Forbes Names Most Influential Trendsetters under 30

A host of fashion designers, including Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Alexander Wang, are name-checked in the title's annual list of the under 30s impatient to change the world.

Ashley and twin sister Mary Kate Olsen of label The Row Photo: AP

A host of fashion designers, including Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Alexander Wang, are name-checked in the title's annual list of the under 30s impatient to change the world.

You might never heard of Carly Cushnie or Sophia Amoruso, but according to business magazine Forbes , these style setters are brightest talents of their generation.

London-born Cushnie, 28, has been dressing America's First Lady Michelle Obama in her Cushnie et Ochs label while Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso's worth has been estimated at $250 million thanks to the directional but affordable website she founded six years ago.

Also listed in the 'Art & Style' category are designers Joseph Altuzarra (a rising star at New York Fashion Week); Sally LaPointe (beloved of Lady Gaga) and Brazilian Pedro Lourenço, who is just 22 years old and first showed at Paris Fashion Week aged 19.

Household names Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen - the child TV stars who head up several fashion ventures including The Row and Elizabeth & James - also feature, as does Alexander Wang, who was recently confirmed as the new creative director of Balenciaga.

24-year-old Leandra Medine has proved that a computer and a sense of humour can impact on millions: her blog Man Repeller, which puts clothes the opposite sex can't fathom in the spotlight, has earned her site over 2.6 million page views a month.

Kate Middleton Diamond Earring... NOT REAL!!

As sales of her imitation jewellery range soar, Belinda Hadden is the latest to profit from 'The Kate Effect.'

While you might raise a glass to your son's graduation or the birth of a first grandchild, you'd be forgiven for splashing out on a vast crate of Moet if the Duchess of Cambridge endorsed your jewellery business.

Like every belt, bow and perfectly poised fascinator, the Duchess's choice of earrings she wore to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee caused a figurative (and literal) diamond rush. Thing is, they weren't real.

The Duchess's £48 pearl and cubic zirconia earrings were part of Belinda Hadden's online range of convincing, imitation jewellery. The owner of Heavenly Necklaces enjoyed a stratospheric rise in profits once internet whistleblowers www.whatkatewore.com had identified the site.

Givenchy to take a break from Paris Haute Couture Week

The French couture label helmed by Riccardo Tisci won't be presenting a collection in January 2013.

A look from the Givenchy haute couture by Riccardo Tisci autumn/winter 2012 collection

In recent seasons Givenchy had opted for more intimate, still life-style showcases but has planned not to share its spring/summer 2013 with press in January, reports WWD.

The label plans to continue making haute couture gowns and will welcome clients to its atelier, but the only glimpse we'll get of Riccardo Tisci's signature gothic glamour is when celebrities will chose to wear creations on the red carpet. Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway and Beyoncé are loyal wearers of the label.

Kim & Kourtney Kardashian Show Off Right & Wrong

Kim & Kourtney Kardashian Show Off Right & Wrong Way To Wear Peplum

The reality star sisters looked like they coordinated their outfits — but unfortunately we weren’t totally loving both looks! Read on for tips on how to wear peplum the right way, (and how you can avoid Kim’s unflattering outfit situation!).

Kim and Kourtney Kardashian both stepped out for a South Beach shopping trip on Dec. 12 — and it looks like they planned to match in peplum! The sisters, who are currently filming Kourtney and Kim Take Miami, sported similar looks — but while they showed off the same trend, we had two totally different opinions on their style choices! Kourtney looked so chic, colorblocking with her choice of separates, while Kim wound up showing off more than she bargained for, spilling out of her crop-top and skirt combo.

Kim loves putting her assets on full display in tight clothing, but in this instance her fashion choice totally let her down. While I like the idea of balancing a high-waisted skirt with a crop top, Kim was spilling out of the space in between her top and bottom — and this only happened cause her skirt was just a drop too tight! Had she sized up with her skirt I’m sure we would have had a totally different opinion of her outfit — although honestly, I just don’t think the tight-knit crop top did anything to enhance her figure in a positive way, (and it’s rare that I see a crop top I don’t like). Had Kim opted for a blouse tucked in to her skirt we probably would have been loving the outfit. Her leather skirt has the potential to be fierce, but instead she wound up looking frumpy.

