Born Free and Vogue team up to end mother-to-child HIV transmission at birth

22 top designers have come together with ShopBop.com and Vogue to create the Born Free Collection.  The mission of Born Free is to end mother-to-child HIV transmission at birth, and 100% of the profits from the sales of this women’s and children’s collection will go toward Born Free’s mission, with the M∙A∙C AIDS Fund matching all donations and the total purchase price of all products sold, up to $500,000.  Wow!  That is some serious matching of funds. 

The collection includes exclusive, limited-edition pieces from top designers Céline, Prada, Isabel Marant, Chloé, Diane von Furstenberg, and J.Crew.  Other designers include Victoria Beckham, Carolina Herrera, Tory Burch, Alexander McQueen, Alberta Ferretti, Gisele Bundchen, DKNY, Marchesa, Ivanka Trump, Stella McCartney, Rachel Roy, lemlem, Marni, Urban Zen, Vera Wang and Versace.  This is an amazing list of designers, and the collection is truly beautiful. 

Models wearing Prada Skirts

The models (left), Lauren and Savannah, are wearing Prada print skirts from the collection.  They appeared on the Today Show on NBC  on April 23rd to help model the outfits and announce the start of sales for the Born Free Collection.

There are so many coordinating looks for moms and daughters in the collection, and really unique prints that are great for today, yet really timeless.  Below is an adorable example from the collection, all by designer Caroline Herrera:

Women's Shirtdress

Baby Onesie

Child's Shirtdress

With the above look, Mom, child and baby can dress alike in top designer wear, and 100% of the sale goes to a help fight mother-to-child HIV transmission at birth.  It really is a win-win for the buyer - you get great designer clothing at a fantastic price, and you help in the fight against HIV transmission from mothers to babies.

Mom and Child in Caroline Herrera

lemlem Patio Dress

Don't miss out on an opportunity to own a top designer piece, with proceeds going to a great cause.  Remember, 100% of the proceeds go to fight the transmission of mother-to-child HIV.  Take a look at a few other looks from the collection:

Marchesa Child's Party Dress

Marni Scarf

Take a look at this gorgeous and unique collection, and feel free to comment.  Follow me if you love fashion.

picture credit: today.com & shopbop.com

 

                          

OOTD - HRH Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, in Lela Rose

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, is wearing a white cocktail dress by Dallas-born designer Lela Rose.  The dress has cut-outs on the arms and around the peplum waist over a white sheath, and it looks just stunning on her.

With her hair up in a loose and absolutely gorgeous chignon, courtesy of her personal hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker, the Duchess was head-to-toe perfection for the

Chignon by Amanda Cook Tucker

Duke & Duchess of Cambridge

party she was attending.    I really love the look of the drop diamond earrings with her simple makeup, coupled with her hair worn up.  The Duchess carried a black bag and wore black heels.

DailyMailUK.com reported that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were attending a party at Yarralumla, which is the Government House residence of the Australian head of the Australian head of state, Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove in Canberra.

Catherine Walker Coat Dress

Earlier in the day, the Duchess arrived at Australia's National Arboretum wearing a bright green Catherine Walker coat-dress, where she and Prince William helped local school children plant a tree. 

Both outfits look great on the Duchess, but I think the white is my favorite because of its delicate flair.  Do you have thoughts on either outfit?  Leave a comment and let's talk Royal Fashion!

Pics courtesy of Getty Images, GolfPhotos.com, Arthur Edwards & mirror.co.uk.com

The Top 3 T.V. Shows All Fashionistas Should Be Watching

 #3 - Revenge on ABC
         IMDB rating of 8.1/10

One of the most fashionable shows on television for current fashion, ABC's Revenge is full of eye candy for those who love to see designer clothing on their favorite characters while enjoying great drama.  Revenge will return on April 27th, and fashionistas that are fans of the show will be waiting to see what the master of revenge, Emily Thorne, will wear next.  Catch up and join in if you aren't already watching - the acting is great, the drama and revenge plot is fantastic and you'll adore the fashion.

