Fashion Icon, Yves Saint Laurent Dead

A Tribute to a Great Fashion Designer

Yves Saint Laurent, one of the most influential and enduring designers of the 20th century, and a favorite of many fashionistas, died on Sunday evening in Paris, aged 71. There can be little doubt that Saint Laurent was up there with the best, Coco Chanel and Christian Dior.

At just aged 21 the talented Algerian-born Yves Saint Laurent became Haute Couture designer when he took over the House of Dior after the sudden death of the legendary Christian Dior in 1957. The year after, Dior launched Saint Laurent's first solo collection the "trapeze" line, a youthful silhouette that started with narrow shoulders and a raised waistline, then flared out gently to a wide hemline. The collection was a big hit and the name Yves Saint Laurent was well on its way to becoming a household name across the fashion capitals of Europe and the United States. Saint Laurent was credited with having saved the House of Dior from financial ruin.

In late 1961, Saint Laurent announced plans to open his own haute couture house in partnership with his lover, Pierre Bergé. The first Yves Saint Laurent collection was shown on January 19, 1962. I love this incomplete black and white video talking about the release of Yves Saint Laurent's 1962 collection. "The new collection is about to be unveiled. Last winter's had a mixed reception. His career's at stake. If it's a flop, he'll have to close his house.Or he could be the Dior of tomorrow. It depends on those who shape public opinion. Helena Rubinstein, Blackwell, Virginia Pope, Marie Louise Bousuquet, Kurt Lang, Shepherd, Theron of Paris Match...."

So once again Saint Laurent was a big hit. It was the beginning of a success story that led eventually to a ready-to-wear line sold in the designer's own Rive Gauche boutiques around the world.

The iconic Yves Saint Laurent revolutionized fashion forever by putting women in pants without sacrificing their femininity. His fashions have often been the first choice of royalty and movie stars. Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham were among his many celebrity fans.

Yves Saint Laurent is quoted as having often said that he wished that he had invented blue jeans "the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity - all I hope for in my clothes." One of Yves Saint Laurent's most often repeated mantras is that "fashions fade, style is eternal." When it comes to fashion the name Yves Saint Laurent will indeed become eternal. Rest In Peace, Monsieur St. Laurent.

Sex and the City, the Fashion Movie is here!

Will Carrie Bradshaw and Mr Big finally tie the knot?

Will Cinderella and the Prince live happily ever after?

Well it's time to find out! Yippeeee!!! After its premiere in London on Monday May 12, 2008, the movie that we've all been waiting for, the movie based on the popular HBO Sex and the City series has finally arrived with special screenings at select AMC Theatres and then followed in theatres nationwide on Friday, May 30. You can even get 'Sex' at midnight with special Thursday night screenings in selected theatres!

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Sex and the City, The Buzz!

However, even before the film rolls, with the girls appearing on shows like the Today Show, the Early Show and Regis & Kelly, and of course with additional film and premiere coverage on entertainment shows including E! News, Extra, Access Hollywood, E.T., The Insider, and not to mention the multiple commercials on TV and the tidbits plastered in magazines and general press, Sex and the City (SATC) is at fever pitch!! Sex & the City fashion has been the buzz for fashionistas everywhere!!

Sex and the City, The Fashion!

I'm sure that you will be like me and just can't wait to see the movie incarnation of HBO's Sex and the City. I certainly can't!! I can't wait to see how the now 40-something Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker), successful author and everyone's favorite fashion icon-next-door, and her three gal pals, Samantha Jones (played by Kim Cattrall), Charlotte York Goldenblatt (played by Kristin Davis) and Miranda Hobbes (played by Cynthia Nixon), have matured in their attitude to sex, love and relationships and just as importantly, in how they have matured in the fashions that they love and wear.

Sex and the City, The Movie!

I know from Sex and the City, It's a Fashion Show! that "the fashion is really different. Everything is more expensive, more beautiful, the shoes, the jewelry..." and that the "fashion comes from Paris, it Comes from Italy, it comes from New York, it comes from everywhere" and that we can expect some maturity as Sarah Jessica Parker (SJP) herself has said that "taste has changed, palette has changed and that's what happens when you grow up."

However, with all the buzz and after watching the 30-somethings in re-runs of the HBO Sex and the City series for days now, I being a mega SATC fan, can't wait to see the feature-length movie. Yes I want to sit there for 2 hours and 15 minutes and watch the ultra chic and the fabulous and sophisticated Sex and the City style! I want to see the girls strut their stuff again :)

Sex and the City, the Designer Clothing, Designer Shoes, Designer Handbags and Designer Jewelry!

Yes there will be lots of love and sex, and Mr BIG of course, but I want to see the girls in the latest designer clothing and designer shoes as well as the hottest designer handbags and wearing the to-die-for designer jewelry. SATC the movie will no doubt be like going to fabulous designer clothing, designer shoes, designer handbags and designer jewelry fashion shows all lumped into one, 2 hour and 15 minute fashion show. I can't wait.

