Pillow Talk with Sleepwear Designer Olivia Von Halle

‘Tis the season for great holiday parties and days spent lounging around your home, hiding away from the cold and recovering from your hangover. So, why wear sweatpants or dingy cotton pajamas on your days and nights off? London based designer, Olivia Von Halle, has created a brand of pajamas (or Pyjamas, if you’re British) that are glamorous enough for any New York fashionista on her off hours. Inspired by the lounging pajamas made famous by Coco Chanel in the roaring twenties, Olivia Von Halle’s brand has made bedtime a black tie affair. Le Image Inc had the great fortune to interview globetrotting sleepwear designer, Olivia Von Halle.  The British native, who started her fashion career as a trend predictor and luxury brand consultant in Shanghai, has been at helm of her eponymous brand since 2011. Her unique brand of luxurious sleepwear and robes has received the stamp of approval from the fashion elite of Vogue, Marie Claire and Elle magazine. And not to mention, David Beckham bought his style icon wife, Victoria Beckham, a pair of her very own last Christmas! Olivia was so kind as to answers our questions even amongst the chaos of the pre-Christmas shopping season (To get the best deals online for the holiday season, be sure to read our other article before Cyber Monday: https://www.leimageinc.com/blog/commercial-blog/best-days-to-do-online-christmas-shopping/). To get the inside scoop on these luxurious pajamas and her creative process as a designer, read our Q&A with Olivia Von Halle below! Q: What colors inspired your…

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Back to School Fashion Trends and Deals

It’s officially that time of year! Summer is coming to an end and the stores of New York City are becoming crowded with parents and kids trying to snatch up the best back to school trends for 2014. Our New York commercial photographers were busy this summer capturing ecommerce photos for our clients Conway in our Brooklyn photo studio just for this amazing time of year. So, what are the top trends and discounts for this year’s back to school rush? Read our top 3 picks for 2014 below!   Romantic Grunge- The 90s are still having a big moment in fashion, thanks to the takeover 2014 fashion trend, normcore. Embrace the grunge trend from the 1990s and add your own girly spin on it for your back to school outfits. Retail giant, H&M, has several great back to school deals and honors tax-free weekends in the United States. So be sure to peruse their girly yet grunge-tastic trends. Quirky Prints– This trend is particularly popular for the hip teenage set looking to put a tongue-in-cheek touch to their school clothes. Think fun graphic patterns featuring anything from unicorns to lipshapes and moustaches. Use your student discount to get 10% off ASOS.com and Topshop for this great 2014 back to school trend. Pastels– The runway was overrun with these spring colored hues for FW14. NY fashion Designer, Marc Jacobs, has inspired legends of young fashionistas after choosing Keeping Up with the Kardashians star, Kendall Jenner, to walk down his runway…

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Coast to Coast: Australia’s Best Kept Beauty Secret

Australia is a beautiful country with serene coastlines, tranquil rain forests and the breathtaking ‘outback’. Beauty companies have often gone ‘down under’ for skin-care ingredients, such as tea tree oil, to alleviate skin conditions. Australia has much more to offer than tea tree oil according to new beauty brand, Coast to Coast. Once only available in Australia, Coast to Coast is now available to the United States through multi-brand store, Ulta. Our New York fashion photography and beauty team had the chance to try these wonderful new products and was so impressed that we felt the need to share our new obsessions with Coast to Coast. With the tagline, ‘just as nature intended it’, Coast to Coast believes in using natural ingredients that bring out the best in your skin. Coast to Coast is also an ethical beauty company and uses no animal testing, no artificial colors, fragrances or synthetic chemicals. Some of the pure products the brand uses include bilberries, pepperberries, & wild rosella, lilly pilly, marshmallow and forest peppermint. The brand carries three different lines to cater to your skincare needs. Those lines are “Coastal” for normal, dry or sensitive skin, “Rainforest” for oily, combination or blemish-prone skin and “Outback” for dehydrated, dull or uneven skin. The Aussie beauty brand includes skin care, bath & body and hair care products. This new beauty brand is amazingly price from $19.99 to $39.99. That’s a price point that any New York fashionista can love! Our beauty team’s favorite products include…

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Samples Sales 101

Shoppers and fashion lovers often crowd the streets of New York City waiting outside showrooms for the latest sample sale. Many tourists come specifically to New York just for the shopping but have no idea how to find these great fashion steals. Even locals may be a little confused about the mythical sample sales that occur in downtown Manhattan. So, what is a sample sale? A sample sale is a way for the retail businesses to discard excess merchandise by selling these near perfect items at a fraction of the price. These sales often occur at impromptu locations with temporary signage. Are you a soon to be bride looking for discounted wedding gowns? Then, you’re in luck. Sample sale are extremely popular in the bridal industry. Bridal salons generally carry two collections a year, spring/summer and fall/winter, and will sell the past season’s gowns at deep discounts in order to make room for their new season of wedding dresses. One of the most famous bridal sample sales is the Kleinfeld Bridal sample sale. If you’d like to attend a sample sale, the Internet is your best resource. Websites like, Racked NY and Here Comes the Guide offer calendars and insight for upcoming sample sales in the New York City area. Sample sales are a great way to get that fashion editorial look for a fraction of the price. Just remember, the bigger the brand, the bigger the shopping competition, so get there early, you may have to wait in line….

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Summer’s White Hot Fashion Trend

Summer’s biggest fashion trend is white hot! This season, we will see a continuation of spring’s all white trend. Usually, summer is a time for color block prints and other brights but that is not the case this year! Our NY fashion photographers have snapped many runway photos and editorial shots of models wearing all white ensembles. So, how do you wear the all-white trend? With your freshly tanned summer skin of course! The crispness of ivory, bright white and cream looks so fresh against tanned skin (tanned, not burned, so remember to use sunscreen accordingly).  If you’re a big follower of beauty trends, this style is fantastic for you. Any new lip color or eye shadow will pop against the stark white of your outfit. Just remember, if you’re making a fashion statement with your make up, try to keep your hairstyle neat and sleek. Ready to dive into this cool summer trend? Try an all white ensemble by pairing a white crop top and matching white mid-length skirt. The peak of skin between the chic white pieces is divine! To channel classic feminine beauty, try an all white eyelet dress. The white eyelet dress provides a chic transition from hanging on the beach to a proper dinner party or cook out. If you’re ready to unleash your inner Rihanna, pair a sporty white dress with tall white gladiator sandals. If you’re looking for a tamer approach, try pairing a girlish eyelet dress in cream with nude heels, ray…

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The Slip Dress

Oh, the slip dress, the trend that finally makes lingerie as outerwear totally acceptable. The 90s are definitely having a moment in fashion, but this time, the slip dress is more effortlessly chic and less gimmicky, sorry, Kate Moss. The 90s have been having a huge moment in the fashion world with slip dresses and normcore. Normcore is the term essentially means ‘stylized blandness’ based on 1990s fashion. So, those mom jeans and shapeless fleece jackets from 90s are now haute for street style devotees. The slip dress trend can be worn for several different occasions. Add a leather jacket and hobo purse for a casual night out, or a try a full-length satin slip dress, pinned back hair and streamlined clutch for an elegant day out.  To keep the slip trend stylish instead of over the top, be careful to consider the height of your heels! Flats are key for achieving a laid back look. Looking to accessorize? Try a cross body bag. The slip dress is all about being effortlessly sexy and cool. Check out designers, Helmut Lang, rag & bone and Tess Giberson for slip dresses. Our NY fashion photographers have seen this trend in several fashion editorials this year and expect the trend to last until next season as well. The nineties slip dress trend started in AW13 with Marc Jacob’s collection for Louis Vuitton and our New York fashion photographers don’t expect to see this trend slip away anytime soon. отделочные материалы для фасадов домов…