Emily VanCamp, Actress

 

Emily Thorne, played by Emily VanCamp (right), is wearing a halter dress by Halston Heritage with lovely bow detail from the episode "Allegiance."  Her divine leather clutch is by Alaia Shoes, and her Sunny Wide Brim Hat (this scene is set at the racetrack) is designed by Eugenia Kim.  The dress would look amazing on its own for any event you have coming up, and the look is flattering on any figure.

Christa Allen, Actress

Another of my favorite Revenge looks from recent episodes is

"Kimora" Gown in Poppy Red

the beautiful Christa Allen (left), who plays Charlotte Grayson.  She is wearing a BCBGMAXAZRIA "Kimora" Cutout Gown in black (which is sold out everywhere), in the episode entitled "Exodus," where she is in her brother Daniel's wedding. Here's a link, however, to get it in Poppy Red.  The dress can also be bought in white right now, which is perfect for the season.  Perfect for every figure?  No.  But a magnificent cutout dress, none-the-less.

Madeleine Stowe as Victoria Grayson

I must mention the brilliantly talented Madeleine Stowe, who plays Victoria Grayson on Revenge.  Her looks in every season have been coordinated with much thought by costume designer Jill Ohanneson, and this look is no different.  Stowe is wearing an understated, yet exquisite Antonio Berardi charcoal-colored dress.  Ohanneson told InStyle Magazine she chose the dress "because it felt like ashes," mimicking the burning of Victoria Grayson's art gallery which had occurred in the previous episode. 

#2 - Project Runway on Lifetime
         IMDB rating of 7.4/10 

 Now going into its 13th season, the successful reality television series Project Runway is centered around up-and-coming designers competing for a top prize that gives them everything they need to launch their design career.  The show is now casting for the new season, so if you think you have what it takes, here's the link for casting information.

Tim Gunn, Project Runway

Watching the show, you'll learn so much from listening to the expert panel of judges and mentors: Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen, Michael Kors and a steady flow of guest judges.  Watching the designers actually design a garment from the sketching stage to the runway stage is eye-opening, and some of these designers go on to do very well in the world of today's fashion.  You get to see everything from ready-to-wear to whimsical fashion, and the show throws a lot of challenges at the designers, including an unconventional materials challenge.  

Beyoncé, wearing Michael Costello

Recently, designer Michael Costello, a former Project Runway alum, designed a gorgeous sheer-and-lace detail white dress that Beyoncé wore to the Grammy Awards.  When he found out she chose his dress, Costello said, "I fell to the ground inside Macy's and cried . . . I feel so blessed."  Rumor has it that Costello may soon have his own reality show with another former alum, Mondo Guerra.  Now THAT would make for another must-see show.

#1 - Scandal on ABC
        IMDB rating of 8/10

This political drama's storyline is fantastic; the characters couldn't have been chosen for their roles better and the acting's superb, but if you watch for nothing else, watch Scandal on ABC for Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope.  Lyn Paolo's responsible for the costume design on the show, and she dresses Washington to perfection in every scene.  According to a recent article in Harper's Bazaar, Paolo loves the new collections from Zac Posen (his gowns, especially), Michael Kors and Jason Wu, and one of her "go-to" designers for blouses is Derek Lam.   
 

Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope

Rubin Singer dress

In the picture on the right, Washington's wearing an off-white coat by Tory Burch, and underneath she's wearing a Diane von Furstenberg blouse in light peach.  Olivia Pope, Washington's character, is normally seen in softer colors, but she's a very strong female character.  You'll often see her in white, creme, pink, peach and the like.  The contrast between the softness of her wardrobe and her strong demeanor is striking - no matter what type of scandal may be brewing on the show.

Another of my favorite looks Washington wore on Scandal was the fabulous creme and black Rubin Singer dress (above, left).  In this dress, I can see the contrasting hard and soft of her character.  The black and creme colors mixed with hard and soft lines; the asymmetry of her hair.  It all works.  
 

