In the lead-up to New York fashion week, designers go through hundreds of behind-the-scenes preparations to arrive at the completed show. This NYFW, we’ve sweet-talked a few of them into giving us an exclusive peek behind the curtain as they cast, score, style, and ready their presentations. Next up: Sophia Kokosalaki, the creative director of [...]

If the amount of paparazzi outside an establishment is any indication of its popularity—which is the only barometer I use to measure this sort of thing—then the place to be last night in London was Claridge’s Hotel in Mayfair. There were dozens of paps loitering, leaning on their expensive cars and mopeds. (Side note: How [...]

The Greek-English designer Sophia Kokosalaki took the reins at Diesel Black Gold for Fall 2010, when she presented her first collection for the label’s more grown-up offshoot. The fashion world took note—including Barneys, which picked up Diesel for the first time following the showing. Style.com caught up with Kokosalaki in Tokyo to talk craft, quality, [...]

Alber Elbaz was responsible for reviving the very Parisian idea of costume jewelry (Merci, Coco!) back in 2006 with his chic, beribboned pieces. Every Lanvin show since has had a bijoux component in varying degrees, but yesterday, Elbaz amped it up like never before with a crescendoing glitz factor. There were wide enameled cuffs stacked [...]

Sophia Kokosalaki is moonlighting again. The Greek designer, who briefly helmed Vionnet, will take on Diesel’s high-end contemporary line, Black Gold, in addition, that is, to working on her namesake collection. Those should be some pretty fabulous jeans. [WWD]
Stilettos for everyone! High-low takes on new meaning with the announcement of H&M’s latest collaboration, [...]

Designers embraced their inner Cleopatras and Tutankhamens this season, offering fresh takes on Egyptian costume (click for slideshow). At Anna Sui, hieroglyphs provided the basis for elaborate prints, while Sophia Kokosalaki worked in a pharaoh-worthy palette of lapis lazuli and gold. Andrew Gn amped up tunic dresses with embroidered metal collars, and Sophie Buhai and [...]

We’ve been back from Paris for just over a week, so we’re still in process mode—trying to parse the meaning of Spring’s sheer dresses, and the reasons why designers as different as Calvin Klein’s Francisco Costa and Donatella Versace added all manner of geometric flaps and appendages to their clothes. With Halloween on the horizon, [...]