Claire Danes Does Biker Jacket Dressing the French Way

The Paris collections are currently under way, and one major takeaway from cool French girl style is its nonchalant approach to fall dressing. Spotted en route toThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert in New York, it appears that Claire Daneshas been taking notes.

The knit Victoria Beckham dress is ladylike and seasonally appropriate, but it’s the way Danes offsets that femininity, casually throwing her biker jacket over her shoulder à la Parisienne, that is the game-changing factor here. Coordinating strappy sandals match the gray tones in Danes’s dress, and an oversize clutch completes the streamlined ensemble.

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New Flagship in Paris, and Pierre Bergé and John Demsey Toast the ANDAM Prize Winners

Last night, a stone’s throw away from Madeleine Vionnet’s former atelier on Avenue Montaigne, social mainstay Goga Ashkenazi celebrated her new era ofVionnet—and principally, the first global flagship created in the image of the house’s experimental couturier. The new shop—a winding, overtly decorative ode to the classical architecture and ’20s interiors that Madeleine Vionnet so adored—was, as Ashkenazi was quick to point out, long in the making.

“I wanted to respect as much as possible and to give as many references as possible to Madeleine Vionnet,” reflected Ashkenazi, as Sienna Miller, Dorian Grinspan, and more took in architect Renato Montagner’s brass-heavy, ornately geometric creation. “However, we wanted to bring in something new, and visually have something that will stand out on the streets of the city to mark this amazing comeback of Vionnet into the Parisian Golden Triangle.”

A few blocks away, the toasts continued at the ANDAM Fashion Award dinner, where Pierre Bergé and John Demsey welcomed Anthony Vaccarello, Simon Porte Jacquemus, Iris van Herpen, Gareth Pugh, and more to celebrate this year’s winners in Pavillon Ledoyen’s palatial dining hall. Menswear designerStéphane Ashpool of Pigalle, jeweler and Nicolas Ghesquière protégé Charlotte Chesnais, and Léa Peckre took home awards.

“I’m always very happy, and the winning of ANDAM is a good cherry on the top of my happiness,” grinned Ashpool, as guests dined on foie gras and slow-roasted chicken. “I started fashion without knowing exactly what I was doing. And every time I choose a theme. Last January it was about music. Then, last June, I decided to bring all my [basketball] kids and dress them up and use them as models because we spent so much time during the year. I love to mix original textures with a more sport element. Like, my jacket today looks like a jacket, but it’s completely elastic. I can play ball in it.”

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Hussein Chalayan Marks a Decade of Swarovski Collaborations With a Groundbreaking Innovation

“Everything is about the body,” says Hussein Chalayan over the phone from Paris the day before his Spring 2016 show. “I think that the body is the most important cultural symbol, and I think with the body you can tell a lot.” There are very few in fashion who know this statement to be more true than Chalayan himself, having created everything from an LED sheath that formed a glowing halo around the figure of Elise Crombez for Fall 2007 to a “floating dress” for Fall 2011 that, while humanoid in form, didn’t need a human wearer to take shape. In both instances, helping to imbue the designer’s technical feats with a little pizazz was Swarovski.

Spring 2016, in fact, marks a decade of collaboration between the brand and the designer, an anniversary they celebrated with an arresting display at Chalayan’s show this morning. It was the sort of thing you might need to see to believe, but we’ll attempt to do it justice with words: Two models in white uniforms stepped out under falling water, at which point their uniforms seemingly melted away to reveal glittering, Swarovski-encrusted dresses.

The impetus for such a display came from Chalayan’s starting theme: the passage of time in Cuba. His references to the country were deep and often abstract in the collection, but the transformation from military uniforms into sparkling dresses was surely the show’s most poignant statement on the country, one, he says, that “can be read in many ways.” It’s also one he and his team spent six months developing, going back and forth with fabric houses to create a proprietary material that reacts with water.

It’s that very urge to experiment that has made the designer’s partnership with Swarovski so exciting to watch. “I feel that if you use the crystal as an actual ingredient, as a basis for design, as opposed to only decoration, that’s when you get the most successful results,” says Chalayan. “I try to think of it inside out, so I work with an idea where the crystal is integral to design rather than something you add on.” To get a sense of his innovative process, take a look at our exclusive behind-the-scenes photos from the designer’s studio as he prepared for his Spring 2016 show.

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10 Things to Know About Christian Dior’s Spring 2016 Show

Raf Simons left nothing unconsidered for his Dior Spring 2016 show today, from the stunning venue to the starry front row. As for the clothes, they were a tender take on Dior house codes. 

