The label, who’s plastic footwear has become iconic in the fashion world, kicked off New York Fashion Week with a grand opening of their new Galeria Melissa flagship store in Manhattan, New York. This is the first store opening for the company outside of their native Brazil.

The new store, which is located on Greene Streen in Manhattan’s popular SoHo area, incorporates retail with a great exhibition space for the company to showcase their collaborations with Thierry Mugler, Gareth Pugh and of course, Vivienne Westwood. The company is keen for the store to continue celebrating the ethos of combining art and design within fashion.

A whole host of big names turned out for the store’s opening night, including designers Marc Jacobs and Jason Wu and Hollywood names such as Vanessa Hudgens, Whitney Port and even Dita Von Teese managed to brave the snow to attend.

*Image courtesy of HillsFreak.blogspot.com

Brazilian footwear label, Melissa, opens its first International store is a post from: Celebrity Style Tips, Fashion Advice, Gossip and Shopping

In the past, she has appeared in vintage sourced and upcycled dresses, but she recently stepped out onto the red carpet at the 69th Golden Globes Awards in a floor-length Giorgio Armani gown, made entirely of recycled bottles. This was Armani’s first ever foray into sustainable fashion and boy was it a success! Firth was extremely proud of the result, taking to Vogue’s blog to say: “Being Italian, I grew up with Giorgio Armani (figuratively speaking). Indeed during my youth there were only two names that symbolised Italian elegance in fashion: Armani and Valentino. To open the GCC 2012 with a stunning bespoke eco gown by Giorgio Armani – well, that is unreal.”

Firth’s accessories on the night were also eco-friendly. She wore vintage 1930s Damiani earrings, Roger Vivier shoes that had been recycled from the 2011 Oscars as well as an Alberto Parada ring made from conflict-free diamonds.

We think Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge is a great campaign and more celebrities should certainly be involved. Mrs Firth recently hinted that a very famous actress has recently signed up to the challenge, but all is yet to be revealed!

*Image courtesy of mydaily.co.uk

Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge 2012 is a post from: Celebrity Style Tips, Fashion Advice, Gossip and Shopping

Merino’s ‘No Finer Feeling™’ Campaign is a five year global fibre education campaign which aims to inform consumers about the benefits and attributes of Merino wool. Although Merino wool is a favoured fibre amongst designers; the growth of disposable fashion has meant that younger consumers know little about its benefits, which this campaign aims to address by positioning Merino as the premium, luxury fibre of choice.

Merino’s luxury wool is elegant and soft to the touch, finer and lighter than ever thought possible and will make you feel a million dollars. The wool is natural, biodegradable and renewable as natural fibres are being preferenced over man-made fibres as people become more environmentally aware.

It’s important for today’s youth and society to understand the benefits of wool and in particular Merino. With their ‘No Finer Feeling™’ Campaign and campaign video (people), Merino are hoping to educate and entice fashion lovers into the world of luxury fibre.

*This is a sponsored post

There’s No Finer Feeling Than Merino is a post from: Celebrity Style Tips, Fashion Advice, Gossip and Shopping

Starbucks will now be providing us with a bit of a fashion fix alongside our morning coffee, with their new range of limited edition T-shirts.

To celebrate 40 years of Starbucks coffee and culture, the brand is launching an iconic and very limited edition collection of T-shirts with the help of Alexander Wang, Sophie Theallet and Billy Reid, all past recipients of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund awards.

Each designer has created a unique look for the T-shirts, with Alexander Wang’s creation including a coffee spill illusion of the iconic Starbucks Siren; Billy Reid’s featuring a vintage and heritage look with Starbucks Siren logo on the left shoulder extending to the back and the Starbucks star pattern and Theallet’s design featuring a fitted shape, with grosgrain ribbon and unique continents graphic and foiled Starbucks Siren logo.

The limited edition collection of T-shirts are only available while stocks last, so you better be quick. Prices will start at $85 and they’re available from Starbuckstore.com.

