LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS TO PRESENT GARMENTS FROM GLADYS KNIGHT

DURING A SPECIAL EVENING SESSION OF THE HOUSE'S VINTAGE COUTURE AND ACCESSORIES AUCTION ON 11.APRIL, LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS WILL OFFER A COLLECTION OF GARMENTS OWNED BY GLADYS KNIGHT, A SEVEN TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER KNOWN TO HER FANS AS 'THE EMPRESS OF SOUL'. KNIGHT, WHO BEGAN HER ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER AS LEAD VOCALIST OF GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS, WORE THE 57 DAZZLING OUTFITS THROUGHOUT HER STORIED CAREER AT PERFORMANCES AND AWARD CEREMONIES. HER COLLECTION DEPICTS THE EVOLUTION OF HER PERSONAL STYLE ACROSS MORE THAN FOUR DECADES. GLADYS KNIGHT WAS BORN IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA ON 24.MAY.1944. HER FIRST TASTE OF STARDOM CAME AT THE AGE OF SEVEN, WHEN SHE WON TED MACK'S ORIGINAL AMATEUR HOUR CONTEST. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, SHE, HER BROTHER MERALD, SISTER BRENDA AND COUSINS WILLIAM AND ELEANOR GUEST FORMED A GROUP CALLED 'THE PIPS', AFTER ANOTHER COUSIN, JAMES 'PIP' WOODS. BY 1960 THE PIPS BEGAN TOURING, EVENTUALLY SIGNING WITH MOTOWN RECORDS AND OPENING FOR DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES. GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS COUNT AMONG THEIR HIT SINGLES 'I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPE VINE', 'FRIENDSHIP TRAIN' AND 'IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN'. IN 1973 THE GROUP LEFT MOTOWN TO SIGN WITH BUDDAH RECORDS, LANDING A MAJOR HIT WITH GRAMMY-WINNER 'MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA'. AFTER THE PIPS RETIRED IN 1988, KNIGHT EMBARKED ON AN ENORMOUSLY SUCCESSFUL SOLO CAREER. SHE HAS RECEIVED WORLDWIDE ACCLAIM FOR HER SINGLES WHICH HAVE TOPPED THE ALBUM CHARTS. ENSEMBLES FROM DESIGNERS SUCH AS BOB MACKIE, TONY CHASE AND OLEG CASSINI COVER APPEARANCES MADE BY KNIGHT IN RECENT YEARS TO AS EARLY AS THE 1970s. THE MAGNIFICENTLY BRILLIANT COLOURS, TEXTURES AND MATERIALS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT EACH GOWN IS NOT JUST SOMETHING KNIGHT WORE, BUT A WAY OF HEIGHTENING THE EXPERIENCE OF A PERFORMANCE. 'THESE DRESSES ARE AS EXCITING S ANY WE'VE HANDLED FROM A PROMINENT COLLECTION', SAID AUCTIONEER LESLIE HINDMAN. 'IT'S AN HONORED TO BE HANDLING A PART OF MUSIC HISTORY.'

HERMES GENTLEMEN'S VALET

FAMED FRENCH LUXURY DESIGNER HERMES HAS RECENTLY CREATED THE ULTIMATE ACCESSORY FOR THE WORLD'S BEST-DRESSED GENTLEMAN, A VALET STAND IN SOLID MAHOGANY, FINE LEATHER AND BRASS WITH EBONY DETAILING. THE STUNNING LUXE PIECE, DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE A FULL SUIT OF GENTLEMAN'S CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES, IS A LIMITED EDITION RE-ISSUE OF A CLASSIC ITEM CREATED FOR HERMES IN 1930 BY FAMED FRENCH DECORATOR AND DESIGNER PAUL DUPRE-LAFON. THE ORIGINAL WAS SOLD BY SOTHEBY'S AT ITS ART NOUVEAU 7 ART DECO SALE IN PARIS IN 2007 FOR AN ESTIMATED $65,000. THE STAND, WITH AN ART DECO AND VINTAGE FLAIR, FEATURES A CALFSKIN HANGER FOR THE SUIT, A CALFSKIN TRAY FOR WATCHES AND JEWELRY, A MAHOGANY SHOE RACK AT THE BASE, AND BRASS HOOKS AND RODS FOR TIES AND BELTS. WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $3,000 THE UNIQUE CREATION WILL BE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT HERMES BOUTIQUES WORLDWIDE.

MOUAWAD'S $3.8 MILLION 1001 NIGHTS DIAMOND PURSE

THE HOUSE OF MOUAWAD HAS RECENTLY RELEASED THE STUNNING MOUAWAD 1001 NIGHTS DIAMOND PURSE, THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE HANDBAG, VALUED AT A STAGGERING $3.8 MILLION. THE DAZZLING CREATION WAS DESIGNED BY ROBERT MOUAWAD AND HANDCRAFTED BY 10 ARTISANS IN OVER 8,800 HOURS. THE HEART-SHAPED PURSE INCORPORATES 18 CARAT GOLD AND 4,517 DIAMONDS, 105 YELLOW, 56 PINK AND 4,356 COLOURLESS, WITH A TOTAL WEIGHT OF 381.92 CARATS. THE PURSE WAS ON DISPLAY AT THE DOHA JEWELRY AND WATCH EXHIBITION OVER THE RECENT WEEKEND, AS OF YET THERE HAS BEEN NO CONFIRMATION IF ANYONE HAS PURCHASED IT. THE HANDBAG IS THE SECOND RECORD-BREAKING ATTEMPT FROM THE HOUSE OF MOUAWAD, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1890. IN 2003, GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS CERTIFIED, 'THE VERY SEXY FANTASY BRA', WHICH WAS PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH VICTORIA'S SECRET, AS THE MOST EXPENSIVE BRA EVER MADE WITH A VALUE OF $1 MILLION.

