Dress For Wedding

Stefano Gabbana Slammed on Instagram for Dressing Melania Trump ― And She Resembled His SS ’11 Campaign

Dolce & Gabbana co-founder Stefano Gabbana is not going to let political ideology get in the way of a fashion statement.

“BoycottDolceGabbana please,” the designer captioned an image of Melania Trump wearing a bespoke dress from the luxury fashion house today after critics on social media slammed his unwavering support of the first lady.

“Isn’t it weird? Yesterday at 11pm we had 13,7MLN followers…today at 12am after all the people saying ‘unfollowing you’ we have 13,7MLN,” he continued to fire back in another Instagram photo, of which he compared a composite of D&G’s social media account followers today and Tuesday.

The official Instagram page for Dolce & Gabbana shared five consecutive posts of Melania dressed in the label over two days, directly from the co-founder’s personal account.

Melania has been traveling alongside President Trump during his first overseas trip to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Vatican City and Belgium.

Gabbana called her a “DG Woman” and openly expressed: “Thank you,” he wrote, adding hearts in many of the captions.

Melania served as an apt muse for Gabbana today during a meeting with Pope Francis in Vatican City. The first lady brought to life the brand’s spring 2011 campaign infused with Catholic iconography, shot by Steven Klein ― a dramatic scene of women dressed in all black with lace mantillas and striking emotional express. Alongside Ivanka Trump, who was also clad in similar style with a veil, the resemblance to the pictorial was uncanny.

Earlier in April, when the first lady’s official portrait was unveiled, Gabbana shared on Instagram that he was delighted to see her in his label.

However, designers such as Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs and Christian Siriano have publicly stated that they do not want Melania to wear their clothes.

“Unfortunately, it really doesn’t have anything to do with her, but she is representing what’s happening politically, and what’s happening politically right now is not really good for anyone,” Siriano explained in a Time interview in April.

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A Playful Fall Flat From Malone Souliers

Week of May 22

Who said designer sketches should be used only at the start of the shoemaking process? Malone Souliers has updated its Robyn flat for fall ’17 with playful doodles, presented as colorful embroidery on leather. The rough stick figures hark back to a childlike innocence, while also referencing Chinese pictograms.

Week of May 8

Best known for its summer sandals, Bernardo is wading deeper into the rainboot market this fall with a series of hip Chelseas. Its back-laced Paige style, done in the season’s pervasive shade of pink, is sure to take city streets by storm.

Week of April 17

Opposites not only attract but make for an attractive pairing. Take, for instance, Tibi’s fall ’17 crushed-velvet Zuri pump in a shocking shade of pink. “I love the juxtaposition of sharp tailoring worn with a shoe style that is its polar opposite,” said founder and creative director Amy Smilovic.

Week of April 10

The harshest conditions in the world are no match for Red Wing’s fall ’17 BRNR XP boot. The 6-inch work style is outfitted with a lightweight nano composite toe cap for intense protection and a slip-resistant Griptek sole that can take workers from the mine shaft to the oil rig ― and everywhere in between.

Week of April 3

Supra has a fresh look for skateboarders when they’ve left the board behind. The brand’s Scissor sneaker, new for fall ’17, pairs a casual running aesthetic with performance skate design. Executed with rubber landing pads and a plush Suprafoam midsole, the shoe will hit stores in several eye-catching colorways.

Week of March 27

The classic ballerina has never been so captivating. For fall ’17, French Sole New York elevated its popular ballet flat with a 2 1/2-inch block heel covered in hammered gold. For extra panache, the Trance X pump is adorned with ultra-soft Spanish velvet for a look that could grace any palace ballroom.

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Say it ain't so.

Reebok is officially cashing in on the male romper trend by launching their own version of the style, which the brand has dubbed the "ReeRomper."

Unlike its counterpart, the RompHim, the athleticwear brand's two ReeRomp styles are more athleisure than bachelor party chic, with elements like a hood, cargo pockets and a half-zip opening.

"While the trending men’s romper is designed for the preppy guy, the Reebok ReeRomp is the solution for the trendsetter on the go," reads a statement on Reebok's website. The style will utilize the brand's "ACTIVCHILL" technology (which is a cooling technical fabric, not the opposite of "Netflix and Chill") and is suggested attire for such activities as running errands, attending festivals and "lounging by the resort pool."

Said designer Eun Jung Park, "Guys can wear rompers too." OK.

