Runway Report: Armani Prive Spring 2014 Couture

Giorgio Armani turned to shades of silvers and blues for his Armani Prive Spring 2014 Couture collection. The 52 look collection, that consisted mostly of red carpet ready gowns and silk jacket/pant combos, really spoke to this glamour and play on light and dark. The collection is entitled 'Nomad' by Mr Armani and I can totally see this collection being the wardrobe to a very sophisticated gypsy woman who roams the world adding items from her many travels. There are very European silhouettes paired with beading that would not be out on Byzantine architecture. I am sure that we will be seeing quite a few of these gowns on Oscar night! Which ones? Only time will tell. Will Cate Blanchett, the face of the fragrance 'Si' by Armani, wear a look from this collection on Oscar night? I can see a a bevy of international beauties wearing this collection including Zhang Ziyi, Hilary Swank, Margot Robbie, Zoe Saldana, Blanca Suarez, Milla Jovovich, Eva Riccobono, Michelle Dockery, Stacy Keibler, Keira Knightley, Michelle Yeoh, Jessica Chastain, Julianna Margulies, Fan Bingbing, Celine Dion, Paz Vega, Rihanna, Kate Beckinsale, Naomi Watts, Elizabeth Banks, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lucy Liu, Reese Witherspoon, Penelope Cruz, Emily Blunt, Alicia Keys, and Eva Mendes just to name a few. Seated front row to take in the collection as it took to the runway was Paloma Faith, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Zhang Ziyi. Which gowns do you want to see at the Academy Awards? Who can you see wearing this collection?

2014 BAFTA Awards: Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, and Lupita Nyong'o Wish List

Tonight are the Grammy Awards but here at If I Was a Stylist we are already moving on to the 2014 BAFTA Awards. It has been a really quiet time on the red carpet with the movie stars as they are all taking a breather to just relax in the eye of the storm before the gear up for the end of February and the end of Awards season. On February 16th the elite of Hollywood will fly out to London for the BAFTA Awards and the first person on my list is Amy Adams. Amy has really been having a wonderful run on the red carpet and has worn all the colors that I am praying to see her in but green and purple so I am hoping that for the BAFTA's we will see Amy don one of these colors. Being nominated for Best Leading Actress for 'American Hustle' I think that this purple Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2014 strapless gown with a high low hemline. I think that this gown delivers quite the statement and after a black gown at last years BAFTA's I am hoping she does color this year. I also love the shocking pink pop of color on the underside of one of the layers on the skirt. Finish this look with a pink satin clutch, a pair of very simple black sandals, some stunning diamond chandelier earrings, and a statement diamond bracelet and Amy will be ensured a stunning red carpet moment.

There has not been a single look that Cate Blanchett has worn during awards season that has disappointed me. I love this woman as she isn't afraid to take a risk on the red carpet. Last week Marco Zanini presented the first collection that will be going into production for the House of Schiaparelli during Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. The buzz amongst fashion insiders is in regards to who will be the first lady to get her hands on the Schiaparelli Spring 2014 Couture collection and I think that BAFTA Best Leading Actress nominee Cate Blanchett should be that honor. I think that this grey Schiaparelli Spring 2014 Couture blouse and skirt embellished with gold embellishments would be the perfect ensemble for the first red carpet moment for the brand and who better than the red carpet queen. Finish the look with a gold clutch, a pair of gold pumps, and her hair worn up and sleek to ensure the perfect red carpet debut.

The other woman on the red carpet that hasn't let me down this awards season has been newcomer Lupita Nyong'o. Lupita has worked some gowns that I know many other women in Hollywood would run the other way from and done so with great aplomb. Lupita is nominated for 'Best Supporting Actress' at the 2014 BAFTA Awards and I am hoping that the actress represents a British brand on the red carpet. This buttery yellow Burberry Prorsum Spring 2014 RTW draped dress with a knotted hip detail and an embellished one shoulder strap would make for the perfect red carpet look if it was modified into a long gown with a flowing train trailing behind it. There is always one Burberry look on the red carpet, last year it was on Anne Hathaway, and this year I am hoping to see it on Lupita. Finish the look with gold sandals and a gold clutch and Lupita will have a perfect look for her very first BAFTA Awards red carpet.

Runway Report: Atelier Versace Spring 2014 Couture

This week started with the first of the Spring 2014 Couture collections being presented, Atelier Versace. The house which actually kicked off the shows on Sunday night being the only house to present that day and did so in standard Versace excess. Lady Gaga served as part of the inspiration, she is the face of the Versace Spring 2014 RTW campaign, and even soundtracked the runway show with her song 'Donatella.' Each look seemed to evoke a different type of sexy, from sophisticated to overtly sexy. I can see the Gaga influence among that of other iconic women like Grace Jones, Marylin Monroe, Joan Crawford, and Rita Hayworth. I believe that if any of these women were still alive and walked the red carpet tomorrow they would wear one of these looks. I can see a host of Versace ladies wearing this collection including (but not limited too) Nina Dobrev, Miley Cyrus, Angelina Jolie, Hilary Swank, Uma Thurman, Elizabeth Banks, Dita von Teese, Heidi Klum, Lupita Nyong'o, Jessica Chastain, Kate Beckinsale, Claire Danes, Jennifer Hudson, Diane Kruger, Kate Hudson, Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, as well as a bevy of other beauties. My four favorite looks from the collection are posted below, as is the runway video. Too sexy? Sultry and glamorous? What are your thoughts on the Atelier Versace Spring 2014 Couture collection?

