Film festivals

, big movie premieres and glitzy awards nights are just some of the events where Hollywood stars would gather and show off their best outfits. Over the years, stars in capes would create a big splash during red carpet events. It goes without saying that fans and fashion critics can expect at least one major cape moment during red carpet events, states E!News. Be it an accompaniment to structured ensembles, goddess like gowns or flowy dresses – the cape is always there!

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Gwyneth Paltrow brought back this fashion trend when she wore a structured Tom Ford cape gown during the 2012 Oscars. Other stars soon followed such as Lupita Nyong'o when she wore the crimson Ralph Lauren gown at the 2014 Golden Globes.

Hollywood stars have been playing “caped crusader” in fabulously designed dresses for years. Some cape creations looked very chic and trendy but others were a tad overkill such as Madonna’s Armani-designed black cape, worn during her performance at the 2015 Brit Awards

last February. The 56-year-old music icon took a tumble after a dancer tugged too hard on her long cape during her performance. Though she bounced right back after the fall, she admitted it hurt and said the cape

is partly to blame, states People. However, Giorgio Armani defended his creation saying, “Madonna, as we know, is very difficult. This cape had a hook and she wanted a tie, and she wasn’t able to open it with her hands. That’s all there is to it.” Not all red carpet

cape creations end in disaster though, as some Hollywood actresses can really pull off wearing an amazing “superhero” look. Case in point is Rebel Wilson's caped dress which she wore during the 2015 MTV Movie Awards last month. According to MTV, the 'Pitch Perfect 2' star blew everyone away with her Adrianna Papel black dress and sweeping hot pink lined cape.

The latest actress who followed this fashion trend is Twilight alum Nikki Reed. She stepped out at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival in a breathtaking, navy Azzaro Couture gown featuring a floor-sweeping tulle cape.

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For fashion kids everywhere, Marc Jacobs is a golden god.His influence can be seen on red carpets, dance floors, and sidewalks. His runway show invites are highly coveted, and sometimes even framed. His model posse—Kate, Naomi, Jamie, Karen, Cara, Kendall—is like a Girl Gang on steroids. His work with artists like Takashi Murakami, Yayoi Kusama, and Richard Prince has brought art and commerce to a new level that other designers stilltry to reach. And his brand makes a damn fine eyeliner.So when Parsons School of Design asked if we'd like to meet Mr. Jacobs before he received the school's Lifetime Achievement Award, we said "yes" faster than a Chinatown tourist lunging for fake Jacobs-era Vuitton.Here are his thoughts on the road from fashion student to style icon.You were selling your own clothes before you even graduated from Parsons. Was there anything school could really teach you about fashion?

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That's a really hard question… it's true I was making clothes since I was a teenager, but there were things that I learned at Parsons about draping techniques, about sewing techniques, about the technical aspects of design… but the big thing I learned there was work ethic.A current student told me it's where you learn 'the art of the all-nighter.'

Oh, definitely. They were always giving us so much homework. In the beginning, I thought, "This is insane. How do they expect us to handle this? I'm never going to get all my work done." But guess what? That's the industry. That's how you feel every day when you're running a label. And Parsons makes you handle it first.When you were creative director of Louis Vuitton, weren't you the first runway designer to work with Kanye West on a capsule collection?

Was I? Maybe… the way it happened was, Kanye called me on the telephone, because he wanted to talk about Murakami, the artist. He was a huge enthusiast, and he knew I'd worked with Murakami on a Vuitton collaboration [in 2002]. Well, our conversation about Murakami turned into a conversation about many other things, and it lasted for hours. We really got along, and it was a really fascinating conversation. Eventually, we began talking about sneakers, and that's how his partnership with Vuitton happened.And now you've created a monster?!

No, I wouldn't say that at all! Kanye is so intelligent, so creative, and so driven. Even [now] with his success, he still reads constantly, he studies art and fashion constantly. He has passion. He is always dedicated to his work, creatively. And I really like him.Your runway shows are styled so theatrically. How do you feel when women break down the looks and wear pieces in real life? Is that allowed?

