The New York Times recently published The Red Carpet Project, a comprehensive overview of Oscar looks from the past 15 years. And it is frequently painful. So many mermaids and princesses! The archive reinforced the power of timeless design – a gown that looks as ravishing on the red carpet as it does decades later. Browsing the archive, I was surprised to discover that the enduring beauty of but a few shone brightly…and that they all happened to be donning yellow.

1 – Cate Blanchett, 2005: Cate the Great. She’s flawless in films and on the red carpet. Accepting best actress in a supporting role for her performance in “The Aviator,” Blanchett wore a pale yellow off-the-shoulder silk taffeta gown by Valentino. Couture, natch. According to a People Magazine report, the dress required ten seamstresses, nearly three weeks of eight-hour days (not counting fittings), eleven yards of silk taffeta, and delivery from Rome to Los Angeles via a trusted courier. Valentino has offered gowns to many actresses for past awards shows. But couture, he says, is “an enormous amount of long work and details. I prefer to work with people who understand and respect it. Everything is sewn by hand and fit two or three times. So this time I decided to have one special dress, conceived for this one special actress.” Together with her soft curls, porcelain skin and an emerald-and-diamond brooch by Lorraine Schwartz (valued at $65,0000), the look exuded old world elegance, befitting the Hollywood icon Ms. Blanchett is.

2 – Renée Zellweger, 2001: The up-and-coming actress at the time sealed her fate as an Oscars all star with this artfully draped canary yellow vintage Jean Dessès from 1959. And get this, Zellweger herself bought the sweetheart strapless chiffon dress at Lily et Cie, a noted vintage boutique in Beverly Hills. Freed from the modern tradition of shamelessly plugging a brand, the actress looked at ease yet still impossibly chic. A 1940s hairstyle and simple pearl cuffs added to the classic vintage flair, proving that less is indeed more. This ensemble is so timeless, it could have been 1959 or just last week.

3 – Michelle Williams, 2006: This yolk colored Vera Wang is quite possibly my all time fave. The actress cites it as one of her most beloved, too. The color is resplendent, the fit is flawless. It’s deeply romantic but not too girly. Accentuated with a Chopard drop diamond necklace and ravishing Hollywood red lips, the look is as magnificent today as it was seven years ago – and it will endure.

So I like the look of blondes in yellow, so what? I wore yellow to my senior prom and the hue is still a staple in my wardrobe today. Remember, jewels must add to the essence of a dress, not overpower it. If you’re looking for some affordable but elegant baubles while you contemplate your (yellow) Oscar gown, my favorites include Jennifer Miller (bombastic costume jewelry), 77 Diamonds (simple, elegant diamond designs), the late Loulou de la Falaise at HSN, and a flea market near you. All jewelry looks great with yellow. Just don’t forget to thank the Academy!

Envision the cuts and artistry of today’s Balenciaga with a more cheeky approach to print and color. That’s Louise Amstrup. The Danish-born, London-based designer just showed her best – and dare we say most imaginative – collection to date for her eponymous line. Known for striking, offbeat ready-to-wear, Amstrup advanced her work with absurdly cool anthropomorphic prints. Bathing beauties with chameleon heads and swan centaurs graced superbly constructed separates.

Her bold hues and textures were a visual feast this season, too. Amstrup punctuated her surreal prints by color blocking with kiwi green, electric pink and metallic blush tones. And she used color gradation nicely on a few pieces, too. One of the best looks was a dazzling handwoven plastic skirt with a hot pink floral swath of fabric peeking from the waist and topped with a matching floral bustier midriff top. Styled with sick sunglasses by Zanzan, classic black platform pumps rimmed in copper by Camilla Skovgaard, and wide brim linen hats in collaboration with Noel Stewart…we’re thinking Nicolas Ghesquière better watch his back!

Morocco is a feast for the senses, and Marrakech is the country’s crown jewel. It’s an intoxicating blend of cultures, colors, scents and spices.  Rebecca Prusinowski  just returned from The Red City, and here’s her list of must-dos for the fashionista:

Shop the Souk: Nearly twenty percent of the country’s population support themselves through craft-making, and you can find all of their wares – from jewelry and teapots to carpets and textiles – at the souk. Smack dab in the middle of the Medina (or Old City), the souk is a maze of over 1000 stalls peddling artisan goods. If shopping were a sport, this would be its Olympic playing field. Haggling is part of the experience. The asking prices are, in the words of Cher Horowitz, “…a jumping off point to start negotiations.”

