The Fabulous House of Versace & Donatella Versace Exclusive Interview by Colin McDowell

Since I was a kid, I’ve always loved anything that’s in bright vivid colors and growing up in the 80s and 90s, when “More is more” very much the mantra in the fashion scene and glammed-up supermodels reigned supreme, of course Gianni Versace was one of the designer who inspired me to perused fashion design as an carrier.

I am sure all of the fashonistas remembered the super talented designer Gianni Versace! Whom dominated the late 80s and early 90s fashion world by storm with his vibrant, colorful & daring designs that has set himself apart from the rest of the designers & lured us into his fashion fantasy world till he was tragically allegedly killed by his casual encounter Andrew Cunanan.

After Gianni’s death, his sister Donatella Versace had shown strong courage to take over this fashion empire and continued his late brother’s legacy and successfully brought the company to another level of glamour & style that we all love today!

Versace 2010 Spring-Summer

Donatella Versace (born May 2, 1955) is an Italian fashion designer, as was her brother, the late Gianni Versace, the founder of the Versace clothing brand. Her current title is Vice-President of the Versace Group and Chief Designer of the fashion line. She owns 20 percent of the entire stock market assets of Versace. Her brother, Santo Versace, owns 30 percent. Donatella's daughter Allegra Versace inherited 50% of the company stock after Gianni Versace died.

Allegra Versace (Left) & Donatella Versace (Right)

Versace was one of the 1st fashion house that’s responsible for the early 90s “Supermodels” phenomenon! & paid each supermodels $10,000 per show, back in the days that’s a record high price for a 30 minutes show!

Gianni Versace 1992 Ad Campaigns

Versace 1997 Ad Campaign Featured Rock Singer Bon Jovi

This plunging deep V-Neck Versace dress skyrocketed Jennifer Lopez's career & capture the world's attention! OMG! can this dress be anymore FABULOUS?! We Love J-Lo & Versace!

Here is an exclusive video of Donatella Versace, interviewed by Colin McDowell for Net-A-Porter.com Click on the video below to see



Donatella, thank you for carrying on your late brother Gianni's work and his company so we can continue to enjoy and admire Versace’s fabulous creations season after season! And YOU GO GIRL! Donatella! It’s not easy to be on the 24/7 non-stop Glamazon! It's a hard work but someone's gotta do it right?!

Here is a video to walk down the memory lane of Versace’s 1992 fashion show features ALL the top supermodels …. Ah the golden era of fashion in the early 90s !

To see more of the fabulous VERSACE collections, please click here to visit their official website Versace.com

Until next time, be well and look fabulous!

XOXO

Alan + Mei-Mei the pug

Gothic Chic & Dark Glamour

As a fashion designer, I’m inspired by many things around me. The imagery of a photo, scenery, sounds & musics, movies… just about everything! In recent conversations with a good friend of mine on facebook about “Goth” and it inspired me to do some research, finding imageries and articles about this mysterious & fascinating lifestyle which has inspired many arts & fashions.



So what is “Goth”? in simple definitions: To some, Goth is a style of dressing; to others it's a lifestyle. Either way, the gothic look involves very black clothing and very white makeup with edgy, tough accessories. Prime example of classic gothic style: Musician - Marilyn Mansion. But as a person with an inquiring mind ( yes I do read the trashy gossip enquirer magazine ok! Haha) I know it has to be deeper than just the black clothing, smoky eye make-ups and of course ever so dreamy vampire Robert Pattinson aka “Edward Cullen” from the hit movie “Twilight”.



So after some googling, according to Goth.net

“Most Goths become Goths because they have been spurned by 'normal' society because the way they want to live their lives does not fit in with how most people are told to live theirs. Goths are free thinkers, people who do not accept the moral rules of society because they're told 'This is just how it is' or 'This is what God says!'. Rather Goths tend to listen to what you have to say, and make up their own mind..”

But of course this is not the case for all Goths. Many Goths today are Goths for a variety of other reasons. They like the music, or the clubs are better, they have Goth friends and joined in with them, or they just like staying up late nights and Goths are the only ones awake to talk to.

To us the fashionistas, the theme “Goth” has inspired many fashion designers over the years and here are some of the collections I think are super fabulous & go with our topic perfectly!

Junya Watanabe


Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2005


Rick Owens Fall 2006 Collection


When John Galliano was traveling south to research his couture collection during summer of 2005 he was inspired with the French Revolution stories & history, so in Dior’s Spring 2006 Couture show, blood- and gore-spattered drama was the theme and to me, it’s also very “Goth Glam” ,too!

