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See Prada’s Great Gatsby Costume sketches »
With each new sneak peek, Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby looks to be every bit as visually spectacular as we hoped. Today, that sneak peek comes via Prada, who just released sketches for her costume designs for the film, designed in collaboration with Luhrmann and his wife, costume designer Catherine Martin.
Four sketches of the over 40 Great Gatsby costumes have been released and are all adapted from the Prada and Miu Miu archives. Reminiscent of many recent collections, the pieces are heavily embellished with beading, sequins, stones, pearls and feature Prada’s signature bright colouring. Luxurious fabrics such as velvet and fur help create the look of the roaring twenties, with many flapper hems and shift shapes in focus.
Prada’s Great Gatsby costumes mark the third collaboration with Luhrmann and Martin—the three previously worked together on the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet and the 2012 Costume Institute exhibit Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations.

“Our collaboration with Prada recalls the European flair that was emerging amongst the aristocratic East Coast crowds in the Twenties,” said Martin. “The fashions of the time saw the development of a dichotomy between those who aspired to the privileged, Ivy League look of wealthy Long Island and those who were aspiring to European glamour, sophistication and decadence. Our collaborations with Prada reflect the collision of these two aesthetics.”
We cannot wait to see this masterpiece when it is released on May 10, 2013.

See Vivienne Westwood’s work with the English National Ballet »
UK fashion icon Vivienne Westwood has collaborated with the English National Ballet on its spring season campaign, and we daresay the results are mesmerizing.
To showcase the cross-section of modern and classic influences in the company’s latest re-brand, dancers were styled in both archive Vivienne Westwood pieces, and those from the Dame’s Spring 2013 collection. While Westwood’s famed punk pieces are unsurprisingly absent, company dancers wear goddess dresses, chiffon layers, and corsets all showcasing her theatrical signatures.
“It’s a dream come true to be able to collaborate with someone of such stature. Her designs capture the creativity and ambition of our dancers who, in turn, add drama and movement to the clothes,” said English National Ballet artistic director Tamara Rojo. Rojo has said the plan is to work with a different designer for each campaign and we can’t wait to see who is next.

It looks like the new lip colour for spring may not even involve lipstick at all. At today’s Dior Couture Spring 2013 show, makeup artist Pat McGrath adorned models’ lips with red or pink gemstones for a look that was very reminiscent of ruby red slippers. This sparkling take on lipstick might look complicated, but in terms of a DIY, it’s easier to test out at home than the newest nail art trend.
To get this look, you’ll want to adhere tiny gemstones overtop of a tinted lip. Traditional lipstick will be too slippery—instead go for something without a sticky texture or added shine, like Tarte LipSugent Matte lip tint ($31, sephora.com). Let the lip tint dry for a few minutes before you start adding the sparkle. Now the fun part: use eyelash adhesive, such as Ardell Brush-On Adhesive ($5. well.ca), and start to stick the gemstones to your lips. Add the gems—such as Make Up For Ever Strass crystals in “Siam Red” ($23, sephora.com)—the the outline of your lips first and then fill them in. Also note that the lips at Dior have an almost exaggerated bow, so if the gemstones sit slightly outside your natural lip line, that’s okay.
The key to making the Dior gemstone lip last is all in the timing: this look is ideal for a night out where no eating is involved—and preferably one where any drinking can be done through a straw. (So skip the Valentine’s Day dinner and go for cocktails instead.) Think you’ll try this at home? Share pictures if you do!

Enter now to win a gift basket from SkinCeuticals! »
Brrr! Don’t let winter weather get you—or your skin—down! We’ve got just the thing to make sure that you look and feel your best even when it seems like the cold, dry air just won’t quit: SkinCeuticals is giving one lucky FASHION reader a winter essentials gift basket that contains $250 worth of skincare goodies. Whether you’re trying to combat dry, itchy and chapped skin or just want a mid-season boost for your complexion, this contest has you covered.
Here’s what the gift basket contains:
- SkinCeuticals Redness Neutralizer: Reduces redness and provides soothing relief by cooling skin temperature.
- SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel: A moisture-enhancing gel that contains hyaluronic acid to add hydration to the skin.
- SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser: This mild cream cleanser is formulated with non-irritating ingredients to soothe sensitive or chapped skin.
- SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50: Infused with translucent colour spheres it enhances natural skin tone and boosts radiance.