Buy A Caftan, Wear A Caftan: If you’ve read our caftan report, you know very well that it’s the country’s signature wardrobe piece. Whether you opt for an exquisitely decorated piece of handiwork or a more casual number, buy a caftan whilst in Morocco.  And wear it as you explore the city.

Walk Jardin Majorelle: A 12 acre botanical garden designed by French expatriate Jacques Majorelle, the landscape was purchased by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé in the 1980s and is now open to the public. It is a resplendent display of vegetal shapes and colors.

Lunch At Grand Cafe De La Poste: Casablanca meets The Jane Hotel in Marrakech vibes. Settle in with a mojito, order a light French meal and savor the dreamy scene before you.

Explore An Herboriste: The Berber equivalent of a pharmacy, these little shops contain rows upon rows of medicinal and aromatic herbs, spices and essential oils for whatever ails you. Purchase fragrant, all natural rose oil and stock up on argan oil.  With its high concentration of vitamin E and antioxidants, argan oil hydrates skin, helps clear acne, and smoothes fly away hair.  It’s been a cosmetic staple in Morocco for centuries.

Visit La Mamounia: All the artistic grandeur of Morocco channeled into one hotel, La Mamounia is a luxurious masterpiece.  Even if you’re not staying here, a visit is essential: tour the grounds, play a round of bocce, enjoy one of their award-winning restaurants, have a cocktail in their famous jazz den Le Bar Churchill (Marrakech’s answer to Bemelman’s).

Drink The Tea: They serve it hot in Morocco (some say a hot beverage on a hot day will cause you to sweat and thus cool you down).  Whether that’s true or not, one thing is certain: the mint tea here is delicious. Pay attention to their serving practices, too. It’s all about the high tea pour in Morocco, mixing the sugar cube, mint and heat to create a light froth on top of the drink.

Traverse To La Pause: A desert oasis about an hour outside of Marrakech, La Pause could just as easily be a million miles away. There is no electricity, only panoramic views of the mountains and oceans of sand. Ride a camel, devour a traditional Moroccan meal prepared with fresh local ingredients, have a siesta, repeat.

We love a caftan. So when Rebecca Prusinowski ventured to Morocco for the country’s 2012 Caftan Show, we required a first-hand report. Don your most decadent garb and hop on a magic carpet, because we’re off to Marrakech! Details on the show’s inspiration, the sumptuous collections and the drama of it all, below…

The Caftan Show is the premiere fashion event in Morocco, a country renowned for glamorous cultural fusion. The presentations are nothing like what we see in New York, Paris or Milan, though. Here’s what makes Morocco’s Caftan Show a specifically memorable event on the international fashion calendar:

Theme: The Caftan Show has a designated theme and this year’s extravaganza paid tribute to Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan explorer, considered the greatest traveler of the Old World (he logged more miles than Marco Polo). Twelve international designers were invited to create a collection incorporating the concept of travel, adventure and discovery. Each designer imbued the traditional caftan with spectacular colors and embellishment according to their chosen geography. Even the set designs and dance routines celebrated their respective destinations.

Entertainment: That’s right, we said set designs and dance routines. Preceding each collection was an over-the-top dance number, choreographed by Jais Zinoun and replete with elaborate costumes and a gigantic movie screen background. Belly dancers preceded the Arabian themed collection while mummies somersaulted through the air to introduce Egypt. Moroccan pop star Abdelfattah Grini opened the show. Can you imagine if New York Fashion Week turned it out like this before every collection?

Craftsmanship: In terms of handiwork, the only comparison to Morocco’s Caftan Show is Paris’ Haute Couture. The detailing on each caftan is dizzying: sequins of many shapes and sizes, peacock feathers, voluminous ruffles, oversize tassels, webbed lace, miles of embroidery and exuberant textile hues a bucket of Crayola crayons couldn’t touch. Traditional artisans spend hundreds of hours on each caftan. Like Haute Couture, royals from the Middle East–and jet setters alike–will meet with designers afterward to have the caftan of their liking customized and made to measure.

Long and Late: Things in Morocco aren’t terribly organized, and that definitely goes for the Caftan Show. But that’s part of this country’s appeal: It’s sensual, beautiful, and known for long nights. The show started a couple hours late and was hotter than a hammam. Well-heeled attendants hydrated with champagne and retreated to the atrium’s grand staircases to sit and fan themselves while waiting for the show doors to open. Quite a juxtaposition against the opulent pieces that graced the catwalk later on! We can only liken the experience to a Marc Jacobs show at the Armory (before he became punctual, circa 2007). The afterparty was scheduled to begin at 11pm but didn’t get swinging until well after midnight. But it was no matter. Held at the just-opened Park Hyatt Golf Resort outside the city center, the entire property was awash in candlelight and boasted a fabulous band, more food than you can imagine, and glittering pools of water dotted with floating VIP islands. Hundreds of party-goers danced until dawn–which is to say, in typical Moroccan fashion.

