Kimora's Kollection - A Fashion Archive

Many of you know Kimora Lee Simmons for various reasons. She was the creative force behind the Baby Phat brand which she developed and grew for over 10 years. While there she diversified herself into fragrances, cosmetics, KLS collection, Kouture By Kimora, Fabulosity Jr. Line, Hello Kitty Jewelry, Books and still continues her evolution. She is now living a PHAT free life and is focused on the KLS brand and all it's fabulous products; "Onward and Upward" as she put's it. A new skin care line to come this spring as well as the launch of her new fragrance "Love Me" (which is her 6th). This blog was inspired by the re-launch of her website www.KLS.com. It got me thinking about her evolution within the world of fashion and her celebration of fashion as an art form.

I have read that there are people who feel much of her success can be attributed to her ex husband Hip Hop Mogul Russell Simmons. From where I sit he has been a great mentor, friend, creative partner and inspiration for her but NOT the reason for her continues success or her break into the fashion industry. She was part of the high fashion business as a model long before she became Mrs. Simmons.

Kimora started her career in fashion at the tender age of 13, in true Kimora style. She did not start in a catalogue, or doing local modelling jobs in her home town of St. Louis, Missouri - she went straight to the runways of Paris courtesy of fashion designer and creative genius Karl Lagerfeld. Right out of the gate the biggest honor a model can receive was bestowed on her by the house of CHANEL, she was the finale bride in the 1989 Haute Couture show in Paris. She went on to model for Valentino, Yves St. Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld (his own label), Fendi, Mary McFadden, Susan Lazar, Anna Sui and others.

Fashion has always been part of Kimora's life and over the years she has collected an amazing archive of clothing, accessories and treasures that would make The Metropolitan Museum of Art's costume institute consider an exhibit!

My favorite and in my opinion one of the most impressive fashion treasures is the late Gianni Versace's BED. Not a bed and linens from his home signature collection but HIS bed from the master bedroom from his Miami home (Casa Casuarina). I could not even imagine the energy this piece would bring into one's home. To lay your head where one of histories GREATEST fashion designers slept, worked and possibly cultivated some of his designs is AMAZING.

She also has the largest private collection of Louis Vuitton purses, bags and luggage second only to the house of Louis Vuitton. Not all of it is contemporary either.

She has a large collection of Vintage items such as steamer trunks and the BEST piece: A LV hat box that belonged to the late Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis, complete with hair strands left behind; if that box could talk.

I think her signature bag has to be the Hermes Birkin!

Kimora pictured with a small fraction of her Hermes Birkin bag collection - YES she has one in MAUVE (I LOVE IT) ... and yellow, white, pink, black, orange, green, blue and various shades of brown/tan. It is my personal belief that Hermes should create a custom Birkin named "Kimora": in bright LIME!

I am also aware that her collection of Chanel clothing and accessories is vast, spanning the decades. She has vintage pieces, pieces given to her by Karl Lagerfeld personally and those she has accumulated through purchase. I love the patchwork head band from the Fall 1990/1991 show (As seen on Kimora on the runway). It reminds me of my youth spend watching fashion.

She also loves her classic patchwork bags. She even has a bag that she says “Chanel didn’t even know they had”

(Photo posted by Kimora via Twitter of her closet recently)

She has expressed to me via Twitter her love for Vintage clothing and the history of fashion. Her closet is full of both contemporary and Vintage designer pieces. Her collection is so vast she houses it in two seperate locations, in 2 states! Her "satellite closet" as she calls it is in her house in LA and I suppose the mother ship resides in her New Jersey boudoir.

Then there is her love of shoes! She has 2 closets stuffed with the most sought after, designer shoes. The majority being 4", another not so subtle expression of her "go big or go home" attitude! BRAVO KLS! My favorite item: Custom made and Custom designed pairs Manolo Blahnik's

Can you imagine having a closet like this?

NJ

LA

The 'mother ship' Closet in NJ (shot for InStyle Feature 2007, Life and Home

The 'satellite' closet LA (from her Bluefly Closet Confession)

See Kimora's Closet Confession Here:

Next time Kimora take the camera's to the mother ship and call LisaG when you feel like purging, we wear the same size shoe!

Style Maven Series: Dita Von Teese

If I could use only 2 words to describe Dita Von Teese they would be Timeless and GLAMOUR. To me Miss Dita is like a live avante guard runway show, a Hollywood silver screen film in Technicolor and a Swarovski crystal swathed enduring piece of artwork. I have to say that she is the ULTIMATE vintage style maven, a fashion icon and a true style inspiration for me. I love the bold colors, the hats, the accessories and the mixing of the vintage with the contemporary. Her display of fashion forwardness by highlighting and paying homage to fashions past is second to none. She is one of the only people who can pull of a head-to-toe vintage look to any event, with the hair, makeup AND accessories.

