Modern Beauty Trends: In: Selena’s New Blonde Bob

Monday, November 20, 2017

In: Selena’s New Blonde Bob | Out: Batman and Superman

Azzedine Alaïa passed this weekend, and with him a chapter of fashion history
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“I make clothes; women make fashion.” - Azzedine Alaïa

Azzedine Alaïa, Forever

Current Fashions

Azzedine Alaïa died this weekend, and with him an era of fashion history. While many modern designers prefer the term “creative director,” describing Alaïa as such would feel almost like an insult. He was a designer in the truest sense. While some only pick up scissors to cut out something for their mood board, Alaïa was famous for painstakingly cutting, pinning, and designing clothes directly on models himself. In recent years he had little use for the current fashion system, and rarely showed on schedule or even regularly (his most recent couture show in July was his first in six years). He never chased trends, but so much of what he created arrived as if it was destined to be transcendent. Known as the “king of cling” in the ’80s and always as a superb tailor, Alaïa always stood out. Though he may have resisted much of the modern demands of the industry, most of the rest of the fashion world loved him. He helped discover or establish models like Veronica Webb, Stephanie Seymour, and Naomi Campbell (who considered him a surrogate father—seriously, he used to pull a teenaged Naomi out of nightclubs after she snuck out while staying at his Paris home). "All women should get to wear Alaïa, because it does something to you," Campbell once said of his clothes. "I don't know what, but it just does, and everyone in a different way." Revisit some of the designer’s greatest hits on his many muses on the red carpet here, and some of his best work featured in the pages of W throughout the years here.

Selena’s Blonde Bob

Subtlety

Selena Gomez may have her old man back, but she’s decided to try out something new: blonde hair. The multihyphenate’s platinum bob, which she paired with a sort of biker-jacket-as-dress number, was the standout beauty moment at the American Music Awards’ red carpet. The world is still amazed by a celebrity hair change, after all. Lady Gaga, however, had the best fashion moment—even though she walked her own separate red carpet in Washington, D.C. (her performance was simulcast from her tour). Ever the fashion nerd, she took the moment to honor Alaïa wearing not one but two of his dresses. See the most notable red carpet looks here. Diana Ross’s hat is certainly worth a look, but when hasn’t a hat worn by Diana Ross on a red carpet not worth a look? The AMA red carpet certainly isn’t a place to even bother trying to be subtle.

The Number-Two Movie in the Country

The Number-One Movie in the Country

One new release this weekend made $95 million and came in at number one. It’s considered an embarrassing disappointment. Another made a second-place debut with about $27 million. It’s considered a surprising success. Such is the difference of expectations placed on movies of different genres (and not to mention budgets). Critical reviews of Justice League leaned toward brutal, and it seems movie fans are finally fed up with the poor quality of the films from the DC Extended Universe (Wonder Woman, notably, excluded). It’s the lowest opening ever for the franchise and $70 million less than Batman v Superman. Wonder, which stars Jacob Tremblay and Julia Roberts, proved to be a shrewd counterprogramming move, and women and families flocked to the film. It is also Roberts’ best opening in years, and if you exclude massive ensemble pics like the Ocean’s franchise and Valentine’s Day, it’s her best since 2001’s America's Sweethearts.