Feeling inspired by Morocco’s exotic wares but can’t swing the Caftan Show’s $80,000 designer price tags? Shop OliviaPalermo.com’s favorite caftans.

Everything you’ve heard is true and more. The “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a haunting, exquisite presentation of the late designer’s transcendent work. It’s uplifting and crushing at once – the craftsmanship, the imagination, the devastation of one man on display. It’d be a fashion fail to miss this show by the Costume Institute, and we’ll give you 5 specific reasons you should hop the 6 train to see it right now:

 

1 – The Details.Have you ever observed a McQueen dress up close? Well how ’bout 100 of them? His pieces are a lesson in tailoring, but their materials take it to a whole other level: razor-clam shells, glass medical slides painted red, resin vulture skulls, jet black horse hair, lilac silk faille, gold-painted duck feathers, silk and fresh flowers embroidered onto a dress. To study them here is to discover McQueen anew.

2 – Dress No.13. The multimedia exhibition includes several large screen replays of McQueen’s dramatic fashion presentations, none quite so stirring as Shalom Harlow’s finale in Spring/Summer 1999. Caught between two industrial robots encircling her like prey, the model and her white cotton dress are ultimately ravaged by their spews of spray paint. Girlfriend may as well have invented the term WERK in that performance. We’ve seen the video 500 times, but to watch it alongside all the museum’s visitors – and have the original dress right in front of you – is rather moving.

3 – Philip Treacy’s headpieces. McQueen’s team of accessory collaborators punctuated his clothing and helped realize his vision. Treacy was his go-to guy when it came to headgear, and many of his pieces are displayed in the exhibition’s “Cabinet of Curiosities” section. Our favorite might be Treacy’s “Chinese Garden” hat from Spring/Summer 2005. It’s a huge, insanely elaborate landscape of Chinese garden vignettes made out of cork. OUT OF CORK.

4 – The sets. Shown in a storage locker somewhere, these ensembles would still draw a crowd. But the backdrops commissioned by curator Andrew Bolton make this exhibition AN EXPERIENCE. An eerie hall of aged mirrors reflect a mix of McQueen’s more gothic designs while his 1995 “Highland Rape” collection stands starkly in an all wooden room barbarically smashed. McQueen defended this sliced-and-torn collection as the rape of his native Scotland by England – and it’s these sorts of set designs that heighten the emotion behind the work.

5 – The $25 Mini McQueen Armadillo shoes in the “Savage Beauty” gift shop. Okay, we had to eliminate like 10 other amazing things to include these but can you handle it?! An homage to McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2010 futuristic collection, we declare the Mini Armadillo a collector’s item – a little piece of McQueen to commemorate this wonderful show.

Before there was The Sartorialist, Garance Doré, or Tommy  Ton. Before the word ‘blog’ was invented and street style became a thing, there was Bill Cunningham: the peripatetic, bike-riding fashion photographer who’s been chronicling snappy city denizens for over three decades. He’s not interested in big name labels or who you know.  And you can keep the money, honey, because he hasn’t cashed a check since the ’50s. Bill Cunningham does it for the love. He hits the streets everyday, and week in and week out, his work in The New York Times Style section captures the city zeitgeist – the look and spirit of Gotham from cray cray community events (Santa Con suits!) to percolating trends (long gauzy skirts!) and Upper East Side galas (faboosh gowns at the Frick!).

Today, Richard Press’s documentary “Bill Cunningham New York” opens at the landmark Film Forum. It’s a spectacular, detailed and moving look at fashion’s most humble and dedicated servant. Tears welled as we watched Mr. Cunningham accept his award as an Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters in Paris. We gasped at his make-shift bed of photo file cabinets (our college dorm room looked swank by comparison). And we laughed out loud at his quirky, good-natured exclamations (“Let’s get snappin’ and crackin’!” and “Money is the cheapest thing!” are personal faves). Mostly, though, it was his mantra “He who seeks beauty will find it” that resonated. Bill Cunningham’s genuine joy, curiosity and passion to share the beauty all around him are simply inspiring.

