For over 25 years, John Galliano has battled tough times to become what some consider to be one of the most influential fashion designers of our day, literally changing the clothes we wear.

Born in 1960, Galliano knew he had found his place when he arrived in the fashion world. The young daring designer didn’t waste any time getting attention. He graduated from St Martin’s College of Art and Design in 1984 and his first collection, Les Incroyables, inspired by the French Revolution, was bought by the London boutique Brown’s and completely sold out.

He continued and showed his first line at Paris Fashion Week in 1989. His vision often combining historical costume with a contemporary edge. The rave reviews he got were not without hardship. His label, Galliano, almost went bankrupt numerous times. Supermodels waived their fees to work with the designer. Yet it wasn’t until Anna Wintour took the fashion designer under her wing and introduced him to financial backers that the line became stable.

Eventually the Galliano fashion line was taken in by LVMH (one of the world’s largest luxury goods companies), a move that would forever change John Galliano’s life. In 1995, LVMH named Galliano the designer for Givenchy. This was the first time a British fashion designer would head up a French couture house. One year later, John Galliano would step up into one of the most prestigious roles in the fashion world. He was named designer for Christian Dior, a post he still holds.

He is known for his superb fashion shows that transport the audience to wherever he wants them to go. John Galliano changed the way we see clothes today, by insisting that the designs be cut closer to the body. While his clothes off the rack may be extravagant, his designs have influenced the styles today.

John Galliano has been awarded for his vision and skill on numerous occasions and he keeps striving for more. Through this decade, Galliano has expanded his fashion line to include bags, shoes, lingerie, fragrances and menswear. Between Dior and his own lines, Galliano currently creates six couture and ready-to-wear fashion lines and one mid-season collection each year.

John Galliano showed a luxurious collection for Fall 2010 at Paris Fashion Week, inspired by nomadic, warrior women. Voluminous, chiffon gowns, silk trousers and tulle gowns appeared on the runway. Fur was very prevalent in the collection, as we have seen before. Models wore huge headpieces of fur and feathers. Colours began in earthy tones, but opened up to include jewel tones and pastels. Trends of layering, draping and oversized clothing continued in Galliano’s fashion show.

John Galliano’s wildly romantic and often outrageous imagination is all his own. And it’s that untethered sense of fantasy and drama that has made him the most influential fashion designer of his generation. – Time

[photo of John Galliano courtesy of pr photos, Galliano Spring/Summer 2010 photos courtesy of Galliano]

From an elementary school fantasy to the runways of New York Fashion Week, Canadian fashion line Mackage really is a dream come true.

Montreal natives, Eran Elfassy and Elisa Dahan’s dream began in elementary school where the pair met. They began sketching designs together imagining the day when their pictures could come to life. The pair attended La Salle College in Montreal where the idea grew. At 20 years old, the dream came alive in the form of Mackage.

Mackage is best known for their outerwear. Their coats are not only fashionable and beautifully tailored, but they are also warm and functional. These are stylish winter coats that can actually withstand a Montreal winter. They create elegant, timeless silhouettes with their leather, wool and fur lined coats that women of every age crave.

Celebrities Halle Berry, Andie McDowell and Catherine Zeta-Jones have discovered the luxury of each Mackage coat.

Ten years later, Mackage is internationally known. They recently opened a store in Paris and showed at New York Fashion Week for the third time. In 2009, the design duo debuted a new line, Soia & Kyo. This line is more youthful with bright colours and less of a focus on leather.

This year Mackage debuted their first full ready-to-wear collection to positive reviews. This dream is not over yet.

Fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg gave Page Six Magazine a honest and open interview which readers will be able to get for free in the New York Post tomorrow.

Real Style Network has an advance preview for you of the Diane Von Furstenberg interview where she talks about her family, scandal and the future of DVF.

On son Alex’s reaction to his fiancée, Ali Kay, being involved in the society scandal of last summer after Ali allegedly was caught “sext-ing” with former NBA Basketball star, Reggie Miller:
“[The incident was] devastating to Alex. I want to make peace with all of that. My son was jealous. She was naïve. The truth is that, at the end, they’re madly in love with each other. It made them realize how much they care for each other. In the end, we are an unusually close family.”

