Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Mischa Barton's Bag Line


The 22-year-old former O.C. star has a fourteen bag collection with prices ranging from $43 for a clutch to $323 for a leather satchel. Mischa’s signature emblem is a a clover with cut-out heart designs.



Rachel Bilson's Edie Rose

Rachel Bilson has teamed up with DKNY Jeans to create her very own clothing line.

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What is interesting is that Bilson contacted DKNY Jeans, and not the other way around. “Fans of ‘The O.C.’ really like DKNY Jeans, and I know they make great stuff, so I thought it could be good,” she explained.


Set to be called Edie Rose for DKNY Jeans (named after her grandmother and a family friend) the collection will be a fashion forward junior sportswear line set to hit stores this September. Consisting of 15 sportswear pieces, it will include button-down tops, sweaters, jackets, T-shirts, dresses and straight leg and skinny leg dark denim jeans. The mostly black and white colour palette will be offset by pops of yellow, said to be inspired by a yellow scarf Bilson owns.
“I have a yellow scarf that I love and I was really inspired by it,” Bilson said. “This line is my main focus right now,” she said. “I can’t draw at all, so I won’t be doing any sketches, but I am learning to sew. I think it’s important to know more about the whole process of making clothes.”
The Edie Rose for DKNY Jeans collection will be between $19.50 and $49.50 per piece.

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Joined by models, Fabienne Vanderhaeghen, Regina Feoktistova and Giedre Dukaskaite, Bilson was photographed by Mikael Jansson modeling a chic black dress belted down with a red belt with a funky vest. At first glance, the line is edgy with Bilson’s relaxed style showing through in each of the pieces.


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The collection will launch in the beginning of September in stores like Macy’s, Dillard’s and Nordstrom.
“I want people to see these clothes for what they are, not just another line designed by another celebrity,” she said. “I want the line to be taken seriously.”
“I am just amazed at how the team at DKNY Jeans were able to listen to my ideas and come out with exactly what I was talking about. They literally brought my ideas to life,” Rachel added. “I also want to show people that you don’t have to pay a million dollars for clothes that look good. For me, I love vintage clothes and I shop vintage all the time. It’s fun to play and put things together. You don’t have to spend a lot to get a great look.”

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Friday, July 18, 2008

Grace Kelly

Born (November 12, 1929) and raised in Philadelphia, Grace Patricia Kelly grew up in a wealthy family. Growing up her father considered the runt of his off springs because she was shy, delicate and had asthma. Her siblings were very much unlike Grace so she often felt excluded. Grace began to blossom as attended Raven Hill Elementary school. Grace ended up be very rebellious growing up. She graduated Steven School, a high school, in 1947.
Not long after her graduation, Grace went to New York City for an acting audition, but they told her to get rid of her twang. Grace ended up mocking an English accent to do this and ended up with an accent that was pretty much considered her signature.
At the age of 20, Grace stumbled into modeling while pursuing her acting career in New York. She made her Broadway debut in 1949 and soon began to make appearances on television dramas. In the summer of 1951, Grace moved to Hollywood and joined the MGM family. She had a small, but breakthrough role in ‘High Noon’. She went on to work with Alfred Hitchcock in ‘Dial “M” for Murder’ and ‘Rear Window’.
After a few films Grace came across Country Girl’s script. She wanted it because it portrayed an amazing, but unglamorous lead character. MGM did not want Grace to play the part but Grace convinced them. She ended up winning an Academy Award in 1955 for the film.
While at the Caned Film Festival in 1955, Grace was invited and reluctantly agreed to meet the Prince of Monaco. They had a photo session as the Prince gave her a tour of his home. There seemed to be a spark between them and once Grace returned back to the States they kept in contact. For Christmas Grace invited him to her family home. After 24 hours they decided to marry. Not long after Grace had a physical to make sure she would be able to produce an heir.
High Society was Grace’s first musical and the Prince said it would be her last film. Years later she would be asked by Alfred Hitchcock to make a fourth film with him but she had to decline because the people of Monaco did not approve.
On April 4th 1956, Grace took a boat over to Monaco and was bombarded by press. The Prince and Grace were married on April 19 1956. They experienced a massive media assault and Grace hated her wedding because of it. Grace became HSH Princess Grace of Monaco. The Prince’s family snubbed her and Grace had a tough time adapting to Monaco. Nine months after the wedding, Grace gave birth to daughter Caroline and a son later on. After that she has a few miscarriages but in 1965 she gave birth to another girl, Stephanie.
Grace missed acting and she would often read poetry. She even narrated a film in the 70s.
Grace began complaining of frequent headaches. On the morning of September 13, 1982, she drove herself and Stephanie from their country home to the palace. Unfortunately, the road was a very bad and full of sharp turns. They went over a cliff. Stephanie survived but Grace was put into a coma. After taking x-rays, the doctors found she had two brain injuries. One was the cause of a stroke and the other was because of the crash. Grace stayed in a coma for 24 hours before the family said their goodbyes and she was taken off life support.



(Audrey Hepburn is the woman in the background)

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Cyd Charisse


Charisse was born on March 8th 1922 as Tula Ellice Finklea in Amarillo, Texas. Her nickname "Sid" was taken from a sibling trying to say "Sis"; was later spelled "Cyd" at MGM to supposedly give her an air of mystery. She was a sickly girl who started dancing lessons at six to build up her strength after a bout with polio.

She joined a dance company and soon travelled all over performing. At one point during a European tour, she met up with Nico Charisse, a handsome young dancer she had studied with for a time in Los Angeles. They married in Paris in 1939 and Cyd gave birth to their son in 1942. Nico and Cyd divorced a few years later in 1947 and Cyd remarried singer Tony Martin in 1948. Tony and Cyd were married almost 60 years when Cyd died. (Picture of Tony and Cyd below)

She starred many films including The Band Wagon (1953), Silk Stockings (1957) and Brigadoon (1954).After the decline of the Hollywood musical in the late 1950s, Charisse retired from dancing but continued to appear in film and TV productions from the 1960s through the 1990s.

In her eighties, Charisse made occasional public appearances and appeared frequently in documentaries spotlighting the golden age of Hollywood. Publicist Gene Schwam said Charisse was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on June 16, 2008 after suffering an apparent heart attack. She died the following day,June 17, aged 86.


Scene from The Band Wagon.




Cyd made a brief appearance (just this scene) in Singing in the Rain.