London fashionistas will have a chance to wear a celebrity's designer gown courtesy of Topshop. The brand has created the Dress Me Up Campaign which features designer dresses owned by stars like Kate Moss, Freida Pinto, Scarlett Johansson, Naomi Campbell and Dita Von Teese. Later dresses will be auctioned off with all proceeds from the rental fee and the auction going to Topshop's chosen charities Age Concern and Help the Aged.

We bet you didn't even know you dreamed of eyeglasses, but this will help you catch up. Lorgnettes were all the rage in the 19th century, Roosevelt made pince-nez Presidential, and that guy in Los Feliz with the monocle is a sight to behold. Nevertheless, over-the-ear eyeglass still haven't had their golden age centuries after they were invented. Nader Zadi's Custom Eyes, in New York's Upper East Side, could put a change to that.

If Saville Row is where you get your suits, Custom Eyes is where you go for vintage and bespoke glasses. For the classicist Custom Eyes has rimless and semi-rimless antique frames and components in white and yellow gold, some of them 200 years old, and full frames from the early 19th century. Should you insist on the unique, after selecting your frame and bridge preferences Zadi will take your measurements and handcraft a set of eyewear -- even the lenses are ground and shaped by hand -- that would make both Ben Franklin and Jackie O. jealous.

Before it comes to all that, you need to make an appointment -- you know how the highest fashion rolls, darling. However, he will come to your office, hotel, or West Wing if that's how you roll. And if you really want to play the period game, Zadi will be happy to design a lorgnette or a set of opera glasses. We can't say they will make Strindberg's The Stronger any more comprehensible, but you'll look dashing and timeless while you try to figure it out.

Michelle Obama wowed the crowd at the first official Obama administration state dinner last night. To welcome Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and his wife, Gursharan Kaur the first lady wore a gown by Indian-American designer Naeem Khan. The strapless gown was decorated with sterling silver sequins in a floral pattern on a nude silk chiffon dress. The Mrs. O website reports that it took three weeks of work by 40 people to create the dress. The work was done in Naeem Khan's family workshop in India. Mrs. Obama accessorized the dress with drop earrings and gold and diamond bangle bracelets.

Duncan Quinn, the London-born, New York-based menswear designer whose Savile Row-with-a-twist togs are favored by the likes of Sean Combs, Entourage star Adrien Grenier, LeBron James and alt-rockers Green Day among others, has come out with a new line of silk ties sporting gangster chic motifs to complement his killer new fall collection we previewed here. The designs (above) are partially inspired by Russian prison tattoos - think Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises - and are made of 100% silk handwoven in England, cut, stitched and finished by hand in New York City. A lot of Quinn's inspiration comes from the "long and well-recorded history of members of the criminal fraternity frequenting Savile Row for their sharp suits and other attire," the designer notes - the ones played by Michael Caine at least.

While the economic slump may still be in full bloom, and some people are rushing to invest in gold, others are buying tangible assets of a different kind. Artcurial, a French based auction house and the only one to dedicate two sales annually to the Hermes label, recently pulled in over 1 million dollars during their latest sale held on November 10, 2009. Some items, including a Birkin bag sold for above the estimate and even the original retail price.

If you don't want to have to wait until spring and the next auction, Luxury-scarves.com has the most comprehensive collection of vintage Hermes scarves on the market. The site is the brain child of an antiques dealer, who began collecting the "carres" while scouring markets and secondhand shops for his other business. What began as a personal collection over ten years ago really has developed into an incredible resource for collectors and fashionistas alike.

There are plenty of dealers who collect and sell Hermes items. What makes this site so unique is not only the size and scope of the collection but the manner in which it is organized. One can search for a scarf based on name, color, size, condition, material or designer. Once a chosen item is located five different views of the scarf are shown along with its name, who designed it, when the scarf was first produced, subsequent reissues and available colorways and materials. The condition and any other point of reference, for example if the item has an "S" stamp is also noted. The price of the scarf is listed in both euros and dollars. There is in fact an on-line database of over 1,000 scarves with photos to be used for research and non-commercial purposes.

Should you desperately want a vintage Hermes bag to complement your scarf feel free to browse the sister site Luxury-shops.com which features all types of vintage designer items including several new and used Birkin bags ranging in price from $10,000 to over $50,000 for one made of matte alligator.