*Image courtesy of Starbucks

Starbucks provide us with a fashion fix is a post from: Celebrity Style Tips, Fashion Advice, Gossip and Shopping

The bespoke handbags will be auctioned off this month, with their proceeds being donated to Prince Charles’ Countryside Fund which promotes and helps a range of businesses who’s aim is to secure a sustainable future for British agriculture.

Other designers that are also getting in on the act are Burberry, Vivienne Westwood and Quentin McKay, and speaking to Vogue, Westwood said: “Wool is one of the world’s great natural fibres, famous for its versatility and comfort – warm in winter, cool in summer. I do believe that because it is such a luxury fabric that its status will increase. People will not want manmade fibres anymore and luxury will be seen in the great traditional, natural, fibres.”

The collection includes a signature Alexander McQueen Navy Wool Classic Britannia Skull Clutch, a Wool Huxley Bag by Anya Hindmarch, Burberry Landscape Bowling Bag, a Sweet Charity Shoulder Bag from Christian Louboutin as well as an interesting Wool Tartan Tiger Bag by Vivienne Westwood.

To take part in the auction from 20th-30th September, you can register online now.

*Images courtesy of Harvey Nichols

Alexander McQueen & Christian Louboutin among designer labels supporting Wool Week is a post from: Celebrity Style Tips, Fashion Advice, Gossip and Shopping

The Small Steps Project aims to raise awareness and aid for children working on the world’s biggest landfills. The campaign is currently focusing on providing durable footwear for the children, to prevent injury while working on the landfill sites.

The shoes donated by the celebrities will be put up for auction for the cause and some of the worlds top shoe designers such as Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin and Louis Vuitton will also be playing a huge part in the event taking place at the Royal Society of Medicine on October 12th 2011.

The Small Steps Project was launched by former celebrity Journalist Amy Hanson after she visited Cambodia in 2008. “When I went to Cambodia, I witnessed huge landfills filled with our waste and excess packaging where the local children would look for scraps to sell in order to support their families. Ideally we want to raise enough money to get the children away from the rubbish dumps and into schools, but for now we’re focusing on providing durable boots to prevent the children from harming themselves with the shards of glass and sharp objects on the ground,” she told Vogue.co.uk.

To find out more about the Small Steps Project visit SmallStepsProject.org and for a full list of celebrities who are donating to the cause, visit Vogue.co.uk

*Image courtesy of FamePictures.com

Fashion Icons Donate their Favourite Shoes to The Small Steps Project is a post from: Celebrity Style Tips, Fashion Advice, Gossip and Shopping

The impoverished people of Nairobi will be given fair labour conditions to be able to make the products for Westwood’s new Ethical Fashion Africa Collection of handbags in a scheme which she says is not about charity, but purely about work. Her new collection comprises handbags and tote bags made by the people of Nairobi out of different refuse materials and transformed into much wanted accessories for the fashion lovers of the world.

Talking about her new scheme and the new collection, Westwood said: “What I do, making bags, can make a difference. This project gives people control over their lives – charity doesn’t give control, it does the opposite, it makes them dependant. These people have more control over their lives and can therefore choose not to exploit the environment because they have an alternative way of making money.”

The designer recently visited Kenya and documented her trip with photographer Juergen Teller, who’s striking images will celebrate Westwood’s creations in the African community. Simone Cipriani, head of the ITC Poor Communities and Trade Programme said about the scheme: “Our project enables some of the world’s poorest people to enter fashion’s value chain as producers, while also allowing designers, who want to source ethically, to do so knowing their collaborators in the slums of Nairobi.”

The Ethical Fashion Africa Collection will be available at VivienneWestwood.com and Yoox.com

*Image courtesy of FamePictures.com

Vivienne Westwood’s new handbag collection will benefit the people of Kenya is a post from: Celebrity Style Tips, Fashion Advice, Gossip and Shopping

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