FACONNABLE LAUNCHES JEANS COLLECTION

ICONIC LUXURY FRENCH FASHION LABEL FACONNABLE, BRON FROM A TAILOR'S ATELIER IN NICE IN THE 1950s, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE FIRST CHOICE FOR FASHION FORWARD MEN'S DESIGN. NOW THE COMPANY, WHICH IS COMMITTED TO INNOVATION, QUALITY FABRICS, IMPECCABLE CUTS AND SINGULAR DETAILS, IS LAUNCHING A NEW LINE CALLED FACONNABLE JEANS, ADDING A CONTEMPORARY SPIN TO ITS PORTFOLIO. INSPIRED BY THE RELAXED LIFESTYLE OF THE COTE D'AZUR, FACONNABLE JEANS OFFERS THE BEST OF THE WORLD OF DENIM WHILE ADHERING TO THE PRINCIPLES OF FINE TAILORING THE BRAND IS KNOWN FOR. REFINED STITCHING; THE FINEST MATERIALS SUCH AS JAPANESE CHAMBRAY; AND CONTEMPORARY FITS DISTINGUISH THE NEW COLLECTION, WHILE PREWASHING AND HAND FINISHING GUARANTEE A SOFT FEEL AND UNIQUE PATINA. THE NEW COLLECTION ENCOMPASSES MORE THAN JUST JEANS TO ROUND OUT THE WARDROBE, INCLUDING KHAKIS, WASHED COTTON POLOS AND T-SHIRTS, AND VARIOUS STYLES OF JACKETS, ALONG WITH STYLISH ACCESSORIES SUCH AS POCKET SQUARES AND HANDMADE TIES, SHOES, BAGS, BELTS, SCARVES, CAPS AND BOXER SHORTS.

FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES PRESENTS EXHIBITION ON OSCAR FASHIONS

HELEN MIRREN'S ELIZABETHAN DRESS FROM 'THE TEMPEST' IS COVERED WITH GOLD AND SILVER ZIPPERS, ALL THE WAY UP TO ITS RUFFLED COLLAR. THE HAT THAT MADE JOHNNY DEPP THE MAD HATTER IN 'ALICE IN WONDERLAND' WAS CRAFTED FROM IMPORTED ITALIAN LEATHER WOVEN WITH GOLD THREADS, AND IT WAS SIZED TO FIT THE FLUFFY ORANGE WIG HE WORE BENEATH IT. THE COSTUMES FROM 'TRUE GRIT' WERE MADE NEW, THEN AGED TO LOOK MORE THAN 100 YEARS OLD, WHILE MUCH OF THE CLOTHING FROM 'THE KING'S SPEECH' WERE ORIGINAL PIECES FROM THE 1930s. FILM FANS AND FASHIONISTAS CAN GET AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT THESE OSCAR-NOMINATED OUTFITS AND NEARLY 100 OTHER MOVIE COSTUMES AT L.A.'s FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN & MERCHANDISING's 19th ANNUAL ART OF MOTION PICTURE COSTUME DESIGN EXHIBITION, ON VIEW NOW. THE FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES COLLECTS AND DISPLAYS MOVIE COSTUMES TO ALLOW FUTURE FASHION DESIGNERS AND THE PUBLIC TO SEE THE CREATIVITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP BEHIND THE CLOTHING THAT MKES MEMORABLE CHARACTERS ON SCREEN, SAYS CURATOR AND FASHION HISTORIAN KEVIN JONES. OSCAR-NOMINATED COSTUME DESIGNER MARY ZOPHRES SPENT MONTHS RESEARCHING THE LOOK AND STYLE OF 1860s ARKANSAS, WHERE THE ADVENTURE OF 'TRUE GRIT' TAKES PLACE. ONCE SHE BECAME FLUENT IN THE ERA'S FASHIONS, SHE ORDERED MULTIPLE OUTFITS MADE FOR EACH CHARACTER, THEN HAD THE NEW CLOTHING AGED TO APPEAR ALMOST 140 YEARS OLD. HISTORICAL COSTUMES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE, ZOPHRES SAYS: 'THE EARLIER YOU GO, THE MORE MONEY IT COSTS.' PRODUCTION ON 'THE KING'S SPEECH' STARTED LESS THAN SIX WEEKS AFTER JENNY BEAVAN WAS HIRED TO DESIGN ITS COSTUMES, SO TO OUTFIT THE ROYAL 1930s DRAMA, SHE RENTED AS MANY ORIGINAL PIECES AS SHE COULD FROM A COSTUME HOUSE IN LONDON. WHAT SHE COULDN'T FIND, SHE MADE, INCLUDING THE SUITS WORN BY KING GEORGE VI (COLIN FIRTH) AND SEVERAL DRESSES WORN BY THE QUEEN MOTHER (HELEN BONHAM CARTER). FOR A PICTURE SET IN THE RECENT PAST, IT'S COMMON FOR COSTUMES TO USE A MIX OF RENTED ORIGINALS AND CUSTOM-MADE NEW PIECES, BEAVAN SAYS. THE FIDM EXHIBIT FEATURES FOUR OF OSCAR'S FIVE NOMINATED DESIGN NOMINEES, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ASSEMBLED BEFORE ACADEMY AWARDS NOMINEES WERE ANNOUNCED. OTHER FEATURED COSTUMES INCLUDED SEVERAL DAZZLING OUTFITS WORN BY CHRISTINA AGUILERA IN 'BURLESQUE', LEONARDO DI CAPRIO AND ELLEN PAGE'S CLOTHES FROM 'INCEPTION' AND AN OUTFIT FOR EACH CHARACTER IN 'THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT'. SOME OF THE MOST EYE-CATCHING COSTUMES INCLUDE THOSE FROM 'PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME' AND 'CLASH OF THE TITANS'.