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Rihanna Takes Top Award at the 2014 CFDA Fashion Awards

The fashion industry took over New York City this week with the annual CFDA awards. The 2014 CFDA Fashion Awards was held at the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on June 2. For those who don’t know, CFDA stands for the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Every year, they award the top honor, the Fashion Icon Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America to an individual whose style has become iconic and important to the fashion industry. This year, the winner was Barbados chanteuse, Rihanna. The “Good Girl Gone Bad” singer wowed the NY fashion photographers of the red carpet with a stunning sheer sparkling fishnet gown. The risky Adam Selman garment left little to the imagination with the pop star appearing virtually nude for the NY fashion award show. The garment went perfectly with her speech where she explained that in fashion, “There are rules, but rules are meant to be broken”. She also went on to say that in her home country, she “…didn’t have a lot of access to fashion” growing up and began to use fashion as her “defense mechanism” in the music industry. She thought, “she can beat me, but she can’t beat my outfit”. Fashion designer, Zac Posen, said that what makes Rihanna special to the fashion industry is that “…she takes risks and she marches to her own drum and she knows what she likes”. Posen also credits Rihanna’s appreciation of fashion designers for the reason “people love to…

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La Perla Ditches Controversial Mannequins

New York City has always had the most intriguing storefronts. American Apparel rocked the boat this Valentine’s Day with the use of mannequins with pubic hair and now, lingerie giant, La Perla, is embroiled in a mannequin fiasco of its own. This past Sunday, the Italian brand received a large amount of backlash from social media after a user tweeted a photo of the shockingly thin mannequin on Twitter.  Unfortunately, the pin-thin physique is nothing new to our New York fashion photographers. Unhealthy body ideals still rule the fashion world. La Perla has removed the rib-protruding mannequins and issued the follow statement, “The mannequin photographed has been removed from the store and will not be used again by any La Perla boutique”. The lingerie brand explains, “We are in the process of redesigning all La Perla stores with a new concept image and the mannequins that are currently displayed in our US stores will no longer be used. We appreciate and value everyone’s comments, thank you for bringing this to our attention”. The lingerie retailer is not the first brand to receive backlash for its too thin mannequins. Fashion brands, Gap, Zara and JC Penney have also received criticism for its ultra slim mannequins. Renown blogger, Cora, of The Lingerie Addict, also spoke out about the La Perla controversy on facebook, saying, “There’s nothing inherently offensive about a ribcage. Some women have visible rib cage…There’s a very wide range of “healthy” and “normal” for women’s bodies. Some women are on…

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Met Gala 2014

The “biggest night in fashion”, the yearly Met Gala, just finished last night in New York City. The fashion elite made their annual showing at this event hosted by Vogue Magazine’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. The theme of the 2014 Met Gala was a tribute to Charles James. Charles James was a British born fashion designer who revolutionized American fashion in the mid-20th century. He is popularly known as “America’s First Couturier”. Harold Koda, the curator for the Costume Institute explains,”…he championed strapless in the Thirties; invented the figure-eight skirt, the puffer jacket and the Pavlovian waistband that expands after a meal, and was an early proponent of licensing”. Earlier during the day of the fashion gala, Anna Wintour was honored in the Temple of Dendur at the Met at a dedication ceremony for the Costume Institute’s newly renamed Anna Wintour Costume Center. The big celebrities, however, came out in full force later at night for the red carpet. NY fashion photographers raced to the front of the velvet ropes to get the photos of the A-List Fashionistas. So, who were the best dressed for the Met Gala 2014? Read our fashion photography team’s list of the top 5 looks for the Met Gala 2014.   1. Karen Elson wearing Zac Posen– It’s not hard to make a fashion model look fabulous, but Zac Posen does it exceptionally well. The ex-wife of rocker, Jack White, has always had an interesting sense of style and the softness and vintage elegance of her…

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The Latest Footwear Trend – Ugly Shoes?

It’s no secret that the ‘90s are back in full swing. There are already several trends branching off pre-millennium styles with the trend-non-trend, normcore. For those not in the know, Normcore essentially means ‘stylized blandness’ based on 1990s fashion. So, those mom jeans and shapeless fleece jackets from 90s are now haute for street style devotees. Branching off of the 90s functional trend is the mules and Birkenstocks trend for footwear. The term, mules, is a French word describing a style of shoe that is backless and often closed-toed. Mules can be any heel height – from flat to high. Birkenstocks are a German brand of sandals made famous in the 1960s and noted for their comfort. Our New York fashion photographers have seen so many “ugly shoes” ruling the runway this season. Below is our top list of notable shoes for 2014. 1. Prada’s Sequined Hiking Shoe Styled with Long Socks- brings the common tourist sartorial faux pas to the runway.  It’s a bizarre combination of functional/non-functional and gaudy/upscale aesthetics. Prada succeeds at mixing seemingly opposite ideas together. 2. Phillip Lim Vencent Ankle Strap Mules- The New York City designer turns a peep-toe shoe into something any downtown chic girl could wear.  Pair with a long dress and leather jacket for the ultimate dark and sexy look. 3. Birkenstock Gizeh sandals- Design label, Celine, is credited with bringing this old trend back to life with their 2013 spring runway show. Vogue.com editor, Katherine Bernard explains, “…That silhouette was universally considered…

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Celebrities as Artists: a Waste of Paint?

The newest trend to hit New York City is not a new silhouette from Alexander Wang but the surge of celebrities attempting to have serious art shows.  These celebrities are not lifelong traditional fine artists, they are musicians and actors, like, Bob Dylan, Shia LaBeouf and James Franco. The allure of becoming a fine artist is a well subscribed archetype for the attention-hungry but what makes this trend particular aggravating to the art world is that these shows don’t seem to showcase genuine talent, but instead, a desire from these celebrities to garner even more attention from the public. Many have even spoken out that the ‘work’ that the celebrities do show is a thinly veiled rip off from other well-known artists. Actor, Shia LaBeouf, best known for his thought provoking work in Transformers and Even Stevens, recently held an installation in Los Angeles, titled, #IAMSORRY. Hopefully, the title is meant to extend an apology to Serbian performance artist, Marina Abramović. His 2014 installation is suspiciously similar to Abramović’s 2010 Museum of Modern Art show, The Artist is Present. Both shows include a performance piece where the artist sits across from individuals and stares silently at them. Although, in, #IAMSORRY, LaBoeuf sits silently with a bag over his head. Innovation at its finest. James Franco is also dipping his toes into the art world with his new show, New Film Stills, at the legendary Pace Gallery. His gallery opening was chic event with fashion photographers snapping away photos of Franco…

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Model Spotlight: Kate Moss

The fashion world in London has experienced so much tragedy recently with the death of fashionable British Socialite, Peaches Geldof and fashion designer, L’Wren Scott that our New York fashion photography team decide to spotlight the life of one their greatest living fashion stars: Kate Moss. Although she has had her moments of turbulence and controversy, Kate has remained one of the most successful models of all time. She shook up the fashion world in the 90s and still remains one of the most successful supermodels working today. Katherine Ann Moss was born on January 16th 1974 in the London borough of Croydon, England. Her father worked for an airline company while her mother worked as a barmaid. At the age of 14, Kate Moss was discovered by the founder of Storm Model Management, Sarah Doukas, at JFK airport in New York City. Her career began to develop after fashion photographer Corinne Day shot her for The Face magazine in an editorial titled, “The 3rd Summer of Love”. At 5’7” with a narrow frame, Kate Moss became the antithesis of the other popular supermodels of the day like, Cindy Crawford, Elle Macpherson, Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell who celebrated for their curvy and tall figures. Moss’s skinny frame became a point of controversy as she became synonymous with the ‘heroin chic’ look of 1993 in a Calvin Klein fashion campaign. Her star-power continued to grow as she soon became the face of Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Rimmel…

