Rebecca Wang Joins A list Celebrities Front-Row at Elie Saab Fashion Show

Elie Saab Reveals His Autumn/Winter 2013 Collection at Paris Fashion Week

Espace Ephemere at the Jardins des Tuileries, one of the best loved locations in Paris for introducing new creations, was chosen as backdrop for Elie Saab’s A/W Collection on March, 6 during Paris Fashion Week.

Among the attendees were Producer Rebecca Wang, French Actress Vahina Giocante and Spanish model and actress Ines Sastre.

The collection included elegant day dresses; either sculpted to the body and sporting back zips from neck down to hemline, or with a structured bodice and square, scalloped, or occasionally plunging necklines. Models wore full skirts ending just above the knee. A mixed use of solid colours -dark blues, teal, mustard, and a hint of aubergine along with black and white, kept the overall message international, chic and powerful through elegant simplicity. A use of long fluid panels in luxurious evening dresses and gowns which were slashed and overlaid with ornate lace bodywork flowed along the catwalk.

Overall the collection endorses Saab’s general reputation for a styling that is continuous and steady, but it is one that greatly pays tribute both to his talents and to Lebanon.

 Saab, a self taught designer, launched his label in 1992 at the age of 18, in his home town of Beirut with a team of just sixteen employees. Initially specialising in wedding dresses using rich fabric, lace, detailed embroidery, pearls, crystals and silk threads, his designs soon expanded to cater for the high society women who had begun to wear his clothes. Saab is the first non-Italian designer to be made a member of the Camera Nazionale de la Moda in Rome and he has also been invited to membership of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris. While his main atelier remains in Lebanon, he now also has workshops in Milan and Paris, which is now his permanent ready to wear launch pad. Elie Saab has sixty retail outlets across the world and his designs are sold in 22 countries.

Saab’s style is seen as a fusion of Western and Eastern cultures and it is characterised by his use of noble materials such as taffeta, organza and satin with fabrics that are lighter and more fluid. The designer enjoys a large and loyal following in Arab countries and his work is also popular with royalties and international celebrities attending key global events. Saab’s patrons include Queen Rania of Jordan, whom he dressed for her coronation and Halle Berry who wore a burgundy gown by him in 2002, making Saab the first Lebanese designer to dress an Oscar winner. Among his fans can also be counted Princess Beatrice of York, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Celine Dion, Beyoncé, Emma Watson and Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden.

Rebecca Wang joins Karl Lagerfeld to celebrate 100 years of Chanel

Chanel’s Autumn/Winter collection for 2013/2014 under the stewardship of its chief designer Karl Lagerfeld unrolled at Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday 5th March. The date coincided with the label’s 100th anniversary and the German born designer was joined by a crowd of celebrities honouring the occasion.

The highly anticipated event took place at the statement location of the Grand Palais, avenue de Winston Churchill during Paris Fashion Week. Among those attending were Jessica Chastain, Rebecca Wang , Vanessa Paradis, Milla Jovovich, Ines de la Fressange, Mario Testino and Princess Caroline of Monaco.

Rebecca Wang attends the Chanel Fall/Winter 2013 Ready-to-Wear show as part of Paris Fashion Week at Grand Palais on March 5, 2013 in Paris, France

The circular catwalk was set under the glass roof of the iconic Grand Palais and models walked in front of a giant rotating globe; symbolic of the global status of the brand. The collection embraced dark colours which are typical of Chanel. Classic tweed coats, knitwear and short wool suits in black, grey or monochrome colours were teamed up with thigh high over the knee boots creating an uplifting and elegant look. Hints of metallic shades and baby pink were mixed with blacks adding a modern touch to the designs that still strongly reflect Coco Chanel’s classic look for the brand.

“I visited a minerals and crystals museum in France- I love the shapes,” Lagerfeld told reporters, “and then a Czech cubism exhibition in Prague -they are like modern buildings with similar shapes”. He also commented “I work by instinct, -99% goes to the garbage can, the rest is what survives. What has survived is more than enough”.

Originally the flourishing mark of its original creator, Gabrielle "Coco" Bonheur Chanel, the brand is now a global leader whose outlets have spread way beyond the original small shop in Paris, where her outstanding role in fashion began in 1909. After moving through millinery and designing sports clothes for women for sale at outlets in the then fashionable seaside resorts of Deauville and Biarritz in the years leading up to 1915, Chanel’s strength and contribution was to create innovative clothes and revolutionise fashion at a time when it was most needed. The First World War along with the socio-economic mobilisation of women, who were replacing men in the factories and fields, brought a need for practical and protective garments that would allow women the freedom to do this work. Chanel’s use of jersey fabric produced clothes that were comfortable and affordable, and by replacing structured silhouette based on the corset and the bodice with garments that were flattering to a woman’s figure, she was completely in tune with the changes of the time. By the end of the war, her designs were known throughout France, the high quality design, construction and finish of the clothes had established the reputation of Coco Chanel as a meticulous couturiere.

Chanel is currently owned by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, both grandsons of Pierre Wertheimer, an early business partner of Coco Chanel. The brand’s boutiques and popularity stretch across the continents, and have most recently included a 220m2 boutique in Hong Kong, and a 50million USD building in Grinza, Tokyo. Chief among its timeless and exclusive signature products are the Chanel suit, the “little black dress” and its perfume Chanel No 5. Its creations have been personified by well known women including Catherine Deneuve, Vanessa Paradis, Nicole Kidman, Keira Knightley and Marilyn Monroe, all of whom epitomise the independent confident Chanel girl. More recently, Chanel has again led the way not just with accessory products such as watches, sunglasses, travel collections and skin care, but also in setting up Paraffection, a subsidiary company originally established in 1997 to support and preserve artisanal manufacturing for the fashion world.