Listen, "real" women are the reason the fashion industry exists. I am thrilled every time I see a woman on the street wearing [Marc Jacobs]... The way women choose to wear [Marc] is the way to wear it, because the clothes belong to them and their lives [and] their vision. We're very proud of that. We have a lot of love for women who wear Marc their way.What are you obsessed with right now, that has nothing to do with fashion?

My dog!Daisy?

No, Neville. I mean, Daisy, too, but I was thinking of Neville.Oh no. Do you like Neville better than Daisy?

[Laughing] I mean, please don't tell!

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Feeding off the rise of workout gear that can be worn in or out of the gym, activewear labels have become status symbols, much like any other pricey designer clothes. Premium yoga pants, made popular among the masses by Lululemon, can run anywhere from $80 to $200. A horde of brands battle each other in this segment as upstarts such as Outdoor Voices, Michi and Vie Active jostle with superpowers Nike, Under Armour and Adidas.

But there’s little available for women searching the racks for even more expensive, higher-end performance wear. Fear not, luxury shoppers. It will not remain like this for long.

Quietly, a smattering of new true luxury activewear labels have appeared, each with the hope that affluent shoppers are willing to shell out $300 to $400 or more on a pair of pliable pants. Think about it this way: If you are a luxury shopper who buys $1,500 designer dresses, pays $250 a month for an Equinox gym membership, and totes a $4,000 Chanel bag, why would you spend a mere $100 on the leggings that you wear to the gym, on errands and on the weekend?

“Some of the newer brands that are emerging are going to give activewear a whole level of status we haven’t seen in this business before,” said Roseanne Morrison, fashion director at trend intelligence firm Doneger Group. The “designer casual” look is prominent these days, championed by luxe labels like Brunello Cuccinelli and Isabel Marant. Once dismissed by couture circles as unworthy, luxury fashion houses started selling some adapted forms of fitness wear, using their longtime reputations to justify selling $400 jersey leggings. The next phase involves specialized companies touting luxury leggings under new performance-centric brands, Morrison said.

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Take Charli Cohen, who launched her eponymous activewear line straight out of college in 2013. After graduating from Kingston University in 2012, the young British designer went into fitness fashion immediately because she saw technical sportswear as the next big thing. Now she sells leggings, tops and jackets that run for $300 or more, targeting women who spend a lot of money on their eveningwear wardrobe who want equally chic, quality garments for the gym.

Thus far, Cohen has pushed hard to present her designs in a fashion context, rather than pigeonholing herself as an athletic brand. It’s difficult to prove yourself as a fashion label, Cohen said, because you are limited on shapes and cannot get cheap exposure by outfitting a celebrity on a red carpet. She currently is working on her next collection, which will be showcased in New York before hitting a catwalk in London this fall.

“You still need to be able to show people that there is that gym-to-daywear crossover,” Cohen said. “If anything, you need to push the fashion side harder because the fitness side is already assumed.”

After a career designing for the likes of Alexander McQueen and Mark Jacobs, Anjhe Mules took a leap in 2010, starting her own luxury activewear label, Lucas Hugh. It took two years of research and development to ready the brand for launch. A marriage of fashion and function, Lucas Hugh is sold in such swanky department stores as Bergdorf Goodman and luxury marketplace Net-a-Porter, right alongside legacy fashion labels. Mules uses heat-sealed seams all over her garments, the type of technology used in Olympic swimsuits. They wick moisture, dry quickly, resists UVs and can cost more than $400.

One of the most recent entrants is Callens, which designer Claire-Anne Stroll launched in September during fashion week in Milan. A pair of leggings from the Italian label costs nearly $500 — a price Stroll said her customers are willing to pay for fine craftsmanship, without much persuading. “I’ve never actually thought about convincing customers,” she says. “When you see the product, its superior quality and value comes across so clearly.”

Luxury activewear labels once devoted to single sports also are recognizing the power of the overall fitness market. Monreal, a tennis brand that released its first capsule collection in 2013, offers up sophisticated dresses that promise functionality with a fashion spin. Some of its most recent goods are not focused on the courts, however, as the company started to adapt the technology from its stretch-jersey tennis track pants for other purposes. One such item is a $340 performance legging for “running, pilates, kickboxing, yoga and more,” sold at upscale department store Saks Fifth Avenue.

