25 posts tagged "Victoria’s Secret"
The Sweet Spot
“We always felt like there was a huge gap between brands like La Perla and brands like Victoria’s Secret,” says Monica Paganucci, the creative director of new intimates label Sweetly Inked, which launches tomorrow exclusively online. A meeting of minds, including NYC creative agency Playworkgroup, stylist Samira Nasr, and creative directors Paganucci and Rico and Michelle Garcia, Sweetly Inked’s eleven-piece all-black range is a play on tattoos. “The inspiration [for the initial collection] was to create a line that would highlight where most people would have artwork on their bodies. That inspired the theme of transparency,” Paganucci continued, noting that texture was a key element in the range. The designers will focus on one collection a year, but they plan to supplement their signature fits and cuts with limited-edition wares. “You should always be able to go back and find your favorite bra,” Paganucci reasons, albeit one with seductive sheer paneling and strategically placed exposure. As Sweetly Inked grows, so too will the collection—loungewear is set for a Fall launch.
Sweetly Inked will be available from tomorrow exclusively at www.sweetlyinked.com.
Model-Slash: Jewelry Designer Lindsay Ellingson
Lindsay Ellingson’s line of silk-and-gold bracelets, Goldie Knots, is sweet and unassuming—a lot like the model herself, who has a girl-next-door appeal despite her high-profile career. She got her start by attending a scouting event on a whim in 2005. At the time, she was studying biology at the University of California at San Diego, and knew nothing about fashion. So when she was quickly picked up by an agency, flown to Paris, and instantly sent to meet with John Galliano, who wanted her to open the Christian Dior show (mind you, she had never heard of John Galliano or Christian Dior), she didn’t know what to expect. “My eyes were squinting so badly because I didn’t realize the lights were going to be so bright!” she says of her Dior debut.
A self-confessed science geek (in Valentino: The Last Emperor, the camera pans a room of models backstage in hair and makeup, and she can be spotted with her nose in a tome on Einstein), Ellingson, now twenty-eight, has been going nonstop since diving into modeling eight years ago. She’s walked for everyone from Michael Kors to Chanel, done Victoria Secret’s runway spectacle for five years running (yes, she’s worn those coveted Angel wings), shot campaigns for the underwear megabrand, as well as Tommy Hilfiger, Moschino, and MAC, and starred in editorials (and a few cover shoots) for Vogue, GQ, and Marie Claire.
A stranger to fashion no more, the model is now somewhat of a designer herself, turning out high-quality creations of knotted silk and 14-karat gold that she makes by hand. Having learned the craft from her mother, Ellingson started by making the bracelets for herself. However, the baubles quickly caught the attention of her friends, and a Victoria’s Secret stylist requested to use them on a few shoots. Thus, Goldie Knots was born. Most of her business has come from word of mouth, but her Web site is launching this spring, where the bracelets will be sold for $150 to $250. A lover of animals, Ellingson will be donating a portion of the proceeds to help out her furry friends. “So far, in just the very small amount of business I’ve done, I’ve donated about $2,000 to the Humane Society of the United States.” Talk about an Angel.
A Lingerie Pioneer Explores A Brave New World: Ready-To-Wear
The art of seduction is hard to master, but confidence-boosting lingerie never hurt. Enter intimates maven Jennifer Zuccarini—a co-founder of Kiki de Montparnasse and former design director at Victoria’s Secret—and her newly-launched Fleur du Mal, a collection that celebrates undressing and dressing up in equal measures—which is to say it’s half-lingerie, half ready-to-wear.
“I’ve always had a vision for this brand,” she explains, “This idea of, Okay, there’s this gorgeous sheer blouse or dress. What’s the perfect thing to wear underneath it?” She’s now making both: provocative yet sophisticated underpinnings as well as similarly sensual separates and even a gown or two. From the delicate chiffon blouses to a button-front, A-line leather skirt down to the special occasion balconette bra and matching garters, the full range is a dream wardrobe for a wife—or a mistress.