JOHN-PAUL GAULTIER BEBE

FRENCH DESIGNER, JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER HAS RECENTLY LAUNCHED A BABYWEAR COLLECTION, GAULTIER BEBE, FOR NEWBORN BABIES AND CHILDREN UP TO TWO YEARS. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME GAULTIER HAS GONE IN THE CHILDREN DIRECTION, HE ALREADY HAS JUNIOR GAULTIER. GAULTIER BEBE WILL FOLLOW IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITH HIS SIGNATURE PALETTE OF RED, WHITE AND BLUE ON DENIM, TULLE SKIRTS AND BODYSUITS. THE FORMER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF WOMEN'S WEAR AT HERMES HAS BEEN KEEPING BUSY SINCE HE LEFT THE LUXURY LABEL. IN ADDITION TO THE NEW COLLECTION, IN 2010 HE LAUNCHED A RANGE OF LINGERIE WITH LA PERLE AND COLLABORATED WITH ROCHE BOBOIS ON HOME FURNISHINGS.

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD DESIGNS FOR CHIVAS REGAL

ICONIC BRITISH FASHION DESIGNER VIVIENNE WESTWOOD IS THE LATEST TO CREATE A SPECIAL PACKAGING FOR CHIVAS REGAL'S 18 YEAR SCOTCH BOTTLE. THE LAST LIMITED EDITION WAS DESIGNED BY CHRISTIAN LACROIX AND THE DESIGN WAS MORE TRADITIONAL. THE SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION CHIVAS REGAL 18 WILL SELL FOR AROUND £150, AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR CHRISTMAS 2010 AND INTO THE NEW YEAR.

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART TO PRESENT MCQUEEN EXHIBITION

THE SPRING 2011 EXHIBITION ORGANIZED BY THE COSTUME INSTITUTE OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART WILL BE ALEXANDER MCQUEEN: SAVAGE BEAUTY, IT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE MUSEUM TODAY. THE EXHIBITION, ON VIEW FROM 4.MAY THROUGH 31.JULY2011, WILL CELEBRATE THE LATE MCQUEEN'S EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO FASHION. FROM HIS CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS POSTGRADUATE COLLECTION IN 1992 TO HIS FINAL RUNWAY PRESENTATION, WHICH TOOK PLACE AFTER HIS DEATH IN FEBRUARY 2010, MCQUEEN CHALLENGED AND EXPANDED THE UNDERSTANDING OF FASHION BEYOND UTILITY TO A CONCEPTUAL EXPRESSION OF CULTURE, POLITICS AND IDENTITY. THE EXHIBITION, IN THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM'S SECOND-FLOOR CANTOR GALLERIES, WILL FEATURE APPROXIMATELY 100 EXAMPLES OF MCQUEEN'S WORK FROM HIS PROLIFIC 19 YEAR CAREER. DRAWN PRIMARILY FROM THE MCQUEEN ARCHIVE IN LONDON, WITH SOME PIECES FROM THE GIVENCHY ARCHIVE IN PARIS AS WELL AS PRIVATE COLLECTIONS, SIGNATURE DESIGNS INCLUDING THE BUMSTER TROUSER, THE KIMONO JACKET AND THE ORIGAMI FROCK COAT WILL BE ON VIEW. MCQUEEN'S FASHIONS OFTEN REFERENCED THE EXAGGERATED SILHOUETTES OF THE 1860s, 1880s AND THE 1950s, BUT HIS TECHNICAL INGENUITY ALWAYS IMBUED HIS DESIGNS WITH AN INNOVATIVE SENSIBILITY THAT KEPT HIM AT THE VANGUARD. GALLERIES WILL SHOWCASE RECURRING THEMES AND CONCEPTS IN MCQUEEN'S WORK BEGINNING WITH 'THE SAVAGE MIND' WHICH WILL EXAMINE HIS SUBVERSION OF TRADITIONAL TAILORING AND DRESSMAKING PRACTICES THROUGH DISPLACEMENT AND DECONSTRUCTION. 'ROMANTIC GOTHIC' WILL HIGHLIGHT MCQUEEN'S NARRATIVE APPROACH TO FASHION AND ILLUMINATE HIS ENGAGEMENT WITH ROMANTIC LITERARY TRADITIONS SUCH AS DEATH, DECAY AND DARKNESS. IT WILL ALSO REVEAL THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF HIS COLLECTIONS, INCLUDING FEMME FATALES AND ANTI-HEROES SUCH AS PIRATES AND HIGHWAYMEN. 'ROMANTIC NATIONALISM' WILL LOOK AT MCQUEEN'S FASCINATION WITH THE DISTANT PAST, WHILE 'ROMANTIC EXOTICISM' WILL EXAMINE HIS FOCUS ON DISTANT PLACES. 'ROMANTIC PRIMITIVISM' WILL EXPLORE MCQUEEN'S ENGAGEMENT WITH THE IDEAL OF THE 'NOBLE SAVAGE'.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.metmuseum.org