Though she plans to stay loyal to her tennis roots, designer Stefani Grosse said she sees limitless opportunities to grow in the broader fitness world. “That’s really the future, and it’s a big market,” she said.

Indeed, U.S. activewear sales are up 9 percent in the first quarter of 2015, compared to the same period last year, according to data from NPD Group. The total market clocks in at about $35 billion as of October, NPD reported.

Demand for luxury activewear is bolstered by the culture of fancy boutique workouts such as SoulCycle and Pure Barre, said Caletha Crawford, a professor at Parsons New School for Design. Women care about how they look when spinning or on the mat doing yoga or pilates, she said, and they are looking for items to elevate their status.

Still, sportswear remains burdened by a longtime fashion industry stigma, neglected as utilitarian clothing better served by companies like Puma and Reebok than on the haute couture runways of Paris and Milan. But it’s possible to overcome this. In the early 2000s, another pragmatic pant found itself enjoying a designer craze: jeans. Fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli sold some denim styles for $1,200. All sorts of fancy niches popped up, such as Japanese selvedge denim and sustainable, organic denim.

How expensive can yoga pants and leggings get? High-end sportswear exists in certain circles of the fashion industry. Take skiwear, which requires performance to be embedded in the garment, lest the wearer freeze. Swiss label Mover touts luxurious insulation and elegance with its high-end ski clothes, with price tags to back up its splendor: A pair of wool-lined shell ski pants can cost nearly $1,000.

But to get people to pay those kinds of prices for workout pants, a serious amount of education is needed, Crawford said. Without explaining to customers why the technical fabrics, the better fit or the chic aesthetics matter, it’s impossible to get shoppers to drop a tall stack of cash on a gym item. “I need to understand why I’m paying more than for Lululemon,” she said.

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Wedding season is here, and it's no secret that expenses can spiral out of control, especially when it comes to attire.

Instead of shopping brand new, we hit the thrift store to outfit an entire wedding party.

Thrift store shoppers and bloggers Pippa Williams and Jen Meneely put together the outfits on their website Too Cheap Blondes.

In a span of six weeks, the pair searched local Family Thrift Outlets a few times a week to find all the looks. At the outlets, items are a maximum of $2 apiece.

When it was all said and done, they managed to put together an entire wedding party for $18. They purchased six bridesmaids dresses, one flower girl dress, mother of the bride attire, and a wedding gown.

"These are very high quality well-made dresses and we didn't choose anything that was cheaply made," Williams said. "They say the average price is $150 per dress."

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If you're looking to attempt this for your own wedding, you need to be open to mismatched dresses in the same color family.

"One idea is to take a paint chip and give it to your bridesmaids and let them shop for their dress in a color group," Williams said.

For the bridesmaids dresses, the ladies scooped up designer dresses for only $2 each. One purchased a $300 Shelly Segal strapless dress and another snagged a $150 Betsey Johnson dress.

The toughest part of the journey was finding the perfect wedding gown. But after searching, they came across a J. Crew wedding dress brand new that once retailed for $550. The thrift store had it for only $2.

Another problem you might encounter while shopping at the thrift store is stains. But if you find one, don't let that discourage you.

"It's worth the $2 investment," Williams said. "We took it home and took Dawn dish soap, it's our secret weapon, let it sit on for a couple of hours and hand wash it. Most of the time it came out."

After bargain shopping and a little cleanup work, the bloggers were able to put together like-new wedding attire for pennies on the dollar.

"We were shocked to see everyone line up and see how fabulous they all looked, and how the colors just blended. We really think it came out beautifully, much better than we planned," Meneely said.

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Using some of the most popular trends in technology is just plain practical. Need a way to collect all of your wedding photos from Instagram? Create a custom wedding hashtag. Want to keep guests' phones juiced up so they're taking photos and video all night long? Transform one of your cocktail hour tables into a cute cellphone charging station. Those are the technology mainstays of wedding planning at this point. But we're here to tell you that cutting-edge 3D printers, wearable technology (hello, Apple Watch) and robots (yes, you read that right) are the next big technology trends to hit the wedding scene. Here's how.

