Blogamole › Fashion

By Michael Lopez

Who knew Brazil was such a hub for high fashion? The South American country hosted a very prominent runway show this week and stirred up even more style news, courtesy of hometown hero Gustavo Lins.

Lins is currently creating quite a lot of commotion in France. The 50-year-old designer is set to debut several high-end "flamenco" dresses, military jackets, and wool overcoats this Tuesday at the Paris spring fashion show.

"My whole philosophy of clothing comes from architecture," Gustavo confessed. "From my knowledge of kimonos and from painting for my color palette."

Lins actually began his career as a student of architecture. Born in Brazil, he earned a college scholarship to study design in Barcelona and eventually made the city his permanent home.

Interestingly, it was his university professor at the time who encouraged him to incorporate his skills into the clothing world.

"[My professor] told me there was more than one way to be an architect," Gustavo went on to say. "With silk, leather, cotton, or wool. My subject would be the human body."

Halfway around the world, in Lins' home country, the fashion world got its own dose of big news. Hollywood bad boy Ashton Kutcher flew all the way to Sao Paolo to attend the city's legendary runway show.

Seen laughing and partying with friends, the Two and a Half Men star appeared to be having a blast. It marked quite a departure from his appearance last year with then-wife, Demi Moore.

And hometown girl Alessandra Ambrosio scored big headlines at the event too, particularly for her pregnancy strut down the catwalk. Modeling for Colcci, Alessandra proved to the world that baby bumps can still be sexy (especially when you're a supermodel).

If that isn't considered “haute,” we don't know what is.

What fashion styles are you most into at the moment? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Alessandra Ambrosio, Ashton Kutcher, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Brazil, Colcci, Fashion, Fashion Week, Gustavo Lins, Style

By Michael Lopez

Who doesn't love Anahí's unique sense of style? Well now you can adopt it too, with some pointers straight from the former RBD star herself. And it's all happening courtesy of Aviesta.com.

The Mexican fashion site actually has a pretty unique idea on its hands. By taking a personalized quiz, "Anahí" and her team of stylists can match ladies with their perfect shoe, boot, or pump.

"Ladies, get treated like a superstar!" Anahí excitedly says on the homepage. "Now at Aviesta, my team of stylists and I will bring you the hottest shoe styles every month!"

And that's only the beginning. According to People en Español, Anahí will be making some surprise appearances at Aviesta stores in L.A. later this month. Who knows? Maybe if this really takes off, she could start advising plastic surgery patients on how to achieve that "perfect nose."

Do you like Anahí's sense of style? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Anahi, Aviesta, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Fashion, shoes, Style

By Michael Lopez

Who could forget enigmatic designer Mondo Guerra? The Project Runway runner up from season eight proved to be a huge fan favorite and now he's back for Heidi Klum's All Star edition.

Back in 2010, Guerra made a quite an impact on the show and not just for his outrageous outfits. The openly gay designer revealed to the world that he was HIV positive and proved to be a role model for those struggling with the disease.

And though Mondo didn't win the last time he was on the show, he's off to a very good start in the All Star season. The Hollywood Reporter praised his binder infused cocktail dress this week, saying it "could have been worn out to a cocktail party that night."

But keep in mind, Guerra's in for some stiff competition this year. He'll be going up against fan faves like Sweet P, Jerell Scott, and Michael Costello. Not to mention that fashion judge everyone loves to hate, Tim Gunn.

Good luck Mondo!

Are you a fan of Project Runway? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Fashion, Heidi Klum, Mondo Guerra, Project Runway, Project Runway All Stars, Reality shows, Style, Television, Tim Gunn

By Michael Lopez

With a new season comes new fashion trends. And while most of the New York supermodels are flossing thick coats and scarves, down below the border it's all about huipiles, bright flowers, and hieroglyphics! Yup, indigenous designs are now the latest Latin American clothing craze.

Over in Mexico, retro tunics have been seen on a ton of runways. Typical patterns include colorful bird imagery, geometric shapes, and plenty of bare midriffs to bump up the sex appeal. According to several of the country's top designers, the trend began popping up during last year's bicentennial celebrations.