JOHN GALLIANO FOR LADUREE

ICONIC FASHION DESIGNER JOHN GALLIANO WILL BE COLLABORATING WITH THE FAMOUS PARISIAN CAFE LADUREE TO CREATE SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION MACARONS. THE DIOR DESIGNER'S MACARONS, WHICH COME IN LUXURIOUSLY DESIGNED BOXES OF EITHER 6,12 OR 18, WILL PAY TRIBUTE TO HIS PARFUM PARLEZ-MOI D'AMOUR. HE CHOSE ROSE AND GINGER FLAVORS AND CREATED A LIMITED EDITION BOX FEATURING REFERENCES TO THE NEW FRAGRANCE. THE MACARONS ARE TO GO ON SALE IN NOVEMBER IN LADUREE BOUTIQUES IN FRANCE, THE UK, SWITZERLAND, MONTE CARLO, IRELAND, ITALY AND JAPAN. IN 2009, LADUREE LAUNCHED TWO OTHER SPECIAL VERSIONS OF THE DELECTABLE MARCARONS, ONE BY THE LUXURY SHOE DESIGNER CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN AND ONE BY THE ITALIAN LABEL MARNI.

PRADA TO LAUNCH 'MADE IN...' COLLECTION

PRADA HAS CREATED A UNIQUE NEW PROJECT THAT HONORS GLOBAL LUXURY. BASED ON THE IDEA THAT IN THE EARLY DECADES OF THE 20th CENTURY, MIUCCIA PRADA'S GRANDFATHER, THE VISIONARY MARIO PRADA, TRAVELED THE WORLD IN TIRELESS PURSUIT OF IDEAS AND INSPIRATION, THE NEW 'MADE IN...' PROJECT FEATURES COLLECTION FROM AROUND THE WORLD. 'PRADA MADE IN SCOTLAND' IS A COLLECTION OF TRADITIONAL TARTAN WOOL KILTS. 'PRADA MADE IN INDIA' FEATURES ENTIRELY HANDMADE GARMENTS FROM THE WORKSHOPS THAT SPECIALIZE IN CHIKAN, AN ANCIENT FORM OF INDIAN EMBROIDERY, AS WELL AS MULTICOLORED BALLERINA FLATS, SANDALS AND HANDBAGS THAT EMPLOY AN EQUALLY SOPHISTICATED TRADITIONAL WEAVING TECHNIQUE. 'PRADA MADE IN JAPAN' TAKES THE IDEA TO DENIN WITH A COLLECTION OF JEANS PRODUCED BY DOVA, THE WORLD'S MOST SOPHISTICATED DENIN MANUFACTURER. 'THE PRADA MADE IN JAPAN' JEANS CAN BE CUSTOM ORDERED IN FOUR DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF CLOTH AND SEVEN DIFFERENT WASHES. 'PRADA MADE IN PERU' IS A COLLECTION OF ALPACA WOOL KNITWEAR USING ARTISANAL TECHNIQUES FROM THE MOST TRADITIONAL WORKSHOPS OF THE PERUVIAN 'CAMPESINOS'. THE COLLECTIONS ARE IDENTIFIED BY SPECIAL LABELS DEDICATED TO EACH COUNTRY OF ORIGIN. THE COLLECTIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN PRADA BOUTIQUES NEXT YEAR.

CHANEL WINTER 2010.11 WINDOW DISPLAY

THE UNIQUELY DESIGNED NEW WINDOW DISPLAYS AT CHANEL ON RUE CAMBON IN PARIS WERE RECENTLY UNVEILED. THE STUNNING DISPLAY DESIGN FOLLOWS THE POLAR THEME OF THEIR WINTER 2010.11 READY TO WEAR SHOW.

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM PRESENTS 'KATHERINE HEPBURN: DRESSED FOR STAGE AND SCREEN'