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What to Wear at Your Mad Men Premiere Party

Swing into the 60s with Mad Men’s final season premiering this Sunday. The previous season ended in 1968 with protagonist, Don Draper’s world in a downward spiral.  Several blogs and other entertainment news outlets are full of projections for the upcoming 7th season and while we can’t possibly imagine what’s in store for the AMC Show’s final season, we can give you some advice on the best outfits for your Mad Men premiere party. The New York City based show has plenty of fashion inspiration for our New York fashion photography team. Only one question remains, are you a “Betty”, “Joan”, “Meghan” or “Peggy”? The Beautiful Ice Princess: Betty Francis- Draper’s first wife is one of the most fashionable characters in the 1960s era show. With looks to match Grace Kelly, Betty favors feminine silhouettes in bright colors. To channel her look, wear the “Collection Basketweave Dress” from J.Crew. The Powerful Seductress: Joan Holloway– Shimmy your curves into a body-hugging silhouette to channel the secretary turned company co-owner, Joan. She’s known for her sensuality and her smarts so be sure to keep your outfit more subtly seductive than overt sex kitten. To honor Mad Men’s favorite redhead, wear the “Watch and Sea Dress” by Bettie Page available at Modcloth. The Trendy Rising Star: Meghan Draper– The current estranged wife of ad-man, Don Draper, is a woman with a mind of her own. She is fearless and hip with the times and is one of the few man characters who gets…

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Remembering Fashion Designer L’Wren Scott

The fashion world was rocked this Monday by the apparent suicide of fashion designer, L’Wren Scott. The beautiful British amazon, whose height reached 6 ft by the time she was twelve, was found hung by a scarf in her downtown New York City apartment on the morning of March 17th. L’Wren Scott was only 49 years old. Although L’Wren was astonishingly successful in her own right, many know her as the longtime girlfriend of Rolling Stones’s front man, Mick Jagger. On Tuesday, Jagger posted the following statement on his website with a photo of his partner, “I am still struggling to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way. We spent many wonderful years together and had made a great life for ourselves. She had great presence and her talent was much admired, not least by me. I have been touched by the tributes that people have paid to her, and also the personal messages of support that I have received. I will never forget her, Mick.”. Many insiders in the fashion industry are still confused as to why L’Wren chose to end her glamorous life. Many point to the recent struggles of her brand label, LS Fashion Ltd. In February 2014, her runway show for London fashion week was cancelled due to production problems. It has also been revealed that her fashion line was $6 million dollars in debt and was to be shut down this month. L’Wren Scott made her first…

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The Newest Fashion Trend: Fashion Trucks

The latest fashion trends are always changing, especially in New York City. We have seen the staying power of the food and juice truck trend and now, there’s a new trend just for the fashionista on the go! Introducing, fashion trucks, a new way to peddle fashions like a food truck. This 2014 fashion trend has already taken over Los Angeles. Many boutiques park their fashion trucks in areas throughout L.A. to spread the word about their brand. While the trend may seem tailor made for the west coast city, it has not been growing throughout the United States quite as fast. Stacey Steffe, a co-owner of Le Fashion Truck, told ABC News that fashion trucks go “…back to that idea of location, location, location!”.  She further explains the benefits of owning a retail truck. “I get to work in a city where I might not be able to afford to have a brick and mortar, but I can take my truck there once a week or whatever it is. We can take our mobile boutique to different cities in L.A. County”. Dana Calabrese Ensrud, a Hollywood fashion stylist, explains that, “the appeal is the experience. Everyone wants to run home and tell their friends, ‘Look what I bought at a truck!”. Although fashion trucks create a fun, fresh new way to shop, they can become unreliable. Many shoppers may not want to hunt down a fashion truck when they can just head to a regular brick-and-mortar retailer. That being…

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Trend Report: Normcore

The internet has been buzzing nonstop about the latest fashion trend for the young and hip: Normcore. The term, “Normcore” was invented by New York trend forecasting group, K-HOLE, and then later picked up by New York Magazine. The term essentially means ‘stylized blandness’ based on 1990s fashion. So, those mom jeans and shapeless fleece jackets from 90s are now haute for street style devotees. Our New York fashion photographers first started seeing this trend with the rise of the disheveled hipster look of Brooklyn hipsters in the 2000’s. Every style or trend speaks to a point of view and normcore is no different. According to New York Magazine, the trend, “…exudes an attitude that embraces uniformity and manifests itself in ardently ordinary clothes. Mall clothes. Blank clothes. The kind of dad-brand non-style you might have once associated with Jerry Seinfeld”. This fashion mindset is a rebellion against the typical mantra of ‘I use my fashion to express who I am’. Normcore is all about looking like a ‘mindless sheep’. This trend actually falls right on schedule as most fashion trends resurface in a 20-year cycle and normcore basically celebrates the early 90s. The reactions to normcore have been very polarizing. Many fashionistas are raging against this new fashion trend for 2014 while others are embracing it. Even on the couture side of fashion, labels like Chanel, are celebrating the mundane and held their AW14 runway held in a French supermaket. New York fashion photography is never a bore with…

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Why The Oscar’s Red Carpet is Irrelevant to Fashion

Oscar night is officially over and fashion blogs are buzzing with the who wore what and who snagged the titled of best dressed. The 2014 Academy Awards were certainly full of glamour and headline generating gowns. Many celebrities rose to the occasion, while many feel that most of the actresses selected ‘safe’ fashion choices. New York fashion designer, Tom Ford, complained that the Oscar’s was nothing more than, “a bubble of 1950s Barbie clothes”. He went on to explain that he hates dressing celebrities for awards season red carpets because “…When you’re dressing an actress…you’re working with them and fulfilling their dream, their agent’s dream, their husband’s dream”. He adds, “…It’s not a creative process dressing actresses for the Oscars”. Our New York fashion photography team has long noticed this with awards shows this year, especially at the 2014 Grammy’s. For a long time now, gowns for the Academy Awards have seemed quite formulaic: V-neck, jewel toned and with a silk/satin based fabric material. After the whirlwind of fashion week, the Oscar’s red carpet must seem quite dull to the fashion photographers snapping those red carpet photos. United Kingdom’s Telegraph describes the Oscars red carpet as a place where “…actresses shunned runway trends to showcase colours and silhouettes inspired by Hollywood’s golden age”. Channeling ‘Old Hollywood’ glamour at an event designed to celebrate Hollywood is not exactly the most original style idea. It seems a shame especially when the acting awards ceremony featured a stylish superheroes theme (no spandex, please)….

