The new Gucci Resort 2011 ad campaign has been revealed, and it features model Raquel Zimmermann.  It has a pool of water the color of turquoise that will transport you to a warmer and far more sensual time.  This is all about the accessories - bags, shoes and sunglasses on beautiful models emitting tons of heat, not necessarily from the sun.  The ad gives us hope that winter will eventually give way to warmer weather, and when it does, we will need strappy sandals and sunnies to make it all better.

Amy Adams covers the January 2011 issue of Marie Claire.  The actress was daring in a low-cut Gucci ensemble with peek-a-boo cut-outs.  This dress has a black long-sleeved top and emerald green skirt, and it was fresh from the Spring 2011 collection.  Her strawberry blond hair held picture perfect curls, and her makeup was soft and pretty; hair and makeup balanced a more provocative outfit.  This was indeed a sexier side of Amy who stars alongside Mark Wahlberg in the upcoming, Fighter. 

Jennifer Lopez and her children star in the ad campaign for Gucci’s new children’s line.  Ms. Lopez looks right at home on the beach with twins Emme and Max.  She looks beautiful as she works the camera alongside the two new faces of this campaign.  The family that works and plays together, stays together.  I’m thinking two little stars have been born.

Gucci was all about bright colors, textures, patterns and leather for Spring 2011.  In a season of neutrals, the bright colors were refreshing.  This was unexpected, but absolutely welcomed.  Sure the neutrals maintained a strong position in the collection, but the oranges, purples, greens and turquoises were loud enough to be heard.  The tailoring remained impeccable and each piece just as desirable.  This collection appeared to have had ethnic influences that made it even richer and more dynamic.  It’s  sexy with a restrained hand.

Sexy people on a car in the desert generating enough heat to scorch the sun is the one way to describe the Fall 2010 Gucci ad campaign.  Raquel Zimmermann, Joan Smalls and Nikola Jovanovic turned up the temperature for photographers Mert and Marcus.  The label understood that the only way to sell the fall collection in 100 degree weather was to simulate our current environment.  Now, if only we could all look so impossibly chic in the heat.

Robert Pattinson in Gucci

Kristen Stewart in Elie Saab

Dakota Fanning in Elie Saab

Twilight Eclipse premiered last night, and the stars made an eye-opening fashion impact.  Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning took top honors in Gucci and Elie Saab respectively.  Rob wore a maroon colored Gucci suit that was fitted to perfection.  The color choice was risky, but this vampire totally made it work.

Then there was Kristen Stewart in a white one-shoulder Elie Saab dress.  It was a sexy look that sparkled with a daring cut-out in the back.  Her look was young and rocking, and a great choice for the evening.

Dakota Fanning also wore an Elie Saab dress.  Her dress was a nude one-shoulder look that was young and flirty.  It was also a little more modest than Kristen’s, and very befitting for her age. 

They each got it right at the premiere.  It appears young Hollywood is maturing before our eyes, at least in their fashion choices.  Oh, and if you were wondering, I’m Team Edward!

Gucci held its spring 2011 menswear runway show in Milan ealier this week.  There were a mixture of suits, casual slacks, blazers, leather jackets and denim in the collection.  The pants were sexy in a slim cut and we saw plenty of shorts, but the accessories stole the show.  Spring 2011 may become known as the season of man bags, and Gucci had a lot of them. 

Salma Hayek had the honor of wearing the first Gucci couture gown on the red carpet.  The actress wore the gown to the movie premiere of Robin Hood at Cannes Film Festival.  She was accompanied by her husband Francois-Henri Pinalt, who happens to be the CEO of PPR, the owner of Gucci Group.  Salma looks stunning in the “floor length bordeaux silk georgette one shoulder gown with hip, back and shoulder drape detail [that] also features deep red crystal embroidery at the shoulder and waist,” as described by the company.  We have anecdotal evidence  the couture market is no longer a thriving business.  The closing of Christian Lacroix’s Couture House, and just a couple of weeks ago Oscar de la Renta stated  ”[c]outure has become completely irrelevant.”  Fortunately for Gucci, Hollywood stars still walk the red carpet and they bring a massive amount of publicity to the couture houses.  Having a famous movie star like Salma Hayek as your muse definitely has its perks.

Survival of the Finest [WSJ]

 We are inching closer and closer to a Tom Ford womenswear launch for fall 2011.  We are also learning that all is fair in love and fashion. Ford has hired womenswear designer Caroline Tixier from Givenchy, and accessories designer Pablo Coppola from Alexander McQueen.  It appears he wants nothing, but the best for his ready-to-wear line.  The fashion world has been anticipating this launch for years, and there is a lot of excitement.  Hiring designers from two of the top fashion houses in Europe will only add to the buzz that usually surrounds a Tom Ford project.  What will the well-dressed man send down the runway to satisfy the well-dressed woman?  That will be the question on the industry’s lips until the line is unveiled.  Everyone expects him to recreate the magic he made at Gucci, and from this latest move, he intends to.

Tom Ford Secretly Poaching McQueen and Givenchy for His Own Women’s Design Team  [The Cut]

It was a story of translucent lace and feathers at Gucci’s Fall 2010 runway show.  Sure the design house also showcased their signature looks, you know, that polished put together Gucci girl.  Then those gave way to sheer lace.  They definitely turned up the volume on sexy in this collection.  The first looks were clean monochromatic, almost pristine sportswear.  It had all the luxury we would expect from Gucci.  Silks, wool, leather, and fur were among the first half of the looks.  Those were clearly the daytime looks because they were the polar opposites of the latter looks that got progressively more risque.  During the evening looks the lace, feathers, sequins and embellishments made their debut.  It was like a striptease, but it was a slow and sensual unveiling.  The models started totally covered up, then they shed layers of clothes to reveal more skin.  There should have been a warning label on the lace dresses because they were hot enough make you blush.  The first looks and color palette were very conservative with taupe, gray, brown, concrete, tan, camel and black.   As far as the accessories went, my heart fluttered at first glimpse of the thigh-high suede boots; it was love at first sight.  Other accessories included shoes, bags, belts and sunglasses, and most of those will be on many ‘must have’ lists come fall.