UK Fashion World | Designer fashion, Shopping tips

Listen up, snow bunnies!
Gucci is expanding their Eyeweb Sunglass Collection with the introduction of the new Gucci Eyeweb Ski Goggles. The unisex goggles come in either black or white with the signature red and green Gucci headband. But don’t think these stylish goggles sacrifice practicality for fashion; the eyewear features anti-fog lenses with Seal Ring technology.
Priced at $195, the goggles are available now at Gucci stores worldwide as well as select retailers and online at Gucci.com.
Will you trade out your sportier lenses for these high fashion goggles??

Treasure Hunt Cartier Beijing Yintai Center “pleasure life” flagship store Recommended reason: Cartier’s latest flagship store and the introduction of the latest concepts Event Boutique makes the shopping experience more technology-oriented, functional. Guide to visiting the shop: China’s largest wedding work area, service area, the distinguished VIP library and so on, everywhere reflect Cartier’s originality. Store as a whole which nestles at the magnificent walls of the Cartier logo below. Touch hearts intake counter of the treasures: the legendary jewelry, watches and accessories series of three works are the works of double-pick an empty exhibition space gives an unprecedented appeal.First appeared in mainland China Cartier boutiques guests exclusive elevator is perfectly integrated with the upper and lower space and harmonious whole. Most worthy of Jishang none other than “Event Boutique” This new concept of injection, making this boutique shop beyond the ordinary single business function, to be a truly multi-concept store: a flexible and open space, new design that can be moving furniture, for the first time equipped with audio-visual control room and hidden LCD screen, laser lighting and many other top-level audio-visual equipment will be in the twinkling of an eye the daily operating room, turned into fields to take part of the banquet hall, or will they share the moving Luxury Lounge not so much a luxury flagship store Mo better to say that here is a modern Science and Technology Museum.

No, it’s not still Christmas — but just as more companies are going GREEN for the environment, more companies are going RED in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Fashion retailer H&M and Designers Against AIDS (DAA) recently launched“Fashion Against AIDS” which hits H&M stores in February 2008.

Rihanna, Ziggy Marley, Timbaland, Good Charlotte, The Cardigans, Rufus Wainwright and MANY others have designed their own shirts for the collection which range from LOUD to more understated.

The idea is to increase young people’s awareness of HIV/AIDS with affordable ware: T-shirts, tank tops and hooded sweaters that retail from about $15 to $40. Twenty five percent of sales will benefit global org, YouthAIDS.

Twelve million young people in the 15-24 age group are now infected with the HIV virus.

Every fifteen seconds someone in the 15-24 age group contracts HIV/AIDS.

“Supporting YouthAIDS through the Fashion Against AIDS campaign was a great way to encourage my fans to join me in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” says 19-year-old Rihanna.

David Yurman luxury jewelry designs have been for 25 years, his logo design — to distort the production of silver into a “rope” shape, is one of fashion’s most famous designs.David Yurman jewelry at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus department stores, luxury goods are sold, while in some of the top upscale neighborhoods where the prevalence of small shops, such as Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive (Rodeo Drive is the fashion center , here Shops and to equate wealth and star, the film Pretty Woman (Pretty Woman) movie scene is within this context. Heung Cornell, Christine Dior, Tiffany and gucci and other world famous gather. too expensive It is hope of frightening away. each, diners have their unique architectural style.), New York City, Los Angeles. The world Supermodel Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, often with a David Yurman jewelry to participate in public activities.

Sybil with the help of his wife, David Yurman has become well-known jewelry designer, and jewelry has become king of the empire. The “rope” design in his jewelry can be seen everywhere, from his most famous cocktail ring, to the sections of the necklace, and earrings. His wife, Sybil, a professionally trained artist, she use her expertise in color will be expensive gemstone jewelry and secondary mixed together for the good works of the same pieces of jewelry, this year, the Pearl also appeared in jewelry.

From the LA Lakers to the World Series Champs, diamond rings aren’t just for the ladies to flash. Check out championship ring styles guys like Kobe Bryant and A-Rod flaunt for being the best in the biz.

