It’s pretty funny how light he steps around her.  I guess one has to be nice to Anna W. if you want to keep getting invites to fancy Met Ball galas!

Get ready to mess your drawers, ladies and gents – Lanvin has been confirmed to be designing a capsule collection for H&M.  Yeah.

Alber Elbaz’s collection for the Swedish mega-giant chain will be ready for our clawing fingers on November 20 (for North Americans), which is so close! Everyone else in the world will have to wait till November 23 for the collection to be released, but hey, being in North America I shan’t complain.

The looks will be shown in a film preview on November 2m which will give us 18 whole days of drooling and dying over it all.  One thing is for sure; the line ups for this release are going to be massive.

Lady Gaga is without [as much] makeup, Marc Jacobs is looking his usual delicious and the “V” is made of gum wads.  What does this create? V Magazine’s New York Issue, which actually looks like it would be an excellent read.

For anyone who has seen horrifying Kids, V features an interview with director Larry Clark due to it’s 15th anniversary.  Also worth a look is Tommy Hilfiger’s going from rebel to cradle rocker (I guess he pulled the original Angelina), and The Gaga’s stylist Nicola Formichetti going over her looks from the last year.

Their jacket was made famous by girls primed for emotional and physical abuse by more attractive guys, but Summit (who owns Twilight’s brand pimping rights) isn’t having any of it.  Since BB Dakota re-named the famed jacket Bella from the old not-as-dollar-signy name.

Summit needs to get over things.. it was used in the movie, it got well known and now they’re capitalizing off the popularity – this is the natural progression of ‘as seen in’ items.  It’s not like the jacket was knocked of by BB Dakota, branded as a Twilight product, then hocked at sale.

Summit needs to relax.  Their Twilight franchise is ultimate shit and they should be thankful there are disillusioned females in this world willing to pay for their brand of pseudo horror vagina fantasy.

Every so often American Apparel releases a really strange photo set, and this is the latest: Alyssa, some AA employee, is riding her horse at night, and gradually loses her clothes.

That’s right.  She straddles a horse topless at night in some low-fi photos.

All class, AA!

It’s official: today Felipe Oliveira Baptista steps into the role of Creative Director at Lacoste.

The 35 year old designer has a modern taste, which will continue to shape the brand into a Lactoste ready for the future.

We’ll see what FOB can do for the brand!

Senso is one of Australia’s hippest shoe labels, especially now that their Wilma shootie (aghh – worst term) have been re-launched with electric pink and brown/creme animal prints.

The new Wilmas will still be priced at $160 per pair, and are currently on pre-order, with delivery at September 30th.  I can feel it in my bones the pink Wilma is going to be a hot blog topic in coming months.. get a jump on her bones before everyone else does!

If you’ve been musing Australians have been blowing up on the design scene as of late, you would be hailed as correct yet again.  La Cav Du Bon may be a mouthful and not too familiar for many, but these are world class beauties in bag form that are going to be commanding the attention of many very soon.

This collected, dubbed Late Nights With Charlie Wrights, and it is a rough yet tempered collection of beautiful bags.  They make me feel like they have a bit of Km Rii’s manic design effects dashed in the mix, with a bit of Be & D’s refined luxury and roughness from the fur usage.

These are incredibly special statement pieces that will last you years.  Trust me, you’re going to be seeing these babies on Gossip Girl.

If you’ve ever wanted a fake leather and likely uncomfortable version of the Jeffrey Campbell 99, Forever 21 has your back!  F21′s zip up wedges may only be $23.80, but I can’t imagine there would be any sort of padding in the sole.. you may as well strap planks of wood to your feet.

It’s such a shame to see retail outlets closing, but as a customer it’s a chance to grab some prime sale items.  Pieces at Standard Deviation are up to 90% off, which requires immediate attention.

There are some gems in there; Preen’s sarong skirt ($57, 90% off), Vena Cava Jet vest ($71, 85% off), CHREE Mapmaker skirt ($60; 85% off), Vena Cava Chief dress ($110, 75% off).

Check out the entire stock, though it’s dwindling fast in its final days.

Leather jackets and accessories usually cost a decent amount of coin if they have a reputable country or origin, but they are skins of an animal that must be raised, skinned and treated for fabric use.