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Top Fragrances for Spring

Spring is almost upon us and it’s time to lighten up! Even though this lovely season doesn’t officially start till March 20th, our New York Fashion Photography team has already picked out our top perfumes choices for Spring 2014! Read our list below for the best perfumes for this spring. 1. Dahlia Noir Eau de Parfum by Givenchy– This perfume is perfect for the feminine and mysterious women who resists the pastels of spring fashion. Created by Francois Demachy and Riccardo Tisci, the perfume has a distinct scent with notes of pink pepper, mandarin, cedrat, rose, peach, cedar wood, sandalwood, vanilla and amber. 2. Honey by Marc Jacobs– Not only does this fragrance have an adorable bottle (with cute bees attached) but it smells delightful as well.  To keep with the spring trend, the Marc Jacobs perfume is sunny and floral. Honey is a complex fragrance with notes of pear, juicy mandarin, orange blossom, peach nectar, apricot, honeysuckle, honey, golden vanilla and smooth woods. This designer perfume is girly and sweet. 3. Rosabotanica by Balenciaga– Fashion house, Balenciaga, has created a floral perfume that is both beautiful and dangerous. The eau de parfum spray includes notes of experimental rose, fig leaf and white amber. This a great example of rose scented perfumes that are anything but granny-inspired. Spring is a fabulous season for fashion and beauty. You don’t have to be a pastel loving Upper East Side lady to enjoy all the glamorous offerings of this romantic season.  Our New…

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Lingerie Fashion Week: FYI By Dani Read

With the end of New York Fashion Week came the start of Lingerie Fashion Week. The runways and collection presentations in New York City highlight Fall/Winter Collections for 2014. The fashion event ran from February 20th-22nd in downtown Manhattan. Our New York Fashion Photography team was invited to this exclusive lingerie event and we had a wonderful time photographing and reporting on the newest trends for intimates. One collection that caught our attention in particular was the FYI by Dani Read AW14 collection. FYI by Dani Read first made its debut at Brooklyn’s Williamsburg Fashion Week in February 2011. Since then, the label has continued its dedication to the femme fatale archetype with the motto, “Women Are Weapons”. The AW14 collection at Lingerie Fashion Week featured similar styling to her other lines with minimal use of patterns anchored by black and white fabric, harnesses and visible hardware. The items were styled with a hip haphazard look complete with leather mini gloves, mismatched stockings and used sneakers/creeper shoes. The hair and make-up also fit the line with smudgy/androgynous inspired styling. FYI by Dani Read was an excellent choice for a featured designer for lingerie fashion week. BDSM inspired lingerie is certainly having a moment with celebrities like Beyonce, Rihanna and Lady Gaga all wearing similar brands like Bordelle at their performances. The only issue designers like FYI by Dani Read will face will be knock-off designers and other similar-minded lingerie labels, like Bordelle, who already have lock on the S&M lingerie…

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Highlights from New York Fashion Week January 2014

Fashion Week has finally left New York City and it’s now in full swing in London, England. Our New York fashion photographers had a great time enjoying all the excitement of the weeklong fashion event, despite the arctic temperatures and slush-covered sidewalks. Since many people were unable to travel to Manhattan for the runway shows, our Le Image Inc fashion team has created a list of the NY Fashion Week’s biggest moments. Rodarte’s Star Wars Inspired AW14 Collection– The fashion world is all abuzz over Rodarte’s Star Wars inspired Fall/Winter collection. Their gowns feature prints of Yoda, the Death Star, and other images from the classic film series. The collection, although polarizing, has been celebrated for its absurdity. It will be interesting to see which celebrities will wear these gowns for the red carpet. DVF Celebrates 40 Years in Fashion– Fashion designer, Diane von Furstenberg, ended her runway show with all her models smiling and wearing 15 golden wrap dresses.  The designer created the iconic dress in 1974 and it has become a staple of American sportswear ever since. Diane von Furstenberg explains that the wrap dress is timeless because, “…it’s a wonderful way to be proper and sexy”. Thom Browne’s “Wicked Nun” Runway– American fashion designer, Thom Browne, ruled the runway with his sculptural design and minimalist palette. The avant-garde styling truly made his AW14 collection a showstopper. Streaker at Prabal Gurung’s Runway– Fashionistas were agasp as a man wearing nothing but a crown, a robe and socks ran…

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The Best Lingerie Sets for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and it’s the perfect time to invest in new lingerie! The traditional colors for Valentine’s Day lingerie are red and black, but don’t feel limited to just that.  It’s important that you feel sexy, so focus on that instead of what’s typical for this February holiday.  Our New York fashion photography team here are Le Image Inc has created our ultimate list of the best lingerie collection for Valentine’s Day 2014.  Read our list below to look your best on this romantic holiday. Affordable & Sexy: The Danita Set by L’Agent– For all of those lingerie fans lusting over Agent Provocateur, the newest L’Agent line is a dream come true. This new diffusion label brings the sexy of Agent Provocateur within a far more affordable price rage. This sexy Danita lingerie set comes in violet and red. This style includes a bra, suspender belt and panty for $172. Plus-Size & Bigger Cup Sizes: Idole Balconette Bra by Maison Lejaby – This wonderful French lingerie brand is great for women with bigger cups and smaller band sizes. Their sizing for this style includes 30 bands and goes all the way up to a G cup. This stunning lace bra is as sexy as it is supportive. Luxury Lingerie: Amour Lace Bodysuit by Fleur of England– Another beautiful silk lingerie piece by British lingerie designer, Fleur of England. This gorgeous red halter style bodysuit costs $300 but it’s hard to resist the spell of ‘Amour’….

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Model Spotlight: Alessandra Ambrosio

Our New York fashion photographers have been working consistently with Brazilian modeling agency, Way Model Management, in our Brooklyn photo studio. Way Model Management is both a fashion model agency in its own right as a well as a mother agency. A mother agency is a modeling agency that discovers young models, propels their careers, signs them to larger agencies and then takes a percentage of their earnings. Our New York fashion photography team has gotten to work with several of Way Model’s budding stars, Alexia Bellini and Marina Albino . Way Models is a major mother agency for supermodels such as Victoria Secret Angel, Alessandra Ambrosio. Alessandra Ambrosio was born in 1981 in Erechim, Brazil. The beautiful model has both Italian and Polish ancestry and started her modeling career early. At age 12 she enrolled in modeling class and then in 1996 she became a finalist for the Elite Model Look national competition in Brazil. Soon, her modeling career was on a role with her first notable modeling job as the cover model for Brazilian Elle Magazine. Soon, her Polaroids were passed around and she booked the Millenium GUESS? Campaign. Her modeling work continued to rise in prominence and she appeared in advertisements for major brands like Revlon, Dior, Armani and Ralph Lauren. Aside for notable fashion editorials, Alessandra Ambrosio has also made a name for herself walking runway for fashion houses, Prada, Chanel and Oscar de la Renta. By 2004, she had entered an even more profitable level…

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Best Dressed for the Grammys 2014

The red carpet season has officially begun! Last night was the 56th annual Grammys music award show, held in Los Angeles, California. The performances were astounding with music legends, Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Metallica and Beyonce all having their own performances/collaborations. One area where the award show was lacking star-power, however, was the red carpet. Singers, Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus did not walk the Grammys red carpet this year. Those four women usually create a barrage of headlines for their memorable fashion that pushes the envelope, but not this year. Our New York fashion photography team, even put Miley Cyrus and Beyonce on our list of biggest celebrity makeover of 2013 list and Le Image Inc was so excited to see how those two would style themselves for one of the biggest events of 2014. Several top performers, notably Katy Perry, Madonna and Taylor Swift, still brought their all to the red carpet. Grammy-nominee, Taylor Swift, lead the sea of metallic dresses with a gold lamé gown by Gucci. The sparkly piece was well fitted and kept with Swift’s modest tastes in length and sex appeal. “Roar” singer, Katy Perry, wore a Valentino Couture runway dress that paired the delicate aesthetic of a ballerina’s tulle dress with a graphic pattern of music notes on the skirt of the gown. Madonna brought her 8-year-old son, David, to the music award show, where they walked the red carpet in matching Ralph Lauren tuxedos and black hats. While the look…

