Glamour's 2011 Women of The Year Award

Glamour Magazine Honors The 21st Annual Women of the Year Award at Carnegie Hall in New York on Monday, Nov. 7, 201. The 2011 Glamour Women of the Year Awards honor courageous and inspiring women who are changing the world. Here is a roundup of the night's most memorable speeches from honorees:

Jennifer Lopez in Versace

It is the women in my life that helped me and shaped me into the woman that I am today......The most important lesson they taught me is to take care of other women. Your girls are

the most loyal people in your life. They will always be

there." --Jennifer Lopez

Chelsea Handler in Stella McCartney

"You really can do whatever it is that you want to do. You just have to get out there

and [****] do it.” – Chelsea Handler

"

"There is not a successful woman who has not failed along the way. Failure is not the opposite of success. It's a stepping stone to success." --Arianna Huffington

Lea Michele

"Just a few years ago I was working down the street [on Broadway] and I had so many people telling me "No" and giving me these limits.....It's so funny what can happen once you decide to not listen to them." --Lea Michele

Gloria Steinem

"Life is one long surprise. You can prepare, but you can't plan....Whatever it is you want, build it into your day. All of us older folks will be your girl gang." --Gloria Steinem

Tory Burch

"Women are our best investment. This evening is about women about helping other

women."

--Tory Burch

'I believe in Arab women, especially Egyptian women. it is just a matter of time and a matter of efforts, [and] I think I would see a woman as a leader of my country."

--Egyptian political activist Esraa Abdel Fattah

Emma Stone in Lanvin

Gorgeous Jennifer Aniston in Versace

Gilt City San Francisco Hosts Official Launch Party of Park Tavern

Park Tavern

The Bar at Park Tavern

The Dining Room at Park Tavern

On Tuesday, August 30th, 2011, Gilt City co-hosted the Park Tavern official opening party, celebrating the launch of the new American bar and bistro located in San Francisco’s Washington Square Park. From 6:30 to 10 p.m., guests sampled the Park Tavern’s delicious new menu featuring boldly flavored favorites with a modern twists as well as the expertly crafted specialty cocktail menu.

Housing an eclectic blend of vintage fixtures and warm, comfortable furnishings, Park Tavern features a mix of casual and elegant dining. Throughout the night, guests settled into the many unique spaces of the new restaurant including the Carrera marble bar, communal table, chef’s counter, dining room and the indoor and outdoor café.

Joy Bianchi and Guest

Amy Wong, Liam Mayclem, Pamela Fishman

Gilt City members were invited to the exclusive, private preview party and were delighted to get a coveted first look at San Francisco’s hottest new dining destination. Notable attendees included marketing guru Claudia Ross, event producer Charleston Pierce, Park Tavern owner Anna Weinberg, philanthropist Elisabeth Thieriot, Park Tavern Executive Chef Jennifer Puccio, Helpers House of Couture’s Joy Bianchi, and Gilt City Senior Curator’sJordana Havriluk and Simmone Chaddan.

Anna Weinberg and Jennifer Puccio

Anna Weinberg, Claudia Ross

Hannah Johnson, Charleston Pierce

Jordana Havriluk, Pamela Fishman Cianci

Gilt City San Francisco is the key that unlocks the very best the city has to offer for less — much less. The local curators have combed through hundreds of neighborhoods, countless things to do and boiled it all down to the most sought-after experiences and services just for San Franciscans. Gilt City provides members unique access to the city’s best services at top destinations including restaurants, spas, entertainment venues, museums and more.

Mercedes Benz Canada and IMG New Start Up Program

Mercedes-Benz Canada and IMG announce the launch of the

Mercedes-Benz Start Up program

A National Program to Nurture Canada’s Next Generation of Fashion Designers

TORONTO, ON – Mercedes-Benz Canada, and IMG, a global sports, fashion and media company, announced today the launch of Mercedes-Benz Start Up. Produced in conjunction with LG Fashion Week Beauty by L’Oréal Paris, Mercedes-Benz Start Up is a new initiative that is intended to provide a national platform to discover and support up-and-coming Canadian designers who have been in business for less than five years. By connecting these gifted individuals with an experienced panel of industry insiders, the program will mentor impressive Canadian talent to help them hone a broad range of skills and elevate their profile through unique and exclusive opportunities. This unprecedented access to experts, combined with invaluable real-world practical experience, will equip participants with a comprehensive roadmap to success and the knowledge and confidence required for a thriving career in fashion.

Following today’s announcement, the Mercedes-Benz Start Up team will begin meeting with influential fashion media, buyers and educators in key Canadian markets to identify talented and ambitious designers that would qualify as suitable candidates.

