November 2005

November 30th 2005
New York City

Hello Girls! I promise to update you on all the latest and greatest by the end of this week - including new party picks - so stay tuned...

November 19th 2005
New York City

Lately I've been getting many emails from all of my favorite fashion editors asking me to give them a list of what I want for Christmas.  As you can imagine, I've put much thought into my answers hoping that some charitable person will read them and want to make my Christmas wishes a reality.  After all, as you can see from the list below, I am extremely low-maintenance & easy-to-please: 

• Peace & Love
• A gold men's Hermes 'H' watch with orange face
• A Pucci bikini designed by Christian Lacroix
• A Valentino crystal embroidered cashmere scarf in cream
• YSL's embroidered wrist cuffs
• A Loro Piana lavender throw for my couch
• Boucheron's pink turtle ring
• 100 yards of Kelly Wearster's 'Gordian Weave' interior fabric in white
• A fully loaded 2006 XKR Convertible Jaguar in racing green

I have a feeling that I may end up getting nothing but a whole lotta "Peace & Love", but that's not so bad.  My favorite thing on the list, of course, is the Convertible Jag in racing green, which is the best color car ever invented.  Jaguar has always been my favorite car (so chic, so James Bond), so when they recently called me to be a contributor for their ad campaign I said "yes!" before they had even finished the question.  To visit their new gorgeous campaign, hear audio clips of me and their other amazing contributors, and even take a test to see how much we all have in common, visit: www.prefergorgeous.com/home.asp  Don't forget to visit their "Life By Gorgeous" section for all of the latest & greatest happenings around the globe.

Oh, that Jaguar is divine. 

November 14th 2005
Florence, Italy

I’m sorry I’ve been so bad about writing in my diary, but I have been busy, busy, busy putting the finishing touches on designs for HOLLYWOULD Fall 2006, which you will LOVE!  Last week however, amidst all of my designing, I did manage to have a lovely dinner with a dozen of my nearest & dearest friends here in Florence, as you can see from the photos (right).  After all, too much work and no play would make me an exceedingly dull girl. 

Our evening began at the Christian Dior store on Via Tornabuoni, where my friend & Florence PR Star Ileana Turrini had organized a party to launch Dior’s fabulous new watch collection.  Have you seen these watches?  They are amazing and I am particularly in love with the rose quartz version… in case anyone wants to know.  The Dior party was a huge success, and everyone remarked that they hadn’t been to such a chic, fun party in Florence in a very, very long time.  All of us girls had a magnificent time drooling over the Dior jewels while the boys had an equally entertaining time inspecting one very well-endowed model in a barely-there pink chiffon dress.  Ah, something for everyone.  Leave it to Ileana.

From Dior we all headed to one of my favorite dinner spots, Il Parione, where they had arranged a table long enough to seat 13.   The plan was really never to have a 13-person dinner party, but it just so happened there were so many people I wanted to see and so little time to see them, that throwing everyone together at once was the only answer I could find.  My friends in Florence are quite a mixed bag, and party attendees hailed from all over the globe, including France, America, Algeria, Canada, Lebanon, and Italy.  Our dinner table was so long & narrow that it was hard to get to talk to anyone but the persons right, left, and center, so we solved the problem by playing musical chairs after each course, which practically sent our waitress into rehab.

Dinner guests included: Ileana Turrini, Sara Quercioli, Olga Corsini, Anne-Cecile Poizat, Albane de Corbiac, Brieane Olson, Sara Checcucci, Massimo Brilli, Leonardo Neri, Marie-Christine Gazal, Fadi Bassil, & Feryel Fraoucene.  If you can say those names fast 3 times in a row, you win a no-expense-paid trip to Home Depot.  Good luck!

November 8th 2005
Florence, Italy

Hello Girls, I just wanted to let you know what Fall items I highly recommend you purchase before they sell out of stock! It’s going to be a long winter and take it from me, you don’t want to spend it without at least a few of my favorite items listed below...