AFTER A SERIES OF SOLD-OUT PRE-OPENING EVENTS, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OPENS ITS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED EXHIBITION 'KATHERINE HEPBURN: DRESSED FOR STAGE AND SCREEN', ON 2.OCTOBER. THE EXHIBITION, WHICH CLOSES 4.SEPTEMBER.2011, SHOWCASES THE SCREEN LEGEND'S PERFORMANCE CLOTHES, WHICH INCLUDE STAGE AND FILM COSTUMES SPANNING HEPBURN'S CAREER, AS WELL AS APPAREL SHE WORE FOR PUBLICITY PURPOSES. KATHERINE HEPBURN IS UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED AMONG THE GREATEST ACTRESSES OF ALL TIME. SHE WAS NOMINATED BY THE MOTION PICTURE ACADEMY FOR A RECORD 12 TIMES IN THE BEST LEADING ACTRESS CATEGORY AND WON FOUR OSCARS, FOR 'MORNING GLORY', 'GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER', 'THE LION IN WINTER' AND 'ON GOLDEN POND'. THIS RECORD HAS NEVER BEEN EQUALED. THE MUSEUM ACQUIRED HEPBURN'S PERFORMANCE CLOTHES IN 2008 FROM THE STAR'S ESTATE. BEFORE HER DEATH IN 2003, SHE HAD MADE CLEAR HER COLLECTION OF PERFORMANCE CLOTHES SHOULD BE GIVEN TO AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION INSTEAD OF BEING SOLD AT AUCTION. THE KENT STATE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM IS ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS, AND IS KNOWN INTERNATIONALLY FOR ITS COSTUME AND FASHION COLLECTIONS, THE RESULT IS A PERFECT FIT. THOUGH THE COLLECTION'S OWNERSHIP IS INDISPUTABLE, THEY WERE LITERALLY HANGING IN HEPBURN'S CLOSETS, THE MUSEUM HAD TO CORRECTLY IDENTIFY WHICH MOVIE OR PLAY THE GARMENTS CAME FROM SINCE THEY WERE UNTAGGED. MOVIE FRAMES, STAGE STILLS AND PUBLICITY SHOTS OF HEPBURN HAVE HELPED IMMENSELY AND WILL BE DISPLAYED ALONGSIDE THE COSTUMES. AS THE TITLE OF THE EXHIBITION SUGGESTS, THE COSTUMES WILL BE PRESENTED ACCORDING TO THE GENRE, WITH 'SCREEN' INCLUDING FILM AND TELEVISION. A SERIES OF HEPBURN'S ICONIC BEIGE TROUSERS, LINEN VESTS AND TAILORED JACKETS WILL BE PLACED AS GUIDEPOSTS THROUGH THE EXHIBIT. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXHIBIT INCLUDE: STAGE COSTUMES FROM 'THE PHILADELPHIA STORY' AND 'WITHOUT LOVE', AS WELL AS LATER BROADWAY SHOWS 'COCO', 'WEST SIDE WALTZ' AND ' A MATTER OF GRAVITY'; FILM COSTUMES AND PUBLICITY CLOTHES INCLUDE THOSE FROM 'THE LITTLE MINISTER', 'ADAM'S RIB', 'THE IRON PETTICOAT', 'LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT', 'A DELICATE BALANCE', 'GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER', AND 'THE LION IN WINTER'; COSTUMES WORN IN MANY OF HER LATE TELEVISION MOVIES, INCLUDING HER EMMY-NOMINATED PERFORMANCE AS THE TITLE CHARACTER IN 'MRS DELAFIELD WANTS TO MARRY' AS WELL AS HER EMMY-WINNING PERFORMANCE IN 'LOVE AMONG THE RUINS'.

IMA TO PRESENT MATERIAL WORLD

FROM COURT DRESSES TO COUTURE, THE OBJECTS IN MATERIAL WORLD, ON VIEW AT THE INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART (IMA), FROM 22.APRIL.2011 THROUGH TO 5.FEBRUARY.2012, WILL FEATURE EXTRAVAGANT ORNAMENTATION OF TEXTILES AND PERSONAL ADORNMENT FROM CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD WHILE HIGHLIGHTING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEXTILES IN DISPLAYING WEALTH, STATUS AND POWER. THE EXHIBITION WILL SHOWCASE ITEMS ADORNED WITH LUXURIOUS MATERIALS INCLUDING GOLD AND METALLIC THREADS, BEADS, SHELLS, MIRRORS, SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES, BONES, FUR AND FEATHERS, RANGING FROM A BUDDHIST BONE APRON TO DIOR AND CHANEL COUTURE PIECES, SPANNING SEVERAL CENTURIES TO THE PRESENT DAY. 'MATERIAL WORLD JUXTAPOSES EXOTIC TEXTILES FROM THE IMAs EXTENSIVE COLLECTION THAT ARE NOT TYPICALLY EXHIBITED TOGETHER, PROVIDING A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITORS', SAID A MUSEUM SPOKESMAN. 'THIS EXHIBITION UNITES SOME OF THE MUSEUM'S MOST DAZZLING PIECES TO ILLUSTRATE A THEME PREVALENT IN CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MATERIALISM AND WEALTH.' REPRESENTING A VARIETY OF CULTURES FROM ASIA, AFRICA, EUROPE AND THE AMERICAS, MATERIAL WORLD TRACES HOW DIFFERENT SOCIETIES USE LUXURIOUS MATERIALS IN RITUALS AND CUSTOMS. THE EXHIBITION WILL FEATURE ROYAL GARMENTS, PERSONAL ATTIRE AND FURNISHINGS, CEREMONIAL COSTUMES AND RELIGIOUS GARMENTS. AMONG THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXHIBITION ARE AN INTRICATELY EMBROIDERED RUSSIAN COURT GOWN DESIGNED BY CHARLES FREDERICK WORTH, A NORMAN NORELL SEQUIN MERMAID DRESS, AN INDONESIAN SKIRT ADORNED WITH SHELLS, A BILL BLASS SNAKESKIN EVENING JACKET AND A GROUP OF FASHION AND CEREMONIAL FEATHERED HATS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.imamuseum.org

BONHAMS TO SELL 'WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE HAT'

