The stars of Twilight, Brad and Ang, Kate and Jon, Kendra and little ole me…Let’s just say being featured in this issue has me feeling as if I’m floating among the clouds in ‘pop culture’ heaven!

This time around L&S is looking to help you find the ‘Perfect Pop of Color’ to add to your summer wardrobe.

I think the page layout is so cute!  The impressive range of colorful tanks are from American Apparel ( $17)

Using Gwyneth, Garcelle, Leighton and Amy as our muses…we took a quick spin at naming the best hues to play up the colors of these lady’s oh-so lovely locks.

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Miss Gwyneth:  Gwyneth’s blonde hair is stunning with it’s natural golden shades ( warm tones ) intermixed with icy ( cool) highlights around the frame of her face- allowing her darker roots to be seen only adds to the yin and yang effect.  Blondes like Gwynnie can pick colors to play up which ever tone they want to draw the eyes to.  Her raspberry pink dress warms up not only her golden tresses, but her pale skin tone as well. An even paler pink would make Gwyneth pretty as a princess ( remember how sweet she looked in her famous pale-pink Oscar dress!)

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On the other side of the color wheel Gwyneth could easily decide to play off of her pale, sparkly ( cooler) highlights by wearing shades of blue…baby blue ( really pretty for you blue eyed beauties) or an ocean- inspired aqua ( for hazel or brown eyed siren’s- like Gwyneth) adds instant wardrobe drama.

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Garcelle Beauvais has rich, lush super dark hair.  Now very dark hair like Garcelle’s can be tricky.  True dark hair tends to be either blue-black ( making it a cool shade) or deep, dark brown-black ( a warm shade).  Luckily It’s pretty easy to figure out from this picture that Garcelle’s hair is on the warm side of the spectrum..because she is simply radiant in this little golden- orange number.

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Women with Garcelle’s coloring look amazing in all types of zesty warm shade like lemon yellow and bright coral. If they happen to desire to cool things up a bit -a dark purple ( with red undertones like the color of red grapes) would be simply regal.

Love a color, but not sure it’s your most flattering hue to wear?  By simply placing a color that you do know enhances your natural coloring close to your face can instantly make your ‘questionable’ color work as well. Case in point- I don’t think Garcelle would look as ’super hero-ific  in this gray-blue dress without that jolt of tomato red trim.

Leighton Meester is the dark eyed brunette lighting up the small screen each week on the hit show Gossip Girl.  Her character Blair has no fear when it comes to wearing loads of color and in real life neither does Leighton.

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Leighton’s hair has just a touch of caramel highlights, which not only adds dimension to her tresses but really helps to play up her beautiful complexion as well. Leighton would look fantastic in almost any shade of rich jewel-like tones, much like she does in this Sapphire Versace and below in this little emerald green Dior number.

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On the other side of fashionable hues, Leighton can also play up the richness of her hair by wearing pale shades.  For color I suggested the minty green and lavender tanks for a soft feminine look to play off of her dark hair and light skin. And because her dark locks and radiant skin have the ability to look good whether she is pale or tan ( spray tanners rejoice), brunettes like Leighton make good candidate to rock the ‘new nudes’ this season as well.

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There’s a pink for everyone- my favorite for brunettes like Leighton would be a shade like this that goes towards the lavender side.  Nude tones can be tricky, here again the choice of a nude with strong rosy undertones along with golden jewelry and a similar shade of lipstick really help to make Leighton’s dark eyes and hair pop.

Amy Adam’s naturally vibrant red hair and sparkly blue eyes have made her everyone’s favorite ‘enchanted’ starlet.  To me, Amy has proven to be a girl who knows what colors work best on her…because if you’ve been watching her on the red carpet you know that she usually gets it right.

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Amy’s best colors are ones that play up the fiery, copper highlights in her hair.  Rich nature inspired hues like Teal, Eggplant and Grassy Greens make auburn hair look even brighter. And for pale blue eyed redheads like Amy- Turquoise makes eyes look…well quite frankly like they are made of turquoise as well.

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As a fairytale princess come to life in the movie Enchanted-all eyes are on Amy picture perfect in an Aubergine gown at the King and Queen’s Ball.  In real life, Amy hits the red carpet in pure vintage Hollywood style complete with a deep side part and fitted Teal green gown.

Is there a hue that is universally flattering on everyone, no matter what your hair color?  Life & Style asked me to name just one.

