In My Haute Closet: Christopher Kane for Topshop Crocodile Print Dress

It’s no secret that I adore Rihanna’s style. I cover her looks almost daily, dissecting everything from her fierce shades, shoes and handbags, to her clothes and jewelry and even her beauty products! So when I learned that I had the opportunity to snag one of her looks for less, I jumped at the chance. I’m talking about the Christopher Kane for Topshop collection. In stores and online today, the collection includes a range of tops, dresses, shorts, pants, skirts, leggings and bodysuits, with accessories like embellished bags, scarves and shoes. The entire collection is super edgy and haute, with details like rivets, studs, gems and mesh. There are looks for day – pastel colored eyelet dresses – and night – gem corset bustiers. But the one item in particular I could not wait to get my hands on is the Crocodile Print Dress. Inspired by Christopher Kane’s Spring 2009 runway collection of baboon, ape and gorilla dresses, the croc dress follows suit with an open-mouthed print on the front with black trim at the neck and back. While Kane’s ape dresses retailed for over $2,000, the croc dress only goes for $125. I already picked up one for myself. Will you be copping one too?

Haute or Not - Leighton Meester in Christopher Kane

Leighton Meester came out to attend a special advanced screening of “Spread”, hosted by Gotham and Hamptons Magazines to support Gossip Girl co-star and boyfriend Sebastian Stan. The actress wore a piece from Christopher Kane’s 2010 Resort (first-ever) pre-collection, which features amber-colored mushroom cloud prints from nuclear test explosions. (Kane took the free prints from the U.K. Ministry of Defense website.) The chemically-hued prints made their way onto a baby-doll dress, worn by Meester, that looked more like a bikini top, short sleeves and skirt all cobbled together. She paired it with Giuseppe Zanotti shoes, a Louis Vuitton clutch, Cathy Waterman earrings and Jack Vartanian rings. Kane is clearly into shock and awe fashion - first his gorilla, ape and baboon dresses for Spring (Rihanna was a fan); now nuclear mushroom cloud prints. What do you think of Kane’s innovative new collection? Is it haute or not?

Source: Style.com

Haute or Not: Christopher Kane’s ‘Gorilla’ dress

Inspired by “Planet of the Apes” (of all things), Christopher Kane took the jungle and put it onto his Spring 2009 runway. Add to that a little dash of “The Flintstones”, Raquel Welch in “One Million Years B.C.”, and then Dian Fossey and her gorillas, said the designer. The result? Gory gold-fanged apes, monkeys, mandrills and gorillas printed on scalloped, avant garde dresses and oversized black tees (which are available for purchase online at LUISAVIAROMA.COM). Already worn by  Kristen Stewart (”Twilight”) and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, (daughter of French Vogue editrix Carine Roitfeld), Rihanna was the next high-profile celeb to rock this edgy dress. What’s your take on Kane’s ape collection? Haute or not?

Image sources: Splash News and Style.com