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Miley Cyrus Models for Marc Jacob’s Spring/Summer 2014 Collection

Our New York fashion photographers are all abuzz after hearing which celebrity will model in Marc Jacob’s newest fashion campaign. The New York fashion designer has chosen his friend and polarizing star, Miley Cyrus as his Spring/Summer muse. It’s no secret that the pop starlet is capable of generating huge amounts of buzz and controversy in the fashion world. Perhaps, Marc Jacobs is banking on that to sell his newest collection. Many suspected this would be the case after seeing Miley Cyrus wearing a gown made by the designer at the 2013 Met gala and accompanying him as his date. The selection of Cyrus as his campaign model has also caused creative differences between Marc Jacobs and photographer, Juergen Teller. Juergen Teller, a fashion photographer known for his Polaroids and film photography, usually shoots all of the campaign photography for Marc Jacobs’s. In an interview with WWD, Marc explains, “I have worked with Juergen for years and love him as an artist”. The two ended their collaboration this season as Juergen, “…just didn’t want to shoot [Cyrus]. With Juergen out of the picture, photographer David Sims shot the Spring/Summer advertisements. The fashion photos use a sandy beach setting with Cyrus and models, Natalie Westling and Esmerelda Seay Reynolds. The images feature a dark aesthetic with Miley deep in thought. The reception of the photos has so far been favorable. When asked why Marc Jacobs chose her as their campaign model, he explained, “We all just love her and her entire…

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Top 3 Biggest Celebrity Makeovers for 2013

2013 was a crazy year for fashion! So many celebrities played with their style and created new trends for shoppers everywhere. Our New York fashion photography team at Le Image Inc has created a list of the top 3 celebrity makeovers for 2013. It’s a perfect way to finish the year for fashion lovers everywhere! 1. Miley Cyrus– The “twerking” queen is the top of the list for biggest celebrity makeovers for 2013. The ex-Disney star shocked the world when she cut her hair short, started dressing in sexier outfits and displaying outrageous behaviors. Her controversial VMA performance in August is rumored to have cost her the cover of the December Vogue issue.  Anna Wintour must not be fan. Controversial or not, Miley Cyrus has shocked the fashion world and has had her photo on the cover of several notable fashion magazines this year. 2. Kim Kardashian– Kim Kardashian is never one to shy away from the limelight and 2013 was certainly no different for the reality tv starlet. Her biggest makeover yet started this year after she became pregnant with Kanye West’s child. She received a lot of criticism for the amount of pregnancy weight she gained and the tight couture outfits she wore during her pregnancy. After the birth of Kim and Kanye’s daughter, North West, Kim changed her look again. She continued her newfound love of haute couture and bleached her brunette locks blonde. Her new hairstyle has already become one of the most desired looks at salons everywhere….

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Christmas Gift Guide: Pajamas

The holidays are right around the corner and it’s time to find the perfect gift for your loved ones.  One of the best gifts for Christmas or Hanukkah is a pair of lux pajamas. Whether you scope the holiday sales online or visit stores, our New York fashion photography team at Le Image Inc has created a list of the best PJs to gift for 2013. Gisele Short PJ Set by Eberjey– This Miami based sleepwear and loungewear brand is renown for their comfy fabrics and cute designs. Their Gisele PJ set is perfect for anyone on your lists from a young niece to your mom. It’s very cute without being too daring or uncomfortable. Sophie Sleep Shirt by Zinke– Silk is huge this season for sleepwear and this new pajama shirt by Zinke is definitely on trend. The luscious silk looks even more luxurious with its wine inspired color. The sleep shirt does run a little short, (3 inches above the knee), giving this sleepwear a saucy edge. Lila Daisy Pyjamas by Olivia Von Halle– If you’re shopping for fashionable friend or lover, these silk pyjamas (British spelling) are beautiful! They come with a hefty price tag but the print and fabric are definitely worth it. Le Image even got to interview this lovely London fashion designer for our blog! Stella McCartney Selma Dancing Chemise– This is a great gift for any of your friends or female family members. The beautiful silk in turquoise is eye catching and the…

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Prada and Wes Anderson’s Newest Collaboration

Italian fashion label, Prada, will be teaming up with American film director, Wes Anderson for Prada Classics. This will be the third chapter of Prada Classics under fashion designer, Miuccia Prada, and will explore “…different cultural fields such as art, architecture and cinema”. Anderson’s eight-minute film, Castello Cavalcanti, debuts this Wednesday and stars Jason Schwartzman.  Director, Wes Anderson, and actor, Jason Schwartzman, have worked frequently together in the past with films such as Rushmore, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Hotel Chevalier.  Schwartzman is a relative of iconic film directors, Francis Ford Coppola, Sophia Coppola and actor, Nicolas Cage. This newest fashion film from Anderson and Prada was filmed in Rome’s Cinecittà and takes place in 1955. The New York fashion photography team at Le Image Inc is excited to see this fashion short because it takes places during the era of Federico Fellini and Sophia Loren. A very stylish time, indeed! The basic plot of the fashion movie starts when Jason Schwartzman arrives in a tiny Italian village where he crushes his car against a statue of Jesus. He then finds himself immersed in a completely new reality filled with gorgeous haute couture designed by Miuccia Prada. It’s interesting that the star of the fashion film is not a model, but an actor. For more about the takeover of fashion campaigns by other non-fashion related celebrities, be sure to read our other article: https://www.leimageinc.com/blog/fashion-blog/photogenic-models-need-not-apply/ If you aren’t lucky enough to be in Rome, Prada.com will be streaming the short movie starting…

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Halloween Costumes, Fashion Inspired

Still searching for a chic last minute Halloween costume? You’re not alone! Since Halloween will be on a Thursday this year, the costume parties and other Halloween themed events are mostly taking place this weekend. Here at Le Image Inc, our team of fashion writers and New York fashion photographers have created a list of 3 fashion inspired Halloween costumes that will have you celebrating in style. Coco Chanel– Channel the French fashion designer for your Halloween party! Coco Chanel makes for an easy and trendy costume for any aspiring fashionistas.  Simply find a short black curled wig, wear all black clothes and ropes of pearls (real or not). Chanel was known for her effortlessly chic fashion aesthetic which will have you standing out in a room full of gaudy shapeless Halloween costumes. Lady Gaga- Dressing as singer, Lady Gaga, for Halloween is a snap! The outlandish star is characterized by her strange accessorizing, which means you’ll have far more creativity when creating your costume. Caution tape, old phones and anything else you have laying around the house is fair game for your Halloween outfit. Anna Piaggi– The iconic fashion writer who at one time served as Karl Lagerfeld’s muse in the 1960s is a cool and unusual costume idea. The fashion plate was known for her blue hair, love of hats and extraordinary use of colors in her fashionable ensembles. Beware: this fashion history inspired costume is only for the adventurous! We hope our list of Halloween costumes for…

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Is Terry Richardson’s Career Over?