"We began to see how people were reassessing Indian art," designer Paulina Fosado told Fox News Latino. "Before, if you were to put something indigenous on, they would ask you 'Why would you wear that?' Now it's in style."

Fosado, who runs a line with her sister Malinali, debuted some interesting twists to the traditional garb at a recent fashion show. Some of their more popular outfits included sewn-in beads, floral embroidery, and just a touch of puffiness to keep things contemporary.

And both Fosado sisters admitted, weaving together the traditional designs is an art form unto itself. For centuries, indigenous seamstresses incorporated tools like the backstrap loom to carefully hand-spin cotton threads between fibers (something we doubt Oscar de la Renta's team has the skill set to do).

And interestingly, to help make the indigenous lines more accessible, designers tend to cut out portions of traditionally sewn material and incorporate them into silk fabrics (which helps with form-fitting "wearability").

Of course, purists tend to believe that the alterations take away from indigenous authenticity. But in the world of mass-produced fashion, that's pretty much a given.

The Fosado sisters (and many other Latino designers) seem to be happy just exposing young shoppers to the style and history of cultures gone by. And the fact that they're charging up to $1,100 for an indigenous designed dress certainly helps things too.

Which fashion styles do you find most intriguing right now? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cultura, Fashion, Malinali Fosado, Mexico, Paulina Fosado, Style

By Michael Lopez

There is no denying that Wisin y Yandel have style. Whether it's an appearance on the red carpet or one of their flashy videos, the guys always make sure they dress the part. And now they're hoping their fans can "dress the part" too via a new exclusive partnership with Marc Ecko clothing.

This month, W y Y announced the launch of their "Los Líderes" line, which includes denim vests, military jackets, graphic tees, and more. Priced between $30 - $170, the items are definitely not cheap, but they're crafted using Ecko's signature materials.

"It's really exciting to be able to express our creativity to our fans in a new way," Wisin y Yandel said in a joint statement. "Marc Ecko is the best at what he does so it's only natural to collaborate with him for this collection."

And just to prove that they're behind the line 110%, W y Y will debut their own "Líderes" fashion show December 3 in Puerto Rico.

Do you like Wisin y Yandel's fashion sense? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, clothing, Fashion, Hot Stuff, Los Lideres, Marc Ecko, Style, Wisin y Yandel

By Ikam Acosta

Award shows are the time to let your original style shine through. La Santa Cecilia was beat out by Calle 13 in their category for Best Tropical Song, but were still looking fun and festive on the green carpet. They always look lively and radiant.

Shows like the Grammys are also a time for looking your best. Erik Estrada made an appearance on the green carpet, looking quite sharp in his black tuxedo, reminiscing about his Poncharello days.

If you're anything like me, you love tuning in to award shows to see what outrageous outfits artists wore on the red carpet. The more ridiculous, the better. Much to my surprise, the crazy costume-like clothing started pouring in early during the 12th annual Latin Grammys, and a few couldn't help but catch my eye.

Venezuela's La Vida Bohème could probably win a prize for the most bizarrely dressed band, when they came strolling onto the green carpet splattered in paint.

Los Huracanes Del Norte came in wearing matching bedazzled black suits with white rhinestones. They glittered on the green carpet as they talked about their nominations. Meanwhile, Aaron Nicholas entered wearing a black and white custom-made "hand embroidered suit" with his name on the back, looking like a mariachi. That was original.

Marco Antonio Solís had a beautiful performance. His voice was phenomenal, and the peacock-like-stage performers added an ethereal quality to the show. I was, however, distracted by his red and black lion-tamer-style outfit. He looked like a circus performer, or, at the very best, someone welcoming me to the big top.

The award for worst dressed female presenter goes to Sandra Echeverría. She was wearing a shimmery pink cocktail dress, which I personally thought looked awful and was way too puffy. She strolled in looking like something from an 80's prom. Too much shine and way too short. It looked comical, not sexy. Like a little girl playing dress-up with her big sister's clothes. No me gustó.

Who do you think wore the most outrageous outfits at he Latin Grammys this year?