Scott Foley

     Tony Goldwyn      

Now, it would be a real shame not to mention some of the men of scandal: Scott Foley as Jacob "Jake" Ballard and Tony Goldwyn as  President Fitzgerald Grant (above left, in tux).  Both are usually sharp dressed; President Grant born to lead, but certainly prone to some scandalous deeds.  Ballard (in uniform, above right) is called by many "mysterious" and "handsome."  He's a former Navy man who served with President Fitzgerald Grant, and he previously worked at the Pentagon and served on a secret CIA subdivision.  He's Olivia Pope's newest romance (but is it all a set up?).  It gets REAL on this show, and I mean scandalously real.

You must add these to your list of shows - DVR them and catch up!  I must say, ABC has it going on right now with great drama and fashion - but all of these are great shows for lovers of drama mixed with current fashion.  If we were talking any era, Mad Men and Downton Abbey would have made the cut, hands down.  Another day, another blog.

Your comments and discussions are always welcome, and please, follow me if you love fashion, film reviews, t.v. talk and more!  

Film Fashionista




Rating Credit:  IMDB.com
Ohanneson quote: InStyle.com 
Photo Credits:  abc.com/revenge, abc.com/scandal, mylifetime.com, getty images, InStyle.com, 
                         bloomingdales.com

MTV Movie Awards - Fashion Winners . . . My Top Four

Balmain Pre-Fall 2014

Shailene Woodley, MTV Movie Awards 2014

The super-talented Shailene Woodley rocked the red carpet at the MTV Movie Awards Sunday night in a leather outfit by Balmain, showing off a bit of midriff and garnering lots of love from her Twitter fans as a candidate for best dressed.  

Woodley also wore Jimmy Choo's that went great with her powerful outfit.  Woodley changed the outfit up a bit from how it was shown on the runway, and I think it was a good decision.  The photo on the right is the runway look.  What do you think?

Lupita Nyong'o also went high fashion, choosing to wear a 

Lupita Nyong'o in Chanel RTW 2014

colorful, high fashion dress from Chanel's Fall RTW 2014 line. In the picture on the left, you can see Lupita Nyong'o wearing the dress at MTV Movie Awards event on top, and the runway model's pictures from the Chanel Runway Show on the bottom.  If you ask me, Lupita wore it best!  

Nyong'o's Makeup "Disco-Style"

The lovely Nyong'o still had on her signature "Nairobi Blue," as you can see in the shoes she chose to wear (which are actually a gorgeous Azure blue by Casadei).  Large, dazzling and colorful sequins on the shoulders make this dress a Chanel masterpiece.  Nyong'o wore simple jewelry and beautiful "Disco-Style" makeup (see closeup on the right) that made this outfit a shoe-in for a top spot on the best dressed list, and my personal favorite.  

Jimmy Choo "Lance" Sandal in Silver

Disney Channel Starlet Bella Thorne blew my mind in a spectacular little icy blue Versace dress with rosette detailing and asymmetrical sleeves.  The young actress wore Jimmy Choo "Lance" sandals (right) in silver, and kept her makeup sweet and simple.  Her hair was down and loose, and she looked great.    

Bella Thorne, in Versace, MTV Movie Awards 2014

What I really loved about the dress was draping on the front and how it played with the rosettes and asymmetric sleeves to create an unusual but playful look.  The dress was a sophisticated, yet still fun choice for Thorne.  She looked wonderful and the whole ensemble photographed well.  This puts her on my best dressed list. 

Zendaya Coleman in Ungaro

Last, but not least, another young actress - one who surprised me with her choice and continues to grow as a fashion inspiration for women both young and old everywhere.  Zendaya Coleman, formerly of "Shake it Up" on Disney and now an actress and singer, was on the red carpet at the MTV Movie Awards and she looked incredible in a floral Ungaro dress, carrying a Swarovski bag.  

Zendaya w/ Swarovski bag, rings, & flawless makeup

Zendaya topped off the look with Christian Louboutin shoes and some stunning jewelry by Jacob & Co., Dionea Orcini and John Hardy.   How could she go wrong with this combination?  I would love to own this dress, and it great for a younger demographic, as well.  