Sex and the City, the Designer Jewelry and Designer Handbags!

Now I know that Fred Leighton and Nancy Gonzalez, both played a major role in accessorizing the leading ladies for the film.

Sex and the City, Designer Jewelry

You will see the bling when Carrie Bradshaw lights up the Big Screen in her Fred Leighton designer jewelry. Fred Leighton played a starring role along side Sarah Jessica Parker in the Sex and the City movie. And it's no surprise given Fred Leighton's celebrated uniqueness and its unparalleled one of a kind jewels.

SATC's stylist and designer, Patricia Field, chose unique unrivaled Fred Leighton pieces to wardrobe Sarah Jessica Parker in several scenes of the movie. In multiple scenes throughout the movie a pair of Fred Leighton antique diamond pendant earrings are a staple in Carrie Bradshaw's jewelry repertoire. In the Carrie Bradshaw Wedding Scene, she wears a stunning pair of Fred Leighton, 19th Century Diamond and Natural Pearl Cluster Earrings and a Fred Leighton, 19th Century Diamond Feather Brooch. Now aren't these stunning Fred Leighton designer jewelry pieces to die for :O

 

Now if you want to similarly impress then Fred Leighton designer jewelry pieces and collections are available at the Fred Leighton store in New York City and the Fred Leighton Store in Las Vegas. By the way, Carrie's wedding dress was designed by fashion designer Vivienne Westwood; now isn't it gorgeous!!!

Sex and the City, Designer Handbags

Synonymous with style and renowned for being the ultimate in luxurious croc handbags, Nancy Gonzalez was also on the top of Patricia Field's list for accessories for the Sex and the City movie.

Both Samantha and Miranda are seen carrying Nancy Gonzalez designer handbags and crazy as it might seem, Samantha’s little pooch is also accessorized in matching Nancy Gonzalez accessories. This lucky dog is seen wearing a Nancy Gonzalez one of a kind gold croc collar and leash designed to match Samantha’s Nancy Gonzalez gold tote designer handbag (see detail picture below left) and apparently made especially by the designer for the movie. I'm not at all sure about coordinating your outfit with your dog but wouldn't you just love to get your hands on that little pooch ;)

In the scene where we see her walking down the street with the Sex and the City girls (picture below), Miranda is holding a Nancy Gonzalez exotic skin tote (see detail picture above right).

If you want the look then the Nancy Gonzalez exotic skins handbag and accessory collection is available at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and at fine specialty stores worldwide.

Sex and the City, the Ultimate Chick Flick!

Well will this movie incarnation of the HBO Sex and the City series be the Ultimate chick flick? Not long now to tell but it sure is looking like it will be. I just can't wait to see this chick-flick. Can't wait to see the designer clothes (Vera Wang, Vivienne Westwood, Christian Dior and Oscar De La Renta), the designer handbags (Birkin, Chanel. and Louis Vuittons), the designer shoes and all the bling, the designer jewelry :)

Sex and the City, It's a Fashion Show!

The world premiere of the much anticipated movie, Sex And The City (SATC) takes place in London tonight. Personally I think that New York should have had the first screening, I mean that's where the HBO series was set and shot, that's where the 30-somethings Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha strutted their stuff!

Regardless, as much as Sex and the City is about columnist Carrie Bradshaw, her three gal pals, and their lustful urban quest for good sex, love and fab clothes, being set in New York City, fashion has always been a major part of the story. But now some four years on what can we expect when it comes to the fashion?

Also, will it simply continue on from where the series left off or will the now 40-somethings have matured and matured in the fashions that they wear. Will we see more of the breaking of the rules, the unexpected and outrageous, or will we see a more mature collection of fashion. The following video by BlackTree Media might shed some light on these questions.

 

Well there are some clues there. It is said that "the fashion is really different. Everything is more expensive, more beautiful, the shoes, the jewelry..." and when talking about the show's stylist and costume designer Patricia Field, Sarah Jessica Parker says that "she's really good at telling the story with clothes and she really knows these women in the city." And yes we can expect some maturity as Sarah Jessica Parker later says that "taste has changed, palette has changed and that's what happens when you grow up."

Pat Field herself says that the "fashion comes from Paris, it Comes from Italy, it Comes from New York, it comes from everywhere" and when talking about the costumes Kristin Davis (Charlotte) says that "there were just tables of bags, like every new bag that you haven't even seen in the stores yet and then there were tables of shoes, and I mean it was just like Mecca."

So from this we can expect some new ideas but I'm sure that we'll see the latest in designer clothing, shoes and designer handbags. Yes there will be lots of love and sex, but just as importantly, the feature-length Sex And The City movie will be like going to a fabulous fashion show. I can't wait.