Fur. You can’t mention the word without stirring controversy. Is a fur coat more important than a living animal? For many, wearing fur is a question of ethics. For others, it’s a question of aesthetics. And while valid points exist at both ends of the spectrum, fur has once again become trendy. Following Prada’s bright and quirky statement of candy coloured rabbit tail accessories for Spring 2011, colourful dyed fur has re-appeared at Oscar de la Renta, Peter Som and L’Wren Scott for Fall/Winter 2012, not to mention again at both Prada and Miu Miu for Spring 2013.

And while wearing it might be an out-of-bounds option both morally and monetarily for many, we challenged our Style Panel to teach you how to wear fur—real, fake, vintage or otherwise—to make one heck of a statement this season.

Just as we expected, out Style Panelists’ opinions were as varied—from Sandy Joe Karpetz’s “insatiable passion” for vintage fur to Alyssa Lau’s choice to never wear the real thing—as the tips for how to wear fur—from Kayla Short’s simple fur parka trim to Jacquelyn Son’s navy faux-fur cropped jacket from Zara.

See both of Michelle Obama’s inauguration dresses up-close »
Four years ago, at the 2009 inauguration ball for President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama dazzled the crowd in a Jason Wu gown that helped catapult both of them into the fashion forefront. Everyone was predicting which new designer she would help rise to fame this time around, but Michelle Obama aka. @FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States) surprised everyone by donning yet another Jason Wu gown.
No one was more surprised than the designer himself.  Wu told WWD, “Mrs. Obama likes to keep her secrets. She surprised me again. She’s really good at it. I was so nervous. You’d think I wouldn’t be since I’d experienced it before but I really was.” He spent the evening watching the Inauguration with his team and tweeted “#Inshock!!!” as soon as he saw the First Lady walk out on stage.

The custom gown was a bold, rich ruby colour in velvet with a floating chiffon overlay. The gown showed off Mrs. Obama’s highly covetable arms and shoulders and accented her waist with a duchess satin belt. The Jason Wu dress was paired with Kimberly McDonald stacked bracelets and the dress even featured a white gold ring with pavé diamonds at the collarbone by McDonald. Red satin Jimmy Choo shoes completed the look.
One cannot help to compare both inauguration dresses. Both had similar silhouettes and showed off the First Lady’s shoulders, arms and neck and featured an accented waist. The 2009 look was a creamy white one-shouldered chiffon gown, and was embellished with beads and flowers and had lots of texture for drama.

It seems that Katie Holmes and Jennifer Aniston are following the same script.
Not long after Jennifer Aniston became a co-owner of haircare company Living Proof, Katie Holmes has just announced a co-owner partnership with Alterna Professional Haircare. Like Aniston’s role with Living Proof, Holmes is expected to star in Alterna’s upcoming advertising campaign as well as provide input and insight on products and brand initiatives. This project continues Holmes’ ventures in the beauty industry; she was also recently named the first celebrity spokesperson for Bobbi Brown cosmetics.

In an interview with WWD, Katie Holmes explained that she applauds Alterna’s use of eco-friendly ingredients and appreciates that the company “stays away from harsh chemicals like sulfates and parabens.” Holmes also claims that Alterna’s products have “transformed” her trademark brown hair. “It’s good for my hair and good for the earth, so I feel good using it,” Holmes explained.
For Alterna, it wasn’t just Katie Holmes’ star status that prompted the partnership. Joan Malloy, president of Alterna Professional Haircare, indicated that it was Holmes’ natural beauty style and accessibility that made her a perfect match with the brand. “Katie is a fashionista, a mother and an entrepreneur. In short, she is our consumer.”
Canadians can currently purchase Alterna haircare products at Sephora, Ulta, and some salons. Look for Katie Holmes’ first advertising campaign with the brand to hit magazines this spring.