BONHAMS & BUTTERFIELDS, SAN FRANSISCO, WILL BE HOSTING ITS FIRST SALE DEVOTED SOLELY TO OPALS, THE GEMSTONE KNOWN FOR ITS SOMETIMES FIERY, SOMETIMES MILKY HUES. ON 10.NOVEMBER, THE NATURE OF OPALS SALE WILL FEATURE A DIVERSE GROUP OF DISTINCTIVE JEWELRY, LOOSE STONES, MINERAL SPECIMENS, LAPIDARY WORKS OF ART, DECORATIVE OBJECTS, DECOR AND FOSSILS, ALL MADE FROM THE LUMINOUS GEM. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE SALE, HOWEVER, ISN'T A PRICEY PIECE OF JEWELRY, BUT RATHER A HAT, ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE TO BE OFFERED AT AUCTION, BONHAMS SAID IN A RECENT STATEMENT. DUBBED THE 'DEEP BLUE SEA', THE HAT IS CRAFTED FROM HAND-BLOCKED AUSTRALIAN FELT, EMBELLISHED WITH FEATHERS AND BEJEWELED WITH 26 OPALS WEIGHING APPROXIMATELY 1,447 CARATS AND MINED AT AUSTRALIA'S FAMED LIGHTING RIDGE. A COLLABORATION BETWEEN AUSTRALIAN MASTER MILLINER ANN MAREE WILLETT AND OPAL MINERS VICKI AND PETER DRACKETT, THE HAT WAS ALSO WORKED ON BY ACCLAIMED OPAL CARVERS DANIELA L'ABBATE AND CHRISTINE ROUSSEL AND FEATURES STERLING SILVER AND 18 CARAT GOLD SETTINGS BY MASTER GOLDSMITH GERD GEROLD SCHULZ. IT IS ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN $150,000 AND $200,000.

RALPH LAUREN RELAUNCHES RHINELANDER MANSION STORE

RALPH LAUREN HAS RECENTLY RELAUNCHED HIS FAMED FLAGSHIP IN THE HISTORIC RHINELANDER MANSION ON MADISON AVENUE IN NEW YORK, TRANSFORMING IT INTO THE WORLD'S FOREMOST MECCA OF MEN'S STYLE. SPANNING NEARLY 16,000 SQUARE FEET, THE MANSION, ORIGINALLY CONVERTED INTO AN OPULENT RETAIL PALACE BY LAUREN IN 1986, NOW EXCLUSIVELY HOUSES THE DESIGNER'S VARIOUS MEN'S COLLECTIONS WITH THE COMPANY'S FIRST WOMEN'S AND HOME FLAGSHIPS DUE TO OPEN ACROSS THE AVENUE LATER THIS FALL. ORIGINALLY DESIGNED IN THE 1890s BY KIMBALL & THOMPSON, THE LARGE FRENCH RENAISSANCE REVIVAL MANSION IS AN ARCHITECTURAL TREASURE AS WELL WITH A CLASSIC BEAUX ARTS FACADE EXEMPLARY OF THE UPPER EAST SIDE's GRAND ARCHITECTURE. THE NEW SPACE SHOWCASES THE PURPLE LABEL, BLACK LABEL, POLO, RRL AND RLX RALPH LAUREN COLLECTIONS OF MEN'S APPAREL AND ACCESSORIES, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE MOST LUXURIOUS ELEMENTS. SERVICE HAS BEEN STEPPED UP AS WELL, WITH BUTLERS TO SERVE SNACKS AND DRINKS ON SILVER TRAYS AND A FLEET OF MERCEDES-BENZES TO CHAUFFEUR IMPORTANT CLIENTS ON SHOPPING TRIPS. EVERY ROOM IN THE MANSION HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH CINEMATIC DECOR IN KEEPING WITH THE NEOCLASSICAL STYLE OF THE ORIGINAL GRAND RESIDENCE, FROM ANTIQUES AND FIXTURES TO FURNITURE AND ART, INCLUDING 18th AND 19th CENTURY OIL PORTRAITS AND NOTEWORTHY PHOTOGRAPHS FROM RALPH LAUREN'S PERSONAL COLLECTION.

MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON, PRESENTS 'SCAASI: AMERICAN COUTURIER'

ARNOLD SCAASI HAS DRESSED THEM ALL, FROM BROADWAY ACTRESSES AND HOLLYWOOD STARS TO THE LADIES WHO LUNCH AND AMERICA'S FIRST LADIES. EPITOMIZING THE 'LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS', HIS CUSTOM-MADE CLOTHING EVOKES THE HEIGHT OF ELEGANCE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP FROM THE LATE 1950s TO THE PRESENT. IN CELEBRATION OF THE ACCLAIMED FASHION DESIGNER AND HIS RECENT GIFTS TO THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON (MFA), OF MORE THAN 100 OUTFITS (TO COMPLEMENT THE MFAs ACQUISITION OF HIS ARCHIVE), THE MUSEUM PRESENTS 'SCAASI: AMERICAN COUTURIER', FROM 25.SEPTEMBER THROUGH 11.JUNE.2011, IN THE LORING GALLERY. THE EXHIBITION SHOWCASES 28 OF SCAASI'S FABULOUS OUTFITS AND EXPLORE HIS PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH FOUR WOMEN FROM AMONG HIS EXTENSIVE CLIENTELE, INCLUDING BARBRA STREISAND, FOR WHOM HE DESIGNED THE SEEMINGLY TRANSPARENT BLACK TULLE PANTS ENSEMBLE THAT SHE WORE WHEN ACCEPTING HER 1969 OSCAR FOR FUNNY GIRL. THE ENSEMBLE, NOW PART OF THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION, IS DISPLAYED, ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL OUTFITS CREATED FOR THE ACTRESS. SCAASI'S RICHLY TAILORED SUITS, COCKTAIL DRESSES AND LAVISH EVENING GOWNS WERE STATEMENT PIECES, OFTEN MADE FOR WOMEN WITH BIG PERSONALITIES WHO LIVES GRAND LIVES, SUCH AS CELEBRITIES ELIZABETH TAYLOR, MARY TYLER MOORE, SOPHIA LOREN AND BARBRA WALTERS, AND SOCIALITES BROOKE ASTOR, AUSTINE HEARST, EVELYN LAUDER, IVANA TRUMP AND GAYFRYD STEINBERG. IN ADDITION, HE CREATED BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES FOR WOMEN WHO WERE SUDDENLY THROWN ONTO THE WORLD STAGE, FIRST LADIES BARBRA BUSH, HILLARY CLINTON AND LAURA BUSH, WHOSE ELEGANT SCAASI GOWNS HELPED THEM ESTABLISH A STRONG PUBLIC IMAGE. BORN ARNOLD ISAACS ON 8.MAY.1930, THE MONTREAL NATIVE STUDIED AT THE PRESTIGIOUS COTNOIR-CAPPONI SCHOOL OF DESIGN IN MONTREAL AND THE CHAMBRE SYNDICALE DE LA HAUTE COUTURE PARISIENNE IN PARIS, WHERE HE APPRENTICED AT THE HOUSE OF PAQUIN BEFORE MOVING TO NEW YORK CITY TO WORK WITH RENOWNED DESIGNER CHARLES JAMES. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, 'ISAACS' WAS TURNED BACKWARDS AND BECAME SCAASI. HE GAINED RECOGNITION FOR HIS DESIGNS, AND IN 1955, THE DECEMBER COVER OF VOGUE PICTURED A COAT HE DESIGNED FOR DRESSMAKER CASUALS, CREATING THE BUZZ THAT HELPED SCAASI LAUNCH HIS READY-TO-WEAR LINE THE FOLLOWING YEAR. IN 1958, THE DESIGNER WON THE PRESTIGIOUS COTY FASHION CRITICS AWARD AND HIS SUCCESS WAS ASSURED. IN 1964, HE OPENED HIS COUTURE SALON.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY ACQUIRES ISABELLA BLOW PORTRAIT