Show-stopping diamond rings are usually the domain of the Liz Taylors and Paris Hiltons of the world. But sports heroes get their fair share of bling to fling when they receive their championship rings after winning big.

Last month, the Los Angeles Lakers were presented with their whopping diamond rings created by celebrity jeweler, Jason of Beverly Hills. The $30,000 jewel is made from 15kt gold to celebrate the team’s 15^th championship win and sports 14 diamonds surrounding a center gold trophy.

The New York Yankees will have to wait a few months for their 27th World Series championship rings to arrive, but last year the Phillies got to bring home a bling fest worthy of the title – a 14-karat white gold ring with a whopping 103 diamonds, totaling 3.84 carats.

Unfortunately, some sports stars have resorted to auctioning or pawning off their championship bling due to the failing economy (Lenny Dykstra recently sold his 1986 World Series ring for $56,762.50 at an auction in Dallas), but most stars covet the diamond like it was one of their own children – unless you’re Lakers Coach, Phil Jackson

“I don’t think any of them are wearable…” Jackson said, calling them “too gaudy, too large. You can’t shake hands with anybody.”

We’re sure we could find a few folks who would love to have that problem.

Michelle Graff, a friend and editor for the National Jeweler Magazine recently wrote an interesting blog post, ”Afternoon at the Museum,” on the incredible ”Olympia Diamond Collection” showing at the American Museum of Natural Historyhttp://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=en&shva=1#compose in NYC.

Relating her visit to see these awe-inspiring gems to childhood memories of childhood fieldtrips to the museum, Michelle successfully draws readers into the lure and the splendor of these incredible gems!

So when approached by gemologist Joshua Sheby of New York-based Scarselli Diamonds Inc. about spending an afternoon in the museum’s Morgan Memorial Hall of Gems, I naturally jumped at the chance.”

New York–An array of flawless colorless diamonds, artistic works by master jewelers such as Cartier, JAR and Louis Comfort Tiffany, and an offering of jewels from the collection of a late fashion model will be among the highlights of Sotheby’s New York sale of Magnificent Jewels.

The Dec. 9 auction is expected to bring in more than $20 million, Sotheby’s said in a media release, with pieces of exceptional provenance and craftsmanship defining the sale.

“From the perfection of flawless diamonds and the rarity of natural pearls to the originality of one-of-a-kind pieces, our sale this season presents a captivating array of jewels that can only be found at auction,” Lisa Hubbard, chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewelry Department, North and South American divisions, said in a media release.

Hubbard added that after the success of the auction house’s recent sales in Hong Kong and New York, it has been clear that buyers are actively seeking diamonds with an extra something special, whether that be the stone’s inherent charm, rare shape or perfect quality.

Among the important colorless diamonds set for auction is a magnificent and rare oval diamond weighing 30.48 carats, of D color, with flawless clarity and type IIa “Golconda-like” classification, estimated to sell for more than $3.3 million.

Additional unmounted specimens worthy of attention include a round diamond weighing in at 18.11 carats, of H color and graded triple-X with excellent cut, polish and symmetry, as well as a pear-shaped diamond cut for candlelight and weighing 13.85 carats, with D color and VS2 clarity. The stones are estimated to fetch between $750,000 to $1 million, and $400,000 to $500,000, respectively.

As for mounted stones, highlights include a square emerald-cut diamond of 9.69 carats set as a ring and estimated between $350,000 and $450,000. The stone has E color, VVS2 clarity, is potentially flawless and certified type IIa.

Works of art by 20th-century master jewelers that are slated for the auction include two seminal pieces from Cartier’s famed 1920s period, including an Egyptian-style jeweled scarab belt buckle ($250,000-$350,000) and an Egyptian-style lapis lazuli, turquoise, diamond, black onyx and enamel bracelet ($75,000-$100,000).

The pieces feature exceptional provenance: The belt buckle was purchased in 1926 by Mrs. Cole Porter, and the bracelet was made by special order for her in 1929. Prior to her death in 1954, Porter gave the jewels to her friend, Princess Natalie Paley, in whose family collection the jewels have remained to the present day.