For the magazine I named Red, because the thinking behind this color is set in pretty scientific reasoning.  Since human coloring is based on either warm ( golden undertones) or cool ( blue undertones) a true Red-meaning a red  that can not be described as either too orange or to blue orange and exists smack dab in the middle would most easily be able to compliment all four woman’s distinct coloring.  SEE- understanding the color wheel does come in handy!!!

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Ladies in Red: Garcelle and Leighton’s dark hair easily master the power of red, Gwyneth’s matching red lips helps to keep the focus on her pretty face, while Amy’s use of a mineral colored jewel necklace helps to keep the spotlight on her red tresses

As a little back note- I honestly believe if you love a color…there is the perfect shade of it just for you. After all fashion is fun….experimenting with it can be even funner!

If say you love the color blue but aren’t sure if you should be buying Cobalt or Cornflower…try both ( in the dressing room before you buy, please ) and judge for yourself which you honestly feel best in.  While you’re in there why not try a few colors that you rarely wear- you might just discover a few new colorful gems!

Another great color clue I like to tell people, is to take notice of which hues you find yourself getting a lot of unsolicited compliments on when you wear them.  If your true love, a trusted chum and friendly stranger all notice that a certain shade brings you beautifully to life…chances are you’re on the right color track!

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/colorful-advice-talking-pop-of-color-with-life-style/feed/ 3 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/color-inspiration-red-white-and-blue/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/color-inspiration-red-white-and-blue/#comments Tue, 26 May 2009 20:50:38 +0000 juliehoylen http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/?p=4086 As we celebrated Memorial Day weekend here in the USA ( our official, un-official start of Summer, hooray!) I couldn’t help but find myself basking in our country’s national colors of red, white and blue.

Martha Stewart’s patriotic flavor

And though we may automatically think of this stunning color combination as pure ‘Americana’ ( I know I always have ) it’s actually a color scheme that we share with 27 other countries around the world -England, France, Australia…and even North Korea among them!

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Red, blue and white are by far the favorite hues when it comes to representing countries- most likely due to  their underlining symbolic meanings in cultures around the globe.  This colorful pie chart, based on flags from around the world, is a fun look at which colors rank in popularity- I wonder if purple feels left out?

Red, white and blue is a scheme that has always been one of my favorite for home…there is just something so exciting about mixing a cool and a warm color together within the same visual space.

My own home takes it’s exterior color cues straight from this idea.  The overall scheme is ‘cool’ with it’s grayish-blue siding and slate colored patio and roof – doors painted in a glossy deep, warm red help to shake the whole look up.

My exterior colors are all from Benjamin Moore, I recently “uped the red ante’ by changing my doors from Country Redwood to Classic Burgundy -a truly fabulous front door color!

Not my actual house- but this image from Behr’s inspirational site is close enough. Featured here are Behr’s Exterior Colors in Skipper 570F-5, Burnished Mahagony 160F-70 and Divine Pleasure W-B-210

Inside my house Benjamin Moore’s Covington Blue, an amazingly ‘could go anywhere’ beautiful blue from their Historical Color Collection trimmed in Linen White makes for a dreamy boy’s bedroom- this time with a worldly-splash of Moroccan Red.

Charlotte Moss used a very similar palette for her Kip’s Bay Show House living room last year

A little tweaking of hues and red, white and blue can create very different moods.  These three bedrooms featuring in House Beautiful show that it’s a combination that can go from classic ( true red and navy )to eclectic ( pale blue and deep burgundy) to modern ( bright blue and a red-orange ) simply by changing the particular shade of each color.

Even when paired in adjacent rooms, the colors can work off of each other beautifully.. I love this example of a house that uses a blue-purple color on the wall leading into a kitchen that features red cabinetry.

This home and article featured in the Seattle Times Home and Garden section takes a fun look at a sophisticated scheme of red, white and blue

This blue and silvery white dining room (above)  featured in Elle Decor uses a pop of Coral Red as an attention getting statement- meanwhile this mostly crimson library (below) from Southern Accents use just a touch of blue and warm white to temper it’s energy.

While this modern white room by Jonathan Adler as seen in Metropolitan Home features a red and white rug with navy and white curtains combining together as the basis for a very ‘colorful’ scene.

I met Jake when he called to check facts for a story I was going to be quoted in and before I knew it we were chatting about color and Jake was conducting an impromptu interview about my business.  It seems that his natural curiosity started the conversation but his journalist instincts soon took over and he wanted to explore an idea he had for a story of his own.