The "Heloise" underwire halter neck corset is part of Agent Provocateur's kinky new lingerie collection, Soirée. It's made of black ribbed duchess satin and lined in soft black leather, with a deep plunge neckline and hand-embellished biker studs. À la Scarlett O'Hara, this corset really will pull in the waist. The hips are "emphasized" (I'll say) with 2-inch metal spikes -- back view below. Not for the fainthearted or shy, or one who wishes to snuggle. $4,900

Chanel is opening a new boutique in Shanghai on November 25. Peter Marino is the architect for the new space and was inspired by the Paris apartment of Mademoiselle Chanel. It is a fitting city for the famous couture house to unveil a new store as Shanghai is known as "the Paris of the East".

According to the architect, the idea was to give this new boutique a residential feel by combining hand picked art, antiques and other objects with a refined store decor. The fashion house has also commissioned original artwork by french artist, Jean-Michel Othoniel, to be displayed. The art of shopping is to be a subtle experience at this unique salon where customers enter the apartment-like space, can sit on sofas and have individual items brought to them as opposed to jostling elbows with other shoppers while browsing the merchandise. It is to be a different, more elegant, experience for the customer. Peter Marino is quoted "The result is comfort, quiet elegance, timelessness. The chic of Chanel."

Karl Lagerfeld has also designed exclusive products only to be sold in the Shanghai location to celebrate the stores opening. These include a classic quilted flap handbag with an inside signature "Shanghai Karl Lagerfeld", sling-back heels with a metallic CC logo, various items of clothing including a tweed jacket and skirt with gold trim.

The boutique has an excellent location in the newly opened The Peninsula hotel. The latest addition to the luxury travel market the Art Deco styled hotel has a terrific location on the Bund, the waterfront promenade in Shanghai.

Peter Nitz creates unique leather goods that represent his own personal vision of what a sophisticated luxury aesthetic embodies. A former Assistant Director of Acquisitions at an auction house, Peter has a unique eye for quiet luxury and handcrafts each piece himself. He refined his abilities for two and a half years at the knee of a former Hermes craftsman, who he encountered on a weekend trip to Paris. During this time he mastered centuries-old techniques that, while demanding precision and patience, result in products that are truly refined.

Originally from South Carolina, Peter moved to Europe and traveled the globe in a quest to find the best producers of exotic skins, linen thread, hardware and other materials necessary to open his own atelier. Each bag is designed from an initial plan, but influenced by the specific exotic skin used, to produce a perfect union between design and material. Some of the bags feature vintage fine jewelry Peter acquires by scouring auction houses and private collectors, and each piece is one of a kind.

There are two main collections:
The Atelier collection, which include classic Peter Nitz designs, but can be special ordered in whichever skin and color a customer desires. This results in a truly bespoke bag that suits a clients specific needs.
The Masterpiece collection, which combines exquisite vintage fine jewelry with exotic skins resulting in a piece that is closer to art than a handbag.

Each piece comes in its own handmade leather-covered drawered box with a customized handle made from the same leather as the individual bag. Prices for the bags without jewels begin at $2,500 and can reach as high as $9,000 to $20,000 dollars depending on both the type of skin used and the value of the jewels that adorn the bag.

Every year, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is crazier than the last. This year, at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City, we saw an array of outfits that were by equal turns beautiful and baffling. We love how Victoria's Secret always manages to dress the Angels in elaborate designs that sit just next to their bodies -- giant wings and capes that cover nothing ... you'll see what we mean in the gallery.

Pictured here is the most expensive item of the evening, the diamond-clad three million dollar bra, being caressed by Marisa Miller, who had the privilege of wearing it. Honestly, it's a bit of a yawn, but we'd feel cheated if they hadn't BeDiamonded something. What's really fun is the crazy pictures in the gallery. It's only once a year that models get to dress up like harlots from the future and it's like, a big honor. So check it out.

These outfits speak for themselves, but that didn't stop us. Why did we include some of the most awkward pictures? Because we're jealous. Enjoy.

Your dress may be an inexpensive LBD from a discount shop, but no one will notice if you're wearing fabulous designer tights.

This holiday season, times are (ugh) still tight, but the opulence and flashy glamour of the 20s and 30s speakeasy culture are in. The way to follow the trend without breaking the bank is to focus on your accessories: make them as eye-catching as you dare. Textures, dark jewel tones, and all things that sparkle are your friends, and we just love these Cynthia Rowley tights.