So “get snappin’ and crackin’” and get your tix to Film Forum! The movie only runs a few weeks and this gem will sell out.

Up up and away! Jeremy Scott took us on a wild ride replete with superheroes, club gear, bright color and humor. Scott’s known for his love of kitsch — and amplifying it tenfold — and that’s just what he did for fall. Take the first model, for instance: wearing wild make-up and pigtail hair with bright extensions, she strutted the catwalk tightly clad in a Coca-Cola shirt reading ENJOY GOD as its logo. She also carried a furry red fox stole and wore red sequin shoes à la Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz.” So, yeah, kinda kooky. But also a play on adventure. Same goes for the appropriated “Superman” and “Batman” pieces – as well as the silver spacesuits.

Beyond the superhero theme we sensed a little ’90s, too. We did spend a night or two at Tunnel as an underager, after all. Pink angora sweaters with cutouts, fur shoes and lots of silver took us right back to the club – and called to mind “Austin Powers”. Remember all the fuzzy pink and silver in the fembot scene from “International Man of Mystery”? Yeah, kind of like that – shagging and all, considering Jeremy played a looooong loud moaning sequence as the music. But what can you expect? This designer likes to have a good time. Guests Kanye West, Vanessa Hudgens, Keri Hilson all seemed to agree.

You may have heard of Mandy Coon. There’s the Ecco Domani womenswear grant she was awarded last month. Her bunny bag has practically hit cult status. And she’s the former paramour of LCD frontman James Murphy. However, it was her presentation at Lincoln Center this weekend that sealed the deal as a name you must know.

Inspired by an old photo of her mother wearing a turtleneck and high-waisted trousers, Coon went for a covered yet high-impact look of her own. She used black leather generously and with wicked precision: along edges of floor-length black wool skirts, as sleeves for a bright magenta shift dress, and for bows that finished pieces just so. A lot of the leather was embossed with snakeskin, making its way onto razor-sharp pencil skirts or the detailed strips of her short, boxy tops.

The show was a perfectly executed balance between polished and punky. While black leather is typically all about toughness, the crisp silhouettes here gave the clothes quiet elegance. And although the models were clipped with dip-dyed bang extensions that covered their right eye (emphasizing the dramatically lined left one), the mood was serene as lone pianist Emilie Simon accompanied the catwalkers.

Sometimes you go to a show and it all just comes together: the people, the energy, the music, the lighting, and, of course, the clothes themselves. And that’s what happened at threeASFOUR.

Wafting incense consumed Saatchi & Saatchi, the expansive West Soho communications venue, as a violin and electric bass trembled hauntingly. A dramatic spotlight lost and found the models along the winding runway in an uncertain game of cat and mouse. Infinity circles swirled in a projection on the wall. Prominent artists and New York eccentrics looked on. But none of this would really make an impact if the clothes weren’t showstoppers in and of themselves. threeASFOUR used lines to communicate their theme of resonance, incorporating pinstripes, parachute halter dresses held up by strings and real string instruments as accessories. The clothing was futuristic yet lyrical – the undulating curves of the last few dresses, pure poetry.

We know this all seems a little lofty (how exactly does a collection convey the reverberation of sound?!) but that’s the beauty of threeASFOUR! Have a look at their bodysuits, dresses, jackets and capes above. In the words of Marky Mark, “Black, white, red, brown…feel the vibration.“

The complexgeometries show was off to an auspicious start when we told the cab driver to take us to the Westside Gentlemen’s Club and he asked if we worked there. Um, no. But thanks? Now operated by The Jane’s Matt Kliegman and Carlos Quirarte, the recently opened, only partially tweaked venue turned out to be perfect for complexgeometries’ fall collection. ‘Cuz these clothes had major ’70s glam rock and Studio 54 vibes going on!

Canadian designer Clayton Evans has earned an underground following since the brand launched in 2007, and he gave his fans more of the directional, unisex fashion they love: loose chiffon tops that draped down to there, wide leg pants, flowy androgynous capes and jumpsuits. This season, though, sparkling silver foil materials and über-platforms (a collab with LDTuttle) gave the designs more flair. This was Ziggy Stardust terrain y’all! Add to that some “Star Wars” touches (the smokey chiffon numbers on the small stage were yelling Luke Skywalker) and you have yourself one dramatic collection.

A few blogger extraordinaires were also milling about the club. Susie Bubble and Tavi gave us a photo op, but of course we accidentally hit wide lens and messed the pic up. We’ll spare them the results, so focus instead on the complexgeometries pieces at left.