Faux leather is not only a refuge of those who can’t afford the real thing; Stella McCartney won’t use for moral grounds, Forever 21 got pressure from animal activists and some companies (like Urban Outfitters) choose to carry polyurethane items because they cost less to produce, and will sell more to due the lower price point.

There came a point where we rounded the bend on what was acceptable for faux leather pricing, and what was ridiculous [ahem, Stella].  Not just with top tier designers, but within the high street – modestly priced pleather wears poorly, breaks down when stressed, won’t stretch, gives you a strange plastic scent and [usually] looks very cheap.

To pull a few examples together, we’ve got a round of items to mull over: a Sparkle & Fade aviator jacket from Urban Outfitters ($128), a PU bomber gilet ($80) and shell top ($55) from Topshop, a pair of Love Moschino polyurethane leggings ($200) and a pair of boots by Stella McCartney ($754).

Let’s break it down.

All of these pieces are insanely priced; we’ll ignore Stella’s design because that’s a major price point no brainer, but what about Love Moschino’s leggings? You could get a pair of Guess front leather panel leggings ($178; $22 less than the fakies) or Vila’s all over leather pair – $6 less than the Moschino pair.

For outerwear, real leather pieces aren’t as much as you’d think: a detailed Miss Selfridge biker is $185, an Alice Temperley bike gilet is $252 on sale at The Outnet or this A.L.C. perforated leather jacket on sale at Shopbop for $299.

When the real thing is cheaper or just a few 20s away, why are we settling for a piece that will get destroyed in a year?! It’s not good for the environment when your cheaper man-made material jacket ends up in a landfill or the back of your closet, never to be seen again.

It’s GIVEAWAY TIME AGAIN!!!

This one’s a gooder: one freaking lucky winner will get to pick one pair of Jeffrey Campbells and one pair of SENSOs from Solestruck.

We’re all familiar with Jeffrey king-of-the-highstreet-shoe-castle Campbell, but Senso is new on the block.  What are they about? One word: radness.  Just like JC, Australia’s Senso has committed to be a brand that’s going to give you some of the wickedest shoes without personal bankruptcy.  They’ve got some pretty spanky kicks, including one that looks just like Acne’s Admire wedge.

Solestruck, Jeffrey Campbell and I thought including wunderkind Senso was a no brainer, so here we are! Instead of one pair of shoes, the winner is going to get two.  Did I mention Solestruck is the only North American retailer to carry Senso, so this is a crazy chance to get some rare shoes? It’s all over wonder-awesome.

TO ENTER: Make your Jeffrey Campbell AND Senso pick, then tell us why you want them so badly!! It’s not mandatory, but if you’re on Twitter, you should follow @demiCouture.. I create witty banter, and you’ll hear about stuff before it’s posted on the blog.

Fine detail-ification:

Contest is closed after 12:01 AM September 19, 2010.  A randomly selected winner will be offered a choice of any one pair of Jeffrey Campbell and one Senso pair of shoes that are in current stock at Solestruck.  No pre-order pairs may be chosen.  Contest is open worldwide.  One enter per person.

Holy bananas, batman.. The Outnet has heaps of awesome, FW10 ready stock on super sale that have just been released today.  These may be past season items, but do they look like past season?! Didn’t think so.  I normally only put together two looks, but this week’s new items were too plentiful to have half my choices sit out! We’ll go top to bottom:

Graphic tanks and printed tees are a fun foundation; build a look with Jonathan Saunders’ crystal tank and Vanessa Bruno’s striped sweater.  Don’t be afraid of cropped sleeve sweaters in colder temperatures; layer with a longer sleeve under or a button up on top!

Thicker knits are ace for fall bottoms, so See by Chloé’s pleated crop trousers and Y3′s loose pants are ideal for anchoring your outfit.  Top off with a scarf like See by Chloé’ rugby style, and you have a multi dimensional look ready for dropping temperatures.  Finish your look with leather or suede footwear, like Newbark’s perforated leather Dylan loafers or Antik Batik’s buckled Gab boots.