It was great fun to talk to him and after our conversation and a couple of follow up emails he came up with so much to write about that the article spilled over into two days.

Jake Finally Learns What A Color Strategist Does (Part I) and (Part II) Thanks Jake! 

But getting back to the colorful t-shirt pics…

Jake’s girlfriend wanted him to go with her to her high school reunion and he wanted my opinion on which color would make the best impression.  He sent me over a few pictures that he had colored in to show me what colors he was considering.

Although we all probably give a bit more thought to our appearance on occasions like this I’d already learned enough about Jake to guess that this wasn’t really a decision he was agonizing over so I served up the following color advice complete with a dash of humor:

YELLOW – You are letting the world know you are energetic and have high spirits. You will catch attention with bright yellow and it is the perfect color if you want to share your creative spirit and original thinking because you’ll attract curious listeners all evening, just like bees to honey.

RED – Are you wanting to let your girlfriend’s former classmates know that you are popular and powerful? Then red is the way to go. It will also let them know that you like to have fun and are at the ready to take charge of just about any situations, even the reunion party, if it isn’t as lively as you’d like it to be.

GREEN – You’ll come across as a very social person, yet as someone that places value on status and may even have a tendency to talk about people or judge them by their appearance. Not a color that will put people at ease with you right away. Choosing a yellow-green might be better, as it says you are a high energy, adventurous person that is too busy for gossip.

BLUE – Blue will have you looking cool and confident. It is a color that is naturally appealing and on you, with those blue eyes, it will be that much more attractive. Be careful, though, as blue lovers are susceptible to flattery, so don’t let the admiration of those former cheerleaders and beauty queens go to your head.

Curious as to which color he chose?  You’ll find the answer at the end of Part 2.

Jake’s entire story can be found on Entrepreneur magazine’s blog Daily Dose.

Jake Finally Learns What A Color Strategist Does (Part I)
Jake Finally Learns What A Color Strategist Does (Part II)

I took a lot away from yesterday’s inauguration… the excitement of those around me as I watched the ceremony from a friend’s home- the glamour, tradition and pageantry of the momentous celebration, history being made before my eyes… and of course some basic color theories at work.

The reactions of my fellow party-goers as they openly chatted about the colors being worn yesterday were all I needed to hear to get me thinking about why people react to colors the way that they do.  How can they dislike a color at first,  slowly warm up to it after awhile and then by the end of the morning be downright protective of it?

Here’s the whole color mystery mapped out and some colorful ideas behind why some pairings made beautiful music together while others simply hit a sour note and in the end were nothing short of a clash of the color titans!

It was clear quite almost immediately that not everyone loved Michelle Obama’s Lemongrass ensemble.  I heard a lot of “Yuck!”, “What color is it anyway?” and “That’s a hard color to wear” roll off the lips of those in the crowd.

I on the other hand was intrigued by her choice.  The color is trendy, fresh, young and gutsy- and best of all completely unexpected.  I think it speaks volumes to her obvious love of fashion.  I liked the retro feel of the dress, the jeweled neckline, the lace and daytime sparkle are all so very ‘now’.

Later once the green gloves and shoes were revealed, I could slowly feel people starting to get more comfortable with the color. The addition of the darker green helped to distinguish the dress and coat as clearly being a yellow with strong green undertones- putting everyone a little more at ease with the color.  Michelle, on the other hand couldn’t have seemed any more confident with her choice.

President Obama had his own interesting color choices going on.  With change in power came a change in tie color.  The signature purple, which had won him so much attention during the campaign (and seemed to spurn a trend with other politicians and newsman alike) was upstaged today by a tie that was ruby red as he officially stepped into power.

For the walk down Pennsylvania Ave. the President added a deep red-violet scarf. It’s blue undertones were just enough to complement rather than clash with Michelle’s outfit.  Funny enough one of his signature purple or blue ties would have really looked great with Michelle’s yellow/green- but since the catch word of the day is CHANGE, his switch to a new color was right on trend as well!

Bill and Hilary illustrate this complementary color scheme- and look how happy they are about it!

There was no arguing from anyone that the Malia and Sasha looked adorable.

Sasha is my new fashion hero, mixing pink, orange a bright red together- love it!

Interestingly enough, when the girls joined their mother on the steps of the Capitol I heard a lot of compliments on how the three looked so beautiful together, suddenly no one was complaining about Michelle’s color choice.