Terry Richardson has never been one to fear controversy.  Recently, the famous New York fashion photographer has been making headlines not for his work but for a movement to get large brands and fashion publications to stop using Richardson as their photographer. Terry Richardson is known for his fashion photography style that uses sexuality and nudity with a film photography aesthetic. The petition to end his reign in the fashion world deplores his overly sexual, and some say, almost pornographic depictions of his subjects (who are many times underage) and for his questionable behavior on set. Several supermodels, including, Coco Rocha, Jamie Peck, and Rie Rasmussen, have come forward to the public about the unprofessional and sexual harassment they received from Terry Richardson when modeling for him. Throughout his career in the fashion industry, there have been several first-hand reports of sexually inappropriate behavior from Terry but many models and fashion insiders fear bringing the iconic photographer to court. Terry Richardson holds a lot of sway in the fashion world, having shot for Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, H&M and Mango. Model Jamie Peck, worked with Terry Richardson at the age of 19 and claims to have been sexually abused by the photographer. She claims that he had her pose nude and then he undressed and coerced her into preforming a sexual act on him. A sexual act performed due to coercion is considered rape by most state laws in the US.  In the words of Jamie Peck, “If you do a…

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Best Skin Moisturizers for Fall

The changes in the season may mean its time to switch up your beauty routine for fall. Every season has its own weather changes, which means a change in moisture levels for you skin.  Skin that’s prone to dryness may be even more irritated in the fall and winter months so it’s important to consider your skincare products.  Both oily and combination skin need moisturizer in order for skin to stay clear and radiant. Our beauty team here at Le Image Inc. has created a list of our top moisturizers that will help you keep your skin glowing through the fall and winter months. Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion– This new formula is perfect for combination skin! It keeps the oily T-zone under control while nourishing the dryer areas of your complexion. We love this for New York’s unpredictable fall season as it works perfectly during humid Indian summer and the chiller days of autumn. Clinique is available at most department stores and at beauty stores like Sephora and Ulta.  Pond’s Dry Skin Cream– For those with all over dry skin, this classic is perfect. Pond’s is available at most grocery stores and if you leave it in the fridge, it becomes a nice cooling mask for your face.  Josie Maran’s  Argan Oil– For those looking for a more eco-friendly beauty product, Supermodel, Josie Maran’s, argan oil is perfect for you.  The oil is very luxurious and works with most skin types. The oil is very nourishing and is still noncomedogenic….

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Top 5 Fashion Schools in the United States

The end of the fall semester is almost here for high school students across the nation. The last few months of the fall semester signals the beginning of college application time, an extremely important time for seniors.  For those interested in majoring in fashion related studies, it can be daunting to apply to fashion school since there are so many great ones in the US. Here at Le Image, our team of fashion writers and fashion photographers have compiled a list of the top fashion schools in the US for 2013 for all of our readers! Parsons, The New School For Design– Parsons is a fashion powerhouse that has produced some of the most well known current fashion designers in the industry including Tom Ford, Donna Karen, Marc Jacobs and Jason Wu. The school offers a wide array of fashion related studies including design and fashion marketing. This New York City based college also has some of the best master-classes with top designers regularly teaching their undergrad and graduate students. Fashion Institute of Technology– Another New York based university that offers an amazing fashion program for prospective students. FIT is part of the SUNY network and has notable alums such as Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Carolina Herrera.  FIT also has an exceptional museum and lecture series available to all of its students. Pratt Institute- The Brooklyn, New York art school has recently been expanding its fashion prowess, jumping in ratings as one of the best fashion schools in America….

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Model Spotlight: Kate Upton

Since our fashion photographers have been collaborating with IMG Models in New York, we have decided to spotlight one of their iconic models. The models we test shoot from IMG may one day become as notable as supermodel, Kate Upton.  The road to success in the fashion industry wasn’t easy for Kate but she found a fabulous partnership with the powerful International Management Group and became a style icon overnight. Kate Upton was born in 1992 in St. Joseph, Michigan.  Her parents were both involved in athletics, not fashion, for their careers.  Kate also became interested in competitive sports and even competed nationally at the American Paint Horse Association.  It wasn’t until 2008 that she first entered the modeling world at an open call for Elite Model Management in Miami. She was signed by the fashion model agency that same day and soon landed campaigns for Dooney & Bourke. Eventually, Kate Upton moved to New York City and signed with IMG models worldwide, joining the same agency as Kate Moss, Karlie Kloss and Gisele Bundchen. Kate Upton has now worked with the best in fashion including, Guess, Sports Illustrated, Vogue Italia and French Elle. Not everyone has been cheering on the curvy 5’10” glamazon, Kate Upton was once told by a fashion agency that she was “too American looking”. Luckily, Kate has several of the fashion elite in her corner including Terry Richardson, Steven Meisel and Anna Wintour. Kate Upton has now crossed over into Hollywood and is busy filming…

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Miley Cyrus’ Hostile Take Over of Fashion

Miley Cyrus has been stealing the headlines lately from all the Hollywood’s go-to controversial tabloid cover stars. Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry and even Lady Gaga can’t get the press coverage that Miley Cyrus has been able to generate with her new image.  Miley Cyrus first stepped into the stoplight in 2006 with her Disney Channel Show, “Hannah Montana” and soon shook off her little kid image by revealing a short and edgy hairstyle in early 2013. She would soon start making even more headlines with her new single, “We Can’t Stop”, which discussed drug use and included a music video with her ‘twerking’. Her controversial image came to a boiling point with her MTV VMA performance in August which was soon followed by another single with music videos shot by New York fashion photographer, Terry Richardson. After all of this publicity and public interest, you’d think that every magazine would be vying to have her in an editorial or cover story, but one magazine in particular has made it clear that they are not interested. Anna Wintour, who admitted pre-VMA performance, that she loved Miley’s aesthetic and status as a rising fashion icon, has decided not to use Miley Cyrus for Vogue Magazine’s December 2013 cover, as was previously planned. No reason has been officially given, but it is clear that the fashion editor did not appreciate the “We Can’t Stop/Blurred Lines” performance on the VMAs. While I can certainly understand why the 63 year old fashion head did not…

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What Fashion Week Means for Your Business

The New York Times recently made waves with their article, “Is New York Fashion Week Near the End of the Runway?” The article traced the history of fashion week in New York City as well as voicing several negative opinions about the runways shows and showrooms that swamp September. To quote one of the main creators of Mercedes-Benz fashion week, Fern Mallis, “Fashion Week needs to be rethought”. So, what does that mean for you as a fashion industry professional? If you are a designer, the good news is that there are a lot more opportunities to show your fashion collections to the public. Bloggers, fashion photographers and other members of the fashion world are going to more shows then ever with a total number of 350 shows and 9 presentations (even more if you count the ones not on the official stages of Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week). The extensive number of shows can act as double-edged sword; more designers have a chance to show but at the same time, more designers have compete for exposure with all the other designers who are now able to show their collections. Fashion week is officially scheduled for only a week, but the other outlying events now consumes all of September with the unofficial start being the Vogue Magazine Event, Fashion Night Out. After Fashion Week leaves New York, it moves to London, then Milan and finishes in Paris in October. The main purpose of the event is to generate buzz for…

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Fall Fashion Trends

With Labor Day weekend on the horizon, autumn is all ready to set into motion. September is a particularly important month for fall fashion as it hosts the iconic “September Issue” of Vogue Magazine, Fashion Week in New York City and Fashion Night Out across the globe. Retailers are moving out all new merchandise to accommodate the back to school shopping rush. So what are the biggest fall fashion trends for 2013? We’ve narrowed it down to 3 top trends for women’s fashion for fall. Fashion photographers snapped the fall/winter runway shows way back at the beginning of the year, so we already have a good idea of what designer’s have in store for the fall season. The first fashion trend that we’d like to mention is the continuation of the military trend seen last season. Instead of green military inspired light jackets, look for cameoflage to be all the rage. Look for the camo print in all new colors and pattern sizes. Fashion designers Christopher Kane, Michael Kors and Rebecca Minkoff have all included a nod to camouflage in their new autumn collections. Another trend for autumn clothing, is what we call, “The Annie Hall Trouser”. Statement pants are the cat’s meow this season and allow you to be fashionable without sacrificing any warmth in the chilled autumn air. Look for fun patterns and colors in all styles of pants: jeans, palazzo pants and tuxedo inspired trousers. Last but not least, we’d like to cover the fall fashion look…

