—Maya Singer

Surf style rules on the runways and at retail as of late. (Check back on Monday for our Summer Shopping Guide, which includes a few of our favorite surf-inspired duds.) But for all the style, there are very few pieces that can actually stand up to a session on the waves. That’s where Karen Mulligan and Jillian Demling come in. A couple of fashion-loving jocks—or sports-lovi]]> Photos: Courtesy of Pret-a-Surf

—Maya Singer

Surf style rules on the runways and at retail as of late. (Check back on Monday for our Summer Shopping Guide, which includes a few of our favorite surf-inspired duds.) But for all the style, there are very few pieces that can actually stand up to a session on the waves. That’s where Karen Mulligan and Jillian Demling come in. A couple of fashion-loving jocks—or sports-loving fashionistas?—the friends decided to design their new line, Pret-a-Surf, when they couldn’t find functional gear that looked suitably sophisticated. “I’m not a teenager,” Mulligan, a veteran surfer, explains simply. “I wanted to wear things to the beach that looked grown-up and cool.” Thus, the label, which has just debuted at stores including Opening Ceremony and Jeffrey and launches officially at Williamsburg’s Mollusk Surf Shop tomorrow.

“It was really vital to us to have the launch at a real surf shop,” Demling says. “I mean,Versace, the pieces are versatile, I wear them as fashion, but we went out of our way to use great, high-performance fabrics.” The debut collection includes pinup-style bikinis and maillots, microfloral board shorts, and color-block rash guards designed with both utility and vintage wave-rider chic in mind. The designers hope to expand into fashionable gear for other athletic activities, too, such as snowboarding, skiing, golf, and tennis. “Basically,Primp, our goal is to outfit any girl who plays sports and wants to look good,” Mulligan says.

PARIS (AFP) – Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy,Christian Audigier, on Tuesday made her acting debut with Hollywood star Owen Wilson in a Woody Allen film being shot in Paris.

The film, a romantic comedy, in which a couple see their life disrupted by a trip to Paris,True Religion, also features French actress Marion Cotillard and Ame]]> The road was cordoned off and bodyguards maintained a discreet presence as a crowd gathered to watch.

PARIS (AFP) – Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy,Christian Audigier, on Tuesday made her acting debut with Hollywood star Owen Wilson in a Woody Allen film being shot in Paris.

The film, a romantic comedy, in which a couple see their life disrupted by a trip to Paris,True Religion, also features French actress Marion Cotillard and Americans Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates.

Allen began filming his latest film earlier this month in the city.

The veteran US director greeted the former model on the set of "Midnight in Paris" before shooting, which lasted several hours, at a small grocer's shop in the central fifth arrondissement (district).

By Sasha Charnin Morrison for UsMagazine.com. To read more of the Recessionista blog, click here

Sized 1-10 years

There is nothing cuter than a little kids motorcycle jacket. H&M for pre-fall once again delivers. I love the buttons and the bad ass studs that decorate the collar. Kingston James Rossdale, Gwen Stefani's eldest son, certainly leads the pack of the under 5, style set]]> For pricing and store location information, click here.

By Sasha Charnin Morrison for UsMagazine.com. To read more of the Recessionista blog, click here

Sized 1-10 years

There is nothing cuter than a little kids motorcycle jacket. H&M for pre-fall once again delivers. I love the buttons and the bad ass studs that decorate the collar. Kingston James Rossdale, Gwen Stefani’s eldest son, certainly leads the pack of the under 5, style set. He’s always dressed like the ultimate toddler rebel. Streaked hair,Abercrombie shoes, motorcycle boots and jacket, cut off jeans shorts and Japanese logo t-shirts. He certainly has got his look down-thanks to a beyond cool mom and dad.

Everytime I buy something for my twin boys,Chanel, people ask me where I get it and 9 times out of 10 it’s H&M Kids. Lots of people had no idea that H&M has a kids line and yes, it’s in select stores. When i bring this stuff home my guys go bananas for it. They just love how cool and groovy they’re going to look, at school. And I love it too.

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At only $98, this is just the perfect pretty dress. Wear it with bare legs or a shimmery pair of iridescent tights.

