One of the most highly-regarded collections of American and European costume is to be transferred from the financially-struggling Brooklyn Museum to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The move will allow for garments to be properly cared for and exhibited after a lengthy period out of public view, as due to the cost of exhibiting such pieces the collection has been in storage for more than a decade.

Two pieces from Charles James.

The 23,500 piece collection is to be integrated into the Met’s Costume Institute. Amassing over more than a century of collecting, it includes a definitive collection of Charles James material, as well as signature pieces by both American and international designers including Elsa Schiaparelli.  It’s big win for both the museums and fashion enthusiasts - by combining the Brooklyn collection with the Met’s current pieces we’re given an extensive timeline of fashion history.

Largely assembled from the closets of grand ladies of Brooklyn and Manhattan, the newly-named Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection will be a definite must-see for anyone interested in how fashion has progressed over the years.  Click here for an in-depth read about the collection and acquisition.

Above Top: Pieces from the Met’s Costume Institute collection include from top left: Yves Saint Laurent, two dresses from Courreges, two outfits from Rudi Gernreich, platforms from Ferragamo.

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Marion Cotillard in Dior Haute Couture

The 81st Oscars took place tonight and one word that summed up the night - from the set design, to the fashion - is CLASSY.  It seems like the actors took heed of all the previous award show fashion critiques because most of the dresses were gorgeous and there weren’t many mishaps.  The set design of the show was gorgeous - the curtain was made from 100,000 Swarovski crystals lit from behind.  The band was brought on stage to evoke the big band era of the 1940’s and the way the Best Actor categories were announced brought a few tears to the eyes.  That said, let’s get to the fashion!  There were definitely some trends - the main one being light, neutral colors like white and beige.  One of my favorite dresses of the evening was Nicole Kidman’s but sadly I don’t have a photo.

Pale Perfection

Pale colors were very popular on the red carpet from Marisa Tomei’s white Versace gown to Sarah Jessica Parker’s “barely mint,” pastels were the color of the evening.

Tarji P. Henson in Roberto Cavalli; Evan Rachel Wood in Elie Saab

Ms. Henson’s flower petal dress is gorgeous and she carries it so well. Ms. Wood’s dress is very sophisticated, and together with her retro hair, her look hearkened back to old school Hollywood glamour.  The dangling earrings and black nail polish were a nice touch.

Anne Hathaway in Giorgio Armani Prive; Jessica Biel in Prada

Both dresses are lovely - my only comment about Ms. Biel’s dress is that no matter how great your figure, no one really needs that much extra fabric in front.

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Worship Worthy has launched the follow-up Holiday collection to their debut season.  The new line features printed tees, leggings, bodysuits, and sequins galore.  The tees are cute and include the logo variety, as well as homages to high fashion icons like Vivienne Westwood and Yves Saint Laurent.  The sequin pieces include a pair of leggings and a bodysuit that zippers down the front (very sexy!).  The pieces are interchangeable and layer in way that is nonchalant but very chic.  The sequins add the right amount of glitz to your glam. In addition to the clothing, Worship Worthy teamed up with Devout Dolls to create Lin & Ling the cutest, straight-jacketed twins I’ve ever seen.

The look book is shot beautifully by Olivia Malone and I like the props, especially the mask, bows, veils and black roses.  Balloons are also featured:  I’ve seen so many balloons in look books lately I’m beginning to think balloons are the new black. Check out more pictures from the look book after the jump.  The pieces are available on the WW Web Shop, Cultist Shop, The Reed Space (NY) and Bauhaus (HK).

All images shot by Olivia Malone

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I recently attended the preview of the Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective at San Francisco’s de Young Museum, and was absolutely spellbound by the finesse of the exhibition and the vast collection of the 130 Maison Haute Couture Yves Saint Laurent ensembles never before seen in the U.S. outside of the French house’s private archives. The exhibition celebrates his life’s work as a French couturier, as sadly, he passed away in June of this year, leaving behind a fashion legacy spanning four decades, and whose designs were so influential, that he helped redefine feminism as we know it today by modernizing the pantsuit, establishing its importance as a chic and socially acceptable fashion staple.
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3 of the 4 totes.  I was so excited to give Michelle her tote I forgot I had to take a picture first.

What a day!  I’ve been hearing the buzz online for weeks about free YSL totes and I’ve been eagerly waiting for this day.  I didn’t even really think I’d get my hands on some but I scoured the internet last night to find the latest scoop on where the totes would be handed out.  There were many theories.  Some said to go to the YSL Boutique on 57th & 5th, some said to be in the vicinity of Bryant Park (where fashion week is), Times Square, Union Square, and Soho.  But what time? What street?  Oh, the pressure!

