Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Unexpected Fashion Moguls--Livin' the Dream

Donatella Versace was all over the news and blogosphere in the past few days due to comments she made about celebrity designers.  "Some of these collections are for cheaper, mass market fashion. I don't think that creativity is there....  Pop stars can design snappy collections for their fans but global fashion brands need more than a touch of glamour to stay on top."  While I am sure that some of the teenybopper clothing lines cannot hold a candle to an iconic fashion house like Versace, I don't think that the accusation of having "lack of creativity" is necessarily a fair one.  Plenty of celebrities, whether they are actresses or musicians, have presented themselves as folks to be reckoned with in the fashion world.  I have received mixed opinions regarding Jessica Simpson and her monolith billion-dollar fashion empire, but I will say--I have two pairs of pumps from her line... and I love them.  (I guess you just have to try really hard to wipe out all images of Jessica Simpson in a pair of skimpy daisy dukes from that terrible "Dukes of Hazzard" movie.)

Katie Holmes is best known, these days, as the wife of psycho "is he gay" scientologist Tom Cruise (unfortunately, even her younger Dawsons Creek days are overshadowed by her strange marriage).  While the current goings-on in her acting career are known to few, even fewer may know that she's the founder of a high-end clothing line called Holmes & Yang.  Holmes' partner in the venture is Stylist Jeanne Yang.  Their objective was to "make pieces that you could bend over, pick up your kid, and still look really elegant while doing so" according to Yang. 
Holmes and Yang Fall 2011 Collection at Barneys
The line is in its second season at Barneys New York, so... either, it can't be all that bad... or fame and fortune can, indeed, buy all that you desire.  The line, which is priced outside of attainability for most normal folks, validates its steep tags on the foundation that everything is "Made in the USA."  Apparently, being made in the USA makes wardrobe staples in the line well into the $1,000 range, as a blazer can cost you $1,400 and a pencil skirt... a cool $1,250.  I will say, as I take a gander at items from what I can find through a Google search, it looks clean, sophisticated, and luxurious.  The NY Times also covered the collection.  However, was it really that hard for Katie Holmes, as a "mommy-on-the-go" to find clothes that fit her lifestyle?  I ask this, because the motto of Holmes and Yang's "realistic chic", does not really seem all that rare from designers currently present in the industry.  However, I am not a "mommy-on-the-go" attempting to meet all the demands of a celebrity lifestyle--with the knowledge base that comes with a celebrity bank account, so who knows.
I absolutely adore this blouse from her collection.  I prefer the outfit on the right to the more casual look on the left.
I think most of the items would not flatter my short, stubby body frame, but I could see how they would definitely look great on a taller gal like Holmes.  However, if I lost some poundage and tailored it to my body, I would love to rock this dress.  Perhaps, not with Katie's choice in shoes below, but I do love the look.
The loose, drapey style reflected in Malin's dress is showcased in their Spring 2011 LookBook.  Again, for those tall, lithe bodies out there...
Looking at the toned upper bodies of all these women makes me really want to hit the gym or a yoga class... pronto.  Ugh.  Curse you winter.

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