1. Wearable Technology That Tracks Your Every Move

What if you could look back on your wedding day and actually be able to see your exact heart rate at the moment you walked down the aisle? You can. Think about it -- from the pricey $17,000, 18-karat gold Apple Watch to a simple $150 FitBit bracelet, it's just a matter of which color to choose. Wear them the entire day and you can see the exact moment that it clicked for you -- you're getting married! -- or see your stats later and say, "That spike there was our first-look pictures -- you were so beautiful!" And even though this isn't a thing quite yet (it really should be), imagine taking your ups and downs to an artist who could create a complete heartbeat timeline of your day, via your fitness tracker, in a signature painting that could live above your couch in your new home. Technology is actually amazing.

Out There But Awesome: While we realize it isn't for everyone, this projection wedding ring is the ultra version of wearable technology for your wedding day and afterward. Flip up the mini lens inside the ring, shine a light behind it and see your wedding pictures projected onto any solid surface.

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2. Wedding Drones for Impossibly Cool Photos and Video

Some photographers and videographers are using drone technology to capture never-before-possible shots. Whether you're getting married at your alma mater, a destination in the tropics, an estate in the mountains or in your hometown, that location means a lot to you, if for no other reason than you were married there! You'll want to get the lay of the land that only aerial footage, like the image caught in the With This Ring Wedding Films photo above, can provide.

Out There But Awesome: Replace the ring bearer and use a drone to drop off your wedding rings at the altar. We're not kidding. Drones are totally dexterous and we know of a few couples who have used drones to drop off the rings in the middle of the ceremony.

3. A GoPro Bridal Bouquet to Capture Hidden Moments

The walk down the aisle is one of the more special and memorable moments of the wedding day, and trust us -- it goes by quickly. Capture it all on camera from your vantage point by asking your florist to save a spot in your bridal bouquet for a small camera. Any mini camera similar to a GoPro will work to record your entrance. This way you'll get to see everything, from the look on your guests' faces to the parental handoff (if that's what you're doing) and your vows in an up-close and personal way.

Out There But Awesome: Hide a camera someplace at the reception (like the flower installation or disco ball over the dance floor) to catch guests at their most candid, hilarious moments. Tip: Hire a videographer to set it up for you, so you get all of the footage incorporated into one final wedding video edit that you can watch for years to come.

4. Robots That Live-Stream Your Wedding

Some couples are using robots to capture the entire wedding day on camera live, so guests from afar can still take part in the day. It might sound a little silly at first but here's why the idea adds up: Instead of having to appoint a person to man a live-stream camera all night, you'd have a lively robot with an iPad do the job. Plus, imagine all the fun photos that'll come out of it!

Out There But Awesome: Robots have made appearances at weddings for a few other tasks as well -- from officiating the wedding to manning the bar. (Yes, you read that right.)

5. 3D Printed Wedding Cake Decorations

The 3-D printing trend is catching on in the culinary world. Have your cake baker create a simple wedding cake and then add amazing 3D printed shapes to the top and sides of it for a truly modern look. Or create an incredible 3D printed cake topper like this one. Another idea we love: a 3D printed candy bar! Companies like The Sugar Lab can create intricate and amazingly shaped candy for your bar at the reception.

Out There But Awesome: As a favor to guests, you could even have a 3D printing company set up shop at the reception to create "mini me" wedding favors your guests will never forget. In a matter of seconds, 3D printing tools, like the ones from Shapeways, allow you to capture your guests' measurements and print out tiny action figure versions of them. Line up your wedding party's figurines later for a truly unique photo op!

6. Selfie Sticks and Charging Stations to Keep the Party Going

We'd be remiss if we didn't put some tried-and-true tech trends in this roundup. Cellphone charging stations are a must-have if you're expecting lots of hashtagging at your wedding. It's super easy to pull off too: Just gather a bunch of different types of cords (for iPhones and Androids) in a cutesy way and prop them up on a cocktail table at your reception.