On when her son, Alex and fiancée, Ali Kay, plan to get married as they begin their third year of engagement:
“Commitment and marriage are two different things.  I’ve never seen a couple that are so right for each other as Ali and Alex, but I’m not a big wedding planner or marriage person.  Weddings make me nervous.”

On proceeding with a multimillion-dollar ad campaign that introduced her future daughter-in-law as the face of the Diane von Furstenberg brand:
“In a lot of ways, I see A.K. (Ali Kay) in me.  I also had a very attractive prince—a good-looking man that every woman wanted. I identify with her—the way she looks, the way she is with a very attractive man at a young age and tries to keep up with him. She’s unsophisticated and very pretty and was thrown into a world the way I was thrown into a world like that.”

On perceptions of her family and maintaining closeness with exes:
“It may look odd from the outside, but it’s not.  Everyone is always good together and that comes from me. I divorced one husband, and then I was with Barry, but we always spent Christmas all together. There’s never been any animosity, and that’s the way I raised my kids.  We may all look wild, but everyone has a very suburban, normal life.  It’s not very glamorous, although each character in our family is glamorous.”

On the future of her business:
“My business is a family business. I hope my grandchildren will take over.  I’ll keep it going for them. They can start interning soon. It’s in their genes. They’re already interested in fashion.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Roger Prigent

With Milan Menswear Fashion Week just ending, stylish men may be wondering what fashions they should be filling their closets with this season. To be on the cutting edge of style you can’t go wrong with Lagerfeld fashions.

The Lagerfeld menswear Spring/Summer 2010 line has a retro feel for suits and is cut close to the body. The suits are generally 2-buttoned with a skinny leg. Skinny ties in red, black and white finish off the look.

The casual Lagerfeld Spring/Summer 2010 look is relaxed, yet elegant with a nautical feel to it. Belted trousers in white, brown and black have the same skinny leg shape as  shown in the suits. Form fitting v-neck sweaters and cardigans  show a classic way to go from the office to happy hour drinks seamlessly. For contemporary evening night out looks there are leather jackets in tan and black.

Lagerfeld  completes his menswear look swith a scarf tucked into your sweater or draped around a suit. A pair of dark aviator style sunglasses finishes off any outfit.

For the Karl Lagerfeld Spring/Summer 2010 Collection the jackets are structured with round exaggerated shoulders and sport nipped in waists. Bottoms are mainly high-waisted shorts and mini skirts.

As is common with Karl Lagerfeld, the line sticks mainly to a black and white theme that easily works into any wardrobe. There are some navy blue pieces and a pop of coral to add drama to the duel coloured collection.

The collection has a classic feel with updated timeless silhouettes. Karl Lagerfeld has updated some of these classics to match the current fashion trends. You will see little additions of cutout dresses, ruffles and leather scattered throughout the line.

[Photos courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld]

What name comes up when you think of modern fashion industry legends? Among a list of the top names in fashion sits Karl Lagerfeld, a man who has been in the fashion industry for decades working at the most coveted fashion houses ever. His 50 years on the fashion business have not been without controversy. See below for some of the highlights.

History:
Karl Lagerfeld grew up in Germany always knowing that he wanted a place in the fashion world. He moved to Paris in the 50’s to begin his informal education in fashion and quickly won a spot as Pierre Balmain’s assistant after beating Yves Saint Laurent in a design competition.

Karl Lagerfeld earned his dues working hard to perfect his design. His first haute couture collection for Jean Patou was actually booed by the press. Karl didn’t let that stop him from achieving his dream and he moved forward.

In 1972, Karl Lagerfeld began working for the fashion house Fendi, a collaboration that still exists to this day.

In 1983, Lagerfeld was named the art director of Chanel and together the fashion house and Lagerfeld have become a brand to be reckoned with. Karl Lagerfeld is the only major fashion designer without a house to call his own. But he has transformed Chanel and brought it into the modern day.

Currently he designs collections for Chanel, Fendi, Lagerfeld, Karl Lagerfeld and k Karl Lagerfeld.