Could it be because the three together were in complete color harmony?

Now this is where it get’s interesting… When the swearing in and speeches are all said and done and the Bidens joined the Obamas to give a friendly wave good bye to George and Laura as they helicoptered off into the sunset.  Suddenly an array of ‘gasps’ go through the crowd over how the two woman’s colors seem to clash with each other.  I heard someone exclaim, “Oh no, someone is going to be in trouble!  Why didn’t they coordinate their colors?… What a fashion faux-pas!”

I was shocked by just how adamant some of the women felt at Jill Biden’s choice of a tomato red coat.  While they may not have immediately fallen in love with the color that our new First Lady was wearing, one thing was sure.  Everyone agreed that it was meant to be ‘her’ day and no one, most especially the Vice President’s wife should be wearing a clashing color or upstaging her.

On a side bar- this reminded me of an episode of a wedding reality show I caught one late night not long ago…. where the mother-in-law insisted on wearing a bright red gown to her son’s wedding much to the chagrin of her future daughter-in-law and bridal party who were all set to wear dark burgundies and black.  There was no convincing her otherwise and I’m sure you can image who was the center of attention in all of those wedding photos, but I digress…

Unfortunately their color choices seem to intensify each other- making these two beautiful women- at least for a moment- rather hard to look at.

Now I realize that power red is super popular in the realm of Washington D.C. and that Mrs. Biden’s choice was rather a traditional one.  And yes this particular shade of red was seen on the runways for Spring and yes she looks quit hip in her sexy boots.  Even with all that being said there are some unspoken rules of protocol that are expected.

Mrs. Biden obviously knew she was going to rock it out in red later that evening in her Reem Acra strapless gown.  Look at those arms- you know she worked out like a fiend to get ready for this night!  (She’s now my second new hero.)

Which to me is even more reason why she should have chosen a more muted color to wear during the day.

But I totally understand there are days when sometimes we get in the mood for one color, and one color only!  Jill, in the great political words of former President Clinton- “I feel your pain”.

In fact, Mrs. Biden, you could have easily gotten away with wearing red had you chosen a hue that complemented the Lemongrass color.  A better choice would have been a dark or mid-tone red-violet ( much like the President’s scarf), instead of this brighter red-orange.  A deep violet would have been a perfectly gorgeous complementary choice and I think with your coloring you would look oh-so pretty in a blue/purple or dusty lavender coat.  Any of these choices would have kept you on trend and looking like a stand out/ knock out- while still being in complete harmony with Michelle.

Thank goodness Laura Bush knew exactly what to wear.  Even if she was craving a brighter color (plenty of time for that now back out on the ranch), she had the social grace to select a color that would not draw attention away from the woman of the hour.  Her soft dove gray next to Michelle’s lemongrass make for a seamless transition of power (as do the color cues from the former and the current president’s ties!).

Fortunately military personal stepped in to keep this clash of power colors far enough apart to protect us all… at least from getting a headache.

What have I learned… well for 1 (one) as much as I like to tell people that color rules no longer matter in fashion I have to remember that sometimes they still do and 2 (two) is how joyous we should all be over the fact that the only color issue facing the Obama’s in Washington D.C. today is that of lesson one (1.)!!!!!!!

Photos from AP and Getty

1.Henna Pillow $59.95 2.Moroccan Oranment $6.95 3.Lacquer Tray $29.95 4.Fu Dog Bookends $49.95 5.Script Desk Lamp $59.95 6.Burst Rug $299 7. Folio Storage $16.95-$49.95 8.Tessuto Throw $39.95

I think any of these would be a great way to add a little ‘pop’ of color to a room and help to brighten up what is looking to be a very early and bitter cold winter season!

According to all the self help experts… you must love yourself before you can truly love another…right?

Sounds to me like a great excuse to show yourself the love- treat yourself to a little something special that says “I won’t wear my heart on my sleeve…but I will wear it on my shoes and bags!”

You’ll be stylishly feeling the amore all season long!

(from top to bottom) handbag from DKNY, Oscar de la Renta heart and ikat flats, lips hair comb from Azzaro, broken heart slippers from Stubbs and Wooten, sunglasses by Cutler and Gross, Flirtatious perfume from Flirt!, Geri gold and diamond lip necklace, Moschino heart bag, YSL flip flops and lip shoes by Christian Loubitin

all photos from Elle.com

Nevertheless the red roses, candies and cards inevitably show up on store shelves almost immediately after the Christmas and Hanukah decorations are put on clearance and shortly after our New Year’s resolutions are on their way out…

We always hear about the love stories, the cards and even the heartbreak, but what about the hue that has forever been tied to February 14th? Why red? Why not blue or green or purple?

