Lately Woolmark Company announced the names of industry stalwarts for menswear as well womenswear to judge their upcoming International Woolmark Prize to be held on 9th January and 17th March 2015, respectively.

Iconic designer Paul Smith will sit alongside industry greats Dylan Jones – Editor-in-Chief, GQ UK; Tim Blanks – Editor-at-Large, Style.com; and Nick Wooster who will decide the winner of the men’s award which recognizes design excellence using Australia’s preeminent natural fibre, Merino wool.

However the womenswear award, in Beijing will be judged by one of the world’s most influential style and design icons, Victoria Beckham along with fashion industry heavyweights Angelica Cheung – Editor-at-Large, Vogue China; Franca Sozzani – Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia, L’Uomo Vogue Italia and Vogue.it, Editorial Director of Condé Nast Italia, and “Goodwill Ambassador for Fashion 4 Development” for the UN; and Colin McDowell.

Offlate French Vanity Fair’s declared its second annual ranking of the 50 most influential French people, which has Valérie Hermann, president of Ralph LaurenLuxury Collections, at No. 6 and Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, topping the list.

Other fashionistas in the list are Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of women’s collections at Louis Vuitton, ranks 11, followed by Hedi Slimane, artistic director of Saint Laurent at 13, while French President François Hollande, lodged in 22nd place, model Camille Rowe-Pourcheresse at 10; Tiffany honcho Frédéric Cumenal at 31; Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing at 32; Eurazeo’s Virgine Morgon, at 37; actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ghesquière’s muse at 38; and model/writer Caroline de Maigret at 49.

“I never, never in my life say so many things like tonight. I’m going to tell you which underwear I am wearing,” joked Valentino as he got candid with Fern Mallis during his interview at 92nd Street Y. The 82 year old designer needs no introduction; his iconic gowns are as recognizable as his golden tan. Fashionfad brings his zingers for its readers to keep them updated:

On his love of beauty: “Beauty is very important to me in my life. I love beauty and that has always been my religion in life.”

On his decision to move to Paris at 17 years old: “I told my parents I wanted to move to Paris, then when someone asked to go to Paris it’s like today if a kid asked their parents to go to the moon.”

On his signature color: “I went to Barcelona dressed to see a designer and they invited me for the opening of the Opera House…and I was really attracted by the red color so I said one day when I am going to be a designer I will put red as my lucky color—and I did.”

On her second wedding: “She wore one of my dresses to her wedding to Aristotle Onassiss…she owned it already from my collection, it was already sitting in her closet. The most amazing thing happened, one month after the wedding we sold over 30 orders of the same dress, which was amazing because it was high fashion.”

On his favorite model: “Gisele for me, she is the top of the top.”

On Elizabeth Taylor: “Elizabeth Taylor was in Rome for one year to shoot Cleopatra. While there she heard I was a new designer and asked to see my clothes so we went to villa with my designs and there she was—she was still Mrs. Fisher at the time—she said she needed an evening gown for a movie opening. She was very demanding…she only would take a picture with me if I promised to give her a gown. I said, ‘Choose one that you like,’ and of course she chose the most expensive one.”

On his least favorite fashion decade: “I hated the ’80s fashion, looking back at my collections I hated my dresses, they were out of proportion—the shoulders too big, the hair was terrible, the shoes were no good. I never liked it. I always loved the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s.”

On his work ethic: “I have a lot of assistants but I never ask them to do something instead of myself.”

On the changing fashion industry: “What I did, what my colleagues did—it doesn’t exist anymore.”

On the way women dress today: “They are very beautiful but I am not so enchanted by people dressed in all black—which I’ve seen in the street”

On his new book, Valentino: At The Emperor’s Table: “I love a beautiful table— I am a fanatic of china, silver and a beautiful table. When I want to buy something it’s always something for the house.”

His favorite part of the new book: “My favorite is my white garden, it only has white flowers, at my house in France.”

On First Lady Michelle Obama: “I like Michelle Obama very much—she has the most beautiful arms in the world.”

On coming to New York for the first time: “The first thing I did when arriving in New York was to call Diana Vreeland. We had a very very good relationship.”

Looking back at his life and having regrets: “I think I was the happiest and luckiest and most fortunate person in the world…I don’t regret one second to be what I was because I had the most beautiful and enjoyable time in the world.”

 

Bulgari opens its new store with LVMH this time, at DLF Emporio, the ultimate destination for connoisseurs of luxury.

The New Delhi store is luxury brand’s130th anniversary celebrations, the new store boasts an excellent collection of precious jewellery, fine watches and fashionable accessories to fulfil the most discerning client’s.

CEO Jean-Christoph, presented inspiring images of bejeweled Bulgari High Jewellery pieces paired with the unrivaled creations of Anamika Khanna’s couture designs – an exclusive association between the luxury maison and the renowned couturier.