1) Lust Pump $545 – Ask anyone fashionista in NYC and they will tell you that this shoe was the hit of all the fashion week parties. This glitzy pump has become the fast favorite of all of NYC’s biggest trend-setters, including our favorite stylist/fashion guru/Vogue photographer, Kate Schelter, who called all the way from Istanbul to make sure we would save her a pair! And… one more little secret about our favorite Lust Pump… boys are drawn to it like thirsty camels to water. Act fast, because this shoe is on the move. Saks Fifth Avenue, NYC 212-584-0080

2) Gold Shambala $645 – If there ever was a shoe made for a Saudi Princess, it’s this Gold Shambala, and we hear more than a few of them have been buying a pair for themselves at our local London outpost, Harrods. Great with a pair of jeans or a holiday cocktail dress, these shoes make a statement from the moment you enter the room. I’ve been wearing them all over town and on top of being downright divine, I must say they are the most comfortable 4” heels you’ll ever own. With fabric spun from gold lurex and personally designed ornaments which I had custom-made in India, you won’t see another shoe like this for a very long time! Own a fashion legend from Saks.com.

3) Brown Sandra Flat $545 – The ornament on this stamped crocodile flat was inspired by a brooch I found at an antique market in Florence, which I had copied by my jeweler in Italy. I loved the pendant because it’s full of smokey jewels & natural stones that look great with fall neutrals, and I’ve been feeling very Elle McPherson running all over Tuscany in these shoes with jeans, a chunky cream sweater, my brown shearling vest, and a simple pair of gold hoops. Steal this look now at Zappos.com.

4) Brown Shearling Vest $1095 – If there’s one piece of clothing you must have for this winter, it’s our brown shearling vest, which I have been living in since the day they came in. A great alternative to a puffy jacket on a cool winter day, this vest looks gorgeous over a cashmere sweater with jeans and a great pair of boots or flats. Feel free to cut out our tag (I did!) to wear it on the furry reverse for that ultra-chic/bohemian/Sienna Miller effect. This one’s sure to keep you warm & toasty while looking like a jet-set star. Call 1-877-ILOVEHW to get your vest today!

5) Black Candy Peep-toe $445 – I’ve been getting non-stop emails about this shoe as it seems that every girl who owns a pair has suddenly become addicted, and refuses to take them off. One woman even told me she thinks they are so useful she’s bought 3 pairs (one for each house, darling), and another one said they are so comfortable she wants to sleep in them. And, although I wouldn’t advise you to sleep in 3.5” heels, I will say that I have to agree. What on earth is cuter than black on black, subtly metallic leopard damask peeptoes with a nice big bow? Nothing. Not even your own children. So, next time they scream “I want Candy!”, get yourself a pair instead at Neimanmarcus.com.

November 7th 2005
Florence, Italy

No girls, your eyes do not deceive you.  That is indeed the lovely & oh-so-talented Serena Williams (pictured right) wearing HOLLYWOULD’s Teal Plum Dress to the premiere of 50 Cent’s new movie, Get Rich Or Die Tryin’.  There is so much good going on in that last sentence you may want to re-read it again.

The fact that Miss Williams showed up looking gorgeous in this dress was a delightful surprise to me, and we’re guessing that she bought it on www.saks.com.  Of course, if I would have known she was going to wear it, I would have flown back from Italy for a personal fitting and insisted on tagging along to the premiere.  If you read this diary you know how much I love 50 Cent, and I’m sure Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ is a cinematic masterpiece along the lines of Citizen Kane. 

Not everyone thinks Serena looks as fabulous as I do, and yesterday the New York Post printed her picture with the caption, “Serena is pictured here attending the premiere of Get Rich or Die Tryin'. Perhaps she accidentally told the designer she was an A-cup.”  For your information, my beloved NY Post, we think that Serena looks divine, and that there is nothing wrong with flaunting a bit of what you’ve got.  In fact, we think you might be jealous. 

Hat’s off to Miss Williams for shortening an already mini dress and puttin’ the goods on display.  We love you Serena!

November 1st 2005
Florence, Italy

It’s only November 1^st and we’re already receiving applications for the HOLLYWOULD “Customer of The Month”!  With a prize of a $250 Gift Certificate to the HOLLYWOULD store and world-wide fame on the “Customer of The Month” page on our website, it’s no wonder we’ve got so many girls sending us photos of them wearing their favorite HOLLYWOULD!  Before we choose our November winner I'm giving all you diary readers until this Friday to send us your photos.  See the “Customer of The Month” page for rules.