The Artist:
Lagerfeld is not just a fashion designer though. The man is a skilled artist who has illustrated books and an achieved photographer. For decades, Karl Lagerfeld has been shooting the ad campaigns for Chanel and Fendi as well as taking pictures for fashion magazines, such as V Magazine.

Controversy:
Through the years, Lagerfeld has been the subject of controversy. In the 1990’s, Anna Wintour walked out of a Fendi show when Karl Lagerfeld used strippers and adult film stars as models.

His use of fur has caused a longstanding battle with PETA, who tried to pie him in 2001. Karl Lagerfeld has said about fur: In a meat eating world, wearing leather for shoes and even clothes, the discussion of fur is childish.

More recently he has received criticism on his input on the weight issues of models. The fashion designer said that Heidi Klum “is no runway model. She is simply too heavy and has too big a bust.” And caused outrage by saying that “no one wants to see round models.”

Karl Lagerfeld stands alone in the fashion world. Because of his intellect, because of his mastery of dressmaking, because of his German love of literature and humor, because of his evergreen curiosity, he alone among the designers of his generation has stayed vital and contemporary. He was trained in couture in the 1950s by people who were themselves trained in the 1920s, and it’s safe to say there is not a technique or trick he does not know. – New York Times

Love him or hate him. As Dior and Yves St. Laurent, Lagerfeld name is forever associated with high fashion of the 20th and now the 21st century.

[Karl Lagerfeld photo courtesy of PR Photos, Chanel Couture photo via Lisa Tant]

How many emerging fashion designers can say that just a year after launching their first line they have made fans of celebrities Chloe Sevigny and Olivia Wilde and have Anna Wintour attending their shows? Well, Kimberly Ovitz can and we can see why.

At 25-years-old, fashion designer, Kimberly Ovitz is making her name heard loud and clear in the fashion world. She always knew that she wanted to be a designer and dedicated her life to getting where she is today. She started her journey at 16 years old working an internship for J. Crew, but moved up the ranks to a spot interning for Chanel under Karl Lagerfeld.

In 2009, she launched her own line and quickly became known for her minimalist, androgynous style. Her Spring/Summer 2010 line follows in those same ideas with simple silhouettes and timeless pieces. She was inspired for her Spring/Summer 2010 pieces by minimalist design and art and the equestrian lifestyle.

Kimberly Ovitz told Style.com: This season is a lot more fluid, with more wrapped silhouettes. And I’m adding colour for the first time.

Her pieces are favoured because they are easily taken from day to night without being too dressy. She says that that the Kimberly Ovitz woman is edgy and not overly sophisticated. The Spring/Summer 2010 fashion line has something for every woman. It includes luxurious silk dresses and silk chiffon shirts, seersucker shorts, organic cotton dresses and tops to the extremes leather everything (jackets, pants and dresses) and stretch polyurethane dresses. There are even knits in linen and suede cording.

You can buy Kimberly Ovitz’ Spring-Summer collection at Holt Renfrew in Canada, Neiman Marcus or online at Net-A-Porter.

by: Editor

As we have written here before, Marie Saint Pierre is a top Canadian fashion designer. Her styles (all made in Canada) are innovative and edgy enough to stand out in the crowded high fashion arena. I like that she stands true to her own vision while incorporating some of the more daring fashion trends into her designs.

Below is the preview of her spring collection and some selected standout pieces.

Outerwear (left): The coat styles offer a variation of the spring’s top coat, the trench. Both are cut higher on the body and the first coat also offers some shoulder detailing. Often what separates a tailored design piece from a mass market is the level of detailing and tailoring in the individual clothing. Designer fashions are often not produced in the same quantity or for that matter offshore, so the crafting and sewing process is more tightly controlled for quality.

Daytime/ work wear options (to the right) come in the form of high waisted dress with short jacket and pant suit with layering and detailing. I look for versatility and wearability in my choices that offer real style alternatives with some innovative fashion flair or the “umph” factor. Both of the outfits can be worn with different pieces that you might have already in your closet. For example pair the pant suit jacket with black pants or skirt. Wear the dress with a longer gray, black or white jacket or cardigan belted at the waist for a professional work wear look.

