Makeup artist Moani Lee for Hourglass created the looks seen at last night's La Perla Fall 2013 presentation. La Perla designer Giovanni Bianchi looked to Spain for inspiration, specifically the moody color palette of painter Francisco Goya, and the embellished livery of bullfighters.
“I wanted to capture the sensuality and the strength of the woman wearing this decadent lingerie,” says Lee, who focused on elegant brows, radiant skin and dramatic lips worthy of an Almodóvar heroine.
For La Perla’s Black Label collection, which referenced mysterious themes including erotic art and surrealism, Lee switched the focus from the lips to the eyes. “The second look is a fresh take on the classic smoky eye, featuring a blend of black and brown kohl liner,” she says. “There are no harsh lines, it’s a softer interpretation that showcases beautiful, almond-shaped eyes.”
The nude color on lips is a preview of Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo, a collection of sophisticated neutral lipsticks to be released in the fall. Lee took a mixmaster approach to makeup: To imbue skin with a multi-dimensional luminescence, she combined three different shades of Hourglass foundation, concealer, and finishing powder. As for the scene-stealing scarlet lip, she blended two shades of Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Crème Lipstick. “It was one part Icon and three parts Raven,” she says. “The mixture of blue red and orange red makes for an opulent and regal fall statement that even Goya himself might have appreciated.”
Former plus-size model Crystal Renn has become the new face - and body - of Agent Provocateur, one of my favorite purveyors of uber-sexy lingerie. Shot by Purple Magazine's Olivier Zahm, the collection and the snaps are said to be inspired by road-trip films, though I remain inspired most by Crystal Renn's incredible body transformation.
View the lookbook below, and shop the collection online, here!
Who: Skin
What: Sample sale on this collection's gloriously simple loungewear and knits!
When: June 7th and 8th (10am - 7pm).
Where: 245 West 29th Street (btwn 7th & 8th avenues)
Why: 60-80% off robes (reg. $165, now $45),chemises and dresses (reg. $175, now $55 to $60), tank tops and camisoles (reg. $50-$85, now $20)
Happy Shopping!
While I know my inherent love of lingerie doesn't exactly make me a UNICORN among women, I am embarrassingly susceptible to buying beautiful things that make more sense for my fantasy life than the reality of my existence. You know, the one where I live, alone - oh wait, with my two cats...even better! - in a one bedroom on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
The simple fact is that I feel a little more glamorous, quite a bit more feminine and a lot sexier when I'm draped in silk, lace or even a finely draped jersey. Thankfully, Brulee's new Coco Teddy, with its discreet animal print and silk-covered buttons, strikes the balance - it's loungey yet easy, sexy but effortless. And it works equally as well when I'm lounging at home alone as it does when I'm entertaining guests.
If you're in the market to pamper yourself (or, for that matter, entertain a guest), the Coco Teddy will retail for $174. Bookmark Brulee Lingerie to shop, and follow my Here, Kitty, Kitty board on Pinterest to see even more lingerie I love!
Who: BRULEE & Lola Haze Lingerie
What: Sample Sale Hosted by VMV Hypoallergenics
When: Tuesday, October 11th, 6:30-8:30pm
Where: VMV Hypoallergenics, 868 Broadway (between 17th & 18th), Union Sq. (212) 217-2762
WHY: Luxe and luscious lingerie & loungewear from one of my very favorite collections, BRULEE (seen above) and also, Lola Haze, at 40% - 90% off retail. BRULEE prices range from $18-$40.
The fine print: Accepted Payment Methods: BRULEE: Credit only – Visa, Mastercard, AMEX. Lola Haze: Cash & Credit – Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX
$62.00 by Yummie Tummie at Bare Necessities
After an ambitious holiday season that's included eating everything that crossed my path, and skipping one too many Physique 57 classes, there seems to be no more apropos time to chat shapewear. *insert groan here* While it's admittedly not the most glamorous fashion topic, it's an entirely essential one as shaping gear can make any woman, regardless of her size, look THAT much better (particularly under unforgiving fabrics like silk jersey.)
Thankfully, I attended a Bare Necessities-sponsored soiree at Style Coalition headquarters a few weeks ago, and asked their style director Jenny Altman (a longtime fashion editor, and most recently the Market Editor of O, The Oprah Magazine) to outline the bare bone essentials for ANY woman's shapewear wardrobe.
Here's what she recommended:
- A shaping slip (I prefer the bustless slip style seen above, to ensure that your bra's push up power isn't going to waste. But this Spanx slip would be incredibly versatile too.)
- A shaping camisole (the Wolford 'Try a Little Slenderness' Control Camisole would do the trick.)
- A shaping short (this Sassybax style has a pretty lace trim, which helps to alleviate that "I feel like I'm wrapped in bandages" feeling)
- A shaping tight (nude and sheer black hose are definitely making a comeback, but for sheer versatility, I must vote for a nice opaque black tight.)
Jenny stressed that shapewear is most useful in nude or black, and I must agree. I'll be freshening up my lingerie drawer with a few select shaping goodies this January, and I'd encourage you to make the same style resolution to yourself.
If you have a shapewear question of your own, ask Bare Necessities Style Director Jenny Altman here.
FTC Disclosure: I attended a Style Coalition event sponsored by Bare Necessities, and was gifted with shapewear items to test-drive and review.
Do you see this bra above? The folks at Warner's feel confident that you'll believe that This is Not A Bra. Or to be more precise, that it's not the Lift bra by This is Not A Bra, because clearly it is a bra. I mean, really, who does Warner's think they're fooling?
To be clear, This Is Not A Bra feels nothing like the average bra in your lingerie drawer, hence the name. There will be no mid-afternoon adjustments, no unsightly lingerie-induced dents left in your torso, and no ripping off of a torturous medley of satin and lace the moment you walk in the door.
Incorporating a unique Satin Comfort Wire System, namely a hidden underwire, which is encased in soft padding, and then covered in satin, This Is Not A Bra bras feel as close to going without as common decency will allow.
Available at Macy's for $34.
FTC Disclosure: The kind folks at Warner's sent me bras for potential review. But please know that it takes more than free nylon and lace to curry my favor.
If a woman could subsist on silk and lace alone, I would. So, it makes sense that I'm committed, in the strongest sense of the word possible, to the gorgeous, American-made wares of niche intimates collection Brulee.
Like my favorite dessert (creme brulee), Brulee (the lingerie) invites the wearer to indulge - in sweet yet sophisticated, frill-free and effortlessly sexy loungewear and intimates. While it's hard to put my finger on what I love most about this line (because there's so much to love), I think the simplicity is most appealing. Brulee is not a line that would ever, in a million years, overwhelm the woman wearing it. She remains the proverbial star of the show.
For a preview of Brulee's Spring 2011 collections, peep the gallery. For more information on the collection, or to shop online, visit Brulee.net.