According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and author of “Color: Messages and Meanings,” red is the most viscerally alive hue. It is the symbolic color of the heart, strong-willed and expresses emotion. Red is linked to love and passion, and is the most physical color in the spectrum. Physiologically, red is the call to the adrenaline glands to get the body and senses activated.

Word association studies invariably show red to be perceived as the most sensual of all the colors – a perfect hue for a day traditionally set aside for people to express their love for one another.

So whether you dread Single Awareness Day or embrace that certain someone on the national day of love, you can at least dress the part and know why.

Sweater set from JCrew

Today is the beginning of the fifteen day Lunar New Year (aka Chinese New Year) celebration in Asian communities worldwide.

Red for good fortune and happiness along with gold for wealth are the auspicious colors of the New Year.

“Fu” is one of the most popular characters used during the New Year, often times hung upside down on the front door of a home to mean “good luck came”

While it is easy to understand the association of gold with wealth, there is no single explanation of how red became associated with good fortune and good luck. Though all of the stories are equally colorful, my favorite ( and most widely known ) is the one about Nian.

The story tells of a beast known as Nian who would come either down from the mountains or up from the sea ( depending on what part of Asia you are in ) to devoured humans on the Eve of the New Year. In order to keep Nian away, people would put red-paper with messages (couplets) around their doors as it was thought that Nian so feared the color red that the monster would be scared away for another year. On New Year’ Day people would greet each other by saying “gong xi fa cai”, or “congratulations” for having kept the evil monster away.

The tradition of placing red signs or putting a fresh coat of red paint on doors and windows prior to New Years day still exist today.

“Gung Hay Fat Choy!” translates Congratulations on Good Fortune

“Lai See” or red envelopes and the tradition of stuffing of crisp bills inside to give to single young adults, children and employees is a gesture meant to bring the recepient good luck and good health in the upcoming year. Interestingly the amount of the money given should be of an even number, since giving odd amounts of money are associated with funerals.

Traditional Lai sees have characters of good fortune on the front. These red envelopes can be found at Old Shanghai Online

The dance of the dragon and the dance of the lion are always part of a New Year’s parade, the dances are believed to ward off evil and bring good fortune and health in the new year

I highly recommend you take part in the cultural experience of a traditional Chinese New Year parade… I’ll never forget stumbling upon my first one, quite unexpectedly upon moving to Manhattan. It is one loud colorful and super fun way to spend an afternoon!

NYC Chinatown annual parade will be held on Sunday Februrary 10th from 1- 5 pm

Chicago Chinatown parade will also be held this Sunday from 1-5 pm

The San Francisco Chinatown parade is Sunday February 23 from 5:30-8 pm

The Lantern Festival

The 15th day of the new year, called the Lantern Festival marks the end of the new year festivities. The celebration takes place at night with red lanterns displayed throughout towns and children carrying red lanterns in a parade.

There are so many interesting traditions and symbolism associated with this time of year, check out this article to learn even more.

Interested in finding out all about your animal birth sign? This fun article about Chinese horoscopes will have you reading up on everyone you know.

Then add a little “good fortune” style to your life- by checking out my favorite Chinese goodies resource Pearl River.

Thanks to a post on How About Orange I found these Chinese New Year decorations from HP that you can download and printout.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Shanghai wallpaper from Jaima Brown Home

Red creates the perfect accent for any space when paired with timeless neutrals like brown or cream.

In the 18th century red garlands and scarves were part of cultural wedding ceremonies. Chinese brides wore a traditional Kwa; a heavily embroidered formal wedding gown in red and Greek brides wore red veils, which is still customary today.

In ancient history, wearing a red painted amulet, ruby or garnet supposedly made one invincible. Red signifies love, fertility, strength, good fortune, and happiness. We often see red front doors on the outside of homes across America, instilling the influence of Feng Shui.

Persia wallpaper from Jaima Brown Home

RED demands attention, revitalize your home with the dramatic allure of color and pattern through the magic of wallpaper using a design like our lively Shanghai and Persia designs.

Find inspiRED wallpaper and home accessories at Jaima Brown Home online

Valentino, the designer whose name is as synonymous with the color red as it is with fashion, took his final bow from the catwalk this past week in Paris following his Spring Couture show.