Tags Aaron Nicholas, Award Shows, Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Calle 13, Celebrities, Chisme, Eric Estrada, Fashion, La Santa Cecilia, La Vida Bohème, Latin Grammys, Los Huracanes del Norte, Marco Antonio Solis, Sandra Echeverria, Style, Television

By Vanessa Beatriz Soto

You guys believe me when I say I was PSYCHED for this. I worried over my outfits, I fretted over my hair, makeup, nails, everything. I was having a full on Devil Wears Prada moment in my head. I arrived two hours early. It was AWESOME. It blew my mind. Although perhaps not in the way I thought it would...

Okay so here's the story.

Background: NYC Fashion Week (regular flavor) is a semiannual whirlwind here in Manhattan. Designers, models, editors, stylists, makeup artists, wannabes, celebrities, minor royalty, all flock to town in February and September to show and show off. It's a tradition dating back to 1948, and it's all quite fancy and very stylish and probably great for the local economy, too. In addition, if you like something you see, you can nip right out to Barney's or whatever and pick it up. I must make a note to visit.

NYC Couture Fashion Week, despite any decadently romantic notions of tasteful avant-garde madness the words conjured up for me, turned out to be something of a different animal...

Set in the grand ballroom of New York City's famed Waldorf-Astoria hotel over three days this past weekend, the spectacle presented more than nine designers' couture fashion shows as well as an exhibition hall in the anteroom, which attracted artists, cosmetics companies, and a number of other exhibitors. The exhibition, I must note, included an, er, interesting art show by a puzzling fellow called Michael Cheval, whose portrait of Gina Lollabrigida I present to you here, without further comment. Enjoy your nightmares!

The featured designers, visiting from home bases as far-flung as Peru, Dubai, Nigeria and Egypt, showcased their creations on the runway inside the ballroom. The clothes on display reflected an perilously expensive-looking mix of made-to-order evening gowns, bridal and mother-of-the-bridal apparel, flashy club gear, kimonos, and furs, including designs for both men and women. If you want to buy these clothes, be prepared to nip out to Dubai on your private jet, though.

Let me try to break it down:

Overall, the impression was a cluttered one, due to a number of factors. For one thing, all the hair and makeup for all the shows was done by a single makeup team and a single hairdressing team, which may have led to a blurring of lines between each designer's signature style.

Makeup styling was provided by students from the Academy of Freelance Makeup, while "New Jersey's Premiere Hair Salon and Beauty Spa" Elie Esper did the hair. This is not quite in line with the 'regular' Fashion Week paradigm of household-name cosmetic brand stylists and hair gurus fighting to create unique looks for Mark and Miuccia. (Speaking of household names, there weren't any celebrities in attendance, so far as I could tell from my front-row seat.)

Next, it seems that the same loose group of models walked in each show. Again, a contrast with regular-flavor Fashion Weeks, where designers compete for the hottest supers and then cherry-pick unknown 'girls' from agencies the world over, so as to develop a truly unique signature look and feel for their presentations.

Another point of note here was that the models seemed to defy the classic 'runway model' type: reed-thin teenagers with impossibly weird or stunningly beautiful features. The models in Couture Fashion Week's shows were certainly of a more shapely ilk, more mature in their age range, and if my eyes - and photos - do not deceive me, some of these girls had invested in some SERIOUS breast implants, yo. Definitely not Catwalk Standard.

As for the clothes themselves, it's hard-ish to glean a really cut and dried set of 'trends' to report to you guys, given both the broad range in clothing types, and the resolutely not-regular-day-wear quality of the clothes themselves. For instance, I could tell you that next spring men will be sporting hipster warlock-like ensembles composed of gossamer scarves, shiny harem pants and open-throated shirts with lace panels, but... you would know that was totally whackadoodle, right? RIGHT?

For the ladies it's a bit easier. I will skip the silver-and-lucite chancletas because I cannot talk about that bit without weeping. If you're the kind of girl who likes to have her evening gowns made by hand in foreign lands, count on plenty of nude-colored illusion netting, lace, cutouts, electric-blue chiffon, loads of iridescent palettes, fur shrugs, plaid satin, giant round collars that stick up between 4-8 inches, bondage, more fur, and a boyfriend dressed as a hipster warlock. YES. WORK IT.