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I realized that not everyone is feeling that Alexis Carrington, 80s power buzz this season. But this champagne, ruffled shimmer dress from Loft by Ann Taylor is not only pretty but a keeper
that can se]]> Wow,Juicy Couture tracksuits, this is so beautiful.

At only $98, this is just the perfect pretty dress. Wear it with bare legs or a shimmery pair of iridescent tights.

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I realized that not everyone is feeling that Alexis Carrington, 80s power buzz this season. But this champagne, ruffled shimmer dress from Loft by Ann Taylor is not only pretty but a keeper
that can see life after the holidays.

PRODUCT DETAILS
- Ruched ruffle trim at scoop neckline
- Pleated ruffle cap sleeves
- Removable self-tie at waist with pull-through loops
- Ruffle hem
- Sizes available from 4 to 18

Buy it here.

For a bit of that bad girl mix, you could do a sheer black pair of hose, too. End it all with a gold open toe sandal. Making it into a transition dress,Crystal Rock, add a wooly oversized cardigan and a pair of opaque tights and you’re good to go!

Together with his wife,American eagle, Margherita, and their two children, the 44-year-old actor is settling into a 10-acre ranch in Oregon -- a world a]]> Fox: I had no idea the awards were being announced that day, but it's very nice to be recognized. I thought the show had a really great season, especially with expectations being so enormous. I think that's really saying something. I'm just looking forward to partying with the cast and raising a glass to the show.

Together with his wife,American eagle, Margherita, and their two children, the 44-year-old actor is settling into a 10-acre ranch in Oregon — a world away from his former life shooting the series in the Aloha state. He discussed his Emmy nomination, his plans for a post-"Lost" future and, of course, that final episode.

IF YOU COULD STEP INTO THE CHARACTER OF ANY OF YOUR FELLOW LEAD ACTOR NOMINEES, COMEDY OR DRAMA, WHO WOULD IT BE?

AN EMMY NOM AT LONG LAST! ARE YOU FEELING VINDICATED?

Fox: It meant that when the show won, a whole bunch of people jumped on the bandwagon that shouldn't have. To be honest,Smet, people felt like they were missing out, so they came, tested it and left. Then it was perceived that the show took a turn for the worst, and it wasn't. They weren't ever going to be "Lost" fans.

YOU HAVE SAID THAT "LOST" WILL BE YOUR FINAL AFFAIR WITH TELEVISION. REALLY?

THE SERIES FINALE MET MIXED REVIEWS AMONG FANS AND CRITICS. WHAT'S BEEN YOUR RESPONSE?

Fox: Michael C. Hall's role in "Dexter" would be very interesting. To play a serial killer in a lead role, that's pretty cool!

WHAT DID THE SHOW'S FIRST EMMY WIN IN 2005 FOR OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES MEAN TO YOU?

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – On the heels of his first-ever Emmy nomination and his much-buzzed-about departure from television after 18 years, Matthew Fox is finally getting lost.

Fox: I put a lot of myself into him, so it was tremendously emotional. He started as the hero of the show and we thought the audience would be bored out of their minds if he were the knight in shining armor all the time. We wanted to take the first four years and destroy him. So, that's what we did. And in the end, Jack redeemed himself before he could move on; I think that's why I was nominated. It has more to do with Jack than anything I was doing for six years.

Fox: I've done 300 hours of television. I've spent 12 years operating between two characters — six years on "Party of Five" and six years on "Lost" — and I'm at a point in my career where I want more flexibility. I want to call my own shots: when I'm working and when I'm not. It doesn't have anything to do with snobbery. Some of the best writing is on television right now.

DR. JACK SHEPHARD WAS ESSENTIALLY THE SHOW'S "EVERYMAN" CHARACTER. HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT CHANNELING SUCH AN ICONIC ROLE?

Fox: Obviously, the show left room for interpretation when the white light poured through. I don't pay attention to how it was received. Damon (Lindelof, an executive producer) told me the ending two months prior and I was extremely moved. I thought it was absolutely beautiful.