3 things you may not know about Dita:

*She is a natural blond

*Given name at birth: Heather Sweet

*Her Christmas Tree: “I have a pink foil tree that has chandelier pieces. It’s not bubblegum pink, but real Victorian, shiny pink. I like pink lights—I think it’s really romantic and flattering.” (www.fashionmagazine.com)

She is as famous for her Burlesque numbers as she is for her fashion. She is a fashion designers dream and a darling at several of the world’s most famous fashion houses ~ Jean Paul Gaultier, Elie Saab, Christian Laboutin, Dior, Louis Vuitton and Swarovski. She is the extraordinary showgirl on and off the red carpet. Her costumes are like a jewel encrusted dream. Dita has been compared to the Burlesque strip-teaser Gypsy Rose Lee but I think that Dita is in a class all her own.

(CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE)

Her world is not just garter belts and feathers; she is a self styled, self created fashion icon and brand. She brought her style to contemporary lingerie, with Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese. This vintage-inspired, limited edition lingerie collection for Wonderbra was a bestseller, and her 2nd season, the "Party Edition," was launched in 2009 all over Europe. Dita also has her own collection of full-fashioned seamed stockings with Secrets in Lace, which are available through their catalog and her website. She has teamed up with Perrier mineral water and limited edition bottles and cans with Dita’s images are now available.

She is the face of Cointreau with a signature drink: Cointreau Teese

1 1/2 oz. Cointreau

3/4 oz. Apple juice

1/2 oz. Violet syrup

1/2 oz. Lemon juice

Ginger

1 Violet

Preparation

Combine all ingredients and frost ginger around the rim of the glass. Garnish with a violet.

You can take a piece of Dita home with her many AMAZING products: Clothing, books, cosmetics, lingerie, fragrance, and MORE. Visit her BOUTIQUE

I had a chance to ask the princess of the pasties my style maven questions.

LISAG: Can you describe your personal Style aesthetic AND attitude about fashion

DITA: I admire people that have a personal sense of style that does not falter according to the trends, and I especially love those that dare to be different and take risks! Some of my personal icons are Isabella Blow, Anna Piaggi, Chantal Thomass and Marlene Dietrich.

LISAG: What are the key components / pieces in your closet?

DITA: Shapely black dresses with perfect tailoring, classic shapes, with the perfect amount of cleavage and the right hemline. I like to style these dresses with vintage jewelry, gloves and hats. A beautiful coat is also essential!

LISAG: How do you feel about Vintage Clothing and Accessories?

DITA: Most of my wardrobe is vintage! I began dressing in vintage when I was a teenager because I was never able to afford designer clothes. I would see similarities between looks I saw in magazines from designers like Vivienne Westwood, and vintage 1940's suits and dresses. I would seek out vintage bullet bras to get the look of Jean-Paul Gaultier. My aim was to get the look for less by scouring flea markets and vintage stores, and that is how my love affair with vintage style began!

LISAG: What are your favorite Vintage pieces (Clothing and/or Accessories)? Do you only wear designer vintage?

DITA: I wear what I like, regardless of the value. I do own some spectacular vintage designer pieces, like a 1954 Dior Paris Haute Couture suit which is labeled with the season and year, and it's in a famous book about Dior. But the majority of my collection is comprised of no-name dresses, or lesser-known designers. It's all about how you wear it, not how expensive it is.

LISAG: What are you wearing this fall/winter? Tell our readers the key elements for your Fall/Winter wardrobe

DITA: Wearing a fabulous coat is always my favorite thing about the fall and winter. I love bringing out my coats! I don't always have a new one every year, but when you invest in a great style, it doesn't matter. A great coat is THE key to looking chic in the winter! This year I am wearing a fit and flare black Dior, a 1950's Lilli Ann Princess coat, and my favorite, a Dior trench coat with strict shoulders that is dripping in black bugle beads at the hemline. The way I see it, if I can't wear bugle beads in the daytime, what good is it being a showgirl anyway?!?

You are a show girl supreme Dita! 

Here are some of my favorite looks:

(CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE)

You have personally inspired me Dita to even push my own fashion boundaries even further than I normally do. I LOVE cage veiling even more now!! XO

EVOLUTION VINTAGE'S PICKS FOR DITA:

1950's Black Velvet Dress

Feather hat w black cage veil

SHOP: http://www.evolution-vintage.com/

Style Maven Series: Molly Sims

Molly Sims is what one could refer to as a "triple threat". She's a successful model, actress and now a jewelry designer. You may remember her from the Victoria's Secret runway or the pages of Sports Illustrated (where she wore the world's most expensive bikini valued at $30 Million dollars) Sorry Molly I had to post the photo ~ you are beautiful! I could not mention a 30M dollar bikini without letting the readers have a peek ;)

She has successfully launched a line of vintage-inspired jewelry called "Grayce" which is available on HSN a higher end line available directly from her web site: HERE


Here are some of the pieces I love (Cuffs, rings & statement necklaces):

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
In fact she is approaching her 1 year anniversary for the line which she will celebrate with a live appearance on HSN, Friday November 19th. See her and her jewels at 1:00AM-2:00AM & 2:00PM-3:00PM


What I love about Molly's style is her fearless approach to accessories and colors. She does not shy away from mixing it up; colors, prints, accessories. She is also a girl after my own heart, she loves herself a CLUTCH! I love how she will mix sequins and a blazer on a red carpet or try an over the top statement necklace with an otherwise conservative gown. Bravo style maven!


