Saturday, August 6, 2011

the best American fashion

Versace, Gucci, Prada ... the names that we hear announced as models walk down the runway are all too often Italian names or the names of other designers who have made their careers in Europe. There is no denying that there are amazing fashion designers in Italy and throughout the rest of Europe. But it shouldn't go unnoticed that there are also some really amazing - and well-known - fashion designers working right here in the United States.

Here is a brief look at ten of the best American fashion designers:

  1. Marc Jacobs is a fashion designer who is well-known for his work with the French fashion house Louis Vuitton. However, Marc Jacobs is an American fashion designer who has produced lines of clothing out of New York which are well-respected in the industry. The fact that he's gone international just points to the truth that there are some great American designers.
  2. Vera Wang is an American fashion designer who is best known for her wedding dress collections. Hers is the kind of name that gets regularly mentioned in pop culture (think Sex and the City or Lipstick Jungle and you'll think Vera Wang). She is also embedded in the culture of Hollywood because of the fact that she has made wedding dresses for a number of celebrities including Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez and Sharon Stone.
  3. Oscar de la Renta is one of those fashion designers that many people have no idea where he came from. He was originally born in the Dominican Republic and he has worked in fashion design all over the world. He is famous for some of the fashion design work that he did throughout Europe. However, if you have to get down to the basics, he is actually an American designer since his citizenship is here.
  4. Calvin Klein is a brand name that has changed a lot of the years. It was first launched as a line of coats for both men and women. It became famous as a brand of jeans that were high-end and oh-so-hot. And these days when you look at a Calvin Klein billboard you are probably going to see a super attractive model in Calvin Klein underwear. Throughout all of these changes, Calvin Klein has remained an American brand name.
  5. Kate Spade is one of the trendiest young designers out there. She is best known for her line of handbags but what is really cool about Kate Spade is that she's got accessories and raincoats and personal organizers and makeup and even a home furnishings collections. She's a do-it-all kind of gal for those DIY girls out there. And she was born in Middle America, working now out of New York.
  6. Ralph Lauren is best known for his Polo collection but he's produced a lot of different designs that always get attention because he is a leading international designer. He is also a designer that works from America and his brand is an American brand. He has over thirty five boutique stores that carry his clothing all over different parts of the United States.
  7. Anna Sui is a fashion designer that we sometimes forget is an American designer because of the fact that her designs are so popular all throughout the world. She has boutiques in a number of different countries and her work is particularly well-known and well-liked in Japan. However, despite this international appeal of her work, Anna Sui is very much an American designer. She was born in Michigan and has had a highly popular boutique store in Los Angeles for more than ten years. In addition to clothing design, Anna Sui has dabbled in shoe design and a fragrance collection.
  8. Donna Karan is the "DK" in the famous American fashion brand "DKNY". She was born in New York and continues to work in aspects of the company that she spent years developing. Her brand is recognized all around the world and is particularly popular here in the United States.
  9. Todd Oldham is a fashion designer born in Texas; what's a more American place than that? He is a unique designer whose most famous work might be the line of clothing that he produced in conjunction with the Batman Forever movie. In addition to his fashion design experience, he has experience in design for the home.
  10. Bill Blass is one of the most famous fashion designers to have ever come out of America and he came right from the heart of the country - Indiana. He has won numerous awards throughout the years for his many designs and even attained a lifetime achievement award at the end of the twentieth century. He died of cancer in 2002 but his designs continue to be important and influential to the industry to this day.

These are just ten of the famous American fashion designers who have done a lot of their best work in America. What they have in common is not just that they are from the United States but that they have chosen to continue to keep their brand an American brand even though they have gained international attention. They may have fans and boutique stores and even additional jobs in other countries but all of these fashion designers remain, at heart, American fashion designers.

In addition to these famous names, there are also thousands of independent fashion designers working in America today. Head to any major urban area in the United States and you will find it easy to find small clothing stores where creative people are putting their clothing designs on the rack for sale to others who like their style. This independent business spirit thrives in America and it allows for the American fashion design scene to differ greatly from the fashion scene of European and other countries throughout the world. The famous American designers cited above are people who give credibility to the American fashion scene but it is all those people working behind the scenes and on a smaller level who really drive the American fashion world!

Kristin Cavallari and fiance Jay Cutler



Kristin Cavallari reportedly won't be walking down the aisle anytime soon.