Whereas RompHim's seersucker Fourth of July edition of the style pairs best with a beard and a koozie full of booze, the more streamlined ReeRomp is "simple and sleek"; Reebok recommends styling the romper "with a clean pair of kicks like the Reebok Classic Leather, a pair of cool sunglasses or a hat to top off the outfit."

The ReeRomp is clearly being marketed as Reebok's unpreppy alternative to the RompHim, which has made more than $230,000 on its Kickstarter page in less than four days. However, the ReeRomp retails for only $89 compared to the RompHim's $119. The ReeRomp will also be available to the public sooner, with a mid-June release date compared to RompHim's July/August expected delivery.

Perhaps RompHim's tagline is right ― this is the beginning of a menswear revolution.

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Who will design Pippa Middleton's wedding dress?

On Saturday morning, at around 11.30am depending on whether she exercises her prerogative to be late Pippa Middleton will arrive at St Mark’s Church in the idyllic village of Englefield, and the mystery that has occupied the fashion world for months will finally be solved.

Will Middleton be wearing a classically elegant wedding dress, following in the footsteps of her big sister, the Duchess of Cambridge? Will she play on the bucolic setting and opt for a romantically bohemian style? Or will she use this as a chance to set modern wedding dress trends again, as she inadvertently did when she wore that slinky Alexander McQueen design at the royal wedding in 2011?

Ever since Middleton’s engagement to millionaire hedge-fund manager James Matthews was announced last July, speculation about the identity of the designer has abounded.

Last November, British couturier Giles Deacon renowned for his dramatic, beautiful couture designs was seen visiting Middleton at home, carrying an armful of dress bags. While he still seems to be the current favourite, the bride is reported to have held meetings with many other designers, and yet more were asked to submit sketches of their ideas.

Deacon would be an inspired but unexpected choice. In 2011, he was the mastermind behind the non-royal wedding dress of the year the strapless, tiered skirt creation worn by model and TV presenter Abbey Clancy at her marriage to footballer Peter Crouch. That aside, Deacon is best known in fashion circles for his opulent red-carpet gowns, which are often inspired by dark fairy tales and worn by the likes of Cate Blanchett, Sarah Jessica Parker and his girlfriend, the Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie.

Last year, Deacon moved away from showing at London Fashion Week to concentrate on his couture business, meaning he would have the time and skillset to dedicate to the Middleton project. And it sounds as if he’s a fan. “I think they’ve both got divine style,” Deacon told Hello! of Kate and Pippa last year. “They’re thoroughly modern girls promoting British brands and looking fantastic.”

No matter who Middleton has picked to create her wedding dress, there are certain unique demands that the designer will have to contend with. “A large amount of publicity around a wedding adds even more pressure on a dress to be absolutely perfect,” says Phillipa Lepley, creator of wedding dresses for Geri Halliwell and Jacqui Ainsley, the model wife of director Guy Ritchie.

“One constant, though, is that brides tend to choose something more traditional in the end, even if they liked the idea of going down a different route at the start of their search,” she adds. Pippa, with her preference for a relatively “safe” style in her everyday life, could plausibly follow this path.

“‘Nice’ girls tend to play it safe when going down the aisle,” confirms Sophia Money-Coutts, features director at Tatler. “The Kate Middleton look lace sleeves, nipped-in waist is still hugely popular with posh girls. But Pippa will want it to be different, so we don’t all go, ‘How boring, she’s copied her sister.’”

Still, there is a long list of British couturiers who could cater to the traditional brief. Besides Lepley herself, Suzannah (designed by Suzannah Crabb) and worn frequently by Pippa, or Jenny Packham (a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge) would be elegant choices. Middleton is also believed to have visited Theresa May’s favourite, Amanda Wakeley, who has a bridal collection encompassing everything from sleek, bias-cut styles to grand, churchworthy looks, all combining classic sophistication with a soupçon of modernity.

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Almost twenty years and over four dozen drama serials into his career, Ahsan Khan has finally arrived. The character that will go down in history to define him: Imtiaz Sheikh, a child molester in drama serial Udaari. Call it fate but for an actor who has spent a better part of his life painting himself in all shades of chocolate-hero goodness, it’s ironic that the one stand out role has been absolutely black. It’s ironic and just as much, if not more, impressive.