Instead of going the wholesale route, Zuccarini focused on creating a unique, interactive (read: social-media friendly) e-commerce site, Fleurdumal.com. “I wanted to make a fully shoppable experience that can be emotional, too,” she explained. The editorial images can be shopped not only for Zuccarini’s own collection; they can click to learn more about the ABC Carpet & Home rug or the glossy art book in the shot, too. That’s because, Zuccarini says, “the site is a platform for bringing together all the things I love. It can be about clothing and lingerie, but it’s also about culture and music.” They’re on display in the video debuting exclusively below, and in the series of events Fleur du Mal is throwing to toast its debut this week, including cocktails, a dinner party, and a special performance on Friday night by French electropop band Saint Michel, appearing stateside for the first time.
Adriana Lima: Pregnant In Pirelli, And More Of Today’s Top Stories
Adriana Lima (pictured) is making history. The Brazilian model and Victoria’s Secret Angel is the first pregnant model to appear in the Pirelli calendar. Lima is expecting her second child with her husband, basketball player Marko Jaric. The 2013 edition of the famed calendar, which is known for its risqué photos, was shot in Brazil by Steve McCurry. [Telegraph]
Have you met Miss Wu? That’s the name of Jason Wu’s contemporary line created in collaboration with Nordstrom, named after the designer’s emblem of a hand-drawn owl. The collection will start with ready-to-wear, followed by accessories in 2014. “Instead of just doing ‘Jason Wu-for-less,’ the idea is to explore the other side of myself,” says Wu. [WWD]
Michael Kors is all about old Hollywood glamour, and it really shows in his Fall campaign. The designer tapped models Karmen Pedaru and Simon Nessman to play modern-day versions of the iconic pairing Carole Lombard and Clark Gable, in a Mario Testino-lensed photo shoot set in Los Angeles. This is the fifth time that the models have worked together for Kors. [WWD]
In other ad campaign news, the McQ Alexander McQueen Fall 2012 campaign, starring models Aymeline Valade and Arthur Gosse, has just been released. Valade sports a mullet-like blond ‘do in the minimalist black-and-white photos, shot by David Sims. [M-c-Q.com]
Ab Fab is getting on the Olympics bandwagon. The famous duo, Eddy and Patsy, is set to star in a special Olympics episode that will air on Monday, July 23. The funny pair will embark on a wild series of Olympics-related events, including Patsy lighting her cigarette using the Olympic torch. Stella McCartney, Dame Kelly Holmes, and Dame Tanni Grey Thompson will also make appearances. [Vogue U.K.]
The Supermodel Games, And More Of Today’s Top Stories
The 2012 Olympic Games are gearing up to be quite the fashionable affair. More reports have surfaced that the likes of supermodels Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Lily Cole, Stella Tennant, and Georgia May Jagger are expected to strut their stuff at the closing ceremony in clothes by Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Vivienne Westwood. The Englishwomen are doing it for love of country rather than financial reward—they’ll receive only 1 pound sterling each for their participation. [Telegraph]
In other supermodel news, Miranda Kerr divulged some of her secrets to Vogue U.K. The Victoria’s Secret stunner says she wanted to be a gymnast when she was younger, but that she was too tall and that modeling was never part of her life plan. Kerr also addressed the rumors of her talent for singing. “I love singing for my own benefit,” she said. “But will there be an album one day? Who knows? It’s not on my schedule right now.” [Vogue U.K.]
Congratulations are in order for Carolina Herrera. The designer will be the recipient of the Superstar Award at Fashion Group International’s Night of Stars gala this coming fall. Herrera joins the ranks of fellow designers Donna Karan, Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta, and Nicolas Ghesquière. The annual event will take place on October 25 with a Dreamcatchers theme. [WWD]
How many different variations of a Louis Vuitton handbag can you make? 80,000, apparently. The French house is launching a new service starting July 30, where customers can create their own bespoke handbags at the Haute Maroquinerie, a private salon in Vuitton’s Bond Street store. [Vogue U.K.]
Last week, George Michael tweeted the news that Kate Moss would be the star of his new music video and now you can get a sneak peek at the supermodel’s performance. Unlike the barely-there bikini getup that she wore for the White Stripes, Moss dons a modest, oversized shaggy coat. Catch the full video tomorrow. [Telegraph]