Alaia - Fashionista

Alaia

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Joyeux Quatorze Juillet! 14 Reasons Fashionista Loves France

Bastille Day has put us in a Francophile mood. It reminded us of all the reasons we (and fashion in general) love France. Is it the Breton tees? The Haute Couture? That effortlessly sexy undone look all French women just magically seem to possess? Maybe it's just the sheer luxury of all things French. In our ranking of the top luxury brands, all but three were French companies. Luxury pervades French culture. New York has sporty and cool, London has experimental, Milan has quirky classics, and Paris has over-the-top, no-holds-barred Fashion. Click through to find out exactly what we swoon over from French culture and let us know what French exports you love!

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Seven Questions for Joseph Altuzarra

Here’s a riddle for you: Michelle Obama is to Jason Wu as _____ is to Joseph Altuzarra. Curious who Altuzarra himself credits with “putting [him] on the map” by putting his clothes on her back? So were we, especially considering how very, very much on the map Altuzarra is right now. Altuzarra's CFDA nomination this week (the label's second in its two years existence) further bolded a big red X on the grid, and to no one's surprise. His feminine but not precious collections (think Alaïa and Tom Ford) have become fast favorites of socialites (LSD), celebs (Rihanna), and some very discerning critics. We caught up with Joseph at his Barneys trunk show yesterday to chat about his success so far, what's to come in the future, and yes, to fill in the blank of that riddle...

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Business

Now's Your Chance To Get Hypnotized By An Alaïa Model

Ever wonder what models do after they stop stomping the catwalks (aka after they gain a few pounds and turn 25)? Acting? Designing? DJing? Too obvious. Former runway model Maeva Althaus, 29, became a hypnotist, and recently launched her own hypnosis salon out of her SoHo studio called Hypnosis by Maeva. For the last ten years, Althaus worked as a high fashion model. She was scouted by Ford in Paris at 17, worked as a fit and runway model for Alaïa, walked for Givenchy, Isabel Marant, Burberry, you name it. She did editorials for Vogue Italia, Numéro, and i-D. "I felt the superficiality of fashion and I wanted to do something more," says Althaus. After living the hectic, uprooting life of a model for a decade, Althaus, who says she's always been into holistic medicine and meditation, decided to settle in the states. But, since you can't smoke anywhere in the US, Althaus had to quit smoking (a habit most models find hard to kick). So she turned to hypnosis, and it worked. After hypnosis helped her to quit smoking, she got curious about it and "started to learn all the ways it can help people."

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Careers

Life With Ryan Korban and Davinia Wang of Edon Manor!

If you live in New York and you happen to prefer Alaia and Proenza over Aldo and Payless--even if it's just to look at--you've probably heard of Tribeca boutique Edon Manor. Launched in 2007, the beautifully furnished, beautifully stocked shop attracts those chasing after the perfect pair of Giambattista Valli pumps but aren't willing to hike all the way uptown to Bergdorf to get them. (The boutique also happens to be right around the corner from Locanda Verde--one of our favorite restaurants in the city--and Smith & Mills, a favorite bar.) Now the team behind Edon Manor wants to get to know shoppers outside of their New York City niche a little bit better. Owners Ryan Korban and Davinia Wang recently launched their gorgeous e-commerce boutique, Edonmanor.com. I recently sat down with the duo to discuss what it's like to build a luxury boutique in the midst of a recession, and how to maintain unexpected success. Fashionista: I’d like to hear how you guys got together. How did you two meet?

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Courtroom Couture: Who Dressed Best Before the Judge?

As you may have heard, Naomi Campbell spent her morning testifying at former Liberian president Charles Taylor's war crime trial. She may not know what Liberia is or what diamonds look like unless they are "shiny in a box," but she does know how to dress for a courtroom. The supermodel begrudgingly delivered her testimony in a sweet, cream-colored Alaia number with a sheer cardigan. We think she stayed appropriately conservative, but the outfit reminded us of when Winona Ryder caught flack for wearing a really cute see-through Marc Jacobs dress back in 2002 when she was on trial for shoplifting. It's interesting to see what celebrities (or their stylists?) put together when they know they'll be judged not only on their poor decisions, but their outfits as well. Perhaps real judges aren't paying much attention to whether a potential criminal is wearing Fendi or Moschino, but we definitely are. So, click through for our favorite courtoom fashion moments.

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Street Style: Hanneli's Day Off

Name: Hanneli Mustaparta Occupation: Model/Photographer Where is your top from? Zara and my shorts are Vintage leather, from Screaming Mimi's. How about your shoes? They are Alaïa. What is your favorite breakfast food? Norwegian dark bread with pâté, but when I'm in New York I have muesli for breakfast every morning.