We love the way Kim flaunts her curves when she looks chic, not sloppy! We’ve embraced her and her va-va-voom curves, but now it’s time for Kim to do the same and start dressing for her body type. Honestly, we’re surprised by her recent style blunder, simply because we would expect her to know better — but I guess the occasional ‘what was I wearing moment’ can happen to the best of them.

So, how can you avoid Kim’s fashion mishap? It’s simple! Make sure you aren’t squeezing yourself into a skirt that’s too small — or a look that’s not flattering on you! It’s important to recognize that not everyone can pull off an awesome outfit. Sometimes it’s better to skip trying a trend rather than wearing something you don’t look great in.

If you want to try the peplum trend, I suggest taking tips from Kourtney. I like the way she used a belt to define her waist, really accentuating her figure. The structured shoulders on the zip-up, coral top complimented her olive peplum skirt. A peplum can work wonders on a variety of body types. If you’re curvy like the Kardashian gals, it can define your curves and really enhance your assets. If you have more of a boyish body, it could give the illusion of having more curves — and the ruffle can also hide a little tummy if you’re trying to conceal a little extra weight.

Dolce & Gabbana in Trouble

An Italian judge has refused a plea by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's lawyer to dismiss the €420 million tax evasion case against the designers.

A judge has rejected a plea by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's lawyer to throw out the tax evasion trial against the designers and several of their business associates. Instead, judge Antonella Brambilla ruled that the trial will go ahead, starting on January 30, with two further hearings scheduled for February, reports WWD .

The Italian design duo are accused of evading €420 million in tax when they sold their two brands, Dolce & Gabbana and D&G, to their own Luxembourg-based company, Gado Srl.

Kristen Stewart.. A hit or a miss??

Where do we begin, to tell the story of this $#%$^ dress... Well the legs are a show-off of course, but the dress?? Hmmm....

Tiffany Diamond dazzles Dubai

One of the world’s largest at 128 carats, the yellow sparkler was once worn by Hollywood’s Audrey Hepburn for ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’; currently, on display in the emirate.

Legend has it that the head of Tiffany’s Paris once bought the Yellow sparkler for a mere $18,000 when it was imported into the US back in 1879.

Years later in 1972, the ‘New York Times’ carried an advertisement offering to sell the famous 128.54 carat Tiffany Yellow at a measly $5 million.

With its last known valuation of $12m at the end of 1983, the Tiffany Diamond is one of the largest yellow sparklers ever discovered, originally weighing at 287.42 carats in the rough when it was discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mines in South Africa.

Also famous for its association with Hollywood legend Audrey Hepburn in the classic, ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’, the stunning piece has now wound its way to Dubai, it’s second ever travel from its home in New York.

The Tiffany Yellow takes center stage at the jewellery brand’s flagship store in The Dubai Mall, on display until January 9 as tribute to mark the company’s 175th anniversary.

CEO of this brand accused of attempting to ‘strangle’ former employee!!

Dov Charney, the founder a CEO of casual wear brand American Apparel, has been slapped with a lawsuit which claims he verbally and physically abused a former employee.

American Apparel CEO and founder, Dov Charney Photo: Rex

Dov Charney, the founder and CEO of American Apparel, has found himself at the centre of yet another lawsuit.

Charney is accused of wrongful dismissal and physical assault by Michael Bumblis, the former manager of one of the company's Miami stores. It is the latest in a number of lawsuits in which Charney has been named by former employees in recent years, many of which have accused him of sexual misconduct. All previous cases have been dismissed by the courts.

In the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Bumblis claims that his issues with Charney began in April this year, when Charney accused him if working for a rival employee. During the verbal altercation, Bumblis claims Charney called him "a wannabe Jew," a "fag", and asked him inappropriate questions about his personal life.

