High Fashion Pauses for Canines in Chelsea

New York is one of the world's greatest centers for fashion and design, and residents can often be found hosting and attending special parties, shows, trunk events, and other staples of the fashion world, helping to support the industry through its difficult days as the financial crisis ensues worldwide. There aren't many reasons most New York fashion lovers would accept for putting a temporary halt on the festivities, but a recent foray into the world of fashion for dogs has proved a worthy cause for celebration and a bit of a departure from the seriousness recently seizing the NY fashion scene. Pet Fashion Week (apparently it gets to have an entire week dedicated to its canine cause), as it was affectionately named, recently took place in the area, much to the delight of dog lovers in Chelsea and throughout the island.
Offerings included designs submitted by fashion school students and professional companies alike, with scores of pieces on display along with oodles of fun pet accessories that probably had many pooches drooling a bit around their Sunday best. Plenty of proud and well-groomed dogs showed up to the events held throughout the week, donning pretty little dresses, protective rain gear, and other staple items that have had pet owners grinning with glee for decades. Pet fashion has, after all, been around for quite a while. The essential dog sweater has been a staple of pet ownership for ages, and it seems only natural that over time, the item should gain a bit of styling and panache to help keep pets warm and fabulous at the same time.
To some, the concept of haute couture for pets may seem a bit outlandish. But for many of the people who own dogs and dress them up, the practice is a way to bond with their pet and shower them with attention and care –a practice with great potential benefits for dogs and dog owners alike. Among the many different types of doggie duds, scores of embellished and fashion-forward accoutrements were on display through the week. Pretty little leashes, lovely collars, attractive name tags, and other items were fully represented. A kind of costume jewellery for dogs, these items are a great way to get into the spirit of pet pampering without going so far as to figure out how to get four legs into a dress.
The close of Pet Fashion Week marks the end of a somewhat topsy-turvy season of fashion shows and events, one in which great items and collections were revealed, and one which also held many tragedies for the industry. On a lighthearted note, the designer dog clothes and cute accessories infused the New York fashion scene with a bit of much-needed invigoration and freshness, helping fashionable pet owners as well as those who live without an animal companion to get back into the spirit of fun and carefree fashion appreciation.

The Stars Shine Bright at NY Met Gala

The fashion world has been abuzz this week with news of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute's annual gala, which this year celebrated the role of the model as muse throughout the American fashion landscape. Long considered one of the most important and certainly most talked-about fashion events of the year, the gala attracts both modern and veteran celebrities of a wide variety of talents. Monday night's extravaganza drew memorable faces from Marissa Tomei to Kate Hudson to Rihanna, with scores of big names sweeping the cameras off their feet in between. Though the costumes at this venerable masquerade are historically a bit ostentatious and fully indulgent in all the frills and fancy cuts that can be stirred into an outfit, this year's focus on models seems to have brought the procession of fashion statements into outright overdrive (and you can check out paparazzi pics to your heart's content here).
Colors were free and vibrant, representing all shades of the rainbow and bursting from the seams with tailoring that spanned from sleek and subtle to truly outrageous. As is to be expected with an event so highly anticipated by fashion designers and the famous women who love to parade in their imaginative duds, evening gowns were aplenty. The red carpet positively swirled with designs that would melt the heart of any little girl and catch the eye of anyone with an appreciation for the beauty of the female form. Highlights included a dreamy, whipped-up ball gown in champagne tones of silk, tulle, and organza, with a fully-trained skirt fluttering with whimsical flowers, shown off by Elizabeth Hurley's ever-enrapturing figure. Singer Madonna caused quite the commotion in her teal and indigo affair, sporting a playful short dress and matching rabbit ears, offset by killer thigh-high heels.





Victoria Beckham, a favorite of British fashion, showed up in a short silk affair of faint pink with black polka dots, culminating in a sweeping train over her right shoulder. The same structure, made truly marvelous in a silvery, flowing fabric, enrobed supermodel Kate Moss as she posed with designer Marc Jacobs; her look was completed with a matching turban. And speaking of accessories, the night's glimpses of costume jewelry were just as spectacular as the clothes themselves. In contrast with many recent fashion events around the globe, including seasonal fashion weeks, the Met's big night held nothing back in terms of size, color, and quantity. Jessica Alba's enormous and lovely emerald diamond drop earrings got cameras clicking, as did Eva Longoria's substantial diamond-studded chain necklace, creating some visual interest with the negative spaces of her slinky black dress.










The official title of the event, “Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion,” was certainly echoed in the expressions of the designers and guests at Monday night's affair. Suggesting that the fashion industry is just as creative and full of classic charm as ever, the gala is ripe for inspiring new generations.