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Dakar Fashion Week Says No to Skin Bleaching

Fashion lovers rejoice! Another fashion week host city is taking a stance against harmful beauty practices. This time, the spotlight is on the beautiful French-speaking city, Dakar. The largest city in the African country, Senegal, has hosted Fashion Weeks since 2002. This year, the city’s fashion week has taken a stance against skin bleaching. The creator of this annual fashion event, Adama Paris, has openly stated that he is “against” the popular beauty practice of skin bleaching. Skin bleaching cream is a popular beauty product among the fashion models of Africa who wish to achieve a lighter complexion that is considered the ‘ideal’ aesthetic. Although some companies claim to make natural skin bleaching products, this harmful beauty practice may leave blotches of discoloration with long-term use. Complications of bleaching skin include, risk of heart problems, since the cream is absorbed into the blood stream, and skin cancer. Many have spoken against the trend of African woman bleaching their skin, include New York based fashion designer, Sophie Nzinga Sy, who explains that the desire for lighter skin is “ridiculous. Our skin is something that we should value”. The fashion world used to be very racist and unwelcoming to non-white models, but now that bleak era is over. Fashion photographers now fight over the chance to photograph supermodels like Tyra Banks, Iman and Alek Wek. Fashion brand, Prada, recently made headlines for making Kenyan Model, Malaika Firth, the face of its fall/winter campaign for 2013. She is the first black model to…

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3 Trends in Fashion That Need to Die

We’re officially halfway through 2013. We may have survived the Mayan Apocalypse of 2012 but there are some fashions that should have perished with it. Fashion is now more then ever, very trend aware. Fast fashion retailers produce a new cut or style that then takes over all large merchandisers until big stores like Forever 21, Express, American Apparel, Urban Outfitters and H&M all carry the same items and style, just with slight variations. Fashion doesn’t need to be taken serious all the time but some of these eyesores have become too much to bear. Below are three trends that have us wincing in 2013. 1. High Low Hemlines- Also known as “mullet dresses”, these items are meant to ‘show a little leg’ but keep you covered in the back. If the “mullet” idea doesn’t work for hair, it doesn’t work for your clothes. I just can’t help but believe that some fashion designer’s mom came up with the concept while searching for a cute but not too sexy dress for her daughter’s prom. 2. The ‘Lita’ Bootie by Jeffrey Campbell-Featuring a 4.5” inch heel with a 1.5” inch heel platform, these shoes could make even the most petite fashionista look tall. These shoes used to be the style du jour for most hipster fashion photographers but they have run their course. Jeffrey Campbell became a popular label overnight after being featured on the Nastygal website, so, let’s see what other styles and ideas this designer has in his bag…

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“Born to Reign”: The Power of Royalty in Fashion

Princess Diana had a profound effect on fashion and with the upcoming release of the Naomi Watts film, Diana, the fashion world is once again swooning for all things British.  Even more relevant today is the “Kate-effect”. The so called, “Kate-effect”, describes the power that Kate Middleton, the duchess of Cambridge and wife of Prince William has over the retail world. Whenever fashion icon, Kate, wears an outfit to a public appearance, the garment will sell out from all retailers across the globe within minutes. This unintentional royal brand endorsement is well documented and was recently seen when photographers snapped her wearing an eye-catching $265 Hobbs brand ‘Dalmatian Coat’ (not made of real Dalmatian puppy pelts, obviously) at a cruise ship naming ceremony. The collarless coat sold out within an hour of the photos being published. Mom-to-be, Kate, is expected to give birth this July and retail analyst and fashion experts are already chomping at the bit. Joshua Bamfield, the director of the Centre for Retail Research has already projected that the pop culture fever over the royal birth could add almost 240 million pounds ($375,720,000 USD) to the British economy. This baby mania is expected to be a big commercial opportunity with tourists.  The birth of the royal heir will be commemorated with china, toys, books, DVDs and other collectables, which is estimated to generate 156 million pounds ($244,218,000 USD) of commerce. Although British female royalty has a proven track record of retail power, America is not without its…

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Vera Wang honored with CFDA Lifetime Achievement award

American fashion designer, Vera Wang, was given the lifetime honoree award by the CFDA at the June 3rd ceremony at Alice Tully Hall in New York City. The CFDA, or, Council of Fashion Designers of America, honored the designer for her 30 years in the fashion industry. Vera Wang’s climb to the top was not an easy one. She explained in her acceptance speech, “The ongoing, unmitigating truth is I would have done anything to be in fashion. I would have swept floors, which I did at Vogue, swept up hair from a model’s haircut, pack up clothes, stay on a Friday night after the store closed to get it ready for the next day, which I did at Ralph (Lauren)”. Vera did not begin her life with the intention of being a fashion designer. She actually spent her childhood dreaming of becoming a figure skater. Vera Wang trained for several years with pairs partner, James Stuart, who competed at the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. It wasn’t until Vera Wang failed to make the US Olympics team that she began to work in fashion. She still continues to ice skate and she even creates competition dresses for elite female ice skaters. Vera Wang is most well known for her work on celebrities walking the red carpet and her bridal collection. Fashion photographers always find Vera Wang’s garments worn by iconic celebrities, like Sharon Stone, who paired Vera Wang’s lavender skirt with a simple gap shirt at the 1998 Academy…

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No. 5 Culture Chanel”: A Must See Exhibit on the Iconic Chanel Perfume

Art and fashion continue to blur the lines of distinction between their different art forms with the hit show “No.5 Culture Chanel” at Palais De Tokyo in Paris, France. The show, which opened earlier this spring on May 5th, is a fabulous art exhibit that “…explores the inspiration and invention of Chanel’s most famous scent”. Coco Chanel’s perfume, Chanel No. 5, was the first perfume ever launched by the French fashion designer in 1921. During the 1920’s there were very strict social rules about the type of perfume a woman would wear. Respectable ladies wore floral scents that were made of one single type of garden flower, while women who were perceived as promiscuous wore a fragrance that used musk and exotic jasmine. Chanel lived a very bohemian and luxurious lifestyle in the roaring twenties and wanted to create a fragrance that would speak to the modern flapper and the liberated spirit of young women of the era and so she created her first perfume, Chanel No. 5. Not only was the scent itself revolutionary but so was the bottling. The original design of the bottle, which is still used today, was a huge shift from what was then typical for perfumes. Most perfumes in the 1920s were very fussy and ornate and came in highly decorate crystal fragrance bottles.  Chanel No.5 was to be the antidote to that fashion aesthetic and was designed to be as minimal as possible and resemble bottles that pharmacists used to distribute medicine. Although…

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Founder of Fashion Couture House Missoni Dies at 92

The fashion world was saddened last week by the death of Italian fashion designer, Ottavio Missoni, after a recent hospitalization for heart problems. Known by his nickname, ‘Tai’, his fashion label was known for its revolutionary textile patterns, with its trademark zig-zag and stripes. Missoni also pioneered the trend of women wearing garments without bras. Ottavio Missoni is also credited with raising the profile of Italian made products and designers across the globe at a time where New York fashion designers were starting to dominate the fashion scene. Ottavio Missoni had originally prepared for a career in athletics but that soon came to a halt with the outbreak of World War II. He served in the Italian army and became captured by the British after a battle in Egypt. After being held as a prisoner of war for four years in Egypt, Missoni resumed his athletic training and was chosen to go to the Olympics. Soon after, he married his wife, Rosita, in 1953. The two originally made track-suits but in 1958, they presented their first knitwear collection in Milan. The rule-breaking Missonis first caused a stir in the fashion scene in1967 when they told their runway models to remove their bras before a major fashion show in Florence so that the colors of the undergarments would not show through the knitwear. The harsh lights of the runway ended up making the clothes transparent and soon the Missoni label became one of the most buzzed about brands in fashion with…