H&M to launch global clothes collecting initiative

Customers donating unwated clothing from any brand will receive £5 to spend in store as H&M strive to reduce the environmental impact of clothes on landfill sites.

H&M launch global clothes collecting initiative

Swedish retail giant H&M has today announced plans to offer a global clothes collecting service.

In selected stores from February 2013, customers will be able to discard of unwanted garments into H&M shops - regardless of their origins, in exchange for a £5 discount voucher for each bag donated. The voucher can then be used against a transactional purchase of 200Dhs or more.

The collected clothes are then handled by H&M's partner, I:Collect, which provides the infrastructure in which consumer goods are repeatedly reprocessed and made available for new use.

Is Balenciaga haute couture on the way?

François-Henri Pinault, the CEO of Balenciaga's parent company, has hinted that couture could be on the cards under the leadership of new creative director Alexander Wang.

A look from Balenciaga's spring/summer 2011 ready-to-wear collection

Now that the speculation as to who will fill Nicolas Ghesquière's shoes at Balenciaga is over, rumours can begin as to what exactly Alexander Wang will bring to the storied French fashion house.

Speaking to WWD , François-Henri Pinault, the CEO of Balenciaga's parent company PPR, has given us this tasty little fashion morsel: Balenciaga could be about to move into couture once again.

Does this mean we could be seeing Balenciaga on the couture schedule in the next few seasons, courtesy of Wang? Or is it just simply a turn of phrase? Balenciaga is, after all, one of the original couture houses from the golden age of haute couture.

'Galliano's work is NO LONGER RELEVANT'!!!!

Raf Simons, the creative director of Dior, has spoken of his shamed predecessor John Galliano for the first time, saying he believes his work is no longer "relevant" as it restricts women.

Since taking the helm at Dior earlier this year, Raf Simons has kept schtum when it comes to discussing his disgraced predecessor, John Galliano - until now, that is.

Speaking in the latest issue of Vogue Australia, the Belgian designer has revealed that he no longer sees Galliano's work at the iconic design house as "relevant".

"I have so much respect for John [Galliano]'s technical skill and the fantasy, it's just something that I don't find relevant now, especially when it restricts a woman, because in every other area they have so much freedom," he said.

Whilst Simons is known, and indeed loved, for his minimalist approach when it comes to cut and colour, Galliano is famed for his elaborate, extroverted creations, many of which made for exciting catwalk shows but often did not translate in terms of wearability.

Maison Martin Margiela for H&M

H&M have announced that British photographer and film director Sam Taylor-Wood has shot the print and film campaigns for their highly-anticipated collaboration with Maison Martin Margiela.

A behind-the-scenes look at the Maison Martin Margiela for H&M campaign, shot by Sam Taylor-Wood.

There's even more reason to get excited about Maison Martin Margiela's upcoming collaboration with H&M as it has been announced that photographer and director Sam Taylor-Wood has shot the accompanying print and film campaigns.

Taylor-Wood photographed the as-yet-unseen campaign on the streets of Paris in collaboration with creative director Markus Kiersztan. The store has released one behind-the-scenes image, which shows Taylor-Wood photographing a model in an oversized jacket, stood inbetween two covered cars in front of a grand Paris building.

"Working with such an anarchic house as Martin Margiela alongside a high-street brand was a challenge that creatively became a crazy, fun project," the artist told WWD . "I wanted to create an atmosphere that was both quiet and still. That each person was in their own emotional and physical thought space. A world away from the heady atmosphere of the usual urban noise."

Taylor-Wood has close ties to the fashion world - she's friends with Kate Moss and Stella McCartney, has previously shot a campaign for Bottega Veneta and appeared in Louis Vuitton's 'Double Exposure' campaign. She recently married actor AaronTaylor-Johnson, who she met when she directed him in her debut film Nowhere Boy in 2008.

Tom Ford's Advice for Gisele When She Stops Being Hot

Tom Brady covers VMAN‘s fall issue–and while the accompanying interview and editorial focus on New Englands Patriot quarterback and his growing family with supermodel wife Gisele, it’s what Brady’s interviewer Tom Ford had to say that really caught our attention.

