That doesn’t look like me at all. I love Photoshop more than anything in the world. Of course it’s Photoshop, people don’t look like that.”

Though photoshopping isn’t a new concept, celebrity acceptance is. I have rarely heard a celebrity admit to their photoshopped-flawlessness in an interview before, but leave to Jen to keep paving the way for reality in the La La Land machine.

Jennifer is known for her realism and normalcy in the public eye. No interview can be a true JLaw interview without a meme or gif going viral. Even her controversial “I beat Meryl” joke was quickly forgiven. The joke, if made by anyone else, would’ve been viewed as an affront to the incomparable Meryl Streep, but coming from Lawrence it is simply a funny movie reference; no harm done.

When did being a normal suddenly become credentials for becoming and international movie star? Whatever. You go JLaw, keep being your adorably normal self.

Written By Sydney Weinshel

Gucci Fall 2013

Gucci’s fall collection brought in a really interesting concept of minimal color, in the format of accents against a black or solid background. Models adorned in strong pieces sauntered down the runway, emitting a prowess specific to Gucci. The most beautiful element of this collection was the seemingly hand painted florals on black structured pantsuits that were strikingly beautiful, and were presented in a variety of colors. Going along with the high neck trend seen so prevalently on the runways, Gucci presented high neck leather tops which were so amazing and also, all of the evening wear had some sort of high neck element, whether in mesh or a fully bodied textile. The showing of the same silhouette in slight variations with different colors incorporated. An overall brilliant collection, whose new elemental incorporations heightened fall to the next level.

Written by Luke Hartman Photos courtesy of Style.com