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Punk Takes Over the Met Gala

The time has come once again for the yearly Met Gala, the “fashion event of the season and the party of the year” held by the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The event was hosted by several fashion heavy-weights, including, Anna Wintour, Editor-in-chief of Vogue, Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy, and stylish actress, Rooney Mara. The event benefits the Costume Institute and was themed this year in honor of it’s upcoming exhibition, “PUNK: Chaos to Couture”. One of the biggest celebrity transformations for the event was Oscar winner, Anne Hathaway’s, red carpet look. Inspired by the Blondie’s front-woman, Debbie Harry, Anne bleached her signature brown locks blonde and kept her hair in a short slicked back ‘do. Known for her more demure and pastel colored frocks, the Les Miserables actress, chose a black and sheer vintage 1992 Valentino gown. Rapper Kanye West performed at the after-party and walked the red carpet with his pregnant girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, on his arm. Rumors swirled that the reality TV star had been banned from the industry event by Anna Wintour but clearly that was not the case. Some have suggested that Kanye may have been the reason her invite was honored, but who knows the truth with celebrity gossip. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians’s star wore a floral print Givenchy gown which featured a high neckline, thigh high slit, matching gloves and sandals. The head designer of Givenchy also created a complementary look for Kanye West, a…

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Ford model Johanna Grönholm – Test Photo Shoot by Le Image, Inc

Le Image continues its fashion photography testing with Ford model, Johanna Grönholm. Shot in our beautiful Dumbo, Brooklyn photography studio, we continued our film photography aesthetic using a medium format and Polaroid camera. Our lovely model, Johanna, came all the way from Finland to work as a fashion model in New York City. The Nordic beauty has only been modeling three years but she has already walked the runway for prestigious fashion designers such as Giorgio Armani, Kenzo and Band of Outsiders. Although she loves all the designers she has walked for at all the various fashion weeks she has participated in, Johanna’s favorite designer is Samuji. Samuji hails from the same country as Johanna, Finland. She loves this designer for their simplistic approach to fashion, the clothing line consists of “…nice classic clothes with great cuts”. The budding supermodel also comes from a notable family with her father being Finnish world rally champion, Marcus “Bosse” Grönholm. Johanna hopes to have a long and versatile career in modeling with both commercial and high fashion jobs. She explains, “…modeling is a nice job that lets you be creative and see the world at the same time”. Johanna looks up to model, Erin Wasson, who has walked the runway for Victoria’s Secret, starred in the movie, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and has been photographed for Vogue magazine. Versatility is definitely a skill most models need to have and Johanna seems to have it in spades as shown in our test shoot. She…

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Aloysha Kovalyova at Ford Models by Le Image, Inc.

Le Image has been hard at work using our new film aesthetic in our Dumbo, Brooklyn photo studio. Using a medium format camera and a Polaroid camera, we shot Ford Model, Aloysha Kovalyova, for a fashion test shoot. The Eastern European native is known for short-cropped hair and androgynous looks, making her perfect for haute couture fashion photography. Le Image pushed the envelope with this wonderful model and decided to show a more sensual look with our photographs, channeling the simple elegance of Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic 1966 fashion creation, “Le Smoking”. Le Image is dedicated to keeping its reputation as having the most innovative and high-end Brooklyn fashion photographers and continues to test the best agency models in New York City.

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What is a gel manicure? Can Gel Manicures Increase Your Risk of Skin Cancer?

Nail art is definitely having a moment in fashion right now. With the invention of gel manicures, sticker manicures and nail polish pens, beauty enthusiasts are expressing themselves even more freely through their nails. Fifth Avenue in New York is crowded with mini spas, advertising manicures for cheap. The boom in nail bars has been explained by the Daily Mail as being “…a cheap way of transforming a look without having to invest in a new outfit…they also proved popular because they are quick, allowing women to feel pampered in just 15 minutes”. During this time of economic instability, women have begun to go in droves to these nail bars because they are one of the few affordable luxuries left to fashionistas. Keeping this in mind, it seems that there is one area in this booming nail industry that could put you at risk. Oncologists are now considering the harmful longtime effects of getting a gel manicure. What is a gel manicure? A gel manicure is a manicure that uses special formula that provides chip-free and glossy nails for weeks. This special nail polish, made by brands such as OPI and Shellac, is dried and set by a UV light after being painted on. The use of the UV light has many doctors concerned as any UV exposure runs the risk of damaging skin cells, which may turn into cancerous tumors. Dr. Adigun, from New York University School of Medicine, recommends that women interested in getting gel manicures should only…

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Photogenic Models Need Not Apply

Are singers the new models? That’s the question that must be asked with the increasing use of celebrities as the faces of notable fashion campaigns. Generally, New York modeling agencies would have scored these high profile campaigns but now that seems a distant memory. Just recently, singer, Sky Ferreira, became the primary model of Forever 21’s summer campaign and today it was revealed that Beyonce will grace advertisements across the globe as the face of H&M’s new summer campaign. Is this a new trend or old news? Well, the increasing use of celebrity to promote brands or publications is certainly not a recent development. Today, America magazines like Elle and Vogue only put celebrities on the covers of their publications, not models.  Iconic editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, is often credited with this shift of placing celebrities, not models, on the cover of magazines.  Although magazine companies like Hearst and Conde Nast have benefitted from the money made by promoting a celebrity, many models have lost an opportunity that used to ‘make’ a model’s career and propel them to supermodel status. Since the 1980s & 1990s, fashion photographers rarely shoot models as cover girls and instead must plan their shoot around a preselected celebrity. So, is this change a good thing or a bad thing? This issue has many different sides but one interesting possibility is that using celebrities will cut down on the amount of Photoshop used in creating an image. Why is this the case? Celebrities are ‘known’ figures and…

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Women & the Fashion Industry: Who Holds the Key to the Gilded Cage?

It’s a question that I’ve long since pondered but have never been able to answer on my own. Why is the fashion industry so unfair in its presentation of women when it is an industry run by and created for women (for the most part)? The facts seem to be on my side. The highest paid model is style icon Giselle Bündchen who raked in an impressive $45 million from May 2011 to May 2012 while the current highest earning male model, Tyson Ballou doesn’t earn a figure anywhere close to Giselle’s income. Even just reading that paragraph, I’m sure 100% of readers knew who Giselle is but I’m sure only half of those readers could point out Tyson in a fashion magazine. Co-creator of Vena Cava, Sophie Buhai, feels the same “…given that fashion, unlike film and art, is run by women, you’d think it’d be the one creative industry that champions women, but for some reason, most of the prominent artists are men,” Arguably the most important fashion editor-in-chief, US Vogue editor Anna Wintour, is female, so what gives? Well, they are many complex factors. For one, the majority of notable fashion photographers are male (an interesting fact, considering the majority of art school grads are indeed female). Also, a large part of the fashion industry is hell bent on marketing itself based on people’s insecurities. Just think of any anti-ageing cream advertisement you’ve seen. The whole purpose of the ad is to make you feel that when…

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