InsideLux – The Luxury News Authority

Last night Valentino unveiled his high tech 45-year archive at his Chateau de Wideville in France.

The archive was put together by Valentino‘s business partner, Giancarlo Giammetti who started the compilation in 2008 when Valentino retired.

The archive includes more than 200 sketches from 1959 when Valentino first opened his atelier in Rome to 2008, when he showed his final couture collection. Ipad shows the designer sketching his creations and a 40 meter gallery displays original sketches laid out on notepads and scraps of paper. The archive will also show photographs of some the world’s most famous women including Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqui Kennedy wearing Valentino designs. The collection opens from September by appointment only and available to students from next year.

Pop singer, fashion designer and now creative design executive for Range Rover, looks like the sky is the limit for Victoria Beckham.

Mrs. Beckham’s new role was unveiled at the 40th birthday celebrations of Range Rover at ‘The Orangery’ at London’s Kensington Palace. To mark the celebration the brand unveiled a smaller, sleeker model called the Range Rover Evoque.

Beckham will be working in collaboration with the creative team on the Range Rover Evoque which goes on sale next summer and is described as the “greenest” Range Rover yet.’’

In explaining the decision to take on Victoria, Land Rover and Range Rover design director Gerry McGovern said “She knows a lot about fashion and a lot about trends, a lot about luxury products; she has her own fashion business that’s been going for three years and has gained critical acclaim.”

iPad has caught the fashion industry at a feverish pace with multiple designers extending carrying cases for the latest in apple technology. Long-established brand and design team Dolce & Gabbana utilized the iPad to pay homage to their successful 20 year run as a fashion empire. A multimedia exhibit, open to the public at the Palazzo Marino in Milan will be on display through Sunday. iPads, seeming to be floating in a glass wall throughout Milan’s city hall, display images of everything Dolce & Gabbana from the last 20 years. From celebrity displays on red carpets and entire runway shows to ad campaigns and editorial shoots, the presentation is expecting to bring in celebrity spectators such as Morgan Freeman, Juliette Binoche, Matthew McConaughey, Chace Crawford and Eva Herzigova.

Starting June 17^th, the lines of communication between Boris Becker, three time Wimbledon winner, will be hindered as Ralph Lauren launches his online interactive Legends Clinic for tennis. Live feeds, streaming in real time on tennis enthusiasts’ computer screens, will star professional tennis players answering fan questions as well as demonstrating techniques. Ralph Lauren being the official outfitter of Wimbledon is hoping to bridge the gap between fans and athletes, creating a more personal relationship via his marquee Polo Ralph Lauren brand and the world wide web.

Last years Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in New York City was such a success that it will be returning again to Governors’ Island on June 27^th.  Featuring Prince Harry, last years event attracted VIP celebrities like Marc Jacobs, Chloe Sevigny, Kate Hudson and Modonna. Also showing support were the 6,000 picnicking contributors all dressed in traditional polo attire.

This year, Ralph Lauren model and Argentinean polo player will face off against the prince in the time-honored sport played on horseback. Attendees are ask to dress in classic polo attire, men in suits, women in hats.

The American Friends of Sentebale US segment will appropriately benefit from the event as Harry is a co-founder of the global charity.

The 2010 CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Awards had a both exciting and somber atmosphere as the fashion elite celebrated and grieved the loss of the great Alexander McQueen. Sarah Jessica Parker’s tribute to the late designer was in wardrobe (she wore a pink and purple gown from the pre-fall collection that was hand-picked by Sarah Burton, the new head of McQueen) as well as in an introduction to his last collection. His pre-fall 2010 line debuted in the awards show known as the “fashion oscars” with great honor.

On the brighter side, Anna Wintour, editor and chief of Vogue Magazine, presented Michael Kors with a lifetime achievement award, complete with personal stories about the ever-optimistic and lighthearted designer. Kors’ reaction to receiving the award was true to his known personality when he commented, “I’m just a kid. How did this happen?”

Young, new designers were also given recognition though various awards, such as Jason Wu, who designed Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown, receiving a womenswear award.

OTHER WINNERS

*Menswear- David Neville and Marcus Wainwright of Rag and Bone

*Accessories- Jeweler Alexis Bittar

*International Award- Burberry’s Christopher Bailey

*Visuals- Tonne Goodman, Vogue fashion director for visuals

*Fashion Journalism- Kim Hastreiter, editor and publisher of Paper Magazine for fashion Journalism

*Online Popular Vote- Ralph Lauren

*Womenswear- Jason Wu

Anyone who’s ever been to one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s exquisite London restaurants knows just how delicious the food is. The good news is that with the recently released cookbook ‘Plenty’ you can create his culinary wonders at home.
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McQueen fans have been scrambling everywhere to find designs by the late Alexander McQueen. Two dresses from his 2007 Autumn/Winter ready-to-wear collection will be going on auction Wednesday June 30^th at Bonhams, Monteplier St, Knightsbridge, London.

The collection was famously showcased in a dramatic show inspired by the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. A runway made of a Ouija board with projected lights made to look like crawling cockroaches set the stage for the Victorian inspired gowns. One piece featured for auction is a cream colored gown with a peacock feather bustier and is estimated to sell at £10,000- £14,000. The second, a golden embroidered floor length gown with tool skirt, hosting a projected price tag of £12,000 to £18,000.

Louis Vuitton stamps another realm of the sports world, the coveted world cup. English supermodel, Naomi Campbell, unveiled the sophisticated leather case holding the all-important trophy this week. Traditionally, the cup is always transferred in an armored metal case to ensure its safe delivery. This year, Louis Vuitton has opted to take on the responsibility of shelling the replica trophy (the original will forever belong to FIFA) securely and fashionably. Leather bound with gold hinges, the case sports the traditional Louis Vuitton print and adds an extra spice of luxury to the exciting tournament.

June 1^st the Givenchy label and its designer Riccardo Tisci held a dinner party at the MOMA in New York City to celebrate the closing of Maria Abramovic’s “The Artist is Present” exhibition. Stars showed up to the event boasting questionable gothic black dresses trying hard to exude an “artsy” attitude. Ciara, Liv Tyler and Courtney Love generated a balance of gothic chic in Givenchy, whereas others missed the mark trying too hard. Christina Ricci wore an oddly shaped, Halloween costume, lace dress that was not meant for someone of her stature. From the Fall 2010 collection, it was not up to par for her usual artistic elegance.