My very favorite part of the NYC Couture fashion week shows were the awesome and sometimes funny performances punctuating the runway spectacle. These included an all-girl cabaret show, an opera-singing model (she sang Sarah Brightman's "Time to Say Goodbye"), a violin-playing model, two preteens from Orange County California who performed acrobatics to a club-remixed pop track, a guy with a sax, a really neat dance troupe... Oh I don't know.

It was like Star Search. I loved Star Search!

And that pretty much sums up NYC Couture Fashion Week! Let us know what you think in the comments.

Tags blogger: Vanessa Beatriz Soto, couture, Fashion, Fashion Week, New York City

By Michael Lopez

Perhaps it's time to grab a racket and hit the tennis court. Judging by the six-pack abs Rafael Nadal is sporting in his new Armani ad, the sport is a great way to stay in shape!

Nadal appeared at a New York Macy's this week to unveil the 20-foot billboard of himself. Photographed bare-chested in black and white, Rafael's pic will certainly stir up excitement among his many female fans.

Giorgio Armani has used provocative athlete pix for years to sell his products. Hunky fútbol studs David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo have both appeared in his ads. But Giorgio seemed extra thrilled about nabbing tennis' hottest Spaniard for his jeans line.

"Nadal is a real phenomenon, probably the best player who has stepped on a court, with awesome power and agility," he said. "I am delighted to see him play in every match. He is the ideal image because he represents a healthy and positive model for young people."

Don't worry fellas, Rafael won't be only the famous model showing skin for Armani. Rihanna is set to debut a sexy underwear campaign later this year.

Are you a fan of Armani clothing? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Armani, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Fashion, Giorgio Armani, Rafael Nadal, Sports, Style, Tennis

By Michael Lopez

Sure she's an A-list movie star, but did you know that Zoe Saldana is also a savvy online entrepreneur? The Avatar star happens to have a controlling stake in the fashion site, MyFDB, and recently opened up about her passion for clothes and business.

Officially titled My Fashion Database, MyFDB works as an online resource for anyone wanting to look up designers, models, or particular lines. As of right now, Zoe's site has over 50,000 profiles and its traffic has increased by 250% within the past few months.

"I get to work alongside a lot of freelance industry professionals like hair, makeup and many others every week," Saldana explained. "That's allowed me to see the issues they deal with in getting credited and booking future jobs. Before MyFDB, there wasn’t a website organizing fashion credits."

MyFDB has already generated so much traction, the Wall Street Journal has dubbed it the "fashion industry LinkedIn." We, for one, think the idea is great and congratulate Zoe on coming up with such an exciting concept. Plus, it's a great place to find more info on Jenni Jeans!

Have you visited MyFDB yet? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Business, Celebrities, Fashion, My Fashion Database, MyFDB, Style, Technology, Zoe Saldana

By Michael Lopez

There's no denying that banda queen Jenni Rivera is proud of her body. Whenever she takes the stage or makes an appearance, she always exudes confidence (and accentuates every curve). Now, Jenni's hoping to spread that message of full-figured pride with the launch of her own special jeans line.

Labeled "Jenni Jeans," the exclusive collection is created specifically for voluptuous women. Rivera said that she came up with the idea after years of struggling to find unique denim brands that fit her curvy physique.

"Las delgaditas con esos jeans bien bonitos y te los quieres poner tú y te sale una lonjita por acá, te aprieta la pompa por allá, ¡no'mbre!" Jenni explained. "Nosotras diseñamos y prestamos nuestros voluptuosos cuerpos para poder tomar las medidas y hacer los diferentes diseños... batallamos para encontrar jeans modernos y bonitos que nos queden bien y creo que no somos las únicas en el mundo latino."

And don't think that Rivera is stopping there. She is planning to expand her "Jenni" line to include sportswear and accessories designed specifically for Latina consumers. Eat your heart out, Gisele!

Do you plan on buying a pair of "Jenni Jeans?" Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Fashion, Hot Stuff, Jenni Jeans, Jenni Rivera, Style