Paris Fashion Week Schedule: Pret-A-Porter Autumn/Winter 2008

Saturday, February 2008, the 23rd
4:30 pm IMPASSE DE LA DÉFENSE Restaurant Le Train Bleu - Salle Dorée - Gare de Lyon
5:30 pm FATIMA LOPES Hôtel Westin - Salon Concorde - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er
6:30 pm DÉVASTÉE L’Académie - 14 rue Royale - Paris 8e
7:30 pm IVANAHELSINKI Hôtel Westin - Salon Concorde - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er

Sunday, February 2008, the 24th
10:00 am JEFEN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
11:00 am LIE SANG BONG Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
12:00 pm CHER MICHEL KLEIN Intercontinental Paris Le Grand - 2 rue Scribe - Paris 9e
2:00 pm RAJESH PRATAP SINGH Espace Commines - 17 rue Commines - Paris 3e
3:00 pm BALMAIN Hôtel Westin - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er
4:00 pm BRUNO PIETERS Galerie Nikki Diana Marquardt - 9 place des Vosges - Paris 4e
5:00 pm MANISH ARORA BETC EURO RSCG - 85 rue du faubourg Saint-Martin - Paris 10e
6:00 pm RICK OWENS École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
7:00 pm BLESS 22 avenue Marx Dormoy - Paris 18e
8:00 pm AF VANDEVORST Maison des Métallos - 94 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud - Paris 11e

Monday, February 2008, the 25th
10:00 am ATSURO TAYAMA Salle Pleyel - 252 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré - Paris 8e
11:00 am VÉRONIQUE LEROY Espace Pierre Cardin - 1/3 avenue Gabriel - Paris 8e
12:00 pm GASPARD YURKIEVICH Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
1:00 pm ROBERT NORMAND Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
2:30 pm CHRISTIAN DIOR Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
3:30 pm ISABEL MARANT Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
4:30 pm SHARON WAUCHOB Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e
5:30 pm UNDERCOVER La Cigale - 120 boulevard Rochechouart - Paris 18e
6:30 pm MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy - Salle Marcel Cerdan - Porte 28 - 8 boulevard de Bercy - Paris 12e
7:30 pm VIVIENNE WESTWOOD Hôtel Westin - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er
8:30 pm YOHJI YAMAMOTO Palais de la Bourse - Place de la bourse - Paris 2e

Tuesday, February 2008, the 26th
09:30 am BALENCIAGA See invitation
10:30 am JUNYA WATANABE See invitation
11:30 am TSUMORI CHISATO Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
12:30 pm MARITHÉ & FRANCOIS GIRBAUD Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
1:30 pm LUTZ Espace Pierre Cardin - 1/3 avenue Gabriel - Paris 8e
2:30 pm VIKTOR & ROLF See invitation
3:30 pm ISSEY MIYAKE Musée de l’homme - 17 place du Trocadéro - Paris 16e
4:30 pm ANN DEMEULEMEESTER Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
5:30 pm COMME DES GARCONS See invitation
7:00 pm JEAN PAUL GAULTIER 325 rue Saint-Martin - Paris 3e
8:00 pm VÉRONIQUE BRANQUINHO Maison des Métallos - 94 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud - Paris 11e
9:00 pm LOEWE Opéra Comique - place Boieldieu - Paris 2e

Wednesday, February 2008, the 27th
10:00 am KARL LAGERFELD Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
11:00 am ANDREW GN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
12:00 pm AKRIS Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
1:00 pm EMANUEL UNGARO Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
2:00 pm COSTUME NATIONAL Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
3:00 pm DRIES VAN NOTEN Manège du Grand Palais - entrée porte C - avenue Franklin Roosevelt - Paris 8e
4:00 pm CHRISTIAN LACROIX Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
5:00 pm REQUIEM Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
6:00 pm GIVENCHY Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e
7:30 pm HUSSEIN CHALAYAN See invitation
8:30 pm BERNHARD WILLHELM Maison des Métallos - 94 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud - Paris 11e