Given the level of risk involved in portraying a controversial character that had the potential to attract all sorts of criticism, we must acknowledge Ahsan for taking up the challenge. It wasn’t an easy decision but one that eventually paid off with the awards and accolades he received for it, amongst which the most coveted was the Lux Style Award for Best TV Actor. When he talks of the success of his character, however, he talks about the awareness it managed to create amongst the masses. Child molestation, rape and abuse are evils that lurk in the dark shadows of all sects of society and for the actor, his biggest achievement was to break the taboo and draw attention to them on television.

“I think my character in Udaari was even more impactful because of the roles I’ve done in the past,” Ahsan Khan reflected as we sat down to talk about the last one career defining year in his life. “It has been a learning process. I was able to pull off this role because of the characters I have played in the past. My character in Udaari was received well and proved to be a benchmark only because of the kind of goody boy image I had created on television otherwise. Viewers were amazed to see me in a completely unusual role.”

The good boy image is not restricted to the characters Ahsan has played over the course of his career though. It also reflects in the way he articulates himself. In person and away from the glare of the proverbial spotlight, Ahsan is neither intimidating nor arrogant. If anything, he is forthcoming and remains one of the more approachable actors in the field. It is also easy to note the remarkable shift that has come in the actor after the unprecedented success of Udaari. With dozens of TV productions to his credit, he has now chosen to become selective about his work unlike an year ago when he was appearing in one production after another. It seems that Ahsan is clear about the power of quality over quantity.

“I’m not doing any plays now and sitting at home. This is what Udaari has done to me,” Ahsan laughed while sipping his coffee. “I was very young when I entered the field. At that point I was in a rush to achieve something, to become a hero. But gradually I learnt from my mistakes and started to evaluate my work. I feel a sense of contentment after doing Udaari. I have been offered several scripts since then but the roles haven’t appealed to me. I found them to be generic.”

Post-Udaari, Ahsan feels that the role of artists is not just to entertain the audience but also includes shedding light on subjects that are shoved in the corner. He will do commercials for the sake of good money but the actor maintains that a certain balance must be found between what sells commercially and what will bring social issues to the limelight.

“Being an actor it is my responsibility to not just think about myself but also give back to society,” he said. “If I’m doing four plays for myself, I would like to take up a project that is solely for the betterment of society. This is important to keep the actor in me satisfied which is my major goal and for that I often compromise on money too.”

As Ahsan talked about giving back to society, I asked him if he feels an actor should be politically relevant. A case in point is his acceptance speech during the Lux Style Awards 2017 in which he spoke about Mashal Khan.

“It goes without saying that one cannot be blind to what’s happening around them,” Ahsan observed. “If the society you live in is affected in any way, you cannot simply ignore it and move on. It all comes from home. The way I’ve been raised, if I see anyone suffering I will definitely help them. I don’t care if I sound politically correct or not but one has to be vigilant and should not shy away from speaking on matters that affect people. People look up to us and we should speak up for their issues. In fact we all should work in this direction especially when we see that our politicians aren’t willing to bring about any change.”

Having spent years in the world of acting, Ahsan maintained that television has mass appeal because of which it has the power to impart strong messages and spread awareness. However, he is critical of some of the things that pass off as entertainment on TV channels in Pakistan including the terrible morning shows that seem to be all about getting married.

“Most of the content that is shown on our television is regressive. Most morning shows only talk about marriage while news-based talk shows feature politicians bickering over one issue or another in belligerent fashion. TV dramas, on the other hand, revolve around weeping willows and how dependent women are on their male counterparts.

These issues are relevant to our society but don’t overdo it. Where has our art and culture gone? Where has the celebration of our poetry gone? It is essential to instill some sense in your people by giving them something meaningful to watch.”

Udaari was one of the few plays that attempted to spread awareness and change the way people perceive the concept of ‘child abuse’. It was followed by quite a few socially relevant plays that took up themes like child marriage (Mera Kya Qasoor Tha) and society’s discriminatory attitude towards transgender community (Khuda Mera Bhi Hai). However, they failed to maintain the sensitivity of the subject and ended up sensationalizing it.

“If you sensationalize rape or the birth of a transgender, the essence is lost,” Ahsan asserted. “There’s a thin line in between that one has to be very careful about while highlighting a tough subject. It needs to be handled with care and the ultimate goal should be to spread awareness. A solution should be provided at the end.”

This reminds one of actor-comedian Yasir Hussain’s offensive remarks regarding Udaari at the recently held Hum Awards. Referring to Ahsan Khan, he had said, “Itna khoobsurat child molester, kaash mein bhi bacha hota.”

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