Lagerfeld has stayed as a helmsman for the brand over the last thirty years after being persuaded to come over from Chloe. While incorporating the signature fabrics and detailing such as tweed, gold accents and chains; Lagerfeld has also helped to bring the brand into today’s modern day fashion world. In later collections he has chosen to break away from the ladylike look of Chanel and experiment with different styles. Coco Mademoiselle and In Between Wear, targeting younger women, have been launched in the last decade.

Rebecca Wang at Giambattista Valli A/W Collection Show

Giambattista Valli Autumn -Winter 2013/2014 Ready-to-Wear collection show was held at Place Vendôme in Paris on March 4, 2013.

The collection displayed a line of luxury that was both chic and easy. The ice themed show featured ladylike silhouettes, unexpected use of fur and plenty of linear layering. Models wore high necks with Grecian metallic skirts or slick cigarette trousers. Streamlined car coats and parkas featured chiffon layered with fur and structured fabrics creating a contrast between heavy and light. The colour palette included snow queen whites interspersed with an explosion of vivid colours and floral and animal prints.

The Italian born designer grew up in Rome but is now based in Paris where he shows his Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear collections. Valli knew from the age of eight that fashion was his main calling and he has named watercolours by YSL, Grau’s illustrations for Dior and Cocteau’s drawings as his early influences while studying at Rome's Art College, Accademia di Belle Arti. After joining the European Institute of Designers, and following an illustration course at Central St Martin in London, Valli’s first fashion work was with Cecilia Fanfani, who involved him in the planning of couture shows in Rome. He then joined Roberto Cappucci’s atelier as an assistant, a time he credits for learning the relationship between the atelier and master and the fundamental aspects of colour and volume.

Two years later came the role of overseeing the new Fendissimi line as senior designer. From there he moved to Krizia and in 1997 Valli was appointed art director of fashion for Emanuel Ungaro’s ready to wear collection. 2001 saw him promoted to art director for the rtw, along with the younger Ungaro Fever lines, accessories and licenses. In 2005 Valli introduced an uninhibited collection after starting his own line with licensee Gilmar. His own line launched in 2005 with an aim to create a style based on a line and silhouette. This style was in contrast to the focus on decoration at Ungaro.

While working at Ungaro, Giambattista Valli begun to dress his celebrity friends which had a positive impact on his reputation. Fans of his work include Penelope Cruz, Natalia Vodianova, Jessica Biel (who asked him to design the gown for her wedding in Puglia to Justin Timberlake), Sarah Jessica Parker, Julianne Moore, and Queen Rania of Jordan. Valli credits early deliveries, reliable quality and a disciplined regard for consumer needs, for the growth of his own brand.

Rebecca Wang Enjoys Front-Row Seat at Galliano Fashion Show

The Galliano house of fashion made a return to the catwalk on Sunday 3rd March, with the showing of its Autumn/Winter Collection 2013-2014 during Paris Fashion Week. Bill Gaytten, The British-born former right arm to Galliano in the in-house design team for over 23 years and the current lead designer for the label, showcased his second collection on Sunday.

The show was held at the iconic Le Centorial, 18 rue du Quatre Septembre, in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. The Galliano Autumn/Winter Collection for 2013-2014 was heavy in dark colours. It featured geometric cuts and shades of blue, plum and black. Models with minimal make up wore long belted drape coats with cropped trousers or over the knee skirts. The collection also included simple evening gowns, peplum skirts and oversized hats.

Rebecca Wang with the President and CEO of Christian Dior,  Sidney Toledano 

Over the years the Galliano team’s speciality has been to give a theatrical approach to contemporary fashion, with uniqueness created through contrast and sprinkled with vintage allure. Gaytten is building upon this and fast earning a reputation for his love of experimentation with styles packing different levels of sophistication.

The brand was founded in 1993 by the Gibraltar-born British fashion designer John Galliano, who had a rapid ascendancy in world fashion at an international level. After being appointed designer to head up Givenchy in 1995, and receiving high praise for his first collection there, 1996 saw him move to Christian Dior, where he oversaw all creative design for the following fifteen years, garnering many fashion awards for his services to the industry. Fans of Galliano designs include Charlize Theron, Madonna, Cate Blanchett, and Nicole Kidman. Kate Moss opted for a Galliano designed wedding dress for her marriage to Jamie Hince.

The Galliano house of fashion is one of the sixty prestigious brands that make up the international luxury goods group LVMH. LVMH came into being in 1987 following a merger between Moet Hennessey and Louis Vuitton. The group specialises in five main areas: fashion and leather goods; watches and jewellery; perfumes and cosmetics; wine and spirits, and selective retailing. The most veteran brand in the group is wine producer Chateau d'Yquem, whose origins go back to 1593. While created and headquartered in Paris, LMVH now has over 3,000 stores world-wide (over 79% of them outside of France), and more than 100,000 employees. Sidney Toledano, who is the President and CEO of Christian Dior SA and President of John Galliano and Fendi was in the audience of Gaytten’s second solo show for Galliano.