Move over Madonna?

I've got to give it to Lady Gaga for pushing the envelope with her clothing choices. It takes a brave soul to pull off the looks that have become a regular for her. Though some may not agree with her style, I've always admired people who pushed the boundaries of fashion with confidence. Some claim she may be the new Madonna. I won't go that far in my praise for her but I will say that, like Madonna, Gaga is a visionary. Even if her music only lasts for an MTV-second as some predict, she will still be on the scene. No one can forget the leotards, the bubble dress (copied from Chalayan), the glass dress, or the 3-D origami numbers, and by my prediction, there will be more shock value coming from Ms. Gaga who might just build an empire around her style. Eccentricity is her middle name and I have to appreciate her for that. 

So, what do you think? Is she the next Madonna?

The Lady and her Empire:

Shakira Shakira

This is the first official single 'Loba' from Shakira's new album which is set to release on September 25, 2009. I'm a fan!

ps: I LOVE LOVE Shakira! And it definitely doesn't hurt that she's half Lebanese and SO great at bellydancing.


Those 'Hips Don't Lie'!!!

D&G Spring 2010

Welcome back to the good old Wild Wild West, or should I say the good NEW Wild Wild West. With their collection Dolce and Gabbana channeled their version of the Wild Wild West complete with cowboy boots, distressed and destroyed denim, denim button downs, and vests. But the boots were embellished and the destroyed denim was not from working on a ranch all day. Embellishment did not stop at the boots. D&G bedazzled everything from suit jackets to khakis and  outerwear. And true to their Western theme Domenico and Stefano Gabbana threw in a good amount of leather manifested in jackets, pants, and bags. 

Some of the pieces from the collection:

RIP MJ

I stared in disbelief at my mom after she told me Michael Jackson died. It was such a shock because he still had many years to go. It kind of reminded that anything is possible and death can be only a door knock away. 

It hit me hard as I'm sure it did billions of people around the world because whether they liked it or not everyone grew up with Michael Jackson. My mom said she used to listen to him all the time back home when she was a kid, and I could relate because I listened to him as a kid as well. 

His dance moves, his fashion sense, his catchy songs, his effervescence on stage, his looks, and his scandals have all been talked about, read about, watched, and dissected worldwide. That is tremendous stress for a person to handle but MJ handled it as best as he could. Though there were mistakes and screw-ups in his life, Jackson bounced back and will always be remembered in my heart and in the heart of many as the King of Pop. There will not be another Michael. 
I was always fascinated by Jackson's fashion sense. He never let the audience down with his costume choice. His outlandish diamond studded Balmain-esque jackets, his sequined pants, his rolled up suit sleeves, his gloves, and highwater pants over white socks, all captured the attention of many. The world adored him and many tried to emulate him to no avail. There is only one Michael Jackson and, dead or alive, he will continue to be with us.

Etro Spring 2010: Finally Some Color!

So how do I describe Etro's Spring 2010 collection? One word: COLOR!! And lots of it! From the clothes to the models, Etro gave us the whole rainbow in a runway show. This collection is my favorite of the season simply because of the color choices. It was such a relief from all the grayness and drabness many other designers chose as their color palate. Hello, this is a SPRING collection. Make it "Spring-y". 

Etro dazzled me with their colorful paisley pants and shirts. And who said floral prints were for grandmas in moumous? There was plenty of floral print in this collection but none of it looked even close to something a grandmother would wear. Every piece of the collection seems clearly thought out and spiced up: from the outerwear, to the colored loafers (a personal favorite) to the accessories... 

Another thing I love is that the pieces in this collection can be interchangeable and versatile. If you're not as ballsy as some of these models, you can wear a statement piece floral shirt with a muted jean or grey pants. 

The use of color did not only apply to the clothes. I am always happy to see diversity of ethnicity on the runway and was extremely happy to see the hues of the models change color as well. The multi-hued men tread through sand and the walls were covered with blue skies, giving you a relaxed beach vibe as you watched the explosion of color in front of you. Etro, thank you for your color!

Some of my favorites from the show:

Emma Watson in Teen Vogue

19-year-old Emma Watson, known for her role as Hermione in Harry Potter, just did a spread for the August 09 edition of Teen Vogue. I must say that this beauty has come a long way from being the bookworm and frizzy-haired companion of Harry Potter. 

The shoot is entitled 'Emma Enchanted' and rightly so. The photos are fairy tale-esque and the clothing used for the shoot is sensational and is pulled from the D&G Fall/Winter 2010 collection. The sprawling English countryside makes for a great background for the humble Watson and she seems at home even in her designer duds and super high heels.

It seems like Emma is growing up and so is her sense of fashion: "It's kind of my lucky brand [Chanel], a fail-safe. I live, really,in jeans from Topshop, blazers from Ralph Lauren or Reiss, and ballet flats. It's very hard to describe your own style and I'm young, so I'm still experimenting. But I think it's quite British and very much about individuality. There's nothing interesting about looking perfect-you lose the point. You want what you're wearing to say something about you, about who you are." Well said Ms. Watson!

This is my favorite outfit from the shoot. I love the purple and green color combo. The detailing on the top is phenomenal and the floral print skirt is a great fit.