Out There But Awesome: Instead of making everyone compete for the use of one or two selfie sticks, buy a bunch of them and hand them out to every table. It's an activity for your guests and a fun way to document the wedding.

7. Crowdsourcing the Reception Dance Floor

You could wait until after the wedding to see all the cool photos and funny Instagrams from the day. Or, you could have them projected live over your dance floor! A lot of lighting and production companies are now offering the service, and it makes for a fun, interactive reception activity too.

Out There But Awesome: Turn it into a game. Tell your guests to tweet or hashtag their song requests to the DJ, or tell them that if they take a photo and use your wedding hashtag, they can order your signature cocktail at the bar.

8. Light Projections on the Wedding Cake

Disney made the idea mainstream when they unveiled their line of wedding cakes with digital mapping projections. Now, other lighting and design companies are catching on too and creating really elaborate projections for wedding cakes. And that's really the best part about this trend: You can map literally anything you want onto your cake -- from pretty flowers to old-school photos and even meaningful song lyrics.

Out There But Awesome: There are some ultra-talented lighting designers (Bentley Meeker and Levy Lighting for starters) known for light-projecting the entire ceremony and reception -- from the walls to the ceiling, hallways and, yes, the wedding cake.

9. Periscoping the Wedding

Livestreaming isn't exactly new, but the way in which you can live-stream certainly is. Designate a "Periscoper of Honor" (yes, we made it up!) to livestream the entire wedding straight from their phone or tablet. That way, friends and followers who couldn't make it to the wedding can see everything from their own devices. To make it super easy for friends to tune in, have your Periscoper divide the streams: one stream for the ceremony, another for the toasts and cake cutting, and another for the first dance.

Out There But Awesome: Ikea recently revealed an entirely virtual wedding program. It's sort of like a version of Google Hangouts in that it allows guests to log on and watch their friend or family member get married from their own laptop at home. You can set your background image to a ceremony setting for guests to watch, or to your reception on the beach for guests to tune in and toast to the special couple from anywhere in the world. (Woah is right.)

10. Wedding Exits With Driverless Cars

Okay, this one is truly an idea from the future. While driverless cars are still in test mode across the country, we're calling it: Driverless cars will be the next big way to make your wedding exit. Until it's possible, it might be easier to just order up an Uber to take you to and fro.

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When Elizabeth Fraser was four, she asked her mom, an accomplished and passionate seamstress, to make her a halter top. The result was so memorable that Fraser still counts it as one of the best outfits she has owned.

"She made me and my best friend these little pink halter tops with ice cream cones (printed) on them," says Fraser, 45. "Mine had an E for Elizabeth and my friend's had a J for Jennifer. We thought they were the greatest things ever."

When she was older, Fraser would learn to sew from her mom and grandma then learn the business end of fashion by working at Suzy Shier, Harry Rosen and Le Chateau.

Fraser has owned vintage shops online and a consignment shop on James Street South, now closed, called Sweet Deviance.

Now she has combined her love of visual merchandizing, design and sewing with her retail expertise under the label Black Rain Couture, a line of handmade and upcycled pieces she creates for her Etsy shop. For spring, she's loving the boho-inspired look, and she'll be offering more classic styling for fall with capelets, hats and dresses.

Fraser says that, despite what many people think, fashion is not frivolous. Fashion has depth, meaning and it empowers us.

"We put something on and we feel amazing in it," she says. "Everything about us changes.

"Our posture changes, our eyes change, our smile. We just feel more self-confident. So I find the right kind of fashion … is empowering. It builds self-confidence and makes you feel good about yourself."

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Most eye-catching piece:

A pair of distressed boyfriend jeans I made. Whenever I wear them I get loads of compliments. They're upcycled. They started as men's jeans and then you just distress them in different places and add lace and tassels and taper them a bit at the bottom.

Quirkiest wardrobe item:

I have a pair of Burlesque design tights, with graphics of a lace garter and stripes on the leg.

