The red carpet premiere of Drew Barrymore’s Going the Distance in Los Angeles was a glamorous affair.  The actress scored major points in her strapless Malandrino gown; her shimmering brocade dress boasted a demure frontal slit.  It was paired with a Balmain belt with gold side panels that highlighted the golden sheen in the dress.   A pair of YSL platform shoes in a complementary color completed the trifecta; all three came together to make one stunning look.  The dress had the starring role, it flattered Barrymore’s figure, hair and skintone.  A dress works when the woman looks confident and comfortable in it, and this one accomplished both tasks.

Rihanna covers the July issue of Elle magazine.  The singer wears a gold and purple sequin mini dress that looks to be from Balmain’s fall 2010 collection.  Her cover was shot by photographer Tom Munro.  She opens up about her music, her thoughts on fashion, new love and past troubles.  Regarding her album art she states, “[I] wanted pictures that represented strength and fearlessness but still femininity—a strong woman who can be vulnerable.  Every woman is made up of vulnerability and strength; no matter what race you are, no matter what you’ve been through in your life.  Every woman has that strength that is undeniable, but we also have really big hearts.  It’s just us.”  Those are very empowering words from a 22-year old who has experienced so much in the last year.  Be sure to pick up your copy when it hits newsstands on Tuesday, June 15th. 

Cameron Diaz is on the cover of Vogue UK’s July issue.  It coincides with Diaz’ summer movie, Knight and Day with Tom Cruise.  The actress is simply stunning in a white T-Shirt and gold sequined Balmain jacket.  Her golden blonde hair accessorizes perfectly with the jacket.  Photographer Regan Cameron shot the cover that manages to be soft and pretty even with the fabulous bling of Balmain.  The cover girl has built a career as the wholesome California surfer girl with an uncanny ability to get Hollywood glam.  Regan Cameron has captured that in this Vogue cover.

My fantasy dress pick for the 2010 Oscars would have been this Balmain Fall 2010 runway look worn by Kate Hudson.  Alas, neither the gown nor Ms. Hudson were present last night.

The Olympics may be over, but that did not stop Balmain from going for gold.  Their Autumn/Winter 2010 collection revealed plunging necklines and micro length hemlines.  Both gowns and short dresses had slits that stopped almost at the hip bone.  Metallics are a house favorite, and it was served up hot this season.  It was signature Balmain.  The models strutted down the catwalk to old school hip hop.  Embellishments were plentiful, and there was great attention to detail.  Beautifully beaded gowns, dresses and pants made their way from the runway, and into our fantasy closets.  Pairing the gowns and dresses with laced up boots was a good call, it managed to give the collection an edgy vibe instead of merely a pretty aesthetic.  There was only one military jacket on the runway, yet I could not shake a military presence throughout the collection.   Exaggerated shoulders updated the looks to 2010, and it may have been those shoulders that had the models at attention.  The Balmain girl will be excited about her options this coming fall because she will be shimmering gold.  Though before fall, she might have to make a stop on the red carpet for the Oscars on Sunday; there were a few dresses in this collection that were meant for that runway.

Balmain wowed us with a collection that appeared to be inspired by the Roman army for spring 2010.  The first thought upon seeing the models on the runway was of Mark Antony, of Cleopatra not Jennifer Lopez.  Some of the looks reminded me of the protective metal suits worn by the Roman military; they were shiny and festive in metallics of gold, pewter, and rust.  The metallics were paired with leather and that made for an explosion on the runway.  It was so explosive that most of the looks were torn and tattered, but in the most stylish manner.  One of the best thing about fashion is that it is subject to interpretation, and this collection really got us thinking.  It is a youthful and rocking collection.  Who wouldn’t want to be a Balmain girl come spring? 

What a day!  We lost the ‘King of Pop’, Michael Jackson, and Fashion Rollcall names him to our Rollcall list.  He died of an apparent heart attack today, and the shock of his death cannot be overstated.  Now Michael Jackson was a trendsetter; he went from the signature one glove, glittered socks, leather jacket from Thriller video, to his recent love affair with Balmain jackets.  He was an original.  Talk about an end to an era.  For better or worse, there will never be another Michael Jackson.  He was a music and style icon who was beloved worldwide.  The ‘King of Pop’ will be missed.