"She got dumped," a source told People. "She's absolutely devastated. She can't believe this is happening."



Cavallari's representative subsequently confirmed the couple has ended their relationship.

"Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler have ended their relationship," her rep told Life & Style on Monday. "This is a difficult time for them, and they ask you to respect their privacy during this time."

Cavallari is "in shock" about her split with the 28-year-old NFL quarterback, according to the People source.

"She was planning her dream wedding, the date was set, the location -- everything was set," the source added. "She's in shock that the dream wedding she was planning is going to end this way."

Although the reality TV star is apparently crushed over Cutler's decision, she seemingly hasn't been trying to keep the news under wraps. She joined her friends at a Los Angeles lounge this past weekend and was spotted without her engagement ring.

"She was hanging out at a table with Nicky Hilton and Alessandra Ambrosio," another source told People. "She was telling friends how they called off the engagement."

The announcement of the couple's wedding cancellation came just a week after reports that Cavallari and Cutler had posted wedding registries surfaced.

Cutler and Cavallari -- who also appeared on Laguna Beach, MTV's The Hills predecessor, while she was in high school -- got engaged in April when Cutler proposed during a spontaneous vacation to Cabo San Lucas.

The couple began dating last August after they met through Giuliana & Bill star and E! News host Giuliana Rancic.

Harry Potter star Emma Watson

's an awkward time that a lot of women can identify with - when your hair is too short to tie in a ponytail but still long enough to get in the way.

Millionaire Harry Potter star Emma Watson proved she was human after all as she flicked her hair out of her eyes on the streets of Los Angeles yesterday.

The 21-year-old first appeared on the big screen as a long-haired Hermione Granger in 2003.

She kept the trademark brunette tresses throughout the eight instalments before chopping her locks into a pixie-style cut last year.

Happy for some free time: Emma Watson smiled as she dined with friends at a cafe in Santa Monica

Happy for some free time: Emma Watson smiled as she dined with friends at a cafe in Santa Monica

She sported a slicked back style at the world premiere for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in Trafalgar Square last month.

But she now appears to be growing a bob, having not had a haircut for months.

Emma was seen yesterday enjoying some time off as she dining with friends at a cafe in Santa Monica before happily strolling around the beachfront city.

She appeared fresh-faced, wearing a blue and cream scarf over a stripped t-shirt and floaty white skirt.

She added brown sandals, a white purse and a pair of dark Ray Ban-style sunglasses, similar to those seen on several celebrities this summer.

Despite the movie franchise which made her famous coming to an end, Emma still has a string of work commitments.

Fans will next see her on the big screen in My Week with Marilyn, alongside Michelle Williams who plays the title role.

Stylish star: Emma looked relaxed in a floaty skirt and striped t-shirt

Stylish star: Emma looked relaxed in a floaty skirt and striped t-shirt

The movie is based on two books by British filmmaker Colin Clark and it depicts the making of the 1957 film The Prince and the Showgirl.

It focuses on the week Clark escorted Marilyn around after her husband, Arthur Miller, left the country.

She will also be seen in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, due for release next year.

British actress Emma Watson arrives in Trafalgar Square, central London, for the world premiere of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Emma Watson arriving at the 2011 Orange British Academy Film Awards in February
Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Ever-changing: Emma arrived on our screens as long-haired Hermione Granger (right) but chopped her tresses for a pixie bob last year and was seen at the London Harry Potter premiere last month with a slick style

It focuses on Charlie, a high-school freshman, who copes with mental issues while trying to find a place to belong.

He is introduced to the world of sex and drugs by friends, Sam - played by Watson - and Patrick.

But Emma is also dabbling in the world of beauty products as the face of Lancome.

A new advertisement was released last week showing the award-winning actress using her charm on French actor Cyril Descours in a campaign for Lancôme Trésor Midnight Rose perfume.

Day off: Emma blended in with her friends as they walked the streets of Santa Monica
Day off: Emma blended in with her friends as they walked the streets of Santa Monica

Day off: Emma blended in with her friends as they walked the streets of Santa Monica

Emma was spotted shooting the scenes in Paris back in March and, despite looking immaculate while the cameras were rolling, she chomped on chicken kebabs during the break.

She is also due to return to university in autumn to complete her liberal arts degree after a break from Ivy League school Browne to promote Harry Potter.