Wardrobe must-have:

Aside from the basics — tanks and little black dresses — I am going to go with the boyfriend jeans. Just as comfy as yoga pants but chic and stylish. (They) can be worn in a funky boho fashion, or casual summer beach, shabby chic fashion.

Best purchase:

By far my best purchase ever was from a church yard sale. I found a pair of leather Prada boots for a buck.

Regrets buying:

A gorgeous dress that was on sale and I did not try on. It was too tight. It was just the perfect black wiggle dress. It was a plain stretch satin but just the way it was constructed, it was so gorgeous and I loved it.

Loves to shop at:

I love thrifting and vintage boutiques. Value Village and Talize are great and there are some thrift shops out of town and Plato's is good, too. But if I'm going to shop for staples, I usually hit up Suzy Shier.

Ridding her closet of:

My old mini dresses and short shorts. We can still wear them as we get older but they just have to be a different style and fit. There is definitely a way to do that, and chances are the ones you have had for a few years are not it.

Splurges on:

Shoes. I love my heels and it's really hard to stop buying them. I always gravitate toward heels.

Beauty item she cannot live without:

Mascara. I use Rimmel.

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Welcome to the reading room! Bravo’s Fashion Queens know a thing or two about couture -- and aren’t afraid to tell it like it is. Talk show hosts Bevy Smith and Derek J let Us in on their favorite picks and pans from the 2015 Met Gala, one of New York’s most stylish nights. Find out who reigned supreme!

“I loved Zendaya's youthful approach,” Derek J said of the actress’ Fausto Puglisi sun-themed gown. “She was able to capture both elegance while being fun and flirty at the same time.”

     PHOTO: formal dresses online

Derek also thought that model Karolina Kurkova slayed in her Tommy Hilfiger minidress. “Now this is how you do short and red!” he proclaimed.

But according to Bevy, Rihanna took the crown. “Yes, Rihanna's gown looked like an omelet, a pizza and a Carnivale costume, but it was also an undeniable red carpet show stopper!” she said. “Yellow is a Chinese imperial color, and as a style bonus, the dress was created by Chinese designer, Guo Pei.”

    PHOTO: evening dresses

Who were the Queens’ peasants of the night?

“Kris Jenner looked like an 1980s evil villain plotting to dominate the world,” Bevy joked of the Balmain-clad momager. “On second thought…it's a good fit!”

Bevy also panned a well-known designer…who happened to wear something from her own line! “Isn’t Tory Burch wealthy?” Bevy asked. “Why does her dress look like leftover upholstery fabric?”

Derek wasn’t too sweet on Dylan Lauren’s hot pink frock. She was “at the top of my worst list,” Derek said of the heiress’ Ralph Lauren skirt and sweater. “It looks like she popped out of one of her candy creations!”

Whether they plan on joining hands with a textile giant or launch their own retail store, the budding designers, who showcased their collections in the Rising Talent section at this year’s PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week (PSFW), hold great promise. The Express Tribunetalks to the designer novices to explore their design mantra and what the fashion-forward should expect from them in times to come.

Malik’s ensembles comprise his signature design aesthetics. “I have kept consistent with my style and designs ever since I began my journey in fashion,” he says. “I explore various themes with my collections but they retain my signature designs that exude femininity and tasteful drama,” he adds. He showcased the collection he made for his Master’s thesis at the University of Salford, Manchester, which garnered good reviews for its structure and flow.

Malik’s first showcase was a hit and he is grateful to all those who made it happen. “Hassan Sheheryar Yasin guided me with music and choreography for the show and actually fought to have my fashion film played at PSFW,” he shares. He said the Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) provided him with affirmation of his talent, which he feels is something newcomers need in the tough fashion industry.

Malik’s prêt line ‘Zirah’ is set to be made available at multi-label stores in Lahore and Islamabad. The line will feature semi-formals for the modern working woman. The designer also looks towards venturing into couture, where he feels lies his strength.

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Asrar Yaqoob

His collection took inspiration from an art form, traditionally done on camel skin by the nomads of Cholistan. Based on neutral tones, it had a high wearability quotient despite the unique form of art it drew inspiration from. Hailing from a small town in Kharian, Yaqoob always had an eye for hues and silhouettes.