Evening wear (above): The asymmetrical bottom, off the shoulder look cut of dress number 1 picks up on all the top fashion trends in evening wear at the moment. Top French designers such as Lanvin, Yves St.Laurent and even Chanel all showed a variation on the theme. I also love the gold sleeves. It provides the immediate “WOW” factor. The ruched fabric of outfits (2,3,4) are Marie Saint Pierre’s signature look. It looks great and offers the additional value of being a great travel dress. It does not wrinkle!

See more other innovative designs by Marie Saint Pierre here.

Confused by the various designer lines and their price points? You are not the only one!This article from WWD, tells the whole story. With most major designer brands having to work hard through this last recession, major fashion designers took no chances and fired on all cylinders in getting their brand to the consumer. We are talking every line in every price tag in every store possible, here just a sample of the lines from Donna Karan, Calvin Klein,Michael Kors and Isaac Mizrahi put out( first fashion line being the most expensive):
DONNA KARAN
• Donna Karan New York Collection (Donna Karan New York retail stores, Neiman’s, Saks, Bergdorf’s, Harvey Nichols, Holt Renfrew)
• DKNY (DKNY retail stores; Neiman’s, Saks, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom)
• DKNYC (Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Lord & Taylor, Dillard’s, Belk)
• DKNY Jeans (Macy’s, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Dillard’s, Belk, Bon-Ton)
CALVIN KLEIN
.Calvin Klein Collection for women and men (Bergdorf’s, Saks, Harvey Nichols, El Corte Inglés and Galeries Lafayette, as well as freestanding Collection stores in the U.S. and Asia)
• ck Calvin Klein (freestanding stores in the Far East, southeast Asia and Europe)
• Calvin Klein white label for women and men (Nordstrom, Belk, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, Dillard’s, Bon-Ton and Calvin Klein Web site and freestanding stores in the U.S.)
• Calvin Klein Jeans (Nordstrom, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Dillard’s, Boscov’s, calvinkleinjeans.com, Piperlime.com, Denimexpress.com)
• Calvin Klein Underwear (Nordstrom, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, cku.com, barenecessities.com)
MICHAEL KORS• Michael Kors Collection (Michael Kors retail; Neiman’s, Saks, Nordstrom, Bergdorf’s)
• Michael Michael Kors (Michael Kors retail; Macy’s, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Dillard’s)
ISAAC MIZRAHI
• Isaac Mizrahi New York (Bergdorf’s, Saks, Neiman’s, Jeffrey)
• Liz Claiborne New York (Macy’s, Belk, Bon-Ton until 2010 and, starting for fall 2011, this line will be available exclusively on QVC)
• Isaac Mizrahi Live, lifestyle brand consisting of apparel, handbags, shoes, jewelry, housewares and some foods (exclusive to QVC)

SPLURGE: Balmain Originals

SAVE: “Inspired By Balmain” fashions

For their Fall-Winter 2009 collection in stores now, Designer Christophe Decarnin for  Balmain continued on their 80’s revival theme with big shoulders and super short, embellished-mini dresses. They accentuated their dress with studs and sequins all over creating rock chic looks. At Real Style we adore the designers but alas, like most of us can only dream of spending $13,000 to $20,000 on an outfit. So instead of dreaming we make our fashion dreams come true by getting the look at prices we can afford. Take a look:

SPLURGE COSTS over $30,000:

1.Buckle-embellished suede boots ($1,605), dresses range from $12,000 to $22,000.
TOTAL COST: over $20,000.00
2. Guiseppe Zanotti for Balmain suede court shoes with crystals ($1,057.99) and leather motorcycle jacket ($12,050)
TOTAL : $13,107.99

You can shop Balmain online in their e-boutique, in Canada at Holt Renfrew or Hudson’s Bay, or online at Net-A-Porter.

SAVE COSTS under $1300.00:
1. Mcannally Boot: Aldo: $160.00, Sequin Embellished Long Sleeve Dress: BCBGMAXAZRIA: $548.00
TOTAL : $708.00
2. Guess Carrielee Heels: Heels.com: $89.99, Lamian Leather Jacket: Diesel: $434.00
TOTAL:  $523.99