Christian Dior 2006 Spring Haute Couture






Christian Dior Haute Couture 2006 Fashion Show


Harper’s Bazaar Magazine October 2009 & Film Maker Tim Burton

As if Tim Burton’s characters all got together and did a fashion photoshoot, this amazing pictorial for the October edition of Harper’s Bazaar features characters from his past movies like The Night Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice and more, all look amazing in designer clothing and shoes.



Versace Haute Couture


Comme des Garçons Coat (Left) - Salvatore Ferragamo Jacket (Right)


Dolce & Gabbana


CHANEL


Alexander McQueen


Valentino


Givenchy


And for our male readers, me & mei-mei the pug didn’t forgot about you! Here are some fabulous menswear from Ann Demeulemeester Fall – Winter 2009 Collection for you! I just LOVE that chunky sweater in the middle



Of course how can we end this “Dark Glamorous” posting without mentioning one of my favorite designer Alexander McQueen!



Alexander McQueen 2007 Fall & Winter

In this collection, McQueen had put a heartfelt personal passion into a collection that was based on a startling revelation from his family history. His mother, who traces family trees, discovered that her bloodline leads back to a victim of the Salem witch trials who was hanged in the Puritan hysteria of 1692. The themes of witchcraft, paganism, and religious persecution played on the dark and angry side of McQueen's creativity.





Here is a video of Alexander McQueen 2007 Fall & Winter totally fabulously spooky fashion show



All of you must be wondering ….how can I achieve that beautiful vampy smoky eye make-up to complete your Gothic Chic outfits & accessories?! So we have found 2 tutorials for our gal & dudes readers! Here is the female smoky eyes tutorials that shows you how to do it!



And here is the “Guyliner” smoky eyes tutorial



Don't forget to check out our designer candles selections! D.L. & Co. is famous for his "Dark Glamourous" presentaions of his candles & diffusers! Utilizing the rarest of extracts, essences and absolutes, they are able to create fragrances that conjure time and place, transforming enviroments from the mundane to the sublime! it's a MUST HAVE for all fashionistas! click on the picture below to check out our selections of D.L. & Co's candles!



We hope this posting totally inspired you to bring out the “Dark” side of your inner Goddess! Until next time, Be well & look fabulous!


XOXO

Alan + Mei-Mei the pug

Designer Guns & Chainsaw For Gaudy Campy Tramps

Ok ok! We all have weakness for those fabulous goodies from our favorite designer brands and love treating ourselves with something pretty from their collections. But normal fashionistas like the most of us usually get a latest " it " bag, cashmere sweaters, shoes or sunglasses from our favorite designers, but if those items no longer tickle your fancies, then why not pick up these "Gaudy-Fab" items from the artist Peter Gronquist for his art exhibit "The Revolution will be Fabulous" in Los Angeles! So you can be shooting caribou in style! haha.... each weapon looks god-awful. That said, I'm sure they'll sell like hot cakes. Oh wait, they have.

I think my favorite Gaudy Weapon will be the CHANEL bazooka! haha

xoxo

Alan + Mei-Mei the pug

The Simpsons & Super Model Linda Evangelista Do Haute Couture !

Finally!! Marge Simpson has peeled off her tired green tube dress and cheap pearls for something just a little more FAB!! I love this Harper’s (August, 2007) spread. it’s beautifully ridiculous and so well done!

It was genius to include the ultimate supermodel
Linda Evangelista, as she is in my opinion, just as much an icon of the last decade as the hilariously jaundiced family. Watching these fabulous illustrations makes me say J'adore Bazaar! Here’s the spread itself, along with the garments the illustrations were based on from each designers.

VERSACE & Donatella

Linda looks fierce as she does in the flesh and Donatella, well... Donatella kinda looks like a fleshed-out cartoon character anyway. Marge looks as fresh-faced as the day Homer married her.

CHANEL & Karl Lagerfeld

Lanvin & Elbaz

Jean Paul Gaultier

Viktor & Rolf

Louis Vuitton & Marc Jacobs



Aren't these illustrations fabulous!? ok, Me & Mei-Mei need to go now, 'cause Lacroix is waiting for me for the final fitting of the Couture gown I just got last week! Au revoir for now !! xoxo Alan + mei-mei the pug :-)