Fast forward to Saturday morning, hitting snooze repeatedly but making myself get ready to get into the city in time for the Charlotte Ronson show at 11 am (story & pics to follow - stay tuned).  After seeing the show I exited the tents and made my way up 6th Avenue to walk up to the Colette x Gap store.  The pop-up shop is only 3 blocks from the YSL 57th St. boutique and I figured it would be good to be close by.  As I exited the tent I saw a woman walking down the block with a white YSL tote.  I sprinted toward her and asked “Where did you get that tote?!”  She said they were handing them out down the block.  Could it be that easy??  I run down the block and get a bag.  I actually get 4 - I can be sneaky when I have to.  They weren’t giving out multiple bags but sometimes being a “large handbag” girl comes in handy.  I got a bag and then walked away and put it in my bag and did this 3 times.  By the fourth time I felt like the girls would recognize me so I approached a woman nearby who looked like she did not care about the bags and told her how desperately I needed a bag for my friend but I could only get one - I was ready to offer her money - one of my crazy moments.  She willingly got one for me - and I didn’t have to pay.  Sometimes being polite and smiling will get you what you want. And, no, you won’t see my bags on e-bay.  I have a black and white one for my own collection and I got Liz and Michelle a bag each.

The girls who were giving out the bags gave it to all passerbys, regardless of whether they knew how desirable the bags are.  As they handed you a bag, the girls smiled and politely said in sweet voices, “Yves Saint Laurent.”  That was it.  They all had long blonde hair in pony tails and were clad in black in the same outfits - black leggings, black sneakers and black manifesto cut-off t-shirt dresses (I wanted one of those too!).  I’m not sure how long the girls were there but I exited the tents around noon and from the time I first spotted them to the time they ran out I would say about 2 minutes passed.  I’m not sure where else they were handing out bags but I overheard someone say that he got his in Times Square.  Check out photos from the craziest 2 minutes ever after the jump!

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London emporium Dover Street Market has recently updated its window and added some new spaces featuring Lanvin, Salvatore Ferragamo, Yves Saint Laurent, Henry Holland and Hussein Chalayan. The Ferragamo space showcases 80 years of archive pieces from the Creations Collection by Salvatore Ferragamo - so exciting!

Yves Saint Laurent opens its first ever stand-alone “Edition 24″ space at Dover Street Market in a space designed by the renowned theatrical set designer Michael Howells. New Autumn/Winter ‘08-’09 designs are highlighted in the Lanvin, Henry Holland and Hussein Chayalan spaces. One of the more interesting spaces is One Plus One Eve Democracy - Medical Vintage, a new collaboration space featuring Christian Lacroix Haute Couture and Katerina Jebb’s personal vintage collection. Finally, one of the newest additions to DSM is the jewelry line of Tom Binns. His first collection, “Pearls in Peril” is the first of many collections that will be exclusive to Dover Street Market and I love what I’ve seen. Think tons of pearls layered with even more faux-diamond jewels. It’s a little bit drunken prom queen - but in a good way. Binns won the CFDA Fashion Award for Accessories Designer of the Year in 2006 so I’m excited to see his new collections. See the jewels and photos of the designer spaces after the jump . . .
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Hint Magazine featured some high-end looks by Givenchy, Lanvin, Yves Saint Laurent and more in an illustrated multi-media presentation called Drawing Blood. The feature is illustrated by kuanth and the flash design was done by RenderMonkey. You can choose the music that plays in the background as well. The illustrations feature wide-eyed girls (very Blythe-esque with different colored eyes) and creatures wearing the must-have pieces of the coming season. You can watch Drawing Blood here.

More images after the jump . . .

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Iconic French designer Yves Saint Laurent died today at the age of 71.  Laurent began his fashion career as assistant to Christian Dior and became head designer at 22 after Dior’s death in 1957.   In 1962 Yves Saint Laurent founded his eponymous label.  Saint Laurent is one of the most celebrated fashion designers of the 20th century and he is credited with making the women’s trouser a staple.  He is also famous for, among other things, his Mondrian collection, dressing Catherine Deneuve in Belle du Jour and Le Smoking (famously worn by Bianca Jagger on her wedding day).  He was the first living designer honored by the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  The fashion and art world suffered a great loss today.  Yves Saint Laurent’s contributions will be felt for decades to come.  

Le Smoking, Helmut Newton, 1975
More photos after the jump . . .
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Yves Saint Laurent and Colette got together to make this envelope clutch that I love. I’ve seen a bunch of envelope style clutches lately from the likes of Prada and Gucci, but this takes it to the next level by taking the term “envelope” literally. The bag opens like an envelope and is “addressed” to YSL with the return address as 213 rue Saint-Honoré - Colette’s address of course! The bag comes in silver metal leather and is limited to 10 pieces.

The back view after the jump . . .
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