A CACOPHONY OF STUFFED ANIMALS DRAMATICALLY SPOT-LIT ONTO A WALL TO FORM A PORTRAIT SILHOUETTE OF THE LATE FASHION ICON ISABELLA BLOW HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY. THE UNUSUAL PORTRAIT MADE OF 15 TAXIDERMY ANIMALS (INCLUDING BIRDS, A RAT AND A SNAKE), WOOD AND FAKE MOSS, TOGETHER WITH A HEEL FROM ONE OF BLOW'S OWN MANOLO BLAHNIK SHOES AND HER TRADEMARK LIPSTICK, IS A VIVID COMBINATION OF SCULPTURE, INSTALLATION AND LIGHT PROJECTION. IN THE RESULTING SILHOUETTE OF A HEAD, ISABELLA BLOW APPEARS TO BE WEARING ONE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY HATS DESIGNED FOR HER BY PHILLIP TREACY, WHICH OFTEN FEATURED TAXIDERMY. THE ARTISTS WERE FASCINATED BY WHAT THEY SAW AS BLOW'S GOTHIC QUALITY AND CHOSE TO DEPICT HER HEAD AS THOUGH ON A STAKE, INCORPORATING A RAVEN AND THE SPECIES OF RAT ASSOCIATED WITH THE BLACK DEATH. THE WORK HAS BEEN DONATED TO THE GALLERY BY THE ESTATE OF ISABELLA BLOW, WHO DIED IN 2007, AND THE ARTISTS TIM NOBLE AND SUE WEBSTER WHO CREATED IT FROM LIFE ON 2002. THE RESULT OF THEIR FRIENDSHIP WITH BLOW, THIS IS THE ONLY PORTRAIT BY THE ARTISTS OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THEMSELVES. AS A JOURNALIST, STYLIST AND MUSE, ISABELLA BLOW (1958-2007) WAS A LEADING FIGURE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH FASHION IN THE 1990s AND 2000s. SHE IS CREDITED WITH DISCOVERING AND PROMOTING THE CAREERS OF IMPORTANT BRITISH DESIGNERS INCLUDING ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, HUSSEIN CHALAYAN, THE WORLD'S LEADING MILLINER PHILIP TREACY, AND THE PHOTOGRAPHER JUERGEN TELLER.

RALPH LAUREN TO LAUNCH JEWELRY COLLECTION AT NEW YORK FLAGSHIP

AS IT OPENS A NEW FLAGSHIP STORE AT 888 MADISON AVE IN NEW YORK CITY IN OCTOBER, RALPH LAUREN WILL ALSO DEBUT RALPH LAUREN FINE JEWELRY IN A WATCH AND JEWELRY SALON THAT WILL BE PART OF THE RETAILER'S 'LIFESTYLE CONCEPT', DESIGNED TO GIVE SHOPPERS A RICHLY EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE. THE MANHATTAN FLAGSHIP WILL BE 'ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS AND LARGEST RALPH LAUREN STORES IN THE WORLD, FULLY DEDICATED TO WOMEN'S LUXURY OFFERINGS AND HOME COLLECTIONS', THE COMPANY SAID IN A RECENT RELEASE. THE IDEA IS TO SHOWCASE THE RALPH LAUREN TIMEPIECES COLLECTIONS, AND NOW JEWELRY, IN A DEDICATED SPACE FULLY DEVOTED TO THE PRECIOUS PRODUCTS, WITHIN THE WORLD OF RALPH LAUREN. EACH PIECE OF JEWELRY IN THE NEW COLLECTION IS HANDCRAFTED USING PRECIOUS MATERIALS AND INTRICATE FINISHING TECHNIQUES, FROM GRACEFULLY SET PAVE CHAINS AND ROMANTIC CHANDELIER EARRINGS TO A DAZZLING DIAMOND 'RL' MONOGRAM ADORNING LUSTROUS PEARL STRANDS, THE RELEASE SAID. AS IS THE CASE FOR THE BRAND'S WATCHES, THE VISION FOR RALPH LAUREN JEWELRY IS TO BE THE 'BEST IN CLASS' AMONG THE WORLD'S HIGH-END BRANDS, OFFERING DISTINCTIVE DESIGN AND THE HIGHEST QUALITY.