A safe bet: What’s old is going to be new again.wholesale clothing. So don’t blame the design duo behind the new jewelry line Carol Marie.brand clothing, Jennifer Carol Kramer wholesale and Heather Marie Wh]]>

A safe bet: What’s old is going to be new again.wholesale clothing. So don’t blame the design duo behind the new jewelry line Carol Marie.brand clothing, Jennifer Carol Kramer wholesale and Heather Marie White, for looking backwards—credit them, at least, with looking far backwards. Research for their fledgling line began in ancient Greece,Wholesale Ed hardy silk scarves Jeans, which sets the tone for the collection. A Hellenistic “reef knot” gave rise to a garnet pendant, and the tour of the B.C. world didn’t end there. Egypt, Ethiopia, and Byzantium inspired piled,Wholesale Abercrombie shoes, multi-chain necklaces, stackable bracelets, cross pendants, and, our favorite, chunky jeweled styles. Despite the ancient provenance, the pieces have a resolutely modern feel. Chalk it up to the designers’ experience in the contemporary market—they met in the accessory closet of W.

Carol Marie will be available this Fall at Pas de Deux, Henri Bendel, wholesale and Shopbop.

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Designers justify the price of haute couture -- a dress can cost $100,000 or more -- by saying it is art, pure and simple. They set the tone and the clients, hopefully, follow with their pocketbooks.

"You must respect every woman and what she likes. We must respect her opinion,&]]> Some observers note that haute couture, which is expensive to produce and has only a few hundred clients worldwide,Affliction, is better served by practical designers chasing new money.

Designers justify the price of haute couture — a dress can cost $100,000 or more — by saying it is art, pure and simple. They set the tone and the clients, hopefully, follow with their pocketbooks.

"You must respect every woman and what she likes. We must respect her opinion," said Saab after the show.

Armani paired skin tight trousers with enormous handbags that seemed to draw the attention of Arab clients and Stephane Rolland presented sculpted dresses from thick taffeta and leather that flatter the rounder figures not normally associated with the rake-thin Western acolytes of haute couture.

"In Moscow you can wear a very short skirt. Show your breasts and legs forever. You can wear the most beautiful jewels and it is not vulgar. Try that here in Paris," said Anna Sherbinina, a Russian actress after the Elie Saab haute couture show on Wednesday.

But others say that if designers cast their nets too wide they risk their unique identity and exclusive status. Chanel remains a powerhouse because most of Karl Lagerfeld's shows still hint at the designs of Coco Chanel from the 1930s.

"They want to go to a real French atelier. There is no real difference in tastes," said designer Stephane Rolland after his couture show on Tuesday.

A grey and gold wedding dress modeled at the end of Saab's show was so ornate and full the model struggled to walk down the catwalk, while peering out from behind her gilded veil.

Last year Christian Lacroix, who created extravagant and some say unwearable dresses, closed his doors because he could no longer sustain the cost of designing dresses by hand.

"On one hand you have to think about your clients, your girls. But once you start following them, servicing (just) them, you are finished…" said Aliona Doletskaya, Editor-in-chief of Russian Vogue.

This year's catwalk shows appear to be bearing in mind the old adages that fashionistas from conservative Gulf states favor long dresses, Chinese clients like to see a hint of red and black, the Lebanese like bright colors and sparkle, while Russians look to body conscious clothes.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

Some designers are eschewing the wider nets strategy to hone in on the clients who are loyal to them. Elie Saab has an enthusiastic following of Arab women, many of whom clapped appreciatively throughout his haute couture show on Wednesday.

Slight alterations to classic designs,Abercrombie shorts, a nod to regional tastes and the exclusive allure of the traditional French atelier is proving a useful pattern for today's couturiers looking to stay afloat in a tougher financial climate.

At the haute couture shows in Paris this week, sparkle, sequins and metallic's were in abundance, reflecting Russian and Arab tastes. Even Chanel, the powerhouse of French couture, made brightly colored cocktail dresses that were a far cry from the sober black dresses of the house's founder.

There is also allure in the singular dress from Paris that reflects European tastes and comes from the kind of designer one can only find in the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

His dresses which played on nude and earth tones were long and flattering, with full skirts and voluptuous fabrics.

PARIS (Reuters Life!) – Designers of French haute couture are finding the tastes and pocketbooks of emerging market clients have been a boost for dwindling sales as they spread their commercial nets beyond wealthy Westerners.