Yaqoob was shortlisted by PFDC on the basis of his thesis collection. “Upon arrival at PFDC, Kamiar Rokni was the one who judged our collections and told me to work on my accessories in order to captivate the audience. I took his advice,” he states. He further says, “My work will probably be on the indigenous side due to my love for Pakistan. My taste will always remain close to my origin along with adapting trends.” He says his aim is to cater to the “high-end of the consumer spectrum.”

Nida Waqar

Waqar showcased a collection titled ‘Creatures and Curious Minds’. Waqar designed bags and accessories to go with her line, displaying a cohesive, holistic show. Discussing her debut show, she says, “The feeling of having my first illustration was remarkable. It was a breath-taking moment for me when supermodel Rabia Butt walked the ramp in my opening outfit.” Waqar is still discovering her signature style but draws inspiration from pre-modern artists.

Waqar feels it’s no easy feat to penetrate the local fashion industry, especially for an emerging designer. “The Pakistani industry has an interesting mix of new and old designers, all of whom have unique sensibilities,” she says. “With this kind of saturation in the market, it has become very difficult to break into the market and set a niche for oneself.” Her next step is to make her work available for retail and consistently have her ideas manifested into wearable creations.

Najia Qazi

Having scored a distinction at the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design (PIFD), Najia Qazi put forward a laudable collection, titled ‘Sar Bakaf’. The line was inspired by the Mughals represented in Sadequain’s painting. Qazi shares that the entire time she was a student at PIFD, it was her dream to showcase at PFDC. “The industry has become so competitive and tightly-knit that it’s hard for newbies to make a mark in the fashion circle.”

She plans to introduce her PSFW collection to the market after making it more rack-appropriate. She said she is thrilled to have received a positive response from the media. She reiterates, “People have posted my collection with captions declaring me as the strongest contender.” A highlight for her was being featured by English-language newspaper The Times of India in their article on the Rising Talent.

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Local stylist Victoria Mesenbrink has spent the last year racking up more frequent flyer miles than most people do in a decade. The ever-busy married mom of one—husband Fritz is cofounder of stellar branding agency OMFGCO—spent the year jetting to tackle the wardrobe and art direction on shoots all over the world with multiple trips to London, New York, and LA. This month she bumped to the next level in the styling world by handling the latest lookbook and video for the one and oneVera Wang. We caught up with Ms. Mesenbrink to get the scoop on styling life.

Tell us a little about what you do for a living and whom you work with?

I get paid to make people look good, it's a dream job. I work with a ton of amazing companies, photographers, and other artists such as Vera Wang (obvi), Nike, Gordon Von Steiner, Billy Kidd the list goes on. I am so lucky to have the chance to travel the world for work and shoot with some of the best people in the industry as well as style some of the top athletes and models in the world.

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What was involved in styling this VW lookbook?

This job was one of the most exciting shoots I have ever worked on in my career… I mean... it's VERA WANG! There was a ton of shopping and prep to make sure we had all the essentials for the shoot. Lingerie, tights, thongs (loads of thongs), jewelry etc. Another important part of my job for this shoot and any is the thought process of really trying to envision the creative coming to life and how I could bring something from a styling point of view to the shoot that is unexpected or not already in the creative. Sometimes processing creative and engulfing your mind into the designers mind is the hardest part of my job. Sort of like an actor prepares for a role is similar to a stylist prepping for a shoot. Other then that there was all the usual things like on set styling, managing my team, keeping track of the dresses and making sure they were well taken care. There was like over 20 gowns to shoot in one day for the look book aspect and then the film had 6 scenarios so it was a very ambitious day to say the least.

Was Vera there and hands-on for the shoot?

Yes, Vera was with us the entire day from start to finish. She is a very hands on designer. Nothing got by her unnoticed. It was really amazing working with her directly and watching the way she works. As a stylist you don't often get to work directly with other stylists or designers all the time so I used this job to also learn from Vera. She was incredible…like really incredible. I feel very lucky to have got this opportunity to work so closely with not only Vera, but her whole team as well.

