Dueling Beauties Akimbo // Gwyneth and Valentino

1OAK Akimbo // Near Miss!

AnA loves a night out, and adores a GAY night out at a hetero-establishment. Sunday, whilst recovering ourselves from ill-advised fruit flavored shots, and wearing creative knits, we teetered past 1OAK and contemplated stopping by for the gay party. To rest our tired ankles. Despite the begging of those who worked the door, we passed and opted to flock home.

March 31, 2009 --
IF you want Valentino Garavani to hang out, you'd better provide him with some suitable eye candy. The 76-year- old designer was spotted at West 17th Street club 1Oak last Sunday during the venue's self-promoted "gay night." A spy told us that the couture king "walked in, scanned the crowd and then immediately turned and walked out." The snitch said, "a lot of the guys were abuzz when they saw Valentino walk in, and were disappointed he didn't stay."

Fuck. AnA has partied with amazing photographers, fabulous designers, ANTM winners, and more millionaires than leggings in our closets, but rarely do we canoodle with legends! Was his attitude over the sell-out success of his film? Or when you've survived wars, breakups, various recessions, and Madonna, are you allowed to act however you want?

Valentino Akimbo // The Last Emperor Opens

The Valentino documentary opens today in New York at Film Forum.

Not sure about the poster -- slightly creepy. But Valentino red never looks bad. And the movie has been described as "escapist," an AnA approved adjective. Here's a screencap from the film.

Valentino surrounded entirely by bitches! Not sure if this will be as astounding and entertaining as the Lagerfeld docu-masterpiece, but that won't stop us from getting tickets and sneaking in cans of diet soda into the theater!

Christian Lacroix // Couture Cause

Couture is like the World Series of fashion. Only the best and biggest players meet to flaunt their re-interpretations of the couture gown and the skill and breathtaking ability of their atelier.

One of the best was Christian Lacroix. In some ways this season for Lacroix was about piling things on, about ornamentation mucho caliente. The couture borders the line of “too much” with “just enough” masterfully; a lace underlay a la Prada with multicolored pasties, appliqués and other tidbits symmetrically added about to emphasize sexy with a quirk. That’s a hypothetical “too much.” Also in this vein were some fancy garden vined stockings and a golden and pearl Victorian-lady purse. And why not accessorize with a bug broach?

Lacroix is fabulous because he does whatever he wants season after season. Behind the glitter, sequins, the tulle, and the romance of all the bows are great pieces and amazing color blocking and gradients. This is the "“just enough.” The key to the Lacroix palette is a certain passion, even in the blacks. Everything shines. The reds are lush and without the cheeky Valentino pop. And that red and green chiffon number? Things couldn’t be dreamier.

What to do if you can’t decide which piece to mortgage your house for? Just go with a green neck warmer and a lace veil. And keep that romance alive.