Find out everything you need to know about the event here.

1. Dior created a man-made hill in the center of the Louvre’s Cour Carrée covered with 400,000 delphiniums as its show venue this season.

2. The scene provided an elegant backdrop for Dior’s VIP arrivals, includingEmilia Clarke, Marisa Berenson, Leelee Sobieski, Elizabeth Olsen, and Simons muse Hanne Gaby Odiele, who took to lying down in the flowers before the show.

3. And then there was Rihanna. Wearing a Fall 2015 Haute Couture coat and aviator sunglasses, RiRi strutted her way to the front row, drawing plenty of paparazzi attention.

4. The show opened with Dior’s new favorite model, Sofia Mechetner. You’ll remember her as the Israeli teen who met Simons by chance in a Dior boutique and went on to sign a six-figure contract with the house.

5. Every look was carried by the same shoe silhouette, an ankle-strap mule with a pointed toe and accentuated buckle detailing.

6. If the Dior sequin turtleneck from Pre-Fall 2015 is the must-own item among the fashion set today, it may well soon be replaced by the cropped sweaters with scalloped edging Simons sent out today.

7. Care for a Dior duffel? The house introduced a top-handle style in Yves Klein blue, among other hues, for Spring.

8. Instead of actual turtlenecks—a perennial Simons favorite—the designer sent out short scarves wrapped around models’ necks and fastened with chokers.

9. The sheer trend continued at Dior, with transparent floor-length dresses in stripes layered over prim ivory underpinnings.

10. Barefaced beauty is the name of the game at Dior. This season Peter Philipscrafted clean faces with a hint of rosy pink on the lips.

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Rihanna, Elizabeth Olsen, and More Bring High-Impact Nude Makeup to Dior’s Front Row

If the rosy lids and pastel lips on the Dior runway today had you pining for soft washes of color come spring, the audience at the show had a message: Why wait? 

The front row featured a diverse range of pretty, muted makeup looks, with barely a bold red lip in sight. Leelee Sobieski took her seat with dewy metallic lids and tawny cheeks that felt fresh thanks to a slick of pale gloss, while Elizabeth Olsenset off her bushy brows and earthy lip stain with a French-style cat-eye.

 Aymeline Valade and Daria Strokous were the picture of healthy, natural beauty, relying on little more than a swirl of bronzer and a hint of mascara to focus their features. 

But leave it to Rihanna to turn down the volume but double the drama with gilded copper lids and powdery pink lips that were paired with sculpted arches and a stroke of liquid liner. Above, five reasons to fall in love with neutrals all over again.

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Listen to Hedley's 'most personal' song, 'Can’t Slow Down'

It’s no secret that Hedley singer Jacob Hoggard indulges in the temptations of the rock and roll lifestyle. But, as he reveals in the lyrics to the group’s latest single, “Can’t Slow Down,” sometimes even the highest highs can lead to some pretty dark lows.

“Can’t Slow Down is the most personal, honest look at the realities of life in the fast lane,” Hoggard tells Postmedia of the song from the group’s upcoming sixth album, Hello. “It’s not easy being that honest, but even harder to stop.”

Check out the world premiere of the “Can’t Slow Down” below (goes live at midnight ET):

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Peter Andre dubbed 'vainest celebrity EVER' in Strictly Come Dancing history

Sticky Come Dancing hunk Peter Andre has reportedly been dubbed the "vainest celebrity EVER" in the history of the show.

The 41-year-old star is said to spent a lot of time in the "make-up room" as he strives to look his absolute best when he hits the ballroom floor.

An insider told The Sun: "Peter practically lives in the make-up room and wears a huge amount for a man. He asks to pile on the concealer, highlights and bronzers and always asks if the makeup artists can give him cheekbones.

"He's just as fussy with his hair and spends ages getting it right."

The Australian hunk is also said to be keen to show off his body - particularly THOSE abs.

The source added: "He goes through all his costumes again and again to ensure they show off his chest and bum."

Thankfully, Peter is taking the teasing in good humour, and admitted while he spends a lot of time in the make-up chair, the crew are "all a good laugh".

He told the newspaper: "I do spend time with the make-up team but I'm in there telling bad jokes constantly. They're all a good laugh.

"Where I spend most of my time is in wardrobe trying on all the spandex. It's not something you want to see really. Everyone's great and we are all bonding well."

With one show done, Peter is already an early favourite to win the competition - andafter he topped the leaderboard with his first dance, you wouldn't bet against him !

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