You typically style more in the activewear category—did you feel like this was dramatically different?

A shoot is a shoot and I have done both fashion and athletics as well as print and video. Every shoot is different but there is also a code to making it work. The biggest difference was just working with such a high-end designer whose team is used to working with all the same people. Being the new kid on the block was the most nerve racking, but at the end of it all I felt like I was definitely appreciated and part of the team. It is the most gratifying feeling to be really welcomed and appreciated by a new team, so I was happy about that.

PHOTO BY long formal dress

What advice would you have for young stylists in Portland?

Work hard, don't be entitled, let yourself fail, always take risks.

Anything big on the horizon?

Yes actually. I have a new site to be launching in the next two weeks or so (fingers crossed I get the design finished) Working on a line of clothing and potentially opening a retail space in the storefront of my studio in SW Industrial, which I will share more details about when it's closer to a reality. Eventually, I would like to run my own agency of wardrobe stylists, but for now I'm going to focus on the site, store, line (which is A LOT and maybe a little wishful thinking on my end to make them all a reality).

It may not have been the Oscars or the Grammys, but last night’sWhite House Correspondents Dinner, often referred to as nerd prom, had its own red carpet. Though instead of E!, viewers had to make do with C-Span and Bloomberg TV, with political reporters Mark Halperin and John Heilemann doing their best Ryan Seacrest and Guiliana Rancic imitations.

The duo gamely took on their roles, though the conversations could be awkward, with questions about drones and the upcoming presidential campaign alternating with the obligatory “who are you wearing?”

Of the two, Mr. Halperin seemed the most comfortable in his role of would-be Fashion Police panelist, telling the actress Laverne Cox (wearing Ines Di Santo) that he liked her Marchesa bag, and sharing with Ronan Farrow, who wore Dior, and Al Roker, in J. Crew, that he was dressed in Armani. “He lives in my building,” he added somewhat awkwardly.

Mr. Heilemann seemed impressed by the shimmering gold Lanvin gown worn by Martha Stewart, but was stumped when Hannah David, a Sports Illustrated model, told him she was wearing Georges Chakra. “Is he famous?” Mr. Heilemann asked.

The Hollywood contingent acquitted itself well. The dresses on parade would not have been out of place at any Oscars telecast: Fancy, pretty, appropriate to the point of dull. Cecily Strong, the Saturday Night Live performer who hosted the evening, wore a purple floral gown by J. Mendel. Lucy Liu chose a beautifully beaded Naeem Khan. Jane Fonda’s sequined black column by Donna Karan came closest, with its cat-suit-like liquidity, to offering a whiff of something stronger. More styles: cheap evening dresses

But here, for a change, the celebrities are the arm candy, and the journalists and politicians, the stars. And for their star turns they dressed with stiff good taste if not aplomb. When asked the red-carpet question by Mr. Halperin, Gov. John R. Kasich of Ohio had to check. (The answer: Brooks Brothers, bought by his wife.) The biggest decision most men had to make was whether to take their black tuxes with notch or peak lapels. Some (Paul Pelosi, President Obama) jazzed it up with a rakish hint of pocket square. A few brave outliers (Joe Scarborough, Matt Bai) switched out the bowtie for a long tie. Few had the daring of the former mayor of New York Michael R. Bloomberg, in a resplendent lilac bowtie – but, then, bravery may be a billionaire’s privilege.

The women were a bit freer, with fewer of the much-reviled Beltway pantsuits in evidence than on an average day in the Capitol. The designer Zac Posen made a custom beaded gown for Michelle Obama at her seat at the table of honor (and roasting). Even Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the house, had thrown a long, flapperish strand of pearls over her dress. When Susan Rice arrived in modish Valentino (from the label’s dotty fall 2014 collection), Mr. Heilemann and Clyde Frazier, a guest talking head, were equal parts befuddlement and admiration.

“It’s very creative, I like it,” Mr. Frazier said. “It’s your own design?”It was not, but it was enough to make her, in Mr. Heilemann’s opinion, a fashion icon.GraziaDressAU cocktail dresses