Runway Report: Giambattista Valli Spring 2014 Couture

Giambattista Valli really serves to a new type of couture client, the young cool billionaires wife. The Giambattista Valli Spring 2014 Couture collection featured ultra sexy mini's and glam gowns that I am absolutely ecstatic to see take to the red carpet. Valli really turned up the 60's glam with sleek looks and loads of embellishments. I get truly appreciative of these creations when I watch the runway videos and see all the of patterns made of of sequins, crystals, paillettes, and stones. The work that all of these frocks are handmade and the patterns are hand laid and sewn onto the frocks. With mint, a bevy of pinks, blue, white, ivory, black, and yellow all taking up the brights colored palate that evokes Italy in the 1960's. Amy Adams, Berenice Bejo, Zoe Saldana, Cate Blanchett, Diane Kruger, Marion Cotillard, Emma Stone, Emilia Clarke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, Jessica Chastain, Emma Watson, Kate Bosworth, Sienna Miller, Lupita Nyong'o, Olivia Wilde, Scarlett Johansson, Nina Dobrev, Paz Vega, Freida Pinto, Naomie Harris, and Zhang Ziyi are all among the women that I can see wearing this couture collection. Bellow is the runway video as well as my four favorite looks from the collection. What do you think? Youthful and stunning?

Runway Report: Valentino Spring 2014 Couture

I watched the Valentino Spring 2014 Couture collection take to the runway via a live stream from my dorm room in Florida on Wednesday, and I sat on the edge of my seat for the entire show as I was extremely impressed from the first musical note embroidered look out to the final sheer tulle ballgown with a tiger motif on the bottom. Each of the 55 looks in the collection corresponded to a different opera with the theme of embodying the protagonist, butterflies, and a color palate that wouldn't look out of place in a mossy Scottish forest in the summer. Florence Welch, Olga Kurylenko, Clotilde Courau sat front row taking in the stunning couture collection. I am hoping to see this collection on the likes of Zooey Deschanel, Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Elizabeth Olsen, Keira Knightley, Amy Adams, Jessica Chastain, Berenice Bejo, Lupita Nyong'o, Diane Kruger, Paz Vega, and Naomie Harris. Bellow are my 4 favorite looks from this collection and then a video of the runway show at the bottom. What do you think about this collection? Haute? Red Carpet Ready? Fugly?

Runway Report: Stephane Rolland Spring 2014 Couture

One of the shows that I always look forward to seeing take to the runway during Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week has to be Stephane Rolland. As he only presents 2 collections, both Haute Couture, a  year I really look forward to seeing what Stephane Rolland creates. Stephane really didn't disappoint with his stunning sculptural ensembles that ranged from pant looks to cocktail dresses to jumpsuits to evening gowns. With a white, lemon yellow, goldenrod, black, and white color palate this collection is like walking through a citrus grove at sunset. Perched amongst the front row was extreme Stephane Rolland fan Paz Vega (no doubt searching for the design from the brand that she will wear for the Cannes Film Festival in May), Kim Kardashian (may god please may she not wear any of the looks I loved from this collection), and Blanca Suarez. It takes a very confidant woman to pull off a look from Stephane Rolland and the list of women that I can see wearing this collection includes Cheryl Cole, Tilda Swinton, Angelina Jolie, Paz Vega, Solange Knowles, Nieves Alvarez, Petra Nemcova, Rihanna, Rita Ora, Jennifer Lopez, and Karolina Kurkova. Unfortunately I can not find a video of this collection for all of you!

Runway Report: Georges Hobeika Spring 2014 Couture

Georges Hobeika is a designer that I show a lot of love for on this site because his press office has always been so lovely and willing to help me out and in fact they got me all the images from the runway for this post within hours of the show on Tuesday, and for that I thank them! A delicate airy garden was the look that Georges Hobeika was going for in his Spring 2014 Couture collection and I do think that he really achieved this because even his most structured of looks really seemed light and airy. It was like watching nature come to life on the verge of a bight dewy spring morning, With a color palate of pastel powder pink, lemon yellow, peach, pistachio, white, and lilac there was not a heavy dark look in the bunch. This is exactly what I want to see in a spring couture collection. None of the looks here would look out of place at an extravagant wedding seated outdoors in a lavish English garden amongst the roses, wisteria, and foxgloves. I can picture a host of the worlds most elegant women wearing this collection including Emmy Rossum, Ahna O'Reilly, Jayma Mays, Zhang Ziyi, Keirnan Shipka, Anna Kendrick, Lupita Nyong'o, Olga Kurylenko, Emilia Clarke, Lily Collins, and a host of Asian actresses wearing this collection and I really can't wait to see these gowns and cocktail dresses take to major red carpets like the Academy Awards or the Cannes Film Festival this year. Bellow are my four favorite looks and the elegant women I can see wearing them.