ELLEuk.com Latest News (For Facebook)

See the action backstage at Moschino's show

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:09:49 GMT

It's show time! New York fashion week starts tomorrow and so begins a month of catwalk action from all four corners of the fashion map. New trends, new faces, runway rumours and backstage excitement.

ELLEuk.com will be bringing you first hand accounts from the front row. Check back every day for the best show reports, all the catwalk looks, editors streetstyle and A-list gossip.

To get you - and us - in the mood for the coming season, Moschino has lent us an exclusive video of backstage at its spring summer 2010 Cheap and Chic show in Milan back in September. And doesn't it paint the festivities and label in the perfect light? Beautiful young things dancing gayly for the camera in gorgeous clothes, a troupe of make-up artists setting to work on one sleepy girl, the daunting view of the catwalk before lift-off... it's all there. And best of all, the collection is on sale now.

Enjoy the season

www.sportrelief.com for more details. Prices start at £9.99 for adult pieces.

Vivienne Westwood has used some unlikely stars as models in her time. Pamela Anderson, Big Brother's Lisa Wallace and Jo Wood have all taken to the catwalk for the eccentric designer, but now she has her eye on someone new - Marvin from JLS.

Rumour has it that the Grande Dame of British fashion has taken quite a shine to the boy band star, and is hoping that he will model for her at some point in the future. 'She asked me to walk the runway, and I was all up for doing it but we couldn't work it out. That's something I'd definitely love to do though,' Marvin told The Mirror.

And, clearly overwhelmed by her talent and fashion genius, he added, 'She's amazing. We were introduced by mutual friends. She has this funny accent, she is all posh English one minute and then goes into Yorkshire the next.'

We fully expect to see Marvin sat front row at the upcoming runway show.

The new faces of M

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:21:02 GMT

Marks & Spencer has just released the list of its new star faces - and Dannii Minogue is top of the bill.

The pregnant singer / X Factor judge is set to appear in the new spring campaign, and she's not alone. Also joining the line-up are VV Brown, Brazilian supermodel Ana Beatriz Barros, and Lisa Snowdon. And, of course, legendary model Twiggy and Mylene Klass will be reprising their roles.

The new ads are due to be unveiled next month so keep your eyes peeled...

Burberry goes 3D for fashion week

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:17:55 GMT

If you thought that the 3D phenomenon was reserved for blockbuster movies then think again - Burberry is set to stream its show in the format during London fashion week.

According to WWD fashion fans in four cities across the globe - Paris, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Dubai - will be able to don their 3D specs and watch the label's a/w 2010 catwalk show in all its glory. It's the first time that any fashion brand has tried a live 3D broadcast, but where Burberry leads others are sure to follow. What we really want to know, however, is whether Christopher Bailey will be giving the notoriously unflattering 3D glasses a stylish makeover for the event and, more importantly, whether we'll be able to get our hands on them.

If you're UK based or your invite gets lost in the post then don't panic, you'll still be able to watch the show live - it will be streamed on Burberry's website as it happens during London Fashion Week.

Calling all future models

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:01:34 GMT

Do you fancy yourself as a future Kate Moss or Natalia Vodianova? Here's your chance to break into the modeling industry.

Benetton is launching a model casting contest today to find the new faces of its a/w 2010 campaign. The brand is renowned for its diverse model selection, so it should come as no surprise to learn that they're looking for people who are 'different, unconventional and surprising'.

Think you fit the bill? All you have to do to enter is head to the website and upload your pictures or videos. Then everyone else on the site can vote for their favourite pic, and the most popular 100 will win £200 of Benetton vouchers - and they'll also star in a brand new book about global style that the brand is pulling together.

Finally a crack team of experts will narrow down the pack to a lucky top 20 faces, who will be flown out to New York to be shot for next season's campaign. And who knows what fame and fortune will follow?

Visit www.benetton.com to enter the competition before 8 March.

Liberty's TV hunt for new names

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:39:44 GMT

If you're an aspiring designer then you might want to pack up your wares and head for Liberty tomorrow. The iconic department store will be picking new names to stock on its shopfloor.

Liberty and its team are making a reality TV show called 'The Buying Game' for BBC2, and the event is the programme's starting point. According to WWD hundreds of hopeful future fashion stars are expected to flock to the London store, where they will be offered the chance to present their creations to Buying Director Ed Burstell and his team.

In tried and tested reality show tradition, the crowds will be filtered down to a shortlist of designers who will then battle it out for the chance to have their pieces snapped up by Liberty. The six-part television show, which is due to be aired in the summer, will follow their no-doubt emotional rollercoaster of a journey. We predict a TV addiction coming on.

How much do the A-list get paid to sit front row?

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:41:54 GMT

When we head to fashion week we're always honoured (and maybe a little bit smug) to get a front row seat, but we're there for love and, unless you count our salaries and the occasional goodie bag, we're there for free. All those A-lister's that you see in the star seats? They're apparently getting paid to be there.

Fashionista.com has just posted a list, courtesy of their PR friends, of how much the most spotted celebrities can charge a label that's trying to get them to a show, and it makes for pretty impressive reading. The top earner is Rihanna, who can apparently earn a massive $100,000 just for turning up. The Olsen twins are, of course, in the high-end, earning around $80,000 each, while our favourite, Chloe Sevigny, charges $60,000.

Colin Firth has clearly ramped up his fashion credentials by starring in a Single Man - his rate has increased from $5,000 to $15,000. And poor Lindsay Lohan has taken a downward turn - a few seasons ago she would have made $60,000 and now she's officially off the list altogether.

So the question is, are they worth it? It's fair to say that a show will get a lot more publicity outside of the fashion press if there's a star to snap, but when labels are struggling along with the economy, $100,000 seems like a lot of money to spend just to fill one seat.

Visit www.fashionista.com to see the full list

Agent Provocateur does jewellery

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:12:34 GMT

It may be best known for luxe lingerie and risque ad campaigns, but Agent Provocateur is branching out and has just launched a jewellery line.

Unlike other accessories that the brand offers up, these wouldn't look out of place away from the bedroom - but naturally the new pieces have a seductive theme. Apparently the collection is inspired by '...the dark and twisted fantasy of fairy tales, the seduction of the concubines and the frivolity of the playground.'

There are three ranges to choose from: Slave for You, which is based around chic bondage rings; The New World Order, made up of sovereign rings and pendants; and our personal favourite, Dark Fairytale Thorn, with a gothic, medieval feel that has inspired hooped earrings, stacking rings and chain necklaces.

Prices range from £65 - £350, and the pieces are available in store now.

Visit www.agentprovocateur.com for more details.

Cats can't wear corsets and other grumbles from Gaultier

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:50:55 GMT

Jean Paul Gaultier once created a corset for his cat.

The designer - whose collections are famed for their boned waists - wanted to make a bespoke item for his beloved feline but soon realised it wasn't a good idea. He said: "Do you know that cats can't wear corsets? They can't stand! Not at all - they just fall over. I know because I tried!".

Another irk Gaultier wanted to air to Stella magazine was about modern day celebrities who don't want to pay for his designs. He said: "I am not a businessman. When I first started out Hollywood stars came and tried on the dresses and had many fittings. Now they except the dresses for free. I hear some designers even pay for them to wear their clothes. It is hopeless."

The 57-year-old Frenchman believes he owes a lot of his success to using 'real' women in his catwalk shows as other females can relate to them.
He said "The fashion press could not understand it. But I say, 'Why not?' It is what inspires me. I don't like to be safe. I use what I see. There is no point in me sitting here in my couture house and not knowing what is going on out there. You have to be aware of what is going on in the street."