All the submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by a panel of industry judges who will follow a list of specific criteria to ensure objectivity and fairness. From this pool of submissions, a total of 20 designers will be selected to advance to the next round: the semi-final competition.

In the first year, the semi-finals will be conducted in two provinces, but it will expand to include four provinces by the second year and beyond. This will ensure that Mercedes-Benz Start Up is truly a national program that is easily accessible to designers across the country.

The semi-finals will yield a total of four designers who will be invited to show their collections at the national final held during the official schedule of LG Fashion Week Beauty by L’Oréal Paris in October 2011. This will provide successful participants an invaluable opportunity to prominently showcase their designs on the runway to thousands of prominent industry representatives.

Following the national final, only one of the four semi-finalists will progress to the next stage of the Mercedes-Benz Start Up program. He or she will be rewarded with access to key industry mentors for a period of five months to help the chosen candidate prepare his or her debut solo show that will be presented as a highlight on the schedule at LG Fashion Week Beauty by L’Oréal Paris in March 2012.

“Mercedes-Benz has maintained an unquestionable link between the brand and leading edge design since the company invented the automobile over 125 years ago. In fact, many trendsetting and timeless Mercedes-Benz vehicles have inspired and created entirely new segments in the automotive industry,” said Tim A. Reuss, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada. “I am very impressed by the raw potential that exists here in Canada. Considering the ongoing emphasis we place on expressive design, it is only natural for our company to also help foster opportunities in an industry with similar core principles. By supporting emerging designers to broaden their overall scope through Mercedes-Benz Start Up, I am confident that we will be able to further strengthen the Canadian fashion industry and heighten its overall prominence and reputation on the world stage.”

Peter Levy, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of IMG Fashion said “Mercedes-Benz Start Up will allow Canadian designers the opportunity to move up in the industry and provide them a guide to achievement.” Levy went on to say at the announcement event “The goal is to facilitate a platform for these designers to showcase their talent in a professional setting with access to key mentors from various segments of the industry.”

“LG Fashion Week Beauty by L’Oreal Paris has grown into a national platform for designers from across the nation to showcase their talent in the international arena,” said Robin Kay, President of the Fashion Design Council of Canada “We are thrilled to go forward with Mercedes-Benz Canada and IMG to create relationships with young designers countrywide. LG Fashion Week Beauty by L’Oreal Paris will provide a world class runway with unparalleled exposure for these designers.”

Oscar De La Renta 2011 Pre-Fall Haute Couture Trunk Show at Neiman Marcus San Francisco

By Samantha Spiegel

On May 19, 2011, Neiman Marcus’ third floor salon was filled with incredible Oscar de la Renta haute couture. De la Renta, being no stranger to detail and precision, made sure there was no lack thereof in his new collection. As I began to walk through the clothes, heavily beaded and embroidered strapless and one-shouldered gowns, usually bejeweled around the neckline or waistline, flowed out from the clothing racks. Gowns struck a romantic, sophisticated, glamourous, yet sexy note with black tulle and silk organza, beaded lace, and gilded colors.

The gowns beautifully shaped and flattered the female figure, much of the time resembling the silhouette and style of a woman from a René Gruau world and the first noticeable motifs were the fine florals and twisting lines. But the gowns suddenly turned into stiff, cheap prom dresses made out of parkas. From Palm Beach. Successfully, however, it dove back into sophistication with a slinky, black velvet dress and a Poiret-inspired, cocooning silhouette of a twisted ruffle empire skirt and black silk organza.

Two pinnacles of the trunk show were the voluminous and feathered Gruau-inspired evening gowns and the 19th-century-inspired dresses: pastels, bows, slight Oriental embroidery, and high-necked boleros.

The rest of the collection was not very inspiring to me, personally. Modern pieces, profoundly influenced by tribal designs and dense colors, seemed foreign and inharmonious next to couture gowns that could have easily been worn by an Irving Penn or Richard Avedon model.

Academy of Art 2011 Grad Fashion Show

It is been a week of pure FASHION in San Francisco, all in anticipation of the Academy of Art 2011 Graduate Fashion Show. The week had an agenda full of activities including symposiums, luncheons and judging, the exquisite list of Fashion personalities including: Fashion Critic of the New York Times, Cathy Horyn, President and Artistic Director of Sonia Rykiel, Nathalie Rykiel, Fashion Designer, Executive Producer of IMG Fashion, Christina Neault (the power behind NY fashion Week), Proprietor of Coeur d'enterprise, Laura du Pavillon, and Fashion Designer Yigal Azrouel among others joined Dr. Elisa Stephans, President of the University, Gladys Perin Palmer and local personalities to honor Horyn and Rykiel with a VIP luncheon-reception.