While the two Toms are discussing Gisele’s work as a model, Ford says, “[Modeling] is a horrible job. I feel really sorry for models. I’m serious. It’s a horrible job. They get rejected and treated like they’re not even people.” Ford is not one to sugarcoat.

But wait, there’s more!

Ford then offered up some nice and encouraging advice to Brady’s 32-year-old supermodel (and officially pregnant!) wife:

“This sounds negative, but when you’re considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, it’s very, very hard when that starts to slip away. It’s hard to feel good about yourself when people react to you differently. And, Gisele, I hope you’re not reading this, because it’s going to sound so negative but I know through some of my best friends who are really famous actresses–I’m not going to mention their names–who were at one point considered to be among the most beautiful women in the world at different periods of time, and how hard it is for them emotionally. So I hope Gisele is prepared for that, because it’s so difficult.”

And, just for fun, here is one of the more awkward moments in the interview:

Brady: By the way, how many times?

Ford: Say that again?

Brady: How many times have you worked with [Gisele].

Ford: Oh God! I thought you meant how many times did I sleep with her. I was about to say ‘Never.’ You sounded so tough.

Read full post on Fashionista.com 

First look at Yves Saint Laurent rebranding

The first pictures have surfaced of Yves Saint Laurent's controversial rebranding following a name change to Saint Laurent Paris.

A photo of Yves Saint Laurent's rebranding, taken by LOVE magazine's Katie Grand. Photo: Katie Grand/Twitter

It caused quite a stir when newly-appointed creative director Hedi Slimane announced that YSL would be undergoing a name change - from Yves Saint Laurent to Saint Laurent Paris - and now we can finally see how his reimagination measures up.

The first images have surfaced of the fashion house's rebranding, courtesy of LOVE editor Katie Grand, who took to her Twitter page to share the photo. The Instagram picture shows the new 'Saint Laurent' typography, which currently adorns the construction boards surrounding the brand's soon-to-open Mercer Street, New York store. Unfortunately, according the New York Magazine , the new branding has since been covered up by posters, thanks to T-shirt brand Rocksmith (who clearly know a good advertising opportunity when they see one).

Another picture featuring a black product box with the new branding on it has also appeared in the latest issue of Vogue Paris , showing 'Saint Laurent' with Paris written in smaller type beneath, surrounded by a thick black frame.

The image that appears in the August issue of Vogue Paris. Photo: Vogue Paris 

When the name change was announced in June the brand confirmed that they will continue to use the iconic overlapping YSL logo, which was designed by Cassandre in 1963, and that the rebranding will only apply to ready-to-wear, with the house's official moniker remaining as Yves Saint Laurent.

Slimane showed his first collection for the house, Resort 2013, to select buyers earlier this month, but the world will get to see his spring/summer 2013 collection during Paris Fashion Week this September.

Lenny Kravitz, the next Ralph Lauren?

Musician Lenny Kravitz has announced that he is going global with his lifestyle and fashion brand.

Not content with conquering the music world with his inimitable style of psychedelic rock, and the silver screen with his bucket-full of attitude (yes, the gold eyeliner-sporting stylist in The Hunger Games was Lenny), Kravitz has caught the celebrity-turned-designer bug, and he's set his bar high.

The 48-year-old rocker diversified from his day job in 2003 when he founded Kravitz Design , a company specialising in innovative and dynamic design solutions for commercial and residential properties. Earlier this year, he dipped a toe into the world of fashion by collaborating with ethical footwear brand TOMS.

"The plan is to make it a lifestyle brand . . . my dream for this company. In the same way you would see Ralph Lauren or Giorgio Armani" he told CNN.

Furniture, bedding and clothing are high on the agenda, as well as an eco-resort on a farm he owns in Brazil next year.

Perhaps Kravitz will rope in his stylish actress daughter Zoe to consult on cuts and colours. Thanks to her kooky, pared-back style, the 23-year-old regularly graces best-dressed lists around the globe.