Runway Model - Ungaro RTW 2014 Show

I never would have guessed from Ungaro's RTW Runway 2014 show that this dress would have looked so good!  Don't get me wrong, he put on a great show (I watched it online a couple of times) - but the picture at the right is the picture of this dress as it came down the runway at his show.  Let me know if you think Zendaya wore it better.  I sure do!  

Please follow me if you LOVE fashion, fashion in the movies, movie review and more!  Follow me on Twitter at @FilmFashionista, and if you want to receive email updates, just email me at TheFilmFashionista@gmail.com with the subject line "Add Me" and I will add you to my mailing list.  Comments are welcomed, and I would love to hear who you thought were the best and worst dressed of the MTV Movie Awards.
 
Film Fashionista 


Photo credits: Getty Images & MTV.com
Accessory information credits: JustJared.com, Glamour.com & JimmyChoo.com
Runway Show Pictures and Designer credits: Vogue.com and WWD.com
 

Pre-MTV Movie Awards Fashion Report

On April 13th at 9:00 PM the MTV Movie Awards will be held, and the nominees have been announced. Take your opportunity to vote in each category prior to the event, which will be hosted by Conan O'Brien. For a full list of nominees and to vote, go to: MTV Movie Awards
and click on VOTE to choose your favorite in each category.

Last year, we saw a lot of golds and metallics, as well as brights in fashion on the red carpet at the MTV Movie Awards.  Check out Snooki (below), in Snooki Couture, as she walked the red carpet at last year's event: 

Selena Gomez (right) looked amazing in a beaded, flesh-gold toned dress designed by Julien Macdonald that had a metallic hint to it as she arrived last year.  Her hair and makeup were flawless, and she was on many best-dressed lists.

The stunning Kerry Washington (left) showed up in a surprise wearing a black-and-bright yellow (too bumble bee?) Michael Kors number that wasn't as popular with the fashion lists, but shows off the bright trend many wore last year.  

Speaking of brights, does anyone remember what the brilliant and talented Macklemore wore last year?  He showed up really bright in Logan Neitzel, cape and all.  It was certainly spectacular, and has me wondering what he will wear this year.  

So...what can we expect this year on the Red Carpet at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards? Well, as they say, expect the unexpected. Almost anything goes at this awards show (personally, I am hoping we don't see any cigarette hats - but that's just one Film Fashionistas's opinion).

Hana Mae Lee, 2013 MTV Movie Awards

The dress below, designed by Zuhair Murad, is my idea of what could top the best-dressed list.  Worn by a young or up-and-coming starlet (maybe without the exact gold belt that it was shown with on the runway), this one is breathtaking.  A petite actress such as Emma Watson, Shailene Woodley or Emma Roberts could wear this with ease and it would be divine.

Zuhair Murad Spring/Summer 2014 Couture

Let's hope some of what we see is still a bit outrageous, fun but fashion-forward and easy on the eyes.  I'd love to see a couple of edgy black ensembles, but unique pastels and white dresses, as well.  Below are some of my favorite picks from recent runway shows that I wish could make the MTV Movie Awards Red Carpet.  

 

Tadashi Shoji Spring 2014 Couture
A Lavender Dream!

Elie Saab Spring/Summer 2014 Couture

THIS is the edgy & black dress that will work

for the MTV Movie Awards.

Atelier Versace Spring/Summer 2014 Couture

A lovely shade of light blue, on the right woman, this

would really steal the show on the red carpet.

Pictures courtesy of mtv.com, vogue.com, and socialitelife.com

This is an awards show where we do see it all, and in fashion there can be a fine line between 
what is considered high fashion and what is deemed a costume.  I, therefore, vote first and foremost for beautifully designed gowns and exceptionally glamorous looks on the red carpet, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the all-too-strange dresses of meat or hats that look like cigarette butts stay at home. 

Do you have a favorite designer or dress you want to see on the MTV Movie Awards Red Carpet?  Comment below with your thoughts, and follow me if you love fashion and film.

Also, I'd love it if you'd take a second to take the poll at the top of my blog and let me know who you think will win Best On-Screen Film Transformation at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday, April 13th at 9:00 PM.