Also, as with other accessories, you can get them for a far more frugal price than, say, a Cynthia Rowley dress. The tights range from just $15 for Antique Dot Tights to $250 for the breathtaking Embellished Tights shown. It's a smart way to buy into a designer who might otherwise be out of your budget.

Now, go spend your money on presents!

Daniel Craig's aviator sunglasses designed by Tom Ford for last year's Quantum of Solace (above) are among a collection of James Bond items in Christie's London's Vintage Film Posters and Entertainment Memorabilia auction on Nov. 24. The shades, estimated at £1,000 - £1,500, are among the more modern 007 mementos in the sale, along with a poker table chair and barstool graced by Mr. Craig's derriere in 2006's Casino Royale, estimated at £1,000 - £1,500. On the vintage front there are some key items from 1974's The Man With the Golden Gun, such as a two-piece black silk evening suit made for Roger Moore for the film, offered at £3,000 - £5,000. Also from that film are the arch villain Scaramanga's custom triggers for the golden gun itself, made in the form of cufflinks which he used to assemble the lethal weapon, estimated at £2,000 - £3,000. On offer as well are a pair of black leather of Salvatore Ferragamo dress shoes worn by Moore in 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me, signed on the inside in gold ink along with a jocular note from the actor, for £800 - £1,200.

[via Duncan Quinn]

One of our favorite young designers is no stranger to fusion lines. Christian Siriano has teamed up with Payless to design several lines of edgy shoes and Victoria's Secret to create a line of makeup in Mediterranean hues. But now the star designer is bringing fashion to the public in a completely new way. In just another testimony to Siriano's business savvy and creativity, he recently released a line exclusively sold on his website, with six limited edition pieces all under $200. Now, finally fashionistas everywhere will have an opportunity to own their own authentic Christian Siriano piece. What makes the line truly luxurious, other than the delicate silk fabrics and gorgeous drapes, is that the line was inspired by his own Spring/Summer 2010 collection, which had models walking on water in seafaring colors and swaths of oceanic prints. By creating high-quality, affordable pieces taken from his same runway fabrications, Siriano is clearly out to revolutionize the fashion industry.

We spoke to Christian more about this in depth, and why he decided to incorporate these shapes. "The collection is very similar to my ready to wear collection," Siriano tells Luxist. "The fabrications are the same but the shapes are simple and very easy for women to piece into an existing wardrobe. Also these shapes are a limited collection and are not available anywhere else. Therefore the price is able to target the younger and fashionable Christian Siriano Fan."

Siriano says that he created the lower-priced collection for one reason alone: "We receive e-mails everyday, all day from fans who cannot afford anything over $200. It is my way to have my brand more accessible to women everywhere. That is the main goal at the end of the day, to have women wearing my clothes, feeling fabulous."

Our favorite piece is the Oceanic Scarf, a print taken straight from the runway, which is sure to add a fabulous pop to any monotone outfit this season. Check out the rest of the line in detail below. Click here to shop now, because these pieces won't last long.

Back in her heyday, Yoko Ono was almost never seen without her shades on. And these were them: The original sunglasses from Porsche Design. She wore them on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, she wore them at press conferences, she wore them during recording sessions and when she was on vacation. She's still wearing them, even though they haven't been made in years. But now the German automaker's product design studio is bringing them back as the P'8479, complete with visible gold-tone screws and Beta-Titanium frame. Make no mistake about it, the 80s are back.

The talented Luella Bartley, anointed Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2008, is the latest fashion victim of the recession. Her label, Luella, is being forced to close down following the loss of one of its main suppliers and has stopped trading. Last month Luella's Italian production company Carla Carini shut down which meant that the orders for the spring/summer 2010 collection could not be fulfilled. This started a chain reaction in which the company in charge of distribution, VSQ, announced it was withdrawing its backing.

Luella's punk-meets-pretty aesthetic has been much beloved by England's young and fashionable including Alexa Chung, Lily Allen and Pixie Geldof. Bartley launched Luella in 1999 and opened her flagship store on Mayfair's Brook Street in 2007. In a statement she said that she hopes the Luella girl aesthetic can go on in some form and is considering ways to keep the brand alive.