I had a chance to ask Molly my Style Maven Questions:

LISAG: Can you describe your personal Style aesthetic AND attitude about fashion?

MOLLY: My style is usually one of the four "Grayce girls": Gypsy/Bohemian, City Sophisticate, Glamour Girl, or All-American. I am always mixing and matching. I will never be too trendy, always classic. Fashion gives you the ability to play dress up.

LISAG: What are the key components / pieces in your closet?

MOLLY: Every girl should have a great pencil skirt, a great boyfriend blazer, a great pair of black pants, and a great white shirt. You only need to buy a few trendy pieces a season. This season it’s all about leopard, camel and motorcycle fun. And don’t forget to layer.

LISAG: How do you feel about Vintage Clothing and Accessories?

MOLLY: I love vintage clothing and accessories. Grayce was inspired by my own vintage jewelry pieces that I have from my mother. My design style infuses my love of mixing vintage pieces with tradition aesthetic that allows me to create timeless pieces that can be worn from season to season. The key to buying vintage clothing is to invest in a good tailor. Find one, make friends and you’re good to go.

LISAG: What are your favorite Vintage pieces (Clothing and/or Accessories)?

MOLLY: An amazing old Pucci Dress, a gold vintage Rolex, vintage pearls my mother gave me, a leopard jacket I got 15 years ago, and a vintage croc bag.

LISAG: Do you only wear designer vintage?

MOLLY: No. When I was younger my mother and I would go to yard sales and buy boxes of jewelry for ten dollars and sort through them to find amazing pieces. A flea market find can be just as eclectic and chic as a fancy diamond! Do not feel like you have to pay a lot for vintage.

LISAG: What are you wearing this fall? Tell our readers the key elements for your Fall/Winter wardrobe

MOLLY: I think three key elements for your Fall/Winter wardrobe should be a great motorcycle jacket, deco jewelry and a fringe bag. I’m also obsessed with tights under bohemian dresses!

There were so many wonderful looks to choose from with Molly ~ here are some of my Fav's

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE







Follow Molly on Twitter @MollyBSims

EVOLUTION VINTAGE'S PICKS FOR MOLLY

Vintage Striped Day Dress

60's Chocolate Metallic mini dress
70's Clutch

Vintage 3 strand necklace with fopal (faux opal) crown

Late 40's/Early 50's Whiting and Davis gold metal mesh clutch



SHOP: EVOLUTION VINTAGE

To Turban or not To Turban?

One of the season's most interesting accessories is the "Turban" or "Turband". We've seen it all before, just like any "trend" but would you ROCK it for summer 2010?

It's not just for covering up those roots between colours or for "difficult"/bad hair days. It is a new chic hair/head accessory... or is it? YOU DECIDE. To Turban or not to Turban that is the Spring/Summer 2010 accessory question.

Turbans tromped town the runways in 2007 courtesy of Miuccia Prada and Ralph Lauren.
PRADA 2007



Celebs like Mary Kate Olsen and JLO rocked the Turband in 07:


Mary Kate's Turband 07


JLO @ MTV Awards 07


Kate Moss gave us a shining example of a chic turban in 2009 on the red carpet at the MET.


Carol Alt Rocks a Turband in the 1980s

The pages of Marie Clair magazine featured the turban for S/S 2010

Marie Clair - March 2010

and it has even made it's way into the much anticipated Sex and the City sequel film on the fab head of Carrie Bradshaw.


We have seen many versions over the years but where did they come from?

According to my research the first mention of turbans dates back to the end of the fourteenth Century, at the end of the Moorish occupation in Spain. Turbans were first introduced into English fashion in the 1790’s inspired by England’s increased trade with India for cotton. The French brought the Turban to the forefront of fashion in the 20th century via couturier Paul Poiret. See his wife Denise and muse in one of his designs:

Paul Poiret and his Oriental influence - Costume 1911

Many versions manifested from the 1920's well through the 1950's. All different versions, styles, colours, fabrics.

VINTAGE YSL (Velvet)

MY GRANDMOTHER Phyllis 1943

Vintage Turban (Crochet)


Middle-East meets mid-town Manhattan ... Can you Turban?

I know I CAN!!!