Thursday, February 2008, the 28th
09:30 am STELLA MCCARTNEY Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e
10:30 am VALENTINO Palais de Chaillot - 1 place du Trocadéro - Paris 16e
11:30 am LÉONARD Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
12:30 pm BARBARA BUI Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
1:30 pm ANNE VALÉRIE HASH Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
2:30 pm GIAMBATTISTA VALLI Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
3:30 pm ZUCCA École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
4:30 pm CELINE Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
5:30 pm HAIDER ACKERMANN Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
6:30 pm SOPHIA KOKOSALAKI Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e
8:00 pm YVES SAINT LAURENT Grand Palais - avenue Winston Churchill - Paris 8e

Friday, February 2008, the 29th
10:30 am CHANEL Grand Palais - avenue du Général Eisenhower - Paris 8e
11:30 am AGNÈS B. Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e
12:30 pm JEAN-CHARLES DE CASTELBAJAC Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
1:30 pm ALENA AKHMADULLINA Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
2:30 pm SONIA RYKIEL Espace Ephémère Tuileries – Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
3:30 pm JUNKO SHIMADA École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
4:30 pm RUE DU MAIL (by Martine Sitbon) Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
5:30 pm ES ORCHESTRES La Sorbonne - 47 rue des Ecoles - Paris 5e
7:00 pm JOSE CASTRO Parking du Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy - 8 boulevard de Bercy - Paris 12e
8:00 pm ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy - Salle Marcel Cerdan - Porte 28 - 8 boulevard de Bercy - Paris 12e

Saturday, March 2008, the 1st
10:30 am KENZO Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e
11:30 am ELIE SAAB Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme *
12:30 pm WUNDERKIND Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
1:30 pm PAUL & JOE Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
2:30 pm COMMUUN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
3:30 pm CHLOÉ Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries - Paris 1er
4:30 pm MARTIN GRANT École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
5:30 pm HERMÈS Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
6:30 pm LIMI FEU Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
8:00 pm JOHN GALLIANO Grande Halle de la Villette - 211 avenue Jean Jaurès - Paris 19e

Sunday, March 2008, the 2nd
10:00 am VANESSA BRUNO 8 rue de la Pierre Levée - Paris 11e
11:00 am NINA RICCI Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries - Paris 1er
12:00 pm CHAPURINLe Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
1:00 pm YUKI TORII Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
2:00 pm COLLETTE DINNIGAN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
3:00 pm LOUIS VUITTON See invitation
4:30 pm SAKINA M’SA Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
5:30 pm LANVIN Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
6:30 pm MOON YOUNG HEE École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
7:30 pm MIU MIU See invitation
8:30 pm CHADO RALPH RUCCI Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e

* Le Carrousel du Louvre, 99, rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris

USA : Little black dress meets little black gem

It’s been more than 80 years since Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, the pioneering French fashion designer, popularized the little black dress, which has since become a wardrobe essential for women in all corners of the globe. The LBD, as it is often called, exists in many variants, and can be worn on almost any occasion that calls for style and elegance. Like the LBD, the little black gem -- otherwise known as the LBG -- is also classic, yet versatile. The varied LBG collection consists of diamonds, pearls, opals, onyx, and other unique stones, ranging from the most affordable to the most precious gems available. No matter what their price, these stunning stones connote affluence while complementing the LBD as well as many other colors and styles of clothing. Although some black gems, such as the cultured black pearl, are now reaching new heights in popularity, the use of black stones in jewelry can be traced back to Biblical times. A large onyx stone is said to have graced the gem-laden breastplate of Aaron. Black stones were also in the spotlight in the 19th century when Queen Victoria, mourning the loss of her husband, Prince Albert, commissioned the crown jewelers to create entire parures out of carved jet, a fossil coal also known as “black amber.” During the same mid-19th century period, black onyx and other dark stones were extremely fashionable. And later, during the “Roaring Twenties,” style-conscious women in the United States wore long strands of jet beads extending from the neckline to the waistline. The black diamond represents the ultimate LBG. According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the world’s foremost authority in gemology, black diamonds get their color from the presence of numerous inclusions, often consisting of graphite. Due to the dense concentrations of these dark inclusions, sometimes lining the stone’s cleavages and fractures, black diamonds are generally opaque and difficult to cut. Some notable black diamonds are the Black Star of Africa at 202.00 cts. and the Black Orfloff, at 67.50 cts. Near the top of the LBG list are natural black pearls, which represent one of the rarest and most exotic of gem materials. In the 1960s, however, a black-pearl culturing industry was initiated, and today, cultured black pearls play a prominent role throughout the international jewelry community. Tahitian cultured pearls are among the most popular of the black pearls. Known for their deep luster, these pearls can range from a soft dove grey to a deep midnight ink color. Other LBG stones to look for include shimmering tourmaline, glassy obsidian, and hematite, which is a favorite of lawyers because it is fabled to bring the wearer success in litigation. No matter which LBG the wearer may choose, they can be assured that it will meet their requirements for versatility and style -- proof that the little black dress has finally met its match. Gemological Institute of America

Stars sparkle on and off catwalk

By Kerstin Gehmlich Fri Oct 5, 7:55 AM ET

PARIS (Reuters) - Golden stars and large sequins sparkled from dresses at Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent as designers Karl Lagerfeld and Stefano Pilati presented youthful collections for two of France's most established fashion labels.

Staying true to a fashion house's legacy is a tricky business for designers, who have to add their own edge to a label while remaining faithful to the brand's history.

Italy's Pilati carries a lot of weight on his shoulders at Yves Saint Laurent, where he was appointed in 2004. Lagerfeld, approaching 70, is used to the task, having designed for Chanel for more than 20 years.

On Friday, the German designer brought out models in Chanel's trademark tweed jackets, but worn over long shifting dresses covered in stars or combined with tight denim skirts.

"Chanel -- to me that's just haute couture," supermodel Claudia Schiffer said at the show for spring-summer 2008 collections, adding that she still liked to wear Chanel outfits that dated back 10 or 20 years.

Schiffer and other front row guests including actress Kirsten Dunst and singers Lily Allen and Courtney Love watched as models presented sporty striped V-neck tops and light pastel-colored blouses held at the waist by a black ribbon. One girl wore a small leather wallet attached to her ankle.

"Coco Chanel was the spokeswoman of the modern woman," Lagerfeld said of the label's founder, who died in 1971. "(The brand) continues to incarnate the development of the modern woman," he said backstage. "(Now) it's up to me to lift people up into the stars."

SPARKLING STARS AT YSL

At Yves Saint Laurent, Pilati presented models in sleek oversized vests, parading them out beneath giant white balloons in Paris's glass-roofed Grand Palais exhibition hall.

French actress Catherine Deneuve said Pilati had respected Laurent's inheritance while adding a new edge to the label.

"He has done the impossible thing," she told Reuters at his show late on Thursday, in which Pilati showed high-waisted fuchsia skirts and tunic-style dresses covered with stars.

"He is bowing to the spirit of what Yves Saint Laurent did. He got into the job with a lot of modesty," she said.

The bespectacled Saint-Laurent, born in 1936, ruled the French fashion scene from the age of 21 until his retirement in 2002. This year, he was awarded the title of Great Officer in the Legion of Honor.

Pilati, born in 1965, sent out a girl in a tight knee-length skirt covered in triangular-shaped sequins in pink and turquoise. Other models presented dresses cut close to the body around the shoulders and the front but floating out in the back.

"When I think of Yves Saint Laurent, I think of dark elegance," burlesque artist Dita von Teese said at the show. "It's very special what (Pilati) has done. He's staying true to the brand but also brings new life to it."