SELFRIDGE'S TO OPEN WORLD'S LARGEST SHOE-DEPARTMENT

BRITISH DEPARTMENT STORE SELFRIDGES HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL BE OPENING THE WORLD'S LARGEST SHOE DEPARTMENT ON 23.SEPTEMBER. LOCATED ON THE AWARD-WINNING STORE'S SECOND FLOOR, THE SUPER-SIZED 'SHOE GALLERIES' WILL HOUSE MORE THAN 4,000 PAIRS OF SHOES FROM 120 BRANDS, INCLUDING 35 NEW LABELS AND MORE THAN 30 EXCLUSIVE STYLES DESIGNED JUST FOR THE RETAILER. DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT JAMIE FOBERT, THE GROUND-BREAKING SPACE WILL ALSO INCLUDE 11 'APARTMENT' BOUTIQUES FOR PREMIER LABELS (CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, JIMMY CHOO, CHANNEL, DIOR, FENDI, PRADA, GUCCI, TOD's, UGG, TOPSHOP, AND REPETTO), WHICH WILL BE DESIGNED ACCORDING TO THE LABEL'S UNIQUE STYLE.
FOR INSTANCE, WHILE THE LOUBOUTIN APARTMENT IS MODELED AFTER THE DESIGNER'S PARIS HOME, REPETTO'S WILL BE INSPIRED BY A BALLET STUDIO, AND FENDI'S WILL BE BASED ON THE FASHION HOUSE'S ROMAN PALAZZO.

'NOTORIOUS & NOTABLE: 20th CENTURY WOMEN OF STYLE' PAYS HOMAGE TO FASHION ICONS

FASHION MAY BE FOR FOLLOWERS BUT STYLE IS ORIGINAL IS THE MESSAGE OF THE NEW EXHIBIT WHICH GIVES A GLIMPSE INTO THE CLOSETS OF 81 WOMEN WHO MADE THEIR MARK ON MANHATTAN. 'NOTORIOUS & NOTABLE: 20th CENTURY WOMEN OF STYLE', WHICH OPENS TUESDAY DURING NEW YORK FASHION WEEK, INCLUDES FASHIONS AND JEWELS BY GLAMOROUS NEWSMAKERS SUCH AS JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS AND STRIPPER GYPSY ROSE LEE. 'WE'RE NOT SAYING WHO IS NOTORIOUS AND WHO IS NOTABLE', SAID JUDITH PRICE, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL JEWELRY INSTITUTE, WHICH COLLABORATED ON THE EXHIBIT. 'WE'RE LEAVING THAT UP TO THE BEHOLDER.' BUT SHE ADDED THAT THE EXHIBIT AT THE MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK HONORS 'WOMEN WHO PUT THEIR THUMBPRINT ON NEW YORK FASHION.' IN ADDITION TO FASHION ICONS, THE EXHIBIT ALSO PAYS HOMAGE TO WOMEN WHO WERE PROMINENT IN SOCIETY, POLITICS, BUSINESS AND THE ARTS AND WHO REPRESENT NEW YORK'S HISTORY AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY. A TURN OF THE CENTURY BLACK SILK GOWN WORN BY THE WIFE OF JP MORGAN JR IS SHOWN ACROSS THE RUNWAY FROM CONGRESSWOMAN BELLA ABZUG'S FLOPPY HAT AND EARLY 1970s MAXI COAT. 'STYLE IS SIMPLE. YOU WEAR IT. IT DOESN'T WEAR YOU', EXPLAINED NEW YORK DESIGNER JACKIE ROGERS, WHOSE CLIENTS INCLUDED KENNEDY ONASSIS. DESIGNER NORMAN NORELL'S SUNDRESS FOR 1960s CONSUMER ADVOCATE BETTY FURNESS AND SINGER MARIAN ANDERSON'S 1941 GOLD CONCERT GOWN WITH FEATHERS ARE ALSO FEATURED IN THE SHOW. JEWELRY IS ALSO FEATURED PROMINENTLY WITH DESIGNER CAROLINA HERRERA'S BLUE TOPAZ EARRINGS AND LEGENDARY VOGUE EDITOR DIANA VREELAND'S JEWELED GOLD TIFFANY PIN ON DISPLAY. ART COLLECTOR CORICE CANTON ARMAN EXPLAINED THE STORY BEHIND HER 18 CARAT GOLD CUFF BRACELET WITH VIOLINS AND HORNS DONE IN RUBIES MADE BY HER LATE HUSBAND, THE FRENCH-BORN ARTIST ARMAND PIERRE FERNANDEZ. 'ARMAN USED STRING INSTRUMENTS', SHE SAID. 'FOR HIM, THEY WERE REMINISCENT OF THE FEMALE BODY.' PHYLLIS MAGIDSON, THE MUSEUM'S CURATOR OF COSTUMES AND TEXTILES, SAID THERE WAS AN ART TO WEARING CLOTHES SUCH AS MODEL BETSY PICKERING'S 1970s BLACK HALSTON GOWN WITH PLUNGING V-NECKLINE.