When it comes to going out, nothing turns up the heat like Vivienne Westwood’s satin corset dress and a pair of Charlotte Olympia Ziggy ankle booties.  If you’re looking for a little less vamp, a demure polka dot dress from See by Chloé with Charlotte Olympia’s leopard Dolly pumps is a beautiful mix of prints.  Cold weather always demands more accessory, so fill that with a Jonathan Saunders’ graphic print scarf and top off with a See by Chloé boyfriend cut tweed jacket.

It’s Juicy mania at Hautelook – watches, clothing, accessories, shoes, jewelry.. they’ve got it all, and it’s up to 60% off.  This is perfect for back to school shopping, so take a closer look.

demiCouture favorites include the the large leather Lolita satchel ($192 from $428), the black Dalton stainless steel watch ($162 from $295), large Scottie Dog watch ($107 from $195), Rose crinkle flats ($75 from $150), Sparrow ring ($23 from $58), Tangled Pom Pom necklace ($71 from $178) and the  boyfriend blazer ($67 from $148).

Need an invite to Hautelook? Get one now!

It’s that time again.. LnA is holding their super awesome warehouse sale starting tomorrow, so if you want leggings, super rad tees and other spunky casual wear.

WHEN: September 1-4, 10AM-6PM
WERE: 6344 Arizona Circle, Los Angeles [Googlemap]

These boots are so incredibly heinous I can’t imagine anyone would actually want to put them on (much less spend their money on them), but I’ve seen some cray-crazy looks across this globe and this kind of faux pas is always worth a mention.

To clarify, I’m not talking about the ultra cute and sleek foldover boots (think Be & D’s Cornwall), but the trouser-style that Guiseppe Zanotti for Balmain knockoffs.  These are so incredibly horrid, I can’t even imagine a bar star kicking drinks over on a counter with these beasts on!!

Outerwear trends usually stick to the same lines each year, though in 2010 we have one difference: lack of arms.  That’s right, capes aren’t just for your neighborhood LARPers anymore thanks to brands across the globe creating their own vision of the classic look.

These vary from the ponchos of the summertime in fabric and detailing; these are heavier pieces that you can wear in lieu of a traditionally cut coat in any day, ranging from fall breezes to winter chill.  Military is also a heavy trend within cape designs; if you want to be super trendy, that’s the style to go for.

As for military inspiration, Topshop’s aptly titled Ultimate Military cape is just that; the piece has the look and feel of a pea coat, yet the flow and movement of a cape.  Both Topshop and Gryphon’s Sherlock cape have beautiful double breasted buttons and epaulet detailing – the mainstay of any proper military outerwear.

Fatigues are also a hot topic right now; traditionally speaking Miss Selfridge’s khaki cape is the basic for a rough design.  For more of a refined shape, Lounge Lover’s Sweet Insomnia cape provides the feel of an earthy fatigue without having a true military style to it – it’s the color that will give this piece more of a uniform look, not the detailing.

The remainder holds the more feminine pieces; Alexander McQueen’s feather print and Charlotte Taylor’s Anna cape.  Both have very different detailing styles, but one aspect unites them – they are not utilitarian, but feminine stunners that would break up an androgynous look incredibly well.

After so 14 vintage rip-off collections over the past three years, it’s finally happened – Topshop and Kate Moss are no longer collaboration butt buddies.

The last bite of the Kate Moss x Topshop apple will be had during the fall collection, which launches October 2010.

We’ve been waiting for this band-aid to finally be torn of, so the question now remains – who will take her place, and will it be another model?

Last night, I was staring at pieces cut up from a pair of too-small leather trousers found at F As In Frank’s $10 fill-a-bag sale, and had decided to make an attempt at a caplet.

The plaid strip is from an old shirt, and the zipper was found in one of my sewing drawers.  Everything is recycled, found a cost nearly nothing.. it just goes to show what you can do if you sit down in front of a sewing machine for a few hours!

I’m thinking of making a bunch of stuff from my leftover fabrics. LET THE DIY MADNESS BEGIN!

Nicola Yoon designs handmade jewelry with a vintage with an old world aesthetic.  While her entire collections are classically lovely, her vintage collection caught my eye – these pieces reminded me of what I would play with in my grandma’s collection when I was a child; very old school indeed.

Check out her site for the entire collection of pieces in the collections, all of which are handmade.