New York Times Fashion Critic

Cathy Horyn

A cake to honor Cathy Horyn

Carolyne Zinko, Cathy Horyn, Edith Barker and Karen Tamblyn

Dr. Elisa Stephans and Fashion Designer Yigal Azrouel

And, on May 5, 2011 the tent at 601 Brannan Street opened its door to welcome guests of honor who arrived to review and celebrate the senior fashion students' portfolios.

Th surprise cameo of the night came with the last minute appearance of International Herald Tribune Fashion Editor Suzy Menkes who sat in the front row to watch 15 student designers as their models strutted on the runway.

Front Row From Right to Left

Cathy Horyn, Nathalie Rykiel,

Yigal Azrouel

The Fifth Issue of One Eighty Magazine

(Created by fashion journalist students)

It was a fascinating show of cutting edge designs, mixed textiles and well elaborated structures. Among my favorites were Peter Loc Tan Nguyen from Vietnam, a collection inspired by men's wear and tailoring. I also loved the fashion and textile design collaboration of Lauren Haut and Darrin George inspired by loss of innocence, 1950 and 1960 wallpaper and tailoring. The collaboration of Brittany Burggraff and Wendy Tam collection inspired by dark children's stories, vintage lingeries was one of my favorite over the top collections. And, finally, the designs of Drew Williams from San Francisco, a collection inspired by agarose gel electrophoresis....Fantastic creations!!

By Peter Loc Tan Nguyen

By Lauren Haut and Darrin George

By Drew Williams

By Brittany Burggraff and Wendy Tam

By Cynthia Tran and Kassie Moody

By Donna Dong Zhong

Front row (second from the left)

International Herald Tribune Fashion Editor Suzy Menkes

It was a true fabulous fashion presentation that welcomed and opened new doors in the fascinating, but extremely HARD fashion industry. Congratulation and good luck 2011 Class Senior Fashion Students of Academy of Art University!!

Buenos Aires Runway 2011

BUENOS AIRES RUNWAY

Buenos Aires, April 2011- On March 22, 2011 the Buenos Aires city government debuted Buenos Aires Runway at the Metropolitan Design Center (CMD) located in the traditional Barracas neighborhood. Designed to showcase local designers, last month’s inaugural edition put some of the finest Argentinean styles on display for the Fall-Winter 2011 collections.

This first edition of Buenos Aires Runway served as a project platform to celebrate Argentinean fashion as a new creative field, as well as reinforce its integration into the industry and economy.

Daniela Sartori

Fabian Zitta

Laura Valenzuela

Marcelo Senra

Mariana Dappiano

Mariano Toledo

Min Agostini (142)

The second edition of Buenos Aires Runway will include several new and exciting additions. The event, to be held in Fall 2011, will feature business rounds with buyers around the country, various conference cycles and a showroom similar to the main fashion event in Latin America.

In all future editions of Buenos Aires Runway, new talent will continue to be selected, with the goal of offering these upcoming designers the professional tools and base to establish adequate connections within the local and international market.

With help from prestigious IMG Fashion, Buenos Aires Runway seeks to become a part of the international fashion calendar while also establishing the city of Buenos Aires as a symbol of design and fashion.

Among the designers who participated in the first edition of Buenos Aires Runway:

Marcelo Senra, an Argentinean native, known for her ethnic and tribal designs, was selected last year by the Argentina Ministry of Foreign Affairs to show her collection at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York.

Daniela Sartori, a graduate of the University of Buenos Aires, she works with organic material and speciailizes in tailoring. Her clothes are unisex.

Min Agostini studied architecture at the University of Buenos Aires and uses that background in her designs. She’s known for her short skirts with big volume, dresses and urban coats. In 2009, she was selected by the Argentina Ministry of Foreign Affairs to show her collection at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York.

Fabian Zitta, once a doctor, studied design at the University of Buenos Aires. He is inspired by Art Deco and his collections have many layers.

Marina Dappian, a graduate of the University of Buenos Aires, she was insipired by pictures her daughter scribbled on the wall of the house. She works a lot with wool.

Mariano Toledo is an argenitinian Designer who works on Latin America Project Runway. His Fall-Winter 2011 Collection included some leather goods and jackets that are typical of his design. He appreciates a masculine style that highlights feminity with personality, mixing skirts, ties, and transparent pants.