His departure comes in the middle of what could be called the “year of Valentino”. A year that has included a 3 day extravagant 45th anniversary celebration in Rome this past summer, followed by a beautiful retrospective of his work featuring over 300 of his designs, the filming of a hip-indie documentary to be released about him this spring, the planning of yet another retrospective in Paris slated for the summer of 2008, and to top it all off being awarded the Grand Medaille de Vermeil de Ville de Paris just this past week (that’s the medal of honorary Paris citizenship to you and me).

Not a bad way to go out for the 75 year old Italian who has spent the last four and a half decades dressing the world’s most famous women- literally from Jackie O. to J.Lo.

His final show, which took place on the grounds of the Rodin Museum, included all the glamour and femininity one has come to expect from the designer who has always been thought of as the epitome of elegance. His swan’s song-a sea of his iconic red, as 30 beautiful models flooded the runway all wearing the same red gown amidst images of red dresses projected onto the sides of the tent covering the star studded audience.

His spectacular departure from fashion this week got me wanting to know more about him. After all, we are sort of known for being interested in color around here, and I realized I knew very little about Valentino or how his fascination with the color red came to be.

I must first mention that Valentino’s rise to uber-fame came in the 1960’s without an ounce of red fabric in sight. In fact, the designer warned the American buyers in the late 60’s with the quote ” I am a non-color man”. His 1968 collection, which was comprised of only shades of white ( ecru, ivory, pale beige ), was a huge hit amongst jet setters and fashion editors alike- establishing him as a force in fashion.

It wasn’t until the late 1970’s that Valentino would first discover his love of the color red, or rosso valentino, as it is now often referred to.

Here the story gets a little fuzzy… as I found three different scenarios of this “aha” moment. All three have Valentino visiting Barcelona…. the first suggests he was at the circus and spotted the color, the second is that he was at the Opera and was enchanted by a red costumed diva, and the third that it was on this trip that he first meet editor-extraordinaire Diane Vreeland who infected him with her love (and also signature color) of red.

Whatever the events, the color had a strong impact on his aesthetic from there on out.

“Red has guts…. deep, strong, dramatic. A geranium red. A Goya red…. to be used like gold for furnishing a house… for clothes, it is strong, like black and white” he said.

“Women usually prefer to wear black at events because it makes them feel safe, however, if there’s one woman wearing red, she will inevitably be the eye-catcher of the evening. It’s as though the room is suddenly illuminated- simply perfect for a grand-entrance”.

From then on Valentino used red in his collection to symbolize ” the power of femininity”, and in the age of disco and economical distress it all seemed to make sense.

Funny enough as the 80’s rolled in, women wearing red quickly took on another meaning. Remember Nancy Reagan in her red suits, more powerhouse than demure first lady. The culture was changing and women in the workforce took to wearing the color red not so much to symbolize “the power of femininity”, but to shout out “the power of equality” to their male counterparts.

Throughout this Valentino remained steady and never faltered with his visions. His love of a luxurious silhouette survived through the 80’s gender-bending punk trend ( which he basically found beyond distasteful), and as the 90’s were ushered in with the monochromatic pales of Calvin Klein (sound familiar) and the grunge inspired street wear of Marc Jacobs all the rage… his red dress remained.

Now with the return of elegance once again at the height of fashion, Valentino seems to be ending his career very much where he started it, some 45 years earlier.

But does this mark the end of the Valentino “red dress”?

No doubt the label will go on, already Alessandra Facchinetti formally of Gucci, has been named as Valentino’s women’s collection successor.

But will the timeless, elegance forever associated with the label remain?

In a business where constant evolution is seen as good, Valentino always held strong to his simple belief that a women should be dressed elegantly at all times- he was even often heard bashing other designers whose over-the-top designs drew attention, but left the customer with little to wear.

And what about the iconic red dress? The “look” we always knew would show up at some point each season? Will it remain?

Well fashion is a fickle place, and those who drive it are often more interested in creating the next great trend than keeping alive an iconic classic. I suppose we will just have to wait and see… and keep our “rosso valentino” fingertips crossed!

Photo credits:

• Photo of “Valentino Retrospective” Jason Schmidt, New York Times
• Runway photo, getty images
• Vintage Valentino from historyoffashion.com
• Book cover image from amazon.com
• Couture 2008 photo from style.com
• Valentino with red dresses from madeinitaly.com