A rare and important, fancy intense-yellow diamond and emerald ring from Tiffany and Co., designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany circa 1915-1920, will also be featured ($200,000-$300,000), as well as a colored-stone and diamond bracelet designed by Van Cleef and Arpels, dating to 1930 ($100,000-$150,000). The yellow diamond in the Tiffany ring weighs in at 11.05 carats and is decorated with calibre-cut emeralds, while the Van Cleef bracelet incorporates 11.25 carats of colorless European-cut diamonds accented with sapphires, rubies, emeralds and onyx.

Also highly anticipated are pieces from the collection of Lucia Moreira Salles, a former model from Brazil and a dedicated philanthropist. Salles began her career in Paris at the end of the 1950s, and became a muse for both Valentino and Coco Chanel.

Highlights from her collection include three gemstone rings accented with diamonds and mounted in platinum by Paris designer JAR: one featuring a 27-carat cabochon Colombian emerald ($400,000-$600,000); another featuring a sugarloaf cabochon Burmese ruby weighing approximately 16.3 carats ($150,000-$200,000); and the third, a diamond “String” ring set with a 16.04-carat oval diamond of F color, SI1 clarity and type IIa ($350,000-$450,000).

Salles’ collection also features a selection of pearls, including a natural-pearl and diamond necklace ($250,000-$350,000) and a natural-pearl and diamond ring ($30,000-$50,000).

“Lucia Moreira Salles’ very personal collection offers a window into the innate style and elegance for which she was revered,” Hubbard said in the release. “She did not collect to impress; these are pieces that she loved to wear and which were part of the remarkable style that enabled her to work for two of the most influential fashion designers of all time during a legendary era in Paris.”

Prior to the December pre-sale viewing, highlights from the Magnificent Jewels auction will be exhibited in Geneva, Hong Kong and Los Angeles.

NEW YORK — Reality TV personalities Heidi and Spencer Pratt said Monday they want to branch out from MTV’s “The Hills” and star in their own reality show to give viewers a bigger peek into their lives.

In an interview to promote their new book, “How to be Famous: Our Guide to Looking the Part, Playing the Press, and Becoming a Tabloid Fixture,” the couple told The Associated Press they’re shopping the idea around to various networks.

They said that while “The Hills” — which doesn’t acknowledge its cast members’ fame — only focuses on a small part of their lives, their own show would reveal everything that happens to them. They also said they’d be even be willing to include live segments.

“You don’t get to see our everyday lives and what we do,” Heidi Pratt said.

But the Pratts also said they don’t plan to leave “The Hills” and hope to appear in both shows.

Last summer, the newlyweds also appeared on NBC’s “I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!” during a break from “The Hills.”

MTV did not immediately return telephone calls seeking comment Monday.

You have to be a very important collector to get your own sale at Christie’s. Most collections are amassed into larger sales but a single owner collection of 10 jewels is set for December 10, is set for the same day as the New York Jewels sale at Christie’s New York. This smaller sale features some big stones. The most important is the “Evening Star” diamond, a pear-shaped, 39-carat, D-color diamond mounted in a platinum pendant. This stone is a type IIa diamond the type which was found in India’s famous ancient Golconda mines. It is certified to be VVS1 clarity and is accompanied by a working diagram indicating that the clarity may be potentially internally flawless. 

The Evening Star alone is estimated at $3.6 million to $5.5 million. The name comes from the owner’s habit of wearing the stone to evening galas. She wore the stone suspended from a diamond necklace that consisted of 68 graduated pear-shaped diamonds. That necklace is also for sale with an estimated value of $400,000 to $600,000. And to complete the parure you can pick up the matching pair of diamond ear pendants with two pear-shaped, D-color diamonds of 10.21 and 10.51 carats. The earrings which are also type IIa stones are estimated to bring in $1.7 million to $2.5 million.

Other diamond pieces in the sale include a diamond bracelet by Van Cleef and Arpels and a 36.78-carat, rectangular-cut, D-color, internally flawless diamond ring mounted in platinum with an estimated value of between $2.75 million and $3.5 million. If diamonds aren’t your favorite you can bid on an a rare color-change alexandrite ring. The 3.6 carat stone show teal in daylight and purple in incandescent light.